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Monday's Mini-Report, 7.8.19

Today's edition of quick hits.

Today's edition of quick hits:

* Epstein case: "An 'extraordinary volume' of photographs featuring nude or partially nude young girls was confiscated from the New York City home of Jeffrey Epstein, federal prosecutors revealed Monday after a newly unsealed indictment accused the multimillionaire financier of exploiting a 'vast network' of underage victims for sex."

* New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) this morning "signed a bill that would allow certain members of Congress to access President Donald Trump's New York state tax returns."

* The latest personnel mess: "The man set to take over as the head of the Navy declined the position over the weekend, less than one month before he was scheduled to begin the job."

* The latest trouble for Broidy: "A federal grand jury in New York is investigating top Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy, examining whether he used his position as vice chair of President Donald Trump's inaugural committee to drum up business deals with foreign leaders, according to documents obtained by The Associated Press and people familiar with the matter."

* Of course he did: "President Donald Trump on Sunday accused the New York Times of publishing 'phony and exaggerated accounts' in its expose on the child migrant center in Clint, Texas."

* Trump's USDA back in the news: "The U.S. Department of Agriculture has announced that it's suspending tracking the plunging honeybee population because of a budget shortfall. The department will suspend data collection for its Honey Bee Colonies report, and officials did not say when -- or if -- it would be restarted."

* Good craftspeople never blame their tools: "President Donald Trump -- who used to mock predecessor Barack Obama for using the devices during speeches -- said Friday that technical problems with the teleprompter during his 'Salute to America' led to his head-scratching remarks about the Continental Army securing not-yet existent 'airports' during the Revolutionary War."

* A story of note from last week: "In the biggest blow he's dealt to the renewable energy industry yet, President Donald Trump decided on Monday to slap tariffs on imported solar panels."

* Border barriers, Part I: "A federal appeals court in San Francisco on Wednesday upheld a block on President Trump's attempt to use $2.5 billion from the Department of Defense to construct a wall along the southwestern border, impeding the delivery of one of his signature campaign promises."

* Border barriers, Part II: "A federal judge on Friday expanded a ban on construction of President Trump's signature southern border wall that would have used money secured under his declaration of a national emergency, but that Congress never approved for the purpose."

* What a strange story: "In a scene akin to something from a troubled foreign democracy or the American Civil War, members of a deeply divided Alaska Legislature will gather Monday in Wasilla and Juneau, each group claiming that its location is the rightful place for the latest special session of the Legislature."

Anything to add? Consider this an open thread.