10 things you need to know today: April 3, 2019

1. House panel issues subpoena on White House security clearances

The House Oversight and Reform Committee voted 22 to 15, along party lines, to subpoena Carl Kline, the former White House personnel security director, to answer questions in an investigation into the White House security clearance process. The vote came after the committee's chair, Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.), revealed that a whistleblower, Tricia Newbold, complained that the Trump administration had put government secrets in jeopardy by granting more than 25 security clearances initially recommended for denial because of red flags, including foreign contacts, conflicts of interests, criminal history, drug use, or other forms of misconduct. Jared Kushner, President Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser, declined to comment on the clearances, but said the administration had faced "a lot of crazy accusations, like that we colluded with Russia."

The Washington Post

2. Lori Lightfoot elected Chicago's first black female mayor

Lori Lightfoot won a Tuesday landslide victory to become the first African-American woman and openly gay person to be elected Chicago's mayor. The former federal prosecutor and first-time candidate beat Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle, winning 74 percent of the unofficial vote count to Preckwinkle's 26 percent with about 97 percent of precincts reporting. "Today, you did more than make history," Lightfoot told hundreds of supporters at the Hilton Chicago on Tuesday night. "You created a movement for change." Chicago is now the biggest U.S. city to elect an openly gay mayor. Both candidates campaigned on progressive policies, including police reform and affordable housing, with Preckwinkle touting her experience and Lightfoot her independence from a "corrupt, broken Democratic machine."

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Chicago Tribune

3. N.C. GOP chair indicted on wire fraud, bribery charges

North Carolina Republican Party Chair Robin Hayes was indicted this week on allegations that included wire fraud and bribery connected with an attempt to influence the state insurance commissioner. Durham businessman and political donor Greg Lindberg, owner of the Durham-based Global Bankers Insurance Group, and two of his associates, also were indicted. The defendants were accused of scheming "to defraud and to deprive North Carolina and the citizens of North Carolina of their intangible right to the honest services of the commissioner, an elected official, through bribery," according to the indictment. Hayes announced Monday that he would not seek re-election, before surrendering to authorities and making his first appearance in a Charlotte federal court.

NPR Politico

4. Trump criticizes Democrats for demanding Mueller report

President Trump on Tuesday tweeted criticism of congressional Democrats for pushing to get Special Counsel Robert Mueller's full report, noting that one had opposed releasing independent counsel Kenneth Starr's report on Bill Clinton. Trump also tweeted a Fox News clip of lawyer Alan Dershowitz arguing that the Justice Department could keep Mueller's report secret. Trump's comments countered his recent call for releasing Mueller's report. House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) said Trump should support releasing the report if "he is feeling so confident" about what's in it.

Politico

5. Trump eases border closure threat, vowing to protect trade

President Trump on Tuesday modified his threat to close the border after companies warned a shutdown could disrupt their supply chains. Trump said he would try to keep freight moving and protect trade in any closure. Trump didn't completely back off the closure threat, but praised Mexico for recent steps to curb the flow of undocumented migrants. He also called on Congress to address what he has declared to be an emergency at the border. "Let's see if they keep it done," Trump said, referring to Mexico. "Now, if they don't, or if we don't make a deal with Congress, the border's going to be closed, 100 percent." The remarks came as the benchmark Hass avocado price from Michoacan, Mexico, soared 34 percent higher on Tuesday, after Trump's initial threat to close the border.

The Associated Press Bloomberg

6. Chemical plant fire kills 1 in Texas

A chemical plant in Crosby, Texas, caught fire on Tuesday, killing at least one person. Two others were flown by helicopter to a hospital, where they were in critical condition. The blaze at the KMCO plant was the second at a Houston-area chemical plant in three weeks. The KMCO plant is 25 miles northeast of Deer Park, where an Intercontinental Terminals Co. facility burned for several days last month. Firefighters quickly contained Tuesday's fire. Authorities ordered residents within a 1-mile radius to shelter in place, but the lockdown was lifted later in the day. The Crosby Independent School District shut down ventilation and air conditioning systems at its schools, but no airborne hazardous chemicals were immediately detected in the area.

CNN

7. Algerian president steps down after weeks of protests

Longtime Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika stepped down Tuesday after six weeks of protests calling for his departure and the establishment of real democracy in the North African nation. The announcement came shortly after the chief of staff of Algeria's army, Gen. Ahmed Gaid Salah, called for the Constitutional Council to make an "immediate" declaration that Bouteflika, who is 82 and ailing, was unfit for office. Crowds celebrated the news peacefully in the capital Algiers, honking car horns, singing, and waving Algerian flags. The Constitutional Council was expected to meet Wednesday to make Bouteflika's departure official.

The Associated Press The New York Times

8. Secret Service arrests woman with malware-packed thumb drive at Mar-a-Lago

A woman carrying Chinese passports and a thumb drive filled with "malicious software" was arrested by the Secret Service over the weekend, court documents reveal. Yujing Zhang reportedly talked her way into President Trump's Palm Beach, Florida, resort to "speak with" someone from the Trump family "about Chinese and American foreign economic relations," prosecutors allege. Trump was visiting Mar-a-Lago that weekend and was playing golf while the alleged incident occurred. Zhang made it through a Secret Service checkpoint though her name wasn't on an approved access list. Inside, prosecutors say Zhang told a receptionist she was there for a "United Nations Friendship Event" between China and the U.S. She has been charged with making false statements to a federal officer and entering a restricted building.

CNBC

9. Sanders raises $18.2 million in campaign's first 6 weeks

Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) raised $18.2 million with nearly 900,000 contributions from 525,000 individual donors in his presidential campaign's first six weeks, the campaign announced Tuesday. The haul put him ahead of rivals in a crowded Democratic field, but Sen. Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) also had strong raising, with her campaign reporting Monday that she raised $12 million in the first quarter. Pete Buttigieg, the mayor of South Bend, Indiana, said Monday that his campaign raised more than $7 million. Harris and Buttigieg entered the race several weeks before Sanders. The rest of the field still has until April 15 to announce their first-quarter totals. While the Iowa caucuses are still 10 months away, the fundraising totals are significant because the candidates need to show they can sustain long campaigns.

The New York Times

10. Suspect arrested for rapper Nipsey Hussle's murder

Los Angeles police on Tuesday arrested a suspect in the fatal shooting of Grammy-nominated rapper Nipsey Hussle. The suspect was identified as Eric Holder, 29. He was arrested in Bellflower, California, after his alleged getaway driver turned herself in, the Los Angeles Times reported. Hussle was gunned down Sunday in front of his clothing store. His death sparked grief and outrage in the Crenshaw neighborhood in South Los Angeles where he grew up and was involved in community projects, including rebuilding an elementary school basketball court and supporting science and math education. Los Angeles Police Chief Michael Moore said the shooting appeared to have resulted from a personal dispute between Hussle and Holder.

Los Angeles Times The Washington Post