10 things you need to know today: November 15, 2018

1. McConnell blocks bill that would protect Mueller investigation

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Wednesday blocked a bipartisan bill that seeks to protect Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russia's election meddling and possible collusion by President Trump's campaign associates. Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.) asked for consent to bring the legislation to the floor. It passed the Judiciary Committee in April but then stalled. Flake said the time had come for Congress to make sure Mueller would be allowed to complete his work. "With the firing of the attorney general ... the president now has this investigation in his sights and we all know it," Flake said. McConnell said there was "no indication" the investigation was in peril. "We know how the president feels about the Mueller investigation but he's never said he wants to shut it down," McConnell said.

The Hill

2. DOJ defends Whitaker's appointment as constitutional

The Justice Department said in a memo Wednesday that President Trump's controversial appointment of Matt Whitaker as acting attorney general was legal and constitutional. Critics have said Whitaker's appointment was inconsistent with the Constitution and established rules that should have kicked in when Trump forced out former Attorney General Jeff Sessions last week. Critics have also argued that Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, who was confirmed by the Senate, should fill the post. Whitaker served as Sessions' chief of staff but has not been confirmed by the Senate. The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel offered several reasons why the move was legal, including the fact that the job is only temporary, and that Whitaker served in the Justice Department "at a sufficiently high pay level" to qualify.

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CNN

3. Republicans pick McCarthy as incoming House minority leader

House Republicans on Wednesday elected Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.), the current majority leader, to serve as minority leader when the new Congress convenes and Democrats become the majority party in the House. McCarthy, now the No. 2 House Republican, beat out Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) to replace outgoing House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) as head of the party, signaling support for continuity of leadership as Republicans become the minority party in the House. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) were re-elected by acclamation. Lawmakers selected party leadership in a private session to prepare for the start of the Congress elected in last week's midterms. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is vying to become House speaker.

The New York Times PBS

4. Death toll in Camp Fire continues to climb

The death toll in the deadliest fire in California history continued to rise on Wednesday, reaching at least 56 people. As of Wednesday night, the Camp Fire in Northern California's Butte County had burned 138,000 acres, destroyed more than 10,300 homes and businesses, and remained just 35 percent contained, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection said. Most of the deaths were in the town of Paradise, which has been destroyed. In Southern California, the Woolsey Fire has burned 98,362 acres in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, killing three people and destroying 483 structures. It is 52 percent contained.

Los Angeles Times ABC 7

5. Parkland shooting suspect charged with attacking deputy in jail

Nicolas Cruz, the 20-year-old charged with killing 17 people at a Parkland, Florida, high school, has been charged with attacking a sheriff's deputy and taking one of his weapons, the Broward Sheriff's Office said Wednesday. Cruz allegedly rushed the detention deputy after the officer told him not to drag his sandals while walking around Tuesday in the county's main jail, where he is awaiting trial for the February massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. Cruz already faces a possible death sentence on 17 counts of murder and 17 of attempted murder. Now he also faces charges of assaulting an officer, battery on an officer, and using a stun-gun-like device on an officer.

The Washington Post

6. Democrat Andy Kim flips New Jersey congressional seat

Democrat Andy Kim has defeated Republican Rep. Tom MacArthur in the close race in a southern New Jersey congressional district, widening the Democrats' majority in the House. The Associated Press called the race Wednesday. Kim is a political newcomer and former Obama administration national security aide. He declared victory last week. MacArthur held off on conceding, saying all mail-in and provisional ballots must be counted, but reportedly called to congratulate Kim Wednesday and promised a smooth transition. MacArthur was an ally of President Trump and the only New Jersey congressman to vote for the 2017 tax overhaul. He also supported repealing the Affordable Care Act, prompting jeers from constituents at a spirited town hall event on health care last year.

The Associated Press

7. Trump gets behind criminal justice reform bill

President Trump on Wednesday endorsed a criminal justice reform bill, boosting the chances of what would be the most significant criminal justice reform legislation in years. The bill had stalled in the Senate despite bipartisan support before Trump got behind it. "Today I'm thrilled to announce my support for this bipartisan bill that will make our communities safer and give former inmates a second chance at life after they have served their time, so important," Trump said at the White House. The First Step Act, worked out by senators and Trump son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner, builds on a prison overhaul bill passed overwhelmingly this year by the House, adding changes unwinding tough-on-crime policies of the 1980s and 1990s that have jailed African-American offenders at much higher rates than white offenders.

CBS News The New York Times

8. Michael Avenatti arrested on suspicion of domestic violence

Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing porn star Stormy Daniels in her legal battles with President Trump, has been arrested on suspicion of felony domestic violence, the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed Wednesday. TMZ reported that Avenatti was detained Tuesday after a report of domestic violence against an unidentified victim. Avenatti denied ever being "physically abusive," saying the allegation was "totally bogus." TMZ reported that the incident involved Avenatti's estranged wife, Lisa Storie-Avenatti, but her lawyer denied she had been the victim of any abuse. TMZ then reported that the incident involved someone else. Avenatti said he had "never been physically abusive in my life," adding that the allegations were "fabricated" to hurt his reputation and that he would be "fully exonerated."

CNBC TMZ

9. 2 key ministers resign after British Cabinet backs Brexit plan

British Prime Minister Theresa May's Cabinet on Wednesday approved the draft Brexit deal she reached with the European Union, prompting Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab and Work and Pensions Secretary Esther McVey to quit in protest. Opponents said the draft deal gave too much control to the EU. The approval, however, marked a significant step toward finalizing the terms for Britain's exit from the EU in March. The deal includes billions of euros in payments from Britain, and includes a plan to keep travelers and trade flowing across the border between Ireland, which is an EU member, and the U.K.'s Northern Ireland. The plan still must be approved by European leaders this month, and then by the British Parliament in December.

The Washington Post NPR

10. Astronomers discover 'super-Earth' in neighboring solar system

Scientists have spotted a frozen planet three times the size of Earth that orbits Barnard's star, just six light years away. Barnard's star, the solitary star that is closest to our sun, has long been of interest to astronomers, who thought the star was a top contender for finding nearby Earth-like planets. The newly-discovered super-Earth is the second-closest known exoplanet; a closer one was found in 2016 orbiting the Proxima Centauri stars. Because Barnard's star radiates far less warmth than our sun, the planet, known as Barnard's star b, is a hostile frozen environment that likely has no liquid water.

Astronomy CNN