Good morning, Her Campus! With a break-neck news cycle, there is no possible way for you to stay on top of every story that comes across your feeds—we’re all only human, after all.
But, life comes at you fast. So grab a cup of coffee and settle in for this quick and dirty guide to stories you might’ve been sleeping on (like, literally. It’s early.)
VP Mike Pence’s Doctor Resigns After Raising Concerns About WH Doctor Ronny Jackson
Vice President Mike Pence’s personal doctor, Dr. Jennifer Pena, has resigned. According to ABC News, Pena privately raised concerns about White House physician and former Veterans Affairs (VA) nominee Ronny Jackson’s conduct last fall.
Pena alleged that Jackson violated privacy protections for Pence’s wife, Karen Pence, and it reportedly resulted in intimidating behavior by Jackson, according to written memos obtained by CNN.
Pence’s Chief of Staff, Nick Ayers, brought Pena’s concerns to Chief of Staff John Kelly last fall, and directed the concerns through the proper channels at the White House Medical Unt, ABC News reports.
“The Vice President’s office was informed today by the White House Medical Unit of the resignation,” the Vice President’s spokesperson, Alyssa Farah, told ABC News. “Physicians assigned to the Vice President report to the White House Medical Unit and thus any resignation would go entirely through the Medical Unit, not the Vice President’s office.”
Farah also said Mrs. Pence “has been briefed on all the facts related to a private matter regarding her health care. She is grateful for the professional care she received from all White House medical personnel who resolved the matter quickly. She considers the matter closed and has no further comment on the situation.”
Jackson withdrew from his VA nomination amid allegations of workplace misconduct, and returned to the White House Medical Unit. He is no longer the president’s personal physician, however, as the role went to Navy officer Sean Conley in anticipation of Jackson’s confirmation to the VA, ABC News reports.
FBI Lawyer Who Texted About Trump Resigns
Lisa Page, an FBI lawyer and close adviser to former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, has resigned from the bureau, CNN reports.
Page came under scrutiny after her text messages with FBI Special Agent Peter Strzok in which she criticized President Donald Trump came to light last winter.
According to CNN, Page also worked on Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team last summer before returning to her duties at the FBI.
However, the text messages between her and Strzok became fuel for the Republican lawmakers’ (as well as Trump’s) accusations that certain members of the bureau who were working on the Russia investigation were biased against Trump.
Another FBI official, James Baker, who was one of the closest advisers to former FBI Director James Comey and general counsel for the FBI, resigned. According to CNN, however, a source said that Baker’s resignation was unrelated to Page’s.
Baker will be moving over to Lawfare, a national security blog associated with Brookings Institution, CNN reports.
On Friday, Comey praised Baker on Twitter, writing, “Jim Baker represents the best of the Department of Justice and the FBI. He has protected the country and the rule of law throughout his career and leaves an inspiring legacy of service. He is what we should all hope our kids become, a person of integrity.”
Sen. John McCain Doesn’t Want Trump at His Funeral
Sen. John McCain, who was diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer last July, has reportedly said that he does not wish to have President Donald Trump attend his funeral, The Huffington Post reports.
Friends of the Vietnam War veteran and former presidential candidate told the White House to send Vice President Mike Pence instead.
According to HuffPost, the service is planned for Washington’s National Cathedral, with eulogies read by former presidents Barack Obama and George W. Bush.
McCain and Trump have repeatedly clashed with one another.
In 2015, Trump said that McCain, who was tortured and beaten during the more than five years he was held captive in North Vietnam during the Vietnam war, was not a war hero, HuffPost reports. McCain said Trump never apologized for his remarks. Trump also criticized McCain for not voting to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act last year.
But Grant Woods, McCain’s former Chief of Staff and friend, told The New York Times that friends have been visiting with McCain, including former Vice President Joe Biden, who McCain encouraged to stay in politics, HuffPost reports.
Last week, it was reported that McCain visited his son-in-law, Ben Domenech, who married his daughter, Meghan McCain in November, and asked him to take care of Meghan.
In an excerpt released last week from his upcoming memoir, The Restless Wave: Good Times, Just Causes, Great Fights, and other Appreciations, McCain says, “I don’t know how much longer I’ll be here.”
“Maybe I’ll be gone before you hear this,” McCain said. “My predicament is, well, rather unpredictable. But I’m prepared for either contingency, or at least I’m getting prepared.”
What to look out for…
It look like Netflix hit show Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt will end with season four. I’m not crying, you are.