It’s Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018. Thanks for choosing to start here.
1. Trump asks Sessions to resign
Hours after the results of the midterm elections began rolling in, Jeff Sessions resigned as attorney general at President Donald Trump’s request.
“This was a firing,” ABC News’ Mike Levine tells us. “This was not Sessions’ choice. As one DOJ person told me, ‘He had no choice.'”
The president and the attorney general have had a rocky relationship ever since Sessions’ recusal from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation. With Sessions out of the way, Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker will oversee the probe.
2. The future of Mueller’s investigation
Trump’s selection of Whitaker, who has previously spoken about reining in Mueller’s investigation, as acting attorney general sparked concern about the future of the Russia probe. The overarching sentiment on Capitol Hill is to let the special counsel finish, according to ABC News Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce.
White House aides also want the president to leave Mueller alone, ABC News’ John Santucci tells us: “They do not want the president to do anything that could cause any type of crisis that could result in some form of investigation, potentially impeachment.”
3. Pelosi and Democrats plan for oversight
In 55 days, Democrats will control the House as new members of Congress take over, but will Nancy Pelosi be their leader?
ABC News’ John Parkinson, who covers Congress, tells us she’s likely to keep her job as the party plans for major oversight of the White House.
“They want to put every single major Trump administration policy along with the president and his business empire under the microscope here, and really examine him through the committee process,” he tells us.
Other news:
‘That’s enough. Put down the mic’: A CNN reporter has his credential revoked by the White House after trying to ask the president a question at a press conference.
Nevada elects dead brothel owner: Dennis Hof, a 72-year-old Republican who wrote a book called “The Art of the Pimp,” won a race for the state’s 36th Assembly District less than a month after he was found dead by Ron Jeremy.
‘We are not calling it Operation Faithful Patriot, we are calling it a border support mission’: The Pentagon changes the name of a thing.
‘Long Island City made a real impression’: One of two new Amazon campuses is coming to New York City.
Whacking Day: A Florida man credited with eliminating 235 snakes catches a 120-pound python that’s more than 17 feet long.
From our partners at FiveThirtyEight:
The 16 Races That Are Still Too Close To Call
Last ‘Nightline’:
Sessions is out, and some ballots are still being counted: The U.S. attorney general stepped down at the president’s request shortly after a press conference in which Trump claimed that he “stopped the blue wave.”
Telling legendary journalist Marie Colvin’s story in ‘A Private War’: The movie’s star, Rosamund Pike, and Christiane Amanpour, a former colleague of Colvin’s, join others in sharing an inside look into the journalist’s life and what it was like to make this powerful film.
This day in history:
Nov. 8, 1972 — President Richard Nixon is re-elected.
Today’s must-see photo:
Provisional ballots sit in a room ahead of being counted in Fulton County, Nov. 7, 2018, in Atlanta. Malfunctioning voting machines, missing power cords and hours-long lines at the polls are being scrutinized in Georgia, where the governor’s race is still undecided as votes are being tallied. (photo credit: Mike Stewart/AP)
For more great photos from around the world click HERE.
Hot on social:
Watch what happens during this botched robbery at a Waffle House in Alabama. Police are still searching for the suspect.
All right, you’re off and running. You can always get the latest news on ABCNews.com and on the ABC News app. Details on how to subscribe to the “Start Here” podcast are below. See you tomorrow!
“Start Here” is the flagship daily news podcast from ABC News — a straightforward look at the day’s top stories in 20 minutes. Listen for free every weekday on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Stitcher, TuneIn, or the ABC News app. On Amazon Echo, ask Alexa to “Play ‘Start Here'” or add the “Start Here” skill to your Flash Briefing. Follow @StartHereABC on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram for exclusive content, show updates and more.
