Nightly Brief

Your Wednesday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News

Top CNS stories for today including Senator Richard Blumenthal expressing confidence that Democrats emoluments clause challenge against President Donald Trump will advance; President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Third Circuit defends himself against Democrats’ attacks about his conservative record; a senior aide entangled in the multiple scandals dogging Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt abruptly resigns; the city of Flint and several government officials argue before the Sixth Circuit for immunity on a bodily integrity claim brought by a mother and child who drank the city’s lead-contaminated water; the Wisconsin Supreme Court rules that a family can rent out their waterfront property on Hayward Lake to vacationers; a new study suggests that pollution hinders fungi that provide mineral nutrients to European tree roots, sparking malnutrition trends in the continent’s trees, and more.

Sign up * for CNS Nightly Brief, a roundup of the day’s top stories delivered directly to your email Monday through Friday.*

**National **

1.) Heading to court for the first test of his emoluments clause challenge, Senator Richard Blumenthal told reporters he is confident that the suit against President Donald Trump will advance.

2.) Appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, President Donald Trump’s nominee to the Third Circuit defended himself against Democrats’ attacks about his conservative record.

3.) A senior aide entangled in the multiple scandals dogging Environmental Protection Agency chief Scott Pruitt abruptly resigned Wednesday, two days after she told lawmakers she once called a Trump Hotel on behalf of her boss, seeking use of a used mattress.

4.) Protesters who say they were attacked by audience members and tossed out of a Donald Trump campaign rally in Kentucky argued Wednesday before the Sixth Circuit to have their claims against the president proceed.

**Regional **

5.) After rampant speculation that California’s ruthless “top-two” primary system could cause both Democrats and Republicans to be without candidates in critical races come November, party backers on both sides of the aisle woke to good news Wednesday.

6.) The city of Flint and several government officials argued before the Sixth Circuit on Wednesday for immunity on a bodily integrity claim brought by a mother and child who drank the city’s lead-contaminated water.

9.) Rejecting complaints from neighbors, the Wisconsin Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that a family can rent out their waterfront property on Hayward Lake to vacationers.

**International **

10.) Pollution hinders fungi that provide mineral nutrients to European tree roots, according to a new study that suggests this dynamic is sparking malnutrition trends in the continent’s trees.