MUELLER’S OFFICE RELEASES FLYNN MEMO… The office of special counsel Robert Mueller revealed in a memo released last night that former national security adviser Michael Flynn has given “substantial assistance” to the investigation of Russian collusion in the 2016 US election and recommended a zero to six-months prison sentencing. The 60-year-old Flynn pleaded guilty on December 1, 2017, to lying to FBI investigators. According to the memo, Flynn has sat for 19 interviews with attorneys for the special counsel and the Justice Department. Topics have covered “a range of issues, including contact with individuals in the Presidential Transition Team and Russia,” the filing notes. A description of how Flynn has helped in the Russian interference investigation is redacted.
ROGER STONE TAKES THE FIFTH… Former Donald Trump advisor Roger Stone is invoking the Fifth Amendment in refusing to share documents or testify before Senate judiciary committee members. His refusal came in a letter sent to the committee’s ranking Democrat, Senator Dianne Feinstein of California. She had sought information from Stone about any links between Trump and Russia. Stone remains under investigation in special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election and possible collusion with the Trump campaign. Allegations include Stone had knowledge of WikiLeaks’ plans to dump Hillary Clinton campaign emails in October 2016.
REPUBLICAN CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEE HACKED… The National Republican Congressional Committee said yesterday it was the victim of a cyber intrusion by an “unknown entity prior to last month’s mid-term elections. Several Republican campaign officials reportedly had their email accounts hacked, but none of the emails had been made public. According to the news website Politico, the accounts of four senior aides were compromised for several months until the intrusion was spotted in April by an NRCC official who alerted the committee.
FOUR CHARGED IN TAX SCHEME… Federal prosecutors have charged four men with fraud, wire fraud, tax evasion, money laundering, and making false statements in connection to the so-called Panama Papers investigation. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York accuses Ramses Owens, Dirk Brauer, Richard Gaffey, and Harald Joachim Von Der Goltz of participating in a criminal scheme perpetrated by global law firm Mossack Fonseca & Co. The scheme involved the creation of “sham foundations and shell companies” to help U.S. taxpayer clients of the law firm conceal assets and investments” from the IRS between 2000 and 2017. Three of the four defendants have been arrested.
DOW PLUMMETS… Doubts surrounding the U.S. and China’s ability to achieve a concrete deal to avoid new, or expanded, bilateral tariffs prompted the worst day on Wall Street in nearly a month yesterday. The Dow Jones Industrial Average sank 799.36 points, or 3.1%, to 25,027.07, while the S&P 500 dropped 90.31 points to 2,700.06. The Nasdaq tumbled 283.09 points, or 3.8%, to 7,158.43. The market will be closed today as the nation mourns former President George H.W. Bush, who died Friday at 94.
ENTERTAINMENT
KEVIN HART TO HOST OSCARS… Comedian Kevin Hart announced yesterday that he has agreed to host the 91st annual Academy Awards. Hart follows Jimmy Kimmel, who hosted the past two years. Hart’s previous hosting experience includes the 2011 BET Awards and the 2012 MTV Video Music Awards.
BATTLE OVER MOONVES SEVERANCE… The New York Times reported yesterday that former CBS CEO Leslie Moonves “destroyed evidence and misled investigators” in an attempt to retain his $120 million severance package after being publicly accused of sexual misconduct. A draft report prepared for the network’s board claims CBS has “justification to deny” Moonves his large severance because he violated his employment agreement. According to the draft, Moonves deleted text messages that showed him offering a CBS role to a potential sexual assault accuser and he allegedly “handed over his son’s iPad” to investigators “instead of his own.” The report also includes previous sexual misconduct allegations against Moonves.
SPORTS
NBA SCORES…
INDIANA 96 – Chicago 90… The Pacers got a game-high 23 points from Darren Collison in fighting their way past the Bulls. Myles Turner had 18 points and 11 rebounds.
Orlando 105 – MIAMI 90… The Magic outscored the Heat 30-12 in the third quarter to erase a four-point halftime deficit on their way to the win. Aaron Gordon scored 20 points and grabbed 13 boards. Nikola Vucevic added 19 points and 10 rebounds.
DALLAS 111 – Portland 102… The Mavericks built a 15-point halftime lead and held off the Trail Blazers. All five starters scored in double figures, led by Luka Doncic’s 21 points. DeAndre Jordan had 12 points and 17 boards.
UTAH 139 – San Antonio 105… The Jazz jumped out to an early double-digit lead and never looked back in routing the Spurs. Donovan Mitchell scored 20 points to lead a balanced scoring attack. Rudy Gobert finished with 18 points and 10 rebounds.
Sacramento 122 – PHOENIX 105… The Kings led 36-9 after the first quarter and coasted past the Suns. Buddy Hield scored 20 points in just 17 minutes. Five reserves scored in double figures.
TONIGHT’S NBA SCHEDULE…
Denver is at Orlando…
Cleveland hosts Golden State…
Oklahoma City is at Brooklyn…
Atlanta hosts Washington…
Dallas is at New Orleans…
Milwaukee hosts Detroit…
the L.A. Clippers are at Memphis…
Minnesota hosts Charlotte…
Philadelphia is at Toronto…
the L.A. Lakers host San Antonio
NHL SCORES…
FLORIDA 5 – Boston 0… Panthers’ goalie Roberto Luongo returned after missing five games with a knee injury and stopped all 33 Bruin shots in his 77th career shutout. Jonathan Haberdeau scored a goal and assisted on two others.
Winnipeg 3 – N.Y. ISLANDERS 1… Jacob Trouba and Adam Lowry scored 22 seconds apart in the third period to erase a 1-0 deficit and send the Jets past the Islanders. Nikolaj Ehlers added an empty-netter. Goalie Connor Hellebuyck made 27 saves.
Calgary 9 – COLUMBUS 6… The Flames took control with a five-goal third period in a comeback win over the Blue Jackets Johnny Gaudreau and Sean Monahan both scored two goals and had two assists.
PITTSBURGH 6 – Colorado 3… Patric Hornqvist scored three goals over a 2:47 span in the third period and the Penguins doubled up on the Avalanche after blowing a 3-0 second-period lead. Hornqvist also had an assist. Evgeni Malkin scored a goal and assisted on another.
Toronto 4 – BUFFALO 3 (OT)… Auston Matthews scored with three seconds remaining in overtime to lift the Maple Leafs over the Sabres. Matthews also scored the game’s first goal in the second period and had an assist.
MONTREAL 5 – Ottawa 2… Max Domi scored two goals and had an assist in leading the Canadiens past the Senators. Jonathan Drouin added a goal and two assists.
Tampa Bay 6 – DETROIT 5 (SO)… Nikita Kucherov and Victor Hedman scored in the shootout as the Lightning outlasted the Red Wings. Mathieu Joseph found the net twice and had an assist.
Minnesota 3 – VANCOUVER 2… Jason Zucker scored 55 seconds apart late in the second period to give the Wild the lead for good in their defeat of the Canucks. Mikael Granlund assisted on both goals.
VEGAS 5 – Washington 3… Nate Schmidt scored a tie-breaking power-play goal with 1:25 remaining and added an empty-netter in the Golden Knights’ win over the Capitals. Schmidt also had an assist. Cody Eakin had a goal and an assist.
Arizona 2 – LOS ANGELES 1… The Coyotes got goals from Lawson Crouse and Nick Schmaltz in edging the Kings. Goalie Adin Hill made 25 saves.
TONIGHT’S NHL SCHEDULE…
Edmonton is at St. Louis…
Anaheim hosts Chicago…
Carolina is at San Jose
TOP 25 MEN’S HOOPS SCORES…
#2 KANSAS 72, Wofford 47…
#5 Michigan 62, NORTHWESTERN 60…
#8 AUBURN 67, North Carolina-Asheville 41…
#22 MISSISSIPPI STATE 90, McNeese State 77…
#25 Furman 98, ELON 77
Bob Sarber 
Howdy Bullet Bob. Thank you for the Run Down. Hope you are doing well. Miss the 44th Section Rowdies. Things just aren’t the same as they used to be.
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DAVID, thanks for being somebody I loved hearing from, and not spam. I share your concern for who and where we are as mankind but remain hopeful that if we can find our way out of this mess, the experience might prompt us to audit our individual values and collectively make the necessary adjustments.
Did you see what I did there? You’re an accountant and I used the word “audit.”
Wishing the best for you, amigo.
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