Talk about controlling the narrative. The Daily Beast reports that in past appearances on Fox & Friends former EPA administrator Scott Pruitt chose the topics for interviews, read questions in advance, and in one case approved portions of the script.
But some media outlets don’t need that kind of help. Politico reports that some authoritarian governments order their state-controlled media to avoid criticizing Trump by name. They will blame his advisers, the deep state, or simply never mention Trump's name to avoid bruising his ego.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman thinks shaking enough hands can do the trick. In his first trip abroad since Saudi writer Jamal Khashoggi was killed, he’s visiting Middle Eastern allies before heading to Argentina on Nov. 30 for the Group of 20 summit along with Trump, European leaders and Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdogan. (Associated Press)
At the same time, Argentine authorities are considering filing criminal charges against the prince for war crimes committed during the Saudi-led military intervention in Yemen. It’s likely the Khashoggi case and reports of torture in Saudi Arabia will be part of the investigation. Argentinian law includes the concept that human rights violations are offenses against humanity and should be subject to prosecution anywhere. (New York Times)
Facebook remains under the microscope. Lawmakers today will ask the Federal Trade Commission for information about its investigation into Facebook’s Cambridge Analytica data leak and if the company violated a legal settlement with the agency. The five FTC members testify this afternoon before a subcommittee of the Senate Commerce Committee. (Axios)
More proof of the power of symbols in Mississippi where investigators are trying to find out who hung nooses in trees outside the Capitol just prior to a U.S. Senate runoff. The Mississippi Department of Public Safety reports that along with the nooses someone placed handwritten signs, one of which read "We’re hanging nooses to remind people that times haven’t changed." (Associated Press)
