Washington Week with The Atlantic

Calls for unity in the aftermath of Congressional shooting (2017x24)

: 16, 2017

Every once in a while, one moment makes Washington pause. Partisanship melts away, if only for that brief moment. This week it was a charity baseball game, an annual tradition that pits Republicans and Democrats against each other for a good-natured competition and America’s favorite pastime. Everything changed early Wednesday morning when a gunman opened fire on the Republican team practicing on a suburban field. Rep. Steve Scalise, the number three Republican in the House of Representatives, was critically injured along with four others. As the game goes on and Washington returns to its usual squabbles, the investigation into Russian meddling in the presidential election has expanded to include President Trump. Special counsel Robert Mueller is reportedly looking into whether Mr. Trump obstructed justice in the Russia case after firing FBI Director James Comey. Just one day after the shooting when Trump praised all the public servants working in government, the president took to Twitter to bemoan the “very bad and conflicted people” investigating him. On Wednesday the Senate voted 97-2 to restrict the president’s ability to roll back sanctions to punish Russia for interfering in the 2016 election. What does this unusual week tell us about civility, credibility and trust in Washington? Robert Costa will discuss with: Alexis Simendinger of Real Clear Politics Jeff Zeleny of CNN Erica Werner of the Associated Press Geoff Bennett of NPR Adam Entous of The Washington Post