RNC

Reince Priebus said the committee would take 48 hours to reevaluate its election strategy, according to a Republican operative briefed on the conversation.

The Republican National Committee is taking the weekend to reevaluate its strategy while lawyers examine the legal hurdles to replacing Donald Trump with another nominee, according to Republicans in touch with the committee.

On Friday night, RNC chair Reince Priebus told an aggrieved state party chair that he realized a public dumping of Trump by the party would sink the nominee’s remaining chances. He said the committee would take 48 hours to reevaluate its election strategy, according to a Republican operative briefed on the conversation.

The RNC saw the departure of two low-level field staffers in the states on Friday night and is expecting more, according to the operative.

Meanwhile, the RNC has lawyers examining the possibility of putting forth another nominee one month from Election Day, with ballots already printed and early voting in progress in some states, according to two other Republicans. “RNC has an army of lawyers right now looking at Rule 9 and ballot questions,” said one, a Republican strategist. The RNC’s Rule 9 pertains to filling vacant nominations.

But the lawyers have concluded that Trump would have to cooperate in any attempt to replace him, said another Republican in touch with the committee. “The fact remains that he can only be replaced if he quits or dies. And he’s declared today he’s not planning on doing either.”

Even as they consider eleventh-hour options, party officials are urging local operatives to remain calm and see if Trump can weather the storm.

Matt Pinnell, the RNC’s state party director, has been fielding calls from chairmen around the country and urging them to stay the course, at least for now.

Steve House, the Colorado GOP chairman, texted Pinnell on Saturday morning with questions, including one how to potentially replace a nominee once his name has been printed on ballots that are about to be sent out.

“I asked if we should change course in any way regarding resources, strategy and the answer was, ‘No’,” House said. “So we’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing and see what happens in the next 24 hours, especially with the debate.”

RNC spokesman Sean Spicer did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Melania...On Wednesday, The Huffington Post noticed that the site had been entirely scrubbed of its content. People clicking on its address are now redirected to the Trump Organization’s website. — Melania…On Wednesday, *The Huffington Post* noticed that the site had been entirely scrubbed of its content. People clicking on its address are now redirected to the Trump Organization’s website.

Melania Trump’s cribbing last week of Michelle Obama’s lines was not the first time she claimed something that was not hers.

For months now, reporters have noted that Ms. Trump, who grew up in the small Slovenian town of Sevnica, did not obtain an undergraduate degree in architecture from the University of Ljubljana, as her professional website claimed she did. Instead, she left after her first year to pursue a modeling career in Milan.

As recently as a week ago, Ms. Trump’s website stated that she had obtained a degree before going on to become a philanthropist and skin care entrepreneur.

On Wednesday, The Huffington Post noticed that the site had been entirely scrubbed of its content. People clicking on its address are now redirected to the Trump Organization’s website.

“The website in question was created in 2012 and has been removed because it does not accurately reflect Melania Trump’s current business and professional interests,” Amanda Miller, a spokeswoman for Ms. Trump, said Thursday.

Last week, Ms. Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention contained a few lines from Michelle Obama’s speech at the Democratic convention in 2008. The Trump campaign initially denied that she had plagiarized the lines. Eventually a Trump employee who had helped write the speech, Meredith McIver, acknowledged using Ms. Obama’s lines and apologized, saying it was unintentional.

♦ Culled from The New York Times

Melania Trump’s cribbing last week of Michelle Obama’s lines was not the first time she claimed something that was not hers.

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