The Note: The Trump Papers
— -- NOTABLES
--DOCUMENT DUMP: The Clinton Presidential Library today is releasing nearly 500 pages of documents related to Donald Trump and the Trump Organization following a Freedom of Information Act request, according to the National Archives. The trove of documents include Trump’s invitations to White House events, a photo of Clinton and Trump at Trump Towers, and an autographed copy of Trump's book “The Art of the Deal,” ABC’s VERONICA STRACQUALURSI notes. Also included among the documents are emails and “briefing materials for press events that include media questions” about when Trump was teasing a run for the presidency in 2000. Check http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/Election for updates after 10AM Eastern.
--MEET THE MAN TASKED WITH GETTING TRUMP THE REPUBLICAN NOMINATION: Paul Manafort has been added to the Trump team as the campaign’s convention manager, showing that the real estate magnate-turned-reality star-turned politician is grappling with the inner workings of a possible contested convention. Unlike much of Trump's relatively young staff that helped the Republican front-runner earn his early primary victories, Manafort is arguably more of an establishment figure. ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY has more: http://abcn.ws/23xES3Y
--ANALYSIS -- ABC’s RICK KLEIN: Donald Trump is railing against a “rigged” and “disgusting” “crooked, crooked system,” and even posted a video of a supporter burning his Republican Party ID card. So that’s one way to campaign. The other might be to learn – and learn to play by – the rules of delegate selection, as byzantine as they are. That doesn’t appear to be the Trump way, in fitting with a campaign that’s emphasized bluster over organizing, and has built up the so-called “establishment” as a useful foil. It’s a tactic designed to keep his base energized – but that’s not now, and never has been, Trump’s problem. Arguing about a rigged game to the people who will decide it – the delegates themselves – is like trying to convince an umpire that he’s in the tank for the other side. There’s still a chance that none of this matters, if Trump picks up enough delegates in New York and beyond. But if Trump falls short of 1,237, it’s hard to see Trump’s argument carrying the day among the assembled delegates in Cleveland.
YESTERDAY ON THE TRAIL with ABC’s VERONICA STRACQUALURSI and PAOLA CHAVEZ
WHAT SANDERS’ STRING OF WINS MEANS FOR CLINTON IN NEW YORK. Sen. Bernie Sanders' string of recent victories could mean the New York primary may be the most important contest yet for the Democrats. Sanders has won seven of the last eight nominating contests, which experts say could lead to issues for front-runner Hillary Clinton. "If she can hold the superdelegates, she'll coast -- or maybe limp -- to the nomination," James Campbell, a professor of political science at the University at Buffalo, told ABC News. "The question is if this is putting pressure on the superdelegates to rethink their support for Clinton," he added. ABC’s MEGHAN KENEALLY has more. http://abcn.ws/1Q3cvBa
NOTED: SANDERS PROPOSES NATIONAL BAN ON FRACKING. Sanders has a new addition to his campaign speech. Speaking to crowds around New York state and Pennsylvania in the last week, the progressive Democratic candidate has ratcheted up his focus on environmental issues, specifically talking at length about his opposition to fracking. Last fall, Sanders introduced during sweeping legislation to ban the extract of any fossil fuels on federal lands, but in Binghamton, New York on Monday, the Vermont senator went even further, proposing a national ban on the controversial natural shale gas extraction technology, ABC’s MARYALICE PARKS reports. http://abcn.ws/25W3pls
BIDEN ‘WOULD LIKE TO SEE A WOMAN ELECTED’ PRESIDENT. Vice President Joe Biden is refraining from endorsing a candidate in the 2016 race, but in an interview with Mic, the vice president said he's ready to see a women elected president, according to ABC’s ARLETTE SAENZ. "This country's ready for a woman. There's no problem. We're going to be able to elect a woman in this country," Biden said. Asked if he would like to see a woman elected, Biden replied, "I would like to see a woman elected." An aide to Biden quickly chimed in, saying, "That's it," but the vice president elaborated, explaining that he will not offer an endorsement in the 2016 race. http://abcn.ws/1qKqVC7
KASICH DODGES QUESTION ON ‘CONVERSION THERAPY.’ Republican hopeful John Kasich answered a question about "conversion therapy" at a campaign event in Troy, New York, Monday by instead switching the topic to gay marriage and anti-discrimination laws, irritating his questioner, who said she didn’t ask about “gay marriage and wedding cakes.” Kasich also said yesterday afternoon that he had not heard of the case of Leelah Alcorn, a transgender teen who attracted national attention when she killed herself in 2014 in Ohio, where Kasich took office as governor in 2011. Alcorn, a 17-year-old who was subjected to "conversion therapy," wrote a suicide note about her difficulties growing up transgender; her case prompted the White House to call for an end to the use of the technique, which aims to try to change a person's gender identity or sexual orientation, on minors. ABC’s BEN GITTLESON has more. http://abcn.ws/1MquaIk
NOTED: KASICH ON REFUSING SERVICE TO LGBT PEOPLE: ‘WHAT THE HELL ARE WE DOING IN THIS COUNTRY?’ Kasich asked Monday night “what the hell” was happening in the United States that a state would allow businesses to deny service to people who are gay or transgender, as a law Mississippi’s governor signed last week permits. "I read about this thing they did in Mississippi, where apparently you can deny somebody service because they're gay?" Kasich said during a town hall televised on CNN, where appeared with his wife and twin 16-year-old daughters. "What the hell are we doing in this country? I mean, look, I may not appreciate a certain lifestyle or even approve of it, but I can -- it doesn't mean I've got to go write a law and try to figure out how to have another wedge issue.” http://abcn.ws/1Vj7jRB
WHAT’S INSIDE THE CONTROVERSIAL 1994 CRIME BILL THAT’S PLAGUING HILLARY CLINTON ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL. One of the latest flash points in the Democratic presidential race is a crime bill signed into law more than two decades ago. The Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act, passed by then-President Bill Clinton in 1994, has caused outbursts from protesters and is bringing his time in the White House under scrutiny. Last week, Clinton clashed with protesters from the Black Lives Matter movement, defending the tough law. ABC’S MEGHAN KENEALLY has more on everything you need to know about the controversial law and why it's the subject of criticism now. http://abcn.ws/23pIhFq
TRUMP SAYS CRUZ GOT HIS ‘A-- KICKED’ IN LOUISIANA, BUT TOOK DELEGATES. Speaking to a crowd of thousands last night, Trump slammed the presidential primary process, calling it a “crooked system." He invoked the Louisiana GOP primary, in which Trump won the popular vote but tied with rival Sen. Ted Cruz for delegates, according to ABC’s JOHN SANTUCCI and CANDACE SMITH. "I end up winning Louisiana and then when everything is done I find out I get less delegates than this guy that got his a-- kicked, OK? Give me a break. Really disgust[s] me. So it's a very sick system,” he said. Trump continued his tirade by invoking another state in which he lost a delegate battle; Colorado. Cruz got all 34 delegates in that state without a popular vote, although delegates themselves were voted on. "So we have a rigged system,” Trump began. "It's a fix.” http://abcn.ws/1SKvaDH
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
DE BLASIO FACES CRITICISM FOR JOKING ABOUT ‘CP TIME’ WITH HILLARY CLINTON. New York Mayor Bill de Blasio is facing some criticism for joking about "CP time" while performing in a comedic sketch alongside Hillary Clinton at a charity event over the weekend. During Inner Circle's annual event in New York City that includes musical and comedy performances by local politicians and reporters, Clinton made a surprise cameo during a scripted scene with de Blasio and Leslie Odom Jr., who plays Aaron Burr in the Broadway show “Hamilton,” ABC’s LIZ KREUTZ notes. Clinton joked with de Blasio about how long it took him to endorse her for president, to which the New York City mayor (and Clinton's former Senate campaign manager) quipped back, “Sorry, Hillary. I was running on CP time." The remark is an apparent reference to colored people time -- a phrase sometimes used as a stereotypical reference to black people supposedly being late to everything. "During an evening of satire, the only person this comment was meant to mock was the mayor," de Blasio's office said in a statement. "Certainly no one intended to offend anyone." http://abcn.ws/1oSxqRa
WHO’S TWEETING?
@evanasmith: Must-read @texastribabby: Inside the disconnected relationship between @johncornyn + @tedcruz https://www.texastribune.org/2016/04/12/cornyn-cruz-relationship/ … #txlege
@ShaneGoldmacher: .@kenvogel reports anti-Trump super PAC raised $8 million since February, targeting delegate fight now
@rebeccagberg: Nice piece on the GOP convention rules committee by @nielslesniewski http://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/rules-panel-plays-vital-role-contested-conventions …
@TheBrodyFile: Cruz, Rubio join forces in Arkansas to block Trump delegates http://washex.am/23rkV20 via @DCExaminer
@TheFix: There is NO metric where Bernie Sanders is beating Hillary Clinton http://wpo.st/WQvT1
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