Good morning! Here is your news briefing for Friday November 22, 2019
THE DAILY SIGNAL
| Nov 22, 2019 |
| Happy Friday from Washington, where House Democrats wrap up the fifth day of public impeachment hearings before heading out for Thanksgiving break. Fred Lucas has the main points, and Hans von Spakovsky provides commentary on the podcast. Plus: Jussie Smollett’s latest legal move, religious freedom on the job, the transgender agenda in advertising, and Baltimore’s latest preoccupation with the wrong thing. On this date in 1963, an assassin shoots and fatally wounds President John F. Kennedy as he rides through Dallas, Texas, in an open-top convertible. Enjoy your weekend. |
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News
6 Big
Moments From Day 5 of Public Impeachment Hearings
By Fred Lucas President Trump sent U.S. officials on a “domestic political errand” in Ukraine, testifies Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council official, but she doesn’t blame the president for “feeling aggrieved” about “hateful things” some Ukrainian officials said about him. More Commentary Jussie Smollett Remains Determined to Play the Victim By GianCarlo Canaparo The actor is suing the city of Chicago for malicious prosecution because he filed a bogus police report about a hate crime that didn’t happen. More Analysis Impeachment Evidence Not Even Close to Bribery, Heritage Legal Expert Says By Katrina Trinko What kind of case have House Democrats made for impeaching President Trump? We ask Hans von Spakovsky, senior legal fellow at The Heritage Foundation. More News 63% Support Religious Freedom at Work, Survey Finds By Aaron Credeur The findings of the survey from the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty underscore widespread consensus in favor of accepting and accommodating cultural and religious differences. More Commentary Pro-Trans Advertising Doesn’t Reflect Most of America By Nicole Russell Ads celebrate the LGBT community even as the products supposedly pitched are hardly mentioned, and even though gender fluidity is hardly a recognized concept among Americans. More Commentary Baltimore’s Answer to High Homicide Rates and Low School Performance? Ban Plastic Bags By Jarrett Stepman Yes, Charm City is saving the world, one plastic bag at a time. More | ||
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THE EPOCH TIMES
| View this email in your browserAMAC – the conservative alternative to other 50+ organizations – gives its members valuable benefits, while boldly defending America’s priceless Constitution, individual liberties, and basic moral compass. “The marble not yet carved can hold the form of every thought the greatest artist has.” MICHELANGELOTrump Signs Short-Term Spending Bill to Avert Government Shutdown Former Baltimore Mayor Pleads Guilty to 4 Federal Charges Related to Book Scam FBI Warns Senators of China Recruiters Stealing US Technology Rep. Maloney Elected to Lead House Oversight Committee China lashed out at the United States with incendiary rhetoric after the U.S. House and Senate passed two bills supporting the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong. The House voted 417–1 to pass the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act… Read moreChurch review boards, the purportedly independent panels meant to review allegations of sex abuse accusers fairly, were created to stop abusive priests from staying in ministry. However, an Associated Press investigation found… Read moreThe FBI stated that one of its former high-level officials, Peter Strzok, lapsed in his duties by failing to investigate evidence in the Clinton investigation found on the laptop of former Rep. Anthony Weiner, according to a document released in a recent court filing. Read moreU.S. lawmakers conducting the Democrat-led impeachment inquiry have yet to discover any direct evidence of the central allegation against President Donald Trump, even after a parade of witnesses and weeks of depositions and hearings. Read more The topic of impeachment dominated the opening segment of the fifth Democratic debate on Nov. 20, just hours after the latest public testimony in the Democrat-run impeachment inquiry. All of the candidates onstage had called for impeachment proceedings… Read moreCiting the “urgent and worsening situation in Hong Kong,” Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) called on U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Kelly Craft to consider introducing a resolution at the world assembly condemning China’s violation of the 1984 treaty that governs the former British colony. Read more See More Top StoriesIn a world that has lost its way, lost respect for logic, law and American history – who is defending you in Washington? Who speaks for conservatives? AMAC, the Association of Mature American Citizens, THAT’S who. AMAC gives its members valuable everyday benefits, while boldly defending America’s priceless Constitution, sacred history, individual liberties and basic moral compass. Fighting for border and national security, freedom of speech and religion, and values articulated by Reagan, like strong defense, limited government, lower taxes, and a solvent federal government, AMAC was founded to be your conservative alternative to other, liberal 50+ organizations. Hard to believe we’re here – but we are – and AMAC is dedicated to remembering past sacrifices and preserving America’s core values for the future. They oppose the rise of socialism and the Medicare-For-All push. If you are not an AMAC member, you should be. The next election will decide our nation’s future – We will either be true to America’s noble past and principles, or drift deeper onto the sea of moral relativism. Step up – and sign up today at www.amac.us. Biden Family Corruption Allegations Metastasize By Roger L. Simon It’s obvious Joe Biden—who is only running for the presidency—cannot be impeached, but were he to win that exalted office, the case for his immediate impeachment would dwarf Donald Trump’s if we are to believe Interfax-Ukraine. Read moreA Climate of Ignorance: How Schools are Failing Our Children By Ryan Moffatt As a father to two children just entering the school system, I often ask myself how well they will be prepared for the world they will inherit. Will they be given the tools they need to solve complex problems? Will their minds be developed enough to discern truth from fiction? I hope so, but I am not entirely convinced. Read more See More OpinionsHow Chinese Use Bitcoin to Funnel Money Out of the Country By Valentin Schmid (November 4, 2015) In the fall of 2015, we know that all is not well with the Chinese economy. People are trying to get their money out as fast as they can. Some of these methods, like using underground banks or hiring people to carry physical cash out of the country are hard to do for ordinary Chinese savers. Read moreHere’s a question Iran critics such as U.S. Senators Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) may want to ask: Did Barack Obama have a secret quid pro quo with Iran in 2008 or 2012? The question has new resonance, not just because of trumped-up charges that the Trump administration had a quid pro quo with Ukraine, but because of emerging reports Iran did indeed have uranium at a site the country had called a carpet cleaning factory. Did Obama have a Quid Pro Quo with Iran?Advertisement:Copyright © 2019 The Epoch Times, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can unsubscribe from this list or remove my account. |
THE WASHINGTON FREE BEACON
THE FLIP SIDE
| View this email in your browser Friday, November 22, 2019 Impeachment Hearings Continue “Democrats and Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee have made their closing arguments as they end the final impeachment hearing of the week — and perhaps the final hearing before they hand the probe over to the House Judiciary Committee.” AP News From the Left The left supports impeachment, arguing that the recent witnesses have provided sufficient evidence to merit Trump’s removal. “‘Everyone was in the loop. It was no secret.’ Those are the damning words of President Trump’s handpicked ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, who on Wednesday morning directly implicated not only Mr. Trump, but also several top members of his administration, in the Ukraine shakedown scheme at the heart of the House of Representatives’ impeachment inquiry… “Mr. Trump claims that he did nothing wrong, yet the White House refuses to let most of these people appear under oath. (Mr. Sondland himself defied orders not to testify from the White House and the State Department.) It’s worth emphasizing this point: All the witnesses whose testimony has been damaging to Mr. Trump have given that testimony under oath. All of those who we are led to believe would exonerate the president have so far refused to testify… If Mr. Trump truly believes he insisted on no conditions for the White House meeting and the aid for Ukraine, he has a clear choice: Let people testify. At this point it’s hard to see what reason they have for continuing to refuse.” Editorial Board, New York Times “The president’s defenders have leaned into a version of Nunes’s argument that Trump was just very interested in rooting out Ukrainian corruption. According to this line of argument, Trump’s interest only coincidentally happened to dovetail with an investigation of his possible chief political rival in the 2020 election and in a conspiracy theory that might damage the results of the Mueller investigation. Sondland’s testimony, though, demonstrates that even if you wanted to accept this absurd premise, the evidence and testimony don’t show Trump seeking any sort of genuine investigation. Instead, according to Sondland, he strictly wanted the announcement of one… “As others in the impeachment inquiry have previously testified, if Trump actually wanted an investigation of corruption by American citizens, then the Department of Justice was the appropriate place for that to start. If the DOJ needed help from the Ukrainians to conduct such a legitimate investigation, they could request that help through what’s called a mutual legal assistance treaty. None of that ever happened. Instead, there were secret back-channels and deals and demands. As we continue to learn, a legitimate investigation was never what Trump wanted. What he wanted was help in his reelection campaign, and he was willing to leverage America’s national security to get it.” Jeremy Stahl, Slate “Zelensky ‘had to announce the investigations,’ Sondland said, referring to the probes into Biden’s family and the 2016 election. ‘He didn’t actually have to do them, as I understood it.’ Legal experts previously told CNN that this is a critical distinction. Most legitimate investigations are done in secret, so as not to tip off the supposed criminals. But the intense focus on securing a public announcement from Zelensky demonstrates that the scheme was really designed to maximize the political benefit to Trump, instead of a good-faith effort to investigate corruption.” Marshall Cohen, Ellie Kaufman and Lauren Fox, CNN “The GOP defense is now this: Trump is exonerated, because it hasn’t yet been nailed down beyond any doubt that Trump directly commanded Sondland to tell Ukraine that the money was withheld for that corrupt purpose… Sondland unequivocally confirmed that Trump was using the White House meeting as leverage to get the investigations he wanted, and that numerous top officials were in on that corrupt scheme. Now that it has been established that Trump dangled a meeting to force an investigation of Biden, how likely is it that Trump suddenly didn’t intend to use the frozen military aid for that same purpose, at precisely the moment he was both obsessing over that goal and was maximizing his leverage over Ukraine to its highest point yet?” Greg Sargent, Washington Post “The hearings have demonstrated in detail the extent to which Trump conflates his personal grudges with America’s interests, even when the former harms the latter, and how he allows those private grudges to dictate foreign policy decisions that impact multiple countries… A foreign policy driven by a person unwilling to govern his feelings, subordinate his grudges, or follow rules is not a policy at all. It’s a puff of air, a set of whims. It’s a vague hunch his yay-sayers must interpret and try to execute, and apologize for when he changes his mind and blames them for getting it wrong.” Lili Loofbourow, Slate “There are many pundits who will opine that removing a president is divisive and unprecedented. It is true that no president has ever been removed from office through the impeachment process. But that just speaks to how rare it has been for a president to even get to the point we are at now. And while it is certainly true that there are people who would be upset by his removal from office, the far greater risk lies in allowing this president, with this explicitly illegal, immoral and unjust track record of abusing the power of his office for his personal electoral benefit, to participate in future elections. Doing so would deprive the people of their constitutional right to choose their leader in a free, open and fair election.” Noah Bookbinder, New York Times From the Right The right opposes impeachment, arguing that the recent witnesses have not offered sufficient evidence to merit Trump’s removal. “Polls show the vast majority of Americans agree with Vindman that the Trump-Zelensky call ‘was inappropriate.’ They agreed with Vindman before he testified. But only a minority of Americans say Trump’s conduct warrants impeachment and removal. And the hearings are not changing their minds. Indeed, support for the impeachment inquiry has ticked down since the hearings began, as has the number of Americans tuning in to watch. That means Democrats are failing to convince Americans that Trump’s misconduct rises to the level of treason, bribery or other high crimes and misdemeanors. In blackjack, the tie goes to the dealer; in impeachment, the tie goes to the president. If Republicans fight Democrats to a draw, Trump wins.” Mark Thiessen, Washington Post “Democrats on the Intelligence Committee have spent the vast majority of their impeachment hearings trying to persuade voters that bureaucrats believe Donald Trump is impulsive, self-serving, and misguided — all of which is unsurprising, and completely irrelevant to the matter at hand… [Fiona] Hill ended up making a compelling case that she, and others, disapproved of the White House’s haphazard handling of foreign policy. But she offered no evidence of ‘bribery.’… Everything we know now that matters we already knew when first reading the report of Trump’s call with Volodymyr Zelensky. Either you believe Trump should be impeached for asking a foreign leader to investigate his opponent’s son for corruption or you do not.” David Harsanyi, National Review “Not one witness offered any direct evidence that President Trump did anything clearly impeachable. No one heard him order a quid pro quo, in which Ukraine would gin up ‘dirt’ on Joe Biden in exchange for US aid or a White House meeting. Not one offered a convincing reason why Trump’s interest in having Ukraine probe potential corruption warrants impeachment, even if it was part of quid pro quo. Fact is, Ukrainians were involved in the 2016 election, particularly in the investigation into Paul Manafort. And payments to Biden’s son Hunter by notoriously corrupt Ukrainian energy company Burisma do reek.” Editorial Board, New York Post The claim that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election “is supported by significant evidence. It includes public professions of support for Clinton and opposition to Trump by Ukrainian officials. It includes acknowledgments by Ukrainian investigators that their Obama administration counterparts encouraged them to investigate Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Bolstering this theory is the fact that Ukrainian officials leaked information damaging to Manafort (a ledger of payments, possibly fabricated) that forced Manafort’s ouster from the Trump campaign, triggering waves of negative publicity… “A Ukrainian court, in late 2018, concluded that two Ukrainian officials meddled in the election. And in 2018 House testimony, Nellie Ohr — who worked for Fusion GPS, the Clinton campaign opposition research firm that produced the lurid and discredited Steele dossier — conceded that a pro-Clinton Ukrainian legislator was a Fusion informant… When Republicans and most Trump supporters refer to evidence of Ukrainian collusion in the 2016 election, it is this collusion theory that they are speaking about. This theory is in no way mutually exclusive with the finding that Russia hacked the DNC accounts — it has nothing to do with the hacking. There is nothing illogical in believing both that Russia hacked the Democrats and that Ukraine supported the Democrats.” Andrew McCarthy, New York Post Some agree that “the Democrats have their quid pro quo. Even if Trump never explicitly stated that military aid was dependent on Ukraine’s investigations, Sondland said that ‘everyone was in the loop’ and acted under the impression that that was, in fact, the situation. Sondland seems to be making a calculated bet that Trump won’t walk away from impeachment unscathed. Just look at how many times he’s changed his story. First, he insisted that there was no quid pro quo. Then, he admitted he had actually communicated the quid pro quo. And now, Sondland is throwing the White House under the bus and claiming that he knew of but was powerless to stop a quid pro quo… Sondland’s testimony proves that Trump’s motivations were personal and that the president did put U.S. national security interests at risk for the sake of political gain.” Kaylee McGhee, Washington Examiner Yet many argue that “this isn’t a quid pro quo that comes close to meeting the definition of bribery. It’s another case of Mr. Trump’s volatile policy-making based on personal impulse or prejudice, but it’s not an impeachable offense… [Sondland’s] account essentially confirms that Mr. Trump had a negative view of Ukraine, was reluctant to keep supplying U.S. aid, and asked Mr. Sondland and others to work with Rudy Giuliani to press Ukraine’s new President Volodymyr Zelensky to announce that he was opening an anti-corruption probe… Democrats might have advanced [their] cause with hearings and a censure resolution. Instead, they have unleashed the dogs of impeachment without impeachable offenses.” Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal On the bright side… “Baby Yoda,” the internet’s newest star, has Star Wars and Disney fans going crazy. CNN Our volunteer team spends hours each night scanning the news, fact-checking, and debating one another, so your 5 minutes each morning can be well spent. If you’ve found value in our work, we welcome you to help sustain our efforts and expand our reach. Any support you can provide is greatly appreciated! Share Tweet Forward Sign Up Here Copyright © 2019 The Flip Side, All rights reserved. You can unsubscribe from this list here. |
THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING HEADLINES
| Sign up for this newsletter Read online The morning’s most important stories, curated by Post editors. Impeachment witness warns that conspiracy theories advance Russia’s agenda as they divide Americans During the testimony of Russia expert Fiona Hill, the impeachment probe seemed to broaden into a bracing examination of the insidious forces — including the spread of conspiracy theories — infecting American politics. By Greg Miller ● Read more » Blitz of public hearings ends with Hill and Holmes detailing tense behind-the-scenes deliberations Fiona Hill, the former White House adviser on Russia, and David Holmes, a counselor in the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, reinforced that President Trump likely withheld military aid and a coveted White House meeting from Ukraine to sway that country to investigate his political rival. By Karoun Demirjian, Elise Viebeck, Rosalind Helderman and Matt Zapotosky ● Read more » White House and Republicans discuss limiting impeachment trial to two weeks No final decisions were made on strategy for a trial that, if it happens, would come in January at the earliest. But several Senate Republicans believe a two-week trial would be long enough to have credence without dragging on too long. By Seung Min Kim and Josh Dawsey ● Read more » Justice Dept. inspector general draft report finds FBI lawyer may have altered document The allegation is contained in a draft of Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report analyzing the FBI’s Russia investigation. The report is scheduled to be released publicly Dec. 9. By Devlin Barrett, Ellen Nakashima and Matt Zapotosky ● Read more » She survived internment in China and made it to Virginia. Will the U.S. let her stay? In suburban Virginia, the case of a Uighur woman and her family — which recently caught the attention of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo — raises tough questions for the Trump administration as it vows to take a harder line with China while simultaneously seeking a trade deal. By Emily Rauhala and Anna Fifield ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT Opinions Republicans have a new enemy: Truth itself Impeachment Diary ● By Dana Milbank ● Read more » Trump’s meddling in a SEAL disciplinary case nears a collision with the Navy By David Ignatius ● Read more » Fiona Hill shreds the Republicans’ false narrative about Ukraine By Editorial Board ● Read more » The impeachment witnesses are an antidote to Trump’s worldview By Ruth Marcus ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT Democrats already have a progressive agenda. They just need to amplify it. By Catherine Rampell ● Read more » Pete Buttigieg, millennials’ bane By Molly Roberts ● Read more » More News As Democratic rivals rush to court black voters, Biden looms large In Atlanta, multiple events with presidential hopefuls highlighted a puzzle central to the Democratic primary: Can anyone chip away at black support for former vice president Joe Biden? Campaign 2020 ● By Chelsea Janes and Sean Sullivan ● Read more » ‘Insurgents’ sought war crimes pardons with little Pentagon involvement, officials say President Trump’s intervention in the cases of three U.S. service members reflects his reliance on the views of people outside his administration. By Dan Lamothe and Josh Dawsey ● Read more » Supreme Court precedents do not shield Trump financial records, House, prosecutors argue Two similar disputes before the high court say the president’s accounting firm must turn over financial documents. By Robert Barnes ● Read more » The charges against Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, explained Here are the main takeaways from the attorney general’s report, the latest development in Netanyahu’s drawn-out indictment process. By Miriam Berger ● Read more » How to make a no-stress, showstopping Thanksgiving gravy The process can be a bit anxiety-inducing, especially if you’re juggling many other dishes. Try to work ahead so that nothing is left to chance. Voraciously ● By Becky Krystal ● Read more » Two weeks. Seven hearings. Now what? Shane Harris recaps the second week of public impeachment hearings. Jay Greene examines the vast counterfeit-product market on Amazon. Post Reports | Listen Now ● By The Washington Post ● Read more » We think you’ll like this newsletter Check out The Trailer for news and insight on political campaigns around the country, from David Weigel. 435 districts. 50 states. Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday evenings. Sign up » |
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THE RESURGENT
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The Resurgent’s Morning Briefing for November 22,2019
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Good morning, Here is all the news conservatives need to know to start their day. At 4pm ET, you can catch me on radio to bring you up to speed on developments throughout the day. You can listen live here. President Trump and Doug Collins Have Probably Just Handed the Senate to Kelly Loeffler Let me first say I have no insider knowledge and have specifically refrained from speaking to either the Governor or his staff on this matter. This is speculation on my part, but I’ve been around enough to make some educated guesses on this. Georgia has a Senate seat open. Senator Isakson will leave no later […] The post President Trump and Doug Collins Have Probably Just Handed the Senate to Kelly Loeffler appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » CNN And MSNBC Rip Biden Gaffe: “Unlike Any Other I’ve Seen In A Debate Performance” MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell had extremely harsh words for one of Biden’s gaffes in last night’s debate, calling it “colossal” and “unlike any other I’ve seen”. WATCH: If that wasn’t bad enough, CNN had equally harsh words for the former VP. The post CNN And MSNBC Rip Biden Gaffe: “Unlike Any Other I’ve Seen In A Debate Performance” appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » A district court judge blocks scheduled federal executions After AG Barr resumes executions, a federal judge blocks them. Capital punishment has existed for almost as long as man has existed. It is the natural reaction when a person commits a crime so heinous that there isn’t another option. While there has been debate for many years about the legality of the practice, Attorney […] The post A district court judge blocks scheduled federal executions appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » LISTEN: Senator David Perdue Joined The Erick Erickson Show Senator David Perdue joined Erick Erickson to talk about the craziness of the Democratic debate. The post LISTEN: Senator David Perdue Joined The Erick Erickson Show appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » NEW: Bloomberg Files Paperwork To Run For President How bad was Joe Biden’s debate performance last night in Atlanta? So bad that he was roundly mocked on CNN AND MSNBC. Both networks did not hold back on the awfulness of his performance with MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell saying it was “unlike any other I’ve seen in a debate performance”. If that was not bad […] The post NEW: Bloomberg Files Paperwork To Run For President appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » Why Can’t The DNC Raise Any Money? DNC fundraising numbers are out and it’s bad. Really bad… For the month of October, the DNC raised $9 million with $8.7 million cash on hand. Republicans raised $25.3 million with $61.4 cash on hand during the same time period. That’s over 7X the amount of cash on hand. FEC reports also indicate the RNC […] The post Why Can’t The DNC Raise Any Money? appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » LIVE: The Erick Erickson Show – David Perdue, Dem Debate, And DNC Fundraising Stinks The Erick Erickson Show is live! Here’s the plan for today. Hour 1 David Perdue Biden sends out post-debate fundraiser prior to debate Hunter Biden and the love child The Democrats’ Debate Good MSNBC format Good facility Not for conservatives Kamala Harris is really bad at this Warren etc. on the abortion question The mythology […] The post LIVE: The Erick Erickson Show – David Perdue, Dem Debate, And DNC Fundraising Stinks appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » Fiona Hill Will Testify That ‘Fictional Narrative’ Distracted Trump From Real Threat Today’s impeachment testimony will feature Fiona Hill, who served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for European and Russian Affairs on Donald Trump’s National Security Council staff. Advance copies of Hill’s testimony obtained by NBC News and Axios suggest that Hill will attack the Trump Administration for following a “fictional narrative… perpetrated and propagated […] The post Fiona Hill Will Testify That ‘Fictional Narrative’ Distracted Trump From Real Threat appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » NRSC Launches 2020-Themed Podcast to Bolster Republican Senate Majority The National Republican Senatorial Committee (NRSC) just launched a new podcast: 20 for 20. The first episode, which premiered on Tuesday, features Senator Todd Young (R-IN). Senator Young also serves as NRSC Chairman. Check out the teaser below: It’s smart to see conservatives and Republicans dabble in this medium more. The podcast bills itself as […] The post NRSC Launches 2020-Themed Podcast to Bolster Republican Senate Majority appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » Facebook Should Keep Microtargeting The tech industry is virtue signaling against Facebook right now. Facebook is continuing to allow microtargeting of voters. The left is opposed because they think it gives Donald Trump an advantage. Remember, the left was totally fine with the robust targeting platform on Facebook until Trump won. Google and Twitter have decided to scale back […] The post Facebook Should Keep Microtargeting appeared first on The Resurgent. Read in browser » Recent Items: Remember, you can listen to the Erick Erickson Show anytime and anywhere via WSB Radio, iTunes, Stitcher, and Soundcloud. As always, you can find pretty much anything and everything I’m writing about throughout the day via The Resurgent. Thanks for reading and tuning in. Erick Erickson THE RESURGENT Facebook Twitter Instagram Copyright © 2019 The Resurgent Media Group, LLC, All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list update subscription preferences |
POLITICO PLAYBOOK
Impeachment hearing standouts
By JAKE SHERMAN and ANNA PALMER
11/22/2019 05:59 AM EST
Presented by Amazon
DRIVING THE DAY
ROUND 1 IS OVER … THE HOUSE INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE on Thursday wrapped its public sprint through 12 witnesses in a week and change. OUR ASSESSMENT — as we voiced Tuesday — remains that this has not moved a single vote in the House of Representatives.
IN FACT, Republicans believe a few DEMOCRATS will vote with them against impeachment — although that might be wishful thinking. (We don’t know yet when an impeachment vote will happen, but we believe sometime between Dec. 9 and Dec. 22. For those following along closely, buy trip insurance, drive or spend Christmas in D.C. It’s nice. Trust us.)
BUT HERE ARE THE LAWMAKERS who have emerged from the Intelligence round with a newfound or increased profile.
— REP. ELISE STEFANIK (R-N.Y.): You’d have to be living under a rock to have missed that Stefanik emerged as a chief defender of the president during the last few weeks. The 35-year-old Stefanik flipped a Democratic-held seat in 2014, but that district voted for DONALD TRUMP by 14 points in 2016, and Stefanik beat her Democratic opponent by the same margin in 2018, which was the best year for Democrats in a decade.
A FEW OF HER COLLEAGUES told us that it was a bit head-snapping to see her standing alongside Reps. JIM JORDAN (R-Ohio) and MARK MEADOWS (R-N.C.) at the post-hearing news conference. Take note: STEFANIK started working anecdotes about her district into her questions and committee speeches. She’s certainly become a target for Democrats through this process. But between her E PAC — a committee aimed at boosting female Republicans in primaries — and this, STEFANIK is already emerging as someone who will definitely be in the conversation for a big leadership slot in Congress — perhaps sooner than many think.
— REP. MIKE TURNER (R-OHIO): Turner — known as Mayor Mike from his days leading Dayton — was first elected in 2002, and until now, he’s been a nose-to-the-grindstone foreign policy and armed services man. The last time he popped his head up for something big was 2014, when he tried to win the House Oversight gavel, but was beaten by Jason Chaffetz, who abandoned that chairmanship for Fox News a few years later. TURNER had experience with impeachment. In 2008, he voted to impeach George W. Bush for the Iraq War.
THERE WAS SOME HOPE AMONG DEMOCRATS that Turner would flip against Trump. He expressed concern about the call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky during a hearing in September — he called it “not OK.” But by the time the open hearings kicked off, he was all in. He forcefully took up the mantle of trying to show that GORDON SONDLAND was using his imagination to discern whether TRUMP wanted to hold up aid in exchange for a meeting. And on Thursday, at least one colleague accused him of “mansplaining” FIONA HILL during the appointed question-and-answer session.
— REP. JIM HIMES (D-CONN.): Himes, a Goldman Sachs banker turned congressman, is in his sixth term in Congress. Quite frankly, people have been waiting for a breakout moment or role for years. He probably found it this week. Himes is No. 2 to ADAM SCHIFF (D-Calif.), the chairman, and therefore was at the front end of every hearing, which means he got the prime questioning slot. Just this week, he grabbed headlines by getting Lt. Col. ALEXANDER VINDMAN to answer whether he was a “Never Trumper” — “I’d call myself a ‘Never Partisan,’” Vindman said. He raised the point that Republicans were accusing Vindman of dual loyalty. And on Thursday, he set HILL up to address some of the GOP criticism of the Ukrainians vis-a-vis 2016.
— REP. SEAN PATRICK MALONEY (D-N.Y.): Maloney has been hanging around the top rung of the House Democratic Caucus for some time. He wrote the DCCC “autopsy” after the 2016 election and dropped out of the election for its chairmanship in 2018 after coming down with a bacterial infection. But this week, he had two notable exchanges that stuck with many on the Hill.
He tangled with SONDLAND about just who would benefit from an investigation into the Bidens, getting him to acknowledge the answer was Trump. When Maloney ribbed him a bit, Sondland said he resented the criticism because he had been forthright. “This is your third try to do so, sir. Didn’t work so well the first time, did it?” Maloney shot back. “We appreciate your candor, but let’s be really clear on what it took to get it out of you.”
MALONEY was the one who called Turner’s questions “epic mansplaining,” said it was inappropriate but added, “I appreciate your forbearance.”
THE OBVIOUS ONES … SCHIFF, of course, ran tight hearings — too tight for Republicans at times — and ended each day with closings that will be clipped time and time again. Schiff would be in the mix for an open Senate seat, if that came up, and could easily be in the mix for a top, top leadership slot in the House, if that’s the path he chooses. And JORDAN — House Minority Leader KEVIN MCCARTHY’S late addition to the panel — played his role: He loudly defended the president, and muddied the waters with his “ah ha” demeanor, even if it wasn’t clear at times what he was ah ha-ing.
BIG PICTURE … KYLE CHENEY and ANDREW DESIDERIO: “Impeachment surprises boost Dems, but Republican resistance holds”: “Throughout their rapidly unfolding impeachment inquiry, Democrats feared they would lose control of the moment.
“So they carefully choreographed two weeks of public hearings to avoid a derailment. And as the lights went out in the cavernous hearing room Thursday, it was clear that the few unplanned events — new testimony, recently discovered documents and a real-time Twitter broadside from President Donald Trump — were poised to have the greatest impact.” POLITICO
NYT, A1 … PETER BAKER: “The Impeachment Witnesses Not Heard”: “[A]s the committee wrapped up its public hearings on Thursday, House Democrats have opted for expeditious over comprehensive, electing to complete their investigation even without filling in major gaps in the story. It is a calculated gamble that they have enough evidence to impeach Mr. Trump on a party-line vote in the House and would risk losing momentum if they took the time to wage a court fight to compel reluctant witnesses to come forward.” NYT
AP’S JULIE PACE: “Analysis: Mountain of impeachment evidence beyond dispute”
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WHAT’S NEXT … JOHN BRESNAHAN, HEATHER CAYGLE and KYLE CHENEY: “Questions over next steps as Judiciary moves into impeachment spotlight”: “The Judiciary Committee will draft and vote on articles of impeachment and send those to the full House for debate, that much is clear. But how the Judiciary panel completes the already unorthodox impeachment process is still up in the air. Though lawmakers and aides expect the 1998 proceedings against former President Bill Clinton to be the model for the Trump case, they’re quick to emphasize they haven’t been told how the endgame will play out.
“In fact, Judiciary Committee members have received little guidance from party leaders on how the panel will conduct the proceedings or the timeframe for completing them, according to interviews with more than a dozen Democratic lawmakers and aides. They know that the Intelligence Committee will send a report to Judiciary, but beyond that, they don’t know the number of hearings, format, or the timeline for finishing up work.” POLITICO
THE SIDESHOW … “Selfies, live-tweeting and texts from mom: Lawmakers become impeachment spectators,” by Melanie Zanona and Sarah Ferris
L.A. TIMES: “House attorneys say Trump’s tax returns are needed for impeachment inquiry,” by David Savage: “Lawyers for the House, citing the ‘rapidly advancing impeachment inquiry,’ urged the Supreme Court on Thursday to reject President Trump’s bid to shield his tax returns and financial records from congressional investigators.”
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT … SEN. LINDSEY GRAHAM (R-S.C.)seems to be prepping for a BIDEN/BURISMA investigation. He asked State for many documents detailing JOE BIDEN’S involvement with people related to Burisma. The letter… Ben Schreckinger’s story
SCOOP … MARIANNE LEVINE, BURGESS EVERETT and MERIDITH MCGRAW: “White House backs full Senate trial if House impeaches Trump”: “Top White House officials and Senate Republicans on Thursday agreed that a full trial should be conducted if the House impeaches President Donald Trump, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. …
“Two attendees said that the White House wants the Senate to hold a trial of some length and not immediately dismiss any articles of impeachment with the GOP’s majority, as some Republicans have suggested. The White House and Trump’s GOP allies decided instead ‘they want some kind of factual affirmative defense on the merits,’ said one attendee.” POLITICO
Good Friday morning. THE PRESIDENT signed the stopgap government funding bill, which keeps coffers filled until Dec. 20.
CONGRESS is now out of session until after Thanksgiving — the week of Dec. 2, to be exact.
THE START OF A NEW INVESTIGATION? … “Justice Dept. inspector general draft report finds FBI lawyer altered document,” by WaPo’s Devlin Barrett, Ellen Nakashima and Matt Zapotosky: “The Justice Department inspector general has found evidence that an FBI employee may have altered a document connected to court-approved surveillance of a former Trump campaign adviser, but has concluded that the conduct did not affect the overall validity of the surveillance application, according to U.S. officials familiar with the matter.
“The person under scrutiny has not been identified but is a low-level FBI lawyer who has since been forced out of the FBI, according to the officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss material that has not yet been made public.
“The allegation is contained in a draft of Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report analyzing the FBI’s Russia investigation, which witnesses have in recent weeks been allowed to review, people familiar with the matter said. The report is scheduled to be released publicly Dec. 9.” WaPo
2020 WATCH … COURTING BLACK VOTERS EDITION …
— LAURA BARRÓN-LÓPEZ and ALEX THOMPSON in Atlanta: “Warren challenges Biden in bid for black women”: “Sen. Elizabeth Warren made a full-throated pitch to black women in a much-hyped speech here on Thursday night as she tries to tear into former Vice President Joe Biden’s durability with black voters.
“‘The fighters I want to talk about tonight are black women,’ Warren said at Clark Atlanta University, a historically black school. ‘When I am president of the United States, the lessons of black history will not be lost. Those lessons will live in every part of my presidency — and I will ask you to hold me accountable for that promise every single day.’
“Warren cast her own campaign as learning from past worker battles led by black women, from washerwomen in 1881 to the formation of the National Domestic Workers of America in the 1960s and ’70s. ‘Black women — then and now — are no strangers to facing resistance when they fight for justice, and black women — then and now — don’t give up easy,’ she said.
“Black women, the Democratic Party’s most loyal voting bloc, led every part of the program on Thursday with the exception of Warren herself. Before the senator’s speech, several women spoke and appeared onstage, including Rep. Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.) and Angela Peoples of the political group Black Womxn For, which recently endorsed the Massachusetts senator.” POLITICO
— WAPO: “In Atlanta, Democrats make urgent bid to court black voters,” by Chelsea Janes and Sean Sullivan in Atlanta: “[Pete] Buttigieg and [Cory] Booker were just two of the Democratic candidates fanning out across Atlanta and the South on Thursday, following Wednesday’s contentious debate in that city, in an increasingly urgent effort to court black voters. The multiple events highlighted a puzzle central to the Democratic primary: Can anyone chip away at black voters’ support for former vice president Joe Biden — and if not, what does it mean for the Democrats’ chances?”
— BOSTON GLOBE: “Few are giving Deval Patrick a chance, except South Carolina’s voters,” by Laura Krantz in Charleston, S.C.: “Other candidates have not campaigned as much here as they have in Iowa and New Hampshire, and voters seem more undecided. South Carolina’s primary, the fourth nominating contest in the country, isn’t until Feb. 29, affording Patrick extra days to introduce himself to voters here. …
“Patrick is familiar with the state, having campaigned here for Barack Obama in 2008, and two- thirds of Democratic voters in the state are African-American, which provides an opportunity for Massachusetts’ first black governor. South Carolina also does not have the complex caucus system of Iowa and Nevada, and its cheaper media market makes it easier to campaign with less money, something that will matter for Patrick, who launched his bid just last week.
“Still, he faces a steep uphill battle here as he does everywhere. Polls show former vice president Joe Biden ahead by 20 percentage points in South Carolina. And the two other black candidates in the race, Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, have struggled to gain support.” Globe
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THE GUARDIAN: “Democratic forum organized by Teamsters and Guardian to focus on workers’ rights,” by The Guardian: “The [Iowa] event on Saturday 7 December, two months before the critical Iowa caucus, will feature candidates Joe Biden, Steve Bullock, Pete Buttigieg, Kamala Harris, Amy Klobuchar and Bernie Sanders.” Guardian
— “Buttigieg campaign staffers join union,” by Daniel Strauss
NEW … REP. ANDY LEVIN (D-Mich.) and 106 Democrats wrote Secretary of State MIKE POMPEO to express “strong disagreement” with his decision to change U.S. policy when it comes to settlements in Israel. The letter
TRUMP’S FRIDAY — The president will participate at 11 a.m. in the NCAA Collegiate National Champions Day at the White House. He will participate in a listening session on youth vaping at 1:45 p.m. in the Cabinet Room. The listening session is closed press.
PLAYBOOK READS
SUNDAY SO FAR …
- NBC “Meet the Press”: Panel: Michael Eric Dyson, Eliana Johnson, Neal Katyal, Pat McCrory and Katy Tur.
- CNN “State of the Union”: House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.). Panel: Jennifer Granholm, Rick Santorum, Mia Love and Bakari Sellers.
- CBS “Face the Nation”: Rep. Jim Himes (D-Conn.) … Jonathan Turley … Kim Wehle. Panel: Rich Lowry, Toluse Olorunnipa and Susan Page.
- CNN “Inside Politics”: Mike Shear, Laura Barrón-López, Phil Mattingly and Rachael Bade.
- Sinclair “America This Week with Eric Bolling”: Stephanie Grisham … Rudy Giuliani … House Minority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.) … Jonathan Swan … Sebastian Gorka … Sydney Taylor … James Rosen … Scott Thuman.
- Gray TV “Full Court Press with Greta Van Susteren”: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) … Sen. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.).
FOR YOUR RADAR — “Parents of late U.S. hostage chasing North Korean assets,” by AP’s Kim Tong-Hyung in Seoul, South Korea: “The parents of a former U.S. hostage who died after being released from North Korea in a coma in 2017 say they are committed to finding and shutting down illicit North Korean business assets around the world in efforts to hold its government accountable for widespread human rights abuses.
“In a news conference in Seoul on Friday, Fred and Cindy Warmbier also called for the Trump administration to raise North Korea’s human rights problems as it engages in negotiations to defuse the country’s nuclear threat.
“‘My mission would be to hold North Korea responsible, to recover and discover their assets around the world,’ said Fred Warmbier, who was invited to a forum hosted by a Seoul-based group representing the families of South Koreans abducted by the North during the 1950-53 Korean War.” AP
WAPO’S JOSH ROGIN, on his way to Canada: “From Hanoi to Halifax, everyone is worried about China”: “[W]hile there’s a consensus in Washington that more must be done to compete with China — especially in Asia — there’s no clear plan. There’s no clarity on how to marshal resources, what trade-offs will be needed and how we will bring others along. In short, there is no strategy.
“This weekend, the Halifax International Security Forum will convene in Canada to kick off a new effort to fill that gap. Trump’s new national security adviser, Robert C. O’Brien, will be in attendance. Halifax Forum President Peter Van Praagh told me the effort will focus on how democracies can come together to confront a rising authoritarian China.
“‘It is no longer a secret that Xi Jinping’s China wants to make the world safe for authoritarianism,’ he said. ‘We need a comprehensive strategy for the United States and its allies that makes the world safe for democracy.’” WaPo
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BEYOND THE BELTWAY — “Georgia Gov. Kemp Resists Pressure From Trump on Senate Appointment,” by WSJ’s Cameron McWhirter and Lindsay Wise in Atlanta: “Georgia Republican Gov. Brian Kemp is resisting pressure from President Trump on who to appoint to an interim U.S. Senate post, according to people familiar with the selection process.
“In recent days, the president has spoken to Mr. Kemp at least twice — once face-to-face in Atlanta and once on the phone—urging him to pick Rep. Doug Collins (R., Ga.), a vocal supporter of the president in Congress, these people said. Mr. Collins, a white conservative from north Georgia, has pushed for months to get the seat that Sen. Johnny Isakson, 74 years old, is leaving at the end of the year because of health problems.
“But the governor is leaning toward appointing a female or minority candidate to improve the GOP’s chances in Atlanta’s burgeoning suburbs, key battlegrounds in the 2020 elections, they said.” WSJ
VALLEY TALK — “Democrats pound Facebook over Zuckerberg’s secret dinner with Trump,” by Cristiano Lima: “The escalating war of words between the company and Democrats like Warren has some in the party worried that Zuckerberg is throwing his lot in with the GOP to escape serious fallout in D.C. And they saw the Trump dinner as evidence that their fears are coming true, a development that could prove ominous given Facebook’s crucial role as a platform for reaching and persuading voters.” POLITICO
MEDIAWATCH — “Shepard Smith, Late of Fox News, Gives $500,000 to a Free Press Group,” by NYT’s Michael Grynbaum: “In his first public remarks since abruptly resigning from Fox News last month, the anchor Shepard Smith called on Thursday for a steadfast defense of independent journalism, while offering a few subtle barbs at President Trump’s treatment of the press.
“And in a surprise announcement, Mr. Smith said he would personally donate $500,000 to the Committee to Protect Journalists, a nonprofit group that advances press freedoms around the world.
“‘Intimidation and vilification of the press is now a global phenomenon. We don’t have to look far for evidence of that,’ Mr. Smith said at the group’s annual dinner in Midtown Manhattan, an appearance he signed up for before he left Fox News, his television home of 23 years.” NYT
— TOP-ED — JOEL SIMON, executive director of the Committee to Protect Journalists, in USA TODAY: “We met with Vice President Pence to talk about press freedom. Here’s why it’s important”: “On Monday, I went to see Vice President Pence with a group of courageous journalists from Pakistan, Nicaragua, Tanzania, India and Brazil. These journalists were in the United States to receive press freedom prizes from the Committee to Protect Journalists, the organization I lead. We are honoring them for putting their lives on the line to bring us the news. …
“The vice president was deeply engaged by these stories and reaffirmed his commitment to press freedom. That’s important, but the reality is that the impeachment inquiry is polarizing, and it’s hard to imagine our political leaders coming together again to defend this critical principle. That’s why the American people should.” USA Today
PLAYBOOKERS
Send tips to Eli Okun and Garrett Ross at politicoplaybook@politico.com.
SPOTTED: Eric Bolling and Sens. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) on American Airlines 5529 from DCA to Charleston. Bolling and Graham were in coach.
SPOTTED at an event Thursday evening on Capitol Hill supporting No One Left Behind and the Special Immigrant Visa Program, sponsored by Amazon, cBrain and Uber: retired Gen. David Petraeus, Ryan Crocker, Rep. Mike Waltz (R-Fla.), Janis Shinwari, Brian Steblay, Major Garrett, Lauren Ehrsam and Jason Gorey, Matt Flynn, Katie Pavlich, Brad Blakeman, Nic Adams, Omar Qudrat, Sarah Millican, Anne Gearan, Ed Cash, Sergio Rodriguera, Lee Morris, John Kirby, George Bamford, Keith Saddler, Bill Shugarts and Richie Sands.
TRANSITION — Emily Davis will be VP of congressional and public affairs at the Millennium Challenge Corporation. She currently is deputy assistant USTR for public and media affairs.
WEEKEND WEDDING — Maria LaMagna, an editor at CNBC Make It and a MarketWatch and Bloomberg alum, and Carlos Morales, a director at Fitch Ratings covering Latin America sovereigns, got married Saturday in Monterrey, Mexico (his hometown). Instapic
BIRTHDAY OF THE DAY: Rob Atkinson, president of the Information Technology and Innovation Foundation. A trend he thinks doesn’t get enough attention: “This may sound wonky, but the steep decade-long decline in productivity, both here and abroad, gets almost no attention. That’s probably because it’s an abstract concept to most people. But productivity growth is key to increasing per-capita incomes and living standards, so there will be very tangible consequences if policymakers don’t start making it more of a priority.” Playbook Q&A
BIRTHDAYS: Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-N.Y.) is 41 … Bettina Inclán-Agen … Scott Wong, senior staff writer for The Hill … Cassie Spodak, CNN digital video politics producer (h/t husband Matt Mowers) … Pat Cunnane … Josh Alcorn … ABC’s Matthew Mosk … Jacob Wood, strategic comms adviser at the Millennium Challenge Corporation … Shefali Razdan Duggal (h/t Jon Haber) … Matt Strawn … Hannah August … Jeff Tiller … Barney Keller, partner at Jamestown Associates, is 35 … Martin Burns … Robert Christie, partner at Brunswick Group … Marshall Schoenthal … Annie Shoup … POLITICO’s Sarah O’Neill, Elizabeth Powell and Abbie Fickes … BBC’s George Alagiah … Jonathan Kubakundimana … Sally Katzen … Craig Gilbert, Washington bureau chief for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (h/t Teresa Vilmain) …
… Ned Price, director of policy and communications at National Security Action, Georgetown professor and NBC contributor (h/ts Richard Hudock and Ben Chang) … Andy Stern is 69 … Missy DeCamp … Michael Szanto … Meghan Dugan, deputy press secretary for Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio) (h/ts John Twomey, Gary Beck and Caitlin Oakley) … Josh Goldstein … IBM’s Sammy Jordan … Tim R. Cohen … Yarden Golan, COS of the Israeli Embassy … TheSkimm’s Jessica Turtletaub … Welles Orr … Natasha Lennard … Meena Ganesan … James Williams, president of Engage Cuba, is 36 … Alexa Lucas … Lauren Reamy, legislative director for Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) … Brian Francis Kelley … Harry Siegel, senior editor at The Daily Beast … Ryan Fitzgerald … Tim Cameron of FlexPoint Media … Donny Deutsch is 62
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THE DISPATCH
| The Morning Dispatch: We Watched All the C-Span So You Don’t Have ToOur brains are Jell-O! Plus, Congress goes bipartisan in a show of solidarity with Hong Kong.Nov 22Public postHappy Friday!
Public testimony in the House’s impeachment inquiry concluded Thursday,
which means an imminent end to the deep polarization on display and
alternative realities it has produced. No? Impeachment isn’t over, you
say? And the coming election means more of that red-team/blue-team
polarization? Onward to the news!Quick Hits: What You Need To KnowIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was indicted on charges of fraud, bribery, and breach of trust.We averted
a government shutdown for at least one more month, with President Trump
signing a Senate-approved spending bill that extends funding until
December 20.WeWork laid off 2,400 employees after a terrible few months that saw the co-working company’s valuation plummet tens of billions of dollars.Google announced it would start restricting targeting parameters on political advertising next month.Tesla unveiled its first-ever electric pickup truck, set to hit the road in 2021.Impeachment: Everything You Missed Because You Have a Job and a LifeAfter
a grueling week of hearings, phase two of the Trump impeachment
inquiry, the public witness testimony, is at an end. Rather than wait to
see if a court would compel further testimony from White House
officials Trump has forbidden from testifying—such as Secretary of State
Mike Pompeo and former National Security Adviser John Bolton—the
Democrats are opting to press ahead with what they’ve got. It’s a
revealing decision that suggests for all of their public professions
about a determination to get the whole truth, politics is driving the
process.Meanwhile, you’d be forgiven if you got a little lost in the weeds of what exactly they have.
For all the lawmaker grandstanding about hearings taking place “before
the eyes of the nation” and media types firing the new bombshells around
Twitter every few minutes, the reality is that very few Americans had
the time or desire to sift through dozens of hours of
sometimes-captivating, often-tiresome testimony from a whole
constellation of officials previously unknown to them.Fear
not: We’ve got you covered. As we gear up for impeachment proper,
here’s a quick digest of what key witnesses testified to over the last
week. Last week: Bill Taylor and Marie Yovanovitch The
House’s first two witnesses were the administration’s former and
current acting ambassador to Ukraine: Yovanovitch and Taylor,
respectively. Both witnesses went after the president’s personal lawyer,
Rudy Giuliani, whom Trump was using as his ad-hoc point man for Ukraine
throughout this year. Yovanovitch testified that Giuliani had worked
with corrupt U.S. and Ukrainian businessmen as part of a smear campaign
to get Trump to fire her, which he did in May. Taylor,
who was brought on to replace her, testified that he soon learned that
he was only nominally in charge of Ukrainian policy—Trump had entrusted
the issue he really cared about, getting Ukraine to investigate
the DNC and the Bidens, to the “irregular channel” of Giuliani and
another political ally, U.S. ambassador to the EU, Gordon Sondland.
Taylor also testified that he soon learned about the irregular channel’s
plan: to force Ukraine to commit publicly to those investigations by
withholding the possibility of a state visit and congressionally
appropriated military aid until they did so.Super Tuesday: Alexander Vindman and Jennifer Williams, Tim Morrison and Kurt VolkerNext
up were the first two witnesses who listened in on Trump’s July 25
phone call with the president of Ukraine: Lt. Col. Vindman, a top
Ukraine expert at the National Security Council, and Williams, an
adviser to Mike Pence. Both testified that they had found the call
unsettling and inappropriate, and both claimed that no one they knew in
the administration had supported the decision to hold up the aid.
Vindman also pushed back against the notion that the White House had
placed the recording of the Ukraine call on a secure server to cover it
up: “I didn’t take it as anything nefarious,” he said.The
same afternoon, investigators heard from two former officials:
Vindman’s previous NSC boss, Tim Morrison, and the former special envoy
to Ukraine, Kurt Volker. Morrison disagreed with the morning witnesses’
assessment of the July 25 call, testifying that he believed nothing
illegal had taken place on the call. Meanwhile, Volker claimed that he
was unaware that U.S. military aid had been linked to Ukraine committing
to Trump’s investigations, insisted he had not known those
investigations were connected to the Bidens, and denounced what he
described as “Giuliani’s conspiracy theory” about them. Wednesday: Gordon Sondland, Laura Cooper and David HaleThis
was a big one: Sondland, who worked directly with Giuliani to help
Trump secure his desired investigations from Ukraine, testified that he
and Giuliani had indeed pushed a quid pro quo and that he had
worked with Giuliani “at the express direction of the president of the
United States.” He also claimed that “everyone was in the loop” about
the scheme, including Pence, Pompeo, and acting chief of staff Mick
Mulvaney. He was careful, however, to point out that while he had spoken
with Trump directly about the investigations, it was only Giuliani
who’d ever spoken explicitly about a quid pro quo. Cooper,
a Defense Department official, testified that Ukrainian officials had
begun asking about the hold-up of the aid on July 25—the same day Trump
had spoken to Ukrainian President Zelensky and long before the White
House had suggested the Ukrainians had known about it. Hale, the
third-ranking official at the State Department, was one of three
officials that Republicans had listed on their witness list who would
testify in the proceedings. He said the firing of Yovanovitch was wrong
and agreed that withholding aid from an ally to compel an announcement
of the investigation into a political rival was “completely
inappropriate.”Thursday: Fiona Hill and David HolmesHill,
a former Russia expert at the White House, is primarily noteworthy
because she tussled with Sondland over what she took to be his elbowing
in on Ukraine during her time in the administration. During her
testimony Thursday, she backed up Taylor’s testimony about two separate
chains of command on Ukraine: “He was being involved in a domestic
political errand. And we were being involved in national security
foreign policy, and those two things had just diverged.” Holmes,
meanwhile, is an aide to Bill Taylor, notable because he overheard a
phone conversation between Sondland and Trump the day after the infamous
Trump/Ukraine call. Holmes testified that he heard Trump ask Sondland
if Zelensky would “do the investigation,” and Sondland told him Zelensky
“loves your ass” and “will do anything you ask.” Will It Move the Proverbial Needle? There’s
no denying the bulk of this testimony was better for House Democrats
than for Republicans. As more and more evidence has emerged, the
presidents’ defenders have had to fall back on an ever-shrinking number
of tenuous arguments: The aid to Ukraine was released; this is all
just hearsay; Democrats are making things look worse than they are
because they hate the president. But
the task set before congressional Republicans is also much simpler and
easier than the one the Democrats are tackling. Nancy Pelosi and Adam
Schiff need to convince the nation to tune in and brush up; Devin Nunes
and Jim Jordan need only to convince them that this is just partisan
politics as usual, and safe to ignore. If impeachment isn’t the first
thing on voters’ minds during the election a year from now, Republicans
will be happy to write it all up as a win. Meanwhile,
evidence is piling up to suggest that, far from defecting in quantities
necessary to remove Trump from office, Republicans might end up
presenting a unified front against impeachment. Moderate Republican Will
Hurd, an important bellwether retiring from Congress next year,
signaled on Thursday that he considered Trump’s conduct inappropriate
and unseemly, but not necessarily impeachable. Rep. Will Hurd@HurdOnTheHillPutin wins and our allies in Ukraine suffer each day we fight each other. My full thoughts: November 21st 2019583 Retweets2,026 LikesWe’re
left with this. The evidence shows that president did what he’d been
accused of doing: He used his office in an attempt to coerce the
Ukrainian government to investigate his chief Democratic rivals, past
and present. In an exchange with a reporter on October 3, Trump was
asked about the July 25 call in which he asked for a “favor” of
Ukrainian President Zelensky, who was eager to receive hundreds of
millions of dollars in aid from the US. REPORTER: “Mr. President, what exactly did you hope Zelensky would do about the Bidens after your phone call? Exactly.”TRUMP:
“Well, I would think that, if they were honest about it, they’d start a
major investigation into the Bidens. It’s a very simple answer.” And What About Hunter Biden, Anyway?Meanwhile,
on the other side of the Capitol, Senate Republicans are readying their
own impeachment weapons. Sen. Lindsey Graham on Thursday announced he
would look into Joe Biden’s communications with Ukrainian officials
during his tenure as vice president, doubling down on accusations
Republicans have made, without evidence, that Biden acted corruptly to
help an energy company with which his son Hunter was affiliated avoid
Ukrainian prosecution.It
is highly unlikely that Graham’s inquiry will turn up the kind of bad
behavior Trump’s allies have insinuated Biden took part in. But the move
will have one positive effect for Republicans: It will keep Hunter
Biden in the news as much as possible. Impeachment
hearings have already underscored how inadvisable it was for Hunter to
accept a position on the board of the energy company Burisma while his
father was vice president. The company was one of those founded by
corrupt Ukrainian oligarch Mykola Zlochevsky, who used it during his
tenure as minister of energy to direct government energy contracts to
himself. In the spring of 2014, Ukraine asked the U.S. to help them get
that money back—which was just about when Burisma added Hunter Biden to
their board, paying him in excess of $50,000 per month despite the fact
that Biden had no real experience in Ukraine and no experience in the
industry. Burisma did this for a reason, of course. It’s the kind of
soft corruption—greasy but legal—that has driven so many Americans to
dismiss Washington as, well, the Swamp. Stateside,
the news hasn’t been much better recently for Biden’s son. On
Wednesday, an Arkansas woman suing Hunter for child support filed a
court motion saying a paternity test had proved he had fathered her
baby. Hunter had previously denied the child was his. All
of this, of course, is very far afield from the ongoing impeachment
inquiry. The lesson is simply this: Trump’s saving grace continues to be
in his picking unsympathetic enemies. Nothing Brings Congress Together Like Dunking on ChinaLongtime subscribers to The Morning Dispatch (since we launched six weeks ago) will remember we took a deep dive
last month into the pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, as well as the
anti-democratic kowtowing to the Chinese government from the NBA,
Apple, and Nike. At the time, lawmakers ranging all the way from Tom
Cotton to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez expressed outrage over the treatment of these protesters and the cowardice of some American corporations.
This week, that outrage was channeled into policy, with both chambers
of Congress passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act and
sending it to President Trump’s desk.The
bill, introduced by Marco Rubio in June, received unanimous support in
the Senate and just one nay vote in the House compared to 417 yeas
(Republican Thomas Massie told CNN
he “agreed with 90 percent of that bill” but has “never voted for
sanctions against a sovereign country.”) It now goes to the White House
for the president’s signature, which it is widely expected to receive,
despite reports
earlier this year that Trump promised China’s President Xi the U.S.
would “remain quiet” on the protests. And even if Trump doesn’t sign it?
100-0 and 417-1 are what one might call “veto-proof majorities.”So what’s in it? The legislation
directs the president to sanction anyone responsible for human rights
violations in Hong Kong, freezing their American assets and either
revoking their visa or making them ineligible to receive one to enter
the United States. It would also prompt the State Department to conduct
annual reviews of both Hong Kong’s autonomy from China and China’s
efforts to use Hong Kong to evade American sanctions and export
controls. Hong Kong’s historical semi-independence from China has
granted it more preferential treatment in dealing with the United States
economically; if the Chinese government has eroded this independence,
the United States may want to reconsider this arrangement.The Middle Kingdom, for its part, is not taking the bill’s passage particularly well. An editorial in People’s Daily,
a mouthpiece for the Communist Party of China (CCP), argued the
legislation “neglects facts and truth, applies double standards and
blatantly interferes in China’s internal affairs.” Another one in China Daily, said
it “speaks volumes about the United States’ hypocrisy” and accused the
U.S. of backing the Hong Kong protesters, referring to the dissidents as
“anti-Beijing cliques and their pawns.” Ted Cruz, one of the more than 50 co-sponsors in the Senate—29 Republicans and 26 Democrats—made clear to The Dispatch
he didn’t much care about the CCP’s bellyaching. “The Chinese
government hopes it can silence and oppress the people of Hong Kong in
the dark of night without anybody noticing,” he said. “Passing the Hong
Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act is an important step in
demonstrating American support for the men and women of Hong Kong.”Senator Ted Cruz@SenTedCruz#China demands Trump veto bills about #HongKong that passed by overwhelming veto proof majorities. No surprise the Communist Party doesn’t understand how democracy works. #StandWithHongKong
China demands Trump veto bills on Hong KongBEIJING (AP) — China on Thursday demanded President Donald Trump veto legislation aimed at supporting human rights in Hong Kong and renewed a threat to take “strong countermeasures” if the bills…apnews.comNovember 21st 20192,826 Retweets4,833 LikesA
further wrinkle? Trade talks between the United States and China remain
ongoing, and this bill could throw yet another wrench into the
negotiations that were already reported
last week to have hit a snag. A limited deal between the two nations
was first announced on October 11, but it has not been consummated in
the month and a half since. Some experts view the bill as the potential
end of the discussions. “The legislation will further fuel the narrative
in Chinese domestic policy circles that the U.S. is attempting to
infringe on the sovereignty of China in terms of its internal economic
and political affairs,” Eswar Prasad, former head of the International
Monetary Fund’s China division, told the New York Times.Worth Your TimeJoe Biden grew up with a stutter. John Hendrickson sat down with the former vice president to artfully tell the story of how the speech impediment still affects the Democratic frontrunner.Luis Calvillo was wounded in the Walmart shooting in El Paso last summer. Manny Fernandez and Tamir Kalifa documented his recovery, and the role the girls youth soccer team he coached played in it.Presented Without CommentJason Campbell@JasonSCampbellThat is a real graphic from Glenn Beck’s show. November 21st 2019729 Retweets3,163 LikesSomething FunOkay, okay—we’ll admit right up front this won’t be all that fun to all of you. But to the spurned former St. Louis Rams fan on staff, this ESPN story—a
blow-by-blow of the loveless marriage between the L.A. Rams and the
L.A. Chargers, and the city of St. Louis’s suddenly strong-seeming
lawsuit to soak the NFL for abandoning it unfairly—was chicken soup for
the soul. Tim McKernan@tmckernanOf the incredible @SethWickersham story on @espn, this is my favorite part.
So if you don’t have time to read the whole story, at least read these four screen shots.
They underestimated the costs of the stadium in Los Angeles. But not as much as they underestimated St. Louis. November 21st 2019101 Retweets463 LikesToeing the Company LineIn his midweek G-File,
Jonah has what ought to but won’t be the last word on Trumpworld’s
increasingly goofy “no quid pro quo” defense, and his perspective on the
latest crackup between the mainstream MAGAsphere and its radical
racialist flank. You won’t want to miss it. David French is cranking out these dang French Press letters faster than we can sum them up! Check out his Wednesday dive into how much authority the Constitution actually gives the president on foreign policy and his Thursday ruminations
on the November Democratic debate and the shiny new GOP trend of
“common-good capitalism.” Then send him an email and tell him to quit
being so prolific; he’s making us look bad.The R Street Institute’s Andy Smarick joined Jonah on The Remnant Thursday to talk about the economist Friedrich Hayek, the principle of subsidiarity, post-liberalism—and more, we are reliably told. Give it a listen!Let Us KnowOnce he’s bored of his pickup truck adventure, what perfectly good American classic will Elon Musk “improve” next? A new professional baseball league played indoors under a blacklight, with neon uniforms, TRON-style. A next-generation roller coaster park (NB: This would actually be pretty cool).Weed, but for rich people.Reporting by Declan Garvey, Andrew Egger, and Steve Hayes.You’re on the free list for The Dispatch. For the full experience, become a paying subscriber.Subscribe© 2019 The Dispatch Unsubscribe 1 Thomas Circle, Suite 950, Washington, D.C., 20005 |
BRIGHT
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Friday, November 22, 2019 |
Trump Flips Third Court to GOP-Nominated Judges While the impeachment inquiry hearings have dominated headlines, the Senate has been busy confirming more Trump judicial appointments and transforming federal courts across the country. On Wednesday, Barbara Lagoa, a daughter of Cuban immigrants and well-respected judge who served most recently on the Florida Supreme Court, was confirmed to the 11th Circuit Court. The 11th Circuit is a pivotal federal court that will hear cases regarding disputes over election laws in key states such as Georgia and Florida. With more than 160 title III judges confirmed in his presidency, Trump judicial selections now make up nearly 30% of all federal judges. More on Lagoa’s historic confirmation from BRIGHT editor Erielle Davidson at The Federalist: “Lagoa’s confirmation is significant in a variety of ways. She is the first Hispanic woman to sit on the Eleventh Circuit and the first Hispanic to be nominated by President Trump for a Court of Appeals vacancy. Her confirmation also comes just one day after the Senate’s vote to confirm 40-year-old Robert Luck to the Eleventh Circuit, as well. The combined confirmations of Luck and Lagoa mark the third circuit that the Trump administration has tilted in favor of Republican appointees. For mere hours prior to Lagoa’s confirmation, the Eleventh Circuit’s twelve seats experienced an even split between Democrat and Republican appointees. Now, there are seven seats filled by GOP-appointed judges, five of them by Trump-appointees alone. ‘Trump’s already had five appointees to the court, it’s already a much more conservative court than before and it might be the second most conservative court in the country,’ Professor Carl Tobias of the University of Richmond told the Tampa Bay Times.” Franklin Graham Calls Impeachment Proceedings ‘Demonic’ There are lots of opinions about how to characterize the impeachment process against Donald Trump, but the son of the late Billy Graham, Franklin took incendiary opinion to another level and called the whole thing, “demonic.” More from Jon Brown at the Washington Examiner: “The Rev. Franklin Graham claimed the political turmoil fracturing the country in the wake of impeachment proceedings into President Trump likely has a supernatural origin. Graham spoke Thursday with author and host Eric Metaxas, who asked the 67-year-old son of the late Billy Graham what he made of the present political situation. ‘It’s a very bizarre situation to be living in a country where some people seem to exist to undermine the president of the United States,’ Metaxas said. ‘It’s just a bizarre time for most Americans.’ Graham responded, ‘Well, I believe it’s almost a demonic power that is trying — ‘ ‘I would disagree,’ Metaxas said. ‘It’s not almost demonic. You know and I know, at the heart, it’s a spiritual battle.’ Graham agreed and laid out some of the economic success the country has seen under Trump. ‘If you look at what the president, just for our country, regardless of whether you’re a Republican or a Democrat, unemployment is at the lowest in 70 years. More African Americans are working, more Latinos are working, more Asians are working, more everybody are working. We have an economy that is just screaming forward. It’s incredible.’ Economic prosperity benefits churches, Graham said, because Christians have more money to tithe.” Sips, Pours, and Nibbles for the Weekend SIP: Thanksgiving cocktails! Here are some super fun recipes to tryaround your turkey day table. I admit I have a secret affinity for the salted caramel apple martini. (Brit + Co) POUR: Wines to buy for Thanksgiving. This is a comprehensive and reasonable list that I fully support except maybe diversify a bit on champagne and get something really special. What better occasion to celebrate with excellent Champagne than giving thanks for our country, family and friends? (Town and Country) NIBBLE: My dad and I wrote a tribute to mashed potatoes at Thanksgiving and why they should be fork-friendly and not run all over your plate or be garnished with crumbled Lay’s. (The Federalist) Friday Entertainment Center Season 3 of “The Crown” shows how Olivia Colman can seamlessly step into the role and continue the show’s journey to be one of the best shows ever produced. (The Atlantic) “The Man in the High Castle” wrapped up with the fourth and final season on Amazon and I was utterly unimpressed. I was, in fact, somewhat offended by the assertion that communism was an improvement over Imperial Japan and that its ultimate victory should be celebrated. Another review that recognizes the shortcomings of the last season. (Salon) Disney + tries to prove its worth with a “Star War.” While it is clear that media coverage of the show is limited and possibly manipulated (Rotten Tomatoes has only one published review despite saying there are 111) the response, so far, seems positive. Everyone loves ‘The Mandalorian.’ For now. (The San Francisco Chronicle) BRIGHT is brought to you by The Federalist. |
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Today’s BRIGHT Editor
Ellie Bufkin is a breaking news reporter at The Washington Examiner and a senior contributor to The Federalist. Originally from northern Virginia, Ellie grew up in Baltimore, and worked in the wine industry as a journalist and sommelier, living in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. A fanatic for movies and TV shows since childhood, she currently reviews movies and writes about many aspects of popular culture for The Federalist. She is an avid home cook, cocktail enthusiast, and still happy to make wine recommendations. Ellie currently lives in Washington D.C. You can follow her on Twitter @ellie_bufkin |
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AXIOS
By Mike Allen
📉 Breaking: Bridgewater, the world’s biggest hedge fund, has bet more than $1 billion that stock markets around the world will fall by March, the Wall Street Journal scoops.
- “The wager, assembled over a span of months and executed by a handful of Wall Street firms, including Goldman Sachs Group Inc. and Morgan Stanley, would pay off … if either the S&P 500 or the Euro Stoxx 50 … declines.”
Situational awareness: WeWork said it’s laying off 2,400 employees globally.
1 big thing: Impeachment’s next phase
After seven public hearings with 12 witnesses over five days, the impeachment inquiry moves to a new stage: a public report and a handoff to the House Judiciary Committee, Axios’ Alayna Treene reports.
What’s next: House Intelligence Committee staffers have been drafting a report that they plan to deliver to Judiciary in the next few weeks that lays out their case for impeachment, sources tell Axios.
- It will also lay out their recommendations for next steps.
- Republican staffers are working on a report of their own, GOP aides say, and will likely release it once Democrats publish theirs.
What we’re hearing: Some Democrats on the Intelligence Committee want to continue investigating the president — on Ukraine and other matters — even after the inquiry is passed over to Judiciary.
- “There was more on our plate before Ukraine,” Rep. Jackie Speier (D-Calif.) told Axios. “The foreign influence into our national elections is real and it’s compelling and it’s frightening.”
Timing: Democratic members on the Intelligence Committee say they expect the impeachment inquiry to be handed off to Judiciary soon after Thanksgiving recess, if not immediately upon Congress’ return in December.
- An aide told Axios that Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler will hold at least one hearing addressing what Democrats see as Trump high crimes.
House Democratic leaders still hope to vote on impeachment by the end of 2019.
- But they’re not laying out a timeline in case key witnesses close to Trump — like former national security advisor John Bolton — decide to comply.
- Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.) said: “The utility of [more hearings] has started to diminish — unless they’re extraordinary witnesses with extraordinary testimony.”
How it’s playing:
Go deeper: Yesterday’s highlights.
2. American stories: Witnesses highlight immigrant pasts
Fiona Hill testifies yesterday in the House Ways and Means Committee hearing room. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty Images
One came from northeast England. Another came from the former Soviet Union. A third was born in Canada to parents who’d fled the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany, AP’s Jill Colvin and Colleen Long write.
- Several witnesses who testified in the House impeachment inquiry this week highlighted their immigrant backgrounds, sharing their families’ stories in highly personal opening statements.
- Why it matters: They drew a connection to how those experiences led them to public service and a strong desire to safeguard U.S. national security. Their stories offered a sharp counterpoint to President Trump, who has often derided immigrants as a threat to American national security.
Fiona Hill, a former National Security Council official who testified yesterday, spoke in what she called a “very distinctive working-class” British accent that would have impeded her professional advancement at home:
- “I can say with confidence that this country has offered for me opportunities I never would have had in England.”
Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, an Army officer who works with the NSC, testified Tuesday that his family fled to the U.S. from the Soviet Union when he was 3.
- “Dad, I am sitting here today in the U.S. Capitol, talking to our elected professionals. Talking to our elected professionals is proof that you made the right decision 40 years ago. … Do not worry. I will be fine.”
Marie Yovanovitch, the former ambassador to Ukraine, immigrated to the U.S. at age 3 from Canada. Her father fled the Soviets, and her mother had grown up in Nazi Germany.
- “Their personal histories, my personal history gave me both deep gratitude towards the United States and great empathy for others like the Ukrainian people who want to be free,” she told lawmakers last week.
Gordon Sondland, the president’s ambassador to the European Union, described at one point how his parents had fled Europe during the Holocaust, first moving to Uruguay and then settling in Seattle:
- “Like so many immigrants, my family was eager for freedom and hungry for opportunity.”
3. 2020 Democrats push past Obama
Democrats are chasing two contradictory impulses in their quest to defeat President Trump: Tap into the party’s affection for President Obama, but move past his policies.
- Why it matters, via Axios’ Alexi McCammond:It’s hard to watch a Democratic debate without being reminded of Obama’s legacy. But 2020 Democrats’ evolution on health care — with a public option now viewed as a moderate policy — shows how far the party has moved since the Obama years.
Keep reading to see how the candidates are pushing past Obama on climate, immigration and foreign policy.
4. Bibi denounces charges as “attempted coup”
Benjamin Netanyahu, facing indictments for bribery, fraud and breach of trust, is the first Israeli prime minister to face criminal charges, writes Axios contributor Barak Ravid.
- The biggest allegation claims he gave Israel’s leading telecommunications tycoon regulatory benefits worth hundreds of millions of dollars in return for favorable news coverage.
What he’s saying: Netanyahu denounced the charges as an “attempted coup” and a witch hunt, planning a public campaign against the attorney general, state prosecutors and the police.
5. Tech’s new labor unrest
The tech industry was born largely union-free, but there are signs its long management-worker harmony may be ending, Axios managing editor Scott Rosenberg writes from S.F.
Companies big and small have been making headlines more commonly associated with old-line manufacturing firms:
- Google hired an “anti-union consulting firm” as it navigates a rise in employee activism and protest, the N.Y. Times reported this week.
- A group of Google employees announced a rally today in San Francisco to protest the company’s treatment of several activist workers.
- A union drive among employees at Kickstarter, a crowdsourcing platform, has faced opposition from management.
Several factors are opening big cracks:
- Startups find it easier to make the unity case. But mature public companies with tens of thousands of employees and vast profits can’t count on stock options to motivate workers.
- At the biggest companies, a two-caste system has evolved, with full-time employees enjoying lavish benefits while large armies of contractors get a much less generous deal.
- The rise of gig economy platforms like Uber has given armies of workers freedom and flexibility but also stripped them of the rights and benefits employees have long enjoyed.
6. Big retailers are pushing tariff costs on to smaller merchants
Big retailers like Bed Bath and Beyond, Target, and TJX Brands are refusing to accept tariff price increases from their brand suppliers, telling the companies they will have to either eat the tariff costs or find another buyer, Axios’ Dion Rabouin and Erica Pandey write.
- Why it matters: This forces the costs of President Trump’s trade war with China down to smaller businesses that can hardly afford them, while the big companies keep the impact of tariffs at bay.
The bottom line: The hard line by big players could be enough to shutter smaller retailers. Without tariff relief or the ability to pass on 10-25% price increases, some small businesses say they will likely have to close within a year or so.
7. Big Tech curbs targeted political ads
Facebook “is discussing increasing the minimum number of people who can be targeted in political ads on its platform from 100 to a few thousand,” writes the Wall Street Journal (subscription).
- Why it matters: Big Tech is attempting “to make it less easy for advertisers to microtarget, which has been criticized as enabling political actors to single out groups for misleading or false ads that aren’t seen by the broader public.”
The big picture: Google announced this week that it would no longer allow political ad targeting that uses information inferred from users’ search histories, while Twitter said last month that it would ban most political ads.
Go deeper: Big Tech rivals distance themselves from Facebook on political ads.
8. 1 truck thing: “Cyberpunk” styling
Photo: Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images
At the L.A. Auto Show, Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveiled the “cybertruck,” an electric pickup truck that will cost $39,900+ and will be in production in 2021.
📬 Thanks for reading! Please tell a friend about AM/PM.
THE HILL
| © Getty Images Welcome to The Hill’s Morning Report. TGIF! Our newsletter gets you up to speed on the most important developments in politics and policy, plus trends to watch. Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver are the up-early co-creators. Find us @asimendinger and @alweaver22 on Twitter and CLICK HERE to subscribe! At the end of the second week of public impeachment hearings, House Democrats on Thursday described what they believe are President Trump’s alleged obstruction and abuses of his office, while Republicans condemned the drama as devoid of persuasive evidence, even as they hinted they anticipate Trump will be impeached by the House and acquitted by the GOP-controlled Senate. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) gaveled the panel to adjournment after laying out opening arguments for one or more articles of impeachment, the evidence for which will be reported by his panel to the House Judiciary Committee for consideration in the weeks ahead. “If the president abused his power and invited foreign interference in our elections, if he sought to condition, coerce, extort, or bribe a vulnerable ally into conducting investigations to aid his reelection campaign and did so by withholding official acts — a White House meeting or hundreds of millions of dollars of needed military aid — it will be up to us to decide whether those acts are compatible with the office of the presidency,” Schiff said as lawmakers turned their attention to Thursday’s witnesses. When more than six hours of testimony had concluded, Schiff said the committee had gathered clear evidence of a quid pro quo in which Trump leveraged his authority over foreign policy and dangled military aid for Ukraine as a lure to try to secure investigations of a political rival in order to help his own reelection. “The president wouldn’t give [Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky] something without getting something in return… an official act for something of clear value … to help his campaign,” Schiff said. The chairman argued that withholding military aid authorized to an ally currently at war with Russian-backed forces was “worse than anything Nixon did,” referring to evidence of law-breaking and obstruction of justice that forced former President Nixon to resign in 1974 before he was expected to be impeached. “In my view, there is nothing more dangerous than an unethical president who believes he is above the law,” Schiff added. The Associated Press analysis: Impeachment hearings leave mountain of evidence beyond dispute. Ranking committee member Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) denounced the inquiry as a partisan exercise built around two alleged offenses that never happened. Nunes and other Republican committee members protested that Ukraine did not investigate former Vice President Joe Biden or his son Hunter, allegedly at Trump’s behest, and said nearly $400 million in U.S. military aid was withheld briefly as a safeguard against fears of Ukrainian corruption before it was released in September. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a staunch Trump ally detailed by his colleagues to the Intelligence Committee to help communicate the GOP defense, said his party believes House Democrats have the votes to impeach the president, which he said progressives dreamed about since Trump’s election. “The real vote is the one that’s going to be in 11-1/2 months,” he told reporters. Jordan’s Republican colleagues in the Senate met privately with senior White House officials on Thursday to map out what they expect to be a limited, two-week impeachment trial in the GOP-controlled Senate. In comparison, former President Bill Clinton’s trial in 1999 played out over 36 days before his acquittal on two articles of impeachment (The Washington Post). The New York Times: Who didn’t testify, why Democrats will move ahead without them and what happens next? Following Wednesday’s testimony from U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, during which he affirmed a quid pro quo plan by Trump with Zelensky, Fiona Hill, the former top Russia expert on the White House National Security Council, offered detailed, crisply delivered testimony on Thursday about what she called “facts” gathered inside the West Wing. She also refuted GOP claims that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 U.S. election, an assertion Trump seized following his election. Hill said in her opening statement that Republicans helped spread “falsehoods,” adding that the “fictional narrative” of Ukraine meddling continues to be pushed by Russia, which seeks to undermine Ukraine and aggravate conflict and mistrust in the United States (The Hill). “I refuse to be part of an effort to legitimize an alternate narrative that the Ukrainian government is a U.S. adversary, and that Ukraine — not Russia — attacked us in 2016,” Hill told lawmakers. “These fictions are harmful even if they are deployed for purely domestic political purposes.” Reuters: Explainer: What is the “alternate narrative” to which Hill referred? Nunes bristled at Hill’s remarks, pointing to the panel’s report last year concluding that Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Nevertheless, the ranking member, along with Trump and Rudy Giuliani, the president’s personal attorney, have continued to link Ukraine to supposed anti-Trump interference in the 2016 election. The Hill: Five takeaways: Witnesses Hill and David Holmes offered impeachment testimony damaging to the president. Mark Leibovich, The New York Times: They toil gladly offstage. Impeachment lands them in the spotlight. Holmes, a career foreign service aide to William Taylor, the top diplomat in Ukraine, testified that he overheard a phone call between Trump and Sondland conducted at an outdoor restaurant in Kyiv. Sondland told Holmes after hanging up that Trump didn’t care that much about Ukraine but was instead interested in the “big stuff,” meaning probes into the Bidens’ activities in Ukraine. Late Thursday, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), one of Trump’s allies in opposing the impeachment inquiry, launched his own Biden investigation, writing to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to seek documents and information in its files tied to Biden’s activities in Ukraine and about the Ukrainian energy company Burisma (The Washington Post). In another indication that the White House is relying on the Senate to explore its defenses, a Trump spokesman said in a statement on Thursday night that a Senate impeachment trial may be the place to call a different slate of witnesses. “President Trump wants to have a trial in the Senate because it’s clearly the only chamber where he can expect fairness and receive due process under the Constitution, spokesman Hogan Gidley said. “We would expect to finally hear from witnesses who actually witnessed, and possibly participated in corruption — like Adam Schiff, Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, and the so-called Whistleblower, to name a few” (Reuters). The Hill: Diplomat testifies he heard Trump ask about “investigation.” The New York Times: What we’ve learned from Hill’s and Holmes’s impeachment testimony. The Washington Post: Sondland’s testimony advances likely impeachment charge of obstruction. © Getty Images LEADING THE DAY POLITICS & CAMPAIGNS: The top tier candidates of the Democratic primary are engaged in a battle to win the support of African Americans, a key voting bloc that could potentially determine the party’s nominee, especially once the contest moves beyond the first-in-the-nation contests in Iowa and New Hampshire. As Jonathan Easley reports, that dynamic was on full display at Wednesday’s debate in Atlanta as candidate after candidate tailored both their policy proposals and appeals to African Americans, who make up about two-thirds of the Democratic primary electorate in South Carolina and will be a voting force on Super Tuesday. Less than three months out from the first primary votes, former Vice President Joe Biden has seen his campaign remain upright due in large part to high levels of African American support, which has handed him leads nationally and in South Carolina. While Sens. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) have made some inroads with the voting group, Biden towers over the field with them still. As for South Bend, Ind., Mayor Pete Buttigieg, while he continues to boast strong support levels in Iowa and New Hampshire, his support among African Americans is nonexistent. The New York Times: After debating about black support, Democrats fan out to try to earn it. Amy Walter, Cook Political Report: In DNC debate, race played a starring role. The New York Times: Day after debate, Biden and Warren face protesters at events. © Getty Images With the debate in the rearview mirror, Sens. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.), two candidates who turned in strong performances on Wednesday, are looking to capitalize on the debate and use it as a launching pad in the primary. As Amie Parnes writes, the two Democratic challengers are hoping they can somehow translate that into momentum for their campaigns, which have been overlooked by many voters so far. Klobuchar is in fifth place in the RealClearPolitics polling average in Iowa, but with just 5.3 percent — well behind the race’s top four candidates, all of whom sit at 17 percent support or higher. Booker is even further back, with just a 1.8 percent average in the Hawkeye State. Nationally, Booker has just a 1.3 percent polling average, compared to Klobuchar’s 1.5 percent. At the debate, Booker scored points when he talked about the black vote and later when he questioned Biden over whether he was “high” for his opposition to national marijuana legalization. In a statement that reflected the lack of attention he may feel his campaign has given, Booker, who rose to national prominence as mayor of Newark, N.J., noted to Buttigeig that he is the other Rhodes Scholar winning former mayor on stage. Klobuchar had her own breakout moment when she talked about her electability. The Associated Press: Former President Obama was both referee and elder statesman during a California fundraiser on Thursday for the Democratic National Committee. The Atlantic: What Biden can’t bring himself to say. The Hill: Michael Bloomberg files paperwork to run for president. The Washington Post: Donald Trump Jr. thanked the “Deplorables” for making him a bestseller. The Republican National Committee spent $94,800 on copies of his book. IN FOCUS/SHARP TAKES MORE CONGRESS: The Senate passed a stopgap funding bill on Thursday to prevent a government shutdown that was set to begin today. Trump signed the measure just hours before the deadline. Senators voted 74-20 on the spending measure that will fund the government through Dec. 20. Along with the funding extension, the measure also provides funding for U.S. census efforts, a 3.1 percent military pay raise and extends controversial surveillance programs from mid-December to March. As Jordain Carney reports, the vote capped off 24 hours of behind-the-scenes haggling that brought passage down to the wire. The new Dec. 20 deadline means lawmakers will be in Washington to hammer out a potential deal as the Christmas break looms. Last year, part of the government shut down due to a battle over border funding, which ultimately lasted 35 days before the president caved. > Trade: Only a week after she said that passage of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) was “imminent,” Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) changed her tune, telling reporters that she doubts an updated North American trade deal will pass by the end of the year. “I’m not even sure if we came to an agreement today that it would be enough time to finish,” Pelosi said. U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer met with Pelosi and House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal (D-Mass.) on Thursday afternoon, but a final deal is still at large (The Hill). Shortly after, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) criticized Pelosi for prioritizing impeachment ahead of the potential trade deal. The GOP leader pressed that Congress could have already completed its work on the trade agreement had Democrats not launched the inquiry into the president’s actions regarding Ukraine. “I guess they were too busy with the only goal of why they wanted to win the majority — to impeach the president, because they can’t do anything else,” he said (The Hill). The Associated Press: President Xi Jinping of China says Beijing wants a trade deal, can “fight back.” © Getty Images *** WHITE HOUSE & ADMINISTRATION: Citing health concerns and Senate Democratic opposition since 2017, Trump’s choice to head the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration withdrew his nomination on Thursday. Barry Myers, the former CEO of AccuWeather, said he underwent treatment for cancer and would be unable to serve as NOAA administrator and undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere (The Washington Times). Myers was nominated multiple times but was stalled in the Senate. Democrats recently pointed to reports that he was involved in a discrimination and sexual harassment settlement at his former company (The Hill). > Trade secrets: The Justice Department on Thursday charged Haitao Xiang, 42, a Chinese national in St. Louis, Mo., who worked for Monsanto before it was purchased by Bayer AG with stealing trade secrets for China. He was stopped by federal officials at the airport before he could board a flight to China carrying proprietary farming software. Xiang’s lawyer said his client will plead not guilty (Reuters). > Trump’s lunches, dinners: On Thursday, the president hosted two prominent and frequent GOP Senate critics, Maine’s Susan Collins and Utah’s Mitt Romney, for lunch at the White House. Also in attendance: Sens. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.), James Lankford (R-Okla.), John Hoeven (R-N.D.) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.). If one or more House articles of impeachment trigger a Senate trial, as expected, Trump is eager to stave off any Senate Republican defections in order to cast the entire Democrats’ impeachment inquiry as partisan (The Hill). Last month, the president hosted a private White House dinner with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Peter Thiel, a billionaire venture capitalist and Facebook board member. The White House get-together, at a time when the tech behemoth battles intense scrutiny from Congress and federal regulators, was not publicly disclosed, NBC News reports. Warren, who has criticized Facebook’s handling of user privacy and false political advertising on the platform, called the undisclosed White House event with Facebook “corruption, plain and simple.” > Military justice: Trump on Thursday reversed and rebuked the U.S. Navy to say Chief Petty Officer Edward Gallagher would not lose his membership in the elite SEAL commando force in the wake of his trial for alleged war crimes. Gallagher was arrested and indicted in late 2018, but his court-martial ended in July with acquittal on all but one relatively minor charge — posing for a trophy photo with the corpse of a teenage captive. He was reduced by one rank, which Trump restored. On Tuesday, multiple Navy and Defense Department officials said the Navy had cleared its plan to start with the White House the revocation process of Gallagher’s SEAL membership, although they acknowledged the risk of seeking to punish a SEAL who counts Trump among his vocal supporters. They said they knew the president could easily reverse the decision. He did (The New York Times). “The Navy will NOT be taking away Warfighter and Navy Seal Eddie Gallagher’s Trident Pin,” Trump tweeted. “This case was handled very badly from the beginning. Get back to business!” David Ignatius: Trump’s involvement in the Gallagher disciplinary case risks a collision with the Navy. OPINION A forgettable debate for an exhausted nation, by Max Burns, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2riE5LD Wednesday’s marijuana legalization vote was truly historic — here’s why, by Justin Strekal, opinion contributor, The Hill. https://bit.ly/2KXW6WX WHERE AND WHEN 📺 Hill.TV’s “Rising” program features Joe Concha, media reporter and columnist for The Hill, on the size of the impeachment hearing’s television audiences; Aaron Maté, host of “Pushback Show” on the Grayzone, to react to Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate; Bill Bullard CEO of R-CALF USA, which advocates for ranchers, to discuss new Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) legislation; and Bob Cusack, editor-in-chief of The Hill, for his weekly DeBrief segment. Coverage starts at 9 a.m. ET at http://thehill.com/hilltv or on YouTube at 10 a.m. at Rising on YouTube. The House meets at 1:30 p.m. The Senate convenes for a pro forma session at 9:30 a.m. and will be out of session next week. The president at 11 a.m. participates in the NCAA Collegiate National Champions Day, hosting various athletes at the White House. Economic indicator: The University of Michigan releases its survey of U.S. Consumer Sentiment for November at 10 a.m. American consumers are the engine for household spending and economic growth, which means their outlook about the state of the economy is closely watched. ELSEWHERE ➔ China: Beijing demanded on Thursday that Trump veto bills aimed at punishing China and supporting Hong Kong pro-democracy, pro-human rights demonstrators. The House overwhelmingly approved bills on Wednesday, a day after the Senate passed measures on voice votes. The bills are heading to the White House for Trump’s signature, and the White House signaled the president supports the legislation (The Associated Press). ➔ Israel: Benjamin Netanyahu, for the first time for any sitting Israeli prime minister, was formally charged on Thursday in a series of corruption cases, throwing a government already in limbo into further disarray. Netanyahu, who accused prosecutors of staging “an attempted coup,” was charged with fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes in three different scandals (The Associated Press). © Getty Images ➔ Press freedom: Five U.S. journalists who allege they were separately detained and tracked by the Department of Homeland Security while conducting reporting at the U.S.-Mexico border in 2018 and this year are suing the government, citing violations of their First Amendment rights (CNN). ➔ WeWork on Thursday cut nearly 20 percent of its workforce, or 2,400 people, in a move to restructure the company following its explosive growth into shared office spaces in 122 cities around the world. Ousted co-founder Adam Neumann secured a $1.7 billion payout to depart after the company sustained massive losses that ultimately soured Wall Street investors on the company and doomed its planned IPO. Tech conglomerate SoftBank now owns 80 percent of WeWork (The Associated Press). ➔ City Watch: D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) enjoys strong job approval in the nation’s capital, according to a Washington Post poll released on Thursday. Fifty-two percent of respondents said she should seek a third term. Her low marks are for homelessness and the availability of affordable housing (The Washington Post). THE CLOSER And finally … 👏👏👏 Kudos to this week’s Morning Report Quiz Masters! They guessed correctly about the British royals, playing along with our puzzle inspired by the third season of Netflix’s “The Crown.” Congratulations to those who knew a bit of royal trivia: William Chittam, John Donato, Luther Berg, Margaret Gainer, Patrick Kavanagh and Carol Katz. They guessed correctly that Prince Charles had his investiture and crowning as Prince of Wales in 1969. Princess Margaret’s separation from Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1976 followed her affair with Roddy Llewellyn. Former President Lyndon Johnson did not host Queen Elizabeth II at the White House during his time in office. And finally, Prince Charles met his second wife, Camilla Parker Bowles, in 1971. © Getty Images The Morning Report is created by journalists Alexis Simendinger and Al Weaver. We want to hear from you! Email: asimendinger@thehill.com and aweaver@thehill.com. We invite you to share The Hill’s reporting and newsletters, and encourage others to SUBSCRIBE! To view past editions of The Hill’s Morning Report CLICK HERE To receive The Hill’s Morning Report in your inbox SIGN UP HERE Morning Report Sign Up FORWARD Morning Report Privacy Policy | Manage Subscriptions | Unsubscribe Email to a friend | Sign Up for Other Newsletters The Hill 1625 K Street, NW 9th Floor, Washington DC 20006 ©2019 Capitol Hill Publishing Corp., a subsidiary of News Communications, Inc. |
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11/22/2019
Excerpts:
FBI Official Is Under Investigation For Altering Russia Probe Documents: Report
By Chuck Ross –
The Justice Department is investigating an FBI official for allegedly
altering a document as part of the Trump-Russia probe, according to an
explosive report. CNN reports that the altered document was recovered as
part of the Justice Department inspector general’s investigation into
the FBI’s surveillance activities against Carter Page, a …
FBI Official Is Under Investigation For Altering Russia Probe Documents: Report is original content from Conservative
Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary
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Read on » Media Outlets Rip Biden For Horrible Debate Performance By Shelby Talcott – Multiple media outlets criticized former Vice President Joe Biden for his poor performance during Wednesday’s fifth democratic debate. Biden struggled even before the debate began, with his campaign accidentally sending out its post-debate email hours before the event began. They sent a subsequent email apologizing for pulling the trigger and … Media Outlets Rip Biden For Horrible Debate Performance is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Elizabeth Warren Rally Derailed By Pro-Charter School Protesters By Peter Hasson – Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s presidential campaign rally in Atlanta on Thursday was derailed by parents protesting the Massachusetts senator’s opposition to charter schools. The group of mostly black parents interrupted Warren’s event, which was aimed at courting black women voters, with chants of “Our children, our choice!” and “We want … Elizabeth Warren Rally Derailed By Pro-Charter School Protesters is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Friday, November 22, 2019 By R. Mitchell – President Donald Trump will participate in the NCAA Collegiate National Champions Day and then a session on youth vaping. Keep up with Trump on Our President’s Schedule Page. President Trump’s Itinerary for 11/22/19 – note: this page will be updated during the day if events warrant All Times EST 11:00 … President Donald Trump’s Schedule for Friday, November 22, 2019 is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Poll Finds That One-Third Of Americans Don’t Trust The Media By Shelby Talcott – Around one-third of Americans don’t trust that the media’s reporting is based on factual information, according to a new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research and USAFacts. The poll, released Nov. 20, asked Americans “how often” they think each of the questions asked “are based on … Poll Finds That One-Third Of Americans Don’t Trust The Media is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Echo Chamber: Twitter Is Changing Policy To Allow Users To Hide Replies By Chris White – Twitter announced a new policy Thursday that will allow accounts to hide replies from trolls who are either trying to derail conversation or post irrelevant information. The massive social media platform initially beta-tested the policy in Canada in July before ultimately allowing every user to take part. Twitter laid out … Echo Chamber: Twitter Is Changing Policy To Allow Users To Hide Replies is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » MSNBC Draws In Weakest Viewership For Democratic Debate Yet By Shelby Talcott – Wednesday’s fifth Democratic debate was the least watched and lowest rated of the election season with a total viewership of around 6.5 million people, according to early Nielsen Media Research data. The debate saw around 1.7 million viewers in its key demographic of adults aged 25-54, Deadline reported. This is … MSNBC Draws In Weakest Viewership For Democratic Debate Yet is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Trump Wins: California’s Supreme Court Nixes Law Requiring POTUS To Fork Over His Tax Returns By Chris White – California’s high court unanimously knocked down a recently passed state law requiring politicians to provide several years of tax returns before running for national office, CNN reported Thursday. President Donald Trump immediately challenged the law in court after Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, sign law in July after it sailed … Trump Wins: California’s Supreme Court Nixes Law Requiring POTUS To Fork Over His Tax Returns is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Jim Jordan Asks Sondland About The ‘Meeting That Never Happened’ By Mary Margaret Olohan – Republican Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan questioned U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland Wednesday on a “meeting that never happened.” “When did the meeting happen again?” he asked Sondland Wednesday on Capitol Hill. “It never did,” Sondland responded. WATCH: Content created by The Daily Caller News Foundation is available … Jim Jordan Asks Sondland About The ‘Meeting That Never Happened’ is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Fuddy Duddy – A.F. Branco Cartoon By A.F. Branco – Big Adam Schiff Bombshell, Sondland’s testimony that was to expose Trump quid pro quo has turned out to be a dud. Political cartoon by A.F. Branco ©2019. See more Branco toons HERE Fuddy Duddy – A.F. Branco Cartoon is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » ‘Of Course’: Warren Says She Willing To Spend Taxpayer Money To Take Down Parts Of Border Wall By Jason Hopkins – During Wednesday’s Democratic presidential debate, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren said that she is willing to spend taxpayer money to remove parts of the southern border wall built under the Trump administration. Warren — who once called President Donald Trump’s border wall a “monument of hate and division” — was asked … ‘Of Course’: Warren Says She Willing To Spend Taxpayer Money To Take Down Parts Of Border Wall is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Lindsey Graham: FISA Abuse Report Will Be Released On Dec. 9 By Chuck Ross – Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Lindsey Graham said Wednesday that the Justice Department report into the FBI’s surveillance against the Trump campaign will be released on Dec. 9. The South Carolina Republican told Fox News’s Sean Hannity that the date has been “locked” down. Two days after the release of the … Lindsey Graham: FISA Abuse Report Will Be Released On Dec. 9 is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Watch Live: President Trump Presents the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal By R. Mitchell – Watch as President presents the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal from the East Room Thursday afternoon. The president and first lady will present the National Medal of the Arts to actor Jon Voight, singer Alison Krauss, the musicians of the U.S. military and Sharon Rockefeller. They … Watch Live: President Trump Presents the National Medal of Arts and the National Humanities Medal is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » Mayor Pete Proposes Racist Policies By Dave King – Democrat presidential hopeful Pete Buttigieg, as a result of his constant lagging in the polls and his inability to attract the following of black Americans, has proposed policies that are designed for blacks only, not whites, not Asians, nor Hispanics. This is nothing but racism and smacks of a “separate … Mayor Pete Proposes Racist Policies is original content from Conservative Daily News – Where Americans go for news, current events and commentary they can trust – Conservative News Website for U.S. News, Political Cartoons and more. Read on » See all breaking news, conservative commentary, political cartoons and more posted to CDN at our Home Page. Follow on Twitter Friend on Facebook Add on Google Plus Copyright © 2019 Conservative Daily News, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list |
CAFFEINATED THOUGHTS
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“Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God,” (1 John 4:15, ESV).
David Wiggins Becomes Acting Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court
By Shane Vander Hart on Nov 21, 2019 04:44 pm Justice David Wiggins becomes Acting Chief Justice of the Iowa Supreme Court following the unexpected death of Chief Justice Mark Cady. Read in browser » Josh Hawley: The Collapse of Community Threatens Our Common Liberty By Caffeinated Thoughts on Nov 21, 2019 02:50 pm U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley: “The collapse of community in America has been underway for decades now, and as it accelerates, it threatens our common liberty.” Read in browser » The Gospel According to Mayor Pete By Shane Vander Hart on Nov 21, 2019 11:54 am Shane Vander Hart: Pete Buttigieg says his faith teaches him that his salvation has to do with his usefulness which is contrary to the Gospel. Read in browser » Ernst Introduces Bill to Support Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence By Caffeinated Thoughts on Nov 21, 2019 10:44 am U.S. Sen. Joni Ernst introduced a bill reauthorizing and modernizing VAWA that prioritizes protecting and supporting survivors and punishing abusers. Read in browser » Theresa Greenfield Discusses Gun Control With Grimes Democrats By Shane Vander Hart on Nov 20, 2019 06:41 pm Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Theresa Greenfield expressed support for background checks for private firearms tranfers and research by the CDC into gun violence. Read in browser » Sondland: There Was Quid Pro Quo By Shane Vander Hart on Nov 20, 2019 12:13 pm Ambassador Gordon Sondland: “Everyone was in the loop. It was no secret. Everyone was informed via email on July 19, days before the Presidential call.” Read in browser » Recent Articles: Psychiatrists, Impeachment, and Justice Ben Sasse Condemns Lack of Answers on Epstein Case So Presidents Are Expected to Follow Bureaucratic Talking Points? Chick-fil-A Surrenders To The Woke Mob A Potential Consequence of a Senate Impeachment Trial Launched in 2006, Caffeinated Thoughts reports news and shares commentary about culture, current events, faith and state and national politics from a Christian and conservative point of view. Caffeinated Thoughts P.O. Box 57184 Des Moines, IA 50317 (515) 321-5077 Editor, Shane Vander Hart Connect: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Share Tweet Share Forward Copyright © 2019 Caffeinated Thoughts, All rights reserved. Want to change how you receive these emails? You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list. |
THE BLAZE
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November 22, 2019
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Utah feminist charged with lewdness after going topless in her own home in front of her children
A reporter accidently emailed stations across the country when he ‘called’ in sick. The response was glorious.
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IG Horowitz found that an FBI agent allegedly altered a document in the FISA probe of the Trump campaign
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DESERET NEWS
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Diplomats testifying in impeachment inspire pride, worry
The appearance of career officials from the National Security Council, State Department and the Pentagon before the cameras at the House’s impeachment inquiry is raising fears among their colleagues about threats to their safety from infuriated Trump supporters and political retaliation by the administration. Read More…
GOP group launches TV and digital ads thanking Elise Stefanik
An outside group aligned with House Republican leadership is launching new television and digital ads thanking New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, whose national profile has risen during the impeachment inquiry. Read More…
Health care workers could deny abortions under this Trump administration rule
“Protecting Statutory Conscience Rights in Health” is a controversial rule that may be held up in the courts right now but could be appealed by the Trump administration any day. The rule expands who is defined as a health care worker, and could lead to more patients being denied an abortion or other procedure if the worker believes it violates their own religious or moral beliefs. Watch the video here…Click here to subscribe to Fintech Beat for the latest market and regulatory developments in finance and financial technology.
Trump signs stopgap bill, fending off shutdown for now
President Donald Trump signed a monthlong spending bill Thursday, hours before government funding had been set to expire at midnight. Read More…
Wasserman Schultz enters race for top Democrat on Appropriations
The race to become the next top Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee widened into a three-way contest Thursday. Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz declared her intention to run for the job that will be left vacant when Appropriations Chairwoman Nita M. Lowey of New York retires at the end of her current term. Read More…
Fiona Hill forceful, direct in countering Republican defense of Trump
The House Intelligence Committee’s last witness of the week in the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump connected the dots between current and former administration witnesses, pushed back against previous accounts and illuminated fault lines in American diplomacy. Read More…
To beat Trump, Democrats need to win Wisconsin. The impeachment inquiry isn’t helping.
Donald Trump won Wisconsin in 2016 by just 27,000 votes. Now, to beat him in 2020, it is crucial that Democrats win the state. A new poll from Marquette University Law School finds that Democrats face an uphill battle and, it seems, the impeachment hearings in Washington aren’t helping them. Listen here…
Democrats seek quick subpoena ruling in Trump tax records case
House Democrats urged the Supreme Court on Thursday to quickly allow enforcement of a congressional subpoena for eight years of President Donald Trump’s financial and tax records from accounting firm Mazars USA. Read More…
Census gets funding boost in stopgap bill
The stopgap funding measure Congress passed Thursday provides $7.3 billion for the Census Bureau, giving next year’s count the resources some lawmakers and advocates have sought for months. Read More…
Disputed butane tax credit could cost nearly $50 billion
The Treasury now stands to take a $49.9 billion hit if oil refiners prevail in their claims that gasoline mixed with butane qualifies as an alternative fuel eligible for a 50 cents per gallon federal tax credit. Read More…
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LIBERTY NATION
| Daily Briefing Conservative News | Libertarian News | Commentary VISIT LibertyNation.com FROM OUR NEWSROOM Democrat’s Agenda: Impeachment and Socialism By Tim Donner One fateful Wednesday tells all about this wayward party. Click Here What America’s Thinking 53% of Likely U.S. Voters are concerned that Trump’s impeachment and removal from office will lead to violence, with 24% who are Very Concerned. Support has fallen for expanding Medicare to all Americans as opponents detail the staggering likely cost to taxpayers. Few voters are willing to spend much, if anything, to make it a reality. 59% are concerned that those opposed to Trump’s policies will resort to violence. Most voters don’t expect fair play from the media when it comes to news coverage of the Democrats’ impeachment attempt. Immigrant Hoax Crime on the Rise: Is It Time to End the U Visa? By Kelli Ballard Witnessing or being the victim of imaginary crime has been a sure fire way to gain a visa – but will it last? Click Here Washington Whispers Coming down the pipeline: In reaction to the impeachment inquiry, Lindsey Graham has asked the State Department to hand over any documents tied to the Bidens and Ukraine. Adam Schiff states that Trump’s actions with Ukraine went far beyond anything Richard Nixon had done. Members of Congress voted to end marijuana’s status as a federally prohibited substance. Former Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh (D) pleaded guilty on Thursday to conspiracy and tax evasion charges. Liberty Nation GenZ By Liberty Nation Staff Click Here Your Daily Political Devotional A Glimpse at What’s Hot in the PolitisphereThe Manhattan district attorney’s office is asking the Supreme Court to let them enforce a subpoena demanding Donald Trump’s tax returns. The president appealed a federal court’s ruling that his accountants must turn over eight years of tax records. The Democrats have been pushing to get Trump’s tax returns since he won the election in 2016, but how many of them will submit their own? Fiona Hill’s Hearing May Be the Last – And It Added Nothing By Graham J Noble Fiona Hill may have been the most interesting witness, but she revealed nothing new to advance the case against Trump. Click Here News Roundup We’ve Surfed The Web for You California Law Aimed At Acquiring Trump’s Tax Returns Ruled Unconstitutional Rich Lowry On Trump’s Successes And ‘The Case For Nationalism’ Jordan: Impeachment Is About Establishment, Dems Rejecting the Will of 63 Million Americans Elizabeth Warren rally with Ayanna Pressley brought to brief halt by pro school-choice protesters All art is political, but it doesn’t have to be Liberty Nation On The Go: Listen to Today’s Top News 11.22.19 By Liberty Nation Staff Conservative News – Hot Off The Press – Audio Playlist. Click Here WATCH NOW FEATURED LNTV LNTV: E-Cig Ban Up In Smoke? – WATCH NOW LNTV: Trump Defies the Odds – WATCH NOW LNTV: Are Your Savings Safe? – WATCH NOW! The Rabbit Hole: From Socrates to Stone – a Defense Check out one of our podcasts! Subscribe and get notified of new arrivals. SUBSCRIBE LNTV: Did Bloomberg Blow Betting Odds? – WATCH NOW Check out one of our videos! View the latest Liberty Nation videos on YouTube. WATCH NOW |
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THE WASHINGTON TIMES
| Friday, November 22, 2019 |
| Dems plot next move as impeachment hearings fail to sway GOP, public After two weeks of impeachment hearings, House Democratic leaders were poised to draft articles of impeachment against President Trump, but … more |
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| Bringing conservatism back to colleges The new ‘Charlie’s Angels’: A pile of wokeness and feminist/#MeToo stereotypes The AMA declares war on vaping and public health |
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| Will Hurd, anti-Trump Republican, says he sees no evidence of bribery, extortion Adam Schiff saw Ukraine as a source for dirt on Trump ATF pick kept in limbo by lack of GOP support |
| Special Reports for Times Readers Special Report – Infrastructure 2019 Special Report – Energy 2019 Special Report – Free Iran Rally 2019 |
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| Pentagon: No plans to withdraw troops from South Korea Lindsey Graham: DOJ’s IG report on FBI’s alleged FISA abuses to be released Dec. 9 Fiona Hill bucks Democrats’ prodding to link Trump to Putin |
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REALCLEARPOLITICS
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11/22/2019 Share: Carl Cannon’s Morning Note Presented by Fisher Investments: S.C. Dems; Withdrawal Risks; Quote of the Week Good morning, it’s Friday, Nov. 22, 2019, the day of the week I pass along a quotation meant to be instructive or uplifting. Today’s date is also, for those old enough to remember, the real day the music died — that is, if the music in your head was the melodious tunes of “Camelot” and an aspirational view of America. “Dreams died that day in Dallas,” wrote Jon Meacham about President Kennedy’s assassination. Survivors go on with their lives, however, as they must. Even the brave young widow whose pink suit was splattered with her husband’s blood on Nov. 22, 1963 in time picked herself up and continued her work — some of that work being the preservation of America’s historic landmarks. “Is it not cruel to let our city die by degrees, stripped of all her proud monuments, until there will be nothing left of all her history and beauty to inspire our children?” Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis wrote to New York Mayor Abraham Beame in 1975. “If they are not inspired by the past of our city, where will they find the strength to fight for her future?” The context of that letter were the efforts — supported by Mrs. Onassis — to preserve New York’s Grand Central Terminal. So next time you are in midtown Manhattan, take a moment to say a private prayer of thanks for the former first lady. She had plenty of allies in this work, of course, including a kind and diligent historian named William Seale, who passed away yesterday. I’ll have more on Dr. Seale in a moment. First, I’d point you to RealClearPolitics’ front page, which presents our poll averages, videos, breaking news stories, and aggregated opinion columns spanning the political spectrum. We also offer original material from our own reporters and contributors, including the following: * * * The Clout of South Carolina Democrats. Antjuan Seawright argues that winning the state in the Democratic primary offers a blueprint for winning in November 2020. The Blurred Line Between Climate Science and Climate Activism. In RealClearEnergy, Larry Edward Penley spotlights the flawed research being pushed by energy industry antagonist Naomi Oreskes. Terrorism in the Wake of Withdrawal. In RealClearDefense, Faith Stewart lays out the risks the U.S. will incur if “bring the troops home” sentiments create power vacuums in hot spots such as Afghanistan. FTC Suit Against Qualcomm Imperils National Security. Also in RCD, Daniel Goure warns that legal action taken against the company could cripple its position as America’s gold medal entry in the race to develop 5G technology. Radio Comedian Is Forgotten, But Worth Remembering. In RealClearHistory, John Rossi revisits the talents of Fred Allen, whose combination of satire, puns and topical comedy prefigured the arrival of “Second City” and “Saturday Night Live.” * * * The death of Bill Seale hit his friends and colleagues hard. This was particularly true of the staff at the White House Historical Association, which posted a lovely tribute to the man on its website. “William Seale served as adviser, author, interpreter, lecturer, leader, and mentor, generously sharing his knowledge, wisdom, insight, and infectious sense of humor,” said WHHA President Stewart D. McLaurin. Seale wrote a number of books about the White House and managed in all his written work to be simultaneously accessible to general audiences while practicing gold-standard scholarship. Those of us who write about history and relied on him as a source could also count on Bill exhibiting a kind graciousness rare in Washington — or any other city, really. “He was a wonderful guy, dedicated, funny, an excellent writer, and a very nice person,” presidential scholar Martha Joynt Kumar told me yesterday. “Bill’s success lay in his view of the White House as a national symbol, not just a building. In his writing, he wove together architectural information with the political and social history of the periods he covered.” Generally, people say nice things about the dead, which is as it should be. In Bill Seale’s case, it was all true, and our country is richer for it. “When First Lady Jacqueline Kennedy first undertook to restore the historic integrity of its public rooms, she wanted also to promote public understanding of this historic home,” Stewart McLaurin added Thursday in reference to the White House. “More than any one historian, Dr. Seale helped to realize her vision through his writing.” “History teaches perspective,” Bill Seale once said. “Goodness knows, in the avalanche of words that rush over us now from the printed page and television, perspective is important. Now and then you just have to say, ‘I don’t believe that,’ or dismiss it because it is obviously slanted, illogical, or not true or just glitz. A lot of what comes from the age of information is worthless. You’ve got to be able to judge to live in a free society. History helps with your thinking.” And that’s our quote of the week. Carl M. Cannon Washington Bureau chief, RealClearPolitics @CarlCannon (Twitter) ccannon@realclearpolitics.com For years, many pundits and politicians have claimed Internet behemoths are too powerful and monopolistic. Then, in June, the House announced they would launch a probe into several tech giants. Despite many possible outcomes, we don’t view these possibilities as a reason to avoid Tech now. Click here to read more of this message, brought to you by Fisher Investments. |
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NOQ REPORT
- Impeachment: Instead of the cross, the albatross about their necks was hung
- Michael Moore says he’s now the ‘center’ for the Democratic Party
- A grocery store clerk gave me a surprising argument for supporting President Trump
- Joe Biden gets snippy at reporter for asking about learning he was a grandfather
- Impeachment poll flips as Independent support for the inquiry takes a nosedive
- Jim Jordan uses Fiona Hill’s own words to debunk her impeachment presumptions
- This might not be the Hill to die on for Adam Schiff
- Michael Bloomberg’s strategy: Swoop in late if Democrats keep failing
- China wants a meaningless veto from President Trump on Hong Kong bill
| Impeachment: Instead of the cross, the albatross about their necks was hung Posted: 22 Nov 2019 01:20 AM PST In The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, the hero did the unthinkable. He shot an albatross with his crossbow, a major taboo at sea, for the albatross was believed to bring the wind that could carry them home. As they suffered through dehydration on the windless ocean, the hero was branded for his foul deed by having the […] The post Impeachment: Instead of the cross, the albatross about their necks was hung appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Michael Moore says he’s now the ‘center’ for the Democratic Party Posted: 22 Nov 2019 12:01 AM PST Radical progressive investigative journalist and activist Michael Moore has always had a clear disconnect from reality. He has had his moments over the years, though, including predicting Donald Trump would win the 2016 election. It was likely a ploy to scare and rally voters rather than a genuine feeling he had, but he turned out […] The post Michael Moore says he’s now the ‘center’ for the Democratic Party appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| A grocery store clerk gave me a surprising argument for supporting President Trump Posted: 21 Nov 2019 11:37 PM PST There’s an inherent risk to anyone who spends a good chunk of their days reading news and listening to pundit commentaries about American politics. We can get so caught up in the minutia of quotes and bombshells and investigations and policies that we lose a feeling for the pulse of the people, the vast majority […] The post A grocery store clerk gave me a surprising argument for supporting President Trump appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Joe Biden gets snippy at reporter for asking about learning he was a grandfather Posted: 21 Nov 2019 10:35 PM PST Former Vice President Joe Biden is having a hard time getting the right message out to the people. His poll numbers are fluctuating, falling when he has another of his famous gaffes then rising when Democratic voters realize the rest of the options are no better. He even gets snippy with journalists asking relevant questions […] The post Joe Biden gets snippy at reporter for asking about learning he was a grandfather appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Impeachment poll flips as Independent support for the inquiry takes a nosedive Posted: 21 Nov 2019 04:43 PM PST Last month, a strong plurality of Independent voters supported the impeachment inquiry. That was before they got to see what the Democrats were actually up to. Now that the impeachment hearing has gone public and the people are seeing the ludicrous stretches of innuendos and presumptions being rolled out by House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam […] The post Impeachment poll flips as Independent support for the inquiry takes a nosedive appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Jim Jordan uses Fiona Hill’s own words to debunk her impeachment presumptions Posted: 21 Nov 2019 04:24 PM PST Dr. Fiona Hill was the blockbuster witness the Democrats saved until the end. She was the closer, the deal-sealer, and the nail that was supposed to be the last one going into President Trump’s political coffin. Except, she wasn’t. Contrary to mainstream media’s false narrative, she presented nothing of substance except for one thing, and […] The post Jim Jordan uses Fiona Hill’s own words to debunk her impeachment presumptions appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| This might not be the Hill to die on for Adam Schiff Posted: 21 Nov 2019 01:15 PM PST Adam Schiff’s circus rolls on today. It would be far more interesting if the clowns actually wore red noses. However, even a modicum of research will tell you who they are. Rather than sit through another day of this snoozefest, I read a preview of Fiona Hill’s testimony. Then I decided to learn more about […] The post This might not be the Hill to die on for Adam Schiff appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| Michael Bloomberg’s strategy: Swoop in late if Democrats keep failing Posted: 21 Nov 2019 12:44 PM PST Today, billionaire Michael Bloomberg filed with the FEC to run for president. It wasn’t an announcement; he was required to file with the FEC once he filed to be on the ballot in Alabama within 15 days. But it keeps the door open, and that’s the point. He wants the door to remain open for […] The post Michael Bloomberg’s strategy: Swoop in late if Democrats keep failing appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
| China wants a meaningless veto from President Trump on Hong Kong bill Posted: 21 Nov 2019 11:35 AM PST Congress is sending President Trump a bill and China is furious about it. The Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act is designed to change trade liberties if a certain level of autonomy is not maintained in Hong Kong, plus threatens to issue sanctions against people who participate in human rights abuses. “We urge the U.S. to […] The post China wants a meaningless veto from President Trump on Hong Kong bill appeared first on Conservative Christian News. |
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NBC
From NBC’s Chuck Todd, Mark Murray, Ben Kamisar and Melissa Holzberg
FIRST READ: Hearing put finishing touches on Dems’ impeachment story
After all the public hearings, all the transcripts and all the political back-and-forth, what’s so revealing is to look back at all the evidence that existed at the very start of the impeachment inquiry
into President Trump’s actions regarding Ukraine.
They tell quite a story.
The New York Times from
May 9, 2019: “Rudy Giuliani Plans Ukraine Trip to Push for Inquiries
That Could Help Trump.”
Giuliani’s tweet from
June 21: “New Pres of Ukraine still silent on investigation of Ukrainian interference in 2016 election and
alleged Biden bribery of Pres Poroshenko. Time for
leadership and investigate both if you want to purge how Ukraine was
abused by Hillary and Obama people.”
U.S. envoy to Ukraine’s
July 19 text message with EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland: “Good. Had
breakfast with Rudy [Giuliani] this morning — teeeing up call with
[Zelensky adviser] Yermak Monday. Must have helped. Most impt is for
Zelensky to say that
he will help investigation — and addresss any specific personnel issues — if there are any.”
Trump from the
partial transcript of his July 25 phone call with Ukraine President
Zelenskiy: “The other thing, There’s a lot of talk about Biden’s son,
that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want
to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it … It sounds horrible to me.”
Politico from
Aug. 28: “Trump holds up Ukraine military aid meant to confront Russia.”
Trump on
Oct. 3 from the White House:
Q: Mr. President, what exactly did you hope Zelensky would do about the Bidens after your phone call? Exactly.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I would think that, if they were honest about it,
they’d start a major investigation into the Bidens. It’s a very simple answer.
White House acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney on
Oct. 17: “Again, I was involved with the process by which the money
was held up temporarily, okay? Three issues for that: the corruption of
the country; whether or not other countries were participating in the
support of the Ukraine; and whether or not
they were cooperating in an ongoing investigation with our Department
of Justice. That’s completely legitimate.”
In the last two weeks we’ve heard Republicans make different defenses of President Trump.
There’s no evidence
Trump personally directed the withhold of security assistance to
Ukraine, they point out; Ukraine still got its money; Trump uttered the
words “no quid pro quo” to Gordon Sondland, they say.
But look again at those headlines, remarks, tweets and text messages above.
The story has always been in plain sight.
Matt McClain/Reuters
Saw no evil, Hurd no evil
Still,
while Democrats appear to have the evidence on their side, they’re not
winning the political battle – if the goal is to get Republicans to vote
to oust President
Trump from office.
Yesterday, retiring Rep. Will Hurd, R-Texas, all but said
he’s a NO vote on impeachment, and Hurd was arguably the top Republicans who might flip.
“I’ve not heard evidence the president committed bribery or extortion,” Hurd
said.
Note the careful language here:
He said COMMITTED bribery/extortion, not that Trump ATTEMPTED it.
Hurd also didn’t address potential abuse of power, obstruction of justice, or interfering in an upcoming election.
DATA DOWNLOAD: And the number of the day is … 0.
Zero.
That’s the number of House Republicans who have publicly come out for impeaching President Trump, after the second week of testimony (and possibly the last) came to a close.
That reality was
typified by Texas GOP Rep. Will Hurd’s comments Thursday that he’s “not
heard evidence the president committed bribery or extortion.”
Hurd is retiring,
and while he’s still young and has more of his career in front of him,
he seemed like the House Democrats’ best bet in their quest to flip at
least one Republican onto the pro-impeachment side.
So if he’s not sold, the question is:
Are there any Republicans who have been over the past two weeks?
2020 VISION: The Great Democratic Disconnect
While Democrats in Washington are making their case that the president of the United States committed impeachable offenses,
we still aren’t seeing the 2020 Dems lean into that argument.
At least when it comes to their emphasis in rallies and major speeches.
Just look at Wednesday’s presidential debate when the candidates were directly asked about impeachment.
Elizabeth Warren
said no one is above the law, and she said she would work to convince
her GOP colleagues to vote to remove Trump from office. But then she
quickly pivoted to how wealthy donors get ambassadorships.
“But I want to add
one more part based on today’s testimony, and that is, how did
Ambassador Sondland get there? You know, this is not a man who had any
qualifications, except one: He wrote a check for a million dollars.
And that tells us about what’s happening in Washington, the corruption,
how money buys its way into Washington,” Warren said.
Was that her biggest takeaway from Sondland’s testimony on Wednesday?
Here was Bernie
Sanders: “We have a president who is not only a pathological liar, he is
likely the most corrupt president in the modern history of America. But
we cannot simply be consumed by Donald Trump, because
if we are, you know what? We’re going to lose the election.”
And here was Pete
Buttigieg: “We are absolutely going to confront this president for his
wrongdoing, but we’re also each running to be the president who will
lead this country after the Trump presidency comes to an
end one way or the other.”
On the campaign trail today: Joe Biden stumps in South Carolina before heading to Iowa, where he holds a town hall in Winterset… Kamala Harris also is
in the Hawkeye State… Amy Klobuchar and Cory Booker spend their day in New Hampshire… And Andrew Yang is in South Carolina.
Dispatches from NBC’s embeds:
Joe Biden held a roundtable meeting yesterday with African-American
mayors in Atlanta, convened by Atlanta Mayor Keisha
Lance Bottoms, who supports Biden. Bottoms told the mayors, per NBC’s
Marianna Sotomayor: “This is about a marriage,” she said. “When you are
taking someone to emergency room has been stabbed, you are looking for
someone to stop the bleeding. We are not looking
for a face lift, yet, we are not looking for a tummy tuck.” She
elaborated, “We got to stop the bleeding of this country and what I know
that the vice president has the ability to do that for the people of
the United States of America on Day One.”
Last night,
Elizabeth Warren held an address targeted toward African-American women
in Atlanta, where per NBC’s Deepa Shivaram, Warren was confronted by
protestors – something out of the norm for Warren. Shivaram
reports that once the protest began, “Warren completely stopped her
remarks. Rep. Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who introduced the senator and
endorsed her recently, was actually the one to come out and address the
group – it was a very visually interesting moment
to see a black woman come out to advocate for a white woman to continue
speaking about black women’s issues.” Pressley told the crowd, “No one
is here to quiet you, least not this black woman who knows what it is
when people have tried to put me in a corner
and tell me to be silent. You are welcome here. The senator is here to
talk about the contributions fighters like you have made to history.”
TWEET OF THE DAY: All in the family
ICYMI: News clips you shouldn’t miss
Former White House official Dr. Fiona Hill said Ambassador Sondland
was running a “domestic political errand” while communicating Ukrainians would have to open investigations for a White House visit.
Hill
began her firework testimony by warning committee members not to traffic in the “fictional narrative” that Ukraine, not Russia, interfered in the 2016 election.
And yesterday’s hearing could have been
the last public hearing of the impeachment inquiry as the committee begins to summarize its findings.
While Hill and diplomat David Holmes testified, President Trump
hosted two Senate Republicans for lunch who refused to denounce the impeachment probe, Sens. Mitt Romney, R-Utah and Susan Collins, R-Maine.
Thanks for reading.
If you’re a fan, please forward this to a friend. They can sign up
here.
We love hearing from our readers, so shoot us a line here with your comments and suggestions.
Thanks,
Chuck, Mark, Ben and Melissa
IJR
ARRA NEWS SERVICE
- Hong Kong Elections: What is Beijing Afraid Of?
- ICYMI – 2020 Dems: A Base Hit by Abortion
- More Than 100,000 DACA Applicants Have Been Arrested—Murder, Rape, DUI
- Day Five Trump Survives, Sondland Smears Pence Too, Congress Confronts China
- Fear Of A Deep State Coup Is Not Just Right-Wing Paranoia
- Israel’s Right to Its Ancient Land
- ‘A New Milestone’ In Reshaping The Courts
- ‘Coup’ Concerns Suddenly Don’t Seem So Far-Fetched
- Leftists’ Real Target of Impeachment and Gestapo Tactics: The Constitution
- Denver Says Business Owners Must Clean Up Homeless Poop, Dirty Needles
- Cohabitation
- Fuddy Duddy . . .
- Pelosi’s Projection
- Sondland: ‘No one told me directly that the aid [to Ukraine] was tied to anything. I was presuming it was.’
- ‘They’re Willing to Die’: What an American in Hong Kong Sees
- Saudi Oil Attacks A Wake-Up Call For U.S. Energy Security
- Cato Institute, NRA-ILA & Others Agree Massachusetts “Assault Weapons” Ban Unconstitutional
|
Hong Kong Elections: What is Beijing Afraid Of?
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 07:49 PM PST
by Newt Gingrich:
Anyone watching mainstream news this week might not know that a major
bipartisan effort is moving through Congress. That joint
Democrat-Republican project is aimed at protecting freedom and democracy
while holding totalitarianism at bay. That’s because the national media networks have a disciplined, intentionally myopic focus on the completely partisan effort in the House of Representatives to attack, smear, and impeach the President of the United States. According to the mainstream networks, the impeachment inquiry hearings are the only newsworthy events happening in Washington, DC. Yet, on Tuesday, the US Senate unanimously passed legislation to help secure and protect the rights and freedoms for the people of Hong Kong – who are right now battling against the oppression of the totalitarian Chinese Communist Party. Currently, Hong Kong enjoys special economic treatment from the United States, which has allowed it to grow into the economic powerhouse it is today – an island of capitalism and prosperity in the sea of Communist China. The people of Hong Kong have long benefited from these special rules and so has mainland China. The Senate bill would put in place a mechanism to hold the Chinese Communist Party accountable for eroding freedoms in Hong Kong – which is meant to operate with a high degree of autonomy from the mainland. The bill would require the US Secretary of State to ensure the Chinese Communist Party is not encroaching on Hong Kong’s autonomy as a prerequisite for continuing its special economic status. It would also enable the President to sanction or place travel restrictions on individuals who have violated human rights in Hong Kong. This bill would represent a significant incentive for the Chinese Communist Party to back off its growing effort to absorb and control Hong Kong. There is a companion bill which has already passed the House. I hope both chambers can quickly work out their differences and get a final bill to the President’s desk as soon as possible. This effort could be a major step in slowing the aggressive totalitarianism coming out of the Chinese Communist Party – and preserving the key freedoms enshrined in Hong Kong’s Basic Law. Congress should move quickly because the violence in Hong Kong is only getting worse. Recent violence ramped up after the death of a Hong Kong University of Science and Technology student this month. Beginning last week, protestors occupied Hong Kong Polytechnic University which resulted in police firing tear gas and rubber bullets and protestors launching petrol bombs and bows and arrows. Following days of violence and arrests, few students now remain inside of the campus which the police have destroyed. One of the pillars that these protestors are demanding is democracy. (Hong Kong is currently a partial democracy.) On November 24, the district council elections are set to take place which will give Hong Kong citizens the opportunity to select more than 400 members for 18 district councils across the territory. Last week, Hong Kong Chief Executive Carrie Lam said, “As of today, we still very much hope to hold this election and will do our utmost to make sure the elections are held as scheduled.” However, other officials are not so sure that the elections will continue as planned. The District Council Ordinance gives Carrie Lam the ability to delay or adjourn polls and voting if there is a likelihood it will be affected by riots, open violence, or public health and safety dangers. The Chinese Communist Party’s mouthpiece, the People’s Daily wrote that “Only by supporting the police force to decisively put down the riots can [Hong Kong] return to peace and hold fair elections, to help Hong Kong start again.” A government official warned, “The situation over the past weekend has obviously reduced the chance of holding the election as scheduled, and I’m very worried and anxious about this.” But is violence what the government and Chinese Communist Party officials actually fear? Or are they afraid of the true opinion and will of the Hong Kong people? For example, Chief Executive Carrie Lam’s approval rating has dropped to its lowest level. Additionally, an October survey asked respondents to rank their trust in the Hong Kong government and the police on a scale of 0-10; 49 percent of respondents gave the government a score of 0 as did 52 percent of respondents when asked about their trust in the police. Moreover, almost 400,000 people have registered to vote this past year, which is the highest number since at least 2003. Many of these new voters are in the 18-35-year old range, and their votes could increase support for pro-democracy candidates. In the last district council election, there were more than 60 pro-establishment candidates who were unopposed and won. Now, these elections won’t be so easy, since in almost every single district, there will be a pro-democracy candidate taking on a pro-establishment opponent. If the Hong Kong government was really confident in the path and actions it has recently taken, and if Beijing is really convinced that the pre-protest status quo is what the people of Hong Kong want to return to, there would be no hesitation whatsoever in holding a free and fair election this weekend. The people of Hong Kong have a right to have their voices heard, and after the recent passage of the Hong Kong bill, they can be sure that the United States is listening. ———————- Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) is a former Georgia Congressman and Speaker of the U.S. House. He co-authored and was the chief architect of the “Contract with America” and a major leader in the Republican victory in the 1994 congressional elections. He is noted speaker and writer. This commentary was shared via Gingrich Productions. Tags: Newt Gingrich, China, Hong Kong, Hong Kong Elections, What is Beijing Afraid Of? To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
|
ICYMI – 2020 Dems: A Base Hit by Abortion
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 07:38 PM PST
by Tony Perkins:
Barack Obama knows a thing or two about winning elections. So when the
former president warns you that your campaign is out of touch, most
people would listen. Not these candidates. If anything, they’re setting
out to show America just how radical they can be — giving the 44th
president and the rest of his party plenty to worry about. It was a rare moment of admonishment from the 44th president — and an even rarer moment of clarity for the Left. But when Obama sat down with a roomful of liberal donors last Friday, his concern was impossible to miss. Whoever Donald Trump’s challenger is, they’re setting a dangerous table of extremism in these primary debates — too dangerous, he worries, for the average American. “Even as we push the envelope, and we are bold in our vision, we also have to be rooted in reality,” he insisted, “and the fact that voters — including Democratic voters and certainly persuadable independents or even moderate Republicans, are not driven by the same views that are reflected on certain, you know, left-leaning Twitter feeds, or the activist wing of our party.” If the 2020 field heard his cautionary words, they didn’t heed them. Despite the “#TooFarLeft” hashtag trending on Twitter, the Democrats in Georgia did nothing to allay the fears that they’ve jumped off the deep end on abortion, infanticide, immigration, health care, gender, socialism, and climate change. “There are a lot of persuadable voters, and there are a lot of Democrats out there who just want to see things make sense. They just don’t want to see crazy stuff.” Unfortunately for Obama, this field specializes in crazy — and proved it again last night. After five of these events, the commentators are right about the boredom factor. Where I part ways with the analysis is that these are just “standard politicians saying standard things.” There isn’t anything routine about the agenda these candidates are proposing for America. Theirs is a country where mothers can rock their newborns to death, where criminals stream over our borders without consequences, where 230-plus years of democracy are swallowed up by a Venezuelan system of unrest and lack. “Listen to Obama,” the Washington Post pleaded. And not that I want to aid them in their efforts to capture the White House, but I agree. In choosing Atlanta for last night’s debate, MSNBC did have the perfect backdrop to tee up their questions on one of the most controversial topics: abortion. “Most states, including right here where we are tonight in Georgia, have passed laws that severely limit or outright ban abortion,” Rachel Maddow stated. Right now, Roe v. Wade protects a woman’s right to abortion nationwide. But if Roe gets overturned and abortion access disappears in some states, would you intervene as president to try to bring that access back?” Their answers, as usual, went far beyond Roe. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.) insisted that we should “codify” the ruling, meaning she would wipe the country clean of pro-life laws. Then, in a night that featured some statistical whoppers, she piled on with arguments that were ridiculous on their face. “We have to remember,” she insisted, “… the people are with us. Over 70 percent of the people support Roe v. Wade. Over 90 percent of the people support funding for Planned Parenthood…” For starters, the majority of Americans do not support Roe v. Wade — which is abortion on demand through all nine months of pregnancy — and certainly not by the fantasy figures Klobuchar used. Only eight percent of Americans support the Democrats’ late-term abortion platform, according to the Harvard Center. And the objection to the Left’s birth day abortion campaign are even more dismal: six percent. There’s a consensus all right — but it’s not for abortion. The numbers from Marist are even more frightening from the DNC’s perspective. Their January poll found that found 75 percent of Americans favor substantial restrictions on abortion, including 60 percent of Democrats and 61 percent of those who identify as “pro-choice.” Women, who’ve been exploited by the Democratic Party for years, feel even more strongly — a reality even Democratic pollsters admit. So when Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) says that “If there’s ever a time in American history where the men of this country must stand with women,” he’s right. But, like the rest of his movement, he’s dead wrong on what that stand should be. As for the 90 percent “consensus” on Planned Parenthood, that’s flat-out absurd. A generous number would be 50 percent, which is what the scandal-ridden group has typically polled at Rasmussen. But here’s where Democrats are really in trouble: their blind assumptions about their own party. When Maddow pressed Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) on Democrats’ abortion litmus test, she replied, “I have made clear what I think the Democratic Party stands for.” But her assessment — and the other candidates’ — has the potential to severely hurt Trump’s eventual challenger. If the party truly wants to make support for abortion a qualifying issue for people, it’ll be kissing a significant chunk of its support goodbye. “The number of Democrats now identifying as pro-life is 34 percent, up from 20 percent [in January 2019], while the number identifying as pro-choice fell from 75 percent to 61 percent.” “Does the party have a message to 20 million pro-life Democrats other than, ‘Drop dead?'” Kristen Day, who heads up Democrats for Life of America, asked. Based on the last five debates, no. For more on the pro-life laws in your states — the same ones that would be in jeopardy if these candidates get their wish — check out FRC’s Pro-Life Map. ————– Tony Perkins (@tperkins) is President of the Family Research Council . This article was on Tony Perkin’s Washington Update and written with the aid of FRC senior writers. Tags: Tony Perkins, Family Research Center, FRC, Family Research Council, To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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More Than 100,000 DACA Applicants Have Been Arrested—Murder, Rape, DUI
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 07:14 PM PST
by Judicial Watch:
More than 100,000 illegal immigrants who requested a special Obama-era
amnesty for adults who came to the U.S. as children have criminal
histories, according to an alarming report
released this month by the government. Offenses committed by the
illegal aliens seeking protection, benefits and rights under the policy
known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) include murder,
rape, weapon and assault charges. DACA has shielded nearly 800,000
illegal aliens under the age of 31 from deportation and allowed them to
obtain work permits and drivers licenses. Obama launched the outrageous
measure through executive order in 2012 to help children who came to the
U.S. “through no fault of their own.” The Trump administration tried to
end DACA in 2017 but open borders groups sued to keep it going and now
the Supreme Court is set to decide the matter. Regardless of how the high court may rule, the fact remains that a big chunk of DACA applicants have arrest records, according to the figures released by U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Homeland Security agency that administers the nation’s lawful immigration system. The stats show that nearly 110,000 DACA requestors out of nearly 889,000 had arrest records, accounting for 12% of applicants. “Offenses in these arrest records include assault, battery, rape, murder and driving under the influence,” USCIS writes in a statement announcing the report. Here’s another disturbing fact; of approved DACA requestors with an arrest, a whopping 85% (67,861) were arrested right before the U.S. granted them amnesty. Nearly 25,000 DACA recipients with arrests had multiple arrests and 218 had more than 10 arrests. Incredibly, around one-fourth of the illegal immigrants with more than 10 arrests were approved by the government as of last month. In all, the government reveals that it has approved 79,398 DACA requestors with arrest records. Not all the delinquents are approved, the figures show. More than 100,000 with criminal arrests were denied or terminated. Most of the arrested DACA approvals involve driving infractions and immigration related civil and criminal offenses, but thousands were granted amnesty after committing serious crimes. Nearly 8,000 illegal immigrants granted protection under DACA committed theft or larceny, the records show, and nearly 7,000 drug-related offenses. More than 4,000 were apprehended for driving under the influence, 3,421 for battery and 3,308 for assault. Thousands of others rewarded with DACA committed vandalism, burglary, offenses against children and weapons crimes. Hundreds of others were approved for DACA despite arrests for sexual abuse and rape, kidnapping or trafficking, hit and run, embezzlement and a variety of other serious offenses. Fifteen illegal aliens with murder charges got DACA as well as 15 street gang members and two arrested for child pornography. Most of the DACA candidates were arrested between the age of 19 and 22 though tens of thousands were also arrested between 23 and 26, well into adulthood. Mexicans account for the overwhelming majority of DACA recipients arrested (91,272) followed by El Salvador (4,998), Honduras (4,597) and Guatemala (4,304). “This agency is obligated to continue accepting DACA requests from illegal aliens as a direct result of the previous administration’s decision to circumvent the laws as passed by Congress,” according to USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli. “We hope this data provides a better sense of the reality of those granted the privilege of a temporary deferral of removal action and work authorization under DACA.” USCIS figures released last year show that the biggest concentration of illegal aliens protected by DACA are in California (197,900) and Texas (113,000), though states such as Illinois (35,600), New York (32,900), Florida (27,000) and Arizona (25,500) also have significant numbers. ———————— Judicial Watch’s Corruption Chronicles. Tags: IJudicial Watch, Corruption Chronicles, more than 100,000, DACA Applicants, Arrested, murser, rape, DUI To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Day Five Trump Survives, Sondland Smears Pence Too, Congress Confronts China
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 06:53 PM PST
Gary Bauerby Gary Bauer, Contributing Author: Day Five, Trump Survives It’s Day Five of the House impeachment circus and Donald Trump is still president of the United States. In spite of the media’s breathless reporting, these hearings have been largely devoid of substance, and the headlines have been devoid of facts. Yesterday’s hearing with Ambassador Gordon Sondland provided excellent examples of what’s wrong with this process and with the press. Sondland delivered a lengthy opening statement before the committee. It was 23 pages long. He made blaring headlines for suggesting that there was a “quid pro quo” between the Trump White House and Ukraine. This headline from Politico was a common theme among the media, “Sondland: There Was A Quid Pro Quo, And Everyone Knew It.“ But as we noted in yesterday’s report, Sondland’s testimony took a dramatic turn later in the day when he recounted a phone call he had with Trump in which the president told him, “I want nothing. I want no quid pro quo.” Curiously, Sondland’s recollection of that phone call escaped his lengthy opening statement. Rep. Jim Jordan was livid at Sondland’s omission, and rightfully so. Former Independent Counsel Ken Starr was “stunned.” Starr told Fox News: “Why did [Sondland] leave out of the opening statement — we were all scrambling with the opening statement — the most salient presidential comment to you directly? . . . I’m stunned that that comment would have not have come out in the opening statement. “Why? Are you trying to be fair? Are you trying to be complete? There is no excuse for this ambassador appointed by this president to leave [it] out. [It’s] such a material omission.” Rep. Mike Turner was also baffled by Sondland’s lack of candor. During his questioning of the witness, Turner noted how Rep. Adam Schiff recessed the hearings immediately after Sondland’s opening statement and ran to the nearest microphone. Consider this exchange: TURNER: “After you testified, Chairman Schiff ran out and gave a press conference and said he gets to impeach the president of the United States because of your testimony. And if you pull up CNN today, right now their banner says, ‘Sondland Ties Trump To Withholding Aid.’ “Is that your testimony today, Ambassador Sondland? That you have evidence that Donald Trump tied the investigations to the aid? Because I don’t think you’re saying that.” SONDLAND: “I’ve said repeatedly, Congressman, I was presuming.” TURNER: “So, no one told you? Not just the president, Giuliani didn’t tell you, Mulvaney didn’t tell you, nobody, Pompeo didn’t tell you? . . . Is that correct? “No one on this planet told you that Donald Trump was tying this aid to the investigations? If your answer is yes, then the chairman is wrong, and the headline on CNN is wrong. No one on this planet told you that President Trump was tying aid to investigations. Yes or no?” SONDLAND: “Yes.” Watch the exchange: Sondland Smears Pence Too I have heard some people question the point of the impeachment effort, and even whether it’s ultimately harmful to conservatives. “After all, if the left succeeds, they get President Pence.” Or so the argument goes. But that completely misses the point. As we have noted before, this isn’t about Donald Trump. Maxine Waters has repeatedly targeted Mike Pence. (Here and here.) And Michael Moore put it bluntly when he said: “Job one . . . is to make sure that we not only get rid of Trump or Trump’s replacement, but we get rid of that which gave us Trump. That’s really what the real issue should be.” He’s talking about YOU, my friends. More than 63 million Americans “gave us” Donald Trump. The left won’t be satisfied with “President Pence.” It’s clear that the Deep State is trying to take down everybody. It’s trying to reverse the 2016 election. Period. During his testimony yesterday, Sondland also said that he informed Vice President Pence about his impression of the quid pro quo before the vice president’s September meeting in Warsaw with the president of Ukraine. Numerous papers today have stories with headlines like this one: “Sondland Acknowledges Ukraine Quid Pro Quo, Implicates Trump, Pence, Pompeo and Others.” I have the advantage of having a long, personal relationship with Mike Pence. He does not lie. Nor does he allow his staff to lie in his name. Responding to Sondland’s smear, Marc Short, the vice president’s chief of staff, told reporters that Sondland was “never alone” with the vice president during the Warsaw trip and that the alleged conversation “never happened.” “Nowhere Close” Former Independent Counsel Ken Starr today offered his summary of the impeachment hearings, saying: “My assessment of the evidence [thus] far? Nowhere close. . . So, the record at the end of the day is likely to be ambiguous at best, conflicting at best . . . and you shouldn’t charge and you cannot convict a sitting president on the basis of conflicting and ambiguous evidence, and destabilize the American government.” Starr went on to say that while Democrats may not like the way Trump conducts his foreign policy, “It is not the stuff of impeachment.” Meanwhile, the president and his Senate supporters are obviously feeling confident. There is breaking news that the White House and Senate Republicans have agreed that if the House approves articles of impeachment there will be a full Senate trial “of some length” in order to provide for “a factual affirmative defense on the merits.” Congress Confronts China Late yesterday afternoon, the House of Representatives passed the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act. The vote was 417-to-1. The Senate had already unanimously approved the bill, and it is now heading to the White House for President Trump’s signature. The legislation requires an annual review by the State Department to determine whether political conditions in Hong Kong continue to warrant the special status that city currently enjoys when it comes to trade and commerce. In other words, if the communist regime in Beijing suppresses free speech, religious liberty and other rights in Hong Kong, then the United States may revoke Hong Kong’s status and treat it the same way it treats mainland China. The legislation also allows for sanctions against government officials who are responsible for human rights violations. Beijing’s bosses are furious. The People’s Daily, the official Communist Party propaganda outlet, warned in a front-page editorial, “If the U.S. side obstinately clings to its course, the Chinese side will inevitably adopt forceful measures to take resolute revenge.” In its own way, the success of the legislation is a tribute to President Trump. Just a few years ago, the “free trade uber alles” mentality dominated Washington. The bipartisan consensus was that China must be appeased. But Donald Trump has truly put the spotlight on China over its unfair trade practices, massive espionage, human rights abuses and gross violations of religious liberty. Because of the president’s leadership, members of Congress finally feel free to call out China’s communist dictators. ——————- Gary Bauer (@GaryLBauer) is a conservative family values advocate and serves as president of American Values and chairman of the Campaign for Working Families Tags: Gary Bauer, Campaign for Working Families, Day Five Trump Survives, Sondland Smears Pence Too, Congress Confronts China To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Fear Of A Deep State Coup Is Not Just Right-Wing Paranoia
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 06:27 PM PST
Victor Davis Hansonby Victor Davis Hanson:
For most of the last three years, Donald Trump’s critics have scoffed
at supposed “conspiracy theories” that claimed a “deep state” of
bureaucrats were aborting the Trump presidency. We have been told the
word “coup” is hyperbole that reveals the paranoid minds of Trump
supporters. Yet oddly, many people brag that they are proud members of a deep state and occasionally boast about the idea of a coup. Recently, former acting CIA chief John McLaughlin proclaimed in a public forum, “Thank God for the deep state.” Former CIA Director John Brennan agreed and praised the “deep state people” for their opposition to Trump. Far from denying the danger of an unelected careerist bureaucracy that seeks to overturn presidential policies, New York Times columnists have praised its efforts to nullify the Trump agenda. On the first day of the impeachment inquiry, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., called his initial two witnesses, career State Department diplomats William Taylor Jr. and George Kent. Far from providing damning evidence of criminal presidential behavior, Taylor and Kent mostly confined themselves to three topics: their own sterling résumés, their lack of any firsthand knowledge of incriminating Trump action, and their poorly hidden disgust with the manner and substance of Trump’s foreign policy. Oddly, both had little clue that their demeanor and thinly disguised self-importance were a perfect example of why Trump got elected — to come up with new ideas antithetical to the conventional wisdom of unelected career bureaucrats. Taylor and Kent announced that they are simply high-minded civil servants who serve the presidential administrations of both parties without bias. But by nature, the huge federal bureaucracy counts on bigger government and more taxes to feed it. So naturally, the bureaucracy is usually more sympathetic to big-government progressives than to small-government conservatives. Taylor and Kent cited their anguish with Trump’s foreign policy toward Ukraine — namely that it did not go through official channels and was too unsympathetic to Ukraine and too friendly to Russia. If so, one might have thought the anguished bureaucrats would have similarly gone public during the Obama administration. After all, Vice President Joe Biden took over the Obama administration’s Ukrainian policy at a time when his son Hunter was knee-deep in Ukrainian affairs. As a consultant for a Ukrainian natural gas company, Hunter Biden made a reported $80,000 a month without expertise in either the energy business in particular or Ukraine in general. Also, Trump’s policies have been more anti-Russian and pro-Ukrainian than those of the Obama administration. Trump armed the Ukrainians; Obama did not. Trump imposed new sanctions against Russia, used force against Russian mercenaries in Syria, beefed-up NATO defenses, pulled the U.S. out an asymmetrical missile treaty with Russia, and pumped more oil and gas to lower world prices — much to the chagrin of oil-exporting Russia. In contrast, Obama was the architect of “reset” with Russia that reached its nadir in a hot mic exchange in which Obama offered a quid pro quo, vowing more flexibility on issues such as U.S.-sponsored missile defense in Eastern Europe in exchange for Russia giving Obama “space” to concentrate on his reelection. Trump’s critics have also radically changed their spin on “coups.” To them, “coup” is no longer a dirty word trafficked in by right-wing conspiracists. Instead, it has been normalized as a possibly legitimate means of aborting the Trump presidency. Mark Zaid, the attorney representing the Ukraine whistleblower, boasted in two recently discovered tweets of ongoing efforts to stage a coup to remove Trump. “#coup has started. First of many steps. #rebellion. #impeachment will follow,” Zaid tweeted in January 2017. Later the same month, he tweeted: “#coup has started. As one falls, two more will take their place.” Retired Admiral William H. McRaven recently wrote an op-ed for The New York Times all but calling for Trump’s ouster — “the sooner the better.” No sooner had Trump been elected than Rosa Brooks, a former Defense Department official during the Obama administration, wrote an essay for Foreign Policy magazine discussing theoretical ways to remove Trump before the 2020 election, among them a scenario involving a military coup. In September 2018, The New York Times published an op-ed from an anonymous White House official who boasted of supposedly widescale efforts inside the Trump administration to nullify its operations and subvert presidential directives. Such efforts to oppose Trump are often self-described as “The Resistance,” a reference to the underground French fighters resisting the Nazis in World War II. Trump’s opponents often have praised the deep state precisely because unelected career officials are seen as the most effective way to sabotage and stymie his agenda. A “coup” is no longer proof of right-wing paranoia, but increasingly a part of the general progressive discourse of resistance to Trump. In these upside-down times, patriotism is being redefined as removing a president before a constitutionally mandated election. ————- Victor Davis Hanson (@VDHanson) is a senior fellow, classicist and historian and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution where many of his articles are found; his focus is classics and military history. He has been a visiting professor at Hillsdale College since 2004. Hanson was awarded the National Humanities Medal in 2007 by President George W. Bush. H/T McIntosh Enterprises. Tags: Victor Davis Hanson, Fear, Deep State Coup. Not Just, Right-Wing Paranoia To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Israel’s Right to Its Ancient Land
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 06:07 PM PST
by Cal Thomas:
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has announced U.S policy toward Israel’s
“settlements” is reverting to one held by the Reagan administration;
that is the right of Israelis to settle in the ancient lands of Judea
and Samaria “is not, per se, inconsistent with international law.” This is good news, not only for Israel and its right to national security and sovereignty, but after seven decades of enemy attempts to eradicate the Jewish state it says to the world, “time’s up.” Israel’s enemies have had the most generous offers to live in peace, including the relinquishing of land captured by Israel after many aggressive and unprovoked wars and terrorist attacks. With ongoing propaganda statements by Israel’s enemies, the firing of rockets into civilian areas from Gaza and elsewhere, and ongoing sermons attempting to justify the violent overthrow of Israel and the murder of Jews, a reality check is long overdue. Israel, under all of its prime ministers, has gone more than halfway trying to make peace. The responses have been as if no outreaches were ever made. Israel and the West have a right to question the sincerity of those Arab and Muslin nations when they continue to denounce and defame Israel and the Jewish people as illegitimate occupiers of “Palestinian” land. As long as such denial continues, there can be no opportunity for peace and Israel is well within its rights to defend itself against such ominous and ongoing verbal, theological and military threats. It is and always has been wishful thinking to believe that people motivated by hate, a mandate from Allah to conduct what would amount to genocide against Jews and revisionist history as to the original owners of “occupied land,” would miraculously change their minds and agree to reverse decades of provocations and proof of their ultimate objective. This has always been the danger when Westerners believe all humans are alike and given the right incentives can be persuaded to act in ways consistent with Western values and practices. The next step is for the Israeli Knesset to validate the Trump administration’s new policy, which aligns with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ultimate goal. As reported in the Jerusalem Post, “Likud MK Sharren Haskel proposed the bill weeks ago, but decided to fast-track it in light of the change in U.S. policy. Haskel submitted a request to exempt her bill to annex the Jordan Valley from the mandatory six-week waiting period for any new legislation, so that it can go to a vote in the plenum next week.” Columnist Caroline Glick wrote for the publication Israel Hayot, “In the interest of promoting peace, Pompeo instead told the truth. Not only are Israeli settlements not illegal. Pompeo noted that they are arguably more justified than civilian settlements built in other disputed territories. “In his words, the administration’s determination ‘is based on the unique facts, history, and circumstances presented by the establishment of civilian settlements in the West Bank.’ That is, it is based on the historic ties of the Jewish people to Judea and Samaria. These ties lay at the heart of Jewish history and religion.” Indeed, they do. Now if the European Union, whose hatred of Israel goes back to the shameless days of Nazi anti-Semitism, and is now resurging, would only see the light and end its recently announced policy to require “goods from illegal settlements in the Israeli-occupied territories to be labeled as such,” perhaps some real steps forward might occur. As long as a religious motivation for wiping out Israel persists, there will be no peace, and no two-state solution. It is why the Trump administration’s position on the legality of settlements in Judea and Samaria is not only correct, but a necessary contribution to Israel’s security and any true peace, or at least stability. ——————– Cal Thomas celebrates his 35th year as a syndicated columnist. Tags: Cal Thomas, Israel’s Right, Judea, Samaria, Its Ancient Land To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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‘A New Milestone’ In Reshaping The Courts
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 06:08 PM PST
With
McConnell’s Help, Trump Is Making His Mark’ On The Federal Judiciary:
In 2017 Only Four Of The Thirteen Federal Appellate Courts Had A
Majority Of Republican-Appointed Judges, And Now Seven Do After Flipping The 2nd, 3rd, And 11th Circuits, A Majority Of The Federal Appellate Courts Now Have More Republican-Appointed Judges Than Democrat-Appointed Judges “When Trump took office, only four of the 13 [federal appellate courts] had more Republican-appointed judges than Democratic selections. Now seven do.” (Reuters, 11/20/2019) “U.S. Courts of Appeals, which review decisions from federal trial courts, wield a great deal of power. They often have the final word in interpreting federal law because the U.S. Supreme Court, the highest court in the land, hears fewer than 100 cases a year.” (“Courting Change,” Reuters, 11/20/2019)“The Senate confirmed yet another of President Trump’s picks to a federal circuit court seat Wednesday in a vote that tilts the balance of the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals to a GOP-appointed majority. The 11th Circuit is now the third court to undergo such a transformation during Trump’s presidency.” (“Confirmation Of Latest Trump Judicial Pick Tilts Balance Of 11th Circuit Court,” Fox News, 11/20/2019) “With an 80-15 vote, the Senate confirmed Barbara Lagoa to the seat formerly held by Judge Stanley Marcus, a Clinton appointee … Lagoa, the first Cuban-American woman confirmed to the 11th Circuit, tilts that court, which was previously split between six Republican appointees and six Democratic appointees, to a GOP-appointed majority. Trump’s nominees alone now hold five of the 12 seats on the 11th Circuit…. Lagoa’s confirmation comes on the heels of 64-31 vote confirming Robert J. Luck to the 11th Circuit Tuesday.” (“Confirmation Of Latest Trump Judicial Pick Tilts Balance Of 11th Circuit Court,” Fox News, 11/20/2019)“The action represented a new milestone in Trump’s dramatic reshaping of the federal judiciary, with Republican-appointed judges now in the majority in the 11th Circuit, whose majority before Trump took office in January 2017 had been Democratic appointees.” (Reuters, 11/20/2019) “The 11th Circuit now has five Trump appointees, and a 7-5 majority of Republican-named judges.” (Reuters, 11/20/2019)“The 2nd Circuit flipped just last week, gaining a 7-6 Republican-appointed majority following the Senate’s confirmation of Steven Menashi, the fifth Trump appointee to that court. In March, a Trump appointee confirmed by the Senate to the 3rd Circuit gave that court an 8-6 Republican-appointed majority, including four Trump nominees.” (Reuters, 11/20/2019) “And with McConnell’s help, Trump is making his mark on the San Francisco-based 9th Circuit, the longtime liberal bastion that has drawn the president’s repeated ire. The 9th Circuit now has 16 Democratic appointees and [13] Republican appointees, compared with 18 and 7 when Trump took office. Another term for Trump could let him transform that court.” (“McConnell, Eyeing Legacy, Turns Senate Into Machine for Conservative Judges,” Bloomberg News, 8/12/2019) One Out Of Every Four Circuit Judges Has Been Nominated By President Trump And Confirmed By The Republican Senate Authorized Circuit Court Judgeships: 179 Circuit judges confirmed by 115th – 116th Congresses: 48 Percentage of all authorized circuit judgeships nominated by President Trump and confirmed: 27% (“Judicial Vacancies,” United States Courts Website, Accessed 11/21/2019; Congress.gov, Accessed 11/21/2019) “The tally means one-quarter of all appellate court judges will have been installed by Mr. Trump.” (“Trump And Senate Republicans Celebrate Making The Courts More Conservative,” The New York Times, 11/06/2019) “And that is in addition to the two Supreme Court justices confirmed since he took office and 112 district court judges put on the bench, with more on the way. Many will be handing down decisions decades after Mr. Trump is gone from office.” (“Trump And Senate Republicans Celebrate Making The Courts More Conservative,” The New York Times, 11/06/2019)“McConnell, R-Ky., and Trump have made a point of filling federal courts, from the Supreme Court on down to district courts.” (“Confirmation Of Latest Trump Judicial Pick Tilts Balance Of 11th Circuit Court,” Fox News, 11/20/2019) “McConnell’s pace of filling federal court seats has been eye-popping, especially on the powerful appellate circuits.” (“McConnell’s Laser Focus On Transforming The Judiciary,” Politico, 10/17/2018)In Less Than Three Years, The Senate Has Confirmed The Most Circuit Judges In A President’s First Term Since 1980 President Years Circuit Court Judges Confirmed Donald Trump 2017-2019 48 Barack Obama 2009-2013 30 George W. Bush 2001-2005 35 Bill Clinton 1993-1997 30 George H.W. Bush 1989-1993 42 Ronald Reagan 1981-1985 33(“Biographical Directory of Article III Federal Judges, 1789-present,” History of the Federal Judiciary, Federal Judicial Center Website, Accessed 11/21/2019) “The results have been striking. Mr. Trump has seated about a dozen more appellate court nominees than his most recent predecessor and the most since 1980, when President Jimmy Carter expanded the courts.” (“Trump And Senate Republicans Celebrate Making The Courts More Conservative,” The New York Times, 11/06/2019) “Now in his third year of office, Trump has appointed 48 judges to the U.S. appeals courts — a record pace. By comparison, Democratic former President Barack Obama appointed 55 appellate court judges during his eight years in office. Trump appointees have already tilted the ideological balance of the 2nd, 3rd and 11th U.S. Circuit Courts of Appeal …” (“Courting Change,” Reuters, 11/20/2019) ‘The Trump Administration’s Indispensable Partner In Seating Two Supreme Court Justices And [Numerous] Lower-Court Judges,’ ‘McConnell Is Giving The Nation’s Federal Courts A Facelift’ “[Q]uietly and methodically, McConnell is giving the nation’s federal courts a facelift … [a] silent but incredibly consequential judicial overhaul …” (“McConnell’s GOP Haters Are Overlooking His Greatest Achievement,” The Daily Beast, 5/11/2018) “The judicial renaissance, led by Senator Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, the majority leader, has energized a party wowed by the number of judges placed on the federal bench … Mr. McConnell has come to define his legacy by his ability to transform the judiciary, calling the confirmations ‘the most significant, long-term contribution we are making to the country’ in an interview with a Kentucky radio station last week.” (“Trump’s Judicial Nominees Take Heat but Largely Keep Marching Through Senate,” The New York Times, 12/11/2018) “[McConnell] was the Trump administration’s indispensable partner in seating two Supreme Court justices and [numerous] lower-court judges: a generational remaking of the courts that has made McConnell, ‘in my view, the most consequential majority leader, certainly, in modern history,’ says Leonard Leo, the conservative legal activist who serves as executive vice president of the Federalist Society and as an adviser to the Trump administration on the court appointments.” (The New York Times Magazine, 1/22/2019)Tags: U.S. Senate, New Milestone, Reshaping The Courts To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. 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‘Coup’ Concerns Suddenly Don’t Seem So Far-Fetched
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 05:06 PM PST
“A ‘coup’ is no longer proof of right-wing paranoia, but increasingly a part of the general progressive discourse of resistance to Trump,” writes Victor Davis Hanson.by Victor Davis Hanson: For most of the last three years, Donald Trump’s critics have scoffed at supposed “conspiracy theories” that claimed a “deep state” of bureaucrats were aborting the Trump presidency. We have been told the word “coup” is hyperbole that reveals the paranoid minds of Trump supporters. Yet oddly, many people brag that they are proud members of a deep state and occasionally boast about the idea of a coup. Recently, former acting CIA chief John McLaughlin proclaimed in a public forum, “Thank God for the deep state.” Former CIA Director John Brennan agreed and praised the “deep state people” for their opposition to Trump. Far from denying the danger of an unelected careerist bureaucracy that seeks to overturn presidential policies, New York Times columnists have praised its efforts to nullify the Trump agenda. On the first day of the impeachment inquiry, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff called his initial two witnesses, career State Department diplomats William Taylor Jr. and George Kent. Far from providing damning evidence of criminal presidential behavior, Taylor and Kent mostly confined themselves to three topics: their own sterling resumes, their lack of any firsthand knowledge of incriminating Trump action, and their poorly hidden disgust with the manner and substance of Trump’s foreign policy. Oddly, both had little clue that their demeanor and thinly disguised self-importance were a perfect example of why Trump got elected—to come up with new ideas antithetical to the conventional wisdom of unelected career bureaucrats. Taylor and Kent announced that they are simply high-minded civil servants who serve the presidential administrations of both parties without bias. But by nature, the huge federal bureaucracy counts on bigger government and more taxes to feed it. So naturally, the bureaucracy is usually more sympathetic to big-government progressives than to small-government conservatives. Taylor and Kent cited their anguish with Trump’s foreign policy toward Ukraine—namely that it did not go through official channels and was too unsympathetic to Ukraine and too friendly to Russia. If so, one might have thought the anguished bureaucrats would have similarly gone public during the Obama administration. After all, Vice President Joe Biden took over the Obama administration’s Ukrainian policy at a time when his son Hunter Biden was knee-deep in Ukrainian affairs. As a consultant for a Ukrainian natural gas company, Hunter Biden made a reported $80,000 a month without expertise in either the energy business in particular or Ukraine in general. Also, Trump’s policies have been more anti-Russian and pro-Ukrainian than those of the Obama administration. Trump armed the Ukrainians; Obama did not. Trump imposed new sanctions against Russia, used force against Russian mercenaries in Syria, beefed up NATO defenses, pulled the U.S. out an asymmetrical missile treaty with Russia, and pumped more oil and gas to lower world prices—much to the chagrin of oil-exporting Russia. In contrast, Obama was the architect of “reset” with Russia that reached its nadir in a hot mic exchange in which Obama offered a quid pro quo, vowing more flexibility on issues such as U.S.-sponsored missile defense in Eastern Europe in exchange for Russia giving Obama “space” to concentrate on his reelection. Trump’s critics have also radically changed their spin on “coups.” To them, “coup” is no longer a dirty word trafficked in by right-wing conspiracists. Instead, it has been normalized as a possibly legitimate means of aborting the Trump presidency. Mark Zaid, the attorney representing the Ukraine whistleblower, boasted in two recently discovered tweets of ongoing efforts to stage a coup to remove Trump. “#coup has started. First of many steps. #rebellion. #impeachment will follow,” Zaid tweeted in January 2017. #coup has started. First of many steps. #rebellion. #impeachment will follow ultimately. #lawyers https://t.co/FiNBQo6v0S— Mark S. Zaid (@MarkSZaidEsq) January 31, 2017Later the same month, he tweeted: “#coup has started. As one falls, two more will take their place.” Statement on the Appointment of Dana Boente as Acting Attorney General: https://t.co/fkAWOmnrsP— President Trump (@POTUS) January 31, 2017Retired Adm. William H. McRaven recently wrote an op-ed for The New York Times all but calling for Trump’s ouster—”the sooner the better.” No sooner had Trump been elected than Rosa Brooks, a former Defense Department official during the Obama administration, wrote an essay for Foreign Policy magazine discussing theoretical ways to remove Trump before the 2020 election, among them a scenario involving a military coup. In September 2018, The New York Times published an op-ed from an anonymous White House official who boasted of supposedly widescale efforts inside the Trump administration to nullify its operations and subvert presidential directives. Such efforts to oppose Trump are often self-described as “The Resistance,” a reference to the underground French fighters resisting the Nazis in World War II. Trump’s opponents often have praised the deep state precisely because unelected career officials are seen as the most effective way to sabotage and stymie his agenda. A “coup” is no longer proof of right-wing paranoia, but increasingly a part of the general progressive discourse of resistance to Trump. In these upside-down times, patriotism is being redefined as removing a president before a constitutionally mandated election. ———————– Victor Davis Hanson (@VDHanson) is a senior fellow, classicist and historian at the and Illie Anderson Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution where many of his articles are found; his focus is classics and military history. H/T The Daily Signal. Tags: Victor Davis Hanson, The Daily Signal, ‘Coup’ Concerns, Suddenly Don’t Seem, So Far-Fetched To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Leftists’ Real Target of Impeachment and Gestapo Tactics: The Constitution
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 04:37 PM PST
by Rebecca Hagelin:
While the socialists in Congress are trying to impeach the will of the
people through their “shampeachment” because they hate Donald Trump more
than they love the Constitution, the horrible news broke that the First
Amendment was bludgeoned by a court in California. When undercover journalist David Daleiden set out to document the gruesome and illegal practice by Planned Parenthood of dismembering babies in order to profit from the sale of their body parts, he thought the First Amendment would protect him. Yes, of course it should — except for the liberal judge presiding over Mr. Daleiden’s trial ordered the jury to declare him guilty of fraud, RICO violations, and trespassing, and, in so doing, destroyed any hope for investigative journalism in the future. Everything the leftists do — from the shampeachment, to the targeting of Christians who dare to practice their faith, to the persecution of pro-life efforts, to the silencing of journalists — is for one reason: Leftists hate the U.S. Constitution and seek to obliterate it. Fearless veteran journalist Phelim McAleer covered Mr. Daleiden’s trial and summarized the consequences of the verdict: “This is a chilling attack on journalism. Judge Orrick decided on his own that undercover journalism comes with a price tag. When he declared that the journalist has no defense and should be liable, he effectively declared that undercover journalism is illegal.” He’s right, of course. Investigative and undercover journalism have been essential in bringing many crimes out of the darkness and criminals to justice. But why would we expect that liberals in Congress or in the judiciary actually care about due process or freedom of the press when they think it’s OK for babies to be butchered and sold for profit? The fact is, if you disregard the value of human life, then everything else is pretty much up for grabs. The fact is, if you hate the right to life and the First Amendment (and the Second Amendment and the Tenth Amendment, which leftists do), then you hate the Constitution. Blinded by evil, totally unable to see the inhumanity of ripping babies to shreds for convenience and profit, why would we expect there to be common ground on any other issue? Since they don’t agree that there’s a fundamental right to life, then we should not expect them to believe in any other fundamental rights either. U.S. District Judge William Orrick, who presided over the case against David Daleiden and the Center for Medical Process (CMP), should have recused himself long ago. He is a known supporter of Planned Parenthood, and a “family” resource center he founded in San Francisco houses a Planned Parenthood clinic. Here’s the new normal in America: When liberals are in charge of Congress or the courts, there is no justice. Leftists have fully rejected the right of the people to choose who their president will be. Leftists completely disregard basic human rights as delineated in our Founding documents. Leftists have trampled on the Constitution and its protections. Leftists — now better known as the Democratic Party — believe that they get to decide what is right and what is wrong based only on their preferences. Democrats hate Donald Trump and his march toward freedom, so their verdict is “Guilty!” They hate efforts to expose Planned Parenthood’s murderous trade in dead babies, so they declared Mr. Daleiden and CMP “Guilty!” While leftist Democrats accuse the president of endangering freedom of the press when he boldly calls them out for bias, they rejoice when a pro-life journalist is denied First Amendment protections. In this case, Mr. Daleiden not only had his rights trampled, he was fined some $2 million for exposing Planned Parenthood’s bloody criminal practices. CMP said of the decision: “Justice was not done today in San Francisco. While top Planned Parenthood witnesses spent six weeks testifying under oath that the undercover videos are true and Planned Parenthood sold fetal organs on a quid pro quo basis, a biased judge with close Planned Parenthood ties spent six weeks influencing the jury with pre-determined rulings and by suppressing video evidence, all in order to rubber-stamp Planned Parenthood’s lawsuit attack on the First Amendment. This is a dangerous precedent for citizen journalism and First Amendment civil rights across the country, sending a message that speaking truth and facts criticizing the powerful is no longer protected by our institutions.” The president of the United States and the brave journalists in California are being pummeled by powerful liberal elitists who will stop at nothing to destroy them. If they can overthrow an election and destroy the First Amendment, imagine what they will do to you if you get under their skin. The question for every voter in the 2020 elections is very simple: Will we work and vote for candidates who will fight to protect our constitutional rights? Or will we elect politicians who will rule over us according to their evil agenda? ——————— Rebecca Hagelin has championed faith and family values in Washington, DC for 25 years and writes for Patriot Post. ARRA News Note: Cartoon image added to article. Tags: Rebecca Hagelin, Patriot Post, leftist real target, impeachment, Gestapo tactics, The Constitution, To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Denver Says Business Owners Must Clean Up Homeless Poop, Dirty Needles
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 04:14 PM PST
by Todd Starnes: If you think you’re having a rough day – wait until you hear about Jawaid Bazyar. Mr. Bazyar owns a business in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver – a nice place to run a business until the Democrats took charge of things. If you think you’re having a rough day – wait until you hear about Jawaid Bazyar. Mr. Bazyar owns a business in the Five Points neighborhood of Denver – a nice place to run a business until the Democrats took charge of things. Mr. Bazyar says the are has been overrun by homeless people and drug addicts. Tells the local television station that his alleyway has become a de-facto bathroom. Piles of human waste – and dirty needles. “The wall is a bathroom stall. They lean up against it and let it rip,” he told television station FOX31. “In downtown Denver, that’s nonstop now, just piles of poop.” He said they call the police – sometimes up to 10 times a day – but nothing ever gets done. All the while, Mr. Bazyar and his workers are bullied and harassed and threatened by the druggies and homeless. “I’ve been chased with a 2-by-4, a knife, a pipe. A man bashed in my windshield with a rock,” said staffer Tamara Chapman. So you can imagine his anger the other day – when he received a citation from the city of Denver. According to the Department of Health – Mr. Bazyar is responsible for cleaning up all that human waste and disposing of the dirty needles. “Because it’s a bio-hazard. It could be infectious. I didn’t hire these people to clean poop off the ground. I can’t, as an employer, just say, ‘Go and clean up the feces’,” Bazyar said. “I’m not the one doing this, and they won’t do anything about the people committing the crimes, but I’m the one who’s easy to find and easy to punish.” That’s right folks – instead of punishing the people pooping in the streets – the city of Denver has decided to punish the law-abiding business owners. —————— Todd Starnes (@toddstarnes) is A Christian Conservative, the host of Fox News & Commentary and heard daily on 250+ radio stations and on his iTune podcasts. Tags: Todd Starnes, Denver, Says Business Owners, Must Clean Up, Homeless Poop, Dirty Needles To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Cohabitation
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 03:59 PM PST
by Kerby Anderson, Contributing Author:
Over the last few decades, cohabitation has gone from being rare to
routine. So it isn’t too surprising that now there are more Americans
who have lived with a partner than have married one. That is the
conclusion of the latest Pew Research Center statistics. Also disturbing is the increasing percentage (69%) of Americans who say it is acceptable for a couple to live together even if they don’t plan to get married. The excuse used to be that you might want to “test drive” your relationship before you get married. Now many see nothing wrong with living together even if marriage is never planned for the future. Many years ago, I included a chapter on cohabitation in my book, Christian Ethics in Plain Language, because pastors were complaining about the number of Christian young people in their congregation that would live together before marriage. When the pastor would share verses from the Bible that speaks to the issue of premarital sex, the couples would often ask if there were other reasons not to live together. Studies by secular sociologists found that in marriages where couples cohabited before marriage they increased their divorce rate by an additional 46 percent. They also found that cohabiters experienced significantly more difficulty in their marriages with adultery, alcohol, drugs, and independence than couples who had not cohabited. They also had a lower relationship quality, lower stability, and a higher level of disagreements. Of course, the impact of cohabitation is also negative for society in general. The percentage of American adults who are currently married continues to decline. Fewer stable marriages are not good for the couples. It is even worse for children who need to grow up in a stable two-parent home. Pastors and Christian leaders need to teach about the importance of traditional marriage and speak out against the dangers of cohabitation. —————- Kerby Anderson (@kerbyanderson) is a radio talk show host heard on numerous stations via the Point of View Network (@PointofViewRTS) and is endorsed by Dr. Bill Smith, Editor, ARRA News Service. Tags: Kerby Anderson, Viewpoints, Point of View, Cohabitation To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Fuddy Duddy . . .
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 03:46 PM PST
. . . Big Adam Schiff Bombshell, Sondland’s testimony that was to expose Trump quid pro quo has turned out to be a dud. Editorial Cartoon by AF “Tony” Branco Tags: Fuddy Duddy, Adam Schiff, Bombshell, Sondland’s testimony, that was to expose Trump quid pro quo has turned out, to be a dud To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Pelosi’s Projection
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 03:05 PM PST
. . . A throwback to the Democrats’ great imposter. Nancy Pelosiby Lloyd Billingsley: In Adam Schiff’s “impeachment palooza,” as one Republican called it, not a single witness has flagged an impeachable offence on the part of President Trump. As the smears, hearsay and lies surge onward, an offstage player has provided the key to all mysteries of the 2016 election and beyond. After former ambassador Marie Yvanovitch failed to signal any bribery or crime on the part of the president, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi promptly targeted President Trump. “I think part of it is his own insecurity as an imposter,” Pelosi told CBS. “I think he knows full well that he’s in that office way over his head. And so he has to diminish everyone else.” Nancy’s keyword was “imposter,” a person posing as someone he is not. That profile hardly fits the current president of the United States. Donald Trump has been a public figure for decades, putting up buildings, staging boxing matches, and appearing on television. Nobody has suggested that Donald J. Trump ever posed as somebody else, and nobody can point to mysteries in his ancestry. All that, and more, does apply to his predecessor in the White House. The junior senator from Illinois, a virtual unknown, claimed that his father was a Kenyan goatherd who went to school in a tin-roof shack. That story came from the 1995 Dreams from My Father, which official biographer David Garrow proclaimed a novel and the author a “composite character.” That was apparent to the most casual reader of the Dreams book, which claims the Kenyan “bequeathed his name” to the Hawaiian-born American, and called him a “prop” in someone else’s narrative. In all his writing from 1958-1964, the Kenyan Barack H. Obama makes no mention of an American wife and son. Barry, as his mother named him, was adopted by Lolo Soetoro, the Indonesian student his mother Ann Dunham married, and raised in Indonesia. The Dreams account gives more attention to “Frank” than the Kenyan, and the 2017 Rising Star: The Making of Barack Obama, Garrow acknowledges that “Frank” is Frank Marshall Davis, a Stalinist and Soviet agent with an FBI file a mile long. With his beloved Communist Frank “politically radioactive,” rising star Barry needed the historical fiction of the Kenyan if he sought higher office. The false notion that he was born in Kenya originated with the Clinton campaign in 2008, hoping to discredit Barry as a presidential candidate. The establishment media accepted Barry’s narrative and smeared as “birthers” anyone curious about his background. Toward the end of Rising Star, Garrow cites an unnamed reporter that Obama and his “narrator” David Axelrod made up the story, which was “not entirely true.” In 2012, Paul Kengor’s The Communist showed the “remarkable similarities” between the politics of the Dreams author and Frank Marshall Davis. Also in 2012, Joel Gilbert’s Dreams from My Real Father, documented the remarkable physical similarities between the president and his beloved Frank. Republican candidate Mitt Romney ignored this material and would later call candidate Trump a “a phony, a fraud.” So Romney accepted the historical fiction and duly lost the election. Back in 2008, the composite character set out to “fundamentally transform” the United States, already a top-heavy welfare state from the New Deal and Great Society programs. The 2008 winner transformed it into a state where the outgoing president picks his successor and deploys the deep state to clear her from any criminal charges and then attack her opponent. That is the drama playing out since Donald Trump took the oath of office, first in the Russia hoax under Robert Mueller and now the Ukraine hoax under Adam Schiff. As recent events confirm, leftist Democrats project onto others what they themselves are doing. Democrats colluded with Russia, and charge that Trump did that. Democrats colluded with Ukraine and charge that Trump did that, and so forth. At the nadir of the absurdity, Nancy Pelosi tags president Trump an “imposter,” more than a hint that Democrats have one of their own. The composite character told the world the future must not belong to those who slander the prophet of Islam. He assured Russian boss Dimitry Medvedev he would have “more flexibility” after the election and essentially gave the Russians everything they wanted. He deployed the deep state against political opponents and on his watch the economy barely had a pulse. So the people had good cause to reject his successor. In what is now a criminal probe, Attorney General William Barr has John Durham looking into the 2016 election. Anti-Trump FBI drones Strzok and Page were on record that president Obama wanted to know “everything we’re doing.” And POTUS 44 was a recipient of emails sent through Hillary Clinton’s unsecure server, another reason the former First Lady had them destroyed. “Let’s look into Obama the way they’ve looked at me from day one,” President Trump said in July. “They could look into the book deal that President Obama made. Let’s subpoena all of his records.” Plenty to see here, and much more interesting for the public than Schiff’s Stalinist show-trial. The former Barry Soetoro, according to his official biographer a composite character in a fictional narrative, is the only president to have two identities. Barack Obama is the only imposter to occupy the White House. As President Trump likes to say, this should never happen again. ——————- Lloyd Billingsley writes for FrontPage Mag and has authored Barack ‘em Up: A Literary Investigation, recently updated, and Hollywood Party: Stalinist Adventures in the American Movie Industry. Bill of Writes: Dispatches from the Political Correctness Battlefield, is a collection of his journalism. Tags: Lloyd Billingsley, Nancy Pelosi, projection To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks! |
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Sondland: ‘No one told me directly that the aid [to Ukraine] was tied to anything. I was presuming it was.’
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 02:37 PM PST
by Robert Romano: “No one told me directly that the aid was tied to anything. I was presuming it was.” That was U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland’s testimony to the House Intelligence Committee on Nov. 20, destroying the concept that $250 million of U.S. military assistance was ever being leveraged by President Donald Trump in exchange for investigations being pursued by Ukraine against Burisma Holdings. Sondland had previously testified on Nov. 4 that he “presumed” military assistance to Ukraine was “likely” being conditioned by the administration when he spoke to a Ukrainian presidential aide on Sept. 1, but that he “did not know… when, why, or by whom the aid was suspended…” So why is there an impeachment inquiry into conditioning military aid to Ukraine on investigations? From that testimony, “I now do recall a conversation on September 1, 2019, in Warsaw with [Zelensky presidential aide Andriy] Yermak. This brief pull-aside conversation followed the larger meeting involving Vice President [Mike] Pence and President [Volodymyr] Zelensky, in which President Zelensky had raised the issue of the suspension of U.S. aid to Ukraine directly with Vice President Pence. After that large meeting, I now recall speaking individually with Mr. Yermak, where I said that resumption of U.S. aid would likely not occur until Ukraine provided the public anti-corruption statement we had been discussing for many weeks.” But Sondland said he was speculating: “I always believed that suspending aid to Ukraine was ill-advised, although I did not know (and still do not know) when, why, or by whom the aid was suspended. However, by the beginning of September 2019, and in the absence of any credible explanation for the suspension of aid, I presumed that the aid suspension had become linked to the proposed anti-corruption statement.” Instead it was a meeting that was being sought by Ukraine with President Trump, and his attorney Rudy Giuliani who wanted a public statement from Ukraine based on cooperation with the U.S. on Attorney General William Barr’s ongoing investigation into the origins of the Russigate hoax including in Ukraine and a Burisma corruption probe. Per Sondland’s prior testimony,“scheduling a White House visit for President Zelensky was conditioned upon President Zelensky’s agreement to make a public anti-corruption statement. This condition had been communicated by Rudy Giuliani, with whom President Trump directed Ambassador Volker, Secretary Perry and me, on May 23, 2019, to discuss issues related to the President’s concerns about Ukraine.” But those conditions were dropped. According to former United States Special Representative for Ukraine Negotiations Kurt Volker’s Oct. 3 testimony, “To my knowledge, the news about a hold on security assistance did not get into Ukrainian Government circles, as indicated to me by the current foreign minister, then diplomatic adviser, until the end of August. And by the time that we had that, we had dropped the idea of even looking at a statement” in exchange for a meeting. Further, Volker was asked about the conditioning the meeting, “Did the President ever withhold a meeting with President Zelensky… until the Ukrainians committed to investigate the allegations… concerning the 2016 election?” To which, Volker replied, “The answer to the question is no… there was no linkage.” That’s because the Sept. 1 meeting in Warsaw — which was originally supposed to be President Trump and Zelensky not Pence but the Vice President went instead because of a hurricane hitting the U.S. — had already been scheduled. And Sondland was attending that very meeting in Warsaw on Sept. 1 even though no public statement had ever been issued when he conveyed to Ukraine his presumption that now military aid was being conditioned on such investigations. That, even though per his testimony he “never received a clear answer” as to why the military aid was suspended. And even though Zelensky had already agreed to the investigations on the July 25 phone call. On assisting in the U.S. Justice Department’s investigation into the origins of the Russiagate hoax, where intelligence agencies falsely accused President Trump of being a Russia agent, Zelensky said, “Yes, it is very important for me and everything that you just mentioned earlier… I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly. That I can assure you.” And on Burisma, without any pressure from Trump, Zelensky said, “I understand and I’m knowledgeable about the situation… Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100 percent my person, my candidate, who will be approved by the parliament and will start as new prosecutor in September. He or she will look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. The issue of the investigation of the case is actually the issue of making sure to restore the honesty so we will take care of that and work on the investigation of the case.” Sondland had apparently arranged for Zelensky to tell Trump that in the phone call. In his testimony, Sondland had already conveyed to Washington, D.C. prior to the July 25 phone call that Zelensky had already agreed to “run a fully transparent investigation” and, in Zelensky’s words, to “turn over every stone.” Without any meeting and more than a month before the Sept. 1 meeting, Sondland had received word that Ukraine was on top of the investigations. Sure enough, the new Ukrainian Prosecutor General Ruslan Ryaboshapka confirmed on Nov. 20 that the investigation into Burisma has been expanded and has been ongoing for almost two years, predating Zelensky’s April 2019 election, for “theft of government funds on an especially large scale”. The investigation into Burisma had been reopened in 2018, according to Nazar Kholodnytskyi, a top anti-corruption prosecutor in Ukraine, in an April 1 comment to The Hill’s John Solomon: “Kholodnytskyi, the lead anti-corruption prosecutor in Lutsenko’s office, confirmed to me in an interview that part of the Burisma investigation was reopened in 2018, after Joe Biden made his remarks” bragging about getting the former Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin fired. Kholodnytskyi said, “We were able to start this case again… [But] we don’t see any result from this case one year after the reopening because of some external influence,” citing problems with a separate Ukrainian agency that he said was dragging its feet in gathering evidence. Shokin told Solomon in April told The Hill’s John Solomon, prior to the election of the new Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, that he was removed in 2016 because of his investigation of Burisma, which Biden’s son, Hunter, served on the Board of Directors of. In other words, the investigation into Burisma has been ongoing in Ukraine for years. As for the Russiagate, the Justice Department has already confirmed an active investigation into the origins of the Russigate hoax, including any origins in Ukraine. On Sept. 25, Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec stated, “A Department of Justice team led by U.S. Attorney John Durham is separately exploring the extent to which a number of countries, including Ukraine, played a role in the counterintelligence investigation directed at the Trump campaign during the 2016 election. While the Attorney General has yet to contact Ukraine in connection with this investigation, certain Ukrainians who are not members of the government have volunteered information to Mr. Durham, which he is evaluating.” The U.S. and Ukraine have a mutual legal assistance treaty, signed in 1998, and now the investigations on have been confirmed in both countries. Meaning President Trump’s call to Ukrainian President Zelensky was perfectly legitimate, because the investigations are and always have been legitimate. As Americans for Limited Government President Rick Manning noted in a statement on Nov. 20, “unless President Trump has a time machine, he did not initiate the probe” because they had started before Zelensky was even elected. —————— Robert Romano is the Vice President of Public Policy at Americans for Limited Government. Tags: Robert Romano, Americans for Limited Government, Ambassador, Gordon Sondland . To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. 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‘They’re Willing to Die’: What an American in Hong Kong Sees
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 02:08 PM PST
Hong Kong police detain a demonstrator during a flash mob protest in the Central district in Hong Kong on Nov. 3, 2019by Rachel del Guidice: Since early November, Cody Howdeshell has been in Hong Kong, delivering first aid to protesters. He’s seen some of the violence firsthand: Hong Kong police, he says of one incident, “went in and they beat these kids that were already half dead with their nightsticks and began to absolutely tear them out with no mercy, probably dislocating limbs, and shoved them against the wall and arrested them.” Howdeshell joins the podcast to share why the protesters want freedom, what he thinks will happen in the long term, and what he believes Americans should learn from Hong Kong’s experience. “Nothing in communism is voluntary, and it has to be enforced with violence at the end of the day against those that would preserve their own freedom and liberty,” Howdeshell says. Read the lightly edited transcript below or listen online to the podcast. Rachel del Guidice: We’re joined today on The Daily Signal Podcast by Cody Howdeshell, a merchant seaman from North Carolina who is in Hong Kong right now providing emergency first aid to the Hong Kong freedom fighters. Cody, thank you so much for making time to be with us today. Cody Howdeshell:del Guidice: So right now you’re on the ground in Hong Kong helping the freedom of fighters, giving them emergency first aid. Can you set the scene for us and tell us what you’ve been witnessing day-to-day? Howdeshell: When we first arrived—we arrived on Nov. 1—You could walk around the streets during the day and you would think this was just a normal city. The protests typically happened Friday, Saturday, and Sunday nights, and during daylight hours it was business as usual. It was almost surreal walking out in the morning and seeing everything going on as if nothing had happened the night before. When the night before, you had seen tons of rounds of tear gas fired and pepper spray and had violent clashes between police and protesters. And even then the violence wasn’t quite as high as its become now. I mean, it would’ve been nice if things have deescalated, but we’re also concerned because we’d come here to help [with hope] that things might deescalate in the first week and we would’ve come for nothing. But in the last nine or 10 days with the universities being placed under siege and fortifying themselves and all the students joining in the fight more so than ever before, we’ve seen the violence escalate and the clashes occur a lot more regularly to the point where it’s been 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Yesterday evening, last night was the first night I’ve had off in probably about 10 days. Tonight seems quiet, as well. I think everyone is just burned out and the protesters are having a bit of a break. … During the past 10 days or so when it was really at its peak, walking down the street, you would typically pass one area where the protesters were building their roadblocks. They tear the bricks up from the cobblestone sidewalks or the paving bricks and throw them in the road and stack them in the road. They’ve actually been using mortar and building proper walls. They use bamboo scaffolding and anything they can get from construction sites. And then you would walk another block or two and you would see the police fans coming in and they would set up their lines and they would have their faceoff and that would usually involve the police. There’s certain protocols that the police have to follow. So they raise a blue flag that says, “This is an illegal assembly and you must disperse,” and nobody does. So then they raise a flag … it’s black and says, “We’re going to fire tear gas.” Nobody leaves. So they fire tear gas. And then they can raise an orange flag saying, “We will disperse or we will fire.” And when they say they will fire, they mean rubber bullets and sponge rounds and bean bag rounds. They don’t mean actual live rounds usually. So then on through the night that goes on where the protesters and the police faceoff, rounds are exchanged. The protesters throw bricks, they throw Molotovs, they’ve been seen building trebuchets, catapults, slingshots. And the police returned fire with tear gas and rubber bullets. And they usually [go] back and forth, you know, the protesters gain some ground, the police gain some ground. And the usual ending is a high-speed charge by the riot police firing tear gas as they go. But these guys are weighed down with a lot of gear and they’re all in their 30s or so. And you’ve got a bunch of students in tracksuits that are in … the prime of their lives. So a lot of them are 16, 17, 18, 19, and they’d take off in high speed like rabbits. They obey the police and then they regroup about an hour later and it happens again. Eventually, everybody goes home and sleeps a little bit. del Guidice: So there are multiple cycles of … activity it sounds like per night when there’s a protest happening? Howdeshell: Yeah. It was definitely sort of to poke and prod the police and antagonize them and then withdraw. And then to do it again and withdraw. That changed quite a bit with the universities because, so far, all the battles had been in the open streets. So it was very easy to withdraw. But when the universities became a point of attack and the students decided to defend them, there was no option to just run. So what you saw was a vast amount of the population keeping the police busy in the streets while the university students had the opportunity to fortify their universities. And when those battles happened—as we saw last Tuesday at the Chinese University of Hong Kong and as is going on right now and coming to a close at Poly University, Polytechnic University—those battles are extremely long, drawn out, and extremely violent with a very high number of casualties. Since early November, Cody Howdeshell has been in Hong Kong, delivering first aid to protesters. He’s seen some of the violence firsthand: Hong Kong police, he says of one incident, “went in and they beat these kids that were already half dead with their nightsticks and began to absolutely tear them out with no mercy, probably dislocating limbs, and shoved them against the wall and arrested them.” Howdeshell joins the podcast to share why the protesters want freedom, what he thinks will happen in the long term, and what he believes Americans should learn from Hong Kong’s experience. “Nothing in communism is voluntary, and it has to be enforced with violence at the end of the day against those that would preserve their own freedom and liberty,” Howdeshell says. del Guidice: So the protests in Hong Kong, they started the original ones more than actually six months ago over an extradition bill, which by |
[being]
ruled in … started the protests. And then the protesters ended up getting their main demand met, and the extradition bill was tabled. But since then the protests have continued and, honestly, only intensified. And I’m curious what you think.
Do you think the protest will end at any point? And since [proteters’] main demand was met, what do you think now is the primary driver of the protests continuing?
Howdeshell: I don’t think that the extradition bill, once it got going, remained their main demand. It started that way. But I think once the people realized the power they had and the ability they had to organize and come out all nice and actually … well, to use a phrase that I’m not always a fan of, but speaking truth to power.
Once they realized that they said, “As long as we’re doing this, we really ought to be demanding what we fully deserve,” and what was, as far as I understand, promised to them when Britain withdrew. And that was that they would also have universal suffrage.
So at this time a large part of the house of legislature here in Hong Kong is not actually elected by the people, democratically elected. It’s appointed by these councils. …
These five demands these protesters have, one, is the extradition bill being withdrawn, which has now been done. And the second biggest one, I think, and opinions may vary on this, but would be universal suffrage, meaning they have a fully democratic governing system where they elect all their members of this legislature.
How will it end? I don’t know. It would be a massive concession on China’s part to allow them to have a fully democratic government. …
The other demand that really the government could give into, for instance, [is having] a private investigation of the police force and police brutality, which so far has not been done.
Also, one of the demands was that the government no longer referred to the protest as riots, but as protests, which has sort of been done.
Though, pardon me, to be fair, at this point, I don’t call it protest myself. This is insurgency. When you’re watching young kids in colleges fire flaming bows and arrows at police officers and Molotov cocktails—there’s rumors of IEDs—being made, that’s not a protest. It is a revolution for freedom and democracy.
How will it end? I mean … China is their enemy, really. So it’d be a very hard battle to win, but a bunch of scrappy colonials beat the biggest army and navy back in the 1770s, so possibly they have a chance. And now with the Senate passing the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act, I think they have a lot more of a chance.
del Guidice: So why did you decide to go to Hong Kong and get involved in the first place?
Howdeshell:
Just watching it on the news and seeing what was going on. Being from
the [United] States where we have a lot more freedom than Hong Kong, but
I think we have a lot fewer people that are willing to put literally
their lives on the line for it.
There’s a lot of chest-beating and plenty of people that’ll say, “Oh, I’ll die for my freedom, come and take it,” etc. But at the end of the day, the reality of what it would be like to actually defend your freedom with your life I don’t think is really appreciated.
And so here, like I said, at the time it was a bit more peaceful, but they were still definitely putting not their lives on the line, but they were putting their freedom on the line, because they could get arrested. They’re putting their money where their mouth was essentially.
Also, you never know what is true and what isn’t in the media these days, especially when it’s coming from a place so far away. And so, one of the main reasons was if I’m on the ground, I can see for myself what is happening and not have any doubts about what is true and what is false.
And two, well, I just wanted to be involved and help out in some way. I mean, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime to actually be able to get on the ground and help people that are fighting for freedom and liberty. So here we are.
del Guidice: Have any of the protesters that you’ve met or treated stood out to you in particular?
Cody Howdeshell:
Oh, they all stand out, especially—so we have what we call the front
liners. And these are the guys that are actually holding shields on the
front line, protecting the ones behind them from the rubber bullets and
the tear gas.
And I should point out, the tear gas is meant to be fired near a crowd. The gas is meant to go into the crowd and then it’s supposed to disperse them through just the negative effects of the gas. But the police have begun using tear gas canisters like bullets. They shoot them at the protesters, they’re flying at a very high velocity and they’re so hot, they’re using Chinese-made tear gas now. And these canisters are so hot that they actually melt into the asphalt roads when they land.
So these front liners who were 16, 17, 18, 19 years old, you see a few 20-, 21-[year olds]. But I’d say the average age is around 18, between 18 to 20. They have an amazing amount of courage and bravery.
I’ve got a few friends here now that participate in the front lines and the fact that they can go out every day when the news is filled with reports of their comrades being arrested, being mercilessly beaten, being abused in jail, or just disappearing, the fact that they can read that and then still go out and continue to fight is astounding.
del
Guidice: So The Guardian recently published an editorial saying, “On
Monday, the People’s Daily, the mouthpiece of the Communist party,
warned that there is ‘absolutely no room for compromise.’” And I’m
curious, Cody, what you think. Do you think this is how the protesters
feel as well that … they’ve come this far and there is no room for
compromise?
Howdeshell: I would say so. I think before the
ceases of the universities, perhaps they would have had room for a
little bit of compromise. But now after witnessing the police brutality
and the action at the universities, realizing just how far the Communist
party is willing to go, and just how many lives, humans it is willing
to destroy for its goals, they’re willing to die for this, absolutely.
And we saw kids coming out of Poly University trying to escape in the last few days. One ran across the roof of a covered foot bridge, and when he came to the end, he was surrounded by police waiting on the ground. There was no way out for him. And he basically delivered a short speech saying that he would die for freedom, then he jumped down. The police grabbed him immediately.
Others that are still inside the university—and there have been possible opportunities for surrender that would result in arrest, but certainly somewhat safer arrests than having the police storm the university to take you—they have come out and released a statement saying they will not surrender, no matter the cost. They will remain at the university and they will fight until the end. They would rather die than go to prison under a communist regime.
del
Guidice: That is … just incredible to see this happening in today’s day
and age. I’m curious, were you there at Hong Kong Polytechnic
University? And have you seen personally all of the action that’s been
happening there? Or have you just heard from others what’s been going on
at that particular university?
Howdeshell: No. I’ve been in
three universities. So we started out spending 48 hours in City
University where no one knew which university would be attacked first.
We arrived at City University actually due to a miscommunication, the City University and this Chinese University, both of Hong Kong and both abbreviated CUHK. We went to the wrong CUHK and arrived there while the students were just beginning to fortify the university.
We’ve watched that happening, waiting for the police to attack for 48 hours and when the police didn’t attack it looked as if they would. During that time, that was the siege of Chinese University. That’s pretty well covered, at least in the news here now, and I’m sure you easily find information on it.
After City University, we went to Chinese University, and we were there for a little under 48 hours, probably there 36 hours.
We got there in the morning. We stayed overnight and we left late the next night, early in the morning. We were in Chinese [University] when the last of the protesters that were holed up in there decided to retreat and go to Poly University to just make their final stand there with the other students.
We were on the bridge when they detonated the very amateur vehicle-borne IED. It was very amateur and I believe that was on purpose. It’s a university, they have chemistry students. I’m sure they could make quite an explosion if they wanted to, but it was pretty contained.
We then left there and we went to Polytechnic and were there for 48 hours. We were there during the clashes with the police, the long drawn out battles with the police, lots of people getting hurt, casualties, tear gas being fired, like I said, as [the] actual canister itself being the weapon and the ammunition rather than just the gas.
We were there when a student shot a police officer through the leg with an arrow and then late in the evening on the second day we were the last first aid team—and not just our team of Americans, but about us for Americans, an American pastor, and probably 20 local Cantonese first aid. We were the last group to be able to get out and walk by the police without being arrested. They offered basically a short window of amnesty for the first day.
Others stayed behind and tried to get out maybe 30 minutes after us, but they were immediately arrested I think because only 30 minutes after we left an … armored personnel carrier rushed the barricade the students had built on the traffic bridge into the university and the students were able to just make enough direct hits with Molotov cocktails that they destroyed, absolutely destroyed, the APC.
That obviously incensed the police and led to a full lockdown. Essentially no one allowed in, no one allowed out, except for journalists. And only journalists were allowed out. They weren’t allowed to go back in. At this point, I think there’s probably only two journalists still in Poly University covering the events.
del Guidice: Cody, what would you say is the overall
mood of the protesters? And given all the interactions you’ve had with
them, what do you think the protesters would want to tell Americans
about why they’re protesting if they had the chance to?
Howdeshell:
The overall mood, overall, I would say is one of courage and
determination. There are days when they have their victories and there
is a lot of upbeat attitudes and there are days when they suffer defeats
and certainly right now with Poly University being lost to the police
and the students being brutalized and arrested, we’re not seeing a lot
of joy right now, but we’re still seeing a lot of hope and a lot of
determination to keep fighting.
What would they say to Americans? I think they would ask you to come over here and to join them. They would certainly ask the government to put its full force in any way, shape, or form behind them.
I think if you talked to some of the more philosophical ones, the ones that really do a lot of thinking behind the movement, they would definitely warn Americans of the consequences of allowing communism to get any foothold in your country. The consequences of allowing the Second Amendment to be eroded.
I’ve talked to many here that will tell you flat out, “We wish we had a Second Amendment. We wish we had guns.” Because it’s pretty terrifying when you’re facing off only 30 yards from police that have guns and have lethal force authorized and you have nothing but bricks and Molotov cocktails to throw at them, and your fists. And the only reason they haven’t decided to shoot you is because no one has given the word, “Kill them all.”
But they would certainly just want Americans to know what is happening because they understand that it’s not exactly well covered in the Western media. They just want the word to be out.
del
Guidice: What as well do you think the protesters would say about
China? Obviously … they are speaking by their very active protesting,
but they don’t have freedom of speech there. … If they had the ability
to speak about their true feelings, what kinds of things do you think
they would say?
Howdeshell: Well, Hong Kong is an anomaly.
They do have a surprising amount of freedom of speech, or they certainly
did. There are crackdowns now, of course.
Well, I can certainly document several examples of vulgar graffiti telling you exactly what they think about China, but mainly they know what is happening in mainland China. Whereas the people in mainland China don’t know what is happening out here because of their lack of internet access. And they simply don’t want to see that repeated here.
They have had a lot of freedoms because they were under British rule, as funny as it sounds to be under colonial rule. They had more freedom then. And once you get a taste of that, it’s very hard to even contemplate seeing it lost.
They’re absolutely in fear that if China did decide to just come in full force and crack down … those in the protests would end up in prison, labor camps, reeducation camps, immediately. And the rest would just slowly be crushed under the oppressive thumb of communism. …
Hong Kong is a beautiful city, absolutely wonderful and vibrant people and it would just slowly become another dead, gray, communist hellhole and they’re absolutely in fear of that.
del Guidice: What kinds of people
have you seen protesting? I know that you mentioned a lot of it is
mainly younger students, but I’m curious as well, have you started to
see any other segments of the population starting to participate such as
people in the working class and professionals or has it just
exclusively been students?
Howdeshell: There’s definitely people in the working class. There’s definitely professionals. …
Hong Kong is a sort of a peninsula that sticks out from mainland China and then at the south end there’s Hong Kong Island, and on Hong Kong Island is the central business district. I would just call it central and they’ve been having a lot of lunchtime walkouts where you see the streets just filled with lawyers and doctors and stock traders and bankers and professionals of all various classes and positions in suits and dresses and high heels, out there carrying their umbrellas, raising their hands in the air with five fingers representing the five demands, and chanting slogans.
At first, obviously for PR reasons, the police maintained their distance. They would just wave the blue flag saying, “Hey, this is an illegal assembly. You need to disperse.” And they usually drew the line there. But recently they’ve started firing tear gas as well and nobody that works in an office all day really wants to be exposed to tear gas. The police have managed to completely turn that segment of the population against them.
Now, with the universities, you would always see some older people out at the protests. Sometimes you see old men on the front line shouting at the police. More often than not you see them out passing out food, passing out water, passing out tissues for people to wipe the tears out of their eyes from the tear gases.
But now with the universities being attacked the way they are … honestly my entire timeline in my head is a blur because I get very little sleep these days. But when we left Poly University, which I think was about three nights ago, myself and one of the teammates here from Arizona, we were trying to get back to where we were staying, which was on the island across from Poly.
Police were rushing in from all corners of Hong Kong to attack Poly University. And everyone knew this was happening. This was now 2 in the morning when the streets are generally pretty empty. The traffic flows rather easily.
Thousands of citizens with cars had come out and clogged the intersection, stopped, gotten out of their cars, and just left them sitting there idling. Absolutely brought the entire city to a standstill so that the police could not access Poly University. And they were all blaring their horns. You thought you would lose your hearing. And the police were having to actually get out on foot and run through the blockade of cars to try to get anywhere near to Poly.
… The siege on the university, that’s brought the mothers and fathers that might’ve been hesitating before out. The night before last, they attempted to take Poly University back by a massive offensive within the cities to basically occupy the police force somewhere other than Poly University and eventually break through their lines and go into Poly University. Proper, all-out warfare.
And they formed these massive human chains miles long. You can see videos online, these massive human chains stretching for many city blocks, just … fire brigade-style passing water and food up to the front, trying to get it through to Poly University.
We were out on the streets and there were little old men and little old ladies and mothers and fathers and young kids, 15, 16 years old, people whose sons and daughters and brothers and sisters are stuck in the university out there helping.
The police are shooting themselves in the foot when it comes to the PR battle because they have turned the entire population against them.
For instance, sometime a few months ago, close to the beginnings of the protest, and don’t quote me on the exact numbers, but there was a poll and I believe it was approximately 40% of the population, only 40%, approved of using violence in the protest or using violence against the police. And I’m paraphrasing this, but recently in the past few weeks they performed the same poll, same audience, and now 60% of the population approves of using violence against the police. Violent means to protest.
And that’s not just the amount that supports the protest. Far more than that supports the protest, but 60% is actually in favor of using violence because they understand what is at stake and they understand that at the end of the day, shouting in the street is not really going to affect any change when the real driving force behind the enemy is Communist China.
del Guidice: Wow. It’s
incredible to hear you mention that and how basically people’s attitudes
have shifted in such a short period of time. Do you think this has
potential to … become even more serious? It’s already pretty serious
given what we’ve seen at Hong Kong Polytechnic University, but do you
think it has the potential to become even more serious than what we’re
seeing right now?
Howdeshell: I would not be surprised if
within the next few weeks, if things continue on the current trend, that
the police will begin firing live rounds and we’ll start seeing a lot
of IEDs and warfare very similar to the Middle East.
del
Guidice: I’m curious, too, how have you witnessed the protest taking a
toll on the city? … I know that you mention people have been coming
together and there was that one blockade when the police were trying to
reach Hong Kong Polytechnic University, but have you witnessed other
things happening where, from the time you got there on Nov. 1 to now,
the city is a little bit different than it was when you first arrived?
Howdeshell:
Well, I don’t think changes in that aspect happened in my short time
here. Certainly not that I’ve noticed because it took me a lot to get
acclimatized to Hong Kong in general.
But I will say that in the 20-something days I’ve been here now, I have witnessed two people that did not support the protests vocally that came out and yelled, “Hey, go home guys,” or something ruder than that. Whereas I have witnessed thousands upon thousands upon thousands of people that are absolutely for them.
We’re out there and people come up, they give you water, they give you food. They want to know if you’re OK. Can they help you? Three times now, myself and my teammates have gone to dinner … we’re eating dinner with some other Cantonese medics, [and] we go to pay and they say, “Nope, someone paid for your meal,” or, “No, it’s on the house.”
… Obviously, I haven’t been here that long, and I wasn’t here, say, a year ago, but the camaraderie and sort of the esprit de corps that has developed is amazing. With teamwork and the fact that it is all essentially leaderless is all completely naturally evolving is absolutely amazing.
There’s an entire system of what they call “school buses.” It’s just volunteer drivers, people that have a car that will bring protesters to and from the protests. We’ve been given rides a few times by the same people.
The other night a guy pulled up in like a super fancy BMW thing—I don’t know cars, but it was definitely an expensive car—and just loaded these three dirty Americans that were all sweaty and had a bunch of gear and was more than happy to give us a ride. And we said, “Well, why are you doing this?” He said, “I’m a Hongkonger. I have to do my part. And I wish I could do more. But until then, this is what I’ll do.”
del Guidice: Cody, that was
actually going to be my next question. I was so curious how the
Hongkongers have responded to you, this American, who’s helping their
cause. And it sounds like they’re just so thankful, which is, I mean,
it’s so incredible to see the vivid descriptions that you’ve been
sharing.
Howdeshell: It’s absolutely heartwarming. Everybody
goes around the world traveling these days, “Oh, it was life-changing.”
Well, I can tell you that this has absolutely been life-changing for
everyone in our team here. …
On probably our second or third protest, someone took a picture of us, all four of us together, and it ended up in what’s called the Stand News, which is maybe on par with The New York Times here. It’s a pretty big publication. And next thing you know we’re walking down the street and random strangers just walk up, pull their phones out, and open the article, … they don’t speak any English, but they just point at it and point at you and [give you a] questioning glance and you nod and [they] give you a hug, shake your hand, and walk on.
So they definitely … appreciate it, and it’s warming for them to see that America knows it’s happening. Because they are shocked at times to see that Americans are aware, and not only that, but came over specifically for this.
del Guidice: You’re already famous.
Howdeshell: We’re Hong Kong celebrities.
del
Guidice: So given everything that you have witnessed, Cody, in Hong
Kong, what would you want to tell many of our own peers, especially here
in the States, who are becoming increasingly attracted to communism?
Howdeshell: Oh, geez. I’d like to shake them by the shoulders and slap them across the face. I’d say, “Come to Hong Kong.”
Come and see it. Come and see a country that is literally only miles away from one of the most communist regimes in modern-day history. And see the vibrance here and then go across the border—which I haven’t done, but I have friends that have—go across the border and see just the dull, gray, dire situation that communism places upon a nation.
And come and see these young kids here that could be just like the young kids back home, and all they’re concerned about is going to college, and getting a nice job, and that’s it, but instead they see the threat that is literally on their doorstep, and they’re willing to step up and fight for it.
Talk to them about the freedoms they have lost, the same freedoms that these young communist-leaning individuals in the states want to give away. And do it with an open mind and see if you can still support that ideology afterward.
del Guidice: Well,
Cody, I cannot thank you enough for making time out of your really busy
schedule to join us on The Daily Signal Podcast today. Thank you so much
for being with us.
Howdeshell: Can I tell one more story?
del Guidice: Oh, please, go for it.
Howdeshell:
OK. This is just to illustrate—going back to your last question—to
understand that communism is [not as] beautiful and wonderful as you may
think it is back in the states. You have to understand that nothing in
communism is voluntary, and it has to be enforced with violence at the
end of the day against those that would preserve their own freedom and
liberty.
So the night before last when we were trying to push back and take DePaul University again, there were protests all throughout the city.
I was in an area just south of a suburb called Mong Kok, and the protesters were gathered together. They act a bit like if you think of the old Roman garrisons, the way they took their shields and all massed together and sort of locked their shields together, so they formed an impenetrable mass.
They do that except the front line has 4-by-8 sheets of plywood and everyone else has umbrellas that they overlap. And because they’re standing up against tear gas rounds and rubber bullets, the plywood is fine. And the umbrellas slow it down a little bit.
So the protesters were standing at an intersection, having their standoff with the police, throwing Molotovs. Brave young men were running out ahead of the front lines mere yards away from the police to throw Molotovs. And they’re not trying to directly hit the police it seems because they could do a better job if they were. They’re just trying to make a line of fire that the police cannot cross.
The police and the protesters went back and forth as each gained and lost ground. And at one point, the protesters just banded together and began to hail an absolute rain of Molotovs down on the police force. And the police began to retreat, and the protesters began to move forward.
At that time, and I believe these are new to the Hong Kong police force, or at least the use of them is, the police threw flash-bang grenades, which basically just blow up. They’re not meant to kill anyone, though they can, but they emit a very loud sound that sounds a lot like a rifle being fired and a sharp flash of light.
So everyone on the streets that night was nervous knowing that the police had lethal force authorized, and for the first time every group of policemen had one or two carrying actual rifles. Other than that, the police usually carry a very simple and very old fashion revolver, but now they had actual semiautomatic rifles.
So when the police threw these flash-bangs, everyone thought live rounds had been fired. I was standing there. I later talked to a reporter from Texas who was standing there. We’re Americans. He’s from Texas. We all know what a gun sounds like, and we both thought it might’ve been live rounds.
When those went off, the protesters stampeded. They scattered. And there were probably about 200 in this group. This was at an intersection, so they went off in three ways while the police held the opposite road. And the police ran into the crowd with their batons and nightsticks absolutely beating anyone they caught, whether they resisted or not, just beating them to a pulp.
Being first aid with a red cross on my best, they typically run right by me. And there was a young Hong Kong first aid girl who was standing next to me, and they ran right by both of us. As soon as they were by, we ducked and went back through an alley hoping to get to where the protesters were on the backside.
When we came out of that alley, immediately on our right was a narrow pass between a subway station entrance and the main building about 2-and-a-half yards wide, 3 yards wide. Hundreds of people had tried to run for their lives through that narrow passage. It had become a bottleneck. One person tripped, the next person fell on him, and there were 25 to 30 young kids, teenagers, in an absolute pileup.
The boys at the bottom probably had 600 to 900 pounds of force being exerted on them. They were being crushed. I’m sure their internal organs were being destroyed. One’s eyes were rolling back in his head. They were gasping for breath. They were writhing, they were dying, they were suffocating.
When we arrived, it was just me and this very, very petite Cantonese girl. We went in and began to try to pull them out, and it was nearly impossible. The force holding these kids in was like their lower bodies had been trapped in a vice.
Other first aiders got there. The bigger and stronger ones of them got in, and we continued to try to pull them out. There was a fire probably 3 yards away, small fire. Firefighters arrived to put that out, saw the situation, and immediately came to join us in rescuing the kids. …
I’ve never had something so hard to do as pulling these kids out. It took every ounce of strength that any of us had, and we got one out. We got two, three, four, five. I think we got about six kids out. They were able to run away. They came out limp. They couldn’t even stand up when they came out. You had to pick them up, put them on their feet, shout at them to run, and they would stumble off as fast as they could.
The police came around the corner and saw what was happening, came in screaming, beating their batons on their shields and on the walls, and grabbed us, and threw us back. They threw a Hong Kong girl that was first aid, despite being obviously first aid, they threw her to the ground on the hard pavement. And then we had to grab her and get back.
Then they pushed the firemen out of the way. And they went in and they beat these kids that were already half dead with their nightsticks and began to absolutely tear them out with no mercy, probably dislocating limbs, and shoved them against the wall and arrested them.
del Guidice: Man, at this point they’re essentially … in some cases, preventing first aid.
Howdeshell: Not in some cases. They will prevent first aid in any chance possible.
I’ve been blocked from getting into areas where there are casualties by the police. Then they also push the press away so the press could not document it, though, they were unsuccessful because [press] has documented it. So we don’t know yet, but it’s very possible somebody died there that night.
That’s the same night the police also ran their vans at high speed into crowds. We still don’t know if they actually hit or killed anyone yet … There’s so many rumors that fly around Hong Kong because tensions and emotions are so high. It’s often hard to know what to believe.
And there’s so many rumors of police violence and just extraordinary things, and you think, “No, that can’t be true.” But when you witness that and you witness the vans driving at people and you witness young kids, young kids, being beaten by men in uniform that are supposed to protect them, absolutely beat to the point where their bones are broken and their organs are destroyed, you take those rumors at face value, and you lose any sympathy or any ability to even feel sympathy for the police force.
I realize that’s a long story, but that’s what people need to realize is happening here in Hong Kong. That’s what these guys are up against.
del
Guidice: No, that was great. Thank you so much for the vivid
descriptions and for almost bringing us there, even though we aren’t
there in person. Your vivid descriptions are really incredible. Before
we close up and part ways, is there anything else, any final thoughts
you want to share with listeners, people from around the country and the
world who are listening?
Howdeshell: All I can say to say is
say a prayer for Hong Kong and look at flights to come over. If you
want to come over, I’ll help you out.
del Guidice: Cody, thank
you so much for joining us today on The Daily Signal Podcast, taking
time out of your busy day and speaking with us. We really do appreciate
it.
Howdeshell: Always, Rachel. Thanks very much for having me on.
———————–
Rachel del Guidice (@LRacheldG) is a reporter for The Daily Signal.
She is a graduate of Franciscan University of Steubenville, Forge
Leadership Network, and The Heritage Foundation’s Young Leaders Program.
Tags:Rachel del Guidice, The Daily Signal, interview, Cody Howdeshell, Hong Kong, They’re willing to Die To share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Saudi Oil Attacks A Wake-Up Call For U.S. Energy Security
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 01:28 PM PST
by Steve Bucci: Saudi Arabia recently announced that its long-awaited initial public offering for Saudi Aramco, the state-owned oil company, will take place in December. The IPO — eagerly anticipated by investors — has experienced multiple delays, including volatile oil prices and, more recently, the attacks on Aramco oil production sites by Iran. Aramco Chairman Yasser al-Rumayyan alluded to those attacks, telling CNBC “that the company was a safe bet for investors despite some concerns over the security of Saudi oil infrastructure.”
Setting aside any Wall Street implications, the September attacks were a violent reminder of the nexus between energy, geopolitics, and international relations. The United States — now the world’s leading energy exporter and Iran’s most significant nemesis in the short term — must, in the long term, look inward to assess energy preparedness and security.
If anything can be gleaned, it should be that the stakes continue to rise in what Senate Energy Chairwoman Lisa Murkowski of Alaska described as a “teachable moment.” For the U.S. not to consider itself a target risks leaving energy assets and future prosperity vulnerable.
Increasing global demand and fossil fuel industry innovations have spurred the U.S. on a historic run of energy production thanks in large part to natural gas replacing coal as the country’s leading resource for electricity generation.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration has reported that the U.S. is set to become a net energy exporter in 2020, underscoring “large increases in crude oil, natural gas, and natural gas plant liquids production.” Quite the turnaround from a decade ago when the U.S. was dependent on others to provide a large part of its energy needs.
The domestic resurgence can be credited to investment in areas that previous administrations shunned, such as Texas’ Permian Basin, the current darling of the oil and natural gas industry. As Forbes reported in April, the Permian Basin has overtaken the Aramco Ghawar site to claim the title of top oil producer. This growth has been matched, and in some instances exceeded, by Permian natural gas production. Since 2011, U.S. natural gas production has increased fourfold, from 100 million to 400 million cubic feet per day. In the same time frame, development of the Marcellus and Utica shale reserves along the East Coast has spiked output from 1.5 trillion to over 7 trillion cubic feet produced annually to bolster total energy production.
We are working to secure the cyber component of the energy sector. As energy distribution systems embrace smart-grid technologies, vulnerabilities to cyber-warfare tactics may increase, as the Department of Energy noted in a recent annual review.
“There have been no reported targeted cyber-attacks carried out against utilities in the U.S. that have resulted in permanent or long-term damage to power system operations thus far.”
That does not mean it could not happen, so vigilance is required, and has been forthcoming. However, the Aramco attacks show the world that traditional sabotage tactics and other kinetic attack methods are not out of style, and other countries’ assets are less secure.
Diversification Is Key
The
U.S. can ready itself for any potential outages and maintain critical
reserves by further diversifying its energy and infrastructure
portfolio. Specifically, an “all of the above” strategy that integrates
energy sources, from wind and solar to hydro and fossil fuels to
maximize the grid, is the key to resiliency and reliability.
But many of the 2020 Democratic presidential candidates neglect the importance of this concept. Some have gone as far as to call for: a ban on the development of all fossil fuels, rolling back further use of fracking, and closing down highly useful (and safe) means. To that end, it must be asked: Where would the U.S. be without these resources? And what would the world look like without the U.S. as a leading energy player?
Progress toward a world-leading grid starts by advancing energy infrastructure projects such as Lines 3and 5 in Minnesota and Michigan, respectively. Both of these projects seek to update and modernize older pipelines — reinforcing safety and efficiency in the process. Optimization projects such as those for the Keystone and Dakota Access pipelines will increase transport volumes to accommodate for record domestic energy production.
These
are just a few examples as to how American policymakers can further
support energy development, investment in infrastructure, and American
jobs. The future hinges on energy, and the U.S. must never concede its
strategic advantages to the likes of China, Iran and Russia. Our leaders
should be wary of the consequences of doing so, and must soundly reject
advocates of such regressive policies.
—————–
Steve Bucci,
who served America for three decades as an Army Special Forces officer
and top Pentagon official, is a visiting research fellow at the Heritage
Foundation. Article shared by Issues & Insights.
Tags:Steve Bucci, Saudi Oil Attacks, A Wake-Up Call, U.S. Energy Security, Heritage Foundation, Issues & InsightsTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
Cato Institute, NRA-ILA & Others Agree Massachusetts “Assault Weapons” Ban Unconstitutional
Posted: 21 Nov 2019 12:57 PM PST
by Garrett O’Leary: The Cato Institute recently filed an amicus brief in support of a U.S. Supreme Court petition against an unconstitutional Massachusetts firearms ban.
Currently, Massachusetts law prohibits the ownership of “assault weapons.” This definition includes the “most popular semi-automatic rifles in the country, as well as ‘copies or duplicates’ of any such weapons,” according to the Cato Institute. The law was passed in 2004 by then-Gov. Mitt Romney, who said semi-automatic firearms “are not made for recreation or self-defense.”
A group of plaintiffs challenged the ban only to see both a federal trial judge and appellate court – which included former Justice David Souter – upheld the ban. The plaintiffs are now asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear their case, arguing that the lower courts has improperly applied the “common use” test from the court’s District of Columbia v. Heller decision.
The institute joined the NRA Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) and the Gun Owners’ Action League (GOAL), an NRA Massachusetts state affiliate and plaintiff in the case: Worman v. Healey. The U.S. Supreme Court will decide later this fall whether or not to hear the landmark case.
“The
NRA believes this case embodies a critical moment for America’s gun
owners. With 2020 presidential candidates and members of Congress
encouraging the confiscation of commonly-owned firearms—like the
AR-15—it is vital that the Supreme Court remind politicians that they
swore an oath to uphold the Constitution, which includes our sacred
Second Amendment,” said Jason Ouimet, NRA-ILA executive director.
———————-
Garrett O’Leary is Assistant Editor at America’s 1st Freedom.
Tags:Garrett O’Leary, America’s 1st Freedom, Cato Institute, NRA-ILA, Others Agree, Massachusetts “Assault Weapons” Ban, UnconstitutionalTo share or post to your site, click on “Post Link”. Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service and “Like” Facebook Page – Thanks!
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Your daily update of new content from The Federalist Be lovers of freedom and anxious for the fray November 22, 2019 Alexander Vindman’s Impeachment Testimony Displays His Open Insubordination By John Lucas Vindman publicly and gratuitously questioned the policies of his commander in chief and did so in a partisan political setting. The U.S. military should nip that in the bud. Full article Men Don’t Need Tampons. They Need Fathers By Shireen Qudosi It’s got to be hard being a man today. Your entire identity is systematically being scrubbed from existence. Full article How Republicans Won Phase One Of Impeachment By Mollie Hemingway The first phase of impeachment did not go well for Democrats. It needed to be a time when support for the inquiry and impeachment grew. Instead, it shrank. Full article Leigh Bardugo’s Fantasy Novel Set In The Ivy League Is Exactly What You’d Expect By Michael Weingrad The setting for Leigh Bardugo’s acclaimed new fantasy novel ‘Ninth House’ is Yale, and it’s an unintentionally revealing look at the lies our elites tell themselves to maintain their power. Full article Impeachment Charade Proves It’s High Time To End Court Deference To Biased Federal Agencies By Cleta Mitchell This entire episode, and many more, should cause us to rethink certain legal principles related to federal employees that have governed us for decades. Full article Courts Block Conscience Rights For Medical Providers Based On Outlandish Leftist Arguments By Chad Felix Greene Conscience protections do not ‘give a license’ to discriminate. They protect health-care workers from being forced to participate in practices such as elective sterilization, elective abortion, and assisted suicide. Full article Amazing Book About Auschwitz Volunteer Steels Us To Not Look Away From Evil By Helen Raleigh Jack Fairweather’s book, ‘The Volunteer,’ tells the amazing true story of a man who volunteered to fight Nazis from inside Auschwitz—and forces all of us to confront our own courage in the face of modern-day horrors. Full article One Year After Confirmation Battle, Kavanaugh Denounced While Christine Blasey Ford Accepts ‘Courage’ Award By Frank J. Tantone One year after Brett Kavanaugh’s tumultuous confirmation hearing, Christine Blasey Ford, whose claims led to the media-frenzied hearings, has accepted an award for ‘courage.’ Full article How China Is Slowly Becoming The World’s Largest Imperialist Power By Sumantra Maitra The first shots of Chinese colonialism are evident as we head to the third decade of this century. One would be foolish not to take note of this historically significant development — and study its actual character. Full article Democrats: Domestic Violence Survivor Joni Ernst Doesn’t Care About Domestic Violence By Emily Jashinsky Democrats looking to unseat Sen. Joni Ernst have landed on a particularly distasteful line of attack, accusing the Iowa Republican of being insufficiently supportive of domestic violence victims despite her experience as a survivor. Full article Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show Officially Bites The Dust By Emily Jashinsky Once a major pop culture spectacle, the annual special had become increasingly controversial on the feminist left. And now it’s canceled. Full article U.K. Debate Shows How Single-Payer Systems Shortchange Patients By Christopher Jacobs People who believe they can receive ‘free’ care over-consume it, with the types of rationing and wait times seen in the past several years the inevitable consequence. Full article Almost 30 Percent Of All U.S. Circuit Judges Are Now Trump Appointees By Erielle Davidson Sen. Mitch McConnell’s new motto, “Leave no vacancy behind,” has stacked the federal judiciary with young Trump-appointed judges. Full article Media Acknowledged Ukrainian Election Meddling Until It Hurt Their Impeachment Efforts By Chrissy Clark Congressional Democrats and the mainstream media are pushing the narrative that Ukraine meddling in the 2016 election is a fictitious theory. They weren’t saying that…a year ago. Full article California Law Aimed At Acquiring Trump’s Tax Returns Ruled Unconstitutional By Tristan Justice A California law requiring candidates to publish tax records to be on the ballot has been ruled unconstitutional by the state’s Supreme Court Thursday. Full article New Poll Shows Independents Oppose Impeachment By 15-Point Margin By Chrissy Clark A new Emerson poll found more Independent voters oppose the impeachment of Trump, compared to one month ago when more Independents supported impeachment. Full article Watch CNN’s Chris Cuomo Accidentally Prove Trump Right About Overheard Phone Call By Chrissy Clark While on live TV, CNN’s Chris Cuomo tried to prove a person can hear a conversation on another person’s cell phone, he ultimately failed. Full article Burisma Founder Under Investigation For Embezzlement Of Over $30 Million By Erielle Davidson The Ukrainian government is investigating Burisma founder Mykola Zlochevsky, the head of the infamous gas company connected to Hunter Biden. Full article Under Obama, Democrat Witness Fiona Hill Argued Against Lethal Aid For Ukraine By Madeline Osburn Thursday’s impeachment witness, Fiona Hill, testified she worried about Trump withholding aid to Ukraine, but in 2015, she argued for the exact opposite policy. Full article Sean Davis: Anti-Trump Impeachment Theater Is ‘Watergate Cosplay’ For Democrats By The Federalist Staff Davis said the only thing he has learned from the House Intelligence Committee’s theater is how committed Democrats are to the farce of impeachment they have been pursuing for three years. Full article AS SOON AS IMPEACHMENT STARTED, PEOPLE HATED IT Poll: Support for impeachment inquiry ticks down. http://vlt.tc/3tfl “The survey, which has tracked support and opposition for the inquiry each week, found that support for the investigation inched down 2 points — to 48 percent from 50 percent — while opposition to the inquiry ticked up 3 points — to 45 percent from 42 percent. Read more of The Transom by signing up for a free trial today. follow on Twitter | friend on Facebook | forward to a friend Copyright © 2019 The Federalist, All rights reserved. unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences |
NATIONAL REVIEW
| November 22 2019 |
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The Road That Brought Conservatives and Republicans to This Point
Jim Geraghty
At some point in your development, probably in your younger
years, you stepped into the world of politics out of curiosity and it
lit something within you. While lots of your peers found it boring, you
started to feel like it was a grand crusade in the best sense. You had a
set of values you believed in, ideas you wanted to defend, and policies
you wanted to enact — you grew to believe that in some way, nothing
less than the fate of the country is at stake. We’re lucky to be born or
to become Americans, but this country can be greater. We can solve our
problems. And you — little, humble, never expected to amount to much,
you — can be a part in this grand effort to make the country a better
place. You found something bigger than yourself to believe in, and
suddenly, everything had a clear purpose. You have a mission.
And you had heroes! Depending upon your age, they likely included
William F. Buckley, Barry Goldwater, Ronald Reagan, Margaret Thatcher,
John Paul II, Jeanne Kirkpatrick, maybe Newt Gingrich or Jack Kemp, or
plenty of others. You found leaders you thought were smart, wise, and
farsighted. When they spoke, they filled you to the brim with confidence
…
Read More
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Top Stories
Democratic Hopefuls Refuse to Compromise on Abortion
Alexandra DeSanctis
The latest presidential debate showed how willing
Democratic politicians are to alienate all but the most dedicated
supporters of abortion access.
Opponents of ‘Unfettered Capitalism’ Are Fighting a Phantom
Jonah Goldberg
People advocate unfettered government to fight an enemy, unfettered capitalism, that doesn’t exist.
U.S. Military Investigating TikTok’s Collection of User Data
Zachary Evans
There
have also concerns TikTok censors content according to Chinese
government directives. Hong Kong protest videos, for example, are hard
to find.
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Every Pennsylvania Student Deserves a Shot at a Great Education
Dave Hardy and Charles Mitchell
Pennsylvanians should speak out in support of
school-choice options that help students escape schools where they are
trapped in a cycle of failure or violence.
On the Indestructibility of Tina Turner
Kyle Smith
Mapping out her rise, fall, and rise makes for an
engaging, frequently emotionally powerful, evening. Her resilience,
combined with the extravagantly entertaining performance of the actress
playing her, Adrienne Warren, more than makes up for the mediocrity of
some of the songs.
Ford v Ferrari Makes Race-Car Movies Great Again
Armond White
These days, Hollywood rarely takes notice of masculine, national
competition without demeaning it. “Ford v Ferrari” is a period film.
When it concentrates on aspects of American exceptionalism — the
personal appreciation of how America once thought itself great — it
reminds viewers of what pundits and anti-American politicians would have
us forget.
The Impeachment Hearings Have Been Useless
David Harsanyi
Democrats have spent the majority of their
impeachment hearings persuading voters that bureaucrats believe Trump is
impulsive, self-serving, and misguided.
U.S. Indicts Chinese National Who Allegedly Stole Farming Software from Employer
Zachary Evans
Haitao
Xiang, an ex-employee of Monsanto, attempted to board a flight to China
with proprietary farming software in 2017 before he was stopped by
officials.
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What NR Is Reading
Ghost: My Thirty Years as an FBI Undercover Agent
Michael R. McGowan & Ralph Pezzullo
“An excellent look into the murky world of Undercover. McGowan proves to be one of the top UCAs in the FBI. A must read.” — Joseph Pistone, aka Donnie Brasco LEARN MORE Photo Essays LA Auto Show Giant Pandas ADVERTISEMENT Follow Us & Share 19 West 44th Street, Suite 1701, New York, NY, 10036, USA Your Preferences | Unsubscribe | Privacy View this e-mail in your browser. |
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THE WASHINGTON POST MORNING MIX
| Sign up for this newsletter Read online Stories from all over. (Dia Dipasupil/AFP/Getty Images) Shepard Smith, a Trump target, blasts ‘vilification’ of journalists in his first post-Fox News speech The longtime anchor did not mention President Trump by name, but criticized “autocrats,” who “flood the world of information with garbage and lies masquerading as news.” By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » When a deep red town’s only grocery closed, city hall opened its own store. Just don’t call it ‘socialism.’ The Baldwin Market is indistinguishable from any other small-town grocery store, but all of its eight employees are on the municipal payroll, from the butcher to the cashiers. Workers from the town’s maintenance department take breaks from cutting grass to help unload deliveries, and residents have taken to flagging down the mayor when they want to request a specific type of milk. By Antonia Farzan ● Read more » ‘You can’t consent to your own murder’: Jury rejects rough sex defense in backpacker’s death The three-week trial, which hinged on the question of whether Grace Millane was deliberately slain or if her death was a tragic accident that occurred during a night of rough sex, prompted intense reactions from people who objected to the focus on the victim’s sexual history and the sensational tabloid stories that ensued. By Antonia Farzan ● Read more » A courtroom love story: Gang member’s conviction tossed after juror sought to marry prosecution’s witness An alleged gang member’s attempted murder trial brought together a juror and a witness for the prosecution — who fell in love, tried to get married and have now derailed the alleged gang member’s case. By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT Vegan students complained about a painting of dead animals in their dining hall. The college took it down. Frans Snyders’ “The Fowl Market” has been moved from a dining hall at Cambridge University to an on-campus museum. By Teo Armus ● Read more » ‘Your product is defective’: Sacha Baron Cohen slams Facebook for allowing hate speech At a speech during the Anti-Defamation League’s Thursday night summit on anti-Semitism, actor Sacha Baron Cohen ripped into Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for allowing Holocaust denial and hate speech to permeate his social media platform. By Katie Shepherd ● Read more » A Craigslist post advertised a black teen as a ‘Slave for sale.’ His classmate has been charged with a hate crime. Authorities in Naperville, Ill., allege that a high school freshman was responsible for the post, which has been condemned as “despicable and extremely offensive.” By Allyson Chiu ● Read more » ADVERTISEMENT After helping migrants in the Arizona desert, an activist was charged with a felony. Now, he’s been acquitted. Prosecutors had accused Scott Warren of illegally harboring two Central Americans at a camp in southern Arizona. By Teo Armus ● Read more » A prosecutor was accidentally shot to death in court, authorities say. The gun was a piece of evidence. Colleagues were flabbergasted as to why police did not check to make sure the gun wasn’t loaded. By Meagan Flynn ● Read more » ‘Like the 1800s again in 2019’: AMC fires 3 employees accused of racially profiling black women during ‘Harriet’ A manager abruptly turned on all the lights in the theater and stopped the film in order to confront members of an African American women’s empowerment group, who were repeatedly questioned about whether they had tickets. By Antonia Farzan ● Read more » A Coast Guardsman is charged with killing his ‘best’ friend. But Snapchat videos prove he tried to save him, his attorney says. After three young Coast Guard seamen went out for a drink on a frigid January morning, one never came home. The attorney of one of the guardsmen now says that new evidence shows his client fought to save his friend. By Katie Shepherd ● Read more » We think you’ll like this newsletter Check out Plant Powered by Voraciously for our 12-week guide to cooking more plant-forward meals. Recipes, techniques and tips on Tuesdays. Sign up » |
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CHICAGO TRIBUNE
| View In BrowserNovember 22, 2019chicagotribune.comDaywatch1Starved Rock killer Chester Weger, convicted in an infamous 1960 murder case, is granted paroleFRIDAY, NOV 22Months before the 60th anniversary of the Starved Rock State Park murders, in which three suburban Chicago women were killed during a daytime hike, the man long imprisoned for the haunting crime has finally won his parole.“I’m
happy,” one of llinois’ longest-serving inmates said in a soft voice.
“I’m happy just to get out, you know. … Tell everybody I said thank
you.”On March 14 1960, three Chicago-area women set out for a hike at Starved Rock State Park near Utica, Ill. They never returned. Here’s a look back at their case and the man who was convicted of the crime. 2North
Shore swimmer Conor Dwyer, aiming to qualify for his 3rd Olympics,
sought treatment to get his ‘mojo’ back. Then he was accused of doping.FRIDAY, NOV 22After
two Olympics, four world championship meets and a slew of international
medals, Winnetka-reared swimmer Conor Dwyer was still near the top of
his sport last year, notching times that ranked him among the fastest
Americans in the pool.Out of the water, it was a different story. And
the way that strange tale unfolded is chronicled in an arbitration
panel’s decision released last month that resolved a case brought
against Dwyer by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. 3Chicago Catholics grieve parish closings as archdiocese says consolidation is a springboard for renewalFRIDAY, NOV 22The
Archdiocese of Chicago announced that 15 parishes would be consolidated
into six new parishes, in what was the latest fallout from the
diocese’s sweeping reorganization of its religious landscape, dubbed Renew My Church.From Ravenswood to Little Village to the Hegewisch neighborhood, the recent closures are sending shock waves throughout the Catholic community in Cook and Lake counties as churches are effectively shuttered, and the number of parishes declines. 4Please click here for the rest of today’s DaywatchFRIDAY, NOV 22Apologies
to our readers, technical difficulties this morning are preventing us
from putting the entire Daywatch briefing in this email. Please click here for the full briefing. Have a fantastic Friday and weekend.advertisement Unsubscribe | Newsletters | Privacy Policy | Terms of ServiceCopyright © 2019 | Chicago Tribune | 160 N. Stetson Ave., Third Floor, Chicago, IL 60601ABOUT THIS EMAIL You received this email because you are following the Daywatch newsletter. |