ROSIE O'DONNELL CARTOONS

Sessions: Sanctuary city Chicago's hostility to law-enforcement protection 'astounding'

Attorney General Jeff Sessions fired back Monday at the lawsuit filed by the city of Chicago over the Justice Department’s threat to withhold federal money from so-called sanctuary cities, saying “no amount” of money will help a city that won’t help its own residents.

“This administration is committed to the rule of law and to enforcing the laws established by Congress. To a degree perhaps unsurpassed by any other jurisdiction, the political leadership of Chicago has chosen deliberately and intentionally to adopt a policy that obstructs this country’s lawful immigration system,” Sessions said in a statement.

The city filed its suit over the Justice Department's threat to withhold Byrne grants for law enforcement groups from sanctuary cities. The city’s mayor, Rahm Emanuel, likened this to “blackmail.”
“Chicago will not be blackmailed into changing our values, and we are and will remain a welcoming city,” Emanuel said. “The federal government should be working with cities to provide necessary resources to improve public safety, not concocting new schemes to reduce our crime-fighting resources.”
Sessions said the city of Chicago has chosen to protect “criminal aliens who prey on their own residents” instead of enforcing laws meant to protect law enforcement.
The attorney general called the “open hostility” against protecting law enforcement -- while protecting criminal aliens -- “astounding” given the influx of Chicago’s violence crime.
“The city’s leaders cannot follow some laws and ignore others and reasonably expect this horrific situation to improve,” Sessions continued.
The grants, named for former New York City police officer Edward Byrne, who was murdered in 1988, would provide $3.2 million to Chicago, to be used for police vehicles. Funding from the grant is a small fraction of the city's budget.
A requirement added to the grants would force local jurisdictions to report to federal officials of the release of illegal immigrants from police custody at least 48 hours in advance, which Emanuel said would violate citizens’ “fundamental rights.”
CRIME-RIDDEN CHICAGO SUES DOJ OVER SANCTUARY CITIES
Emanuel “complains that the federal government’s focus on enforcing the law would require a ‘reordering of law enforcement practice in Chicago,’” Sessions said. “But that’s just what Chicago needs: a recommitment to the rule of law and to policies that rollback the culture of lawlessness that has beset the city.”
“Chicago will not let our police officers become political pawns in a debate,” Emanuel said. “Chicago will not let our residents have their fundamental rights isolated and violated. And Chicago will never relinquish our status as a welcoming city.”
DOJ THREATENS TO WITHHOLD CRIME-FIGHTS FUNDS FROM FOUR SANCTUARY CITIES
Emanual said he did not think Chicago would be the last sanctuary city to file a lawsuit of this nature. Other cities the DOJ contacted about withholding funds of this nature include Baltimore, Albuquerque, N.M., and Stockton and San Bernardino, Calif.
“This administration will not simply give away grant dollars to city governments that proudly violate the rule of law and protect criminal aliens at the expense of public safety,” Sessions concluded. “So it’s this simple: Comply with the law or forego taxpayer dollars.”

Democrats divided over whether party should welcome pro-life candidates

Paul Spencer is the kind of candidate that Democrats need if they hope to retake the House in 2018.

He's lived in Arkansas's 2nd District for 18 years. He dislikes big money in politics. In a congressional campaign ad, he touts how, "I'm a teacher and a farmer, and I know firsthand the struggles that so many of our working people face."

There’s just one problem: Spencer is pro-life. It’s a belief that has him hovering dangerously over a widening chasm in his party.
Last week, Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee Chairman Ben Ray Lujan provoked the ire of many progressives when he urged the Democrats to court pro-life candidates if they are to have any hope of retaking the 24 House seats they need for a majority.
PROGRESSIVES CLASH WITH WASHINGTON DEMS OVER CANDIDATES' ABORTION STANCE
"There is not a litmus test for Democratic candidates," Lujan told The Hill.
His plea met with an instant rebuke from progressives. Fourteen groups – from the National Abortion Rights Action League to Move-On Political Action to Emily's List to The Daily Kos – issued a Statement of Principles which read, in part: "policies that limit access to abortion and force medically unnecessary procedures are oppressive to women, especially low-income women and women of color."
"The problem is they have this ideological purity at the top where you can't oppose any abortion at any time along the continuum," says Marjorie Dannenfelser of the conservative Susan B Anthony List. "At the same time, a third of Democrats identity as pro-life according to Gallup."
Some say opposing all pro-life candidates will not help the Democrats.
HUCKABEE: DEMOCRATS HAVE BECOME THE PARTY OF PRO-ABORTION
"Their strategy is hurting the party," says Kristen Day of Democrats for Life of America. "Being told I don't belong in the Democratic Party. You can't be a Democrat if you’re pro-life, and I can't be pro-life cause I'm a Democrat."
Spencer, the House candidate, is trying to circumvent the divide.
"I’ve already informed the Democratic Party here in Little Rock that I don't want to receive any of their money," he said. "I welcome their support and their advice but I don't wish for their money. And the DCCC, in Washington, I've already had that discussion with them as well."
The Democratic Party, meanwhile, is trying to straddle the line. A new program, called "A Better Deal," avoids any mention of abortion rights.
ROSIE O'DONNELL: WOMEN SHOULD FORM THEIR OWN PARTY IF DEMOCRATS DON'T DEFEND ABORTION RIGHTS
And while House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi appeared to welcome pro-life candidates in a May interview with the Washington Post, last week she retreated to a familiar position.
"I respect a woman's right to choose," she told reporters at her weekly press conference.
The rift may be widening. After Lujan's call to welcome pro-life candidates into the Democratic fold, actress and party activist, Rose O’Donnell tweeted: "Women should form their own party if Dems do this."

China says willing to pay the price for new North Korea sanctions

U.S. State Secretary Rex Tillerson, left, passes by the table of Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi at the start of the 7th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers' Meeting and its dialogue partners as part of the 50th ASEAN Ministerial Meetings in Manila, Philippines August 7, 2017. REUTERS/Aaron Favila/Pool

BEIJING (Reuters) – China will pay the biggest price from the new United Nations sanctions against North Korea because of its close economic relationship with the country, but will always enforce the resolutions, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said.
The United Nations Security Council unanimously imposed new sanctions on North Korea on Saturday that could slash its $3 billion annual export revenue by a third.
Speaking at a regional security forum in Manila on Monday, Wang said the new resolution showed China and the international community’s opposition to North Korea’s continued missile tests, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Owing to China’s traditional economic ties with North Korea, it will mainly be China paying the price for implementing the resolution,” the statement cited Wang as saying. 　　
“But in order to protect the international non-proliferation system and regional peace and stability, China will as before fully and strictly properly implement the entire contents of the relevant resolution.”
China has repeatedly said it is committed to enforcing increasingly tough U.N. resolutions on North Korea, though it has also said what it terms “normal” trade and ordinary North Koreans should not be affected.
The latest U.N. resolution bans North Korean exports of coal, iron, iron ore, lead, lead ore and seafood. It also prohibits countries from increasing the numbers of North Korean laborers currently working abroad, bans new joint ventures with North Korea and any new investment in current joint ventures.
DOOR TO DISCUSSIONS?
Wang said that apart from the new sanctions, the resolution also made clear that the six party talks process, a stalled dialogue mechanism with North Korea that also includes Russia and Japan, should be restarted.
China appreciated comments earlier this month by U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that the United States does not seek to topple the North Korean government and would like dialogue with Pyongyang at some point, Wang added.
The United States does not seek regime change, the collapse of the regime, an accelerated reunification of the peninsula or an excuse to send the U.S. military into North Korea, Tillerson said.
Wang said Tillerson’s “Four Nos” promise was a positive signal.
China “hopes North Korea can echo this signal from the United States”, Wang added.
Speaking at the same forum on Monday, Tillerson held a door open for dialogue with North Korea saying Washington was willing to talk to Pyongyang if it halted a series of recent missile test launches.
North Korea said the latest sanctions infringed its sovereignty and it was ready to give Washington a “severe lesson” with its strategic nuclear force in response to any U.S. military action.
The successful testing of two intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBMs) last month suggested the reclusive North was making technical progress, Japan’s annual Defence White Paper warned.
“Since last year, when it forcibly implemented two nuclear tests and more than 20 ballistic missile launches, the security threats have entered a new stage,” the Japanese Defence Ministry said in the 563-page document released on Tuesday.
“It is conceivable that North Korea’s nuclear weapons program has already considerably advanced and it is possible that North Korea has already achieved the miniaturization of nuclear weapons and has acquired nuclear warheads,” it said.
South Korea reiterated further resolutions against Pyongyang could follow if it did not pull back.
“North Korea should realise if it doesn’t stop its nuclear, missile provocations it will face even stronger pressure and sanctions,” Defence Ministry spokesman Moon Sang-gyun told a regular news briefing. “We warn North Korea not to test or misunderstand the will of the South Korea-U.S. alliance.”

Renovations Underway at the WH as Pres. Trump Spends Time in N.J.

President Donald Trump salutes after walking down the steps of Air Force One with his grandchildren, Arabella Kushner, center, and Joseph Kushner, right, after arriving at Morristown Municipal Airport to begin his summer vacation at his Bedminster golf club, Friday, Aug. 4, 2017, in Morristown, N.J. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


President Trump is golfing and working from his Bedminster, New Jersey resort as renovations are underway at the White House.
The President left Friday for a 17 day working vacation.
While he’s gone, his home in the nation’s capital is getting redone.
According to White House officials, the repairs are on going focus on the HVAC system, the Navy Mess Kitchen and the South Portico entrance.
In addition, the lower and upper press areas are being redone and the Oval office is being restored.
Workers at the White House tell One America News they will be ‘working day and night’ to complete most of the projects before President Trump returns.
The renovations come after accusations that President Trump spoke poorly about the White House to members of his golf resort.
President Trump denied making those comments earlier this month in a Tweet.
“I love the White House, one of the most beautiful buildings (homes) I have ever seen. But Fake News said I called it a dump – TOTALLY UNTRUE,” President Trump tweeted.
President Trump continues to be active on Twitter from his Bedminster resort, where he is expected a number of meetings before returning to Washington.