Hillary is toast: Scandals finally catch up with Clintons

Imagine: even the New York Times’ Ross Douthat now thinks that Bill Clinton should have stepped down over the Monica Lewinsky affair. Douthat’s mea culpa op-ed in this past weekend’s paper, in which he confesses that he and others may have been wrong to dismiss Bill Clinton’s indefensible behavior, will serve as the official political obituary for Clinton, Inc.

Hillary Clinton is done, finished, kaput. Dogged by scandals old and new, out of step politically, her excess baggage has morphed into an entire baggage train, dragging her towards political oblivion. While it is refreshing to consider the landscape unadorned by Clintons, Republicans will miss her. Only Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have contributed as generously to GOP fund-raising efforts in recent years, or so energized voters.

Mrs. Clinton is finally being held to account, at least in the court of public opinion, where it may matter most. As charges of sexual aggression swirl around prominent figures on the left and right, Bill Clinton’s gross and possibly criminal behavior is getting a second look. New York’s junior Senator Kirsten Gillibrand took the revisionism to a whole new level when she told the New York Times that President Clinton should have stepped down when his sexual relationship with 22-year old staffer Monica Lewinsky came to light.
Though Gillibrand later tried to soften the blow by putting her statement in a modern context, the damage was done. Bill Clinton’s affairs and sexual aggression are now fair game, at a time when the country is outraged over such activities. Many have long considered Hillary’s defense of her husband hypocritical in the extreme. Even as she postured as a champion of women’s rights, she tossed Lewinsky, Juanita Broaddrick (who accused Clinton of rape), Kathleen Willey and Paula Jones under the bus.  These women accused Hillary of trying to intimidate them into silence. As recently as last year, Broaddrick broke down in tears as she recounted her 1978 ordeal. It would be hard to muster that emotion if the story were bogus.

Bill Clinton’s affairs and sexual aggression are now fair game, at a time when the country is outraged over such activities.

It is high time Bill Clinton’s misdeeds and Hillary’s defense of them received bipartisan condemnation. Gillibrand broke that sound barrier. Others have piled on, including Clinton-friendly pundits and apparatchiks like David Rothkopf, MSNBC’s Chris Hayes, and Michelle Goldberg. Liberal screed and former staffer at the Center for American Progress Matthew Iglesias wrote on Vox recently, “I think we got it wrong”, saying that defending Mr. Clinton was a mistake. 
Meanwhile, there are increasing calls for a special counsel to investigate accusations that Hillary sold out the country by green-lighting the sale of Uranium One to a Russian state-linked entity, in return for cash donated to the Clinton Foundation and to Bill directly. Mrs. Clinton is in a precarious position here; as she becomes more assertive in blaming her election loss on Moscow’s intervention, she has called for ever-widening scrutiny of all things Russian. This is a risky gambit for Mrs. Clinton; comparisons between actual payments made to Clinton, Inc. and smoky speculation about “collusion” between the Trump campaign and Russia do not favor the former First Lady.
The Russia probe has also unearthed revelations that Hillary’s campaign shelled out millions of dollars to finance the infamous “Trump dossier,” which fed speculation about the president’s ties to Russia and how Moscow might have influenced the election. In other words, the Clinton team paid for a hit job on Trump that has been widely discredited but that ultimately led to the appointment of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and the ever-expanding investigation that Democrats hope will bring down a duly elected president. It is a shocking chain of events, and one that has been extraordinarily damaging to the country.
Nonetheless, Hillary continues to tour the country, claiming with ever-greater vehemence that Russia undermined her campaign and put Donald Trump in the White House. That’s when she’s not blaming misogyny, the media, the DNC, Bernie Sanders, President Obama, James Comey and a host of others whom she considers responsible. Her tour is an embarrassment, not only for its content, but because it is yet another example of the never-ending Clinton lust for cash. She has been selling “VIP” tickets for nearly $1,200; you would think she might treat her loyal supporters to a freebie, after they doled out billions only to see her lose. The good news: plenty of websites are advertising tickets at 50 percent off.
Those steadfast supporters need some good news. Donna Brazile’s revelations that Hillary effected a clandestine takeover of the Democratic National Committee almost a year before the election, and made sure that the supposedly neutral organization pushed the nomination in her direction was salt in the wound.  Aside from the shocking disclosures, Brazile’s break with Clinton, Inc. is a sure sign that Hillary and Bill’s dominance of Democratic politics, nurtured by an incomparable fundraising behemoth, is coming to an end.
Not that they have yet ceded the floor. Last May Hillary and former DNC Chair Howard Dean launched Onward Together, a PAC established to fund groups dedicated to “encouraging people to organize, get involved and run for office.” Presumably Hillary tapped Dean for credibility in sponsoring the “progressive values” the PAC’s website claims. The Daily Caller has reported that six months in, Onward Together seems mainly intent on fundraising, with scant evidence that its revenues are being distributed to other organizations. 
With the Clintons, it has always been about the money. Onward Together will be a test. If the millions roll in, the Clintons will remain a force to be reckoned with. If not, they will fade into political obscurity. Already, monies flowing into the now-tainted Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation have tumbled – down 42 percent in 2016 on top of a 37 percent drop the year before.
It’s also about the politics. Democrats have moved far to the left of Bill and Hillary. Worse for the Clintons, they are moving on.
Liz Peek is a writer who contributes frequently to FoxNews.com. She is a financial columnist who also writes for The Fiscal Times. For more visit LizPeek.com. Follow her on Twitter@LizPeek.

Border Patrol agent appeared to be ambushed by illegal immigrants, bashed with rocks before death

Illegal immigrants appeared to have “ambushed” two U.S. Border Patrol agents near the Texas border with Mexico and bashed their heads with blunt objects -- possibly rocks -- killing one agent and sending another to a hospital in serious condition Sunday, a National Border Patrol Council (NBPC) official told Fox News.

Rogelio Martinez, 36, was killed and another agent, who has not been identified, was injured while they were patrolling the Big Bend Sector, leading authorities to scour West Texas for the attackers, officials said. Although few details about the incident have been released, Brandon Judd, the president of the NBPC, told Fox News on Monday it appeared Martinez and the second agent were “ambushed” by a group of illegal immigrants.

“We don’t know exactly what happened because we weren’t there. However, just from agents that were working in the area, reports are saying it was an attack and it would appear to be an ambush,” Judd said.
He added: “There’s a high likelihood this was an assault on the agents.”

Rogelio Martinez, 36, was killed while patrolling the Big Bend Sector in Texas.  (Facebook)

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott has offered a reward of up to $20,000 "for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible" for the attack.
Judd said Martinez died of blunt force trauma to the head, indicating the attackers most likely used a rock or rocks during the assault. The second agent also suffered blunt force trauma to the head. The area surrounding where the attack occurred also indicated rocks were likely used as weapons. An FBI official also said that, counter to initial reports, neither agent was shot.
“There were no indications the agents fired their weapons,” Judd said, citing accounts he received from agents who responded to the incident. He also said there were no signs of a stabbing.

“There’s a high likelihood this was an assault on the agents.”

Martinez was notified there was illegal immigrant traffic in the area while the agents were patrolling near Interstate 10, in the Van Horn Station area, according to Judd. He began following “footprints” on a trail when the attack occurred. U.S. Customs and Border Protection said in a news release that Martinez's partner made the initial call for help and reported they were injured and needed assistance.
Judd said details remained foggy on what led to the ambush and the FBI was investigating the incident.
Judd did not further comment on the second agent’s condition.
Martinez was from El Paso and had worked as a border agent since August 2013, assigned to the Big Bend Sector. He was also a father and brother, KFOX14 reported.
Border Patrol records showed the agency's Big Bend sector, which includes the area where Sunday's attack took place, accounted for about 1 percent of the more than 61,000 apprehensions its agents made along the Southwest border between October 2016 and May 2017. The region's mountains make it a difficult area for people to cross illegally into the U.S. from Mexico.
The Border Patrol website lists 38 agents, not including Martinez, who have died since late 2003 — some attacked while working along the border and others killed in traffic accidents. Martinez is the second agent to have died this year.
President Trump tweeted Sunday night: "Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall!"

Trump crackdown on sanctuary cities permanently blocked by federal judge

U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick

A federal judge in California on Monday permanently blocked President Trump’s executive order to withhold federal funding from sanctuary cities that do not cooperate with U.S. immigration authorities.

U.S. District Court Judge William Orrick ruled that the White House does not have the authority to impose new conditions on spending already approved by Congress.

“The Counties have demonstrated that the Executive Order has caused and will cause them constitutional injuries by violating the separation of powers doctrine and depriving them of their Tenth and Fifth Amendment rights,” the judge wrote in his order.
The latest decision is in line with the argument Orrick made in April that temporarily halted the administration’s attempt to crack down on sanctuary cities, prompting an appeal.
Trump has campaigned on ending sanctuary cities. He issued an executive order that called on cutting federal funds from cities as a penalty for shielding illegal immigrants.
"The District Court exceeded its authority today when it barred the President from instructing his cabinet members to enforce existing law," a  Department of Justice spokesman said in a statement. "The Justice Department will vindicate the President's lawful authority to direct the executive branch."
The judge’s ruling on Monday came after two California counties, San Francisco and Santa Clara, filed lawsuits against the Trump administration.
"President Trump might be able to tweet whatever comes to mind, but he can't grant himself new authority because he feels like it," San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera said in a statement, adding that the ruling was “a victory for the American people and the rule of law.”
A DOJ lawyer argued in April that the initiative would only apply to a few federal grants, barely affecting the funding in the two counties that filed the lawsuits.
But the judge disagreed, saying the order was written vaguely and could “reach all federal grants” – potentially leading to cutbacks of millions of dollars to Santa Clara and San Francisco.

George Soros not funny Cartoons

Soros-tied donor network to ramp up efforts to elect left-wing prosecutors

Enemy of America.

The Democracy Alliance, a secretive leftwing dark money donor network whose members each direct hundreds of thousands in funding to progressive groups, are set to ramp up efforts to elect far-left prosecutors across the nation, according to documents obtained by the Washington Free Beacon.
The documents, which were gathered from the Democracy Alliance's three-day fall investment conference last week at the posh La Costa Resort in Carlsbad, Calif., show that electing ultra-progressive prosecutors in cities across the country is of high importance to the deep-pocketed donors as part of their "resistance" efforts and 2018 strategy.
Closed events were held at the summit on issues ranging from using the state of California as a progressive template to expand elsewhere, to the "importance of prosecutor races."
"Progressive prosecutors are winning—from Florida to Pennsylvania, Texas to Illinois," a flier for a session reads. "Bold reform candidates have been propelled by movement players and driven record voter turnout of African Americans, Latinos, and Millennials—and are shifting the political narrative."
Liberal billionaire George Soros, a cofounder of the Democracy Alliance, was listed as a host for the event which shared an "early peek at more than 30 hot races" that overlap in key 2018 battlegrounds.

Herschel Walker takes stand against national anthem protests

Herschel Walker

 

Herschel Walker, the ex-NFL luminary, is firing on all cylinders for America’s military heroes and first responders — hot on the heels of his recent criticism of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell for not quelling the national anthem protests.
Walker’s latest patriotic fervor comes with a super prize for a hero of the US uniformed and emergency services: a free customized, hand-painted, American-made 2018 Chevrolet Silverado 1500, worth $80,000.
“I absolutely think the protests are so upsetting, and I blame the commissioner,” he said.
“I know people are going to be angry when I say it, but he should have stopped the protests at the very beginning.”
The Heisman Trophy winner doesn’t beat around the bush. “Guys, let me tell you this,” he said. “Our flag is very special, and black lives matter, but what we should do is go to Washington after the season and protest there instead. We have young men and women fighting for the flag. And we have to respect the White House.”

Does your gas and electricity cost too much? You can thank liberals for that

Every year, Americans spend about $750 billion dollars for gasoline and electricity—about 4 percent of the economy—with roughly equal amounts spent to fuel vehicles vs. keeping the lights on and running our factories.
Where you live significantly affects how much you pay for these basic energy commodities.
Excepting Alaska and Hawaii due to their unique supply challenges, the highest gasoline prices in the nation this week were found in California—$3.23 per gallon. California also has the nation’s highest gas tax at $0.53 per gallon. The least expensive gasoline in the nation is found in Alabama at $2.27 per gallon. Alabama’s gas tax ranks 38^th in the nation at $0.21 per gallon.
However, gasoline prices are more than the sum of supply and demand and fuel taxes. Regulations and corporate taxes also play a big role in determining refinery operating costs as well as expenses throughout the entire supply chain. This manifests itself in the final price to consumers.

Retail electricity prices also vary significantly from state-to-state. For instance, Louisiana had the lowest overall electric rates from 2015 to 2016, powered by inexpensive and abundant natural gas, at 7.53 cents per kilowatt-hour. At 7.55 cents per kilowatt-hour, Washington State was close behind with its large production of low cost hydropower. At the other end of the scale was Connecticut, with an overall retail electric price of 17.52 cents per kilowatt-hour, more than double the price in Louisiana.
Looking at both gasoline and electric prices for the 48-contiguous states and weighting each the same shows that Louisiana and Oklahoma have the nation’s lowest prices for these two essential energy staples. Louisiana’s combined gasoline and electricity prices were 37 percent below the national average while Oklahoma enjoyed a discount of 33 percent below the national average.
Paying the most for electricity and gasoline were Connecticut and California, at 76 percent and 75 percent above the national average, respectively.
With retail electric sales of $381 billion in 2016 and some 143 billion gallons of gasoline sold the same year, the additional costs or savings adds up to tens of billions of dollars, depending on the state and its tax and regulatory policies.
The American Conservative Union (ACU) analyzes the votes of state legislatures across the nation and compiles a useful state ranking, showing the adherence to conservative principles in each statehouse annually.
The decisive test for policy is how it benefits people. Conservatives believe that lower taxes, less regulation and more liberty leads to human flourishing. Liberals believe that bureaucrats and lawmakers should make many basic decisions, instead of responsible individuals.
Since electric and gasoline prices are easily measured, it is possible to compare these energy costs to state policy. The connection between political principles and energy costs is readily apparent.
Excluding Alaska and Hawaii, the ACU rated 30 state legislatures as casting conservative leaning votes in the legislative sessions from 2014 to 2017. Of these 30 states, with elected state representatives committed to liberty, lower taxes and less regulation, 26 enjoyed combined gasoline and electricity prices below the national average.
Of the remaining 18 liberal-leaning states, 10 of them had above average costs at the gas pump and on the electric bill.
The correlation between these two measures, public policy and energy costs, was high with a coefficient of determination or “R squared” of 0.51, meaning that the philosophy of elected state representatives has a strong predictive link to energy prices in a state.
The next time somebody tries to tell you that “There’s not a dime’s worth of difference” between the parties, ask them how much they paid to fill their gas tank and keep the lights on.

Border agent killed, another injured during ‘attack’ near Texas southern border

Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36

Murky details surround the apparent ambush attack that killed one U.S. Border Patrol agent and injured another, as initial reports the agents were shot were denied by the FBI, which had taken over the hunt for the killers.

Agent Rogelio Martinez, 36, was killed in the line of duty Sunday while patrolling the Big Bend Sector of Texas along the southern border with Mexico, and his partner, who was not identified, sustained serious injuries.

"They were not fired upon," said Jeanette Harper of the FBI's El Paso office. "There are so many different agencies working together that we need to come together and develop a timeline."
Martinez, 36, died of injuries sustained while responding to “activity” near Interstate 10 in the Van Horn Station area, according to a news release from U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Martinez, who was from El Paso, had worked as a border agent since August 2013.
Martinez was on Interstate 10 near Mile Marker 151 when the incident occurred, KFOX14 reported. At some point, Martinez's partner called for help, saying he and Martinez had both been injured, investigators told KFOX14.
TRUMP'S BORDER WALL: A LOOK AT THE NUMBERS
President Trump pushed the need for his proposed U.S.-Mexico border wall Sunday night following the incident, tweeting: "Border Patrol Officer killed at Southern Border, another badly hurt. We will seek out and bring to justice those responsible. We will, and must, build the Wall!"
Elaine Duke, the acting secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, released a statement Sunday calling Martinez’s death a “tragic event.”
“Earlier this morning, I was notified that Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez died as a result of serious injuries suffered while on patrol in the Big Bend Sector of our southern border in Texas. Agent Martinez was responding to activity while on patrol with another agent, who was also seriously injured,” the statement read.
Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, also released a statement calling the attack a “stark reminder of the ongoing threat that an unsecure border poses to the safety of our communities and those charged with defending them.”
“Our condolences and prayers go out to the family and friends of Border Patrol Agent Rogelio Martinez, who was killed this morning in the line of duty. We are also praying for the full recovery of his partner, who was also attacked,” Cruz said.
FIRST FEMALE BORDER PATROL CHIEF SAYS AGENTS ARE EMPOWERED TO 'ENFORCE THE LAWS' UNDER TRUMP
Border Patrol records show that Big Bend accounted for about 1 percent of the more than 61,000 apprehensions agents made along the Southwest border between October 2016 and May 2017.
The region's mountains and the Rio Grande make it a difficult area for people to cross illegally into the U.S. from Mexico.
The Border Patrol website lists 38 agents who have died since late 2003, some attacked while working along the border, and other fatalities in traffic accidents. It lists one other agent death in the line of duty this year.

Sleep Cartoons

Moore, Franken, creepy Biden and other horrendous media fiascos

Man's Man, NO?

Senator Al Franken (D., Minn.) apologizes to radio broadcaster Leann Tweeden who claims that he forcefully kissed her while rehearsing a skit and groped her while she was asleep on a plane during a U.S.O. trip in 2006 before he took public office. Here are the shocking allegations.

The Roy Moore story was going exactly the way the left and the media wanted. Every day brought new allegations against the Republican U.S. Senate candidate in Alabama, followed by new controversy and further division within the GOP on a key election. Then something happened to flip the script – Sen. Al Franken, D-Minn.

Franken, a longtime comedian and “Saturday Night Live” regular before entering politics, had his former life come back to haunt him. KABC radio anchor Leeann Tweeden said Franken had assaulted her, kissing her aggressively during a USO Tour in 2006, and then groping her for a humiliating photo while she was asleep on a plane.

The two were in a skit together, written by Franken, where they were supposed to kiss. Tweeden said that Franken repeatedly insisted that they had to rehearse the kiss.
“We did the line leading up to the kiss and then he came at me, put his hand on the back of my head, mashed his lips against mine and aggressively stuck his tongue in my mouth,” Tweeden said.
The photo was worse, showing a sleeping Tweeden with Franken appearing to grope her breasts.
Franken issued a lame apology and then another more-detailed one. Suddenly, the tidal wave of sexual misconduct claims once more shifted toward the left.
Early in the day Thursday, some journalists downplayed Franken’s situation. CNN Chief Political Analyst Gloria Borger put a PR spin on the scandal saying: “This is scratching the surface. He was not a member of the Congress at the time this occurred. He was just a comedian.”
MSNBC’s Kasie Hunt tried to rationalize Franken’s behavior.  She said that Franken “took a picture, which his office now says was of a joke, that showed him potentially – not actually groping – but mock-groping her while she was asleep.”
ABC’s schlock-fest “The View” tried to move the story away from Franken and onto President Trump. “What about Trump, his people are saying that those women who accused him are liars!” Co-host Joy Behar told the audience. Interestingly, a photo of Franken allegedly grabbing Behar’s breast also surfaced, according to USA Today.
The story forced Roy Moore’s troubles off the lead spot on the evening news for all three broadcast networks. Two of them even discussed whether congressional investigations will cost Franken his job. As NBC anchor Lester Holt asked: “Will he be forced from the Senate?”
The result of all the sexual misconduct discussions may have undermined the dam holding back stories about sexual harassment and assault allegations against Bill Clinton. The New York Times ran a column from Michelle Goldberg stating clearly: “I Believe Juanita,” meaning Juanita Broderick, who accused Bill Clinton of raping her. And CNN host Jake Tapper noted the real issue with Bill Clinton’s accusers was how the “media treated those women poorly.”
2. Creepy Joe Biden: Former Vice President Joe Biden had some of the worst timing possible this week. The creepy-grabby Biden dropped promotion of his new book, “Promise Me, Dad: A Year of Hope, Hardship, and Purpose” to push his presidential hopes right in the midst of the sex harassment allegations. It highlighted how journalism has downplayed or completely ignored Biden’s creepy side for many years.
It didn’t take long for conservatives to float images and a video around showing all sorts of nausea-inducing Biden scenes. Even the HuffPost declared his candidacy bad news: “Joe Biden 2020 Is A Terrible Idea In A Post-Weinstein America.”
HuffPost Washington Bureau Chief Amanda Terkel said simply: “Biden is the wrong guy to bear the standard of any party purporting to speak for the victims of unaccountable power.” The lefty Daily Beast dropped a similar piece within minutes of the HuffPost, complete with a compilation of Biden’s creepier moments.
Strangely, New York Times cybersecurity reporter Nicole Perlroth defended Biden and called the allegations part of “a new alt-right fake news meme” depicting Biden as a “predator.”
3. Trump Hitting the Bottle … of Water: Donald Trump held a press conference this week to celebrate his foreign tour and the media obsessed about him drinking out of a bottle of water. This wasn’t just reminiscent of the media feeding frenzy over Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., it was further spurred by the senator.
NBC called it: “Trump’s ‘Water’-Gate” on screen. At least the network hasn’t called President Trump “Nixon” … yet. White House Correspondent Kristen Welker depicted it as “this awkward moment that lit up social media, the President pausing to take a sip of water.” MSNBC went gaga over the bottle. “Trump takes two water breaks in one speech,” it headlined a video.
The “CBS Evening News” spent 44 seconds on the story, mocking Trump’s speech, “that appeared for a time might run as long as the 12-day journey itself.”
4. Lefty Protest Gets Kaepernick “Citizen of the Year”: Name country singer Blake Shelton People’s Sexiest Man of 2017 and left-wing media go in an uproar. Pick out-of-work quarterback Colin Kaepernick as GQ’s “Citizen of the Year” and sane people look at you stupefied.
Kaepernick worked with the magazine to “reclaim the narrative of his protest.” So they photographed him in Harlem “intending to evoke the spirit of Muhammad Ali’s anti-Vietnam War protests.”
Former ESPN reporter Britt McHenry dared criticize the choice and suggest Houston Texans star J.J. Watt was a better pick for raising $37 million for hurricane relief. At the New York Daily News, Linda Stasi mocked McHenry as “the whitest woman on the planet” to defend “a true heroic modern-day civil rights fighter.”
Rolling Stone tried to depict the entire league’s current treatment of black quarterbacks as “problematic.” The magazine claimed the benching of Buffalo Bills starter Tyrod Taylor was handled unfairly. The article said that “if the NFL were completely fair, he'd also be making more than (Ravens quarterback Joe) Flacco.” Except prior to his injury, Flacco had an excellent playoff record and also won a Super Bowl. Taylor not so much.
5. Hurray For Hollywood: Even without the Franken allegations tarring a former favorite son, it was still a tough week for Tinseltown. “The Old Vic Theater in London has received a total of 20 allegations against Kevin Spacey since his first accuser came forward, all of them from men,” wrote The Daily Caller. Allegations also surfaced that star Sylvester Stallone had forced a then-16-year-old girl into a threesome, which he denies.
A new truTV documentary is attacking one of the most beloved shows on television – “The SImpsons.” The documentary, “The Problem with Apu,” debuts Nov. 19 and goes after the show for its portrayal of the Indian convenience store owner Apu. The character is even voiced by non-Indian actor Hank Azaria.
Former “Daily Show” host Jon Stewart told The New York Times that people who long for a more conservative culture “live in a nostalgic world.” His response to them? “Here’s what I would say: Tough s***.”

Trump calls Clinton 'biggest loser of all time' after she contests election loss

President Trump on Saturday criticized Hillary Clinton, the Democrat he defeated in the 2016 White House race, for her recent and repeated questioning of the election results.

“Crooked Hillary Clinton is the worst (and biggest) loser of all time,” Trump tweeted. “She just can’t stop, which is so good for the Republican Party. Hillary, get on with your life and give it another try in three years!”

The Republican president was likely responding to a Mother Jones interview published Friday in which Clinton questioned last year’s election results, amid evidence that Russia tried to influence the race outcome. She called for an independent commission to investigate the matter.
HILLARY CLINTON QUESTIONS 'LEGITIMACY' OF TRUMP'S VICTORY IN 2016 ELECTION
Russia’s disinformation campaign “wasn’t just influencing voters,” Clinton said in the interview. “It was determining the outcome.”
“I think it was one of the major contributors to the outcome,” she said. “Propaganda works. Advertising works. It’s a form of propaganda. So the Russians may have started out a little heavy-handed and clumsy about it, but they were clearly getting guided as to where to target a lot of their fraudulent claims and phony news.”
Special Counsel Robert Mueller is already leading a months-long Justice Department investigation into whether Trump associates colluded with Russia to influence the race.
And Congress is amid several investigations related to Russia meddle, which the U.S. intelligence community says in true but Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to deny.
Clinton, in the interview, also alleged voter suppression in the 2016 race, saying, “In a couple of places, most notably Wisconsin, I think it had a dramatic impact on the outcome.”

Community organizer elected New Orleans' first woman mayor

Community organizer like Obama?

LaToya Cantrell, a liberal community organizer whose political career began as she helped her storm-ravaged neighborhood recover from Hurricane Katrina, was decisively elected the first woman mayor of New Orleans in a historic win Saturday.

The 45-year-old Democrat, who currently serves on the City Council, will succeed term-limited fellow Democrat Mitch Landrieu as the city celebrates its 300th anniversary next year.

"Almost 300 years, my friends. And New Orleans, we're still making history," Cantrell told a cheering crowd in her victory speech.
Cantrell, who grew up in Los Angeles, also became the first non-native to be elected mayor in New Orleans in recent history -- and perhaps since the city's inception, according to Brian Brox, a political science professor at Tulane University.
Display nothing; This is on Publish with no configured Image She won support from activist groups by pledging to work to raise the local minimum wage to $15 an hour, as well as to support laws guaranteeing equal pay to women and prohibiting employers from asking about applicants' criminal records, the Advocate reported.
But those reforms will be difficult to achieve, because the state legislature prohibits local governments from setting the minimum wage for non-government workers, the Advocate reported.
Nevertheless, Cantrell, who had led in most polls conducted before Saturday, never trailed as votes were counted.
Her opponent, former municipal Judge Desiree Charbonnet, conceded the race and congratulated Cantrell late Saturday. Later, complete returns showed Cantrell with 60 percent of the vote.
"I do not regret one moment of anything about this campaign," Charbonnet said.
The two women led a field of 18 candidates in an October general election to win runoff spots.
Landrieu earned credit for accelerating the recovery from Hurricane Katrina in an administration cited for reduced blight, improvements in the celebrated tourism economy and economic development that included last week's announcement that a digital services company is bringing 2,000 new jobs to the city.
But Cantrell will face lingering problems. Crime is one. Another is dysfunction at the agency overseeing the city's drinking water system and storm drainage — a problem that became evident during serious flash flooding in August.
About 32 percent of the city's voters took part in last month's election. It was unclear whether turnout would surpass that on Saturday.
Cantrell faced questions about her use of a city credit card. Charbonnet had to fight back against critics who cast her as an insider who would steer city work to cronies.
Katrina was a theme in the backstory of both candidates. Cantrell moved to the city from California. Her work as a neighborhood activist in the aftermath of Katrina in the hard-hit Broadmoor neighborhood helped her win a seat on council in 2012.
Charbonnet, from a well-known political family in New Orleans, was the city's elected recorder of mortgages before she was a judge. In the campaign she made a point of saying hers was the first city office to re-open after Katrina, providing critical property records to the displaced.
Cantrell entered the race as the perceived front-runner, leading in fundraising and in various polls.
Former state civil court Judge Michael Bagneris, who finished third in last month's race, endorsed Cantrell, as did Troy Henry, a businessman who also ran for the post last month.
UNO political science professor Edward Chervenak said the endorsements appeared to help Cantrell overcome revelations that she had used her city-issued credit card for thousands of dollars in purchases without clear indications that they were for public purposes. The money was eventually reimbursed but questions lingered about whether she had improperly used city money for personal or campaign expenditures.

Jerry Jones vs. Roger Goodell: The battle for the NFL's soul

Jerry Jones is not backing down in his duel with NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell. Long after a Super Bowl winner is crowned, these two NFL heavyweights may still be going at it.

And the battle could get messy.

Jones, the fiery, outspoken owner of the Dallas Cowboys, has threatened to sue the NFL and several team owners if the league agrees to a new contract with Goodell, the buttoned-down, highly-criticized commish whose contract will expire in 2018.

Video

NFL accuses Jerry Jones of 'detrimental' conduct

The NFL said the issue is settled. The owners already voted in May -- unanimously -- to extend Goodell's contact. Jones, however, said circumstances have changed.
The personalities and management styles of the men couldn't be more different.
Jones, an Arkansas-native, played college football before striking it rich in the oil industry. He's taken an active role in building his team. But his vocal approach and rags-to-riches success story haven't made him popular with his fellow owners.
Goodell was a New Yorker, born to a U.S. Senator, Charles Ellsworth Goodell. The suave and polished Washington & Jefferson graduate started working in the NFL in 1982 and rose to become commissioner by 2006. During the 2013-2014 season, he reportedly earned $44 million.
Jones blames Goodell for the escalation of national anthem protests that have divided Americans and drawn the ire of the fan-in-chief: President Trump. Jones also said “behavior policies” have been an issue since May.
It doesn't help that total viewership of NFL games is down, with Sports Illustrated reporting an eight percent decrease during the season's first six weeks.

Colin Kaepernick sparked the national anthem debate.  (AP)

Some of that decline is believed due to the controversial player protests during the playing of "The Star-Spangled Banner." The demonstrations were sparked last season when former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick knelt during the national anthem to protest what he believed was a rise in police violence against minorities. While few players initially joined Kaepernick on one knee, the quarterback's absence from the league in 2017 has apparently inspired others to take up the cause, and each week dozens of players -- sometimes nearly entire teams -- have joined in.
PAPA JOHN’S APOLOGIZES FOR CEO’S ‘DIVISIVE’ NFL REMARKS, SUPPORTS PLAYER’S ‘RIGHT TO PROTEST’
The protests particularly escalated after President Trump said during a September campaign rally that players should be "fired" if they disrespect the flag. The Sunday after Trump made his remarks, Sept. 24, hundreds of players knelt together during the national anthem in a show of unity.
Even Jones participated -- but he knelt before the anthem played, standing up with the rest of the Dallas players when the music began.
Trump continued to criticize the NFL for its “lack of leadership,” and apparently the public agreed. Deadline reported last week’s “Monday Night Football” game viewership was nearly a season low.

Roger Goodell of NFL just put out a statement trying to justify the total disrespect certain players show to our country.Tell them to stand!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 23, 2017

But Goodell's response has been to downplay the situation or express his admiration of the NFL players who knelt to rebuke Trump.
“The way we reacted today, and this weekend, made me proud,” Goodell said after the league-wide display. “I’m proud of our league.”
The last straw for Jones seems to have come after his team’s star running back, Ezekiel Elliott, was suspended in August by Goodell.

Ezekiel Elliott gave up his legal fight and will begin serving his suspension.  (AP)

The NFL investigated for a year claims Elliott assaulted his former girlfriend in the summer of 2016. Elliott denied the alleged physical altercations and said the ex-girlfriend, Tiffany Thompson, was only trying to exact revenge. Elliot was never charged by police. But the NFL, which has shown considerable muscle in regards to domestic allegations since fumbling its response to the Ray Rice incident, concluded there were three incidents over the course of five days.
Jones said his objection to Goodell getting a new contract was not specifically due to the Elliott situation; however, the timing of Jones' opposition coincided with a court ruling last week, after several appeals, Elliot would have to begin serving the six-week suspension.
"I've been dealing with this commissioner for almost 28 years as an employee of the NFL," Jones said. "Zeke's been involved here a year, year and a half. Those are really separate issues as to Zeke. The policy we have that has impacted Zeke is more of my issue with the commissioner."
Jones' continued public fued with Goodell has achieved at least one thing: The New York Times reported several NFL owners sent a cease-and-desist warning to Jones.

Jerry Jones called it "laughable" that NFL owners would try to push him out of his ownership of the Cowboys.  (AP)

If he continues his vocal critique of Goodell, Jones could face suspension, fines or the loss of draft picks. Some owners have even discussed a "nuclear option" -- pushing Jones out as an owner, Pro Football Talk reported.
Jones called the threat “laughable.”
"I've had not one inkling of communication from the league office or any owner that would suggest something that laughable, ridiculous, and that's about where that is," Jones told 105.3 The Fan.
But the saga has continued, and the NFL is accusing Jones of attempting to sabotage contract negotiations with Goodell, The Wall Street Journal reported Wednesday, citing a letter sent by the NFL to Jones.
In the document, the NFL said Jones’ “antics, whatever their motivations, are damaging the league.”
The letter, reportedly sent to all 32 NFL owners, also confirmed Jones had been booted as a non-voting member of the compensation committee due to his threats to sue.
NFL owners “said they were unhappy with Jones because he had circulated a three-month-old document with details of [salary and health benefit] requests from Goodell that Jones ‘personally knows to be an outdated historical artifact of no relevance whatsoever in the context of these lengthy negotiations,’” The New York Times reported.
Goodell, for his part, has had a less-than-sterling term as commissioner, often serving as a punching bag for fans and a useful foil for owners.

Ray Rice was captured on video knocking out his then-fiancee Janay Palmer.  (Reuters)

Goodell was highly criticized for his reaction to Rice’s domestic violence case involving Rice's then-fiancee Janay Palmer in 2014. With only reports of the alleged assault leaking to the media, Goodell initially suspended the Baltimore Ravens running back for two games. But then a video of the assault was released showing Rice knocking Palmer unconscious in a hotel elevator with a single, vicious punch. Rice was then seen dragging Palmer’s unconscious body from the elevator.
The leak prompted Goodell to suspend Rice indefinitely and Rice hasn't played in the NFL since. Critics, however, bashed Goodell and the NFL’s handling of the case -- and other domestic violence cases. Some have argued Goodell and the NFL may have known the stomach-churning details of the Rice assault even before the horrific video was leaked, The New York Times reported.
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“The NFL is absolutely its own worst enemy,” David Gregory, the executive director of the Center for Labor and Employment Law at St. John’s University, told The New York Times. “If you’re going to have a commissioner’s office, you need to step up. This guy thought he could bluster his way through.”
Goodell has also been criticized for the number of penalties, the types of penalties and the timing of the penalties he's implemented. After the NFL was criticized for not doing more to prevent players from getting concussions -- a conclusion the NFL was slow to recognize and tried to downplay -- Goodell eventually said he would suspend athletes for helmet-to helmet hits.

Roger Goodell has been applauded for making the NFL profitable.  (AP)

On the other hand, Goodell has been applauded for turning the league into the money machine it is.
In 2013, the NFL was worth $9 billion. In 2017, the league was expected to generate about $14 billion, NBC Sports reported. Goodell said previously he hoped the NFL would be able to reach a staggering $25 billion in annual revenue by 2027.
Jones has been equally successful at monetizing his team. The Cowboys were worth $4.2 billion in 2017 -- the most valuable team in the world, according to Forbes.
The fight between Goodell and Jones seems to be nowhere near over, at least until Goodell’s contract is -- or isn't -- extended.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Zimbabwe's Robert Mugabe dismissed as country's leader

Zimbabwe’s ruling party fired President Robert Mugabe on Sunday, ending his 37-year reign as the African country’s leader after being placed under house arrest days ago, a party official said. 

Recently fired Vice President Emmerson Mnangagwa was appointed as the new leader of the ZANU-PF party and is expected to lead a new government. Party members said Mugabe must resign by 12 p.m. Monday or will “definitely” face impeachment. Innocent Gonese with the MDC-T party said they had been in discussions with the ruling ZANU-PF party to act jointly.

"If Mugabe is not gone by Tuesday, then as sure as the sun rises from the east, impeachment process will kick in," Gonese said.
Senior figures of the party gathered early Sunday for an emergency meeting of the party's Central Committee to discuss calls to expel the 93-year-old leader. First lady Grace Mugabe was also recalled as head of the women's league. The now-former leader’s talks with army commander Constantino Chiwenga are in the second round of negotiations on an exit as the military tries to avoid accusations of a coup.
Mugabe remained under house arrest with his wife and resisted calls to step aside. Vast throngs of demonstrators turned Zimbabwe's capital into a carnival ground on Saturday in a peaceful outpouring of disdain for their longtime leader and calls for him to quit immediately. People in Harare clambered onto tanks and other military vehicles moving slowly through the crowds, danced around soldiers walking in city streets and surged in the thousands toward the building where Mugabe held official functions.
“The old man should be allowed to rest,” former Zimbabwe finance minister and activist Tendai Biti told South African broadcaster eNCA.
On Friday, all 10 of the provincial branches of the Zanu-PF party demanded Mugabe’s resignation.
Meeting chair Obert Mpofu said party members were gathering with “a heavy heart” because Mugabe had served the country and contributed "many memorable achievements." However, he added that the leader’s wife “and close associates have taken advantage of his frail condition” to loot national resources.
Mugabe’s decision to fire his deputy set in motion his abrupt fall from power.
The military intervened when Mugabe decided to fire his deputy, setting in motion his abrupt fall from power. Without the military's intervention, first lady Grace Mugabe likely would have replaced him as vice president and been in a position to succeed her husband.
But the 52-year-old first lady is unpopular among many Zimbabweans for her lavish spending on mansions, cars and jewels. Last month she went to court to sue a diamond dealer for not supplying her with a 100-carat diamond that she said she had paid for.

Draining the Swamp Cartoons

Crackdown on MS-13 gang nets more than 200 arrests

More than 200 MS-13 gang members were arrested in a major sweep called "Operation Raging Bull," the Trump administration announced Thursday.  (Reuters)

Underscoring its promise earlier this year to crack down on a brutal gang, the Trump adminstration on Thursday announced the arrests of dozens of members of MS-13.

“Operation Raging Bull,” conducted Oct. 8-Nov. 11 across the United States, resulted in 214 arrests, officials said.

The operation was led by the Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) unit of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), in conjunction with local and federal officials.
It was the second phase of a two-part operation. Authorities made 53 arrests in Venezuela in September after an 18-month investigation.
"We will not rest until every member, associate and leader of MS-13 has been held accountable for their crimes," said Thomas Horman, director of ICE.
More than 1,200 gang members have been convicted so far this year, and about 4,000 have been arrested and charged, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in a statement.
Sessions promised an all-out assault on the violent gang last month, designating it a "priority" for the Department of Justice's Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force.
“They leave misery, devastation and death in their wake. They threaten entire governments. They must be and will be stopped," the attorney general said in Philadelphia last month.
In the most recent roundup, charges included murder, aggravated robbery, racketeering, narcotics trafficking, firearms offenses and assault, with roughly 60 arrests being illegal border crossings by unaccompanied children, officials said.
The gang originated in Los Angeles in the 1980s, then entrenched itself in Central America when its leaders were deported.
MS-13’s motto is “mata, viola, controla” – which means "kill, rape, control," according to Robert Hur, a Justice Department official.