House Rejects Impeachment Measure, Lawmakers Overwhelmingly Reject Resolution by Dem Al Green

In this photo from Wednesday, Nov. 29, 2017, Rep. Al Green, D-Texas, arrives for a Democratic Caucus meeting on Capitol Hill in Washington. The House has overwhelmingly voted to kill a resolution from Green to impeach President Donald Trump. The vote Wednesday was 364-58. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

OAN Newsroom, Marty Golingan

The House overwhelmingly rejected an attempt by Democrat Representative Al Green to impeach the president.
On Wednesday, 364 lawmakers immediately voted to kill Green’s impeachment measure with only 58 Democrats voting to move ahead.
The resolution was expected to fail as it was widely opposed by Republicans and most Democrats.
Texas Congressman Al Green has described the president as having “behavior unfit for the oval office,” but previous accusations against the congressman himself reveal his own behavior was out of line.
Green is a vocal member of the anti-Trump movement in the House of Representatives, and has been at the forefront of the liberal effort to see President Trump removed from office.

President Donald Trump speaks in the Diplomatic Reception Room of the White House, Wednesday, Dec. 6, 2017, in Washington. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

However, past allegations of sexual misconduct have called the Texas congressman’s integrity into question.
Back in 2007, Green’s former district director Lucinda Daniels accused him of sexual contact without consent at her home.
Afterwards, Daniels said the politician tried to pursue a romantic relationship, and when she spurned his advances — Green created a hostile work environment.
She also said Green tried to smear her character, making it difficult for her with future employers.
An attorney for Green said Daniels demanded $1.8 million dollars in damages, but the congressman countered the allegations.
He filed a lawsuit against the alleged victim, claiming he was being extorted by Daniels.
Green suggested she threatened to sue him for workplace discrimination if he did not pay her the large sum.
A year later, lawyers from both Green and Daniels issued a joint statement saying both the congressman and the alleged victim resolved their dispute outside of court without any sort of settlement or litigation.
The congressman’s attorney later said Green would drop his lawsuit if Daniels dropped her accusations and signed an agreement refuting her claims against the Democrat.
After she signed the agreement, Green’s spokesman says the congressman indeed had a — quote — “romantic encounter” with Daniels, but any suggestion of sexual assault was false.
This back-and-forth between Green and his former employee raises questions about his present conduct in the House.
Green appears obsessed with impeaching President Trump, calling for his impeachment whenever the president says something he disagrees with.
He is currently playing “chicken” with his articles of impeachment after scheduling to present them on the House floor and swerving left by not showing up for his presentation
He later claimed he wanted his fellow Democrats and the public to review his proposal.
After more than a decade in office, Green has not done much legislatively.
He has shown strong liberal bias in his political stances, favorably voting for everyone of former President Obama’s budget proposals and voting against everyone of former President George W. Bush’s tax and spending cuts during his tenure.
Critics say a man willing to file a frivolous lawsuit against an alleged assault victim and draft partisan impeachment documents, clearly does not have his priorities or his constituents at heart.

Outrage as Philly pushes through ban on bulletproof glass in crime-plagued neighborhood shops

Philadelphia is one step closer to getting rid of bulletproof glass in many of its small businesses as part of a larger effort to crack down on loitering, public urination and potential drug sales -- but it's triggered backlash from the shopkeepers.

The city's Public Health and Human Services Committee passed a bill that enables Philadelphia's Department of Licenses and Inspections to regulate the bullet-resistant barricades that stand between customers and cash registers in many neighborhood corner stores, according to Fox 29.

“No establishment required to obtain a Large Establishment license … shall erect or maintain a physical barrier that requires the persons serving the food either to open a window or other aperture or to pass the food through a window or other aperture, in order to hand the food to a customer inside the establishment,” the bill states. It also calls for larger establishments to have bathrooms for customers.
Many of the hundreds of deli owners feel as though they are being singled out and are among those protesting the bill, according to Fox 29.
“If the glass comes down, the crime rate will rise and there will be lots of dead bodies,” Rich Kim, the owner of Broad Deli, which sells soda, meals and beer by the can, said. “The most important thing is safety and the public’s safety.”
Kim said the glass went up after a shooting and says it saved his mother-in-law from a knife attack.
Fox News previously reported that the bill, put forward by Councilwoman Cindy Bass, focuses on “stop-and-go” convenience stores that act more like bars than the restaurants they are licensed to be, selling beer and shots of liquor over the counter and attracting crowds that end up becoming public nuisances, according to lawmakers.
Pennsylvania state law mandates businesses with restaurant licenses should regularly sell food and have tables and chairs to seat 30 people. But some businesses keep their seating locked up or out of reach and the grills shut down, selling little more than alcohol and forcing customers to wander outside.
Bass told Fox News that in “more than 90 percent of cases they are breaking the law in terms of operating outside the requirement of their license.”
Bass said the bulletproof glass and partitions at some of these businesses are a concern of the city’s health department, as if a customer is choking or having an allergic reaction, a barrier should not stand in the way of safety.
She also addressed the security concerns. “Thousands of businesses operate in the same neighborhoods with no Plexiglass,” she told Fox News, mentioning stores like Rite-Aid and barber shops. “I’ve never been to a bar with Plexiglass.”
Kim objected to the claims that the bill stemmed from nuisance complaints city officials got from constituents, and said that calls to police often were met with slow responses.
The chairman of the Asian American Licensed Beverage Association of Philadelphia, which represents 217 ‘beer delis’ in the city, also said most of the businesses being targeted “are in not-as-safe neighborhoods.”
A full council vote is slated for Thursday, December 14, according to Fox 29.

F-35s could assist in intercepting North Korean ICBMs, experiment shows: report

FILE: A U.S.Marine Corps F-35B joint strike fighter jet conducts aerial maneuvers during aerial refueling training over the Atlantic Ocean.  (Reuters)

A 2014 test provided evidence that the U.S.’ F-35 fighter jet could prove to be a viable weapon against the threat of a North Korean-launched ballistic missile, reports said.

The high-tech F-35's sensors could help other missile-defense equipment track and destroy an intercontinental ballistic missile launched by North Korea.

John “Bama” Montgomery, a business development manager at Northrop’s targeting division, told Defense One that information gathered by the F-35s could be transmitted to a THAAD anti-ballistic missile system.
“The shooter now has information to go and put his information in the right place," Montgomery said. "Thus, the radar doesn’t have to search. It goes, ‘I know where it is; it’s right there.'”
The assessment pointed to an Inside Defense report that cited Rep. Duncan Hunter, R-Calif., who said the joint strike fighter could down an intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) in its boost phase.
The Defense One report said the U.S. does not have a foolproof way to down an ICBM. The report said the best chances the U.S. has in intercepting a missile is when it is on, or leaving the launch pad.
Northrop reportedly conducted a test in 2014 to determine if the F-35’s Distributed Aperture System could accurately track an ICBM. The test determined that the sensors could help missile-defense systems destroy the target.
The news was reportedly wasn't released until Tuesday because it took several years to determine. The modeling and simulation numbers are classified, but Montgomery told Defense One that, “I can tell you right now that this system, as depicted here, really does help the ballistic missile environment.”
Last week, North Korea launched a Hwasong-15 intercontinental ballistic missile that demonstrated a greater range than other missiles North Korea has tested. One expert estimated its range at more than 8,100 miles if launched on a standard trajectory, which would put Washington, D.C., within reach.
The details of the test remain unclear, with a U.S. official saying the missile did not manage to make a re-entry into Earth's atmosphere – the key problem for North Korea's nuclear program.

US Embassy workers in Cuba found to have brain abnormalities, report says

Brain abnormalities have been found in the U.S. diplomats who were victims of suspected attacks at the U.S. Embassy in Cuba, according to a new report.

Doctors discovered that white matter in the brains of Embassy workers had “developed changes,” The Associated Press reported. White matter allows different areas of the brain to communicate.

Doctors found changes within the white brain matter in U.S. diplomats who experienced "attacks" while at the American Embassy in Cuba.  (AP Photo/Desmond Boylan)

At least 24 U.S. Embassy officials in Cuba had reported hearing loud, grating noises before experiencing ear issues, hearing loss, dizziness, headache, fatigue, cognitive issues and difficulty sleeping.
CUBA CITES LACK OF EVIDENCE IN MYSTERIOUS SONIC ATTACKS ON DIPLOMATS
Some victims knew immediately that the attack was affecting their bodies, while some developed physical symptoms within 24 hours.
Other Americans who were not working but were traveling in Cuba had also reported experiencing weird symptoms similar to those that the U.S. officials reported, the State Department said.
While investigators had initially suspected what personnel were expecting as “sonic attacks,” officials are now avoiding that term.
Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Tuesday that he believes the Embassy workers were victims of “targeted attacks,” but noted the U.S. doesn’t know who perpetrated them.
However, Tillerson did say that the blame for the attacks falls on Cuba, as its government is responsible for the safety of diplomats in their country.
FIRST RECORDING EMERGES OF HIGH-PITCHED 'SONIC WEAPON' LINKED TO ATTACKS ON US EMBASSY WORKERS IN CUBA
Cuba has denied all accusations of involvement and claimed the Trump administration was “deliberately lying” about the attacks.
The Cuban government has also asked that the U.S. release its findings of the attacks for Cuba to investigate. Tillerson has said that while the U.S. had released some information, the country won’t release additional details that could allow the perpetrator to determine how effective the attacks were.
Most of the victims have fully recovered, officials told The Associated Press.

Trashy Colin Kaepernick Cartoons

Sarah Sanders does press, prays and bakes pies. When will haters like Chelsea Handler leave her alone?

Ever get the feeling that President Trump, and by extension his closest staff, can do nothing right in the eyes of the Washington press corps? It sure seems that way when they pick apart even sweet traditions like serving our troops on Thanksgiving or the decorations chosen by the first lady for Christmas.  But let’s be honest, aside from the president, his female staff receive the harshest and most dishonorable treatment. 

Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the Press Secretary of the Trump administration, innocently baked a pie for Thanksgiving and posted it to Instagram.  It looked delicious. It shouldn’t have been controversial – it’s a pie – but leave it to the media to stoke conspiracy, ridiculously accusing Sanders of posting a stock photo and labeling it #piegate. 

Seriously, this happened. Never mind that our nation is grappling with transformative issues like tax reform or dealing with a mad dictator in North Korea. The media focused on a pie solely because Sarah Huckabee Sanders is a member of a presidential administration they despise. Piegate, however, is just nothing compared to the personal attacks.  It’s shocking the depth to which they will sink, criticizing her looks, her weight, and her accent.
Liberal Washington Post columnist Dana Milbank, who makes a career of pettiness and the denigration of conservative women (to the point of being obsessive and creepy), wrote, “And so, at Monday’s off-camera briefing, she stood on the podium, frequently cocking her left eyebrow and raising the left corner of her lips to convey displeasure at the line of questioning. Then, as frequently, she opened her mouth and, with a heavy Arkansas twang, said a lot of nothing.” Most recently, he railed against the “Trump mouthpiece” for her “infantilizing of the press corps” by asking them to say what they are thankful for before submitting a question. The tone of the article went downhill from there.

In at time when we are watching the freak show of frat boy behavior unfold in the media, it’s refreshing to watch Sanders handle her job with poise, refusing to engage in futile, useless, and childish behavior.

A piece earlier this year by Pulitzer prize-winning Los Angeles Times’ columnist David Horsey was so nasty they were forced to take down. In it, he called Sanders a litany of things I’d rather not write here.
His comment about being Sanders being a “soccer mom” was particularly disgusting, because he not only denigrated Sanders but implied that soccer moms in general have nothing else to do but bake cookies and wear running shoes. It was an unnecessarily mean.
And do I even need to mention the childish, expletive-packed rant by Wonkette Senior Editor Evan Hurst, who apparently has never met an F-bomb he didn’t like?
Comedian Chelsea Handler wrote last year that we need to “find women that are different than you and figure out the things you have in common. We have a whole generation of girls who are looking at us to see how we treat each other…” Yet just this week she railed against Sanders, choosing to describe her with crass and rude language. Some role model you are, Ms. Handler.
Beyond bad form.
Sanders arguably has one of the toughest jobs in the entire administration as Trump’s press secretary. The White House press secretary must have a grasp of every major and most minor issues on any given day and be able to articulate a concise and coherent answer to a group of people who, for the most part, want to destroy her boss.
The job requires calm under intense pressure. I have yet to see Sanders lose her cool, even when faced with difficult, ridiculous, or from-left-field questions posed by members of the press over and over again.  She’s also funny, exclaiming, “Christmas had come early” when alerted to the fact that CNN was boycotting the White House Christmas party.
The White House press corps were not amused.
Dana Perino, who served as press secretary under President George W. Bush, was only one of two female press secretaries in history (Sanders is the third). She wrote an open letter to Sanders at the beginning of her tenure, urging her to be the “most knowledgeable person in the room” and to “take a moment of gratitude” when walking into the West Wing.
Sanders does even more than that. She reads from a Christian devotional and says a prayer before entering the press briefing room and meeting the press. This is a woman who is grounded in her faith, understands her position, and executes her responsibilities well.  On some days it’s a lions den.
One would think that the feminist members of the media would be thrilled to see a courageous woman place another crack in the glass ceiling of power and influence but not so much.  Sanders has faced a barrage of negativity from the very people who handled the Obama administration with kid gloves.
In at time when we are watching the freak show of frat boy behavior unfold in the media, it’s refreshing to watch Sanders handle her job with poise, refusing to engage in futile, useless, and childish behavior. The left will never give her a fair shake, and feminists seem to find her a dangerous threat to their demands for fealty from women.
That’s OK; she doesn’t need their acclaim. Young, aspiring professional women love her. Conservative moms at home cheer her on when she is at the podium. People of faith pray for her.
Sanders doesn’t need your approval or even ours, because she plays to an audience of One even more powerful than Donald Trump.
Penny Young Nance is president and CEO of Concerned Women for America, the nation’s largest women’s public policy organization. She is the author of the book "Feisty and Feminine: A Rallying Cry for Conservative Women" (Zondervan 2016).

Kaepernick receives Muhammad Ali Legacy Award :-)

Is anyone surprised?

Free agent pro quarterback Colin Kaepernick received Sports Illustrated's Muhammad Ali Legacy Award on Tuesday, cementing the jobless athlete’s new role as a civil rights icon.

After receiving the honor, Kaepernick promised that "with or without the NFL's platform, I will continue to work for the people.

"I accept this award not for myself, but on behalf of the people," Kaepernick said. "If it were not for my love of the people, I would not have protested."
Singer Beyoncé, who presented the award, said she was "proud and humbled" by the experience.
"Colin took action with no fear of consequence or repercussion," Beyoncé said. "Only hope to change the world for the better. To change perception, to change the way we treat each other. Especially people of color."
Beyoncé was introduced as a surprise presenter by “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah.
Last year's Ali Award winner, basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, called Kaepernick a "worthy recipient" during a video tribute.
"He fully embraced the risk to his career in order to remind Americans of the systemic racism that was denying African-Americans their opportunities to equal education, jobs, health and even their lives," Abdul-Jabbar said.
Kaepernick began kneeling during the national anthem last season to protest racial inequality and police brutality. Other NFL players joined the protest after President Donald Trump criticized the action in September.
“Wouldn’t you love to see one of these NFL owners, when somebody disrespects our flag, to say, ‘Get that son of a bitch off the field right now. Out! He’s fired. He’s fired!’” Trump said in Alabama.
Critics of the protests said the gestures were unpatriotic and disrespected the service of men and women in the U.S. military.
Kaepernick parted ways with the San Francisco 49ers in March and hasn't been signed by another team. He filed a grievance against the NFL in October alleging that he remains unsigned as a result of collusion by owners because of his protests.
On Friday, the NFL announced that it was committing $90 million over the next seven years to social justice causes in response to demonstrations like Kaepernick’s.
Kaepernick spoke Tuesday about continuing Ali's legacy for fighting social injustice, saying the boxing great, who died in June 2016, "mentored me without ever meeting me."
"The footprints he leaves are large," Kaepernick said, "and his life is and has been a multi-textured tapestry that is rich in love, wisdom, life lessons and human kindness. I can only hope that I'm taking steps toward walking on the footsteps that he has left behind for the world to follow."
Kaepernick skipped the red carpet prior to the show and was not available for questions. The awards show will be broadcast Friday night on NBC Sports Network.
Kaepernick also recently was honored by the ACLU of Southern California with the Eason Monroe Courageous Advocate Award and was named GQ magazine's "Citizen of the Year" for his activism, which included pledging $1 million to "organizations working in oppressed communities."

Trump to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital, forge ahead with moving US Embassy

President Trump on Wednesday will order the State Department to begin moving the U.S. Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem from Tel Aviv, senior administration officials said, a move that fulfills a campaign promise made to religious conservatives but one that could inflame tensions across the Middle East.

In his announcement, Trump will say that the U.S. government recognizes Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. One official described it as an "honest" acknowledgement of a "seven-decade old fact."

“While President Trump recognizes that the status of Jerusalem is a highly sensitive issue, he does not think it will be resolved by ignoring the simple truth that Jerusalem is home to Israel’s legislature, its Supreme Court, the prime minister and is such the capital of Israel,” one official said.
The U.S. would be the first country to move its embassy to Jerusalem, which is claimed by both Israelis and Palestinians. Other countries who have diplomatic relations with Israel keep their embassies in Tel Aviv.
But the embassy move would not be immediate and could take at least three or four years.
The U.S. officials said there are currently about 1,000 personnel in the embassy in Tel Aviv. They added that there is no facility in Jerusalem ready to serve as the embassy site, and it will take time to address security, design and cost concerns.
"It will take some time to find a site, address security concerns, design a new facility, fund a new facility -- working with Congress, obviously -- and build it," one official said. "So this is not an instantaneous process."
Ahead of the announcement, Trump spoke Tuesday with Palestinian President Mahmood Abbas, Jordanian King Abdullah and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Netanyahu has said he supports the U.S. moving its embassy. But Abbas has warned of the “gravity of consequences” should the move become official for “the peace process and security and stability in the region and world.”
WHY TRUMP’S PROMISE TO MOVE US EMBASSY TO JERUSALEM IS SO CONTROVERSIAL
An international affairs adviser for Abbas said that the move “totally destroys any chance that he can play a role as an honest broker” in Middle East peace negotiations.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that moving the capital was a “red line” for Muslims, and such an action could result in Turkey severing diplomatic ties with Israel.
The controversy surrounding the move of the embassy dates back decades. A law passed in 1995 under the Clinton administration considers Jerusalem the capital, and even mandates the move of the embassy there.
But the law allows for a loophole used by former Presidents Bill Clinton, George W. Bush and Barack Obama – an option to issue waivers every six months to delay the move from Tel Aviv.
Trump also took advantage of the loophole, which Republicans have long called to be closed. Trump’s first waiver was signed in June, which drew praise from the Palestinians and some disappointment from Israel.
The administration officials said Tuesday that Trump will still sign a waiver to keep from jeopardizing State Department funding while the relocation process begins.
In January, Republican Sens. Dean Heller, Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz introduced legislation that would move the embassy to Jerusalem and recognize the city as Israel's capital, after the Obama administration abstained from a U.N. Security Council vote to condemn Israeli settlement expansion in the West Bank.

Hamas plans 'day of rage' in response to Trump's Jerusalem decision

Terror group Hamas is calling for a “day of rage” Friday, urging Palestinians to protest President Donald Trump’s plan to recognize Jerusalem as Israel's capital and move the U.S. Embassy there from Tel Aviv.

The group, designated a terrorist organization by the U.S., encouraged Palestinians in an official Arabic statement to send a message “with all available means” to Israel after the upcoming Friday prayers.

It added that making Jerusalem the Israeli capital was crossing a “red line.”
“We call on the people of Palestine to declare ‘rage day’ on Friday against Israel, denying the U.S. plan to move its embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem and to recognize Jerusalem as Israel’s capital,” the statement read.
It added: "The youth and the Palestinian resistance in the West Bank need to respond with all means available to the U.S. decision that harms our Jerusalem. Jerusalem is a red line and the resistance will not allow any desecration of it.”
Senior Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh also called upon people to stand against efforts to “Judaize” Jerusalem, according to the official group account in Arabic.
The warning follows reports that Trump will recognize Jerusalem as the capital of Israel on Wednesday and will move the U.S. Embassy from Tel Aviv to the Holy City, although the process could take up to four years to complete.
Hamas’ English social media accounts, which tend to offer a watered-down version of hostile statements, said the Palestinian leadership urges Palestinians to organize “demonstrations” against Israel and the U.S.
“Palestinian factions declare days of anger on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday and to hold demonstrations in cities and in front of Israeli embassies and consulates,” Hamas' Twitter account read.
According to Hamas’ charter, which outlines key principles and policies, the terror group aims to establish a state of Palestine “with Jerusalem as its capital” and states that “not one stone” of the city can be given up.
“Jerusalem is the capital of Palestine. Its religious, historic and civilizational status is fundamental to the Arabs, Muslims and the world at large. Its Islamic and Christian holy places belong exclusively to the Palestinian people and to the Arab and Islamic Ummah,” the charter reads.
“Not one stone of Jerusalem can be surrendered or relinquished. The measures undertaken by the occupiers in Jerusalem, such as Judaization, settlement building, and establishing facts on the ground are fundamentally null and void.”
Multiple Middle Eastern countries have come out against the decision to recognize Jerusalem, with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying Monday that moving the capital was a “red line” for Muslims.

Rep. John Conyers Cartoons

RNC to support Roy Moore in Senate race after cutting fundraising ties weeks ago

The Republican National Committee is once again supporting embattled Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore after President Donald Trump formally endorsed him Monday, a senior RNC official told Fox News Monday.

Despite losing the backing of many top Republicans, Moore was praised by Trump who said that Republicans would need his vote “on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more.”

Democrats refusal to give even one vote for massive Tax Cuts is why we need Republican Roy Moore to win in Alabama. We need his vote on stopping crime, illegal immigration, Border Wall, Military, Pro Life, V.A., Judges 2nd Amendment and more. No to Jones, a Pelosi/Schumer Puppet!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) December 4, 2017

Moore later tweeted his thanks saying he’s looking “forward to fighting alongside the President to #MAGA.”
The White House also announced that Trump had spoken by phone with Moore to formally endorse his candidacy.
White House spokesman Raj Shah said Monday that the two had "a positive call."

"Go get 'em, Roy!" - President Trump

Just got off the phone with President Trump who offered his full support and said he needs a fighter to help him in the US Senate.

I look forward to fighting alongside the President to #MAGA!

— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) December 4, 2017

The RNC’s reversal was first reported by Breitbart News.
The RNC announced three weeks ago that it was severed its fundraising ties to Moore following allegations that he'd molested two teenagers when he was in his 30s.
Former governor of Massachusetts and former Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney took to Twitter on Monday to express his disapproval.

Roy Moore in the US Senate would be a stain on the GOP and on the nation. Leigh Corfman and other victims are courageous heroes. No vote, no majority is worth losing our honor, our integrity.

— Mitt Romney (@MittRomney) December 4, 2017

Either @MittRomney has lost his courage or he doesn’t care about truth anymore. Sad day!

America’s reawakening was led by @realDonaldTrump, not you Mitt.#DefeatTheElite #DrainTheSwamp

— Judge Roy Moore (@MooreSenate) December 4, 2017

Moore fired back with a tweet of his own, saying Romney “doesn’t care about the truth anymore.”

Conyers of accused of sexual misconduct at a church amid looming announcement

Another woman has come forward accusing Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., of putting his hand up her skirt and rubbing her thighs in the front row of a church.

The latest allegation hit the congressman just hours before he is set to make announcement on a Detroit radio station Tuesday.

Elisa Grubbs made the allegation in an affidavit publicized late Monday by attorney Lisa Bloom. Grubbs worked for Conyers for more than a decade and is the cousin of another accuser, Marion Brown, who reached a confidential settlement with the Michigan politician over sexual misconduct allegations.
"Rep. Conyers slid his hand up my skirt and rubbed my thighs while I was sitting next to him in the front row of a church," Grubbs said in the affidavit. "I was startled and sprang to my feet and exclaimed, 'He just ran his hand up my thigh!' Other staffers witnessed the event."
Conyers is set to speak on Tuesday on a Detroit radio show and expected address the allegations and his political future. Reed said the congressman’s health will be the deciding factor whether he will step aside from his House seat he held since 1964. Conyers was hospitalized last week after complaining about feeling light-headed.
As well as touching inappropriately in a church, Grubbs claims she witnessed Conyers touching and stroking the legs and buttocks of her cousin and other female staffers on “multiple occasions,” adding that such harassment “was a regular part of life while working in the office of Rep. Conyers."
In another instance of sexual harassment, Conyers allegedly came out of the bathroom naked knowing Grubbs was in his home.
The Democrat’s attorney dismissed Grubbs’ accusations, telling the Detroit Free Press that they are “another instance of tomfoolery from the mouth of Harvey Weinstein's attorney." Bloom previously represented disgraced Hollywood producer Weinstein, who is accused of sexual misconduct by multiple women.
There are growing calls for Conyers to step down amid the allegations. House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, who previously called the congressman “an icon” who worked to protect women, changed her tune last week and urged him to resign.
“I pray for Congressman Conyers, however, Congressman Conyers should resign,” Pelosi said last Thursday. “He has served our Congress and shaped consequential legislation – zero tolerance means consequences for everyone – no matter the great legacy.”
Some local community leaders in Detroit rallied on Monday in support of the accused congressman, saying he remains innocent until proven guilty.

FBI agent fired from Russia probe oversaw Flynn interviews, softened Comey language on Clinton email actions

Tucker's Thoughts: FBI agent Peter Strzok was heavily involved in 2 politicized cases -the Clinton email investigation, Russian collusion probe and oversaw interviews with Mike Flynn. Yet he sent controversial anti-Trump texts. #Tucker

The FBI agent who was removed from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible ties between the Trump campaign and Russia — because he sent anti-Trump messages to a colleague — oversaw the bureau’s interviews with ousted National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, Fox News confirmed on Monday.

Peter Strzok, a former deputy to the assistant director for counterintelligence at the FBI, also was confirmed to have changed former FBI Director James Comey’s early draft language about Hillary Clinton’s actions regarding her private email server from “grossly negligent” to “extremely careless.”

The language being edited was important because classified material that’s been mishandled for “gross negligence” calls for criminal consequences, analysts point out.
MUELLER AIDE FIRED FOR ANTI-TRUMP TEXTS NOW FACING REVIEW FOR ROLE IN CLINTON EMAIL PROBE
Flynn pleaded guilty Friday to lying to the FBI about reaching out to Russian officials. Prosecutors said Flynn in December 2016 asked Russia's ambassador to the U.S., Sergei Kislyak, not to escalate the situation after the outgoing Obama administration imposed sanctions on Russia in retaliation for suspected election interference.
Flynn left the White House in February after acknowledging that he had given an incomplete account to Vice President Mike Pence about his contacts regarding Russia.
The wording change came to light last month after newly reported memos to Congress showed that a May 2016 draft of Comey’s statement closing out the email investigation accused the former secretary of state of being “grossly negligent.” A June 2016 draft stated Clinton had been “extremely careless.”
The modified language was final when Comey announced in July 2016 that Clinton wouldn’t face any charges in the email investigation.
Strzok is being reviewed by the Justice Department’s Office of Inspector General for the role he played in the Clinton email investigation.
A source close to the matter told Fox News that the probe, which will examine Strzok's roles in a number of other politically sensitive cases, should be completed by "very early next year."

Mueller reportedly subpoenas Deutsche Bank in Russia probe

Robert Mueller, the special counsel investigating alleged Russian election meddling, reportedly subpoenaed Deutsche Bank several weeks ago, calling on the German bank to submit data pertaining to its client relationship with President Trump.

Bloomberg, citing an unnamed source, reported that Mueller is seeking information on the giant lender and its relationship with Trump and his family. Trump reportedly owes the bank $300 million.

Democrats have said Trump's relationship with the bank is crucial in the Russia investigation. The Washington Post reported in August that Democrats have pushed for an investigation into the bank’s internal review of the loans to see if there is any link with Russia.

Democrats have said Trump's relationship with the bank is crucial in the Russia investigation.  (Reuters)

The bank, Trump’s primary lender, also approved a $285 million refinancing loan for Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner’s company a month before the election, The Post reported.
Trump, who spoke to reporters Monday as he left the White House to head to Utah, unleashed a string of tweets over the weekend in which he criticized the FBI and raised questions about the federal investigation.
In one of his messages, Trump again denied that he directed the former FBI director James Comey to stop investigating his former national secuirty adviser Michael Flynn.
Trump questioned the direction of the federal law enforcement agency and wrote that after Comey, whom Trump fired in May, the FBI’s reputation is “in Tatters — worst in History!” He vowed to “bring it back to greatness.” The president also retweeted a post saying new FBI Director Chris Wray “needs to clean house.”
Trump seized on reports that a veteran FBI counterintelligence agent was removed from Mueller’s team last summer after the discovery of an exchange of text messages that were viewed as potentially anti-Trump. The agent, Peter Strzok, had also worked on the investigation of Clinton’s use of a private email server.
Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, said Mueller removed Strzok from the team “immediately upon learning of the allegations.” He would not elaborate on the nature of the accusations.
Trump tweeted Sunday: “Tainted (no, very dishonest?) FBI ‘agent’s role in Clinton probe under review.’ Led Clinton Email probe.” In a separate tweet, he wrote: “Report: ‘ANTI-TRUMP FBI AGENT LED CLINTON EMAIL PROBE’ Now it all starts to make sense!”

NFL Take a Knee Cartoons

The NFL's proposed $100 million in donations is a foolish political stunt

The NFL, beleaguered by player protests during playing of the national anthem that have angered many fans and lowered TV ratings for its games, has doubled down on liberal politics.

As you’ve probably heard by now, the league proposed last week to join players in donating nearly $100 million to what ESPN called “causes important to African-American communities.”

But in reality, the proposal is  nothing more than a political stunt designed to score brownie points with the mainstream media – from ESPN and Sports Illustrated, to the New York Times.
The NFL wants to partner with the Players Coalition, which represents players “protesting social injustices and racism,” along with a pair of liberal nonprofits – the United Negro College Fund (UNCF) and Dream Corps.
According to ESPN: “The NFL hopes this effort will effectively end the peaceful-yet-controversial movement that former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started when he refused to stand for the national anthem last season.”

Don’t be fooled. The NFL’s donation isn’t about “social causes” or “racial equality.” It’s about America’s favorite football league caving to left-wing activists.

Both the UNCF and Dream Corps, which have been critical of President Trump, would each receive $25 million under the NFL proposal. The Players Coalition would get the rest of the money to make charitable contributions to other organizations.
As soon as the news broke, ESPN praised the “donation to social justice organizations” in the enduring “push for racial equality.” Sports Illustrated claimed the plan would “address social justice issues” that will “help in African-American communities.” The New York Times seized on the proposal, saying it will “aid social causes.”
Don’t be fooled. The NFL’s donation isn’t about “social causes” or “racial equality.” It’s about America’s favorite football league caving to left-wing activists.
Just follow the money, which would ironically come from the NFL owners who many liberals have vilified as “racist” for denying Kaepernick a job he doesn’t deserve. Kaepernick has not been hired by another team this season, after leaving the 49ers. 
The UNCF has criticized President Trump’s education budget in recent months. The Dream Corps is a nonprofit advocacy group founded by CNN commentator Van Jones, who called President Trump’s election victory a “whitelash.”
Dream Corps is essentially a promotional vehicle for Jones, featuring his new book and other racially charged political commentary. One of the group’s top issues is an “inclusive green economy” to “lift people out of poverty” – because there’s nothing low-income Americans need more, of course, than stricter environmental regulations.
Moreover, Dream Corps sponsored the anti-Trump “We Rise Tour” and provides catchy posters for its ongoing “Anti-Fascist War.” One reads: “Real Men Rep the F-Word #Feminist.” Another proclaims: “No Ban. No Wall. Sanctuary for All.”
You get the picture. Instead of bringing Americans together around a national pastime, the NFL is standing with multimillionaire anthem kneelers and funding the anti-Trump resistance movement. Some way to market to President Trump’s 63 million supporters!
The NFL would be better off appeasing its loyal fans than liberal activists. All three of the league’s Thanksgiving games saw double-digit drops in viewership from the previous year. Meanwhile, NFL merchandise sales have fallen by 20 percent in recent years. People are changing the channel and their shopping habits.
The same goes for ESPN, which has inundated Americans with pro-Kaepernick and anti-Trump coverage for months. The network recently laid off 150 more employees, bringing the total number of 2017 layoffs to 250 workers.
Memo to the sports industry: Stick to sports – or face extinction.

After Steinle verdict, rep unveils bill to imprison officials who shelter illegal immigrants

A Republican congressman plans to introduce a bill Monday that would threaten huge fines and prison time for elected officials accused of sheltering illegal immigrant criminals from deportation, in the wake of the not-guilty verdict in the Kate Steinle murder trial. 

Indiana Rep. Todd Rokita’s bill is one of the most aggressive pieces of legislation to date aimed at sanctuary city policies, going beyond the Justice Department’s threat to cut off grants to those jurisdictions. 

“Politicians don’t get to pick and choose what laws to comply with,” Rokita told Fox News. “Americans are dying because politicians sworn to uphold the law refuse to do so.”
His “Stopping Lawless Actions of Politicians (SLAP) Act” would hold state and local lawmakers criminally responsible for refusing to comply with federal immigration enforcement efforts. The Republican’s bill would subject violators to a $1 million fine and up to five years in prison if they are convicted.
“It’s time the federal government gets serious about enforcing immigration laws and holding politicians accountable who conspire to break them,” said Rokita.
Rokita also supported “Kate’s Law” – legislation that would boost penalties for illegal immigrants who were previously deported and that was named after Steinle.
On Thursday, Jose Ines Garcia Zarate, an illegal immigrant who already had been deported back to Mexico five times, was acquitted in the 2015 murder of Steinle on a San Francisco pier.
Zarate’s attorneys argued Zarate had found a gun that accidentally discharged, and the bullet ricocheted off the ground before hitting Steinle. Prosecutors argued Zarate intentionally shot 32-year-old Steinle.
The killing revived a national debate over sanctuary city policies, as some lawmakers as well as Steinle’s family faulted San Francisco for releasing the suspect from a local jail without notifying federal immigration officials. 
President Trump, who frequently cited Steinle’s case on the campaign trail, called the not-guilty verdict “disgraceful” and a “complete travesty of justice.”
Attorney General Jeff Sessions took direct aim at the city, saying San Francisco’s “decision to protect criminal aliens led to the preventable and heartbreaking death of Kate Steinle.” 
In an interview prior to Thursday’s verdict, Steinle’s family said they wanted the case out of the national spotlight. “We just want to get this over with and move on with our lives, and think about Kate on our terms,” Jim Steinle, Kate’s father, told the San Francisco Chronicle.
Following the verdict, he said his family was shocked Zarate was convicted only of firearm possession.
On Friday, the DOJ released an amended arrest warrant for Zarate for a supervised release violation.
Rokita’s bill follows a similar attempt in Texas to punish local officials who ignore federal requests to hold and then potentially turn over suspects for possible deportation. That law is the subject of a federal court challenge.

Holder, Comey fight Trump's FBI slam: 'Not letting this go'

Agencies accused of withholding key documents, FBI witness that could shed light on whether U.S. officials relied on anti-Trump 'dossier' to justify surveillance against associates of Donald Trump; chief Washington correspondent James Rosen reports.

Former Attorney General Eric Holder and ex-FBI Director James Comey fired back Sunday at President Trump, who claimed the FBI’s reputation is in “tatters” after its handling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation.

“Nope. Not letting this go. The FBI’s reputation is not in 'tatters,'” Holder, who served as attorney general under President Obama, tweeted. “It’s composed of the same dedicated men and women who have always worked there and who do a great, apolitical job.”

Holder added, “You’ll find integrity and honesty at FBI headquarters and not at 1600 Penn Ave right now,” referring to the White House.
Trump earlier Sunday said that “after years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters – worst in history! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness.”
The president’s tweet followed news that FBI agent Peter Strzok was removed from special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia because of anti-Trump text messages he may have sent.
Meanwhile, Comey tweeted what seemed to be a response of his own, quoting a statement he gave to the Senate Intelligence Committee last June: “I want the American people to know this truth: The FBI is honest. The FBI is strong. And the FBI is, and always will be, independent.”
The FBI Agents Association also chimed in. FBIAA President Thomas O’Connor said: “Every day, FBI Special Agents put their lives on the line to protect the American public from national security and criminal threats. Agents perform these duties with unwavering integrity and professionalism and a focus on complying with the law and the Constitution.”
O’Connor continued, ”This is why the FBI continues to be the premier law enforcement agency in the world. FBI Agents are dedicated to their mission; suggesting otherwise is simply false.”
Former Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, who was fired by Trump after she sent a memo instructing Justice Department attorneys not to defend the administration's refugee ban, tweeted Sunday night: "The FBI is in 'tatters?' No. The only thing in tatters is the President’s respect for the rule of law. The dedicated men and women of the FBI deserve better."
TRUMP RELOADS ON FBI'S CLINTON EMAIL PROBE, AFTER REPORTS OF 'TAINTED' ANTI-TRUMP AGENT
Trump frequently has asked why the FBI and the Justice Department haven’t filed criminal charges against Clinton.
Later Sunday, he tweeted, “Now it all starts to make sense!” in response to word that the Justice Department’s Office of the Inspector General is reviewing the role Strzok played in the Clinton email investigation.

Graham warns Trump about tweeting during Russia probe

Lawmakers from both sides of the aisle on Sunday warned President Trump to use caution before tweeting about the ongoing investigation into contacts between his campaign and Russia.

Sen. Lindsey Graham told CBS’ “Face the Nation” that the president could be wading into “peril” by tweeting on the Russia probe.

“I would just say this with the president: There’s an ongoing criminal investigation. You tweet and comment regarding ongoing criminal investigations at your own peril,” he said.
Trump has long maintained that his use of social media gives him the opportunity to bypass the media and speak directly to the country. He credits Twitter for -- at least in part -- helping him defeat Hillary Clinton.
Trump is focusing renewed attacks on the FBI, and on the investigation by special counsel Robert Mueller, two days after his former national security adviser Michael Flynn agreed to cooperate with the probe as part of a plea agreement.
But recent posts have raised eyebrows, namely the tweet that claimed that he never asked then-FBI Director James Comey to stop investigating Flynn. A position that Reuters pointed out is at odds with Comey’s account.
Trump tweeted Saturday that he fired Flynn “because he lied to the Vice President (Mike Pence) and the FBI.”
The timing of when Trump learned of Flynn lying to the FBI is important in the investigation. Legal experts told Reuters that if Trump called off Comey’s investigation after learning about Flynn's action, it could support an obstruction of justice charge for Trump.
John Dowd, Trump’s attorney, told Reuters that the first time Trump learned that Flynn lied to the FBI was when Flynn was charged.
Dowd said he crafted wording in the tweet and it was botched. Dowd said it was the first and last time he would craft a tweet for Trump and said “sorry” for misleading people.
“The mistake was I should have put the lying to the FBI in a separate line referencing his plea,” he told Reuters. “Instead, I put it together and it made all you guys go crazy. A tweet is shorthand.”
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the top Democrat on the Senate Judiciary Committee, told NBC’s “Meet the Press” that evidence is coming partly from "the continual tweets" from the White House.
Feinstein said she believes Trump's firing of Comey came "directly because he did not agree to lift the cloud of the Russia investigation." She said, "That's obstruction of justice."