Conservative Blogger
Saturday, September 15, 2018
'Last Lockdown' statues part of gun-control group's plan to change minds in pro-gun districts
Tucker: The ideological gap between the leaders of America's most powerful corporations and the Democratic Party is minimal. The Left is colluding with big companies to roll back the Second Amendment. On Youtube, Google has banned the posting of videos that link to gun sellers, or that simply promote the purchase of guns and accessories. #Tucker
Statues depicting people terrified by gun violence represent the latest effort by a gun-control group and its allies to win support for their cause, according to reports.
The statues, created with 3-D printers, are to be "strategically placed in 10 notoriously pro-gun rights districts," the San Francisco Chronicle reported, while paired with demonstrations led by student organizers.
The targeted locations are in Parkland, Fla.; Las Vegas; Denver; Minneapolis; Irvine, Calif., Milwaukee; Houston; Sarasota, Fla.; Spokane, Wash.; and Philadelphia, according to the website of Giffords Courage, a gun-control group.
The statues were designed with help from Manuel Oliver, an artist who lost his son, Joaquin, 17, in the mass shooting last February at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla.
One design in the project, callled "The Last Loockdown," shows a terrified girl huddled underneath a desk, the Washington Post reported.
"I know my son -- he was a cool dude -- and I know he would think this statue is a really powerful way to get our message across," Oliver told the paper.
The statues are part of a nationwide voter registration drive to urge voters to elect candidates who back gun-control measures, the report said.
Giffords Courage is teaming up with the student leaders, the paper reported, citing the organization's news release.
"I am proud of [young people] for making it clear to the gun lobby and the NRA that we will no longer tolerate a world where politicians vote against the public safety of the communities they represent," Gabrielle Giffords, co-founder of Giffords Courage, said, according to the Chronicle.
Giffords, a former congresswoman from Arizona, survived an assassination attempt in 2011.
Sean Leonard, a Texas advertising director, and his partner Dan Crumine were the "masterminds" behind the plans and also designed the statues along with Oliver, the Chronicle reported.
“That’s what art does, it stops people, makes them think. It connects with people in a more powerful way than trying to talk them into it."The statues, made of bronze, have graffitti scratched onto their surface, with gun-control messages and information about registering to vote.
- Manuel Oliver, artist and Parkland shooting victim's father
Oliver said the statues have the goal of “showing in one stark image what gun violence has come to in America,” according to the paper.
“That’s what art does, it stops people, makes them think. It connects with people in a more powerful way than trying to talk them into it,” Oliver told the Post.
Amy Lieu is a news editor and reporter for Fox News.
Libertarian Gary Johnson says his $250G in cannabis stocks irrelevant to his backing of legalized marijuana
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| Former Libertarian presidential candidate Gary Johnson disclosed his personal financial interests in the cannabis sector in Senate filings this week. |
Gary Johnson, a two-time Libertarian candidate for
president who's now seeking a U.S. Senate seat in New Mexico, says the
more than $250,000 in cannabis stocks he owns does not influence his
position on legalizing marijuana.
According to financial filings
reviewed this week by the Associated Press, Johnson is said to own
stocks worth more than $250,000 in the Nevada cannabis company Kush Inc.
He also reported capital gains of at least $100,000 from stock in the
company Cannabis Sativa, where he previously served as CEO between his
2012 and 2016 presidential runs.
Johnson, 65, who also served as a Republican governor
of New Mexico from 1995 to 2003, was required to disclose his personal
finances after announcing his Senate candidacy in August.He defended his earnings Friday, saying he sees no conflict of interest because he has always supported the legalization of marijuana.
"This was a career-ending move on my part in 1999," Johnson said, referring to his support for legalizing pot when he was governor, despite its unpopularity at the time. "The last thing that I ever dreamed of happening is that somehow I would make money off this."
Johnson's Senate campaign office did not immediately return Fox News’ request for additional comment."The last thing that I ever dreamed of happening is that somehow I would make money off this."
Johnson has long advocated for legalizing marijuana. Both he and his daughter are also investors in the cannabis-specific hedge fund CB1 Capital.
He is running on the Libertarian ticket against incumbent U.S. Sen. Martin Heinrich, 46, a Democrat who recently embraced the decriminalization of marijuana at the federal level.
The Republican contender on the ballot, construction contractor Mick Rich, opposes legalization.
Taco Bell employee fired for refusing to serve English-speaking customer (Democrats)
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| Taco Bell has 6,446 restaurants and serves more than 2 billion customers yearly. (tupungato) |
A Spanish-speaking Taco
Bell employee in Florida was let go by the fast food chain after a video
circulating on social media this week showed her refusing to serve an
English-speaking customer.
The video shows the employee at the
restaurant’s Hialeah location appearing to become annoyed when customer
Alexandria Montgomery tried placing her order in English, the Miami Herald reported.
After getting nowhere, Montgomery asks to speak with a manager.The employee, who identifies herself in the video as Luisa, repliesin Spanish: “She is in her house sleeping,” in a dismissive tone before saying “Honey, I have a car behind you," and closing the window.
She then threatens to call the police.
“Can you move, please? I have an order behind you," she says. “There is no one who speaks English. This is Hialeah, I’m sorry.”
Hialeah is located north of Miami International Airport and is predominantly Latino.
“I’m trying to order and she’s telling me I can’t order because she doesn’t speak English. Who’s wrong?,” Montgomery responded.
The video shows two other Taco Bell employees coming to the drive-thru window, but neither helps Montgomery place her order.
The customer ultimately leaves without making a purchase. No other employees in the restaurant at the time spoke English, the employee said.
“This incident happened Wednesday night around 10:30 p.m.,” Montgomery told El Nuevo Herald. “I contacted the manager and after explaining to her what happened all she did was apologize and say 'thank you,' and the call was disconnected.”
In a statement, Taco Bell said, “This individual no longer works for the brand.”
A spokesperson told the EL Nuevo Herald that “this does not meet our customer service expectations” and “We have worked quickly to resolve with the customer to ensure this doesn’t happen again
Montgomery’s Facebook post garnered over 4,000 comments as of Friday. Most were in support of her.
“Hialeah is still part of Florida and, as far as I remember, correct me if I’m wrong, Florida is part of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, it’s a country where English is the language we speak. This is a shame for the Hispanic / Latino community," commented a Facebook user.
I’m sorry here in America we speak English! You can speak any kind of language you want but if you want to live here, I’d expect you to at least learn our language,” another wrote.
According to the 2010 census, around 89 percent of Hialeah residents speak Spanish as their first or second language and more than 94 percent identify as Hispanic or Latino.
Lawyer with Obama, Clinton ties may face federal charges: report
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| An attorney for Greg Craig claims his client “was not required to register under the Foreign Agent Registration Act,” a report said. (Facebook) |
A lawyer with ties to the Obama and Clinton
administrations may face federal charges for failing to register as a
foreign agent, according to a report.
Greg Craig, 73, a former White House
counsel during the Obama presidency, is under investigation regarding
whether he improperly worked as a lobbyist for a group associated with
Ukraine, without first registering with the Justice Department, CNN reported, citing unnamed sources.
Craig was a partner in the law firm Skadden, Arps,
Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP, which may face charges as well, according
to the report. Craig left the firm in April, the report said.An attorney for Craig told CNN his client “was not required to register under the Foreign Agent Registration Act.”
Previously, Craig held several posts in the Clinton administration, including helping to coordinate former President Bill Clinton's impeachment defense, NBC News reported.
The probes of Craig and the Skadden firm are linked to former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort, the sources told CNN.
In 2012, Manafort allegedly solicited the Skadden firm in the trial against Yulia Tymoshenko, according to CNN. Tymoshenko was a political rival of former Ukraine President Viktor Yanukovych, who was Manafort’s client at the time.
Craig’s former law firm is also facing criminal charges for its alleged role in Tymoshenko’s prosecution.
CNN said sources claim the Skadden firm was hired to write a report about the Tymoshenko trial. The New York Times reported that Craig was involved in promoting the report to members of Congress and the media -- efforts that would have required Craig to register as a foreign agent, according to the Times.
Mom honored by Trump after MS-13 killed her daughter is struck, killed by SUV near memorial site
Evelyn Rodriguez, who was struck and
killed by an SUV on Friday, appears with President Trump at a forum on
MS-13 gang violence in Bethpage, N.Y., May 23, 2018. Just months
earlier, Rodriguez's daughter was brutally murdered by MS-13 members,
according to authorities.
(Getty Images)
A grieving New York mom whose daughter was brutally murdered by MS-13 gang members -- and who was later honored by President Trump at a State of the Union address -- was struck and killed by an SUV Friday at her daughter’s memorial site after getting into a confrontation with the driver.
Evelyn Rodriguez, 50, was preparing for a vigil when she was struck in Brentwood, N.Y., around 4 p.m. -– two years to the day the body of her 16-year-old daughter Kayla Cuevas was found in a wooded area of New York City's Long Island suburbs, which have been known for MS-13 violence.
Rodriguez was struck following a heated argument with the relative of a person who lives near the memorial over its placement.
She and another person were standing in the street and yelling when the SUV sped toward them and struck her. The driver was not arrested, but Suffolk County police said their investigation was continuing.
Rodriguez was taken to a hospital where she died, the New York Post reported.
President Trump offered condolences in a Twitter message Friday evening.
“My thoughts and prayers are with Evelyn Rodriguez this evening, along with her family and friends. #RIPEvelyn,” Trump tweeted Friday.
Several other public figures remembered the devoted mother.
U.S. Rep. Peter King, R-N.Y., called her death a “tragedy beyond belief,” and New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo praised Rodriguez’s “tremendous courage.”
Suffolk County District Attorney Tim Sini was a police commissioner when Cuevas and her friend Nisa Mickens, 15, were killed and said Rodriguez was “one of the strongest people” he’s ever met and that he was heartbroken over her death.
“She was a fierce advocate for her hometown of Brentwood and was fearless in her fight to put an end to the violence caused by MS-13 to ensure that other parents never have to endure the pain she suffered,” Sini said.
Rodriguez had been outspoken against gang violence after Cuevas and Mickens were attacked and killed with machetes and baseball bats in 2016.
Along with Cuevas’ father, Freddy Cuevas, and Mickens’ parents, Rodriguez attended Trump's State of the Union address in January and sat alongside Trump at a gang violence forum in May in Bethpage, Long Island.
She conveyed the fear residents felt to a House subcommittee last year.
“The MS-13 gang is so unpredictable you just don’t know who is who with them,” Rodriguez said. “MS-13 is a new breed of murderers, they are children, kids killing kids, and as they continue to grow, so does their techniques of recruiting helpless kids into their wicked actions.”
Prosecutors says Cuevas was targeted because of disputes with MS-13 -- or Mara Salvatrucha -- gang members at her school and Mickens was in the wrong place at the wrong time.
She later sued the Brentwood School District for $110 million over claims that it ignored warnings that MS-13 gang members were threatening her daughter, saying employees had failed to act.
The alleged killers face murder charges that could result in the death penalty.
Trump has lashed out at the gang since taking office, blaming the violence on soft immigration policies.
An MS-13 member last month pleaded guilty to a killing four men who he believed to be rival gang members in nearby Central Islip, N.Y..
The victims were lured to a park and attacked with machetes, knives and clubs.
Friday, September 14, 2018
Cuomo handily defeats 'resistance' challenger Cynthia Nixon, as far-left Dems fall in several key races
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo soundly defeated insurgent progressive Cynthia Nixon in Thursday's gubernatorial primary, denying far-left liberals a victory they had long sought against the establishment Democrat.
And incumbent Kathy Hochul defeated Jumaane Williams, another so-called "resistance" candidate, in the race for lieutenant governor. Hochul, a former congresswoman from Buffalo, now moves on to the November general election as Cuomo's running mate.
Rounding out the day's key races, Cuomo-backed New York City Public Advocate Letitia James, 59, won a four-way Democratic primary for attorney general, triumphing over progressive law professor Zephyr Teachout.
Teachout had campaigned with Nixon against Cuomo, and pledged to make fighting state corruption a priority. She had said she'd use the "law as a sword, not just a shield" in cracking down on President Trump.
Teachout had run unsuccessfully against Cuomo for governor in 2014, claiming more than 30 percent of the vote in a surprisingly strong showing.
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo speaks as he marks his primary election ballot at the Presbyterian Church of Mount Kisco on Thursday. (AP)
The losses were a one-two-three punch for so-called "resistance" Democrats seeking to defy polls -- and better-funded opponents -- to upend the New York party establishment.
Still, there was some good news on the night for supporters of democratic socialist U.S. House candidate Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez: Julia Salazar, a democratic socialist whose campaign for a seat in the state Senate was overshadowed by a series of bizarre revelations about her past, unseated a 16-year incumbent in Thursday's Democratic primary.
And the evening could end up making history. James, who would become the first black woman to hold statewide elected office in New York if she prevails in the general election for attorney general, might soon see the president in court. New York has filed several lawsuits against Trump's policies and his charitable foundation.
City Council Member Jumaane Williams, who is running for lieutenant governor. (AP)
The current attorney general, Barbara Underwood, was appointed in May when Eric Schneiderman resigned after he was accused of physically abusing women. Underwood declined to run for election.
The results, on the whole, were mostly expected, even if this primary season has shown that upsets are almost the new normal. Williams, the lieutenant general candidate, had reportedly faced significant financial troubles and was found guilty of obstructing an emergency vehicle after he blocked an ambulance at an immigrants' rights rally last month.
OPINION: CUOMO, AMERICA'S ALWAYS BEEN GREAT -- AND MY ANCESTORS WERE SLAVES!
Williams was impeding an ambulance carrying his friend, an immigrant rights activist who had been informed he would be detained, and then fainted. Williams also was booked for blocking traffic outside Trump Tower in the wake of the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court.
Cuomo answers a question at a debate last month as Cynthia Nixon looks on. (AP)
The state's gubernatorial race commanded most of the fanfare on the evening. Nixon, a former "Sex and the City" co-star, was widely predicted to lose the race, even as she insisted polls were underestimating her support. She had sought to mirror the success of Ocasio-Cortez and capitalize on a series of missteps by Cuomo, who was roundly mocked last month for saying America "was never that great."
DEEP DIVE: WHERE DO NEW YORK'S KEY CANDIDATES STAND ON THE ISSUES?
With nearly half of precincts reporting, though, Nixon was trailing Cuomo by more than 30 percentage points -- putting her more in line with the dismal performance of Bernie Sanders' son Levi in New Hampshire earlier this week.
Nixon had received the endorsement of the Working Families Party (WFP), an influential, progressive third party in New York. She was seeking to join the handful of insurgent liberal candidates who have sent shockwaves through the Democratic political establishment by unseating party favorites ahead of November's midterm elections.
The race had featured bitter attacks, with Nixon calling Cuomo a "bully" and Cuomo's campaign dismissing her as "unhinged."
Zephyr Teachout at a debate last month among Democratic candidates for state attorney general. (AP)
Both Cuomo and Nixon sought to make the election about Trump. "Together, we can show the entire country that in the era of Donald Trump, New Yorkers will come together and lead our nation forward," Nixon wrote Wednesday evening in a final message to supporters.
Cuomo, for his part, spent millions on ads to argue that he's the most qualified candidate to push back against the White House. He also touted liberal accomplishments such as gun control, free public college tuition and a higher minimum wage.
Cuomo is set to face Republican Dutchess County Executive Marc Molinaro, Green Party candidate Howie Hawkins and former Syracuse Mayor Stephanie Miner, an independent, in the November general election.
In an unusual move, Cuomo was a no-show at his own election night victory party and instead celebrated his win at the governor's mansion in Albany.
Florence pummels Carolinas with heavy rain, wind; eyewall nears coast
Hurricane Florence's eyewall was making its way toward North Carolina on Friday, as the Category 1 storm lashed the coast and appeared ready to cause catastrophic flooding.
State officials were bracing for the worst. A tattered American flag seen flying on a live surf camera at Frying Pan Tower in North Carolina was evidence of the strong wind gusts pounding the coast.
Authorities in the coastal city of New Bern, N.C., were working with federal responders to rescue at least 150 residents who reported themselves stranded in Florence's storm surge.
"Hurricane-force winds" began hitting the state's coast, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) said in an 5 a.m. EDT Friday update.
"Don't relax, don't get complacent. Stay on guard. This is a powerful storm that can kill. Today the threat becomes a reality."The storm was about 25 miles east of Wilmington, N.C., and about 55 miles southwest of Morehead City, N.C., the NHC's advisory said.
- Roy Cooper, North Carolina governor
A sign at the Harbour View Inn in Chareston, South Carolina. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
Emerald Isle, N.C. recorded 6.3 feet of storm surge "inundation," according to the U.S. Geological Survey. A 5.5 foot surge of water near Morehead City was also recorded, the National Weather Service reported.
Even though Florence's winds weakened as it drew closer to land, dropping from a peak of 140 mph earlier in the week, North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper maintained his warning.
"Don't relax, don't get complacent. Stay on guard. This is a powerful storm that can kill. Today the threat becomes a reality," Cooper said.
Hurricane-force winds extended 80 miles from its center, and tropical-storm-force winds up to 195 miles.
Waves slam the Oceana Pier & Pier House Restaurant in Atlantic Beach, North Carolina on Thursday as Hurricane Florence approaches the area. (Travis Long/The News & Observer via AP)
Florence was moving west-northwest near 6 mph with maximum sustained winds of 90 mph, the update said.
"On the forecast track, the center of Florence will approach the coasts of North and South Carolina later tonight, then move near or over the coast of southern North Carolina and northeastern South Carolina in the hurricane warning area on Friday," the update said. "A slow motion across portions of eastern and central South Carolina is forecast Friday night through Saturday night."
The storm is likely to bring significant rain to the Carolinas, where some places could see upwards of 20 inches, the update said. This is expected to cause "catastrophic flash flooding and prolonged significant river flooding."
North Carolina has 169,411 power outages across the state as of early Friday morning, officials said.
HURRICANE FLORENCE'S PATH: TRACK THE STORM HERE
Dunleavy's Pub on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina wrote "open" on their boarded up windows. (AP Photo/Mic Smith)
The hurricane agency said a mix of storm surge and tides could result in flooding from rising water levels. Cape Fear to Cape Lookout, N.C., could see as much as 7 to 11 feet of water, according to the update.
Storm surge and hurricane warnings were in effect for South Santee River, S.C., through to Duck, N.C., as well as Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds in North Carolina, the agency said.
"The worst of the storm is not yet here but these are early warnings of the days to come," Cooper said. "Surviving this storm will be a test of endurance, teamwork, common sense and patience."
Cooper requested additional federal disaster assistance in anticipation of what his office called "historic major damage" across the state.
As the storm began buffeting the coast, and more than 12,000 people were in shelters.
Areas from Edisto Beach to South Santee River in South Carolina were under both a storm surge and hurricane watch, while areas located north of Duck, N.C., to the state's border with Virginia were under a storm surge watch, according to the NHC update.
AS HURRICANE FLORENCE NEARS, LIVE SURF CAM VIDEOS SHOW IMPACT ON CAROLINAS
Schools and businesses as far south as Georgia were closed, about 1,200 flights and counting were canceled, and coastal towns in the Carolinas were largely emptied out.
If you're getting ready for Florence, you can read about steps to prepare for the storm here and find emergency contacts here.
Licensed gun owner aids Illinois cops in shootout with suspect; 1 officer injured
Thursday's chaos erupted just after 5
p.m. when Officer Luis Duarte, a four-year-veteran of the Cicero, Ill.,
force, and his partner tried to pull over a vehicle in Cicero for a
routine traffic stop, authorities said.
(.)
A licensed gun owner was hailed Thursday for his role
in helping police in suburban Chicago stop a suspect who was firing an
automatic weapon, officials said.Officials commended the unnamed civilian for his actions as they stood outside a hospital where Cicero police Officer Luis Duarte, 31, was undergoing surgery for four gunshot wounds suffered during the shootout, the Chicago Sun-Times reported.
“We were lucky enough to have a citizen on the street there’s who’s a concealed-carry holder, and he’s also engaged in gunfire,” said Cicero police Superintendent Jerry Chlada Jr.
“We were lucky enough to have a citizen on the street there’s who’s a concealed-carry holder, and he’s also engaged in gunfire.”The chaos erupted just after 5 p.m. when Duarte, a four-year-veteran of the department, and his partner tried to pull over a vehicle in Cicero for a routine traffic stop. The driver instead took off onto a ramp leading to Interstate 55, in Chicago’s city limits.
The officers boxed the vehicle in traffic and the suspect got out and began firing the automatic weapon at them as he fled on foot, Fox 32 Chicago reported. The officers returned fire.
The concealed-carry owner then got out of his vehicle and began shooting at the suspect.
“He got out and started helping the police, which is something I’ve got to be proud of,” Cicero town President Larry Dominick told the Sun-Times.
“He got out and started helping the police, which is something I’ve got to be proud of.”The suspect was hit once but it was not clear if the bullet came from the officers or the concealed-carry holder.
- Cicero town President Larry Dominick
Duarte suffered wounds to an arm, a leg and his abdomen, but was talking and alert ahead of surgery, officials said.
The suspect was taken to a hospital and listed in serious condition. His weapon was found at the scene.
Illinois State Police are investigating the officers’ use of force.
Feinstein's shameful Kavanaugh Hail Mary pass
Feinstein’s Hail Mary pass came exactly one week before the Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to vote on the nomination of the highly qualified judge, who now sits on the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.
Feinstein said in a statement: “I have received information from an individual concerning the nomination of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. That individual strongly requested confidentiality, declined to come forward or press the matter further, and I have honored that decision. I have, however, referred the matter to federal investigative authorities.”
What the heck does that mean? (Translation: I got nothing).
OK – Feinstein is claiming she knows something – but she’s not saying what that mystery something is. How on Earth is anyone supposed to evaluate that? How would any of you reading this like someone to make a cryptic charge like the one Feinstein has thrown out about you, without presenting a shred of evidence?
Fox News reported that two sources said Feinstein got a letter from Rep. Anna Eshoo, D-Calif., in July making the allegations against Kavanaugh – although the senator never spoke about it publicly before Thursday. That’s the way Hail Mary passes work – you don’t throw one until you’re desperate and headed for a loss on the football field.
The mystery letter wasn’t even concerning enough for Feinstein to show to Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa.
The Intercept reported the letter was sent by someone associated with Stanford University and involved a woman and Kavanaugh when she and the 53-year-old judge were both in high school.
The New York Times reported that, according to two sources it did not identify, the letter referenced possible sexual misconduct between Kavanaugh the unidentified woman. Possible, but that is awfully vague for this late stage of a U.S. Supreme Court confirmation.
With so little information, how is anyone supposed to figure out what is going on?
If Feinstein knows something, she should say something. If Kavanaugh is being accused of sexual misconduct then we all have a right to know.
So much about this just smells like a political skunk, not the least of which is the timing of Feinstein’s public non-release of this new information.
If this is an 11th hour power play by Feinstein – and there’s no “there” there – then the senator is playing politics with an otherwise respectable man’s reputation. Kavanaugh has a wife and two young daughters and as far as we know has been an upstanding member of his community.
The White House also hit back at Feinstein, questioning the timing of her new claim.
“Throughout his confirmation process, Judge Kavanaugh has had 65 meetings with senators – including with Senator Feinstein – sat through over 30 hours of testimony, addressed over 2,000 questions in a public setting and additional questions in a confidential session,” White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec said in a statement. “Not until the eve of his confirmation has Sen. Feinstein or anyone raised the specter of new ‘information’ about him."
If this is all a political game, then shame on you Sen. Feinstein. Unfortunately, that’s exactly what it looks like.
Washington Post White House reporter Seung Min Kim tweeted Thursday: "New – FBI does not now plan to launch a criminal investigation of the Kavanaugh matter; instead the bureau passed the material to the White House as an update to Kavanaugh's background check, via @mattzap"
It looks as though Feinstein was saving this “new” allegations for the last minute and then counting on her smear to keep Kavanaugh from being confirmed. But now that the FBI is saying it has no plans to investigate, it seems like her Hail Mary pass may get intercepted.
Lauren DeBellis Appell, a freelance writer in Fairfax, Virginia, was deputy press secretary for then-Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Pa., in his successful 2000 re-election campaign, as well as assistant communications director for the Senate Republican Policy Committee (2001-2003).
Thursday, September 13, 2018
Brett Kavanaugh responds to 1,287 written questions from senators, nearly all from Dems
In this Sept. 5, 2018, photo,
President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh
testifies before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in
Washington.
(AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
The Senate Judiciary Committee on Wednesday released Supreme Court Nominee Brett Kavanaugh’s responses to over 1,200 questions submitted by mostly Senate Democrats following his four-day hearings earlier this month.
Kavanaugh’s responses, which amounted to more than 260 pages, answered the senators’ questions on topics that ranged from abortion, executive power and his personal finances.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., took to questioning Kavanaugh’s stance on abortion after he reportedly said in a 2003 email that he considered Roe v. Wade to be “settled law,” an answer she considered to be too vague.
“If confirmed, I would respect the law of precedent given its centrality to stability, predictability, impartiality, and public confidence in the rule of law,” he said in his response.
FILE PHOTO: The father of a student who was killed in the Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in Parkland, Fla., left, attempted to shake hands with Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh, right, as he leaves for a lunch break while appearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP)
He also addressed a similar question to Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, saying that the email “commented on the views of legal scholars. It did not describe my own views.”
Kavanaugh was also asked about an incident during the hearing when he turned away from the father of shooting victim that approached him during a recess.
If I had known who he was, I would have shaken his hand, talked to him, and expressed my sympathy.Kavanaugh said that after a day packed with demonstrators, and not realizing who the man was, “I assumed he was a protestor.”
- Brett Kavanaugh
“I unfortunately did not realize that the man was the father of a shooting victim from Parkland, Florida. Mr. Guttenberg has suffered an incalculable loss. If I had known who he was, I would have shaken his hand, talked to him, and expressed my sympathy.”
Kavanaugh was also asked about the tens of thousands of dollars in credit card debt he amassed after regularly buying Washington National tickets for years. He said he split the tickets with a “group of old friends.”
“We would usually divide the tickets in a ‘ticket draft’ at my house. Everyone in the group paid me for their tickets based on the cost of the tickets, to the dollar. No one overpaid or underpaid me for tickets. No loans were given in either direction,” he said.
Kavanaugh described himself as a “huge sports fan” who has attended “a couple of hundred regular season games.”
Kavanaugh’s responses come ahead of the Judiciary Committee’s scheduled Thursday meeting to consider his confirmation. A vote is expected later this month.
Debra Messing tells fellow actress Susan Sarandon to 'shut the f--- up' over Trump
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| Debra Messing, right, and Susan Sarandon, both veteran actors, have again gotten into it over political differences. (Getty Images) |
Debra Messing and Susan Sarandon's political feud has reignited.
On Wednesday, Messing, of "Will & Grace" fame, took to social media, slamming Sarandon in a series of tweets over a Variety interview
headlined, "Donald Trump has, if anything, inspired more women and
people of color to run for office, says actress Susan Sarandon."
"STFU SUSAN," wrote Messing, 50. "Oh yes, PLEASE let’s
give Trump CREDIT. I mean how else are you able to walk out on the
street."She continued: "Convince yourself that that this CATASTROPHE of a President who you said was better that HRC IS NOT ripping children away from parents seeking asylum, holding children... INDEFINITELY in internment camps with their new policy, DESTROYING all attempts to protect our environment (yes the water you properted to care about), endangered animals, taking away women’s ACCESS to health care and legal abortion, trying to block POC from Voting with extreme... Judges who will support jerrymandering efforts, not to mention destroying ALL good will and allied relationships across the Globe.
"Oh, and lest you forget Syria, Crimea, and putting PRO-RUSSIA agenda BEFORE the United States best interests. YES, do go on... And LAUD the effect Trump has had. Out of DESPERATION & PANIC for the DESTRUCTION of the Soul of our country," added Messing.
"But you don’t want to look at THAT part of the equation. Because then you’d have to admit you were dead WRONG running around bellowing that HRC was more dangerous than... Trump."
She concluded: "Only a self righteous, narcissist would continue to spout off and not - in the face of Americans’ pain and agony -be contrite and apologize for your part in this catastrophe. But, you do you Susan."
Responding to Messing, Sarandon, 71, said: “Debs, before you get yourself all self-righteous try clicking on the video and listening to what I actually say, not @Variety's clickbait headline, which btw has no quotation marks. That’s a clue..."
In a two-minute video, the interviewer asked Sarandon what “grade” she would give President Trump, to which the actress replied: "I'd tell him to start all over again." Without giving Trump a grade, Sarandon went on to give an overview of the political landscape.
During her explanation, Sarandon, who recently played Bette Davis in "Feud," briefly mentioned how more women and people of color are running for office, but did not seem to directly credit Trump.
This wasn't the first time Sarandon and Messing have had a heated exchange about politics.
According to People magazine, Messing, who supported Hillary Clinton, and Sarandon, who backed Bernie Sanders, got into it in 2016 after Sarandon seemed to suggest she would vote for Trump over Clinton during an appearance on MSNBC’s "All In With Chris Hayes."
Media batter Trump with storm criticism as Hurricane Florence looms
As the media blast out dire warnings about the destructive power of Hurricane Florence, they are also beginning a familiar ritual involving President Trump.
That is, the charge that he's not very good at handling these things.
The storm hasn't even made landfall, and once again we're hearing that Trump is lousy at emergency management and that he's tone deaf when it comes to providing aid and comfort.
As this Politico headline put it yesterday, "Trump Struggles to Embrace Consoler-in-Chief Role."
Now this was a major narrative last year. While FEMA was credited with doing an excellent job after monster hurricanes in Texas and Florida, there was constant carping that Trump didn't show the proper degree of empathy, that he didn't wade into crowds and hug people. That, of course, is not his style—he's not a feel-your-pain guy like Bill Clinton or Barack Obama—and doesn't fit the traditional conception of how a politician should behave. (And, of course, there was the media tantrum about Melania taking off in stilettos to flood-ravaged Houston.)
But then came Puerto Rico, which was absolutely devastated by a hurricane that so thoroughly destroyed the power grid that electricity wasn't fully restored until recently. Trump was lambasted for tossing paper towels into a crowd there. And while it's a fair criticism that the administration didn't focus as much attention on the Puerto Rican disaster, neither did the media—until they turned it into a Trump-is-screwing-up.
CNN's Jeff Toobin even turned it into a racism argument: "They're not white people, and they don't count to Donald Trump as much as the deaths of white people." So why did the deaths of Puerto Ricans—who are of course Americans—get a small fraction of the coverage as those in Florida and Texas? And by the way, any administration would have struggled with the wreckage on the poverty-stricken territory.
What triggered the latest round of criticism was a FEMA briefing on Florence at which Trump boasted about that situation. "I think Puerto Rico was an incredible unsung success," said the president, who also tweeted that his administration did an "unappreciated great job" on the island.
Well, it didn't take long for journalists to point out that nearly 3,000 people died from that storm, a tragic figure that was only recently officially confirmed after the ludicrous early estimate of less than 100. And the president kind of stepped in it by not pointing that out.
That, in turn, revived a feud from last year, with San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz ripping Trump for "despicable" comments and "lack of understanding of reality."
And The Washington Post highlighted a Democratic senator's charge that the Trump administration transferred $10 million from FEMA to the immigration agency's detention program—a sensitive matter with Florence about the strike the Carolinas.
That is fair game for debate, but the Politico piece raised the broader question of the president's demeanor by citing his Sept. 11 visit to Shanksville, Pa., where a plane hijacked by terrorists was forced down 17 years ago.
The story noted that "a news photographer snapped a photograph of him giving supporters a celebratory-looking double-fist-pump on the tarmac as he exited Air Force One — an image that quickly went viral."
And: "The contrasting messages continued a pattern for this president, whose attempts to offer unifying messages to a polarized nation have often been laced with elements of discord."
Trump actually delivered a beautifully written speech at Shanksville. But those two seconds came to define the day because it fit the narrative.
Look, this is a career businessman, and he doesn't have the hand-holding instincts of polished politicians. And if the White House does a lousy job with Florence, journalists should aggressively report that.
It's just telling that the media are awash with these stories before the storm even makes landfall.
Howard Kurtz is a Fox News analyst and the host of "MediaBuzz" (Sundays 11 a.m.). He is the author "Media Madness: Donald Trump, The Press and the War Over the Truth." Follow him at @HowardKurtz. Click here for more information on Howard Kurtz.
Google bosses upset over Trump election victory, leaked video shows
Google co-founder Sergey Brin and
CFO Ruth Porat were both upset following Donald Trump's general election
victory, newly released video shows.
(Getty Images)
Not long after Donald Trump won the general election in 2016, the executives of Google held a company meeting in which they expressed their disappointment at the result, newly released video has revealed.
The recording, which was provided anonymously to and reported by Breitbart News, was made by the tech giant and showed several of the company’s leaders.
At the top of the video, co-founder Sergey Brin said that he’s aware "this is probably not the most joyous TGIF we have had."
“You know, let’s face it, most people here are pretty upset and pretty sad for … because of the election," Brin said. “Myself, as an immigrant and a refugee, I certainly find this election deeply offensive and I know many of you do, too. And I think it’s a very stressful time and it conflicts with many of our values.”
The video also showed that a vice president, Kent Walker, described the outcome of the election as “a shock to all of us."
“It was a shock to all of us, the results of the election. It was a fair and democratic process and we honor that,” Walker said. “But at the same time it showed an incredible level of division among Americans and that’s something that gives us pause and focuses on how did we misunderstand that, what can we do to reach out to people whose perspective we have a hard time understanding.”
“But it’s not just a challenge for America. It’s a challenge that goes well beyond America,” he continued. “The implications for the rest of the world are vast. And the echoes around the world are significant. This is not the first sign we’ve seen of this rising tide of nationalism, populism and concern.”
CFO Ruth Porat later took the stage and told the group that though she was a “longtime Hillary supporter,” she respected “the outcome of the democratic process.”
“Who any one of us voted for is really not the point, because the values that are held dear at this company transcend politics, because we’re going to constantly fight to preserve them,” she said.
In a statement provided to Fox News, a Google spokesperson confirmed that at a previously planned meeting, some company employees shared “their own personal views” following the presidential election. However, the spokesperson said, none of the comments indicated “that any political bias ever influences” how their products are constructed or designed to perform.
“Nothing was said at that meeting, or any other meeting, to suggest that any political bias ever influences the way we build or operate our products. To the contrary, our products are built for everyone, and we design them with extraordinary care to be a trustworthy source of information for everyone, without regard to political viewpoint,” the statement continued.
LEAKED GOOGLE EMPLOYEE’S EMAIL REVEALS EFFORT TO BOOST LATINO VOTE, SURPRISE THAT SOME VOTED FOR TRUMP
Media Research Center President Brent Bozell, in a statement to Fox News, slammed the comments in the video.
“This video is the smoking gun. Google’s leadership is decidedly anti-Trump and there is no doubt that their company practices reflect that,” Bozell said. “We need hearings now. Google cannot continue to run and hide.”
The video revelation comes on the heels of accusations of political bias leveled against Google after an employee’s leaked email mentioned the company’s efforts with a Latino nonprofit prior to the 2016 election.
The email, written by Google’s former head of multicultural marketing and obtained exclusively by Fox News’ “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” details various ways the company worked to increase voter turnout.
However, a spokesperson for Google fired back at the claims Wednesday, saying that “the employee’s email is an expression of her personal political views about the outcome of the 2016 election and those views do not reflect any official stance by the company.”
Wednesday, September 12, 2018
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