Louisiana election heads to runoff with Democrat Edwards to face GOP's Rispone

Louisiana's Democratic governor, John Bel Edwards, will have to face a runoff election in November as he failed to garner at least 50 percent of the votes in Saturday's election.
The result in a six-candidate field, raised questions about whether Edwards will be able to defeat Republican businessman Eddie Rispone on Nov. 16.
President Trump praised the outcome of Saturday's election and took credit for keeping Edwards from a primary victory, saying in a tweet: "The Governor of Louisiana, John Bel Edwards, has done a poor job. NOW HE IS IN A RUNOFF WITH A GREAT REPUBLICAN, (at)EddieRispone. Thank you Louisiana!" He said Edwards' support fell "after I explained what a bad job the Governor was doing."

Under Louisiana’s so-called “jungle primary” system, all the candidates of both parties appear on a single ballot and a runoff is triggered if no candidate achieves a simple majority.
Voters went to the polls one night after Trump held a rally in Lake Charles in a last-ditch attempt to encourage voters to vote for either U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham or Rispone in order to prevent Edwards from hitting the magic number of "50 percent plus one."
Trump was careful not to throw his weight behind either of the Republican challengers running and instead was joined on stage by both Abraham and Rispone at the "Keep America Great Rally."
Abraham, 65, a third-term congressman from rural Richland Parish in northeast Louisiana, touted his background as a doctor. He pledged tax cuts while promising new spending on early childhood education, roads and public safety. He didn't explain how he would balance the budget with less revenue.
Rispone, 70, founder of a Baton Rouge industrial contracting company, is a long-time GOP political donor running for his first elected office. He largely self-financed his campaign, pouring $11 million in the race. He presented himself in the mold of Trump, describing himself as a conservative outsider who would upend the traditional political system of Baton Rouge.
Edwards dealt with a crisis on Saturday morning after a portion of the Hard Rock Hotel under construction in downtown New Orleans collapsed killing one person and injuring dozens more. Rescue efforts were ongoing inside the building as law enforcement officials said two people remained trapped inside even as a 270 feet tall crane remained unstable, requiring possibly larger equipment to stabilize it.
Republicans sought to prove that Edwards' longshot victory in 2015 was a fluke, aided by a flawed GOP opponent, David Vitter, who was hobbled by a prostitution scandal and attacks on his moral character from fellow Republicans in the primary.
Democrats want an Edwards reelection win to show they can compete even in a ruby red state that Trump won by 20 points. Throughout his campaign, Edwards sought to make the election a referendum on his performance rather than a commentary on Louisiana's views on national politics.
Edwards, a West Point graduate and former Army Ranger opposes abortion and gun restrictions, talks of working well with the Trump administration and calls the U.S. House Democrats' impeachment inquiry a distraction to governing in Washington. He signed one of the nation's strictest abortion bans, but also expanded Louisiana's Medicaid program, adding nearly a half-million new people to government-financed health care and lowering the state's uninsured rate below the national average.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

‘Hunter Biden’ a topic CNN, NBC, MSNBC don’t seem to like, law professor says

Want to watch a left-leaning TV journalist quickly change the subject? Just mention Hunter Biden, son of former Vice President Joe Biden.
“For news shows on MSNBC, CNN and other cable networks, nothing is more disgusting than the mention of what Hunter Biden actually was doing in Ukraine,” law professor Jonathan Turley of George Washington University writes in The Hill.
“What is most remarkable about the paucity of coverage of Hunter Biden’s dealings,” he adds, “is the conclusory mantra that, ‘This has all been investigated.’”
Turley, 58, a native of Chicago, cites examples of MSNBC’s Nicolle Wallace cutting away from a speech by President Trump when he started to discuss the Bidens; NBC’s  Chuck Todd accusing Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., of trying to “gaslight” viewers by referencing the Bidens while answering a question about Ukraine; and CNN’s Erin Burnett switching to a discussion of President Trump when Rep. Lee Zeldin, R-N.Y., tries to discuss the Bidens.
Pressure directly from the Biden campaign may be at least partly to blame, Turley writes.
“Indeed, the Biden campaign has been remarkably open in demanding that news organizations stop airing interviews or publishing articles about the allegations,” according to Turley. “Instead of calling it ‘fake news’ (which is virtually copyrighted by Trump), the Biden campaign calls such coverage ‘conspiracy theories.’”

Jonathan Turley, law professor, George Washington University.

One recent example Turley cites was when CNN reported that Biden campaign official Kate Bedingfield wrote to executive editor Dean Baquet of The New York Times, chastising the newspaper for running an article by “Clinton Cash” author Peter Schweizer titled, “What Hunter Biden Did Was Legal – That’s the Problem.”
Turley also points to a Reuters report that said the Biden campaign tried to convince Facebook, Twitter and Google not to run a campaign ad for President Trump.
The professor does not disparage the media for looking into the overseas business deals of the Trump family. But he says “there is no reason why the media cannot pursue allegations against both the Trumps and the Bidens.”
His conclusion: Investigating the Bidens “would counter the narrative that there’s ‘nothing wrong’ with Hunter Biden’s dealings and that it’s all a ‘lie’ that’s best to ignore.”

California Gov. Gavin Newsom CARTOONS

U.S. still operating in Syria, readying troops to Saudi Arabia against Iran

OAN Newsroom
UPDATED 12:00 PM PST – Friday, October 11, 2019

U.S. military officials are preparing to deploy thousands of troops to Saudi Arabia. During a Friday news conference, Defense Secretary Mark Esper said collected evidence shows Iran was responsible for attacks on Saudi oil facilities. 1,500 additional forces will be deployed to the region, including fighter squadrons and air defense systems.
Iran’s state news agency announced the explosion of an oil tanker off the coast of Saudi Arabia on Friday morning. Two missiles reportedly struck a vessel that belongs to the National Iranian Oil Company.
A video released on the same day reportedly shows U.S. military vehicles near the Syria-Turkey border, marking the first sighting since President Trump ordered the removal of U.S. troops from Syria. American troops fought with Kurdish forces against ISIS until the U.S. declared the terror group was 100 percent defeated. Officials have said the U.S. is still in close contact with Kurdish forces in the region and continues to work against ISIS forces there. Esper said the U.S. has pushed back against a Turkish incursion into the region and wants to reestablish the status quo while working out a safe zone.
Since operations started, more than 340 Kurdish militia fighters have been killed. Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu has said the country would like to see its NATO allies showing more solidarity in the battle against terrorists. Cavusoglu said it is “not enough” for countries to only express an understanding of these “legitimate concerns.” The minister went on to say Turkey is determined to target terrorists and eliminate terrorism from the region.
“We will do our best to eliminate terrorism from that region,” he said. “If those daesh {dash} terrorists are in the safe zone — which we are in the process of creating — then it is not possible for them to be released.”
NATO has urged Turkey to exercise restraint during its operation in Syria. France, Germany and the EU have all denounced Turkey’s actions.
Russian President Vladimir Putin also weighed in on the Syria conflict, expressing concern for the security of detained ISIS combatants. Western and Russian military intelligence have said there could be thousands of militants detained in the region. He said he doesn’t think Turkey will be able to take control quickly enough to properly secure terrorists guarded by Kurdish forces.
“It is a real threat to us all — Where will they head?” asked Putin. “Through Turkey or take another way or deeper into Syria…to other countries of the region.”

Turkish forces capture key Syrian border town

AKCAKALE, Turkey (AP) — The Latest on Turkey’s invasion of northeastern Syria in a military operation against Syrian Kurdish fighters there (all times local):

12:45 p.m.

Turkey says its military offensive has taken central Ras al-Ayn, a key border town in northeastern Syria, and its most significant gain since its cross-border operation began against Syrian Kurdish fighters began.

The Turkish Defense Ministry tweeted: “Ras al-Ayn’s residential center has been taken under control through the successful operations in the east of the Euphrates (River).”

The Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, an opposition war monitor, confirmed that Turkish troops have entered the town adding that fighting is still ongoing.

The Turkish military and allied Syrian opposition forces have been advancing in villages around Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, under the cover of Turkish artillery and some airstrikes.

Turkey is fighting the Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, which it considers a threat for its links to a decades-long Kurdish insurgency within its own borders.

The YPG forms the backbone of the U.S.-backed ground forces fighting the Islamic State group.

___

12:20 p.m.

Arab foreign ministers are meeting to discuss Turkey’s invasion of northern Syria, as the Arab League holds an emergency session at its headquarters in Cairo.

Saturday’s meetings in Egypt’s capital came as the Turkish offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters enters its fourth day.

Egypt called the emergency meeting to discuss what it called Turkey’s “blatant aggression” against Syria’s sovereignty.

Turkey says it aims to push back Syrian Kurdish forces, which it considers terrorists for its links to a decades-long Kurdish insurgency within its own borders.

But the military action and violence in northern Syria has raised concerns about a possible resurgence of Islamic State activity.

Syria’s membership in the 22-member Arab League was suspended in 2011 after the Syrian government’s military crackdown on protesters calling for reforms.

___

10:20 a.m.

France’s president has discussed the Turkish offensive in Syria with U.S. President Donald Trump, and warned about a possible resurgence of Islamic State activity as a result of the military action.

President Macron’s office said in a statement Saturday that in the call, the French leader “reiterated the need to make the Turkish offensive stop immediately.”

The statement didn’t say whether Macron urged U.S. forces to intervene. Trump’s decision to pull out of the region cleared the way for this week’s Turkish offensive against Kurds in northeast Syria it sees as a threat.

Macron stressed “above all else the need to avoid any resurgence of IS in the region,” and to support the Kurdish forces who helped the U.S.-led military coalition retake Syrian and Iraqi territory from IS extremists.

France has suffered multiple deadly attacks by IS-linked radicals.

The statement said France and the U.S. “share common concerns” and will coordinate closely on the issue in the coming days

___

10:10 a.m.

Turkey’s official news agency says Turkey-backed Syrian opposition forces have reached a strategic highway in northeastern Syria as Turkey’s offensive against Syrian Kurdish fighters enters its fourth day.

Anadolu news agency said Saturday the forces have arrived at the M-4 highway that connects the Syrian towns of Manbij and Qamishli. The road is about 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of the Turkish border.

Turkey has said it aims to push back Syrian Kurdish People’s Protection Units, or YPG, which it considers terrorists for its links to a decades-long Kurdish insurgency within its own borders.

Erdogan said Friday Turkey won’t stop until the YPG, who forms the backbone of the U.S.-backed ground force against the Islamic State, withdraws below a 32 kilometer (20 miles) deep line.

Pro-life group promises legal aid to those hurt by California's college 'abortion pill' law

The pro-life group Students for Life of America (SLA) said Friday it would offer legal assistance to any students or health care workers whose “conscience rights” were threatened by a new California law that requires all public universities in the state to supply students with the “abortion pill” at on-campus clinics.
California Gov. Gavin Newsom, a Democrat, signed the bill into law Friday. It requires all 34 campuses in the University of California and California State University systems to provide the abortion medication on-campus to women who are less than 10 weeks pregnant. It is to take effect in 2023 as long as a state commission can raise more than $10 million in private donations to pay for it.
“California just ensured women will die in their dormitory bathrooms, bleeding out alone from the abortion pill,” SLA President Kristan Hawkins wrote on Twitter, reacting to Newsom's action. “The #prolifegen will not stand for this. We will fight to protect the preborn and their mothers, as well as the conscience rights of campus health center workers. #sb24”

“California just ensured women will die in their dormitory bathrooms, bleeding out alone from the abortion pill.”
— Kristan Hawkins, president, Students for Life of America

“#SB24 in California forces all public colleges to assist with dangerous toilet bowl abortions,” Students for Life also said on Twiiter. “If you are a student or employee who is worried how this affects your #consciencerights message us and we will assist you. The fight is not over.”
Hawkins, who also heads Students for Life Action, continued her argument in a separate statement.
“Governor Newsom’s reckless support for a new abortion pill distribution scheme on California college and university campuses will put students’ lives at risk and put schools at risk of lawsuits as conscience rights are violated,” she wrote.
In addition to helping students and healthcare workers in California, Hawkins said her organization is looking into providing legal assistance to women in other states whose legislatures are considering similar bills.
“Student fees underwrite the costs of the healthcare centers on campuses, which will now be required to distribute deadly chemical abortion pills,” Hawkins continued. “And healthcare professionals will also be forced to hand them out no matter the consequences to women’s health, but Students for Life of America will make sure to connect these victims of conscience right violations with legal help to stop the spread of a bad idea that is only good for propping up abortion vendors like Planned Parenthood.”
Medication abortion involves taking two pills — the first, taken at the clinic, blocks the hormone progesterone, while the second, taken days later at home without the supervision of a medical professional, produces a result similar to a miscarriage.

'Protected right'

The bill’s author, state Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino, a  told the Associated Press: “Abortion is a protected right, and it is important that everyone — including college students — have access to that right, if they so choose."

“Abortion is a protected right, and it is important that everyone — including college students — have access to that right, if they so choose."
— California state Sen. Connie Leyva, D-Chino

“After three years of working to expand access to medication abortion at our public universities, I'm ecstatic that #SB24 was signed into law! Today, California stood on the right side of history by protecting and prioritizing the right to choose,’ Levya also said in a statement. “Just because you have a constitutional right, if you don’t have access to that constitutional right, then it’s really no right at all. I’m tired of women being shamed.”

'Other states ... go backward'

Newsom, upon signing the bill, pointed to several Republican-led states, including Georgia, Kentucky and Mississippi, that have passed laws banning abortions at around six weeks into pregnancy once a fetal heartbeat is detected.
“As other states and the federal government go backward, restricting reproductive freedom, in California we are moving forward, expanding access and reaffirming a woman’s right choose,” Newsom said at news conference Friday, according to the Sacramento Bee. “We’re removing barriers to reproductive health -- increasing access on college campuses and using technology to modernize how patients interact with providers.”

“As other states and the federal government go backward, restricting reproductive freedom, in California we are moving forward, expanding access and reaffirming a woman’s right choose.”
— California Gov. Gavin Newsom

Former California Gov. Jerry Brown vetoed a similar bill last year, arguing it was not necessary because abortion services were readily available off campus. Newsom, a former mayor of San Francisco who became governor in January, said the law is needed "as other states and the federal government go backward, restricting reproductive freedom."

Other pro-life reactions

Other Religious and pro-life groups also opposed the bill.
Live Action President Lila Rose said the law "turns universities into abortion centers."
Maria Jose Fernandez, legislative advocate for the California Catholic Conference, said the law is "trying to limit the alternatives for women."
"We're giving them the option to terminate a life, but what about those who want to continue on with that pregnancy? Where is the help for those women?" Fernandez told The Associated Press.
Bishop Jaime Soto, president of the California Catholic Conference, implored Catholics and other Christians in an open letter to pray for the dissolution of SB 24 in order to shield “infants and young college-age women from the scourge of abortion,” the Los Angeles Times reported.
The state's Republicans voted against the measure in committee hearings. A handful of Assembly Democrats abstained during floor debates. The Department of Finance, under Newsom’s office, also opposed the bill, citing a lack of resources, personnel expertise and private funds to support a program of such “size, scope or content.”
Also Friday, Newsom signed a law clarifying that Planned Parenthood can prescribe birth control via teleconference without a video chat, as it can in other states.
Jodi Hicks, president and CEO of Planned Parenthood Affiliates of California, said the bill signings show "that California understands reproductive health care is health care. And health care is a human right."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Trump blasts 'bulls--- impeachment' at Louisiana rally, says Nancy Pelosi 'hates the United States'

President Trump slammed House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., during a Friday night rally in Louisiana, saying "Nancy Pelosi hates the United States of America."
In his second rally in as many nights -- following Thursday's rally in Minneapolis -- Trump also ridiculed the ongoing impeachment inquiry spearheaded by House Democrats, whom he called "scammers and con artists,"
"They know they can't win an election," Trump told a packed arena in Lake Charles, La., "so they're pursuing an illegal, unconstitutional bulls--- impeachment."

"They know they can't win an election so they're pursuing an illegal, unconstitutional bulls--- impeachment."
— President Trump

The president's use of the barnyard epithet drew a roar from the crowd, just as a profane joke about former President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden did a night earlier in Minnesota. On Friday, Pelosi described Trump's Obama-Biden crack as "disgraceful," possibly prompting the president's Louisiana remark about the speaker.
On Friday, Trump also attacked Biden and his son Hunter Biden over their Ukrainian business dealings for the second night in a row, accusing the media of covering up potential Biden corruption and complaining that if any of his children were similarly accused, the media wouldn't call the allegations unsubstantiated — "They would be saying, 'Where's the nearest cell?'"
The president decried the "rage-filled Democrat Party that has gone completely insane" accusing them of waging a "nonstop battle" to "overthrow" his presidency.
Trump also mocked ex-FBI officials and lovers Peter Strzok and Lisa Page again saying "these people are corrupt. These people are disgusting."
"This is the witch hunt," he said. "They've been trying to stop us for three years with a lot of crap."
Trump's appearance in Louisiana was scheduled to help rally Republican voters against the state's Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards.

President Donald Trump introduces Louisiana Republican gubernatorial candidates Eddie Rispone, left, and Ralph Abraham, during his campaign rally on the eve of the Louisiana election, in Lake Charles, La., Friday, Oct. 11, 2019. The two are running against incumbent Democrat Gov. John Bel Edwards.

"Tomorrow you will head to the polls and vote to replace a liberal Democrat who has sold you out, John Bel Edwards, with a great Republican governor," Trump said in his remarks, encouraging Louisianians to get to the polls before Saturday night's big college football matchup between unbeaten Louisiana State University and the University of Florida or else they would feel guilty and "it will ruin your entire afternoon."
The president was joined onstage by both U.S. Rep. Ralph Abraham and businessman Eddie Rispone, but did not endorse either candidate in order to maximize chances that Edwards will fall below the 50 percent vote threshold needed to avoid a runoff in Saturday's gubernatorial "jungle primary," in which all the candidates appear on a single ballot.
"You're not allowed to hit your Republican opponent, you're only allowed to hit John Bel Edwards," Trump said, extending an olive branch between the two GOP candidates, who have been at loggerheads in the race to the governor's mansion.
The president's trip to Louisiana came one day after another fiery rally in Minneapolis, during which Trump also slammed House Democrats and their impeachment inquiry against him.
The president touted the country's economy and boasted about the truce reached with China just hours before he landed in Louisiana, which stipulates that China will purchase up to $50 billion worth of agricultural goods from American farmers and also will postpone tariffs on Chinese goods that were originally set to take effect next week.
"I just made a great China deal today for energy, for the farmers, for the banks... I want to tell you, I got China to order a lot!"
He did not mention the growing issue of censorship in the U.S. over ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong.
"We've ended the war on American energy, and with your help, right here in Louisiana, the United States is now the number one producer of oil and natural gas anywhere on the planet!" Trump also boasted.
He also slammed Edwards for the state's tax hike, which was passed with Republican support.
"You are going to fire your Democratic governor who has done a lousy job and send a great Republican to the governor's mansion," Trump said.
Other top Republicans, including Vice President Pence and Donald Trump Jr., have paid visits to the state, which Trump won by nearly 20 percentage points in 2016.
Neither Abraham nor Rispone has been able to break away as the top competitor, even as Rispone poured $11 million of his own personal wealth into the campaign. Party leaders' efforts to keep the men from fighting each other have failed, raising concerns the backbiting could wound both GOP contenders and help Edwards. Republicans blame attacks among their own candidates for helping to elect Edwards four years ago.
Edwards isn't the type of liberal, anti-Trump Democrat with whom the president usually clashes.
Louisiana's governor is an anti-abortion, pro-gun West Point graduate who avoids criticizing Trump, talks about his strong rapport with the White House and calls the impeachment inquiry a distraction for Washington.
"He's 100 percent going to drop the second Amendment ... John Bel Edwards will not protect your second amendment," Trump told the crowd.
While Edwards' efforts to keep the president at bay in the governor's race have been unsuccessful, the Democratic incumbent isn't complaining about the rallies. Instead, he has downplayed them, calling it unsurprising that Trump backs members of his own party in the "hyperpartisan" environment of Washington. He said he would continue to "work well" with the president and focus on his own, bipartisan approach to governing.
"When my opponents realized just how much support my campaign had from the people of Louisiana, they started calling in help from forces in Washington, D.C.," Edwards said. "My opponents are obsessed with political partisanship because the only way they think they can win is to divide the state of Louisiana."
Republicans nationally have targeted Edwards for ouster since his longshot election victory four years ago. But work to unify around one major contender failed, with the state's top-tier, well-known GOP officials passing on the race.
Trump was also joined on stage by Sen. John Kennedy, R-La., who said: "I told you, Donald J. Trump loves Louisiana like the devil loves sin."
He also invited the Eastbank All-Stars, the Little League baseball championship team that joined him at the White House earlier in the day and then flew on Air Force One to the rally, to come on stage in Louisiana.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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