Weinstein ties to Clinton, Obama run deep

As Democratic lawmakers begin to distance themselves from disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, the break-up might be a bit tougher for the Clintons and Obamas – whose ties to the mega-producer and Democratic donor run deep. 

Hillary Clinton, after facing mounting pressure to speak out, broke her silence on the allegations Tuesday. Five days after the Weinstein accusations emerged, Clinton released a statement saying she was “shocked and appalled.” Late Tuesday, the Obamas released a statement of their own, saying: “Any man who demeans and degrades women in such fashion needs to be condemned and held accoubtable, regardless of wealth or status.”A deep and tangled history with Weinstein could help explain the delay.
The producer -- using his connections to the wealthy Hollywood and New York elite -- gave or helped raise more than $100,000 for Barack Obama and the Clintons since at least 1995, according to OpenSecrets.org. Roughly half of that went to Hillary Clinton's presidential and Senate campaigns, including a political committee she used to support other Democrats and a joint fund with the DNC in 2016.
In total, Weinstein gave or helped raise -- or “bundle” -- $1.5 million for Democratic candidates over that time, according to Open Secrets, the nonprofit Center for Responsive Politics’ website that tracks campaign finance.
Weinstein, who was fired from his own company Sunday following sexual misconduct allegations dating back decades, hosted two Hillary Clinton fundraisers just in the last election.
CLINTON: 'SHOCKED AND APPALLED' BY WEINSTEIN ALLEGATIONS
On Tuesday, Clinton denounced Weinstein’s actions and said such behavior "cannot be tolerated." But neither she nor Obama has revealed plans to return his money or donate it to charity, like New York Sen. Chuck Schumer and other congressional Democrats have done.
As with Clinton, Weinstein has been a significant donor and fundraiser for the 44th president -- having raised or helped raise roughly $56,000 for the former Democratic president’s Obama Victory Fund.

Video

Hillary Clinton breaks silence on Weinstein revelations

One memorable event was held in 2012 at Weinstein’s oceanfront estate in Connecticut, where he teamed up with Vogue editor Anna Wintour for a $35,800-a-plate fundraiser.
“Fighting for Planned Parenthood and protecting women's rights, this president has fought the good fight," Weinstein said in introducing Obama, according to a pool report at the time. "You can make the case that he's the Paul Newman of American presidents."
Obama’s daughter, Malia, also did an internship for the Weinstein Company in New York between high school and attending college this fall.

'You can make the case that he's the Paul Newman of American presidents.'

- Harvey Weinstein, speaking of Barack Obama at a 2012 fundraiser

When it came time for Democratic heavyweights to rally around Clinton for the 2016 cycle, Weinstein was there in a big way.
The producer co-hosted one Clinton fundraiser in October 2015 -- again with Wintour -- that purportedly included a photo-op with Clinton attendees who paid at least $2,700.
He then hosted another about eight months later with wife Georgina Chapman in their New York City home. The event was reportedly co-hosted by such stars as Jennifer Lopez and Academy Award winner Leonardo DiCaprio.

FILE: Nov. 8, 2013: The Weinstein Co. co-founder Harvey Weinstein with then- first lady Michelle Obama at a White House event about film for high school students.  (REUTERS)

Weinstein also attended a Wintour runway style event in fall 2016 that showcased designer Clinton campaign T-shirts and was attended by Clinton daughter Chelsea Clinton and fashion designer Michael Kors.
The 65-year-old Weinstein -- who broke into the film business in 1979 with his and brother Bob’s independent film company Miramax -- is also a major Clinton Foundation contributor, having given $100,000 to $250,000, according the group’s website.
Weinstein was ousted by the Weinstein Company’s board of directors following a New York Times exposé that detailed years of sexual harassment allegations against him.
The Times story states Weinstein reached settlements with at least eight women since 1990 over harassment allegations, including from actress Ashley Judd and several former employees. New accusations, some of them even including allegations of rape, emerged in a New Yorker story published Tuesday.
Weinstein has publicly apologized, though he and his lawyers have criticized some of the reporting. In response to The New Yorker report, a representative told the magazine: "Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr. Weinstein."
Beyond Schumer, Democratic Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, Al Franken of Minnesota and others have donated some or all of their Weinstein money to women’s groups.

clinton foundation cartoons

Hillary Clinton faces growing pressure to denounce pal Harvey Weinstein as sex-assault accusations surface

Hillary Clinton, champion for women and first female Democratic Presidential Nominee (right) has been silent since her friend and financial backer, Hollywood titan Harvey Weinstein, was fired for sexually harassing actresses and female employees.

Hillary Clinton has remained silent about Harvey Weinstein, her friend and a wealthy campaign donor, days after the Hollywood mogul was accused of sexually harassing actresses and women who worked for him -- and the pressure is building on the former presidential candidate to speak up.

“Where’s Hillary Clinton? Where’s she standing on this issue? She’s been silent. Her silence is deafening,” Republican Party Chair Ronna McDaniel said Monday, according to The Hill.

Weinstein contributed $46,350 to Clinton during her presidential candidacy, as well as to HILLPAC, a committee Clinton used to support other Democrats while she was a senator, according to The Associated Press.
Weinstein also has made massive donations to the Clinton Foundation. The foundation says on its official website that Weinstein gave in the range of $100,001 to $250,000 through June 2017.

Hillary Clinton attended the premiere of “Shakespeare in Love,” produced by Harvey Weinstein, which won the Oscar for Best Picture.

Days after the accusations against Weinstein surfaced, Clinton's Twitter page has made no mention of the story -- but she did have time to plug her children's book and a talk at Stanford University.
Weinstein and his family have given more than $1.4 million in political contributions since the 1992 election cycle, virtually all of it to Democratic lawmakers, candidates and their allies, according to the nonpartisan Center for Responsive Politics.
“…Harvey Weinstein is a major bundler for the DNC. They have embraced him,” McDaniel added.
The Democratic party’s efforts to distance itself from the 65-year-old film executive came after The New York Times reported that he settled sexual harassment lawsuits with at least eight women.
Weinstein was a fixture among Democratic supporters and close to party luminaries for decades, making the revelations especially embarrassing for a party that touts itself as pushing progressive policies for women.
Actress and dedicated liberal women’s rights activist Ashley Judd went on record Thursday for The New York Times story, which states: “Two decades ago, the Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein invited Ashley Judd to the Peninsula Beverly Hills hotel for what the young actress expected to be a business breakfast meeting. Instead, he had her sent up to his room, where he appeared in a bathrobe and asked if he could give her a massage or she could watch him shower, she recalled in an interview.
“‘How do I get out of the room as fast as possible without alienating Harvey Weinstein?’ Ms. Judd said she remembers thinking.”
“During three-decades worth of sexual harassment allegations, Harvey Weinstein lined the pockets of Democrats to the tune of three quarters of a million dollars. If Democrats and the DNC truly stand up for women like they say they do, then returning this dirty money should be a no brainer,” McDaniel told Townhall.

Trump tweets appreciation for Jerry Jones after national anthem remarks

President Trump on Monday tweeted his appreciation for Jerry Jones after the Dallas Cowboys owner took a hard stance against players who kneel for the national anthem by threatening their playing time.

“A big salute to Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, who will Bench players who disrespect our Flag. ‘Stand for the Anthem or sit for the game!’”

Jones doubled down on his hardline stance Monday, telling ESPN reporter Chris Mortensen there will be “no exceptions” to his rule because players who disrespect the flag need consequences.
"(Jones) said there are no exceptions to this rule or this policy. Any player who disrespects the flag or does not stand for the anthem will not play in the game," Mortensen said. "And if they want to notify the team before the game, hey I'm not going to do this, they can make them inactive. No exceptions -- he started naming Dak Prescott, Zeke Elliott. No exceptions, he said, there are no exceptions."
Jones also cited a passage in the NFL Game Operations Manual that suggests how players act on the sideline when the national anthem is being played. Failing to act in a certain way could lead to fines, suspensions or even a team losing draft picks. Jones credited Trump with reminding him of that.
The NFL has said that the game operations passage is policy and not a rule and that it doesn’t plan to punish players over anthem protests.
Jones made his initial comments hours after Vice President Mike Pence left the game in Indianapolis early when several San Francisco 49ers players took a knee during the national anthem. It is the strongest statement any owner has made since Trump reignited the anthem controversy weeks prior.
“I know this, we cannot ... in the NFL in any way give the implication that we tolerate disrespecting the flag," he said following the Cowboys’ 35-31 loss to the Green Bay Packers. "We know that there is a serious debate in this country about those issues, but there is no question in my mind that the National Football League and the Dallas Cowboys are going to stand up for the flag. So we're clear."
Dallas players have stood on the sideline, many with hands over their hearts, during the anthem ever since former 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick started kneeling last season in protest of what he believed were instances of racial injustice in the U.S.
Jones said showing respect for the flag and the anthem is more important to him than any potential issues of team unity.
"There is no room here if it comes between looking non-supportive of our players and of each other or creating the impression that you're disrespecting the flag, we will be non-supportive of each other," Jones said. "We will not disrespect the flag."
Jones said he wasn't aware of whether any of his players had raised a fist at the end of the anthem before the Green Bay game.
"I don't know about that," Jones said. "But if there's anything that is disrespectful to the flag, then we will not play. OK? Understand? If we are disrespecting the flag, then we won't play. Period."
Miami Dolphins owner Stephen Ross also said Sunday he changed his view on players kneeling for the national anthems and now wants all players to stand, the Miami Herald reported.

FBI cites black extremists as new domestic terrorist threat

Black Lives Matter shouts down ACLU

Celebration of free speech at William & Mary College in Virginia took an unexpected turn last week when protesters from Black Lives Matter swarmed the stage and forced the event to end. And some critics blame this behavior on Trump. #Tucker

The 2014 shooting of Michael Brown in Ferguson, Mo., has spawned a violent domestic threat from “black identity extremists” who have stepped up attacks on police, according to an explosive new report by the FBI’s counterterrorism division.

The warning, first reported by Foreign Policy magazine, says that “it is very likely BIEs proactively target police and openly identify and justify their actions with social-political agendas commensurate with their perceived injustices against African Americans ...”

Brown, an African-American 18-year-old, was shot in August 2014 after struggling with white police officer Darren Wilson. Although Brown's supporters claimed it was a deadly case of police brutality, Wilson was cleared of wrongdoing and resigned in November 2014.

Hours before Brown's fatal confrontation with a police officer in Ferguson, Mo., he was seen on a surveillance camera in a nearby store.  (Reuters)

The shooting led to protests in Ferguson that then spread to other parts of the country. It gained added momentum after subsequent racially charged police shootings, spurred on via on social media and the group Black Lives Matter.
The FBI report said that the agency previously had analyzed the potential for violence of black identity extremism, a term that was unfamiliar before it appeared in the document. What has changed, according to the the report, is that violence has now actually occurred and is 'likely" to continue.

“It is very likely that BIEs’ perceptions of unjust treatment of African Americans and the perceived unchallenged illegitimate actions of law enforcement will inspire premeditated attacks against law enforcement over the next year,” the report said. “It is very likely additional controversial police shootings of African Americans and the associated legal proceedings will continue to serve as drivers for violence against law enforcement.”
Attacks in which police officers are targeted have been on the rise in recent years. The most high-profile such incident occurred last year in Dallas, when a gunman named Micah Johnson hid in a parking garage and fired on 11 police officers, killing five of them, during a protest against officer-involved shootings. The FBI report noted that Johnson referred to anger over police shootings and toward whites as what drove him to kill the five police officers.

undated photo of Micah Johnson, who killed five law enforcement officers in Dallas on July 7, 2016, during a protest over two recent fatal police shootings of black men  (The Associated Press)

The FBI report drew accusations of racial profiling.
DeRay Mckesson of Black Lives Matter told The Guardian the terrorism report echoes the days when FBI tracked activist groups including the NAACP and those that opposed wars.

Black Lives Matter activist DeRay Mckesson believes the report represents racial profiling  (AP)

“We knew that we were likely being watched,” said Mckesson, a longtime critic of government monitoriing of protest groups. “This is confirmation that the work of social justice continues to threaten those in power.”
The Guardian also quoted an unnamed source it described only as a former senior official from the Department of Homeland Security saying that the category "black identity extremist" was troubling.
"This is a new umbrella designation that has no basis," the source is quoted as saying. "There are civil rights and privacy issues all over this."
But others say that the FBI is correctly sounding an alarm about a serious trend.

Police officer Darren Wilson during his medical examination after he fatally shot Michael Brown, in Ferguson, Mo.  (The Associated Press)

"It's not racial profiling, it's violence profiling," said Scott Walter, president of Capital Research Center, a conservative think tank, told Fox News. "Identity politics can kill, whether it's white identity politics, which killed in Charlottesville, or black identity politics, which kills cops."
"We have to be able to distinguish between free speech and violence," Walter said. "[Many] longtime [black] activist groups were not obsessed with voilence."

Randy Sutton, a former Las Vegas law enforcement official who now is the national spokesman for Blue Lives Matter, told Fox News that the FBI report makes official what he and others in police work have been observing in recent years.
"Nobody is saying anything negative about protests," Sutton said, "Protesting is everyone's right. This is about commiting acts of violence. Many Black Lives Matter protests call for violence against police, with chants like 'What do we want?' and 'Dead cops!' It's terrorism, and it's no different than Islamic terrorism."
Sutton said the rising number of ambush attacks on police has had a chilling effect on how they do their jobs.
"Police are not being as aggressive because of the political climate," he said. "There's been a dramatic decrease in proactive policing."

Pence promises federal assistance to California as it battles deadly wildfires

Vice President Mike Pence pledged federal assistance to California on Monday as the state battles deadly wire fires that have already claimed at least 10 lives.

Pence traveled to California to raise money for Republican congressional candidates and bolster support for the Trump administration’s recent tax proposal.

Speaking outside a small manufacturing company near Sacramento, Pence deviated from his talking points to offer his guarantee that the government will jump in to help deal with the devastating fires.
“I can assure you, as I did the governor, the federal government stands ready to provide any and all assistance to the state of California as your courageous firefighters and first responders confront this widening challenge,” Pence said.
Although it was unclear if he was promising to answer Gov. Jerry Brown's request for a federal disaster declaration, Pence did say that he would speak with the governor.
"We'll be working very closely with Gov. Brown and California to see you through these challenging times," Pence said.
Pence arrived Sunday in Los Angeles for a three-day swing through the state, and he'll head back to Southern California on Tuesday.

Sanctuary City Cartoons

FEMA head Brock Long dismisses San Juan mayor's complaints: 'Political noise'

FEMA Administrator Brock Long said his agency has "filtered out" San Juan Democrat Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz.  (AP Photo/Carlos Giusti, Reuters/Jonathan Ernst, File)

FEMA Administrator Brock Long said on Sunday that as his agency responds to the crisis in Puerto Rico, it's also "filtered out" San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz, adding: "We don't have time for the political noise."  

More than two weeks after Hurricane Maria lashed the island, killing 36 people, Cruz tweeted Sunday: "Increasingly painful to undestand the american people want to help and US Gov does not want to help. WE NEED WATER!" She later wrote, "Power collapses in San Juan hospital with 2 patients being transferred out. Have requested support from @FEMA_Brock NOTHING!" 

"We filtered out the mayor a long time ago," Long told ABC News' Martha Raddatz on "This Week" Sunday, after Raddatz mentioned the tweets. "We don't have time for the political noise. The bottom line is, is that we are making progress everyday in conjunction with the governor."
SAN JUAN MAYOR DONS 'NASTY' SHIRT FOR INTERVIEW ON TRUMP'S PUERTO RICO RESPONSE

Birds of a feather flock together ( Two Idiots )

Cruz and President Trump have traded shots in the weeks after the monster storm made landfall. Late last month, the mayor appeared on television in a black shirt with white letters that read, "HELP US, WE ARE DYING." Cruz argued that federal aid had been slow to reach Puerto Rico following Maria, which knocked out power to the entire island.
Trump tweeted the following day: "Such poor leadership ability by the Mayor of San Juan, and others in Puerto Rico, who are not able to get their workers to help." He added that Cruz was "very complimentary only a few days ago," but "has now been told by the Democrats that you must be nasty to Trump."
Later, Cruz wore a short emblazoned with the word "NASTY" for an interview with Univision.
Trump visited the island last Tuesday. Afterwards, while Cruz said she hoped new channels of communication with the White House would "put in motion what is needed" to save lives, she also said Trump sometimes was more a "miscommunicator in chief" than a commander in chief.
"In regards to the power failure, we are restringing a very fragile system everyday," Long explained. "As we make progress, simple thunderstorms pass through, knock the progress out."
Rebuilding the island, he said, "is going to be a greater conversation for the Congress in conjunction with the governor."
When hospitals have power failures, intensive care unit patients are being flown to the USNS Comfort, according to Long.
"As far as the political noise, we filter that out, keeps our heads down and continue to make progress and push forward restoring essential functions for Puerto Rico," Long said in the interview.