Trump lawyer threatens 'imminent' legal action against Steve Bannon, gives 24 hours to cease and desist

President Trump’s lawyers sent a cease-and-desist letter Wednesday night and threatened ‘imminent’ legal action against former top strategist Steve Bannon, capping a whirlwind day marked by a no-holds-barred war of words between the two men.

The letter is a response to sharply critical comments that Bannon reportedly made to journalist Michael Wolff about Trump’s campaign and leadership.

Charles Harder, Trump’s attorney, charges in the letter that Bannon violated a non-disclosure agreement signed during the campaign by disclosing confidential information, speaking to the media about the campaign and disparaging members of the Trump family.
Additionally, Harder suggests that Bannon told lies that defamed and slandered Trump.
FLEISCHER: TRUMP STATEMENT LIKE A '2x4 TO THE HEAD' OF BANNON
 “You have breached the Agreement by, among other things, communicating with author Michael Wolff about Mr. Trump, his family members, and the Company (the Trump campaign), disclosing Confidential Information to Mr. Wolff, and making disparaging statements and in some cases outright defamatory statements to Mr. Wolff about Mr. Trump, his family members, and the Company,” Trump attorney Charles Harder wrote to Bannon.
In a statement Wednesday night, Harder wrote that Bannon’s actions give rise to “numerous legal claims including defamation by libel and slander, and breach of his written confidentiality and non-disparagement agreement with our clients. Legal action is imminent.”
Harder requests in the letter that Bannon cease publishing defamatory or confidential information and immediately begin preserving relevant documents, a standard demand typically made before the commencement of legal action.
"Please confirm in writing within twenty-four (24) hours of the transmission of this letter that the foregoing demands will be, and are being, fully complied with," the letter states.
Bannon told Wolff in an interview that senior Trump officials’ meeting with Russians in Trump Tower in 2016 was “treasonous” and “unpatriotic,” multiple outlets reported.
“[T]hey’re going to crack Don Junior like an egg on national TV,” Bannon added, according to accounts of the interview.
And in excerpts from Wolff’s upcoming book, “Fire and Fury: Inside the Trump White House,” also published Wednesday, Bannon is quoted maligning the Trump campaign’s organization and divulging other details of his time in the White House.
Trump fired back in an official White House statement later in the day.
“Steve Bannon has nothing to do with me or my presidency,” the statement said. “When he was fired, he not only lost his job, he lost his mind.”
“Steve had very little to do with our historic victory, which was delivered by the forgotten men and women of this country,” Trump added. “Yet Steve had everything to do with the loss of a Senate seat in Alabama held for more than thirty years by Republicans. Steve doesn’t represent my base—he’s only in it for himself.”
Bannon appeared on Sirius XM’s Patriot Channel’s “Breitbart News Tonight” late Wednesday and called Trump a “great man.” When asked by a caller about Trump’s comments about him on Twitter, Bannon appeared to shake off Trump’s remarks.
“You know I support him day in and day out, whether going through the country giving the Trump miracle speech or on the show or on the website,” he said.

New York Times Fake News Cartoons

It's a new year: Trump takes whack at New York Times' new publisher

No sooner did the new publisher of the New York Times promise his readers to uphold the principles of independent journalism yesterday than President Trump took a giant whack at the paper.

Welcome to 2018, which is shaping up much the same as 2017 when it comes to the president and the press.

A.G. Sulzberger, who just took over the job from his father, Arthur Sulzberger Jr., said in a full-page letter:
"Misinformation is rising and trust in the media is declining as technology platforms elevate clickbait, rumor and propaganda over real journalism, and politicians jockey for advantage by inflaming suspicion of the press."
Well, he’s right about the declining trust part. And it’s not hard to figure out which "inflaming" politician he had in mind.
That person quickly got on Twitter and said: "Get impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent 'sources,' and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you won't have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done!"
(Actually, Sulzberger Jr. had written a public letter after the 2016 election asking: "Did Donald Trump’s sheer unconventionality lead us and other news outlets to underestimate his support among American voters?" There was no apology.)
Just last week, President Trump told the same newspaper that he has an ace in the hole for 2020: the press.
Now this might seem a tad counterintuitive, since he has been lambasting the news business for more than two years as a bastion of bias, a fortress of fake news. And much of the media have responded with aggressive coverage that every study has found to be predominantly negative.
If there's any entity out there that is not exactly disposed to give this president the benefit of the doubt, it’s the fourth estate.
Yet Trump believes that, when it comes to the bottom line, the media need him.
This is not based on unnamed sources, whose very existence is often challenged by the president, but from the newsmaker-in-chief himself.
As Trump told Times reporter Michael Schmidt:
"Another reason that I'm going to win another four years, is because newspapers, television, all forms of media will tank if I'm not there because without me, their ratings are going down the tubes ...
"So they basically have to let me win. And eventually, probably six months before the election, they'll be loving me because they're saying, 'Please, please, don't lose Donald Trump.' O.K."
Well, let’s just say I’m skeptical about the "have to let me win" part. But I’ve been saying for a long time that Trump, as a political phenomenon, has been a gold mine for the media business.
Fox News was the highest-rated cable network in 2017, for the second straight year. But MSNBC and CNN also had record-breaking years. The Times is not so failing, enjoying a mammoth surge of digital subscriptions.
In fact, there are very few media outlets that haven’t benefited from Trump’s nonstop newsmaking. Those openly opposed to Trump are marketing themselves to the resistance, those openly backing Trump appeal to his loyal supporters (who don’t trust the MSM), and those that are trying to position themselves in the middle benefit from a hyped-up atmosphere in which everyone is debating politics, from the coffee shop to Twitter and Facebook.
That’s the great irony of this new era: the media, targeted and taunted by Trump, are also riding the financial wave he’s created.
And the president, in turn, feeds off the constant media attention to drive his agenda.
As a businessman, it's not surprising that Trump believes the press will want to keep the cash registers ringing after 2020. He thinks in terms of monetizing assets. He once threatened to pull out of a CNN debate, noting the soaring advertising rates, unless its president Jeff Zucker donated the profits to veterans' causes.
But most journalists don't think like corporate suits. The notion that they would go easy on Trump in the next campaign to avoid killing the golden goose strikes me as far-fetched (though they have a responsibility to be equally tough on the Democratic candidate). In fact, I could imagine many pundits taking a victory lap if they felt they had contributed to sending the president back to Trump Tower.
Donald Trump undoubtedly knows this. I suspect he's trolling the media, having a little fun at their expense. But he's also right that the constant combat has been ringing their cash registers.
Howard Kurtz is a Fox News analyst and the host of "MediaBuzz" (Sundays 11 a.m.). He is the author of five books and is based in Washington. Follow him at @HowardKurtz. Click here for more information on Howard Kurtz. 

US judge orders release of detained Iraqis waiting deportation over criminal convictions

U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith, Obama appointed

 

A U.S. District Judge in Detroit snubbed the Trump administration’s crackdown on immigrants on Tuesday, ordering the federal government to either release or grant bond hearings to Iraqi immigrants waiting to be deported due to criminal records.

U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith said in the ruling that the Iraqis held in custody for six months or longer must either be granted a bond hearing or be released within 30 days, Reuters reported.

“Our legal tradition rejects warehousing human beings while their legal rights are being determined,” wrote the judge in the ruling.
Roughly 1,400 Iraqi immigrants, including hundreds already in custody, are facing deportations back to their native country due to criminal convictions. Until recently Iraq refused to take them back, but an apparent deal between the Iraqi and U.S. governments in March allowed the government to proceed with the crackdown.
The move against Iraqi immigrants with criminal convictions was part of a larger move by the Trump administration to enforce existing immigration laws and ensure other countries - which previously ignored U.S. calls to take their citizens back – comply with the orders.
But last year, Goldsmith halted the deportations of the Iraqis, claiming they, many of whom are Christians, would be subjected to dangers in the country over their religion.
“Each petitioner faces the risk of torture or death on the basis of residence in America and publicized criminal records. Many will also face persecution as a result of a particular religious affiliation,” the judge said.
He also said that the U.S. government does not have a “written agreement” with Iraq regarding the cooperation and it remains unclear if the country wishes to take back its nationals, according to Reuters.

Sen. Orrin Hatch announces he will not run for re-election in 2018

The chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, at a House-Senate conference meeting last month. He will not seek re-election in 2018, he announced.  (Reuters/Joshua Roberts)

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch, the longest-serving GOP senator, announced Tuesday that he would not seek re-election in 2018 – opening up a possible pathway to the political resurrection of 2012 Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney.

Hatch, 83, who first took his seat in 1977, had been debating whether to run again, and President Trump had publicly beseeched him not to retire.

In a video statement released Tuesday, however, Hatch said that he would vacate his seat at the end of his term.
"I was an amateur boxer in my youth, and I brought that fighting spirit with me to Washington,” Hatch said. “But every good fighter knows when to hang up the gloves. And for me, that time is soon approaching.”
Romney, a former governor of Massachussets and a vocal critic of the president, is widely reported to be considering running for Hatch’s seat. In a statement, Romney said Hatch had "represented the interests of Utah with distinction and honor."
The move is a blow for Trump, who pushed Hatch to stay on in a visit to Utah in December.
“We hope you will continue to serve your state and your country in the Senate for a very long time to come,” Trump said.
Hatch has been a strong supporter of the president’s agenda, and as chairman of the Senate Finance Committee was a key player in getting the tax reform bill passed in December.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said at the daily press briefing on Tuesday that Trump was "very sad" to see Hatch leave.
“The president certainly has the greatest and deepest amount of respect for Senator Hatch and his over four decades of experience in the Senate,” Sanders said. “He is particularly thankful for the senator's leadership and massive effort that he played and the role that he played in getting the tax cut and reform package passed.”
Trump later took to Twitter to congratulate Hatch "on an absolutely incredible career."
"He has been a tremendous supporter, and I will never forget the (beyond kind) statements he has made about me as President. He is my friend and he will be greatly missed in the U.S. Senate!" the president said.
In his statement, Hatch noted that he had authored more bills that became law than any living member of Congress. He also hailed the passage of the Religious Freedom Restoration Act as one of his proudest legislative achievements.
“I'm deeply grateful for the privilege you've given me to serve as your senator these last four decades,” he said in the statement. “I may be leaving the Senate, but the next chapter in my public service is just beginning.”

Trump fights fake news with 'awards' for 'most dishonest & corrupt media'

President Trump taunted the media Tuesday night with a mysterious announcement of “the most dishonest & corrupt media awards.”

“I will be announcing THE MOST DISHONEST & CORRUPT MEDIA AWARDS OF THE YEAR on Monday at 5:00 o’clock,” Trump tweeted, without specifying if the event would take place in the morning or the afternoon. “Subjects will cover Dishonesty & Bad Reporting in various categories from the Fake News Media. Stay tuned!”

The tweet was the latest shot in a longstanding battle between the president and what he’s derided as the “fake news media.” Based on his past comments, it's clear who could get nominated for the new “awards.”
Throughout the past year, the commander-in-chief often has called out major newspapers and news networks for getting stories wrong, and has questioned their anonymous sources.
“Whenever you see the words ‘sources say’ in the fake news media, and they don’t mention names,” Trump wrote in May 2017, “it is very possible that those sources don’t exist but are made up by fake news writers. #FakeNews is the enemy!”
TRUMP TELLS KIM JONG UN HIS ‘NUCLEAR BUTTON’ IS LARGER, ‘MORE POWERFUL’
For example, Trump slammed the Washington Post in December 2017 for a story claiming he came close to “rescinding” the nomination for Supreme Court pick Neil Gorsuch prior to his confirmation hearing.
And also, when he called out CNN in a tweet for its report on WikiLeaks documents provided to his campaign. The network eventually backed off its initial report saying the documents weren't public.
TRUMP LAUNCHES 2018 WITH TWEET TORNADO ON HUMA, DACA, KIM, NYT AND MORE
To end 2017 and welcome in the New Year, the president drafted a tweet wishing his “friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year.”
And most recently, Trump congratulated the new publisher of “The Failing New York Times” and offered a bit of unsolicited advice.
“The Failing New York Times has a new publisher, A.G. Sulzberger. Congratulations!” Trump tweeted. “Here is a last chance for the Times to fulfill the vision of its Founder, Adolph Ochs, ‘to give the news impartially, without fear or FAVOR, regardless of party, sect, or interests involved.’”
He continued: “Get impartial journalists of a much higher standard, lose all of your phony and non-existent ‘sources,’ and treat the President of the United States FAIRLY, so that the next time I (and the people) win, you won’t have to write an apology to your readers for a job poorly done! GL.”

Mayor Bill De Blasio Cartoons

Trump calls Kate Steinle verdict 'disgraceful,' says 'no wonder' people are 'angry with illegal immigration'

President Trump late Thursday tweeted that the not guilty verdict in the Kate Steinle murder trial was “disgraceful,” highlighting his apparent frustration at the resolution of a case he had cited during his presidential campaign as a justification for tougher immigration enforcement.
“A disgraceful verdict in the Kate Steinle case!” Trump tweeted after the jury rejected possible charges ranging from involuntary manslaughter to first-degree murder. “No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration.”
Early Friday, Trump reaffirmed his support for the border wall and warned Democrats they will pay a "big price" in future elections for being "weak" on crime.
Jim Steinle, who was walking with his 32-year-old daughter when she was killed, echoed Trump’s sentiments, telling the San Francisco Chronicle the family was saddened and shocked by the verdict.
"There's no other way you can coin it. Justice was rendered, but it was not served," he said in what he called the last interview he would do about the case.
A jury earlier Thursday found Jose Ines Garcia Zarate not guilty in Steinle’s killing on a San Francisco pier during the presidential primary campaign in 2015.
U.S. immigration officials said they will deport Garcia Zarate, who had been deported five times and was wanted for a sixth deportation when Steinle was fatally shot in the back while walking with her father.
The killing touched off a fierce national immigration debate, and was used by then-candidate Trump to push for a wall on the Mexican border.
"From Day 1 this case was used as a means to foment hate, to foment division and to foment a program of mass deportation. It was used to catapult a presidency along that philosophy of hate of others," defense attorney Francisco Ugarte said after the verdict. "I believe today is a day of vindication for the rest of immigrants."
The case spotlighted San Francisco's "sanctuary city" policy, which limits local officials from cooperating with U.S. immigration authorities.
Politics, however, did not come up in the month-long trial that featured extensive testimony from ballistics experts. Defense attorneys argued that Garcia Zarate was a hapless homeless man who killed Steinle in a freak accident. Prosecutors said he meant to shoot and kill her.
Garcia Zarate did not deny shooting Steinle and said it was an accident.
Jurors did find him guilty of being a felon in possession of a firearm, meaning he knowingly had a firearm but there was no intent for him to hurt or shoot anyone. Public Defender Jeff Adachi said the count carries a potential sentence of 16 months to three years behind bars.
The family did not attend the reading of the verdict. Jurors left without comment and the judge sealed their names.
Before the shooting, Garcia Zarate finished a federal prison sentence for illegal re-entry into the United States and had been transferred to San Francisco's jail in March 2015 to face a 20-year-old charge for selling marijuana.

New York Dems Cuomo, de Blasio still seem at odds

It’s difficult to say what’s colder in New York these days – the winter weather or the frosty feud between the state’s two most prominent Democrat office holders.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio was sworn in for a second term on New Year’s Day, in a frigid 14-degree outdoor ceremony, with U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders imported from Vermont to officiate.

Where was New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo? He was out on Long Island, swearing in a suburban county executive.
Odd couple
Though members of the same party, de Blasio and Cuomo have long been the Democrats’ odd couple.
In September, for example, Cuomo refused to endorse any candidate in New York’s mayor’s race, the New York Post reported, even though progressive de Blasio was a solid favorite to win re-election.
Then in November, the pair seemed to be fighting over who should be considered more “anti-Trump,” the Post reported, citing a fundraising letter in which the more centrist Cuomo urged his supporters to protest outside a Dec. 2 Trump fundraising event in Manhattan.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders, left, administers the oath of office as New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio is sworn in for a second term, in New York City, Jan. 1, 2018.  (Associated Press)

The Dems’ split traces to at least 2013, Vice reported, when Cuomo opted against fully backing de Blasio’s plan to fund pre-kindergarten classes for the city’s children. It was considered the then-new mayor’s signature policy proposal. (The Vice story carried the subtle headline, ""Why Bill de Blasio and Andrew Cuomo Hate Each Other's Guts.")
Joke from Clinton
The long-running tiff was even a source of public mockery from then-Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton at a New York political dinner just prior to the 2016 presidential election.
Her Republican rival, Donald Trump, was also in attendance.
“Your eminence,” Clinton said to the evening’s host, Roman Catholic Archbishop Timothy Cardinal Dolan, “you do deserve great credit for bringing together two people who've been at each other's throats — mortal enemies, bitter foes.
“I've got to ask: How did you get the governor and mayor here together tonight?”

"I've got to ask: How did you get the governor and mayor here together tonight?"

- Hillary Clinton, joking about the Cuomo-de Blasio feud in October 2016.

De Blasio won re-election in November, becoming the first Democrat to return to City Hall in New York since Edward Koch won a third term in 1985.

Hillary Clinton joked about the Cuomo-de Blasio feud during the 2016 presidential campaign.  (Associated Press)

Brooklyn bros
Why was Sanders the choice to swear in de Blasio? Perhaps because Sanders stumped for de Blasio during the mayoral campaign, where he referred to de Blasio as “the opposite” of President Donald Trump – a characterization undoubtedly popular with de Blasio’s progressive base.

U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders has called New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio "the opposite" of President Donald Trump.

“What this election here in New York is about is that everything that de Blasio is trying to do is exactly the opposite of what Trump is trying to do and you should all be very proud of that,” Sanders told a Manhattan crowd in October, Politico reported.
Aside from being ideological allies, Sanders and de Blasio also each have ties to Brooklyn. Sanders was born in the New York City borough, and de Blasio has called it home for many years.

With new year, California becomes 'sanctuary state'

California became a "sanctuary state" Monday, as a bill that Democratic Gov. Jerry Brown signed into law in October officially took effect.

The law bars police in the nation's most populous state from asking people about their immigration status or participating in federal immigration enforcement activities in most cases, Fox News reported.

The Golden State is home to an estimated 2.3 million illegal immigrants.
“These are uncertain times for undocumented Californians and their families, and this bill strikes a balance that will protect public safety, while bringing a measure of comfort to those families who are now living in fear everyday,” Brown said on the day he signed the bill.
But the measure has drawn a rebuttal from an unidentified source, as signs mocking the law have appeared below the "Welcome to California" signs that greet motorists as they enter from Arizona and Nevada.
"OFFICIAL SANCTUARY STATE," the signs declare. "Felons, Illegals and MS13 Welcome! Democrats Need The Votes!"

OMG! Look at this sign someone put up on the 15 Freeway between LA and Las Vegas!

It reads :
Welcome to California. Official Sanctuary State.
Felons, Illegals and MS13 Welcome
Democrats need the Votes! #NewYearsDay pic.twitter.com/pc5xRnqZIB

— Kambree Kawahine Koa (@KamVTV) January 1, 2018

California passed the bill just as the Trump administration was pledging to crack down on sanctuary cities that refuse to cooperate with federal immigration authorities.
Trump repeatedly pointed to the case of Kate Steinle, a woman who was fatally shot July 1, 2015, on a San Francisco pier by an illegal immigrant. The defendant went on trial for murder, but was acquitted in November 2017.
“No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration," the president tweeted after the verdict, which he labeled "disgraceful."

A disgraceful verdict in the Kate Steinle case! No wonder the people of our Country are so angry with Illegal Immigration.

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrhmp) December 1, 2017

Other members of the Trump administration spoke out against the California proposal.
“The bill risks the safety of good law enforcement officers and the safety of the neighborhoods that need their protection the most,” Attorney General Jeff Sessions said in September, the Los Angeles Times reported.
Added Thomas Homan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement: “By passing this bill, California politicians have chosen to prioritize politics over public safety.
“Disturbingly, the legislation serves to codify a dangerous policy that deliberately obstructs our country’s immigration laws and shelters serious criminal alien offenders," Homan's statement continued.
Prior to Brown's approval, California's Legislature passed the measure in September.

Leaked meeting notes show how panicked Iranian regime considered stopping deadly protests: 'God help us'

A leaked report provided to Fox News shows how Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei met with political leaders and heads of the country's security forces to discuss how to tamp down on the deadly nationwide protests.

The report covered several meetings up to December 31 and was provided to the National Council of Resistance of Iran (NCRI) from what it said were high level sources from within the regime. 

The meeting notes, which have been translated into English from Farsi, said the unrest has hurt every sector of the country's economy and “threatens the regime’s security. The first step, therefore, is to find a way out of this situation.”
The report added, “Religious leaders and the leadership must come to the scene as soon as possible and prevent the situation (from) deteriorating further.” It continued, “God help us, this is a very complex situation and is different from previous occasions.”
As the protests continue to spread, the total number dead rose Monday to at least 13, including a police officer shot and killed with a hunting rifle in the central city of Najafabad.
According to NCRI sources and reports from within Iran, at least 40 cities across Iran witnessed protests Monday, including in the capital city of Tehran. These reports state that slogans heard included “Death to the dictator,” and “the leader lives like God while the people live like beggars.”
The regime's notes claimed protesters “started chanting the ultimate slogans from day one. In Tehran today, people were chanting slogans against Khamenei and the slogans used yesterday were all against Khamenei.”
The notes added that the intelligence division of the feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) is “monitoring the situation” and “working all in coordination to prevent protests.”
It says that a “red alert” has not yet been declared, which would lead to direct military intervention in the protests. But it then predicted that sending IRGC or the Bassij forces would “backfire” and would further “antagonize the protesters.”
Messages of support for the protesters from President Trump and other administration officials were also mentioned in the report. “The United States officially supported the people on the streets.” The notes continued by saying the U.S. and the West “have all united in support of the Hypocrites,” the regime’s pejorative description of the People's Mujahedin of Iran (MEK) which is one of the groups making up the NCRI.
The meeting notes that the leader of the NCRI, Maryam Rajavi, and the “Infidels,” which the translation says refers to "the West," “are united for the first time.” It continued, “Maryam Rajavi is hoping for regime change,” saying the protests are “definitely organized,” and “the security forces report that the MEK is very active and is leading and directing them.”
The notes also warn that all those affiliated with leadership “must be on alert and monitor the situation constantly,” continuing, “the security and intelligence forces must constantly monitor the situation on the scene and conduct surveillance and subsequently report to the office of the leadership.”

Happy New Year 2018 Cartoons

With new year, California's recreational pot laws take effect

Real Classy

Real Classy

The new year in California brings broad legalization of recreational marijuana – a much-anticipated move two decades after the state was the first to allow the use of the drug for medicinal purposes.

California joins states such as Colorado -- as well as Washington, D.C. -- where pot is permitted for recreational purposes even as the federal government continues to regard the drug as a controlled dangerous substance, like LSD and heroin.

Legalized marijuana is expected to become a $3.7 billion business in California in 2018 and grow to $5.1 billion in 2019 -- comparable to the revenue generated by beer sales, Business Insider reported.
The boost to California's economy could generate more than $1 billion in tax revenue for the state each year, the Hill reported.
National trend
Twenty-nine states have adopted medical marijuana laws, while seven other states have legalized recreational use of pot.
Marijuana will now be legal in California for adults age 21 and older, and people will be permitted to grow up to six plants and possess an ounce of pot.
The new state laws -- approved by voters in 2016 with the passage of Proposition 64 -- were met with joy by some Californians who swapped their champagne glasses for blunts of pot on New Year's Eve.
“This is something we've all been waiting for,” said Johnny Hernandez, a tattoo artist, who celebrated the arrival of 2018 by smoking “Happy New Year blunts" with his family members.
"It is something that can help so many people and there's no reason why we should not be sharing that,” he added, hoping that the new laws will remove the stigma surrounding the marijuana use.
"People might actually realize weed isn't bad. It helps a lot of people,” he said.
Unintended consequences?
But authorities remain tense amid the legalization, saying the more liberal attitude toward the drug might bring about problems such as stoned drivers, negatively impact young people, increase the cost of policing and prop up the existing black market – as taxes and fees could raise the retail pot price by as much as 70 percent.
"There's going to be a public-health cost and a public-safety cost enforcing these new laws and regulations," said Jonathan Feldman, a legislative advocate for the California Police Chiefs Association. "It remains to be seen if this can balance itself out."
Despite the legalization, it will take time until non-medical pot will be widely available across California. Only 90 businesses so far have acquired a state license to sell pot, most located in San Diego, Santa Cruz, the San Francisco Bay Area and the Palm Springs area.
License lag
Residents of Los Angeles and San Francisco will not be able to find recreational pot Jan. 1 as local regulations were not approved in time, so neither city has issued the licenses needed to get state permits for selling recreational pot.
Fresno, Bakersfield and Riverside, meanwhile, have banned the sale of recreational pot.
As part of regulations paving the way to recreational pot in California, other strict laws will take effect on the strains known as Sweet Skunk, Trainwreck and Russian Assassin.
Some business owners are also concerned that once the state starts fully regulating the industry, there could be a shortage of state-approved cannabis in California.
Jamie Garzot, founder of a cannabis shop in Northern California's Shasta Lake, said she is worried that once the current cannabis crop dries up, there will be a shortage of pot that meets the regulations.
”Playing in the gray market is not an option," she said. "California produces more cannabis than any state in the nation, but going forward, if it's not from a state-licensed source, I can't put it on my shelf. If I choose to do so, I run the risk of losing my license."

Hillary Clinton backer paid $500G to fund women accusing Trump of sexual misconduct before Election Day, report says

Image captured Hillary Clinton holdings hands with close friend and Esprit Clothing founder Susie Tompkins Buell.

Esprit Clothing founder Susie Tompkins Buell, liberal political donor.

One of Hillary Clinton’s wealthy pals paid $500,000 in an unsuccessful effort to fund women willing to accuse President Trump of sexual misconduct before the 2016 election, The New York Times reported Sunday.

Susie Tompkins Buell, the founder of Esprit Clothing and a major Clinton campaign donor for many years, gave the money to celebrity lawyer Lisa Bloom who was working with a number of Trump accusers at the time, according to the paper’s bombshell report.

Bloom solicited donors by saying she was working with women who might “find the courage to speak out” against Trump if the donors would provide funds for security, relocation and possibly a “safe house,” the paper reported.
Former Clinton nemesis turned Clinton operative David Brock also donated $200,000 to the effort through a nonprofit group he founded, the paper reported in an article entitled, “Partisans, Wielding Money, Begin Seeking to Exploit Harassment Claims.”
Bloom told the Times that the effort was unproductive. One woman requested $2 million then decided not to come forward. Nor did any other women.
Bloom said she refunded most of the cash, keeping only some funds for out-of-pocket expenses accrued while working to vet and prepare cases.
The lawyer told the paper she did not communicate with Clinton or her campaign “on any of this.”
She also maintained that she represented only clients whose stories she had corroborated and disputed the premise that she offered money to coax clients to come forward, the paper reported.
“It doesn’t cost anything to publicly air allegations,” Bloom said. “Security and relocation are expensive and were sorely needed in a case of this magnitude, in a country filled with so much anger, hate and violence.”
The Times article said it learned of Buell and Brock's connection to Bloom from two Democrats familiar with the financial arrangements who also said Bloom’s law firm kept the money from Brock's nonprofit group but refunded the $500,000 that Buell contributed.
Brock declined comment, according to the paper.
Clinton campaign representatives said they were unaware of his work with Bloom.
Buell would not comment on the financial arrangement, according to the Times.
Still, she claimed she was frustrated that Trump had escaped the repercussions that have befallen many other powerful men accused of similar misconduct.
The Times article expanded on a report in The Hill two weeks ago that said that worked with campaign donors and tabloid media outlets during the final months of the presidential election to arrange compensation for the alleged Trump victims and a commission for herself, offering to sell their stories.
In one case Bloom reportedly arranged for a donor to pay off one Trump accuser’s mortgage and attempted to score a six-figure payout for another woman.
The woman with the mortgage ultimately declined to come forward after being offiered $750,000, The Hill reported.
The paper reported reviewing one email exchange between one woman and Bloom that suggested political action committees supporting Hillary Clinton were solicited, without naming which ones.
Bloom, who is the daughter of famous attorney Gloria Allred and, like her mother, specializes in representing women in sexual harassment cases, worked for four women who were considering accusing Trump. Two went public, and two declined.

Trump voices optimism for 2018 while also calling out 'haters' and 'Fake News Media'

President Donald Trump, first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron arrive for a New Year's Eve party at Mar-a-Lago in Florida, Dec. 31, 2017.

President Donald Trump and his family said goodbye to 2017 with a lavish New Year's Eve party at his private club in Florida.

"It will be a fantastic 2018," Trump said, as he entered the gilded ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, accompanied by first lady Melania Trump and son Barron.

Asked for his reaction to North Korea leader Kim Jon Un's remarks about having a nuclear button on his desk, Trump responded by saying, "We'll see."
Guests at the party included senior White House advisers Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, Trump's sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin.
Since taking office, President Trump has made frequent visits to his for-profit properties. He has refused to divest from his real estate and hotel empire, drawing criticism from ethics experts.
Earlier in the day, Trump wished a happy new year to the people who elected him to the White House -- and those who kept him in the headlines.
"As our Country rapidly grows stronger and smarter, I want to wish all of my friends, supporters, enemies, haters, and even the very dishonest Fake News Media, a Happy and Healthy New Year. 2018 will be a great year for America!," Trump tweeted.
He followed up more than an hour later: "HAPPY NEW YEAR! We are MAKING AMERICA GREAT AGAIN, and much faster than anyone thought possible!"
The president is spending the holidays in Palm Beach, where he told reporters outside, "We are going to have a tremendous year. Stock market, I think, is going to continue to go up. Companies are going to continue to come into the country."
Also Sunday, the president tweeted out a compilation video showing him meeting U.S. service members, visiting flood zones in Texas and signing the GOP-backed tax overhaul package into law.
Trump has called out his critics in holiday tweets before. In November 2013, he posted: "Happy Thanksgiving to all--even the haters and losers!"
The president on Sunday cited his success in placing a new justice on the Supreme Court, his efforts to cut regulations and his big win on overhauling taxes. He's called for more progress in 2018, including the passage of a massive infrastructure bill, although analysts say it could prove difficult given how the GOP-led Senate will hold a very slim 51-49 majority.
The White House said Trump has been briefed on New Year's Eve security precautions around the country and will continue to monitor those efforts.

A New Year's Eve to remem-brrrr in New York

New Year's Eve revelers at Times Square in New York City dressed appropriately. From left are Elena Bardunniotis, Dominic Manshadi and Sarah Thompson, of Long Beach, Calif.

A temperature of 10 degrees Fahrenheit as the ball dropped made the welcoming of 2018 the second-coldest New Year’s Eve on record in the Big Apple.

The glittering crystal ball dropped with a burst of confetti and dazzling fireworks as revelers said goodbye to 2017.

With much of the East Coast experiencing a recent snap of frigid, Arctic weather, the traditional celebration was less crowded than in past years. Some of the metal pens, usually packed with people, were only half-full.
Some revelers, bundled up in hats, gloves, face masks and numerous layers of clothing, jogged to keep warm, others bounced and danced. Some stood and shivered.

Revelers watch rehearsals of New Year's celebrations in Times Square, New York City, Dec. 31, 2017.  (Associated Press)

But those who showed up were there to watch the traditional drop of a Waterford Crystal ball down a pole atop 1 Times Square.
This year, the ball was 12 feet in diameter, weighed 11,875 pounds and was covered with 2,688 triangles that changed colors like a kaleidoscope, illuminated by 32,256 LED lights. When the first ball drop happened in 1907, it was made of iron and wood and adorned with 100 25-watt light bulbs.
The first celebration in the area was in 1904, the year the city's first subway line started running.
Taking no chances
After two terrorist attacks and a rampaging SUV driver who plowed into a crowd on the very spot where the party takes place, police were taking no chances.
Security was tighter than ever before. Garages in the area were sealed off. Detectives were stationed at area hotels working with security officials to prevent sniper attacks.

New York City Police Emergency Service Unit officers stand on guard in Times Square during New Year's Eve celebrations, Dec. 31, 2017.  (Associated Press)

Thousands of uniformed officers lined the streets. Concrete blocks and sanitation trucks blocked vehicles from entering the secure area where spectators gathered. Partygoers passed through one of a dozen checkpoints where they were screened and then screened again as they made their way to the main event.
At 48th Street and Seventh Avenue, Chris Garcia, his girlfriend, Zayra Velazquez, and her brother Edgar Valdez stood rigidly, having waited in the cold for almost six hours. Valdez said he felt "pretty safe" at the event.
"They checked us pretty good," he said. "Police checked what we had, and another scanned us with metal detectors."
The police department estimates that it costs $7.5 million to protect the event.
Chilly past
The frostiest ball drop on record was 1 degree Fahrenheit, in 1907. In 1962 it was just 11 degrees Fahrenheit outside, and in 1939 and 2008 it was 18 degrees Fahrenheit.
Remle Scott and her boyfriend, Brad Whittaker, of San Diego, arrived shortly after 9 a.m., saying they were trying to keep a positive attitude as temperatures hovered in the teens. Each was wearing several layers of clothing.
"Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing," Scott said.

"Our toes are frozen, so we're just dealing with it by dancing."

- Remle Scott, a Times Square visitor from San Diego, Calif.

Some wore red scarfs that read "Happy New Year" and others donned yellow and purple hats as a pizza deliveryman sold pies to the hungry crowd.
In a prime viewing spot near 42nd Street, Alexander Ebrahim grinned as he looked around at the flashing lights of Times Square.
"I always saw it on TV, so I thought why not come out and see it in person," the Orange County, California, resident said. "It's an experience you can never forget."
Michael Waller made a snap decision on Saturday evening to drive straight from Columbus, Ohio. He made it to Times Square at 8 a.m. and waited all day in front of the ball.
"I didn't want to stay home for this, by myself," he said.
Just minutes after midnight, partygoers started to drain from the area as if a giant tub stopper has been pulled up.
And immediately the cleanup began, led by a small army of city employees -- including more than 200 sanitation workers.
Crews removed more than 44 tons of debris last year.