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US navy confirms no active shooter at Walter Reed, 'was ad hoc drill' – live updates US navy confirms no active shooter at Walter Reed, 'was ad hoc drill' – live updates
(35 minutes later)
Rudy Giuliani, the former New York mayor and attorney for Trump, tells Huffington Post that Trump has no idea if Manafort ever met with Julian Assange and the two never discussed the controversial Wikileaks founder.
“I have no idea if Paul Manafort met with Julian Assange. The president has no idea if Paul Manafort met with Julian Assange,” Rudy Giuliani told HuffPost, adding that it wouldn’t prove anything nefarious even if Manafort had done so. “I don’t care if he met Assange over the years. I know there were no conversations between the president and Manafort about Assange.”
Rudy Giuliani claims there "were no conversations between the president and Manafort about Assange,” @svdate reports: https://t.co/bCLQ43tGGQ
A federal judge in Mississippi just denied an lawsuit to extend the deadline to return absentee ballots in the Magnolia State.
Voters had until 5PM yesterday to do so.
Update: A federal judge just denied a request to extend the deadline for absentee ballots in Mississippi's Senate runoff today, though he acknowledged the state's deadline for returning an absentee ballot “is tight—if not impossible—for some voters.” https://t.co/C42vhsMSaK
NBC News is reporting that special counsel Robert Mueller has messages from conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi to former Trump advisor Roger Stone about the Wikileaks release of stolen emails from the Clinton campaign.
NEW: Mueller has emails from Stone pal Corsi about WikiLeaks Dem email dump https://t.co/6qgXiaO54b
Although a number of corporate donors have demanded that Cindy Hyde-Smith refund their donations, it’s unclear if the Mississippi Republican has done so yet.
For all the companies and entities asking for their money back from Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, there's no documented evidence that her campaign has reimbursed any of it. Her campaign not commenting on it, per @kendallkarson #MsSen
Elizabeth Warren will give a foreign policy speech on Thursday in Washington. The Massachusetts Democrat has long been considered a likely presidential candidate in 2020.
folks pic.twitter.com/XjZpJeyyoD
Jerry Nadler, the incoming chair of the House Judiciary Committee, suggests Trump is starting to come close to the line for committing an impeachable offense.
Manafort has done nothing to deserve clemency. If the President pardons his former campaign chair, his motives will be perfectly clear. Just by dangling the pardon in front of a witness, @realDonaldTrump comes dangerously close to obstruction of justice. https://t.co/T7LeEgGO0A
Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell said on Tuesday he would “probably” move to once again block a vote on a bill that would protect special counsel Robert Mueller, who leading the investigation into Russian meddling in the US presidential election.
Senator Jeff Flake, a retiring Republican from Arizona, has vowed to vote against every judicial nominee until the legislation receives a vote. He is expected to join Democratic senators Cory Booker and Chris Coons in an attempt to force a vote on the bill on Wednesday.
Speaking to reporters at a weekly press conference on Tuesday, McConnell said the legislation was a “solution in search of problem”. Despite Trump’s persistent criticism of Mueller and the Russia investigation as a “witch hunt”, McConnell said he is confident the president will not fire the special counsel.
“We have a lot of things to do to try to finish up this year without taking votes on things that are completely irrelevant,” McConnell added.
Over the course of three tweets on Tuesday morning Trump called Mueller “conflicted prosecutor gone rogue”.
“The Fake News Media builds Bob Mueller up as a Saint, when in actuality he is the exact opposite. He is doing TREMENDOUS damage to our Criminal Justice System, where he is only looking at one side and not the other,” Trump wrote.The Senate is expected to vote this week on the nomination of Thomas Farr to a seat on the US District Court for the Eastern District of North Carolina. All Democrats have announced their opposition to Farr and on Tuesday they railed against his nomination.
Jon Tester was a rare red state Democrat to win their Senate race in the midterms. He did so despite attracting the personal ire of Donald Trump over the failed nomination of Ronny Jackson to the VA.Jon Tester was a rare red state Democrat to win their Senate race in the midterms. He did so despite attracting the personal ire of Donald Trump over the failed nomination of Ronny Jackson to the VA.
The Huffington Post has a deep dive on how Tester pulled off that feat in Montana.The Huffington Post has a deep dive on how Tester pulled off that feat in Montana.
NEW: Donald Trump made it his personal mission to take out Jon Tester. Here’s how the Montana Democrat survived. https://t.co/h2rx9MhmhqNEW: Donald Trump made it his personal mission to take out Jon Tester. Here’s how the Montana Democrat survived. https://t.co/h2rx9Mhmhq
Right wing conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi says he has a joint defense agreement with Donald Trump.Right wing conspiracy theorist Jerome Corsi says he has a joint defense agreement with Donald Trump.
Corsi, who said he turned a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller, outlines his deal with Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow in a new book.Corsi, who said he turned a plea deal with special counsel Robert Mueller, outlines his deal with Trump lawyer Jay Sekulow in a new book.
Corsi suggests in his book, which clocks in at 57,000-plus words and was written over the course of a few weeks, that his joint defense agreement with Trump’s legal team was intended to be kept from public view.Corsi suggests in his book, which clocks in at 57,000-plus words and was written over the course of a few weeks, that his joint defense agreement with Trump’s legal team was intended to be kept from public view.
He claims that Sekulow, Trump’s lawyer, suggested the agreement could be verbal in nature and did not need to be put in writing.He claims that Sekulow, Trump’s lawyer, suggested the agreement could be verbal in nature and did not need to be put in writing.
“This saved creating a document that might appear later in some relevant legal proceeding or newspaper article,” Corsi writes.“This saved creating a document that might appear later in some relevant legal proceeding or newspaper article,” Corsi writes.
CONFIRMED: No active shooter at Naval Support Activity Bethesda. Was ad hoc drill by tenant command. https://t.co/P9N65mMdOACONFIRMED: No active shooter at Naval Support Activity Bethesda. Was ad hoc drill by tenant command. https://t.co/P9N65mMdOA
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney is asking for tomorrow’s election to be DCCC chair be delayed.Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney is asking for tomorrow’s election to be DCCC chair be delayed.
Maloney is one of four House Democrats seeking to lead the caucus’s campaign arm for the 2020 cycle. However he is currently hospitalized with a bacterial infection.Maloney is one of four House Democrats seeking to lead the caucus’s campaign arm for the 2020 cycle. However he is currently hospitalized with a bacterial infection.
A spokesman for Manafort just sent out the following statement:A spokesman for Manafort just sent out the following statement:
“This story is totally false and deliberately libelous. I have never met Julian Assange or anyone connected to him. I have never been contacted by anyone connected to Wikileaks, either directly or indirectly. I have never reached out to Assange or Wikileaks on any matter. We are considering all legal options against the Guardian who proceeded with this story even after being notified by my representatives that it was false.”“This story is totally false and deliberately libelous. I have never met Julian Assange or anyone connected to him. I have never been contacted by anyone connected to Wikileaks, either directly or indirectly. I have never reached out to Assange or Wikileaks on any matter. We are considering all legal options against the Guardian who proceeded with this story even after being notified by my representatives that it was false.”
It appears the situation at Walter Reed may have only been a drill after all.It appears the situation at Walter Reed may have only been a drill after all.
From colleague Lucas Tomlinson: Army Lt. Col. Audricia Harris, a Pentagon spokeswoman, tells Fox News there is no active-shooter at Walter Reed, it was only a drill.From colleague Lucas Tomlinson: Army Lt. Col. Audricia Harris, a Pentagon spokeswoman, tells Fox News there is no active-shooter at Walter Reed, it was only a drill.
Update: Department of Defense spokesperson tells CNN that the situation at Walter Reed was an exercise. —@barbarastarrcnn reportsUpdate: Department of Defense spokesperson tells CNN that the situation at Walter Reed was an exercise. —@barbarastarrcnn reports
Senator John Barrasso thinks the American response to Russian aggression in the Kerch Strait has been “inadequate.” The Wyoming senator serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.Senator John Barrasso thinks the American response to Russian aggression in the Kerch Strait has been “inadequate.” The Wyoming senator serves on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.
Sen. John Barrasso (R-WY) on Ukraine/Russia:I believe the response so far has been inadequate..I think we need to move ships into the Black SeaSen. John Barrasso (R-WY) on Ukraine/Russia:I believe the response so far has been inadequate..I think we need to move ships into the Black Sea
Police have responded to the reports of an active shooter at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda.
Montgomery County police were reportedly called at 2:23 PM and the area where the active shooter was reported by has now been cleared.
1455, UPDATE: Base security has cleared the basement of Bldg. 19, they are in the process of clearing the rest of the building. No indication so far of an active shooter.
However, there has been no confirmation that there is an ongoing active shooter situation but we will monitor for more developments.
Maryland Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger who is at the scene reports via his Twitter account that he “does not believe to be a drill.”
Rep. Ruppersberger remains sheltered in a back room at Walter Reed. Described mood as calm. Has not been given any additional details but does not believe this to be a drill.
The Navy says it can’t confirm the earlier reports of an active shooter at Walter Reed.
#BREAKING: We are aware of reports of an active shooter at Naval Support Activity Bethesda. No confirmation. More to follow as available.
Tim Scott of South Carolina, who is the sole African American Republican in the U.S. Senate, is still undecided on the Farr nomination.
.@SenatorTimScott reiterates to reporters he is still "researching" the Thomas Farr judicial nominee, but would not elaborate on his process for "doing his homework." I.e. who he is talking to, what he's reading, how he will make his final decision.
Now that he doesn’t have to face voters for another six years. Ted Cruz is trotting out a new look and is sporting some facial hair.
WASHINGTON — Lawmakers are facing a pretty hairy situation with just 10 days till a partial federal government shutdown. pic.twitter.com/XBGEECe3vg
Democrats are emphasizing their opposition to Thomas Farr’s judicial nomination at Chuck Schumer’s weekly press conference.
Kamala Harris and Cory Booker join Schumer & co. at his weekly presser to trash the Thomas Farr judicial nomination, calling him a foe to voting rights and African Americans. pic.twitter.com/mUGmUrRD2x
Donald Trump’s top national security adviser said he had not listened to an audio recording of the murder of Jamal Khashoggi’s murder, stating he did not speak Arabic and believed there was nothing to learn from listening to the tape firsthand. “People who speak Arabic have listened to the tape and given us the substance of what’s in it,” John Bolton, national security adviser to the president, said during a briefing at the White House on Tuesday.Pressed on why he did not believe it necessary to hear the recording himself, Bolton grew defensive, asking reporters: “How many of you speak Arabic? I guess I should ask you why you think I should [listen]? What do you think I would learn from it?”He added: “I mean, if they were speaking Korean, I wouldn’t learn any more from it, either. I can read a transcript.”The Trump administration has come under widespread criticism over its response to the execution of Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident and Washington Post columnist. Both US and Turkish intelligence authorities have said a tape of the murder and other evidence prove Khashoggi’s killing was ordered by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Khashoggi, a prominent critic of the Saudi royal family, was last seen on security footage entering the Saudi consulate in Istanbul on 2 October. His murder sparked an international outcry and prompted the Trump administration to levy sanctions against 17 Saudi officials.But the White House has stopped short of confronting Prince Mohammed, with whom the president’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, shares a close rapport. Trump also defended Prince Mohammed and cast doubt on US intelligence linking the crown prince directly to the Khashoggi murder.“Our intelligence agencies continue to assess all information, but it could very well be that the Crown Prince had knowledge of this tragic event — maybe he did and maybe he didn’t!” Trump said in a bizarre statement last week, which included a subheading that read “America First!”CIA director Gina Haspel has reportedly been barred by the White House from briefing members of the US Senate on the matter. Haspel had traveled to Turkey last month and listened to a recording of Khashoggi’s killing.
Maryland Congressman Dutch Ruppersberger is at Walter Reed Medical Center where he says there is an active shooter.
I am currently at Walter Reed Medical in Bethesda where we've been told there is an active shooter. I am currently safe in a conference room w/ approx 40 others.
The White House is continuing to discount a government report outlining the extreme consequences of climate change in the US.
Press Secretary Sarah Sanders told reporters that the National Climate Assessment released last week is based on the most extreme scenarios possible as greenhouse gases continue to rise. She said “modeling the climate is an extremely complicated science that is never exact.” Trump yesterday said he doesn’t believe the findings.
The report includes many comparisons of what damages the US will suffer if pollution from power plants and cars continues to rise throughout the century in a business-as-usual scenario or if they peak by the middle of the century, which would require significant global effort.
The scientist authors have high confidence in many of the expectations they present about more extreme weather, economic costs and lives that will be lost. And they express certainty in the foundations of climate science, that humans are causing warming that is dangerous on many fronts.
There are now two House districts in the country where turnout was higher in the congressional race than it was for the 2016 presidential election. Cathy McMorris-Rodgers, the outgoing Republican conference chair from Eastern Washington, just saw her successful re-election bid join the at-large race in Montana in that category.
Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers (R)'s #WA05 just became the 2nd district (other is #MTAL) where 2018 House votes have surpassed 2016 prez votes, at 100.1%.
Top White House aide and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner will be honored by the outgoing president of Mexico later this week.
Jared Kushner will receive the Order of the Aztec — Mexico’s highest honor for foreigners — from Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto this Friday on the sidelines of the G20 in Buenos Aires, per a source familiar