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Pence says Trump's comments praising WikiLeaks are not 'an endorsement' – live Trump says he is considering sending migrant detainees to sanctuary cities – live
(32 minutes later)
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Donald Trump’s idea to ship detained immigrants to sanctuary cities as a way to stick it to Democrats “unworthy” of the presidency.
“It’s just another notion that is unworthy of the presidency of the United States and disrespectful of the challenges that we face as a county, as a people, to address who we are: a nation of immigrants,” Pelosi told reporters Friday, the Hill reported.
Pelosi’s San Francisco district was reportedly one of those the White House wanted to inundate with released detainees.
“That you could use ICE — or any other federal agency — to penalize or to visit retribution for political reasons, that’s not the act of a democratic government,” House majority leader Steny Hoyer said, according to the Hill.
New York City comptroller Scott Stringer says Donald Trump’s idea of sending migrants to “sanctuary city” comes from a “warped mind.”
It takes a truly warped mind to think that releasing families who sought asylum at the border in Sanctuary Cities would be a “punishment.” These families are just seeking a better life, and Sanctuary Cities exist because we *want them here*. https://t.co/tSH9f6LjAf
New York is one of the so-called sanctuaries targeted by Trump, since it does not allow local police to participate in immigration enforcement and in most cases refuses to turn immigrant detainees over to ICE.
Trump’s tweet today doubling down on the idea is a reversal from his aides statements that it had been floated and rejected and was going nowhere.
White House yesterday: "This was just a suggestion that was floated and rejected, which ended any further discussion.”Trump today: “We are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing illegal immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only."
The Trump administration has finalized a rule to put new restrictions on food stamps, making it harder for states to waive work requirements for the assistance. The program requires able bodied adults with no kids to work or get job training in order to get food stamps, but many states waive the requirements.
It could result in 750,000 people losing food stamps, according to NPR.
Donald Trump called it a “major international victory” that the International Criminal Court rejected a request by the court’s top prosecutor to open an investigation into war crimes and crimes against humanity in Afghanistan.
“We welcome this decision and reiterate our position that the United States holds American citizens to the highest legal and ethical standards,” said Trump, whose administration has attacked the international court on multiple fronts.
Donald Trump not only confirms he considered sending immigrant detainees to sanctuary cities, he says he is still “giving strong considerations” to doing it.
“The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!” he said in a tweet.
“Due to the fact that Democrats are unwilling to change our very dangerous immigration laws, we are indeed, as reported, giving strong considerations to placing Illegal Immigrants in Sanctuary Cities only,” he wrote.
....The Radical Left always seems to have an Open Borders, Open Arms policy – so this should make them very happy!
Senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren brought Dunkin’ donuts for striking supermarket workers in Somerville today and urged shoppers, “don’t cross the picket line,” per NBC News.Senator and presidential candidate Elizabeth Warren brought Dunkin’ donuts for striking supermarket workers in Somerville today and urged shoppers, “don’t cross the picket line,” per NBC News.
So @alivitali reports Elizabeth Warren stopped by picketing Stop & Shop workers today in Somerville, MA ... brought them donuts (Dunkin, duh). She urged shoppers “don’t cross the picket line!”So @alivitali reports Elizabeth Warren stopped by picketing Stop & Shop workers today in Somerville, MA ... brought them donuts (Dunkin, duh). She urged shoppers “don’t cross the picket line!”
@ewarren brought doughnuts to striking Stop and Shop workers in Somerville today. pic.twitter.com/kPmlDdDkCa@ewarren brought doughnuts to striking Stop and Shop workers in Somerville today. pic.twitter.com/kPmlDdDkCa
Hillary Clinton condemns the Trump administration’s ban on transgender service members.Hillary Clinton condemns the Trump administration’s ban on transgender service members.
The administration's ban on transgender servicemembers begins today. It is abhorrent. Every American should be able to serve their country, and I can't believe we're still debating that in 2019. We have to reverse this as soon as we can.The administration's ban on transgender servicemembers begins today. It is abhorrent. Every American should be able to serve their country, and I can't believe we're still debating that in 2019. We have to reverse this as soon as we can.
The Huffington Post takes a look at the history of the law that allows Congress to obtain the tax returns of any citizen, including Donald Trump.The Huffington Post takes a look at the history of the law that allows Congress to obtain the tax returns of any citizen, including Donald Trump.
The law dates to 1924, and says the Treasury Department “shall” provide anyone’s tax returns to the House Ways & Means Committee upon request. It came in the aftermath of the Teapot Dome scandal, where Warren Harding’s interior secretary sold the rights to a Navy oil field in return for bribes.The law dates to 1924, and says the Treasury Department “shall” provide anyone’s tax returns to the House Ways & Means Committee upon request. It came in the aftermath of the Teapot Dome scandal, where Warren Harding’s interior secretary sold the rights to a Navy oil field in return for bribes.
Congress gave itself the authority to obtain anyone's tax returns for exactly the reason Democrats are asking to see Trump's. https://t.co/CYYDb02ziH via @HuffPostPolCongress gave itself the authority to obtain anyone's tax returns for exactly the reason Democrats are asking to see Trump's. https://t.co/CYYDb02ziH via @HuffPostPol
Congressional investigators sought tax return information for the interior secretary, Albert Fall, the oilmen who bribed him, and related companies. After some back and forth, they got them. But the scandal spurred another investigation, into Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, HuffPost notes. A senator asked for his tax returns, which he resisted. The fight spurred legislation in which Congress gave itself the right to obtain tax returns.Congressional investigators sought tax return information for the interior secretary, Albert Fall, the oilmen who bribed him, and related companies. After some back and forth, they got them. But the scandal spurred another investigation, into Treasury Secretary Andrew Mellon, HuffPost notes. A senator asked for his tax returns, which he resisted. The fight spurred legislation in which Congress gave itself the right to obtain tax returns.
Senator Elizabeth Warren will join striking Stop & Shop workers on the picket line today in Somerville, Massachusetts, per the Daily Beast.Senator Elizabeth Warren will join striking Stop & Shop workers on the picket line today in Somerville, Massachusetts, per the Daily Beast.
.@ewarren will join striking Stop & Shop workers on the picket line in Somerville today her campaign says.@ewarren will join striking Stop & Shop workers on the picket line in Somerville today her campaign says
After Vice President Mike Pence accused Pete Buttigieg of attacking his religious faith, Buttigieg said his only objection is to “bad policies.”After Vice President Mike Pence accused Pete Buttigieg of attacking his religious faith, Buttigieg said his only objection is to “bad policies.”
“I’m not critical of his faith. I’m critical of bad policies,” the South Bend, Indiana mayor and presidential candidate said on the Ellen DeGeneres show. “I don’t have a problem with religion. I’m religious too. I have a problem with religion being used as a justification to harm people, specifically in the LGBT community.”“I’m not critical of his faith. I’m critical of bad policies,” the South Bend, Indiana mayor and presidential candidate said on the Ellen DeGeneres show. “I don’t have a problem with religion. I’m religious too. I have a problem with religion being used as a justification to harm people, specifically in the LGBT community.”
Kelly Sadler, the former White House aide who was forced out for mocking the late Senator John McCain, is going to work for a pro-Donald Trump super PAC, CNN reports.Kelly Sadler, the former White House aide who was forced out for mocking the late Senator John McCain, is going to work for a pro-Donald Trump super PAC, CNN reports.
She’s been hired by America First Action to handle communications and starts Monday. She left the White House after it was revealed that she said that McCain’s opposition to Gina Haspel as CIA director didn’t matter because “he’s dying anyway.”She’s been hired by America First Action to handle communications and starts Monday. She left the White House after it was revealed that she said that McCain’s opposition to Gina Haspel as CIA director didn’t matter because “he’s dying anyway.”
Political consultant Sam Patten has been sentenced to three years probation but no jail time.Political consultant Sam Patten has been sentenced to three years probation but no jail time.
The case against him grew out of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Patten - a longtime associate of Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort - pleaded guilty to steering money from a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician to Trump’s inauguration.The case against him grew out of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation. Patten - a longtime associate of Donald Trump’s campaign chairman Paul Manafort - pleaded guilty to steering money from a pro-Russian Ukrainian politician to Trump’s inauguration.
US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson handed down the sentence Friday and accepted prosecutors request for lenience because he cooperated with investigators, the Washington Post reported. He was also sentenced to 500 hours community service and a $5,000 fine, according to the Post.US District Judge Amy Berman Jackson handed down the sentence Friday and accepted prosecutors request for lenience because he cooperated with investigators, the Washington Post reported. He was also sentenced to 500 hours community service and a $5,000 fine, according to the Post.
Republicans seem eager to turn the 2020 election into a referendum on socialism, but Politico reports that the party has already tried the strategy and it flopped.Republicans seem eager to turn the 2020 election into a referendum on socialism, but Politico reports that the party has already tried the strategy and it flopped.
During last year’s election in Pennsylvania, Republicans labeled Democrats running for governor, Congress and the state legislature as socialists, even though many of them ran as moderates. But Democrats ended up winning three House seats and 16 in the state General Assembly, and the Democratic governor and US senator were easily re-elected.During last year’s election in Pennsylvania, Republicans labeled Democrats running for governor, Congress and the state legislature as socialists, even though many of them ran as moderates. But Democrats ended up winning three House seats and 16 in the state General Assembly, and the Democratic governor and US senator were easily re-elected.
State Rep. Jennifer O’Mara tells Politico that Republicans protested one of her events and handed out fake $10,000 bills that said ‘In Socialism We Trust’ with an image of her face. “Their attacks backfired,” she said.State Rep. Jennifer O’Mara tells Politico that Republicans protested one of her events and handed out fake $10,000 bills that said ‘In Socialism We Trust’ with an image of her face. “Their attacks backfired,” she said.
Donald Trump’s advisers discussed Tuesday night discussed whether the military could be used to build tent city detention camps for migrants, NBC News reports.Donald Trump’s advisers discussed Tuesday night discussed whether the military could be used to build tent city detention camps for migrants, NBC News reports.
They also discussed having the military run the camps once the migrants are housed there. That would probably not be legal, three US officials told NBC.They also discussed having the military run the camps once the migrants are housed there. That would probably not be legal, three US officials told NBC.
Exclusive— Trump advisers discussed whether military could build and run migrant detention camps. W/ ⁦@ckubeNBC⁩ https://t.co/p3eiUhDWEIExclusive— Trump advisers discussed whether military could build and run migrant detention camps. W/ ⁦@ckubeNBC⁩ https://t.co/p3eiUhDWEI
Jared Kushner only registered as a Republican on September 20, 2018, Vice reports.
The presidential adviser and son in law was unenrolled in any party until he changed his New York City voter registration on that date.
Vice-president Mike Pence says Donald Trump’s many past comments praising WikiLeaks were “in no way an endorsement” of the organization.
“I think the President always, as you and the media do, always welcomes information,” Pence told CNN. “But that was in no way an endorsement of an organization that we now understand was involved in disseminating classified information by the United States of America.”
Wikileaks was well known for releasing classified and hacked information when Trump said: “I love WikiLeaks.”
Donald Trump is upset about the coverage of the indictment of Gregory Craig, who was White House counsel under President Barack Obama.
President Obama’s top White House lawyer, Gregory B. Craig, was indicted yesterday on very serious charges. This is a really big story, but the Fake News New York Times didn’t even put it on page one, rather page 16. @washingtonpost not much better, “tiny” page one. Corrupt News!
He’s also still mad about the Mueller report.
“Democrats don’t like the results of the Mueller Report, so now they’re trying everything else.” @RepDougCollins They should stop wasting time and money and get back to real legislating, especially on the Border!
First amendment scholars and advocacy groups are raising alarm over the criminal charges against Wikileaks founder Julian Assange, the Guardian’s Ed Pilkington reports.
Much of the indictment against Assange detailed conduct indistinguishable from the basic activities of journalism protected by the first amendment of the US constitution, the experts said.
“Many of the allegations fall absolutely within the first amendment’s protections of journalistic activity. That’s very troubling to us,” said Carrie Decell, staff attorney with the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University.
Assange is charged with conspiring to hack US government computers, which if true, sets him apart from mainstream journalists and is not protected by the first amendment. But the criminal complaint against him also includes actions that are part of normal news gathering:
Among the phrases contained in the indictment that have provoked an uproar are:
“It was part of the conspiracy that Assange encouraged Manning to provide information and records from departments and agencies of the United States.” It is a basic function of journalism to encourage sources to provide information in the public interest on the activities of government.
“It was part of the conspiracy that Assange and Manning took measures to conceal Manning as the source of the disclosure of classified records to WikiLeaks.” Protecting the anonymity of sources is the foundation stone of much investigative and national security reporting – without it sources would not be willing to divulge information, and the press would be unable to fulfill its role of holding power to account.
“It was part of the conspiracy that Assange and Manning used the ‘Jabber’ online chat service to collaborate on the acquisition and dissemination of the classified records.” The indictment similarly refers to a dropbox. Both Jabber and Dropbox are communication tools routinely used by journalists working with whistleblowers.
Vice-president Mike Pence responded to criticism from Pete Buttigieg in a new interview with CNN.
“I think Pete’s quarrel is with the First Amendment. All of us in this country have the right to our religious beliefs. I’m a Bible-believing Christian,” Pence said.
Buttigieg, who is gay and married, has called Pence “fanatical” for his opposition to gay rights. “That’s the thing I wish the Mike Pences of the world would understand: That if you have a problem with who I am, your quarrel is not with me,” he said in a recent speech that went viral. “Your quarrel, sir, is with my creator.”
In an exclusive interview, Vice President Pence tells @DanaBashCNN that South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg's "quarrel is with the First Amendment. All of us in this country have the right to our religious beliefs. I'm a Bible-believing Christian." https://t.co/CS0P2fwbcb pic.twitter.com/iqKSIo0SO1
Pence, the former governor of Indiana, told CNN he “worked very closely together” with the South Bend mayor and “considered him a friend.” “And he knows I don’t have a problem with him,” he said. As for whether he accepts Buttigieg’s assertion that God made him gay, he said, “All of us have our own religious convictions. Pete has his convictions, I have mine.”
A new poll found Donald Trump’s approval rating has jumped since the release of a summary of the findings of the Mueller report, the Washington Post reports.
Friday’s Gallup poll found 45% of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance, up from 39% in March. Still, 51% disapprove.
Thousands of fake Russian Twitter accounts urged Bernie Sanders supporters to vote for Donald Trump in the 2016 election, according to a new report.
Clemson University researchers conducted an analysis of Twitter data for the Washington Post and found 9,000 Russian tweets that used the word “Bernie,” which were “liked” 59,281 times and retweeted 61,804 times. Thousands of other tweets were also designed to appeal to Sanders’ supporters, urging them not to back Hillary Clinton in the general election.
One Twitter account, called Red Louisiana News, wrote “Conscious Bernie Sanders supporters already moving towards the best candidate Trump! #Feel the Bern #Vote Trump 2016.” It was actually written from Russia, not Louisiana. Another Russian account tweeted, “Bernie Sanders says his message resonates with Republicans.”
Donald Trump considered naming his daughter Ivanka Trump to head the World Bank, and also thinks she would have been a great United Nations ambassador, he told the Atlantic in an interview released Friday.
Trump was apparently quite eager to sing his daughter’s praises: the author writes that she requested an interview with Ivanka herself and was turned down, but instead got a call that the president wanted to talk to her.
“I even thought of Ivanka for the World Bank … She would’ve been great at that because she’s very good with numbers,” Trump said.
“She’s a natural diplomat,” Trump said. “She would’ve been great at the United Nations, as an example.” Asked why he didn’t nominate her, he said, “If I did, they’d say nepotism, when it would’ve had nothing to do with nepotism. But she would’ve been incredible.”
Trump sometimes calls Ivanka “baby” during official meetings, the magazine reports. “If she ever wanted to run for president,” he said, “I think she’d be very, very hard to beat.”
Presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg has gone after vice-president Mike Pence on the campaign trail, but the Associated Press reports that things have been much more cordial in their mutual home state of Indiana.
Buttigieg as mayor of South Bend and Pence as governor of Indiana collaborated on economic development projects and the mayor gave Pence a South Bend promotional T-shirt that said “I (heart) SB.”. That’s nothing out of the ordinary for a local executive looking to help his city, but as AP notes, some Indiana Democrats have been frustrated with Buttigieg’s reluctance to take on Pence directly.
He was largely absent from the debate when an HIV outbreak raised pressure on Pence to approve needle exchange. And while he criticized a religious freedom law Pence signed as anti-gay, he attended a Pence event weeks later and said nothing, and acknowledged in his book that he passed up the chance to urge Pence in person to veto the measure.
“With respect to Pence’s worst blunder, his most difficult controversy, Mayor Pete was not leading the charge against him,” said Robert Dion, a political science professor at the University of Evansville in southern Indiana.
The White House pushed to release detained immigrants into the streets of “sanctuary cities” as a form of retaliation against immigrant-friendly Democratic politicians.
The plan has not been carried out, but the Trump administration broached it at least twice, according to the Washington Post, which first reported the news.
In a November email obtained by the Post, White House officials suggested that members of a migrant caravan apprehended at the US-Mexico border be bussed to “small- and mid-sized sanctuary cities” and released.
Sanctuary cities, which include New York, Chicago and San Francisco, do not use their local police for immigration enforcement and refuse in many cases to turn over unauthorized immigrants in their custody to the federal government. Donald Trump has often blasted the jurisdictions and attempted to take away federal grants from them.
The White House believed it could use the tactic to punish Democrats – including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, whose San Francisco district was specifically suggested as a place to dumb detainees – according to two Department of Homeland Security whistleblowers cited by the Post.
Matthew Albence, the acting deputy director of Ice, shot down the idea.
“Not sure how paying to transport aliens to another location to release them – when they can be released on the spot – is a justified expenditure. Not to mention the liability should there be an accident along the way,” adding that “there are PR risks as well.”
Pelosi blasted the scheme. “The extent of this administration’s cynicism and cruelty cannot be overstated,” Ashley Etienne told the Post. “Using human beings – including little children – as pawns in their warped game to perpetuate fear and demonize immigrants is despicable.”