The Vince Coglianese Show

INTERVIEW - KEN CUCCINELLI - acting Director of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services – reacted to the suspension of a Fairfax cop working with ICE and his thoughts on the Washington Post interview with McAleenan.

Suspended Fairfax County police officer to return to work after ICE incident. (Washington Post) A Fairfax County police officer who was suspended for turning a driver involved in a traffic accident over to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has completed remedial training and will return to work Friday, officials said. Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. made the announcement Wednesday as the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and conservative commentators criticized the suspension in statements and tweets, while some immigration advocates applauded Roessler. In a tweet, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services acting director Ken Cuccinelli urged police officers to work with ICE despite the policies of individual departments, while National Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes said the officer was simply protecting his community.

Acting homeland security chief frustrated and isolated — even as he delivers what Trump wants at the border (Washington Post) - Nearly six months after taking over the Department of Homeland Security as acting secretary, Kevin McAleenan has guided the United States out of a crisis at the southern border, but he also says he has lost command of the public messaging from his department and lacks some of the authority he was promised when he took the job. Increasingly isolated within the administration and overshadowed by others who are more effusive in their praise for President Trump, McAleenan said he retains “operational” control of DHS — mainly the ability to coordinate work at the border among U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and Citizenship and Immigration Services.

Mornings on the Mall Podcast - 2019-10-3

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[01:00:16] 5:59 am - Mornings on the Mall

[02:00:26] 6:59 am - Mornings on the Mall

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[04:00:46] 8:59 am - Mornings on the Mall

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, October 3, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Ken Cuccinelli, Amber Athey, Carol Maloney and Susan Ferrechio joined WMAL on Thursday!

 

5am – A/B/C Bernie Sanders, 78, is canceling campaign events until further notice after having heart surgery. (CBS News) – Leading Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is recovering after doctors found a blockage in one artery and inserted two stents. Sanders is canceling his campaign events until further notice, according to his senior adviser Jeff Weaver. “During a campaign event yesterday evening, Sen. Sanders experienced some chest discomfort,” Weaver said in a statement. “Following medical evaluation and testing he was found to have a blockage in one artery and two stents were successfully inserted. Sen. Sanders is conversing and in good spirits. He will be resting up over the next few days. We are canceling his events and appearances until further notice, and we will continue to provide appropriate updates.” Sanders was in Las Vegas for Tuesday for events that were closed.

Bernie Sanders’ presidential campaign is canceling an Iowa TV ad buy that was set to begin this week. Per @Kantar_Media data, the campaign had booked about $400,000 of airtime in Iowa over the next two weeks, part of an ad campaign that was set to total $1.3 million.

Beto O’Rourket @BetoORourke Wishing @BernieSanders a full and speedy recovery. Our thoughts are with you and your family today—and I look forward to seeing you back out on the campaign trail soon.

Julián Castro @JulianCastro We want to send our best wishes for a quick recovery to @BernieSanders today. Our whole team has you in their thoughts.

Cory Booker @CoryBooker Glad to hear my friend @BernieSanders is doing well and in good spirits—wishing him a speedy recovery.

Pete Buttigieg @PeteButtigieg All of us here at @PeteForAmerica are sending our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Senator @BernieSanders. We’re thinking of him and his family today, and I look forward to seeing him back on the campaign trail very soon.

Elizabeth Warren @ewarren Bruce, Team Warren, and I are sending all our best wishes for a speedy recovery to @BernieSanders. I hope to see my friend back on the campaign trail very soon.

Tom Steyer @TomSteyer Wishing @BernieSanders a quick and easy recovery.

Joe Biden @JoeBiden @DrBiden and I are sending our best wishes to @BernieSanders, Jane, and the whole Sanders family. Anyone who knows Bernie understands what a force he is. We are confident that he will have a full and speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him on the trail soon.

5am – D         Acting homeland security chief frustrated and isolated — even as he delivers what Trump wants at the border (Washington Post) – Nearly six months after taking over the Department of Homeland Security as acting secretary, Kevin McAleenan has guided the United States out of a crisis at the southern border, but he also says he has lost command of the public messaging from his department and lacks some of the authority he was promised when he took the job. Increasingly isolated within the administration and overshadowed by others who are more effusive in their praise for President Trump, McAleenan said he retains “operational” control of DHS — mainly the ability to coordinate work at the border among U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and Citizenship and Immigration Services. But he acknowledged that he is losing the battle to keep DHS, which he views as a neutral law enforcement agency, from being used as a powerful tool for a partisan immigration agenda. “What I don’t have control over is the tone, the message, the public face and approach of the department in an increasingly polarized time,” he said in an interview with The Washington Post. “That’s uncomfortable, as the accountable, senior figure.” McAleenan was referring to recent DHS appointees who won their jobs after advocating aggressively for the president on television: Mark Morgan, the acting head of CBP, and Ken Cuccinelli, the acting USCIS director, who is rumored as a potential replacement for McAleenan.

5am – E         Tlaib: Use only blacks as Detroit’s facial recognition analysts. (The Detroit News) – U.S. Rep. Rashida Tlaib told Detroit police Chief James Craig he should employ only black people on the department’s facial recognition team because “non-African Americans think African-Americans all look the same.”  The Detroit Democrat made the statement during a tour of the Real Time Crime center, where monitors display live footage from video cameras on traffic lights and in and around businesses. A day after Tlaib made the comment Monday, her spokesman said she was trying to convey the importance of accurately identifying black suspects in a city with an African American population of about 80%. Police officials invited Tlaib to the facility inside Public Safety Headquarters to see how Detroit uses facial recognition software, after she criticized the technology in an Aug. 20 tweet. The congresswoman wrote: “@detroitpolice You should probably rethink this whole facial recognition bull—-.”

6am – A/B/C  NY TIMES: The whistle-blower gave an early account of allegations against President Trump to a House aide who outlined it to Rep. Adam Schiff, who is now leading the impeachment inquiry

Kellyanne Conway  @KellyannePolls: The Fix Was In. @nytimes: Schiff, House Intel Chairman, Got Early Account of Whistle-Blower’s Accusations. “The original accusation was vague” … “By the time whistleblower filed his complaint, Schiff & his staff knew at least vaguely what it contained”

Brit Hume @brithume: Schiff defenders are claiming there’s nothing to see here in the revelation that the whistleblower conferred with Schiff staff before filing the complaint. If that’s so, why didn’t Schiff acknowledge the contact when asked about it? I think the answer is obvious. He knew how it would look. So he gave this answer, “We have not spoken directly with the whistleblower.” If by “we” he meant only himself, he’s being slippery. If by “we” he meant himself and his staff, he lied.

6am – D         Police charity event on hold after chief withdraws because Republicans were invited: report. (Fox News) A charity event planned in honor of an officer killed in a 2018 mass shooting at a country music bar in in Southern California has been postponed indefinitely — reportedly because a police chief didn’t want Republicans invited. The Blue Bowl, a charity flag football game, was intended to raise money for the family of fallen Ventura County Sgt. Ron Helus as well as other officers killed in the line of duty, FOX 11 of Los Angeles reported. Helus died last Nov. 7, when a 28-year-old suspect allegedly attacked the Borderline Bar and Grill in Thousand Oaks, killing a total of 13 people and wounding about a dozen others. The suspect died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities have said. Thousands of dollars had already been raised for fallen officers’ families, but the money is now being returned to donors because Thousand Oaks Police Chief Tim Hagel reportedly withdrew the police department because Trump supporters would be speaking at the event.

6am – E         State Department IG Called ‘Urgent’ Meeting To Share Months-Old News Stories. (Daily Caller/Amber Athey) – The State Department’s Inspector General shared a packet of months-old news stories and other Ukraine-related documents during an “urgent” briefing with Congressional staffers on Wednesday, sources told the Daily Caller.  Sources familiar with the meeting said the IG handed over a packet containing, among other old materials, news articles written this past spring by The Hill’s John Solomon about Democratic ties to Ukraine. The packet was allegedly given to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo in May and was intended to smear the former US ambassador to Ukraine. An administration official noted to the Caller that the packet was properly dealt with at the time, and questioned the “urgent” nature of the briefing. The IG announced the “urgent” meeting after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo accused House Democrats of trying to “bully” the State Department by requesting impeachment-related interviews with various officials. “The matter is from four months ago. They’ve been sitting on it for four months. The urgent-ness of this seems a little contrived,” the official told the Caller. “This was handled the exact way it should have been. The information was turned over by a senior official to a career lawyer who then gave it to the IG. That was four months ago.” The briefing was a huge blow to Democrats, who were expecting bombshell information regarding the Trump administration’s contact with Ukraine and investigations into former Vice President Joe Biden. In fact, several news outlets reported earlier in the day that the briefing would be about State Department leadership retaliating against career employees who wanted to cooperate with the Democrats’ investigation into Trump. Maryland Democratic Rep. Jamie Raskin, who was in the briefing with the IG, said the meeting “raises more questions than it answers,” but confirmed that it had nothing to do with President Donald Trump.

6am – F         DISNEY ACTOR FIRED FOR MAKING “OK” SIGN IN A PICTURE:  A Universal Orlando actor who dressed as “Gru” from the “Despicable Me” animated movie franchise has been fired after allegedly making a hand gesture associated with white supremacists in a photo with a biracial girl. (Fox News) – A Universal Orlando actor who dressed as “Gru” from the “Despicable Me” animated movie franchise has been fired after allegedly making a hand gesture associated with white supremacists in a photo with a biracial girl. The photo with the girl, now 7, who is autistic, shows her posing with the actor during a character breakfast at Loews Royal Pacific Resort, a Universal hotel, in March. The photo shows the actor making an upside-down “OK” symbol with his hand on the girl’s shoulder. The gesture is widely associated with white supremacy and far-right groups. Universal spokesman Tom Schroder told USA Today the actor, who has not been publicly identified, no longer works for the company. “We never want our guests to experience what this family did. This is not acceptable and we are sorry – and we are taking steps to make sure nothing like this happens again,” he said in a statement. “We can’t discuss specifics about this incident, but we can confirm that the actor no longer works here. We remain in contact with the family and will work with them privately to make this right.” Calls and messages from Fox News to Universal Orlando were not immediately returned.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – KEN CUCCINELLI – acting Director of the US Citizenship and Immigration Services – reacted to the suspension of a Fairfax cop working with ICE and his thoughts on the Washington Post interview with McAleenan.

Suspended Fairfax County police officer to return to work after ICE incident. (Washington Post) A Fairfax County police officer who was suspended for turning a driver involved in a traffic accident over to Immigrations and Customs Enforcement has completed remedial training and will return to work Friday, officials said. Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. made the announcement Wednesday as the National Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and conservative commentators criticized the suspension in statements and tweets, while some immigration advocates applauded Roessler. In a tweet, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services acting director Ken Cuccinelli urged police officers to work with ICE despite the policies of individual departments, while National Fraternal Order of Police President Patrick Yoes said the officer was simply protecting his community.

Acting homeland security chief frustrated and isolated — even as he delivers what Trump wants at the border (Washington Post) – Nearly six months after taking over the Department of Homeland Security as acting secretary, Kevin McAleenan has guided the United States out of a crisis at the southern border, but he also says he has lost command of the public messaging from his department and lacks some of the authority he was promised when he took the job. Increasingly isolated within the administration and overshadowed by others who are more effusive in their praise for President Trump, McAleenan said he retains “operational” control of DHS — mainly the ability to coordinate work at the border among U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Customs and Border Protection, and Citizenship and Immigration Services.

7am – B         Theater chain bluntly warns parents their kids won’t like Joker. (Entertainment Weekly) – One theater chain is getting pretty candid about Joker. Posting a rare critical-sounding assessment of an upcoming film on its docket, Alamo Drafthouse Cinema published a warning to parents about Warner Bros.’ controversial film. The company, which operates 40 theaters coast to coast, told parents the movie is not for kids and has “overall bad vibes” in a Facebook post which was confirmed by an Alamo representative. “Parental warning (this is not a joke),” begins the message. “Joker is Rated R and for good reason. There’s lots of very, very rough language, brutal violence, and overall bad vibes.” Continues the warning: “It’s a gritty, dark, and realistic Taxi Driver-esque depiction of one man’s descent into madness. It’s not for kids, and they won’t like it, anyway.” The warning adds: “There’s no Batman.” It’s an unusually protective move from a theater chain, as most exhibitors typically turn a blind eye to whether kids should see adult content in the hopes of keeping their seats full.

7am – C         Viral singing homeless woman offered record contract: report. (NY Post) – How do you get to Carnegie Hall? Sing in the subway, apparently. A homeless Russian singer who went viral for her incredible performance just scored a major record deal. Emily Zamourka, who captured the hearts of Los Angeles subway riders and internet fans, has been offered a recording contract, TMZ reports. Grammy-nominated music producer Joel Diamond tells TMZ he drafted an offer letter for Zamourka in the hopes of making a “huge classical-EDM crossover hit record for the subway soprano.” Diamond says the first record will be called “Paradise” and released on Silver Blue Records, the record label he founded in 1973. The producer first learned of the now-infamous singer after the Los Angeles Police Department tweeted a video of her singing opera in a subway station. The internet immediately fell in love with the 52-year-old, who became homeless after a run of bad luck. Zamourka moved to the United States more than two decades ago and was teaching violin and piano lessons, but fell ill and wound up homeless when she couldn’t afford medical care.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – Amber Athey – White House correspondent for The Daily Caller – recap Trump’s fiery presser today and the so-called “urgent” IG hearing.

AMBER ATHEY: State Department IG Called ‘Urgent’ Meeting To Share Months-Old News Stories

Donald J. Trump Retweeted: Byron York @ByronYork  35m35 minutes ago So State Department inspector general asks for ‘urgent’ briefing on Capitol Hill. Trump and Ukraine! Then admits he’s had ‘urgent’ material since May. After seeing it, Dem lawmaker declares ‘completely irrelevant.’

President Trump Unloads, Accuses Adam Schiff Of Helping To Write Whistleblower Complaint

7am – E         AMBER GUYGER GETS 10 YEARS:

Amber Guyger Sentenced to 10 Years in Prison for Murder of Botham Jean. A Dallas County jury sentenced Wednesday former Dallas police officer Amber Guyger, who was convicted of the murder of Botham Jean, to 10 years in prison on an emotional day in court that included an embrace of Guyger by Jean’s younger brother. The jury found Guyger guilty of murder on Tuesday, in a case in which she said she mistook Jean’s apartment for her own. Closing statements concluded Wednesday afternoon, as the jury deliberated for less than two hours before they reached a unanimous decision on her sentence.

‘I forgive you’: Botham Jean’s brother, Amber Guyger embrace following witness impact statement. (WFAA) – Botham Jean’s brother Brandt said that he wanted “the best for” Amber Guyger. Then he asked the judge if he could give Guyger a hug. DALLAS — After Amber Guyger was sentenced to 10 years in prison, victim impact statements took place in the courtroom. Botham Jean’s brother Brandt went first, speaking about his brother. “If you truly are sorry, I know I can speak for myself, I forgive you. I know if you go to God and ask him, he will forgive you,” said Brandt Jean. Following his speech, Brandt Jean asked Judge Tammy Kemp if he could give Guyger a hug. They hold each other while audibly crying for about a full minute, hug each other multiple times and share a few words together.   Shortly after they embraced, Judge Tammy Kemp came off the bench to speak to Botham Jean’s family, sharing hugs and quiet words on the side of the courtroom. Kemp then approached Guyger and gave her the gift of a Bible. The judge and Guyger also shared a hug following that moment.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – Carol Maloney – host of Carol Maloney Show at 10am-noon on ESPN 630 – previewed the Nationals game tonight.

Washington Nationals will invade Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, California to grapple with the Los Angeles Dodgers in game one of this National League Divisional Series game. The Dodgers won four of the seven games between these teams in the regular season.

Carol Maloney @carolmaloney4: Ahead of Gm1, #Dodgers President Stan Kasten professes his love for DC and his former team, the #Nats, “I couldn’t be more proud of Mike Rizzo.” Despite experience in baseball & with both clubs, Kasten balks at predictions in postseason.

8am – B         Hillary Clinton compares her decision to not divorce Bill to parenting a transgender child.

8am – C         COCAINE LIFE RAFT: Shipwrecked Colombians clung to cocaine bales (France 24) – Three suspected drug smugglers survived in shark-infested Pacific waters by clinging for hours to floating bales of cocaine, Colombia’s navy said Tuesday. The three Colombians are suspected of smuggling 1.2 tons of cocaine from Tumaco in Colombia when their boat was hit by a wave Saturday and capsized, Captain Jorge Maldonado of Colombia’s Task Force Against Drug Trafficking told AFP. By the time the men were picked up around 30 nautical miles from Tumaco by a Colombian coastguard vessel, they had been in the water for about seven hours, Maldonado said.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – Susan Ferrechio – chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner — discussed the latest on the Schiff/Dem efforts on impeachment and the so-called “urgent” State IG briefing.

8am – E         Hershey’s teams up with Yuengling to make chocolate beer for the first time. Yuengling Releases Hershey’s Chocolate Porter for Fall. (Daily Meal)  — This collaboration is pretty sweet. On Oct. 1, Yuengling announced its first-ever collaboration beer. Pairing with Hershey’s, the 190-year-old brewery released the Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter. The beer, which has a 4.7% ABV and is brewed with actual Hershey’s chocolate, will be available on tap for a limited time in 14 states at select bars and restaurants, the full list of which can be found on the brewery’s website. The Yuengling Hershey’s Chocolate Porter will also be served at Hersheypark.  To commemorate its 190th birthday, Yuengling wanted to pay homage to one of its first brews, the porter, one of three beers the brewery originally sold at its opening. Hershey’s (founded in 1894) and Yuengling (founded in 1829) decided to combine their over 300 years of experience and mutual Pennsylvania roots to create a seasonal product that would stand out from the usual pumpkin beers you see during the fall. The family-owned brewery is currently run and operated by four Yuengling sisters, Jen, Wendy, Debbie and Sheryl. Jen, who is involved in most of the brewing for Yuengling, worked with a team of laboratories and tasters for approximately a year to perfect the brew, her sister Debbie said during the launch event in New York City.

INTERVIEW - SCOTT ALLEN - Sports reporter for The Washington Post – discussed the top local sports stories: Nats hosted the Milwaukee Brewers in an NL wild-card game, Mystics hosted the Connecticut Sun in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals and Stephen A. Smith’s rumor about Redskins coach Jay Gruden.

NATS WIN WILDCARD GAME:  The Nationals’ wild-card win was both thrilling and emotionally exhausting. Of course it was.

WASHINGTON MYSTICS LOST: The Mystics Lost Elena Delle Donne And, Obviously, They Lost Game 2: (Deadspin) - The Washington Mystics were likely feeling confident heading into Tuesday’s WNBA Finals Game 2, as they looked all-around fantastic in their Game 1 win against the Connecticut Sun. But just a few minutes into tonight’s match-up, the Mystics would experience a disturbing flashback to last year’s Finals, when they got swept by the Storm in major part because star player Elena Delle Donne wasn’t at 100 percent. The WNBA MVP Delle Donne led her team with 22 points and 10 boards on Sunday, but just three minutes into Game 2, she left with back spasms and didn’t return. The Sun took advantage of their opponent’s bad luck, and they took Game 2 99-87 to even the series.

REDSKINS - Stephen A. Smith believes Jay Gruden will be fired after the Redskins Week 5 game vs. Patriots. On Tuesday's edition of ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith shared that he's been told Gruden will likely be fired next week if the Redskins lose on Sunday to the New England Patriots.  "Jay Gruden has to go," Smith said. "I'm going to tell you what I'm hearing. Jay Gruden is going to get fired next week. Is it definitive? One can not say so. [The Redskins] do not have a history of letting a coach go in-season. I think the last time [they] did it was in 2000 with Norv Turner." Just last week, after an embarrassing Washington loss on Monday Night Football, the outspoken Smith called for Gruden to get fired. Now, he's reporting it may happen and believes the sixth-year head coach is giving up on his squad.

INTERVIEW - CAL THOMAS – Syndicated columnist

NATS incredible win and how WASHINGTON needs this

'Impeachment is too good!' Maxine Waters says Donald Trump deserves to be in SOLITARY confinement as she accuses him of 'dog whistling to his white supremacists to create fear'

WARREN VS ZUCKERBERG: Mark Zuckerberg said an Elizabeth Warren presidency would 'suck' for Facebook, leaked audio reveals

INTERVIEW - GROVER NORQUIST - president of Americans for Tax Reform

How Elizabeth Warren's gun tax will disarm the poor. The senator's gun tax is dangerous because it has flown under the radar of most Americans. (Washington Times) -- Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s call for gun confiscation sent chills through the nation. When asked about gun confiscation policy for so-called “assault-weapons” he replied: “Hell yes, we are going to take your AR-15.” But Democratic frontrunner Elizabeth Warren has devised a way to disarm the poor — a steep national gun tax of 30 percent and an ammunition tax of 50 percent. Her plan would triple the federal excise tax from its current 10 percent (for handguns) and 11 percent (for shotguns and rifles) and nearly quintuple the ammunition tax from its current 11 percent. The burden of the tax will fall on the people, not the manufacturer. Under the Warren gun tax plan, parents seeking a typical $400 shotgun to protect their family would have to come up with $520.

INTERVIEW - MARK KRIKORIAN - Center for Immigration Studies

Fairfax County suspends officer who cooperated with ICE. (By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times) - Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. said Tuesday he suspended an officer who cooperated with federal deportation officers by turning over an illegal immigrant he encountered during a traffic stop — a move the chief said violated department policy. Chief Roessler didn’t identify the officer but said he “deprived a person of their freedom” by cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The chief called that unacceptable. “Our county is one of the most diverse counties in the nation and no one should have the perception that FCPD is acting as a civil immigration agent for ICE,” he said in a statement. “This matter damages our reputation and the longstanding policy that I have stated many times that our officers shall not act as immigration agents.” The chief said the officer was working a traffic accident in the Huntington section of the Virginia county on Sept. 21 and came across someone without a driver’s license. When the officer ran the name, it returned a flag from ICE, which said the immigrant was a fugitive after failing to appear for a deportation hearing. The county’s system confirmed the warrant. The officer called, and an ICE employee responded. Chief Roessler said the county officer should not have detained the immigrant to turn over to ICE. He said that move broke department policy, which tells officers not to bother to confirm administrative warrants through the county’s system. The majority of administrative warrants are from ICE.

Mornings on the Mall Podcast - 2019-10-2

[00:00:00] 5:00 am - Mornings on the Mall

[01:00:16] 6:00 am - Mornings on the Mall

[02:00:27] 7:00 am - Mornings on the Mall

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Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, October 2, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Cal Thomas, Mark Krikorian, Grover Norquist and Scott Allen joined WMAL joined WMAL on Wednesday!

 

5am – A/B/C Here's what happened in another wild day of the Trump-Ukraine scandal:

NY TIMES: Administration and Congress Clash Over Deposition as Impeachment Fights Begin. In the first skirmish in what promises to be an epic impeachment struggle between the executive and legislative branches, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo lashed out at three congressional committees that are seeking to depose diplomats involved in American policy toward Ukraine. Mr. Pompeo called their demands for confidential interviews “an act of intimidation.” The House postponed the first of the depositions, which had been scheduled for Wednesday with the former United States ambassador to Ukraine, but not before the impeachment inquiry’s leaders upbraided Mr. Pompeo for questioning their work and for asserting that their bid to swiftly schedule depositions did not allow enough time for a proper response.

State Department inspector general requests urgent briefing on Ukraine with congressional staff. The State Department's inspector general has requested an urgent private briefing with staff members of three House committees after Secretary of State Mike Pompeo's objected to their request for depositions from five current and former officials. While Pompeo told the committee chairmen that answering questions about President Trump’s July phone call with Ukrainian President Zelensky is not feasible, two have agreed to appear: Former special envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker will meet on Thursday and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovith appears next week.

Former US envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker will testify in the House's impeachment inquiry on Thursday

Deposition for House impeachment investigation delayed. The House committees investigating Trump and Ukraine have delayed one of those depositions planned for this week, according to an aide, but former US Special Envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker will appear Thursday.

Giuliani hires a Watergate prosecutor as his attorney in impeachment inquiry. Florida attorney Jon Sale, who worked as an assistant prosecutor on the legal team investigating the Watergate scandal, is representing Giuliani in the matter of the congressional impeachment inquiry, both of them confirmed to CNN on Tuesday.

Ukraine's President says he never met with Giuliani. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he has never met with Giuliani, as Zelensky finds himself in the middle of an American political firestorm. Pompeo accuses House Democrats of intimidation and bullying over Ukraine Pompeo on Tuesday accused lawmakers of "intimidating and bullying" State Department officials by calling them for depositions related to the Ukraine inquiry. Mike Pompeo says House committee should stop trying to 'bully' his staffers into giving depositions and refrain from sending them 'intimidating communications' in new resistance to impeachment probe

Pompeo shuts down Dems' subpoena, says his officials won't appear for impeachment depositions

GRASSLEY CAVES: Senate Republican Chuck Grassley (IA) says the whistleblower who was concerned about possible illegal actions during President Trump’s July phone call with the president of Ukraine deserves to be heard and protected. The Senate Finance Committee chairman’s statement was made after recent tweets by the president wanting to meet the whistleblower while suggesting that person is “close to a spy.” Senior GOP senator rebukes Trump, says whistleblower 'ought to be heard out'

MAXINE WATERS WANTS TRUMP IN SOLITARY CONFINEMENT: 'Impeachment is too good!' Maxine Waters says Donald Trump deserves to be in SOLITARY confinement as she accuses him of 'dog whistling to his white supremacists to create fear'

SCHIFF - PELOSI PRESSER: Schiff will appear at Pelosi’s weekly presser: Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) will join House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) for her weekly news conference on Wednesday

5am – D         Trump inquired about shooting migrants at the border, using trench filled with deadly reptiles: new book (Fox News) - A new report from the New York Times on Tuesday shows the extraordinary measures President Trump inquired about as part of his push to secure the U.S.-Mexico border. In an excerpt from their upcoming book, "Border Wars: Inside Trump’s Assault on Immigration," Times reporters Michael Shear and Julie Hirschfeld Davis allege that Trump has repeatedly floated the idea of installing a "water-filled trench" and stocking it with deadly reptiles. He also suggested shooting migrants in the legs to "slow them down." A source who was in the room at the time confirmed the conversation about shooting migrants in the legs to Fox News late Tuesday.

5am – E         BARR & DURHAM WENT TO ROME TO LISTEN TO TAPES OF MIFSUD: The Daily Beast has learned that Barr and Durham were especially interested in what the Italian secret service knew about Joseph Mifsud, the erstwhile professor from Malta who had allegedly promised then candidate Donald Trump’s campaign aide George Papadopoulos he could deliver Russian “dirt” on Hillary Clinton. The Italian Justice Ministry public records show that Mifsud had applied for police protection in Italy after disappearing from Link University where he worked and, in doing so, had given a taped deposition to explain just why people might want to harm him.

6am – A/B/C Fairfax County Police Officer Suspended; Alerted Feds To Immigrant’s Traffic Stop. (WMAL/AP) - FAIRFAX, Va. – A northern Virginia police officer has been suspended with pay after authorities say he violated policy by alerting federal immigration authorities he was detaining a driver who missed his deportation hearing. Since 2007, Fairfax County Police policy bars officers from alerting the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement when they encounter someone wanted on administrative immigration violation, provided that the individual is not otherwise being taken into custody. Chief Edwin Roessler issued a statement Tuesday saying one of his officers temporarily detained an individual involved in a Sept. 21 traffic accident and who had no driver’s license after learning he was wanted by ICE. Roessler says ICE released the driver after fitting him with an ankle monitor, and the officer has been relieved of law enforcement duties while an investigation is conducted.

6am – D         INTERVIEW - CAL THOMAS – Syndicated columnist

NATS incredible win and how WASHINGTON needs this

'Impeachment is too good!' Maxine Waters says Donald Trump deserves to be in SOLITARY confinement as she accuses him of 'dog whistling to his white supremacists to create fear'

WARREN VS ZUCKERBERG: Mark Zuckerberg said an Elizabeth Warren presidency would 'suck' for Facebook, leaked audio reveals

6am – E         Federal judge rules for Harvard in affirmative action case. A federal judge on Tuesday ruled against families suing Harvard for allegedly discriminating against Asian-American applicants in a blow to activists who hoped to chip away at affirmative action programs. U.S. District Court Judge Allison D. Burroughs said Harvard had a compelling interest to consider race in admissions because of the benefits of a diverse student body, citing Supreme Court precedent from the 1978 affirmative action case Regents of the University of California v. Bakke. Burroughs said Harvard's program was "not perfect" but ruled that it tread lightly enough in considering race that it could be considered constitutional. The organization representing the plaintiffs, Students for Fair Admissions, said it will appeal the decision.

6am – F         TRUMP RESTAURANT GETS MICHELIN STARS:

D.C. is seeing stars today. Michelin stars that is. Michelin awarded 18 D.C. restaurants stars, including newcomers Gravitas, Little Pearl, Maydan and Sushi Nakazawa. 4 new DC restaurants are awarded stars in Michelin Guide. Gravitas, Little Pearl, Maydan and Sushi Nakazawa join 14 other D.C. restaurants on the 2020 list.  (WUSA9) - D.C. is seeing stars today. Michelin stars that is. The 2020 Michelin Guide awarded a total of 18 D.C. restaurants stars, including four newcomers to the list: Gravitas, Little Pearl, Maydan and Sushi Nakazawa.  "This is a huge honor," Chef Masaaki Uchino said. "We have always wanted people who visit and live in D.C. to become more familiar with sushi in general, and my hope is that this Michelin star gets more attention for sushi. Michelin has tremendous influence and this is a huge step for the sushi community."  For the first time since Michelin debuted the D.C. guide, restaurants lost stars. Notably missing from the list this year was Blue Duck Tavern, which had maintained a one-star rating since the inaugural D.C.list in 2016. Siren, which was awarded its first star last year, was removed from the list this year after closing in January. The biggest surprise of the list was the continued omission of Bad Saint. After being removed from the 2020 Bib Gourmand list, rumors circulated that the popular Filipino restaurant, named the second best new restaurant in the country in 2016 by Bon Appetit, would finally be given a star. Chef Aaron Silverman became the most prolific chef/owner on the list with all three of his restaurant concepts (Pineapple and Pearls, Rose's Luxury and Little Pearl) receiving stars. Previously, Chef Eric Ziebold held the title with both Kinship and Métier in the one-star club.

The Trump Hotel in Washington Gets Its First Michelin Star. The guide recognizes one of the most divisive restaurants in the U.S. (Bloomberg) - The Michelin Guide is not running a popularity contest in Washington. The international restaurant rainmaker just-released its star rankings for the U.S. capital, and it included several major surprises. The insanely popular Filipino spot Bad Saint—one of the country’s best new restaurants in 2016, according to Bon Appétit, with a wait to get in that has inspired a TaskRabbit industry of line-standers—fell off the list completely. In the 2019 guide, it earned a Bib Gourmand (good value for quality) designation. Sushi Nakazawa, a restaurant that did make the list, is one of the most divisive in the country. It’s not the quality of the fish that causes controversy; it’s located in the Trump International Hotel. “There was no pause about the hotel that it’s located in. It’s all about the food on the plate for the star,” says the chief inspector of the U.S. Michelin team, speaking on condition of anonymity.  The restaurant also holds a Michelin star for its New York flagship. The inspector adds that for $150, the value for the fish on the plate was good, relatively speaking.

7am – A         INTERVIEW - MARK KRIKORIAN - Center for Immigration Studies

Fairfax County suspends officer who cooperated with ICE. (By Stephen Dinan - The Washington Times) - Fairfax County Police Chief Edwin C. Roessler Jr. said Tuesday he suspended an officer who cooperated with federal deportation officers by turning over an illegal immigrant he encountered during a traffic stop — a move the chief said violated department policy. Chief Roessler didn’t identify the officer but said he “deprived a person of their freedom” by cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The chief called that unacceptable. “Our county is one of the most diverse counties in the nation and no one should have the perception that FCPD is acting as a civil immigration agent for ICE,” he said in a statement. “This matter damages our reputation and the longstanding policy that I have stated many times that our officers shall not act as immigration agents.” The chief said the officer was working a traffic accident in the Huntington section of the Virginia county on Sept. 21 and came across someone without a driver’s license. When the officer ran the name, it returned a flag from ICE, which said the immigrant was a fugitive after failing to appear for a deportation hearing. The county’s system confirmed the warrant. The officer called, and an ICE employee responded. Chief Roessler said the county officer should not have detained the immigrant to turn over to ICE. He said that move broke department policy, which tells officers not to bother to confirm administrative warrants through the county’s system. The majority of administrative warrants are from ICE.

7am – B/C Hillary Clinton says the 'gutsiest' decision she's ever made was to stay in her marriage to Bill Clinton after his cheating scandal.

Juanita Broaddrick @atensnut No... it’s NOT gutsy to stay married to a rapist.  ITS CALLED GUTLESS.

7am – D         2020 NEWS:

Kamala Harris Campaign Raises $11.6 Million in Third Quarter

Harris Calls Herself a ‘Top-Tier’ Candidate Despite Polling at 4 Percent.

Bernie Sanders raises more than $25 million in the third quarter, his campaign says

South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg's campaign announced he raised more than $19 million in the third quarter.

TRUMP FUNDRAISING: Trump's 2020 campaign manager Brad Parscale @parscale: ABSOLUTELY HUGE. More: $125M raised combined… $156M cash on hand… $308M raised YTD… Twice as much cash on hand as Obama had at same point in 2011.

Trump campaign, RNC raise record $125 million in 3rd quarter: …Booker: $6M… Harris: $11M… Buttigieg: $19M … Bernie: $25M… Trump/RNC: $125M

WARREN VS ZUCKERBERG: Mark Zuckerberg said an Elizabeth Warren presidency would 'suck' for Facebook, leaked audio reveals.

LEAKED ZUCKERBERG AUDIO: "You have someone like Elizabeth Warren who thinks that the right answer is to break up the companies ... if she gets elected president, then I would bet that we will have a legal challenge, and I would bet that we will win the legal challenge. And does that still suck for us? Yeah. I mean, I don’t want to have a major lawsuit against our own government. ... But look, at the end of the day, if someone’s going to try to threaten something that existential, you go to the mat and you fight."

Warren slams Facebook after Zuckerberg says in leaked audio that it would face challenge if she wins in 2020:  Elizabeth Warren @ewarren: What would really “suck” is if we don’t fix a corrupt system that lets giant companies like Facebook engage in illegal anticompetitive practices, stomp on consumer privacy rights, and repeatedly fumble their responsibility to protect our democracy. 9:20 AM - Oct 1, 2019

7am – E         Church Of Sweden Claims Jesus Christ Appointed Greta Thunberg As His ‘Successor’ (Daily Caller) -- The Church of Sweden claimed that Jesus Christ has appointed teen climate activist Greta Thunberg as “one of his successors” in a December 2018 tweet that has resurfaced on social media. “Announcement! Jesus of Nazareth has now appointed one of his successors, Greta Thunberg,” tweeted Sweden’s largest Christian church denomination on Dec. 1, 2018. The account, operated by the Limhamns Church, is filled with many such proclamations about climate change activism. The tweet has been rediscovered as Thunberg has left her native Sweden on a climate change odyssey that included stops at the United Nations and a climate strike march in Montreal, where she marched with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The teenager’s activism has not endeared her to everyone, as her critics argue that she is being used by the rich and powerful to advance a leftist agenda. “My message is that we’ll be watching you,” Thunberg warned the room full of world leaders. “You all come to us young people for hope, how dare you? You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words and yet I’m one of the lucky ones … We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you?” The Church of Sweden follows a liberal, social activist tradition and is particularly fond of the climate change movement, noting on their website,”When the Amazon burns, we gather to fight for Mother Earth together.”

8am – A         INTERVIEW - GROVER NORQUIST - president of Americans for Tax Reform

How Elizabeth Warren's gun tax will disarm the poor. The senator's gun tax is dangerous because it has flown under the radar of most Americans. (Washington Times) -- Democrat Beto O’Rourke’s call for gun confiscation sent chills through the nation. When asked about gun confiscation policy for so-called “assault-weapons” he replied: “Hell yes, we are going to take your AR-15.” But Democratic frontrunner Elizabeth Warren has devised a way to disarm the poor — a steep national gun tax of 30 percent and an ammunition tax of 50 percent. Her plan would triple the federal excise tax from its current 10 percent (for handguns) and 11 percent (for shotguns and rifles) and nearly quintuple the ammunition tax from its current 11 percent. The burden of the tax will fall on the people, not the manufacturer. Under the Warren gun tax plan, parents seeking a typical $400 shotgun to protect their family would have to come up with $520.

8am – B/C  SMOLLETT OFFENDED THAT HE'S BEING COMPARED TO HATE HOAXER VA SCHOOL GIRL: Jussie Smollett hits back at comparison to African-American schoolgirl who 'made-up' getting her dreadlocks chopped: 'I haven't lied about a thing': Jussie Smollett furiously hits back at self help guru who compared him to the African-American schoolgirl who 'made-up' getting her dreadlocks chopped off by three white classmates. (Daily Mail) - Actor Jussie Smollett has hit back at a social media post comparing him to a schoolgirl who made up a story about how she was pinned down and had her dreadlocks cut off by white classmates. Self-help internet star, Derrick Jackson, posted a comment on Instagram comparing the former Empire actor to Amari Allen, who alleged three white boys hacked off her hair and later retracted the claims. Smollett then fired back in a lengthy post, claiming he 'hadn't lied about a thing', when he alleged two men attacked him in a racial and homophobic assault.   The actor was axed from Empire after police determined that he staged a racist hate attack in Chicago - claiming that two men in Trump hats attacked him and put a noose around his neck -  and charged him with filing a false police report. Those charges were then later dropped by Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx.  And Smollet is still insistent that the attack took place, hitting back at Jackson yesterday for saying 'Jussie really is a trendsetter' in response to a story about 12-year-old Amari Allen's admission that three white classmates did not attack her.    Smollett then replied around an hour later: 'With all due respect brother, y'all can clown me all you want but my story has actually never changed and I haven't lied about a thing.  'Y'all can continue to be misinformed, internalized sheep, who believe what actual proven liars feed you or you can read the actual docs. Either way, Imma be alright. I know me and what happened. You don't. So carry on. All love.'

8am – D         INTERVIEW - SCOTT ALLEN - Sports reporter for The Washington Post – discussed the top local sports stories: Nats hosted the Milwaukee Brewers in an NL wild-card game, Mystics hosted the Connecticut Sun in Game 2 of the WNBA Finals and Stephen A. Smith’s rumor about Redskins coach Jay Gruden.

NATS WIN WILDCARD GAME:  The Nationals’ wild-card win was both thrilling and emotionally exhausting. Of course it was.

WASHINGTON MYSTICS LOST: The Mystics Lost Elena Delle Donne And, Obviously, They Lost Game 2: (Deadspin) - The Washington Mystics were likely feeling confident heading into Tuesday’s WNBA Finals Game 2, as they looked all-around fantastic in their Game 1 win against the Connecticut Sun. But just a few minutes into tonight’s match-up, the Mystics would experience a disturbing flashback to last year’s Finals, when they got swept by the Storm in major part because star player Elena Delle Donne wasn’t at 100 percent. The WNBA MVP Delle Donne led her team with 22 points and 10 boards on Sunday, but just three minutes into Game 2, she left with back spasms and didn’t return. The Sun took advantage of their opponent’s bad luck, and they took Game 2 99-87 to even the series.

REDSKINS - Stephen A. Smith believes Jay Gruden will be fired after the Redskins Week 5 game vs. Patriots. On Tuesday's edition of ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith shared that he's been told Gruden will likely be fired next week if the Redskins lose on Sunday to the New England Patriots.  "Jay Gruden has to go," Smith said. "I'm going to tell you what I'm hearing. Jay Gruden is going to get fired next week. Is it definitive? One can not say so. [The Redskins] do not have a history of letting a coach go in-season. I think the last time [they] did it was in 2000 with Norv Turner." Just last week, after an embarrassing Washington loss on Monday Night Football, the outspoken Smith called for Gruden to get fired. Now, he's reporting it may happen and believes the sixth-year head coach is giving up on his squad.

8am – E         NYT Magazine Piece: This Is the Moment Rachel Maddow Has Been Waiting For: Recently, I went to dinner at the home of Rebecca Kee, a preschool principal in San Francisco who turned to Maddow in her depression and confusion over the 2016 election. I brought a bottle of rosé, and she poured it into glasses decorated with charms that featured Russia-investigation figures on one side and characters from “Star Trek: The Next Generation” on the other. I sipped from the Hope Hicks/Beverly Crusher glass, and we watched Maddow’s show over veggie enchiladas. “I think of her as a news doula: You know the news is going to be painful no matter what, so we might as well have someone who helps us survive it,” Kee told me. Last year, Kee had a Maddow-themed birthday party, at which her friends and her two young sons put on big black glasses and slicked their hair to the side. Also in attendance was a life-size cardboard cutout of Maddow, which is now in storage so as not to startle guests.

INTERVIEW – JOHN SOLOMON – investigative journalist and executive vice president at The Hill – discussed being listed in the whistle-blower complaint and his thoughts on the Ukraine probe.

INTERVIEW – PROFESSOR WILFRED REILLY – author of book  “Hate Crime Hoax: How the Left is Selling a Fake Race War” – discussed the story of the black Virginia 6th grader who claimed white classmates cut off dreadlocks and now the family says she made the story up.

Amari Allen, an African-American 12-year-old who attends Immanuel Christian School in Springfield — a private school where second lady Karen Pence teaches art — reported the alleged incident last week. She told several media outlets that three boys at school pinned her down and cut off her hair, and local police opened an investigation. “They said my hair was nappy and I was ugly,” she told WRC-TV. “They put their hands over my mouth. They put my hands behind my back. And they started cutting my hair and saying it was ugly.” The girl’s grandmother said she was doing Amari’s hair one day when she realized portions of her dreadlocks were missing, which is when the girl told the story.

INTERVIEW – TOM FITTON – President of Judicial Watch – shared his thoughts on the Ukraine probe, Biden ties and impeachment efforts.

Judicial Watch Sues for Documents on Biden Forcing Firing of Ukraine Prosecutor. WASHINGTON—Judicial Watch announced Sept. 26 that it has filed suit in federal court seeking to force the State Department to release all official U.S. government documents related to the firing of a Ukrainian prosecutor, as demanded by former Vice President Joe Biden. The nonprofit government watchdog’s suit was in response to the government’s failure to respond to a May 7 Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request for: Any and all records regarding, concerning, or related to Viktor Shokin’s investigation of Mykola Zolchevsky, and Shokin’s resignation at Ukraine’s Prosecutor General.