The Vince Coglianese Show

5am – A/B/C CHILDLESS ADULTS GET BACKLASH FOR GOING TO DISNEY:

Childless millennials are passionately defending their Disney fandom (Washington Post) – Millennials are blamed for ruining everything from trust funds to cereal to mayonnaise, but now they’re also getting grief for something they love: Disney theme parks. On Friday, New Yost Post writer Johnny Oleksinski lit a match and tossed it into a pile of dynamite with this headline: “Sorry, childless millennials going to Disney World is weird.” Oleksinski claims “letting a kids brand control your adult life” leads to “stupidity and cultural ignorance,” not to mention immaturity. “Many millennials,” he argues, “are fine with sticking to ‘A Whole New World’ rather than exploring a whole new world. “He was riffing off an alleged Facebook rant that had emerged on Reddit months earlier that was purportedly written by a mother whose Walt Disney World vacation was ruined by childless couples. The complaint involved a pretzel, long lines, an unhappy 3-year-old and exhaustion, but the bottom line was that millennials were to blame.

Is it weird for adults to visit Disney parks without kids? Twitter fiercely debates. (USA Today) — Going to a Disney theme park without any kids: Weird or just fun?  A debate about who should be visiting a park based on children’s movies sparked after Twitter user @JenKatWrites shared a screenshot of an expletive-ridden Facebook post from a mom who called on the park to ban guests without children. The mom complained that adults in attendance made lines unnecessarily long and frustrating for her own child.  “DW is a FAMILY amusement park!!!! yet these IMMATURER millennials THROW AWAY THEIR MONEY ON USELESS CRAP!!!!!” she wrote. “They have NO idea the JOY and HAPPINESS it is to MOTHER WHO BUYS THEIR BABIES TREATS AND TOYS!!!! THEY WILL NEVER EXPERIENCE THE EXHAUSTION THAT IT IS TO CHASE A 3 YEAR OLD AROUND AND GETTING STARES AT ASSUMING IM A BAD MOTHER!!!!” Social media users have since weighed in on the post, overwhelmingly in favor of visiting the theme parks no matter one’s age. USA TODAY has reached out to Disney for comment. Walt Disney was a man who believed that imagination and creativity had no age limit, as many others pointed out. Even his original Disneyland manifesto specifically celebrated guests of all ages.  “To all who come to this happy place: welcome. Disneyland is your land,” Walt Disney said at the opening of the park in 1955. “Here age relives fond memories of the past – and here youth may savor the challenge and promise of the future. Disneyland is dedicated to the ideals, the dreams and the hard facts that have created America – with the hope that it will be a source of joy and inspiration to all the world.”

5am – D         CONTINUED IMPEACHMENT PUSH BY DEMS

House Judiciary chair Nadler:  Trump “richly deserves impeachment. Trump ‘Violated The Law Six Ways From Sunday’

ABC Poll: Mueller-Mas A Total Wash For Impeachment

President Trump reacts to new impeachment threats from Democrats: “These people are clowns. The Democrats are clowns”

5am – E         KELSEY SHARES HER FAMILY’S BATTLE WITH AMERICAN AIRLINES:

Kelsey Bolar (Harkness) @kelseybolar: 11h11 hours ago Insane. @americanair cancelled my husband’s reservation tomorrow from DSM—>DCA that he bought back in JUNE. They are now telling him he needs to buy a new, one-way $500 ticket for the *SAME* seat. We are 6+ months pregnant and have way more important things to spend our $ on!

Kelsey Bolar (Harkness) @kelseybolar 11h11 hours ago #AATeam please rectify this or you will be losing two (soon to be three!) very loyal customers.

Kelsey Bolar (Harkness) @kelseybolar 10h10 hours ago: Also, I am guest hosting @wmalnews tomorrow morning 5-9AM ET and would love to have someone from @AmericanAir come on-air and justify this policy for me. It makes no sense to make someone re-purchase a ticket they already paid for.

Kelsey Bolar (Harkness) @kelseybolar 9h9 hours ago: It’s not. The reason is bc my husband booked basic economy awhile back w/o reading the very fine print of the policy. Last-minute he couldn’t take his flight there and AA wouldn’t let him make changes to his itinerary. Respecting this policy he booked a one-way…

Kelsey Bolar (Harkness) @kelseybolar 9h9 hours ago: ..via a different airline, planning to take the flight back he had already paid for. But then AA cancelled his ticket bc he didn’t take his flight there. So now he paid for a round trip AA flight, a one-way via different airline, & $500 for the same AA seat he already paid for

Kelsey Bolar (Harkness) @kelseybolar 9h9 hours ago: AA says it’s bc he “didn’t want” to take his flight there, which is hilarious to suggest that we wanted to pay for all these extra flights. Emergencies happen and people have to change their flights. This policy is vague, bad for business, AND really heartless.

6am – A/B/C PRESIDENT TRUMP CALLS OUT THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF REP. CUMMINGS’ DISTRICT:

Pres. Trump lashed out at Rep. Elijah Cummings and described Baltimore — part of which the congressman represents – as “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” in which “no human being would want to live.”

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 27 Elijah Cummings spends all of his time trying to hurt innocent people through “Oversight.” He does NOTHING for his very poor, very dangerous and very badly run district! Take a look…. #BlacksForTrump2020

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 27 Why is so much money sent to the Elijah Cummings district when it is considered the worst run and most dangerous anywhere in the United States. No human being would want to live there. Where is all this money going? How much is stolen? Investigate this corrupt mess immediately!

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 27 .@RepCummings, why don’t you focus on your district!?

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 27 So sad that Elijah Cummings has been able to do so little for the people of Baltimore. Statistically, Baltimore ranks last in almost every major category. Cummings has done nothing but milk Baltimore dry, but the public is getting wise to the bad job that he is doing!

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump: Baltimore, under the leadership of Elijah Cummings, has the worst Crime Statistics in the Nation. 25 years of all talk, no action! So tired of listening to the same old Bull…Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain & protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!

SHARPTON HEADING TO BALTIMORE: President Trump attacked the Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday as “a con man” and someone who “Hates Whites & Cops,” just hours before Sharpton was scheduled to hold a news conference in Baltimore to decry Trump’s derogatory weekend tweets directed at the city and an African American congressman. Sharpton, a former Democratic presidential candidate and MSNBC talk-show host, is scheduled to appear in Baltimore alongside Michael Steele, who formerly chaired the Republican National Committee and served as Maryland’s lieutenant governor. The two plan to address “Trump’s remarks and bipartisan outrage in the black community,” according to an advisory

THE FOX SEGMENT THAT GOT TRUMP TWEETING ABOUT CUMMINGS: GOP strategist calls Elijah Cummings’ district ‘most dangerous’ in America (Fox News) — Republican strategist Kimberly Klacik says the conditions in Rep. Elijah Cummings own district are worse than those at the border. GOP strategist Kimberly Klacik on Saturday accused Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Md., of hypocrisy over his apparent concern for conditions at the U.S.-Mexico border over those of his own district. Appearing on “Fox & Friends” Saturday morning, Klacik discussed her recent visit to Cummings’ district, which she described as “the most dangerous district in America.” “So, I went into the district to basically ask people if they were scared of Trump,” Klacik said, referring to Cummings’ comments last week on a talk show that his constituents were fearful of the president. “And as I go in and I start talking to people, I realized just what the living conditions are, for not just for the residents but even the children there and what they’ve been playing around,” Klacik said. “There’s abandoned rowhomes filled with trash, homeless addicts, empty needles that they have used, and it’s really right next door. So, it’s attracting rodents, cockroaches, you name it.”

Baltimore-born CNN host delivers emotional defense of city after Trump attacks. Baltimore-born CNN host Victor Blackwell delivered an emotional defense of his hometown on Saturday after President Trump attacked House Oversight and Reform Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and his Baltimore district in an early morning tweetstorm. “The president says about Congressman Cummings’s district that no human would want to live there. You know who did, Mr. President? I did.”

#TrumpIsARat trends on Twitter after Baltimore Sun publishes scathing editorial. The hashtag #TrumpIsARat trended on Twitter on Sunday after a Baltimore Sun editorial blasted him for calling the city “rat and rodent infested.”

Sen. Elizabeth Warren defended Cummings: “Elijah Cummings is one of my dearest friends. He is a good man through and through, and he fights for what is just in this country. To be attacked by a President issuing racist tweets is beyond insulting, it is disgusting.”

“The Wire” creator blasts Trump as a “racist moron” after attacks on Cummings and Baltimore. David Simon, the creator of “The Wire,” an HBO series set in Baltimore, on Saturday denounced President Trump as an “empty-suit, race-hating fraud” following his attacks on Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) and the Baltimore district he represents.  “If this empty-suit, race-hating fraud had to actually visit West Baltimore for five minutes and meet any of the American citizens who endure there, he’d wet himself,” Simon said on Twitter moments after Trump targeted Cummings and his congressional district.  Simon added later that the “president is ‘literally’ a simplistic, racist moron.”  “I am ‘literally’ the guy writing stuff about the last century of U.S. policy, about the drug war and mass incarceration, about Brown v. and white flight, about all of modern U.S. history to which your kind stays mute,” he said in a tweet defending his criticism.

Chris Wallace presses Mulvaney over Trump attacks on minority lawmakers: “There is a clear pattern here, Mick”

FLASHBACK: Bernie Sanders blasted Baltimore as ‘Third World country’ and ‘disgrace’ in past comment

6am – D  TRUMP PICKS RATCLIFFE FOR DIRECTOR OF NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE:

Dan Coats, director of national intelligence, expected to step down soon. GOP Rep. Ratcliffe, who aggressively questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller last week, has been mentioned as a potential replacement – CNN reporting.

Ratcliffe has been a critic of the Mueller probe, Clinton probe and skeptic of FBI’s handling of Russia investigation – and has become a close Nunes ally as he got a seat on Intel this Congress along with Judiciary. He is trusted among conservatives in the House GOP Conference.

Coats to step down, Trump tweets, as President says Ratcliffe will be nominated as next director of national intelligence (CNN) — Dan Coats will step down as the director of national intelligence on August 15, President Donald Trump announced Sunday in a tweet, a departure that marks the most recent chapter in Trump’s tense and puzzling relationship with the US intelligence community. Texas Republican Rep. John Ratcliffe, who aggressively questioned former special counsel Robert Mueller last week during Congressional hearings involving his report on Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election, will be nominated by the President to replace Coats. “I would like to thank Dan for his great service to our Country,” Trump tweeted. “The Acting Director will be named shortly.” The former senator became director of national intelligence at a difficult time — for a President who repeatedly made clear his dislike and distrust of intelligence services — and spent his tenure in the administration at odds with Trump, helming a constellation of over a dozen agencies that the President has publicly mocked, ignored and dismissed. The unsettling dynamic has created one of the more unusual spectacles of Trump’s presidency and raised questions about his motivations, particularly as they relate to investigations into possible collusion between Moscow and members of his 2016 presidential campaign.

6am – E   $250 million lawsuit from Covington student against Washington Post dismissed by judge (The Hill) — A $250 million defamation lawsuit filed by Kentucky high school student Nicholas Sandmann against The Washington Post was dismissed by a federal judge on Friday afternoon. Judge William O. Bertelsman ruled that seven Washington Post articles and three tweets focusing on the Covington Catholic High School student, who became the center of a viral confrontation with a Native American elder in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, were protected by the First Amendment and deemed opinion. “Few principles of law are as well-established as the rule that statements of opinion are not actionable in libel actions,” wrote Bertelsman, a Carter appointee. “The statements that Sandmann challenges constitute protected opinions that may not form the basis for a defamation claim.” Sandmann’s suit characterized the Post’s coverage as libelous. The judge, however, cited case law that the statements made in the stories on Sandmann must be “more than annoying, offensive or embarrassing.” 

6am – F  Trump to speak at Jamestown event commemorating 400 years of US democracy (Wavy News 10) — President Donald Trump plans to visit Virginia next week to take part in the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the first representative legislative session. The event, organized by American Evolution, is scheduled to be held in Jamestown on July 30. Several Virginia Democrats said they were opposed to idea of the president showing up at the event as reports of Trump’s appearance began to circulate last week. Democratic leadership in Virginia’s General Assembly released a joint statement July 19 saying they would boycott the event if Trump were to attend. State Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. (R-James City) called the response from Democrats “disappointing and embarrassing” in a statement. Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) shared his thoughts in a release from American Evolution confirming Trump’s planned appearance.

7am – A/B/C  INTERVIEW – JOE DIGENOVA – legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia

CONTINUED IMPEACHMENT PUSH BY DEMS:

House Judiciary chair Nadler:  Trump “richly deserves impeachment. He ‘Violated The Law Six Ways From Sunday’

ABC Poll: Mueller-Mas A Total Wash For Impeachment

President Trump reacts to new impeachment threats from Democrats: “These people are clowns. The Democrats are clowns”

RATCLIFFE PICK FOR DNI: Texas GOP Rep. John Ratcliffe, who aggressively questioned Mueller last week, will be nominated by Trump as the next director of national intelligence

SANDMAN LAWSUIT:  $250 million lawsuit from Covington student against Washington Post dismissed by judge. A $250 million defamation lawsuit filed by Kentucky high school student Nicholas Sandmann against The Washington Post was dismissed by a federal judge on Friday afternoon.  Judge William O. Bertelsman ruled that seven Washington Post articles and three tweets focusing on the Covington Catholic High School student, who became the center of a viral confrontation with a Native American elder in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, were protected by the First Amendment and deemed opinion. “Few principles of law are as well-established as the rule that statements of opinion are not actionable in libel actions,” wrote Bertelsman, a Carter appointee. “The statements that Sandmann challenges constitute protected opinions that may not form the basis for a defamation claim.” Sandmann’s suit characterized the Post’s coverage as libelous. The judge, however, cited case law that the statements made in the stories on Sandmann must be “more than annoying, offensive or embarrassing.” Instead, the judge found, the statements must expose the party — in this case Sandmann — to public hatred, contempt and ridicule.

TRUMP SPARS WITH CUMMINGS OVER BALTIMORE: Pres. Trump lashed out at Rep. Elijah Cummings and described Baltimore — part of which the congressman represents – as a “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” in which “no human being would want to live.”

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 12m12 minutes ago: Baltimore, under the leadership of Elijah Cummings, has the worst Crime Statistics in the Nation. 25 years of all talk, no action! So tired of listening to the same old Bull…Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain & protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!

SCOTUS GIVES TRUMP A WIN ON BORDER WALL: SCOTUS allows Trump to use $2.5 billion in military funds to build 100 miles of border wall.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 26 Wow! Big VICTORY on the Wall. The United States Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, allows Southern Border Wall to proceed. Big WIN for Border Security and the Rule of Law!

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 27 Such a big victory of our Country! “Supreme Court approves Trump Administration plan to use Military Funds for the Wall.” @FoxNews  We will be fully reimbursed for this expenditure, over time, by other countries.

Nancy Pelosi @SpeakerPelosi This evening’s Supreme Court ruling allowing @realDonaldTrump  to steal military funds to spend on a wasteful, ineffective border wall rejected by Congress is deeply flawed. Our Founders designed a democracy governed by the people — not a monarchy.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – VIRGINIA DEL. TIM HUGO — representing the 40th district, which includes the municipalities of Catharpin, Clifton, and Fairfax Station and is the Majority Caucus Chairman for the Virginia House Republican Caucus. Hugo discussed the ridiculousness of Virginia Democrats boycotting the Jamestown anniversary event because President Trump will speaking at it.

Trump to speak at Jamestown event commemorating 400 years of US democracy. RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — President Donald Trump plans to visit Virginia next week to take part in the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the first representative legislative session. The event, organized by American Evolution, is scheduled to be held in Jamestown on July 30. Several Virginia Democrats said they were opposed to idea of the president showing up at the event as reports of Trump’s appearance began to circulate last week. Democratic leadership in Virginia’s General Assembly released a joint statement July 19 saying they would boycott the event if Trump were to attend. State Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. (R-James City) called the response from Democrats “disappointing and embarrassing” in a statement. Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) shared his thoughts in a release from American Evolution confirming Trump’s planned appearance.

Editorial boards slam Democrats for boycotting 2019 Commemoration events at Jamestown:

Virginia lawmakers spar on reported Trump visit to Jamestown. (The Free Lance-Star, July 20, 2019) — In February, Northam faced intense pressure to quit after a racist picture surfaced from his 1984 medical school yearbook page. He denied being in the picture but admitted to wearing blackface as a young man. American Evolution, the organization that is putting the Jamestown commemoration together, released a statement Saturday noting that Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were invited last year by Northam, a Democrat, House Speaker Kirk Cox, a Republican, and Norment. “Speaker Pelosi’s office declined the invitation within the last two weeks,” the organization’s statement said. “The White House has made no announcement regarding the President’s plans.”

Editorial: Democratic boycott of 1619 commemoration is petulant. (Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 22, 2019) — We think that is pretty phenomenal and deserves to be celebrated widely and well. Such were the intentions of the commemoration events planned for this July 30 to mark the assembly’s 400th anniversary. It was assumed that all invited Virginia lawmakers and national politicians would understand the significance of that first meeting far outweighed the petty emotions of today’s politics. After all, Virginians of differing political beliefs and principles have been legislating together for the past four centuries. Unfortunately, Democrats in today’s General Assembly don’t feel that way. In what can only be described as an act of petulance, House Democratic Leader Eileen Filler-Corn, House Democratic Chair Charniele Herring, Senate Democratic Leader Dick Saslaw and Senate Democratic Chair Mamie Locke issued a joint statement Friday declaring they will not attend any portion of the commemorative sessions on July 30 if President Trump — a Republican — is present. Friday night, the Democratic Party of Virginia also joined in, tweeting: “There’s no room for @realDonaldTrump and his racism at the 400th anniversary of Virginia’s General Assembly.” But Democrats were taken aback to learn the following morning that the president had been invited by none other than Gov. Ralph Northam, himself a Democrat. The 2019 Commemoration organization extended invitations to Trump and to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that were signed by Northam, Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox and Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment — both Republicans. “Your presence and remarks on this important anniversary would be most appropriate,” the nonpartisan request read. “By lending your voice and insights, you would continue a tradition that has brought numerous prior Presidents and world leaders, including Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, to Jamestown to reflect on the significance of the place and its major milestones.” In their tweet, the Democrats wrote: “We will not be attending any part of the commemorative session where Donald Trump is in attendance. The current President does not represent the values that we would celebrate at the 400th anniversary of the oldest democratic body in the western world.” Unfortunately, Virginia Democrats who are boycotting this monumental event aren’t representing those values either. In another century, Virginia will observe the 500th anniversary of the General Assembly. We hope when the events of the past half-millennial are remembered, this sad performance will have been long relegated to the dustbin of history.

7am – E         DAVID SPADE’S NEW LATE-NIGHT SHOW TO STAY AWAY FROM POLITICS: I DON’T WANT HALF THE CROWD TUNING ME OUT:

Something to Watch Tonight: “Lights Out with David Spade” at 11:30 p.m. EST on Comedy Central. Spade has said he will stay away from oversaturated, Trump-bashing political humor that dominates most late-night talk shows. Spade told Variety, “I don’t want half the crowd tuning me out.”

David Spade Fights for Viewers With ‘Trump Fatigue’ as Late-Night Hosts Battle President (Variety) — David Spade at the helm of a new late-night show? Viewers probably think they know what to expect. Yet Spade’s new program on Comedy Central will also be notable for what it doesn’t have to offer. Yes, this is the guy who served “Hollywood Minute” zingers on “Saturday Night Live,” made millions laugh with movies that also featured Chris Farley, and has become a regular TV element via roles on “Just Shoot Me” and “Rules of Engagement.” His new “Lights Out” will launch Monday July 29 at 11:30 p.m. Spade may seem a traditional choice. By relying on one of modern comedy’s best-known players, however, Comedy Central is breaking the rules, not hewing to them. For the first time since the debut of “The Colbert Report” in 2005, the Viacom-owned cable network will not launch an 11:30 program built around talent from its flagship “The Daily Show,” whose ranks have given viewers not only Stephen Colbert,  but Larry Wilmore and Jordan Klepper. And another change: the network isn’t pairing “Daily” with a follow-up program that also hinges largely on politics. “I don’t want half the crowd tuning me out,” says Spade of talking red-and-blue-state matters, in an interview. “I’m just not that smart and there are other guys doing it better.”  “Lights Out” will have a monologue, guests and field pieces, Spade says, but will likely focus more on talking to a panel about popular culture and digital happenings. He’s not even sure he will revive the celebrity put-downs that brought him a measure of fame on “SNL.”  He will likely discuss “more cultural events and some Hollywood stuff, weird stories in the news,” he says, Sure, “I still like to make fun of everyone and what they are doing, but it’s more good-natured. I realize how hard careers are and I realize you don’t need someone overnight s—ting on you out of the blue. But when people do things, I think it’s fair game to make a few jokes, and then you move on – not too personal, of course.” Jon Stewart gave Comedy Central late-night cachet for years by tilting at major news events and the way the media covered them. His successor, Trevor Noah, is tackling the political process and fallout form it with his own version of “The Daily Show.” But after years of taking some of those hosts’ most distinctive contributors to start new companion shows, Comedy Central is testing a new direction. “We started realizing that there was such a glut of politics and vitriol – ‘Trump fatigue’ in particular,” says Kent Alterman,  president of Comedy Central, Paramount Network, and TV Land, in an interview. “We kind of felt it intuitively, and we did research with our audience. People are just burning out on hard-core politics and Trump.” Don’t tell that to some of Spade’s new time-slot competitors. At CBS, Stephen Colbert’s “Late Show” has thrived in the Trump era, using an intense focus on scabrous jibes at the White House to become the most-watched late-night program in the U.S. ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel has at times gone political, particularly when issues affect him personally. NBC’s Jimmy Fallon has also been testing a somewhat tighter focus on the headlines, recently doing a live program after the first round of Democratic debates. A good chunk of late-night comedy has Trump in the cross-hairs, including Seth Meyers’ “Late Night” on NBC, Samantha Bee’s “Full Frontal” on TBS, Bill Maher’s “Real Time” on HBO and, on many occasions, that network’s “Last Week Tonight” with John Oliver.

INTERVIEW — AMBER ATHEY – WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT FOR THE DAILY CALLER

BATTLE IN BALTIMORE: Pres. Trump lashed out at Rep. Elijah Cummings and described Baltimore — part of which the congressman represents – as a “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” in which “no human being would want to live.”

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump: Baltimore, under the leadership of Elijah Cummings, has the worst Crime Statistics in the Nation. 25 years of all talk, no action! So tired of listening to the same old Bull…Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain & protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!

RATCLIFFE TO HEAD DNI: Texas GOP Rep. John Ratcliffe, who aggressively questioned Mueller last week, will be nominated by Trump as the next director of national intelligence

SCOTUS / BORDER WALL VICTORY FOR TRUMP: SCOTUS allows Trump to use $2.5 billion in military funds to build 100 miles of border wall.

INTERVIEW — DEREK HUNTER – author of the book “Outrage Inc”, former WBAL Baltimore radio host and current host of “The Daily Daily Caller podcast” – discussed President Trump taking on Congressman Cummings about the living conditions of Baltimore.

Derek previously lived in Congressman Cummings’ district for 13 years

TRUMP SPARS WITH CUMMINGS OVER THE LIVING CONDITIONS OF BALTIMORE:

Pres. Trump lashed out at Rep. Elijah Cummings and described Baltimore — part of which the congressman represents – as “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” in which “no human being would want to live.”

SHARPTON HEADING TO BALTIMORE: President Trump attacked the Rev. Al Sharpton on Monday as “a con man” and someone who “Hates Whites & Cops,” just hours before Sharpton was scheduled to hold a news conference in Baltimore to decry Trump’s derogatory weekend tweets directed at the city and an African American congressman. Sharpton, a former Democratic presidential candidate and MSNBC talk-show host, is scheduled to appear in Baltimore alongside Michael Steele, who formerly chaired the Republican National Committee and served as Maryland’s lieutenant governor. The two plan to address “Trump’s remarks and bipartisan outrage in the black community,” according to an advisory

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump: Baltimore, under the leadership of Elijah Cummings, has the worst Crime Statistics in the Nation. 25 years of all talk, no action! So tired of listening to the same old Bull…Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain & protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!

7am – D         INTERVIEW – VIRGINIA DEL. TIM HUGO — representing the 40th district, which includes the municipalities of Catharpin, Clifton, and Fairfax Station and is the Majority Caucus Chairman for the Virginia House Republican Caucus. Hugo discussed the ridiculousness of Virginia Democrats boycotting the Jamestown anniversary event because President Trump will speaking at it.

Trump to speak at Jamestown event commemorating 400 years of US democracy. RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — President Donald Trump plans to visit Virginia next week to take part in the commemoration of the 400th anniversary of the first representative legislative session. The event, organized by American Evolution, is scheduled to be held in Jamestown on July 30. Several Virginia Democrats said they were opposed to idea of the president showing up at the event as reports of Trump’s appearance began to circulate last week. Democratic leadership in Virginia’s General Assembly released a joint statement July 19 saying they would boycott the event if Trump were to attend. State Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. Norment Jr. (R-James City) called the response from Democrats “disappointing and embarrassing” in a statement. Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox (R-Colonial Heights) shared his thoughts in a release from American Evolution confirming Trump’s planned appearance.

Editorial boards slam Democrats for boycotting 2019 Commemoration events at Jamestown:

Virginia lawmakers spar on reported Trump visit to Jamestown. (The Free Lance-Star, July 20, 2019) — In February, Northam faced intense pressure to quit after a racist picture surfaced from his 1984 medical school yearbook page. He denied being in the picture but admitted to wearing blackface as a young man. American Evolution, the organization that is putting the Jamestown commemoration together, released a statement Saturday noting that Trump and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi were invited last year by Northam, a Democrat, House Speaker Kirk Cox, a Republican, and Norment. “Speaker Pelosi’s office declined the invitation within the last two weeks,” the organization’s statement said. “The White House has made no announcement regarding the President’s plans.”

Editorial: Democratic boycott of 1619 commemoration is petulant. (Richmond Times-Dispatch, July 22, 2019) — We think that is pretty phenomenal and deserves to be celebrated widely and well. Such were the intentions of the commemoration events planned for this July 30 to mark the assembly’s 400th anniversary. It was assumed that all invited Virginia lawmakers and national politicians would understand the significance of that first meeting far outweighed the petty emotions of today’s politics. After all, Virginians of differing political beliefs and principles have been legislating together for the past four centuries. Unfortunately, Democrats in today’s General Assembly don’t feel that way. In what can only be described as an act of petulance, House Democratic Leader Eileen Filler-Corn, House Democratic Chair Charniele Herring, Senate Democratic Leader Dick Saslaw and Senate Democratic Chair Mamie Locke issued a joint statement Friday declaring they will not attend any portion of the commemorative sessions on July 30 if President Trump — a Republican — is present. Friday night, the Democratic Party of Virginia also joined in, tweeting: “There’s no room for @realDonaldTrump and his racism at the 400th anniversary of Virginia’s General Assembly.” But Democrats were taken aback to learn the following morning that the president had been invited by none other than Gov. Ralph Northam, himself a Democrat. The 2019 Commemoration organization extended invitations to Trump and to Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that were signed by Northam, Virginia House Speaker Kirk Cox and Senate Majority Leader Tommy Norment — both Republicans. “Your presence and remarks on this important anniversary would be most appropriate,” the nonpartisan request read. “By lending your voice and insights, you would continue a tradition that has brought numerous prior Presidents and world leaders, including Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II, to Jamestown to reflect on the significance of the place and its major milestones.” In their tweet, the Democrats wrote: “We will not be attending any part of the commemorative session where Donald Trump is in attendance. The current President does not represent the values that we would celebrate at the 400th anniversary of the oldest democratic body in the western world.” Unfortunately, Virginia Democrats who are boycotting this monumental event aren’t representing those values either. In another century, Virginia will observe the 500th anniversary of the General Assembly. We hope when the events of the past half-millennial are remembered, this sad performance will have been long relegated to the dustbin of history.

INTERVIEW – JOE DIGENOVA – legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia

CONTINUED IMPEACHMENT PUSH BY DEMS:

House Judiciary chair Nadler:  Trump “richly deserves impeachment. He ‘Violated The Law Six Ways From Sunday’

ABC Poll: Mueller-Mas A Total Wash For Impeachment

President Trump reacts to new impeachment threats from Democrats: “These people are clowns. The Democrats are clowns”

RATCLIFFE PICK FOR DNI: Texas GOP Rep. John Ratcliffe, who aggressively questioned Mueller last week, will be nominated by Trump as the next director of national intelligence

SANDMAN LAWSUIT:  $250 million lawsuit from Covington student against Washington Post dismissed by judge. A $250 million defamation lawsuit filed by Kentucky high school student Nicholas Sandmann against The Washington Post was dismissed by a federal judge on Friday afternoon.  Judge William O. Bertelsman ruled that seven Washington Post articles and three tweets focusing on the Covington Catholic High School student, who became the center of a viral confrontation with a Native American elder in Washington, D.C., earlier this year, were protected by the First Amendment and deemed opinion. “Few principles of law are as well-established as the rule that statements of opinion are not actionable in libel actions,” wrote Bertelsman, a Carter appointee. “The statements that Sandmann challenges constitute protected opinions that may not form the basis for a defamation claim.” Sandmann’s suit characterized the Post’s coverage as libelous. The judge, however, cited case law that the statements made in the stories on Sandmann must be “more than annoying, offensive or embarrassing.” Instead, the judge found, the statements must expose the party — in this case Sandmann — to public hatred, contempt and ridicule.

TRUMP SPARS WITH CUMMINGS OVER BALTIMORE: Pres. Trump lashed out at Rep. Elijah Cummings and described Baltimore — part of which the congressman represents – as a “a disgusting, rat and rodent infested mess” in which “no human being would want to live.”

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump 12m12 minutes ago: Baltimore, under the leadership of Elijah Cummings, has the worst Crime Statistics in the Nation. 25 years of all talk, no action! So tired of listening to the same old Bull…Next, Reverend Al will show up to complain & protest. Nothing will get done for the people in need. Sad!

SCOTUS GIVES TRUMP A WIN ON BORDER WALL: SCOTUS allows Trump to use $2.5 billion in military funds to build 100 miles of border wall.

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 26 Wow! Big VICTORY on the Wall. The United States Supreme Court overturns lower court injunction, allows Southern Border Wall to proceed. Big WIN for Border Security and the Rule of Law!

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 27 Such a big victory of our Country! “Supreme Court approves Trump Administration plan to use Military Funds for the Wall.” @FoxNews  We will be fully reimbursed for this expenditure, over time, by other countries.

Nancy Pelosi @SpeakerPelosi This evening’s Supreme Court ruling allowing @realDonaldTrump  to steal military funds to spend on a wasteful, ineffective border wall rejected by Congress is deeply flawed. Our Founders designed a democracy governed by the people — not a monarchy.

BEST OF: Rudy Giuliani, Sean Davis, Joe diGenova and Bret Baier

INTERVIEW – BRET BAIER – Anchor of Special Report on Fox News Channel at 6 PM – discussed his analysis of the Mueller hearings, Fox’s stellar ratings and previewed the DNC debates next week.

INTERVIEW – SUSAN FERRECHIO – chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner – discussed what’s next with the Dem impeachment push and the spending deal.

SUSAN FERRECHIO: Change of subject: After Mueller flop, Democrats try to shift from pursuit of Trump. Democrats are done talking about impeachment and investigating President Trump. At least for now. A day after former special counsel Robert Mueller’s much-anticipated testimony about presidential collusion and obstruction fizzled, House Democrats Thursday marched down the East Front of the U.S. Capitol led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi and waving small American flags, determined to change the subject. Lawmakers delivered a 20-minute press conference to awaiting media in which they brushed off the significance of the monthslong probes into Trump and his administration and all that talk about impeachment. Pelosi said lawmakers will use the summer recess to promote the dozens of House-passed bills, including an election reform measure, legislation aimed at equalizing pay for men and women and a pension protection bill that passed this week. None of the bills has a chance of winning approval in the GOP-led Senate, but Pelosi said public pressure stirred up by Democrats during the recess could change that.

The House of Representatives has passed a two-year budget deal that would raise spending by hundreds of billions of dollars over existing caps and allow the government to keep borrowing to cover its debts. Only 65 Republicans joined the Democratic majority in the 284-149 vote, with 132 members of the GOP voting against the bill despite President Trump’s endorsement. The Senate is expected to approve the measure next week.