The Vince Coglianese Show

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

TRUMP WINS ON EMOLUMENTS SUIT: Donald Trump took a rare judicial victory lap on Wednesday after a three-judge panel tossed out a Democrat-led lawsuit accusing him of corruption by accepting foreign government business at his Washington, D.C. hotel.

Appeals court sides with President Trump, dismisses 'emoluments' lawsuit involving his D.C. hotel. US appeals court orders *dismissal* of emoluments case brought against Trump by Maryland, DC attorneys general.

Acosta Defends Role In Jeffrey Epstein Deal, Says Original Charges Offered No Jail Time. Embattled Labor Secretary Alex Acosta is defending his handling of a 2008 plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein, saying his office fought for a tougher punishment after prosecutors were ready to let the financer “walk free.” The pushback comes while a growing number of Democrats call for Acosta’s resignation. A secret 2008 plea deal let Epstein avoid federal prosecution after allegations he molested teenage girls.

Alex Acosta: “Simply put, the Palm Beach state attorney’s office was ready to let Epstein walk free, no jail time. Prosecutors in my former office found this to be completely unacceptable... there was value to getting a guilty plea and having him register”

7am – D         INTERVIEW - JAMES O'KEEFE - Project Veritas – discussed visiting the White House's Social Media Summit and Project Veritas also broke a story about a letter leaked from Google that targeted Breitbart News.

Trump to speak to conservatives at social media summit. WASHINGTON/SAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - President Donald Trump plans to meet with prominent conservative social media figures on Thursday at a White House forum where he is set to reiterate frustrations with big tech firms for allegedly suppressing conservative voices.  Pro-Trump online personalities will get together at what the White House billed as a gathering of “digital leaders” where invitees expect to discuss what they say is censorship on social media platforms.

White House Invites James O’Keefe to Social Media Summit on Heels of Veritas’ Google Exposé. (Washington, D.C.) – Project Veritas founder and CEO, James O’Keefe, has been invited to the White House’s Social Media Summit after Veritas published an investigative report showing political bias at Google.  The Social Media Summit will take place in Washington, D.C. on July 11, 2019. “If legendary muckrakers like Lincoln Steffens and Ida Tarbell can work alongside Teddy Roosevelt to expose and reform Big Oil,” said James O’Keefe, “Project Veritas can be synergistic with the Trump administration to pull back the curtain surrounding Big Tech.” Project Veritas recently released documents from a Google insider that show bias against conservatives.  In the first of four releases, Veritas obtained hidden camera footage of a Google executive, Jen Gennai, talking about the company’s plans to “…prevent the next Trump situation.”

Project Veritas: 1,000 Google Employees Signed Internal Anti-Breitbart Petition.  An internal Google petition “to end Google’s business with Breitbart” was recently leaked to Project Veritas. The petition — which over 1,000 Google employees have signed — calls for labeling Breitbart News as “prohibited content” to block the news outlet from “all Google-served ads.” A Google insider says that a petition has been circulated among Google employees, calling on banning Breitbart News from Google’s advertising networks, in order to cut off the news platform from ad revenue, according to a recent report by Project Veritas. “These people are employees of Google,” said a Google insider to James O’Keefe of Project Veritas, “They are unhappy with the election, and they are unhappy with the narratives that are being put out there that contradict the mainstream media’s narrative.”

7am – E         THE AOC PRIMARY:

“It’s called the unofficial ‘AOC primary.’ 2020 Democratic hopefuls vying to be seen as Ocasio-Cortez’s ally,” CNN’s Kyung Lah reports.

Kamala Harris, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez team up on bill to help those with criminal records get housing (CNN) Sen. Kamala Harris and New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez are teaming up to introduce legislation aimed at helping people with criminal records fairly obtain housing. The bill, which the lawmakers will introduce Wednesday in their respective chambers, pledges to change eviction and screening policies in housing so people with a criminal history can apply for federal housing assistance. Harris is the latest 2020 Democratic presidential candidate to attach her name to the star of the progressive left, entering the so-called AOC primary.

6am – A/B/C AOC-PELOSI CATFIGHT:

'Do not tweet': Pelosi scolds progressives in closed-door meeting

AOC ACCUSES PELOSI OF RACISM: ‘Outright disrespectful’: Four House women struggle as Pelosi isolates them

“You got a complaint? You come and talk to me about it. But do not tweet about our members and expect us to think that that is just okay,” Pelosi (D-Calif.) told Democrats.    But “the Squad” — Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.), Ilhan Omar (Minn.), Rashida Tlaib (Mich.) and Ayanna Pressley (Mass.) — is convinced it is Pelosi who is being the bully. “When these comments first started, I kind of thought that she was keeping the progressive flank at more of an arm’s distance in order to protect more moderate members, which I understood,” Ocasio-Cortez told The Washington Post. “But the persistent singling out . . . it got to a point where it was just outright disrespectful . . . the explicit singling out of newly elected women of color.”    ...virtually all communication between the two women has ceased. The two have not spoken one-on-one since February when Ocasio-Cortez declined Pelosi’s personal request that she join her select committee on climate change, according to individuals who know both lawmakers. Just days after, during a private Progressive Caucus meeting, Pelosi singled out Ocasio-Cortez in front of her colleagues, calling her out for rejecting the select committee offer. Ocasio-Cortez had publicly criticized leadership for refusing to give the committee the power to directly draft legislation.  “The third and fourth time [she insulted me], it was like, ‘This is unnecessary, but I’m not going to pick a fight over it. Whatever, I’ll be the punching bag if that’s what they want me to be,’ ” Ocasio-Cortez said. But now people are telling the freshman to talk to Pelosi. She doesn’t want to, however.    “There hasn’t really been a relationship, to be frank,” she said. “It’s difficult.”

AOC accuses Congress of using women, minorities as 'bargaining chips' who have been 'auctioned off' for decades.   "When it comes to women of color in Congress, particularly the freshman, it's that we both have encountered and represent communities that have been auctioned off and negotiated off for the last 20 years. And we're over it," she said during a Tuesday interview with The New Yorker Radio Hour.  "We see in these negotiations all the time--- it's like fighting for black communities or policies that help women," she said. "They're bargaining chips. And they're the first chips that are reached for in any legislative negotiations."

AOC: I Wonder If Pelosi Is Trying To Sideline Me By Giving Me A Busy Work Schedule.  "I was assigned to some of the busiest committees and four subcommittees. So my hands are full. And sometimes I wonder if they’re trying to keep me busy."

AOC's Prestigious Committee Assignments:

House Committee on Financial Services

Member, Subcommittee on Consumer Protection and Financial Institutions

Member, Subcommittee on Investor Protection, Entrepreneurship, and Capital Markets

House Committee on Oversight and Reform Member, Subcommittee on Civil Rights and Civil Liberties

Member, Subcommittee on Environment

6am – B/C     Senator Schumer wanted Acosta to resign but he also received donations from Jeffrey Epstein. Now, Sen Schumer says he will be donating the equivalent amount to anti-sex trafficking charities. (NY Post) -- Sen. Chuck Schumer — who called on Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta to resign and said President Trump should “answer” for his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein — accepted thousands of dollars in donations from the alleged pedophile throughout the 1990s, The Post has learned. Federal Election Commission records show that Schumer received seven $1,000 donations from Epstein between 1992 and 1997, first as a US congressman from New York and then when he was vying to be the state’s senator in 1998, an election he won. Epstein — who was arrested Saturday and charged with sex trafficking and a related conspiracy count for allegedly sexually abusing a vast network of underage girls — also gave $10,000 to Victory in New York, a joint fundraising committee established by Schumer and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee. Epstein gave an additional $5,000 to Win New York, a Schumer-associated joint committee that benefited the Liberal Party of New York state. Both of Epstein’s donations to the committees came in October 1998 — and look to have primarily benefited the DSCC and the Liberal Party of New York, as Epstein would have already met the $2,000 limit on donating individually to Schumer. At the time, donors could give $1,000 to a candidate per election — once in the primary and again in the general.

6am – D/E     VIRGINIA DEM OFFICIALS STILL DEALING WITH THEIR OWN SCANDALS...

VA GOV. NORTHAM SAYS HE 'CONFUSED' VIRGINIANS WITH HIS BLACKFACE INCIDENT: Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam: “The occurrences in February hurt Virginians, CONFUSED Virginians. I regret that. We didn’t handle it as well as we should have..." 

Lawyer for Va. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax says witness can corroborate Duke sexual encounter was consensual, rebutting rape allegation

Statement from Meredith Watson's attorney: Fairfax Continues to Dodge Public Hearings. "Five months after being accused of rape, Justin Fairfax changes his story yet again. First it didn't happen then it was consensual, and now for the first time he implicates his buddy as a participant. If Justin Fairfax wants the truth to come out, this secret witness should testify under oath, in public, along with Mr. Fairfax, both his victims and their witnesses. Fairfax continues to fight a public hearing tooth and nail. That says it all." - Nancy Erika Smith, Attorney for Meredith Watson

Flashback in June: Justin Fairfax 'seriously' considering a run for governor, says sexual abuse scandal raised his profile

6am – F         Lyft donates $150,000 in rides to immigration groups across US. Company will match rider donations to Raices, which provides legal aid to immigrants. (The Guardian) -- The ride-hailing company Lyft will be donating $150,000 in ride credits to support immigration groups across the US in the next six months. The company has also partnered with Raices, a not-for-profit organization providing legal services to immigrants. Through its Round Up & Donate program, Lyft will match rider donations to Raices throughout the month of July, and it will commit to up to $50,000 to the organization in support of their services. With the tagline “America is an idea, not a geography”, the Lyft campaign shares the stories of drivers who work for the company and have come to the US from other countries. In addition to the $150,000 donation, Lyft riders can round up their ride payments to the nearest dollar and donate the difference to Raices, the company’s not-for-profit partner. A Raices spokesperson said the partnership had been “an invaluable resource” allowing them to use credits to transport immigrants and their advocates to court appearances and legal consultations. “Raices compassionately defends and empowers immigrants and advocates for human rights, equality, respect, and the right to migrate,” the spokesperson said. “Most of the people we work with do not have access to reliable transportation.”

5am – A/B/CSECRETARY ACOSTA HOLDS PRESSER:

Acosta Defends Role In Jeffrey Epstein Deal, Says Original Charges Offered No Jail Time. Embattled Labor Secretary Alex Acosta is defending his handling of a 2008 plea deal with Jeffrey Epstein, saying his office fought for a tougher punishment after prosecutors were ready to let the financer “walk free.” The pushback comes while a growing number of Democrats call for Acosta’s resignation. A secret 2008 plea deal let Epstein avoid federal prosecution after allegations he molested teenage girls.

Alex Acosta: “Simply put, the Palm Beach state attorney’s office was ready to let Epstein walk free, no jail time. Prosecutors in my former office found this to be completely unacceptable... there was value to getting a guilty plea and having him register”

"Epstein's actions absolutely deserve a stiffer sentence," Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta says. "I absolutely welcome this New York prosecution, it is the absolutely right thing to do"

Question: “Were you ever made aware at any point in your handling of this case that Mr. Epstein was an intelligence asset...?” Alexander Acosta: “... I can’t address it directly because of our guidelines but I can tell you that a lot of reporting is just going down rabbit holes”

5am – D         MUELLER MARATHON PREVIEW:

DEMS PLANNING MARATHON HEARINGS AROUND MUELLER TESTIMONY. House Democrats are planning to turn former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s highly anticipated congressional testimony next week into a marathon string of hearings, setting the stage for what could be hours of back-to-back questioning by dozens of lawmakers in public and closed-door settings. A number of details, though, are still being ironed out, with the scheduled appearance just a week away. Lawmakers are expected to meet later Wednesday to try finalizing the structure of the politically charged hearings.

DOJ TRYING TO PREVENT 2 MEMBERS OF MUELLER'S TEAM FROM TESTIFYING: The Justice Department is trying to prevent two former members of Special Counsel Robert Mueller's team from testifying behind closed doors as Mueller prepares for a public appearance before lawmakers next week, the New York Times reported on Wednesday. The department said last week it opposed testimony by Aaron Zebley and James Quarles before the Democratic-led House of Representatives' Intelligence and Judiciary Committees, a senior congressional official told the newspaper. A Justice Department official confirmed the account and had instructed the men not to appear, the paper said.

Fox News congressional producer Chad Pergram‏ @ChadPergram 10h10 hours ago Judiciary Cmte Meeting on planning structure of Mueller hrng concluded. Members repeatedly said things are “in flux.” Cmte still negotiating with Mueller’s team on timeframe. Mbrs say some of this may not be resolved until the day of the hearing.

5am – E         Court blocks 'emoluments' lawsuit that claimed Trump’s D.C. hotel violates Constitution's anti-corruption clauses. The unanimous ruling from the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit is a victory for the president in a novel case brought by the attorneys general of Maryland and the District of Columbia involving the emoluments clauses of the U.S. Constitution. The lawsuit alleged Trump’s business with foreign governments was violating the anti-corruption provisions.

 

Acosta on President Trump's reaction to his refusal to step down: "If at some point the President decides that I am not the best person to do this job, I respect that. ... I thought yesterday he was kind, and he showed great support"

Senator Schumer wanted Acosta to resign but he also received donations from Jeffrey Epstein. Now, Sen Schumer says he will be donating the equivalent amount to anti-sex trafficking charities.

Bill Clinton has some serious explaining to do: Flight manifests for Epstein’s private jet contradict Clinton’s claims that he only went on 4 trips: 1 in Europe, 1 in Asia, & 2 in Africa. He actually went on 27 flights totaling 6 (not 4) trips. Clinton doesn’t mention a US trip & a 2nd across Asia.

Wednesday 7/10/19: Cal Thomas, Culpeper farmer Susan Ralston, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox and Washington Examiner's Susan Ferrechio

8am – A         INTERVIEW - House of Delegates Speaker KIRK COX – recapped what happened in Richmond yesterday and why the VA Special Session ended after only 90 mins.

Virginia lawmakers shut down Gov. Ralph Northam's gun control session after only 90 minutes (The Blaze) -- After Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) called a special session of the state Legislature to take up gun control legislation, state lawmakers adjourned after just 90 minutes on Tuesday. According to a report by the Washington Post, the Virginia Senate gaveled in just after noon on Tuesday before voting 20-18 at around 1:30 in the afternoon to adjourn until mid-November. Shortly thereafter, the Old Dominion's lower chamber — the House of Delegates — followed suit. Northam called the special gun-control-focused session after a gunman killed a dozen people at a municipal building in Virginia Beach in late May. "The call for this session was premature," House Speaker Kirk Cox (R) told reporters after adjourning. "The whole thing is just an election-year stunt."Virginia will hold elections for its state Legislature in November. Republicans are in a precarious position, with one-seat majorities in both chambers. Needless to say, Democrats and other gun control advocates were less than pleased with Tuesday's outcome

STATEMENT FROM SPEAKER KIRK COX: Crime Commission to Review Special Session Legislation: House of Delegates Speaker M. Kirkland “Kirk” Cox (R-Colonial Heights) and Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. “Tommy” Norment, Jr. (R-James City) today announced they are directing the Virginia State Crime Commission to undertake a “systematic review” of the May 31 murders in Virginia Beach and the legislation submitted for the 2019 Special Session. In a letter to Senator Mark D. Obenshain (R-Rockingham) and Delegate Robert B. Bell (R-Albemarle), Crime Commission Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively, the Speaker and Majority Leader detailed their expectations for the Crime Commission review. “The investigation into these events is ongoing,” Speaker Cox and Senator Norment wrote. “The Virginia Beach City Council recently authorized an independent investigation into the tragedy that hopefully will provide much-needed insight. The Crime Commission should carefully review any findings that are available because of the independent investigation as part of its effort.” “The Crime Commission is a widely-respected, bipartisan panel known for its substantive work on matters of public policy,” Speaker Cox noted. “The Commission has the resources and expertise to carefully examine the bills set forward in this session, the results of the investigations into the shootings in Virginia Beach, and come back with a detailed report just as the Virginia Tech Review Panel did.” “Governor Northam should have followed the precedent set after the Virginia Tech murders,” Senator Norment remarked. “Having failed to follow a proven example that led to bipartisan consensus, that responsibility falls to us. By tasking the Crime Commission with this important assignment, we are establishing a thorough and reasoned process that will lead to broad consensus.” Speaker Cox and Majority Leader Norment set a July 19 deadline for legislation submitted during the Special Session to be considered by the Crime Commission. The Commission will report to the General Assembly on its recommendations after November 12.

8am – B/C     UK AMBASSADOR RESIGNS:

British ambassador to US resigns after being blasted by Trump amid furor over leaked cables. (Washington Examiner) -- Sir Kim Darroch has resigned from his post as the United Kingdom's ambassador to the United States, according to a Fox News report. The ambassador has been under fire this week after several years worth of leaked messages from Darroch showed disparaging and insulting remarks about President Trump. Considered to be one the U.K.'s most senior diplomats, Darroch referred to the president with several unflattering terms in cables dating back to 2017, including "inept" and "incompetent."  Among many incendiary remarks, Darroch said, "For a man who has risen to the highest office on the planet, President Trump radiates insecurity." On Tuesday, U.S. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross abruptly canceled a long-planned meeting with Britain's Secretary of State for International Trade Liam Fox because he knew that Darroch would be in attendance. Though Ross had been on friendly terms with Darroch, the president had referred to him as a "very stupid guy" and "pompous fool" after learning of the content of Darroch's leaked cables. Trump subsequently disinvited him from a Monday state dinner at the White House with the emir of Qatar. In a letter from the British Foreign Office early Wednesday morning, Darroch said, "Since the leak of official documents from this Embassy there has been a great deal of speculation surrounding my position and the duration of my remaining term as ambassador. I want to put an end to that speculation. The current situation is making it impossible for me to carry out my role as I would like."

Following the leak, Trump described Darroch as ineffective and said "he has not served the U.K. well."

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump Jul 8, 2019: I have been very critical about the way the U.K. and Prime Minister Theresa May handled Brexit. What a mess she and her representatives have created. I told her how it should be done, but she decided to go another way. I do not know the Ambassador, but he is not liked or well....

Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump ....thought of within the U.S. We will no longer deal with him. The good news for the wonderful United Kingdom is that they will soon have a new Prime Minister. While I thoroughly enjoyed the magnificent State Visit last month, it was the Queen who I was most impressed with! 2:31 PM - Jul 8, 2019

YESTERDAY'S TWEETS:

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  Jul 9:  The wacky Ambassador that the U.K. foisted upon the United States is not someone we are thrilled with, a very stupid guy. He should speak to his country, and Prime Minister May, about their failed Brexit negotiation, and not be upset with my criticism of how badly it was...

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  Jul 9: ...handled. I told @theresa_may how to do that deal, but she went her own foolish way-was unable to get it done. A disaster! I don’t know the Ambassador but have been told he is a pompous fool. Tell him the USA now has the best Economy & Military  anywhere in the World, by far...

Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump  Jul 9: ....and they are both only getting bigger, better and stronger.....Thank you, Mr. President!

8am – D         INTERVIEW - SUSAN FERRECHIO - chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner – discussed the Dem push for Secretary Acosta to resign and the AOC-Pelosi catfight.

Democratic leaders are calling for Labor Secretary Alex Acosta to resign as a result of his handling of a 2008 sex trafficking case involving now-jailed financier Jeffrey Epstein. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer says if Acosta won’t resign, then President Trump should fire him. Similar statements are being made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many of the Democratic field of presidential candidates. President Trump says he feels badly for Acosta and says he’s been “a very good” Secretary of Labor.

AOC-Pelosi war of words rages on in fight for soul of Democratic Party. (Fox News) -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., fired back at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saying she found remarks by the leader of their party's caucus "puzzling" after Pelosi dismissed her and three other progressives,  Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.; Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who'd voted against a $4.6 billion border aid package at the end of June.

Kellyanne Conway mocks ‘huge catfight’ between AOC and Nancy Pelosi. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday mocked the dispute over border spending between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and four female freshman Democratic lawmakers as a “major meow moment.”  Conway gloated that Pelosi had put Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — who call themselves “The Squad” — in their place after they opposed an emergency spending bill because they believed it did not go far enough to protect migrant children.

AOC: “Catfight” is the sexist term Republicans use when two adult women happen to disagree with each other. The reason they find it so novel &exciting is bc the GOP haven’t elected enough women themselves to see that it can, in fact, be a normal occurrence in a functioning democracy.

INTERVIEW - SUSAN FERRECHIO - chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner – discussed the Dem push for Secretary Acosta to resign and the AOC-Pelosi catfight.

Democratic leaders are calling for Labor Secretary Alex Acosta to resign as a result of his handling of a 2008 sex trafficking case involving now-jailed financier Jeffrey Epstein. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer says if Acosta won’t resign, then President Trump should fire him. Similar statements are being made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many of the Democratic field of presidential candidates. President Trump says he feels badly for Acosta and says he’s been “a very good” Secretary of Labor.

AOC-Pelosi war of words rages on in fight for soul of Democratic Party. (Fox News) -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., fired back at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saying she found remarks by the leader of their party's caucus "puzzling" after Pelosi dismissed her and three other progressives,  Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.; Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who'd voted against a $4.6 billion border aid package at the end of June.

Kellyanne Conway mocks ‘huge catfight’ between AOC and Nancy Pelosi. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday mocked the dispute over border spending between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and four female freshman Democratic lawmakers as a “major meow moment.”  Conway gloated that Pelosi had put Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — who call themselves “The Squad” — in their place after they opposed an emergency spending bill because they believed it did not go far enough to protect migrant children.

AOC: “Catfight” is the sexist term Republicans use when two adult women happen to disagree with each other. The reason they find it so novel &exciting is bc the GOP haven’t elected enough women themselves to see that it can, in fact, be a normal occurrence in a functioning democracy.

Wednesday 7/10/19: Cal Thomas, Culpeper farmer Susan Ralston, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox and Washington Examiner's Susan Ferrechio

5am – A/B/CTWITTER BLOCKING:

President Trump cannot block his critics on Twitter, federal appeals court rules (Washington Post) -- President Trump cannot block his critics from the Twitter feed he regularly uses to communicate with the public, a federal appeals court said Tuesday, in a case with implications for how elected officials nationwide interact with constituents on social media.The decision from the New York-based appeals court upholds an earlier ruling that Trump violated the First Amendment when he blocked individual users who were critical of the president or his policies. Public officials who take to social media for official government business, the court said Tuesday, are prohibited from excluding people “from an otherwise open online dialogue because they expressed views with which the official disagrees,” Judge Barrington D. Parker wrote for a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit. “In resolving this appeal, we remind the litigants and the public that if the First Amendment means anything, it means that the best response to disfavored speech on matters of public concern is more speech, not less.”

AOC sued over blocking Twitter users, following appeals court ruling on Trump (Fox News) -- Former Democratic New York Assemblyman Dov Hikind filed a lawsuit against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y. in federal court on Tuesday for blocking users on Twitter based on their personal viewpoints, following a federal appeals court ruling earlier in the day barring President Trump from doing the same." Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has blocked me on Twitter yesterday apparently because my critique of her tweets and policies have been too stinging," Hikind said in a statement announcing the suit, which was filed in the Eastern District of New York and obtained by Fox News." Just today the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed a ruling that elected officials cannot block individuals from their Twitter accounts, thereby setting a precedent that Ocasio-Cortez must follow," he added. "Twitter is a public space, and all should have access to the government officials on it."

 

5am – D  NEW MAN TREND: MURSES

Forget man bags: ‘Murses’ are the hot new accessory for men (New York Post) -- Stylish gents no longer have to be confined to carrying bulky backpacks or overstuffed billfolds, thanks to the new must-have accessory taking over designer’s spring 2020 men’s runways — the “murse.” Man bags in the way of cross-body satchels, fanny packs, top handle totes, and compact clutches were among the biggest trend to emerge on the recent men’s spring 2020 catwalks. At Hermes, models toted oversized variations of the French fashion house’s signature Birkin bags in leather accented canvas. Dior men’s designer Kim Jones added feminine finesse to tailored suits and stylized separates with newsprint saddle bags, croc-embossed cross-body satchels, and box-shaped clutches. Taking things over the top, Louis Vuitton’s murses were in full bloom — literally — with models carrying flower-bedecked accessories including a large-and-in-charge electric blue pack all and a more wearable mid-sized top handle bearing the label’s classic monogram print. Other designers, such as Celine and Jacquemus, offered beachy takes on the trend with netted slings and straw shoulder bags.

 

5am – E  REST IN PEACE ROSS PEROT

Billionaire Ross Perot, who ran twice for president, dead at 89 (Fox News) -- Self-made billionaire Ross Perot, who ran for president in 1992 and 1996, has died at age 89 after a five-month battle with leukemia, the Dallas Morning News reported. Perot, who won19 percent of the vote as a third-party candidate in 1992, died early Tuesday at his home in Dallas surrounded by his family, family spokesman James Fuller said. The native-born Texan, who made his billions by founding Electronic Data Systems Corp., was seen by admirers as a patriot who served his country well before his two failed bids for the White House. In 1979, he financed a private commando raid to free two EDS employees being held in a prison in Iran. He was also a tireless advocate for Vietnam veterans. In 1992, Perot spent more than $60 million of his own money to run against incumbent President George H.W. Bush and challenger Bill Clinton, promising to bring his business acumen to the nation's finances. Some Republicans blamed him for Bush's loss, noting he pulled the largest percentage of votes for a third-party candidate since former President Theodore Roosevelt's 1912 bid. Perot's second campaign four years later fizzled, as he gathered just 8 percent of the vote, and the Reform Party that he founded and hoped to build into a national political force began to fall apart.

 Ross Perot donated to Trump’s re-election campaign before death: report (Fox News) -- In his last documented political act, self-made billionaire and two-time presidential candidate Ross Perot wrote out two checks to President Trump’s re-election campaign before succumbing to his battle with leukemia at the age of 89, according to a report. Perot, who ran for president as a third-party candidate in 1992 and 1996, is largely credited with providing a road map for Trump's presidential campaign. Like Trump, Perot ran as a billionaire populist against the Republican establishment. His focus on the North American Free Trade Agreement – rather than the national debt – and his use of cable news for laying out his agenda were both familiar elements of Trump’s campaign. As Democratic strategist James Carville put it in a 2016 podcast: “If Donald Trump is the of Jesus of the disenchanted, displaced non-college white voter, then Perot was the John the Baptist of that sort of movement.”

Wednesday 7/10/19: Cal Thomas, Culpeper farmer Susan Ralston, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox and Washington Examiner's Susan Ferrechio

6am – A/B/C EPSTEIN/ACOSTA

Trump talks falling out with Epstein and confidence in Acosta (MSNBC) – President Trump on Tuesday defended Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who is facing mounting calls to resign over his handling of disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein’s 2008 sex trafficking case. Acosta, who was U.S. attorney for Florida at the time, helped Epstein to secure a plea deal that resulted in an 18-month sentence—he served just 13 months. The deal was criticized as lenient because Epstein could have faced a life sentence. Acosta negotiated a deal that resulted in two state solicitation charges, but no federal charges. Trump said a lot of people were involved in Epstein's case a decade ago and that it needed to be reviewed very carefully. But he added that Acosta has been an "excellent" secretary of labor who's done a "fantastic job."

 

Sen. Schumer calls for Labor Secretary Acosta to resign (CNN) -- Democratic leaders are calling for Labor Secretary Alex Acosta to resign as a result of his handling of a 2008 sex trafficking case involving now-jailed financier Jeffrey Epstein. Senate Minority leader Chuck Schumer says if Acosta won’t resign, then President Trump should fire him. Similar statements are being made by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many of the Democratic field of presidential candidates. President Trump says he feels badly for Acosta and says he’s been “a very good” Secretary of Labor.

 

Response from Secretary Acosta: The crimes committed by Epstein are horrific, and I am pleased that NY prosecutors are moving forward with a case based on new evidence. With the evidence available more than a decade ago, federal prosecutors insisted that Epstein go to jail, register as a sex offender and put the world on notice that he was a sexual predator. Now that new evidence and additional testimony is available, the NY prosecution offers an important opportunity to more fully bring him to justice.

6am – D  INTERVIEW - CAL THOMAS - Syndicated Columnist – discussed the passing of Ross Perot passes and Tom Steyer jumping into 2020 race.

REST IN PEACE, ROSS PEROT: Entrepreneur and two-time presidential candidate Ross Perot has died after a five-month battle with leukemia at age 89. Republicans blamed his 1992 independent presidential bid for George H.W. Bush’s loss to Democrat Bill Clinton with Perot taking 19 percent of the vote.

Remembering Ross Perot, populist pioneer... Ross Perot, billionaire businessman and 1992 independent presidential candidate who won 19 percent of the vote, died Tuesday at age 89. One presidential historian argues Perot may have been President Trump's predecessor in terms of offering a populist, anti-establishment message to voters and was not the spoiler in the 1992 election that figures in the George H.W. Bush re-election campaign made him out to be. "There's always been a populist strain in American politics," Craig Shirley told "The Ingraham Angle," calling Perot "prescient" regarding comments he made about NAFTA. In those remarks in the early 1990s, Perot famously claimed the trade agreement would result in a "giant sucking sound" as jobs left the U.S.

TOM STEYER JOINS 2020 RACE: Billionaire Tom Steyer officially entered the presidential race on Tuesday, saying he would seek the Democratic nomination for president despite having previously ruled out a run in January. Steyer, who has teased political bids before without ever launching a campaign, never fully ruled out a 2020 run despite his January announcement, a source familiar with the situation previously told CNN. Steyer has operated as a funding force in Democratic politics in recent years, bankrolling candidates and organizations that promote liberal causes, including the impeachment of President Donald Trump. Steyer's net worth reached $1.6 billion this year according to Forbes, a fortune he began amassing in 1986 when he launched his hedge fund Farallon Capital.

6am – E MCCONNELL RESPONDS TO SLAVEHOLDER REPORT:  

Sen. Mitch McConnell's great-great-grandfathers owned 14 slaves, bringing reparations issue close to home (NBC News) - Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, who said recently he opposes paying government reparations to the descendants of American slaves, has a family history deeply entwined in the issue: Two of his great-great-grandfathers were slave owners, U.S. census records show. The two great-great-grandfathers, James McConnell and Richard Daley, owned a total of at least 14 slaves in Limestone County, Alabama — all but two of them female, according to the county “Slave Schedules” in the 1850 and 1860 censuses.The details about McConnell’s ancestors, discovered by NBC News through a search of ancestry and census records, came in the wake of recent hearings on reparations before the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties. Asked about the reparations issue, McConnell, R-Ky., said he was opposed to the idea, arguing it would be hard to figure out whom to compensate.“I don’t think reparations for something that happened 150 years ago, when none of us currently living are responsible, is a good idea,” he said June 18, a day before the House reparations hearing. “We’ve tried to deal with our original sin of slavery by fighting a civil war, by passing landmark civil rights legislation. We’ve elected an African American president.”

ON CNN with DON LEMON last night: SEN. CORY BOOKER is at a loss for words over McConnell's slaveholder remarks: Booker on Sen. Mitch McConnell’s comments on reparations and he and former President Obama’s both being descendants of slaveholders: You know, I mean, Mitch McConnell doesn’t seem to even in any way there expressed an understanding of these issues, or, you know, the bill that I have in the Senate which would call people together to study this issue, the legacy.  I mean, first of all, I didn't hear this early today.  So, this is the first time I am responding.  And dear God, there’s -- this has been a couple of years of my life for Mitch McConnell and Donald Trump where things come out of their mouths where sometimes I have to just sometimes -- you know have to take a step back for a second and gather myself. 

6am – F   AOC-PELOSI CATFIGHT:

AOC-Pelosi war of words rages on in fight for soul of Democratic Party. (Fox News) -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., fired back at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., saying she found remarks by the leader of their party's caucus "puzzling" after Pelosi dismissed her and three other progressives,  Reps. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn.; Rashida Tlaib, D-Mich.; and Ayanna Pressley, D-Mass., who'd voted against a $4.6 billion border aid package at the end of June. “All these people have their public whatever and their Twitter world,” Pelosi told the New York Times last Saturday. “But they didn’t have any following. They’re four people, and that’s how many votes they got.” On Tuesday, Ocasio-Cortez responded, "It’s not even the four of us. It’s like ‘These ones.' What the speaker said... it’s not true. It’s just wrong... as progressives, it’s okay not to vote for the legislation to make a point." Fox News' Sean Hannity says "all-out war" is erupting in the Democratic Party and Pelosi is losing control of her caucus to AOC and "the new extreme left."

Kellyanne Conway mocks ‘huge catfight’ between AOC and Nancy Pelosi. White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Tuesday mocked the dispute over border spending between House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and four female freshman Democratic lawmakers as a “major meow moment.”  Conway gloated that Pelosi had put Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts and Rashida Tlaib of Michigan — who call themselves “The Squad” — in their place after they opposed an emergency spending bill because they believed it did not go far enough to protect migrant children. “Those four female Democrats that Nancy Pelosi is brushing back, I think they are all freshman members,” she said on Fox News. “A major ‘meow moment’ — brushing back in a huge catfight, really ridiculing them — and they voted against the Democratic aid package.” The spending bill that passed the House included $4.6 billion to ease the humanitarian crisis at the Mexican border.

AOC: “Catfight” is the sexist term Republicans use when two adult women happen to disagree with each other. The reason they find it so novel &exciting is bc the GOP haven’t elected enough women themselves to see that it can, in fact, be a normal occurrence in a functioning democracy.

Wednesday 7/10/19: Cal Thomas, Culpeper farmer Susan Ralston, Virginia House of Delegates Speaker Kirk Cox and Washington Examiner's Susan Ferrechio

7am – A INTERVIEW - SUSAN RALSTON - President of Citizens for Responsible Solar and owns Finally Farm with her husband Troy – discussed the backlash in Culpeper against a proposed solar complex.

NEW POLL: A new poll commissioned by Citizens for Responsible Solar shows deep opposition to a new solar complex by out-of-state Cricket Solar. The decisive results of the poll show widespread disapproval for the continuation of the project, as it will threaten Culpeper County’s historic land and the property value of many county property owners. The poll was taken by McLaughlin and Associates, a Virginia-based polling group, the pollster of the Trump 2020 campaign. Among the key findings: The majority of likely voters oppose the proposed industrial solar complexes being built in Culpeper County by a 17-point margin, with 51% of the population opposing to only a 34% approval.

Rural backlash against solar project is growing. Latest example: Culpepper Cty, VA, where local landowners oppose a 1,300-acre solar project (according to Star Exponent) -- Concerned citizens don’t oppose solar energy, but projects must be implemented responsibly with proper zoning, Ralston said. The group “would absolutely love to see the county advance proposals such as rooftop solar panels for households and commercial properties in the business district,” she said. The project’s opponents are just starting their campaign against it, Ralston said. She said the developer’s proposal would strain the water supply, erode soil and strip land; impact historic preservation; provide a questionable economic benefit; undermine local residents’ property values; and pose health and safety problems in the form of more traffic, congestion and noise. Culpeper resident Karen Boushie said that history and rural character contribute to the county’s tourism economy of $42 million per year, a resource formed by hundreds of people’s unique experiences.

800-acre solar farm considered for Culpeper: Cricket Solar wants to install more than 270,000 solar panels in southern Culpeper County to generate 80 megawatts of power. For comparison, Dominion Energy’s coal-powered station in Chesterfield, the largest in Virginia, generates 1,640 megawatts and powers more than 400,000 homes.

 

7am – B  BET FOUNDER PRAISES TRUMP’S ECONOMY:

Democrats have moved ‘too far to the left,’ says BET network founder Bob Johnson (CNBC) - America’s political establishment is riven with partisanship that has become “very wicked and very mean,” said entrepreneur and media mogul Robert Johnson, who added that the Democratic Party has become too liberal for his liking.“The party in my opinion, for me personally, has moved too far to the left,” Johnson, the founder of cable network BET and RLJ Companies business network, told CNBC’s Hadley Gamble Tuesday.“And for that reason, I don’t have a particular candidate (I’m supporting) in the party at this time,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, if a Democrat is going to beat Trump, then that person, he or she, will have to move to the center and you can’t wait too long to do that.”Johnson described himself as a long-time centrist and Democrat. He publicly supported Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. However, he has since expressed admiration for some of Donald Trump’s policies, particularly those related to the economy.“I think the economy is doing great, and it’s reaching populations that heretofore had very bad problems in terms of jobs and employments and the opportunities that come with employment … so African-American unemployment is at its lowest level, ” Johnson said.

 

7am – D/E  WOMEN’S SOCCER UPDATE: NYC PARADE, SCHUMER INVITE AND RAPINOE’S ‘PLATFORM’:

PARADE IN NYC TODAY: A ticker tape parade for the U.S. women’s national soccer team begins Wednesday morning in honor of their winning the Women’s World Cup. When the parade ends at City hall, Mayor Bill de Blasio will give the players a key to the city. Congress could soon take up legislation that withholds federal funding for the U.S. hosting the 2026 men’s World Cup until the winning men’s and women’s teams receive equal pay.

RAPINOE ACCEPTS INVITE FROM SCHUMER BUT WON'T GO TO THE WHITE HOUSE: Rapinoe says US women's soccer team would be 'very happy to accept' Schumer's invite to Senate.  (Fox News) -- The U.S. women's soccer team's star forward Megan Rapinoe told reporters Monday that the team would be “very happy to accept” Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s invitation to come to Capitol Hill to celebrate their victory and discuss equal pay legislation. “What the #USWNT did was extraordinary, and they deserve to be compensated fairly,” Schumer, D-N.Y., tweeted on Monday. “All women need to be compensated fairly. Period. And we ought to pay attention to this not just once every four years during the World Cup, but year-in and year-out.” Earlier, Monday, during remarks on the Senate floor, Schumer invited the team to the Senate to celebrate the historic victory in the 2019 Women’s World Cup. He also called on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to bring legislation up for a vote that would ensure all women earn equal pay.

Rapinoe: Women's soccer team does not want their platform 'co-opted or corrupted by this administration' / U.S. soccer star Megan Rapinoe said that everyone she spoke with on the U.S. women's national soccer team does not want to visit President Trump at the White House. "Every teammate I've talked to specifically about it would not go," Rapinoe said Tuesday to CNN's Anderson Cooper regarding a potential Trump invitation. "I don’t think anyone on the team has any interest in lending the platform that we’ve worked hard to build and the things that we fight for and the way that we live our life. I don’t think we want that to be co-opted or corrupted by this administration." Rapinoe previously said that she is " not going to f------ White House." Instead, she accepted invitations to visit Congress from both Sen. Chuck Schumer and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. "Yes to AOC, yes to Nancy Pelosi, yes to the bipartisan Congress, yes to Chuck Schumer, yes to anyone else that wants to invite us and have a substantive conversation and believe in the same things we believe in," Rapinoe told Cooper.

INTERVIEW - SUSAN RALSTON - President of Citizens for Responsible Solar and owns Finally Farm with her husband Troy – discussed the backlash in Culpeper against a proposed solar complex.

NEW POLL: A new poll commissioned by Citizens for Responsible Solar shows deep opposition to a new solar complex by out-of-state Cricket Solar. The decisive results of the poll show widespread disapproval for the continuation of the project, as it will threaten Culpeper County’s historic land and the property value of many county property owners. The poll was taken by McLaughlin and Associates, a Virginia-based polling group, the pollster of the Trump 2020 campaign. Among the key findings: The majority of likely voters oppose the proposed industrial solar complexes being built in Culpeper County by a 17-point margin, with 51% of the population opposing to only a 34% approval.

Rural backlash against solar project is growing. Latest example: Culpepper Cty, VA, where local landowners oppose a 1,300-acre solar project.  Culpeper residents are concerned the developer’s proposal would strain the water supply, erode soil and strip land; impact historic preservation; provide a questionable economic benefit; undermine local residents’ property values; and pose health and safety problems in the form of more traffic, congestion and noise. Also, Culpeper makes a lot of tourism money on its historical and rural character -- $42 million per year. Culpeper is known for their scenic trolley tours and an industrial power plant would be an eyesore amidst their rolling landscape. The solar project’s pile driving will imperil the foundations of historic homes, encroach on historic St. Paul’s Church, limit study and preservation of the Morton’s Ford battlefield and hamper archaeological study of earlier settlements. At a recent Culpeper County Board of Supervisors meeting, Ralston say the project’s opponents are just starting their campaign against it. (source: Star Exponent)

800-acre solar farm considered for Culpeper: (AP) - Cricket Solar wants to install more than 270,000 solar panels in southern Culpeper County to generate 80 megawatts of power. For comparison, Dominion Energy’s coal-powered station in Chesterfield, the largest in Virginia, generates 1,640 megawatts and powers more than 400,000 homes.

Petition: Stop Corrupt Cricket Solar in Culpeper, VAhttps://www.change.org/p/citizens-for-responsible-solar-stop-corrupt-cricket-solar-in-culpeper-county-va

INTERVIEW - House of Delegates Speaker KIRK COX – recapped what happened in Richmond yesterday and why the VA Special Session ended after only 90 mins.

Virginia lawmakers shut down Gov. Ralph Northam's gun control session after only 90 minutes (The Blaze) -- After Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D) called a special session of the state Legislature to take up gun control legislation, state lawmakers adjourned after just 90 minutes on Tuesday. According to a report by the Washington Post, the Virginia Senate gaveled in just after noon on Tuesday before voting 20-18 at around 1:30 in the afternoon to adjourn until mid-November. Shortly thereafter, the Old Dominion's lower chamber — the House of Delegates — followed suit. Northam called the special gun-control-focused session after a gunman killed a dozen people at a municipal building in Virginia Beach in late May. "The call for this session was premature," House Speaker Kirk Cox (R) told reporters after adjourning. "The whole thing is just an election-year stunt."Virginia will hold elections for its state Legislature in November. Republicans are in a precarious position, with one-seat majorities in both chambers. Needless to say, Democrats and other gun control advocates were less than pleased with Tuesday's outcome

STATEMENT FROM SPEAKER KIRK COX: Crime Commission to Review Special Session Legislation: House of Delegates Speaker M. Kirkland “Kirk” Cox (R-Colonial Heights) and Senate Majority Leader Thomas K. “Tommy” Norment, Jr. (R-James City) today announced they are directing the Virginia State Crime Commission to undertake a “systematic review” of the May 31 murders in Virginia Beach and the legislation submitted for the 2019 Special Session. In a letter to Senator Mark D. Obenshain (R-Rockingham) and Delegate Robert B. Bell (R-Albemarle), Crime Commission Chairman and Vice Chairman, respectively, the Speaker and Majority Leader detailed their expectations for the Crime Commission review. “The investigation into these events is ongoing,” Speaker Cox and Senator Norment wrote. “The Virginia Beach City Council recently authorized an independent investigation into the tragedy that hopefully will provide much-needed insight. The Crime Commission should carefully review any findings that are available because of the independent investigation as part of its effort.” “The Crime Commission is a widely-respected, bipartisan panel known for its substantive work on matters of public policy,” Speaker Cox noted. “The Commission has the resources and expertise to carefully examine the bills set forward in this session, the results of the investigations into the shootings in Virginia Beach, and come back with a detailed report just as the Virginia Tech Review Panel did.” “Governor Northam should have followed the precedent set after the Virginia Tech murders,” Senator Norment remarked. “Having failed to follow a proven example that led to bipartisan consensus, that responsibility falls to us. By tasking the Crime Commission with this important assignment, we are establishing a thorough and reasoned process that will lead to broad consensus.” Speaker Cox and Majority Leader Norment set a July 19 deadline for legislation submitted during the Special Session to be considered by the Crime Commission. The Commission will report to the General Assembly on its recommendations after November 12.