December 19, 2016

Under political pressure, Kuwait cancels major event at Four Seasons, switches to Trumps D.C. hotel

https://thinkprogress.org/under-political-pressure-kuwait-cancels-major-event-at-four-seasons-switches-to-trumps-d-c-1f204315d513#.ldp6n6lg6

The Embassy of Kuwait allegedly cancelled a contract with a Washington, D.C. hotel days after the presidential election, citing political pressure to hold its National Day celebration at the Trump International Hotel instead.

A source tells ThinkProgress that the Kuwaiti embassy, which has regularly held the event at the Four Seasons in Georgetown, abruptly canceled its reservation after members of the Trump Organization pressured the ambassador to hold the event at the hotel owned by the president-elect. The source, who has direct knowledge of the arrangements between the hotels and the embassy, spoke to ThinkProgress on the condition of anonymity because the individual was not authorized to speak publicly. ThinkProgress was also able to review documentary evidence confirming the source’s account.

In the early fall, the Kuwaiti Embassy signed a contract with the Four Seasons. But after the election, members of the Trump Organization contacted the Ambassador of Kuwait, Salem Al-Sabah, and encouraged him to move his event to Trump’s D.C. hotel, the source said.

(snip)

One looms large over the apparent hotel deal with the Kuwaitis: The Emoluments Clause of the Constitution, which prohibits the president from receiving money from a foreign government or head of state.

According to Democratic and Republican legal experts, such a payment is not only unconstitutional, it’s an impeachable offense.

(end snip)

December 19, 2016

Judge orders unsealing of Clinton email probe search warrant

Source: Reuters

A U.S. judge on Monday ordered the unsealing of the application used to obtain a search warrant that allowed the FBI to gain access to emails related to Democratic nominee Hillary Clintons private server shortly before the Nov. 8 presidential election.

U.S. District Judge Kevin Castel in Manhattan directed the release by Tuesday of redacted materials used to obtain a search warrant after Federal Bureau of Investigation Director James Comey informed Congress of newly discovered emails on Oct. 28.

end snip

edited to add Reuters link

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-clinton-idUSKBN148213



Read more: http://www.rawstory.com/2016/12/judge-orders-unsealing-of-clinton-email-probe-search-warrant/

December 19, 2016

City Official Apologizes After Tree Is Cut Down To Be Used For Trump Rally

http://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/city-official-tree-cut-down-trump-rally?utm_content=buffer70c8d&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer

MOBILE, Ala. (AP) — The mayor's chief of staff in Mobile, Alabama, is apologizing for his role in having a large tree cut down at a city park so it could be used as a prop during President-elect Donald Trump's recent "thank you" rally.

Colby Cooper said he became "overzealous" while trying to ensure that expectations of Trump's advance team were met.

Al.com reports (http://bit.ly/2hAuyZB ) that Mobile residents raised questions almost immediately after the cedar tree at Public Safety Memorial Park was felled Friday. It was taken to Ladd-Peebles Stadium, placed in front of the scoreboard and decorated with Christmas ornaments to serve as a backdrop while Trump spoke at Saturday's rally.

(end snip)

:facepalm

December 17, 2016

Kushner: We struck deal with Sinclair for straighter coverage

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/12/trump-campaign-sinclair-broadcasting-jared-kushner-232764

Donald Trump's campaign struck a deal with Sinclair Broadcast Group during the campaign to try and secure better media coverage, his son-in-law Jared Kushner told business executives Friday in Manhattan.

Kushner said the agreement with Sinclair, which owns television stations across the country in many swing states and often packages news for their affiliates to run, gave them more access to Trump and the campaign, according to six people who heard his remarks.

In exchange, Sinclair would broadcast their Trump interviews across the country without commentary, Kushner said. Kushner highlighted that Sinclair, in states like Ohio, reaches a much wider audience — around 250,000 listeners — than networks like CNN, which reach somewhere around 30,000.

(snip)

Sinclair, a Maryland-based company, has been labeled in some reports as a conservative-leaning local news network. Local stations in the past have been directed to air “must run” stories produced by Sinclair’s Washington bureau that were generally critical of Obama administration and offered perspectives primarily from conservative think tanks, The Washington Post reported in 2014.

A Kushner spokeswoman declined to comment on his remarks, made at an off-the-record meeting in the Morgan Stanley Cafeteria for the Partnership for New York City, a business group, and referred questions to the campaign.

(end snip)

Even your local news isn't your local news.