Undocumented Worker Fired by Trump Invited to Speech

An undocumented worker who recently worked for Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, N.J., and left after she publicly disclosed her immigration status will attend President Trump’s State of the Union address next week.

Victorina Morales, who was born in Guatemala, will be a guest of Rep. Bonnie Watson Coleman, a New Jersey Democrat, when the president speaks to a joint session of Congress Tuesday night. Watson Coleman’s office confirmed the decision Wednesday.

The choice to invite Morales follows news stories about the Trump Organization’s failure to fully check the work status of all its employees, even as Trump described illegal immigration as a national crisis and demanded funding for a U.S.-Mexico border wall.

The Washington Post reported Saturday that about a dozen undocumented workers were fired this month from the Trump National Golf Club in Westchester County, N.Y. Eric Trump said Tuesday that the company will implement E-Verify, a federal program that vets workers’ immigration status, across all of its properties.



https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/undocumented-worker-fired-from-trump-organization-to-attend-state-of-the-union/2019/01/30/635de4ae-24bf-11e9-ad53-824486280311_story.html?noredirect=on&utm_term=.e1b82b9ff282

GOP Lawmaker Tells Ocasio-Cortez Congress Isn't Just 'Eating Bonbons'

Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows spoke up Tuesday during the first meeting of the newly Democratic-controlled House Committee on Oversight and Reform -- his first joint appearance with Ocasio-Cortez, one of Congress’s newest, most liberal members.

Soon, though, Meadows and other Republicans were telling Chairman Elijah Cummings of Maryland that members should get more than three days’ notice to attend questioning of witnesses by Democratic staff lawyers. Meadows said five days was better, particularly for lawmakers who live far from Washington.

Ocasio-Cortez wasted no time in offering her first remarks on the committee. “I don’t believe we need five days” if lawmakers are doing their jobs, she responded.

Meadows wasn’t going to let that go. Formally directing his remarks to Cummings, he responded: “Mr. Chairman, I can tell you on all of this at this particular point, we’re all wanting to cooperate.” But he said, “Sometimes our schedules, you know, we’re not just sitting around eating bonbons, waiting for the call of anybody.”

Ocasio-Cortez then asked Cummings whether Republicans gave members ample notice for such matters during the last congressional session, when they ran the committee.

“No,” said Cummings, of Maryland.




https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-01-29/meadows-tells-ocasio-cortez-congress-isn-t-just-eating-bonbons?utm_content=politics&utm_source=twitter&cmpid%3D=socialflow-twitter-politics&utm_campaign=socialflow-organic&utm_medium=social

Another House freshman lands a prestigious committee spot

Stacey Abrams to give Democratic response to Trump SOTU

Via Washington Post in my phone.

PG&E Votes To File For Chapter 11 Bankruptcy

SAN FRANCISCO (CBS SF) — The Pacific Gas and Electric board of directors voted late Monday evening to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.

PG&E said it would officially file at midnight Tuesday.

he filing will enable the company to freeze its debts and continue operations, while it develops a financial reorganization plan.

California State Senator Bill Dodd, whose district includes areas in Napa and Sonoma counties that were heavily damaged in the Oct. 2017 wildfires, issued a statement after PG&E officials confirmed that they would file for bankruptcy.

“Given its track record of obfuscation and mismanagement, I’m not surprised PG&E claims it can no longer meet its financial obligations,” the statement read. “It’s extremely disappointing and underscores the need for change at PG&E in both its leadership and culture. Wildfire victims shouldn’t have to deal with the uncertainty this causes, which in many respects re-victimizes them.”

An advocacy group called The Utility Reform Network (TURN) worries that rate payers will be forced to foot part of the bill.

“The message to customers is really bad here. It’s that, we’re more concerned with our shareholders than we are with our customers,” said TURN’s Mindy Sprat. “We don’t care how high your bills go. We are going to do our best to make them higher. And we are going try and get out of the accountability that the federal court is proposing.”

Spratt says she suspects the timing of the bankruptcy filing is linked to a federal court hearing scheduled for Wednesday about whether PG&E has violated the terms of its probation from earlier safety lapses.



https://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2019/01/28/pge-votes-to-file-for-chapter-11-bankruptcy/

Tweet of the Day

A Republican N.J. lawmaker just switched parties. Here's why she's now a Democrat.

In a rare and unexpected move, longtime Republican state Sen. Dawn Marie Addiego announced Monday she is switching parties and becoming a Democrat.

“As gridlock in Washington dominates the news, it has become increasingly clear that in order to effect change you have to be part of the discussion and not on the outside looking in,” Addiego, who has represented South Jersey’s 8th District since 2010, said in a statement.

“The people of the 8th District did not elect me to be content in the role of loyal opposition," the 56-year-old attorney added.

The move bolsters Democrats' ever-increasing hold of New Jersey government, giving the party an even larger majority in the Senate, the upper house of the state Legislature.

Addiego singled out state Senate President Stephen Sweeney, D-Gloucester, in her statement, saying she’s worked with with New Jersey’s most powerful elected state lawmaker over the last year on fiscal issues and has been impressed with “his tireless work ethic and unparalleled success at delivering for the people of New Jersey and particularly South Jersey."


https://www.nj.com/politics/2019/01/a-republican-nj-lawmaker-just-switched-parties-heres-why-shes-now-a-democrat.html?utm_campaign=njdotcom_sf&utm_content=nj_twitter_njdotcom&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

‪Bernie may have committed a fatal error by letting Kamala go first.‬

I think Bernie operates on the assumption that everyone who voted for him in 2016 will do so in 2020 and that may do him in with Kamala adopting his platform in the most appealing presidential announcement so far. If she peels away his softer support and reaches into Hillary’s base, what remains for Bernie except the hardcore left?

Trump Skeptical He Would Accept Any Congressional Border Deal

President Trump told the Wall Street Journal that he is doubtful Congress can come to a deal over border wall funding, adding that another government shutdown is “certainly an option.”

Said Trump: “I personally think it’s less than 50-50.”

Trump has suggested he’ll declare a national emergency to construct a wall along the southern border if Congress does not come to an agreement over the next three weeks.



https://politicalwire.com/2019/01/27/trump-skeptical-hell-accept-any-deal-on-border-funding/

With Democrats in charge, sex abuse survivors in New York will finally be able to seek justice.