October 1, 2018

Comey says he's willing to testify before Congress -- but only if it's public

Source: The Washington Post


By Matt Zapotosky

October 1 at 4:17 PM

Former FBI Director James B. Comey is willing to testify before two congressional committees investigating the Justice Department’s actions during the 2016 election — but only if he can do so publicly, his lawyer said in a letter Monday.

David N. Kelley, Comey’s lawyer, told Republican leaders of the House Oversight and Judiciary committees that while Comey “respectfully declines your request for a private interview,” he would “welcome the opportunity to testify at a public hearing.”

Kelley wrote that because Comey lacked a security clearance, there should be no concern about his having to discuss classified material. He wrote that he expected the committees would obtain approvals from the FBI for Comey to discuss events while he was in charge there. Because Mr. Comey has a variety of commitments in the coming months, please contact me as soon as possible to schedule a hearing date,” Kelley wrote.

Before Congress, to the Justice Department inspector general, in his book and in a bevy of media interviews, Comey already has addressed at length the bureau’s actions during the 2016 election, especially its handling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s use of a private email server.


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/comey-says-hes-willing-to-testify-before-congress--but-only-if-its-public/2018/10/01/1a029780-c59e-11e8-b2b5-79270f9cce17_story.html

October 1, 2018

NAFTA 2.0: Multilateral free-trade deals are good after all

By Jennifer Rubin
Opinion writer
October 1 at 1:30 PM

The Post reports on the new and improved North American Free Trade Agreement:

This is a long way from “ending” NAFTA. Indeed, for all President Trump’s shouting (literally) and dissembling (e.g., falsely claiming NAFTA cost us “millions” of jobs), the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement represents vindication of free-trade principles. This is cynical policy: Declare victory, then abandon the field. Here, Trump has kept the architecture of what is actually one of the most successful trade deals in history after some home remodeling. James Pethokoukis of the American Enterprise Institute writes: “The biggest upside from this newish trade agreement between the United States, Mexico, and Canada — assuming Congress approves it — is that it eliminates the uncertainty caused by President Trump’s threats to withdraw from NAFTA Classic or hit Canada with steep tariffs if it didn’t play ball.” He explains:



It will be amusing to see Trump try to sell what amounts to pouring old wine into new bottles. Economists who inveighed against his nonsensical attacks on trade, and on NAFTA specifically, will get the last laugh. (Since Trump clearly doesn’t know exactly what is in old trade deals, he can easily be convinced that the new one bears no resemblance to the “worst deals ever.”) As Pethokoukis suggests, this should be the model for future Trump capitulations. Throw in some tweaks, change the name of the Trans-Pacific Partnership and declare victory. In the same vein, incorporate some bipartisan changes, rename the Affordable Care Act and move on to expanding Medicaid (which can also be reformed and renamed). This tactic also could work for the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (a.k.a. the Iran deal). Extend its term, fiddle with the inspection provisions, agree to address Iran’s missile program, come up with new initials and declare it the best Iran deal ever. We all know Trump doesn’t care about anything of substance; his only concern is winning, assuaging his giant ego and avoiding humiliation. Sometimes that leads to awful results (e.g., the non-deal with North Korea that leaves him “in love” with the world’s worst tyrant). But given Trump’s animosity to anything relating to his predecessor, his inability to grasp policy details and the GOP’s dearth of workable policy alternatives, the best we can hope for is the status quo dressed up in a Trumpian bow. “So in the end, the trillion-dollar trading relationship between the three nations will continue and grow,” says Pethokoukis of NAFTA 2.0. “If a decade from now one looks at a chart of trilateral trade flows, there will be no hint that this revision ever took place.” It sure beats a protectionist-induced economic recession.

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https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/opinions/wp/2018/10/01/nafta-2-0-multilateral-free-trade-deals-are-good-after-all/

October 1, 2018

Jeff Flake slams Trump ahead of midterms: 'we can't refer to of our opponents as losers and clowns'

October 1, 2018

Manafort meets with Mueller prosecutors

Source: Politico


The sit-down stems from a guilty plea that requires the former Trump campaign chairman to cooperate with the special counsel's probe.

By DARREN SAMUELSOHN 10/01/2018 04:13 PM EDT

Paul Manafort met Monday with special counsel Robert Mueller’s office as part of his cooperation agreement in the special counsel’s investigation into Russia interference in the 2016 presidential election.

The sit-down at the special counsel’s downtown Washington D.C. office stems from Manafort’s guilty plea last month, which requires the former Trump campaign chairman to cooperate “fully, truthfully, completely, and forthrightly…in any and all matters as to which the government deems the cooperation relevant.” Spokesmen for Manafort and Mueller declined comment on the meeting.

POLITICO spotted two attorneys for Manafort — Richard Westling and Tom Zehnle — outside Mueller’s office early Monday afternoon speaking with one of the special counsel’s lead prosecutors, Andrew Weissmann. The men parted ways to buy lunch and then were seen returning with their food to the secure building where the special counsel’s team is headquartered.

Manafort pleaded guilty last month in a federal court in Washington to conspiracy against the U.S. and conspiring to obstruct justice. As part of the plea, Mueller’s team dropped charges against Manafort including money laundering and failing to register as a foreign agent for his work on behalf of Ukrainian political parties. They also agreed to dismiss deadlocked bank- and tax-fraud charges from a Virginia trial with the condition Manafort would conclude a “successful cooperation” with the special counsel.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/10/01/paul-manafort-meets-mueller-prosecutors-855388

October 1, 2018

Jake Tapper bashes Trump for joking about Kavanaugh's drinking problems

October 1, 2018

Obama Endorses Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and More in New List of Midterm Picks for Office

by Josh Feldman | Oct 1st, 2018, 1:41 pm

Back in August when Barack Obama announced the first wave of endorsements he was giving Democratic candidates across the country, many noticed that Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez was not on the list.

But the New York candidate is one of many Democrats on the former president’s second wave of endorsements released this afternoon.

Obama tweeted, “Today, I’m proud to endorse even more Democratic candidates who aren’t just running against something, but for something—to expand opportunity for all of us and to restore dignity, honor, and compassion to public service. They deserve your vote.”

Candidates he endorsed include Ocasio-Cortez, Florida gubernatorial candidate Andrew Gillum, Arizona Senate candidate Krysten Sinema, and Rachel Crooks––one of the women who came forward with allegations against President Donald Trump currently running for a seat in the Ohio legislature.

Obama does endorse a number of Texas Democrats, but Beto O’Rourke is not on the list, though it’s possible an Obama endorsement would not necessarily help O’Rourke in his race against Ted Cruz.

https://twitter.com/BarackObama/status/1046803503988006912

A spokesman for the RNC responded in a statement, “President Obama oversaw slowest economic recovery in modern history and it cost Democrats more than 1,000 seats. By tying these candidates to his failed economic policies, he’s helping ensure they suffer the same fate.”

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https://www.mediaite.com/online/obama-endorses-alexandria-ocasio-cortez-and-more-in-new-list-of-midterm-picks-for-office/

October 1, 2018

WH Reporter Weijia Jiang Dings Trump in Pregnancy Announcement: 'When a Man Orders You to Sit...

CBS WH Reporter Weijia Jiang Dings Trump in Pregnancy Announcement: ‘When a Man Orders You to Sit Down,’ Don’t

by Joe DePaolo | Oct 1st, 2018, 2:58 pm

CBS White House correspondent Weijia Jiang took a jab at President Donald Trump on Monday — following an incident at last week’s news conference during which the president snapped at Jiang and told her to sit down.

Jiang, on Twitter, announced that she is pregnant with a girl due in January. The reporter noted that her daughter made her television debut at last week’s news conference with Trump, and wrote;



https://twitter.com/weijia/status/1046571214335037440

Jiang, during last week’s news conference, attempted to ask Trump about how the accusations of sexual misconduct against him personally impacted his view of Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. But Trump cut Jiang off and made a long comment about the accusations against him before the reporter completed her query. .

“If I could just actually ask my question, Mr. Trump,” she said. “You didn’t let me ask my question.”

“You’ve been asking a question for ten minutes,” Trump said. “Please sit down.”

https://www.mediaite.com/online/cbs-wh-reporter-weijia-jiang-dings-trump-in-pregnancy-announcement-when-a-man-orders-you-to-sit-down-dont/

October 1, 2018

Fired Contributor Rips Fox News For Hypocrisy, Identifies Hosts Who Had Affairs, Hung With Strippers

Fired Contributor Rips Fox News For Hypocrisy, Identifies Hosts Who Had Affairs and Hung With Strippers

by Aidan McLaughlin | Oct 1st, 2018, 2:02 pm

Kevin Jackson was swiftly fired as a Fox News contributor last week after he unleashed a torrent of tweets that, amongst other nuttery, referred to Brett Kavanaugh‘s accusers as “Lying skanks.”

The pro-Trump radio host spoke out about his firing on Joe Piscopo‘s radio show Monday morning and ripped Fox News for apparent hypocrisy.

-snip-

On Piscopo’s show, Jackson eventually turned his ire towards what he cast as hypocrisy at Fox News.

“Ed Henry was hanging out with strippers while he was married,” Jackson said, before falsely claiming Henry, Fox News’ chief national correspondent, has a show on the network.

Jackson continued: “Jesse Watters, who just recently divorced his wife, or is in the process, and he’s hanging out with some young chick that he did.”

“If that’s what Fox decides they want to have on, congratulations to them,” he said.

Henry took time off from the network in 2016 after tabloids reported on an alleged affair with a Las Vegas stripper. Fox News host Jesse Watters, meanwhile, is currently divorcing his wife after an affair.

Jackson also expanded on his attacks on Kavanaugh’s accusers, calling Christine Blasey Ford a “lying piece of crap.” He implored Piscopo’s listeners to look up the definition of “skank.”

-snip-

more
https://www.mediaite.com/online/fired-contributor-rips-fox-news-for-hypocrisy-identifies-hosts-who-had-affairs-and-hung-with-strippers/

October 1, 2018

Trump Gets Particularly Testy With Female Reporters During Presser

Source: Talking Points Memo


By Nicole Lafond

October 1, 2018 1:20 pm

President Donald Trump was noticeably quick to cut off, interrupt or scold female reporters who asked him questions about his Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh during a press conference Monday in the Rose Garden.

Before ABC’s Cecilia Vega had a chance to raise her question about Kavanaugh, Trump was immediately combative. After calling on Vega to ask a question, he joked that she was not expecting to get called on.

“She’s shocked that I picked her, she’s in a state of shock,” Trump said. Vega waited to be handed the microphone, and either said “I’m not — thank you, Mr. President” or “I’m not thinking, Mr. President” as she stood up and glanced at her notes. Trump clearly thought she said the latter.

“It’s okay, I know you’re not thinking, you never do,” he said.

-snip-

https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1046794032737869824

-snip-

https://twitter.com/TPMLiveWire/status/1046795834195693568

Read more: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/trump-testy-female-reporters

October 1, 2018

LAX airport to allow marijuana in carry-ons

Source: CNN



Lilit Marcus, CNN • Published 1st October 2018

(CNN) — Los Angeles International Airport, better known as LAX, has announced that it will permit travelers to bring small amounts of legal marijuana through security in their carry-on bags. But wait: That doesn't mean you can toke up at the airport.

Pot is legal in several US states, but not on the federal level, so you still need to study up before packing your bags on your way out of LA.

In 2016, California passed Proposition 64, aka the Adult Use of Marijuana Act. The passing of this proposition means that as of of January 1, 2018, it is legal in California "for individuals 21 years of age or older to possess up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana for personal consumption."

LAX is honoring the same regulations in the airport, allowing travelers over the age of 21 to enter the airport and pass through security with the permitted amounts of marijuana.

Read more: https://www.cnn.com/travel/article/lax-los-angeles-airport-marijuana/index.html