December 30, 2018

Lindsey Graham snaps 'bullsh*t' at CNN's Dana Bash when asked to defend Trump's Syria pull-out

December 30, 2018

Trump pats self on back for paying Coast Guard after he shut down the government -- then blames Dems

Source: RawStory



Trump pats self on back for paying Coast Guard after he shut down the government — then blames Democrats again

TOM BOGGIONI
30 DEC 2018 AT 12:14 ET

-snip-

On Twitter, Trump wrote: “Great work by my Administration over the holidays to save Coast Guard pay during this #SchumerShutdown. No thanks to the Democrats who left town and are not concerned about the safety and security of Americans!’

You can see the tweet below:

https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1079420891807793152

###

Read more: https://www.rawstory.com/2018/12/trump-pats-self-back-paying-coast-guard-shut-government-blames-democrats/

December 30, 2018

Howard Dean: Trump staff 'terrified' because 'mentally incapacitated' president...

Trump staff ‘terrified’ because ‘mentally incapacitated’ president thinks he’s winning wall fight: Howard Dean

December 30, 2018

Justice Thomas's wife under scrutiny for partisan posts

BY BRETT SAMUELS - 12/30/18 02:34 PM EST

Ginni Thomas, the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, has generated controversy with her use of of social media to spread far-right rhetoric.

CNN and The Washington Post published separate reports in recent days highlighting Thomas's use of social media. She has in recent months shared posts on Facebook alleging Democrats committed voter fraud, claiming survivors of a mass shooting at a Parkland, Fla., high school are a threat to the country, and that Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) was the subject of false allegations because he "threatens the elite."

Thomas previously founded Liberty Central, a nonprofit conservative advocacy group.

The Post reported that Thomas' spread of baseless claims and conservative commentary has generated criticism from some who worry she's is further politicizing the Supreme Court.

Deborah L. Rhode, a law professor and scholar of legal ethics at Stanford University, told the news outlet that "members of the Supreme Court and their families need to think about ways that their public conduct can affect popular trust."

more
https://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/423254-justice-thomass-wife-under-scrutiny-for-partisan-posts

December 30, 2018

5 revelations from John Kelly's Los Angeles Times exit interview

BY MICHAEL BURKE - 12/30/18 03:03 PM EST

Outgoing White House chief of staff John Kelly made a number of noteworthy allegations during a rare, exclusive interview with the Los Angeles Times that was published Sunday.

-snip-

Trump has moved away from demand for 'concrete wall'

-snip-

White House 'surprised' by Sessions' zero tolerance policy on immigration

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions' decision to impose a "zero tolerance" immigration policy at the border that resulted in children being separated from their parents came as a surprise to the White House, Kelly said.

-snip-

Trump chafed at legal restrictions on power

Trump never asked Kelly to do anything illegal, Kelly told the Times. He said Trump never did so because "we wouldn't have" followed the order.

Kelly added that he would have resigned if Trump said, "Do it, or you're fired."

Kelly said Trump did, however, often express frustration about the limits afforded by the law and frequently asked Kelly, "Why can't we do it this way?"

-snip-

Trump surprised Kelly with travel ban order

Kelly said he was also surprised by Trump's executive order preventing refugees and travelers from predominantly Muslim countries from entering the U.S.

-snip-

Kelly says being Trump’s chief of staff is 'bone-crushing hard job'

Kelly acknowledged to the Times that serving as White House chief of staff has been particularly difficult, saying that it has been a “bone-crushing hard job, but you do it.”

-snip-

full article
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/423256-5-revelations-from-john-kellys-los-angeles-times-exit-interview

December 30, 2018

Trump administration border chief says US needs 'to invest in Central America,' ...

Source: ABC News



Trump administration border chief says US needs 'to invest in Central America,' at odds with president's tweet saying aid to countries will be cut off

By KRIS SCHNEIDER and QUINN SCANLAN Dec 30, 2018, 9:35 AM ET

Speaking about the migration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border, the Trump administration’s border chief said Sunday that the United States needs to “invest in Central America,” which was at odds with a tweet from the president saying he would cut off aid to those countries.

“I think this is a multi-faceted problem that requires a multi-faceted solution,” Kevin McAleenan, the commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), told “This Week” co-anchor Martha Raddatz on the crisis at the southern border.

“We ... need to invest in Central America,” he said. “The State Department's announcement of an unprecedented increase in aid, I think is a tremendous step forward. Our green shoots of progress, both on security and the economic front in Central America, we need to foster that and help improve the opportunities to stay at home.”

https://twitter.com/ThisWeekABC/status/1079379777230782464


Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/trump-administration-border-chief-us-invest-central-america/story?id=60066888

December 30, 2018

Conway knocks Pelosi over Hawaii trip: 'Less hula, more moola' for DHS

https://twitter.com/FoxNewsSunday/status/1079389793212076033

December 30, 2018

Retired Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal: President Donald Trump immoral, doesn't tell the truth

By ROEY HADAR Dec 30, 2018, 9:20 AM ET

The former top commander of U.S. and international forces in Afghanistan, retired four-star Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal, criticized President Donald Trump's behavior and handling of the presidency, saying the commander-in-chief is dishonest and immoral.

“I don’t think he tells the truth,” McChrystal said in an exclusive interview on “This Week” when asked by Co-Anchor Martha Raddatz if he believes the president is a liar.

“Is Trump immoral, in your view?” Raddatz asked.

“I think he is,” he said.

McChrystal said he couldn't tell any of Trump's supporters "that they are wrong," but added, "What I would ask every American to do is ... stand in front of that mirror and say, 'What are we about? Am I really willing to throw away or ignore some of the things that people do that are -- are pretty unacceptable normally just because they accomplish certain other things that we might like?'

more
https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/retired-army-gen-stanley-mcchrystal-president-donald-trump/story?id=60065642

December 30, 2018

Conway deflects questions about Trump's response on migrant deaths

By DAVID COHEN 12/30/2018 09:34 AM EST

White House counselor Kellyanne Conway on Sunday deflected questions about President Donald Trump’s statements about children who died in the custody of border patrol, instead defending his efforts to resolve immigration issues and the government shutdown.

Speaking to host Dana Bash on CNN’s “State of the Union,” Conway called the deaths “tragic“ but said, “I don’t like some of these Democrats using these deaths as political pawns.”

“The president’s point is an important one,” she said when asked about Trump’s tweet Saturday that stated, ““Any deaths of children or others at the Border are strictly the fault of the Democrats and their pathetic immigration policies that allow people to make the long trek thinking they can enter our country illegally.”

In a contentious discussion with Bash, Conway kept asking “Where are they?“ about Democratic leadership. Congress remains adjourned as a partial government shutdown that began last weekend continues with no end in sight.

“We haven’t heard from them. It’s complete crickets,” Conway said of the Democrats.

She added: “Let’s have a bipartisan solution.”

more
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/30/government-shutdown-conway-kellyanne-border-1076880

December 30, 2018

Graham sees potential for deal to end shutdown

Source: Politico



By DAVID COHEN 12/30/2018 09:32 AM EST

Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said Sunday on CNN a compromise on border security that “might save the day in the Senate” was possible in the Senate.

“At the end of the day, there’s a deal to be had,” he said to “State of the Union” host Dana Bush, adding, “We need to start talking again.“

Graham described the outlines of a potential deal that would exchange funding for a border wall, as sought by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans, in exchange for protections for those known as Dreamers, those undocumented immigrants who have grown up in the U.S. after being brought here as young children. Those protections have been sought by Democrats on the Hill.

The battle over funding for a border wall, which the House approved but the Senate did not, has led to a partial government shutdown over the Christmas holidays, with no end in sight.

Read more: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/12/30/graham-government-shutdown-1076882