Center for Immigration Studies’ Mark Krikorian, legal analyst Joe diGenova, Washington Examiner’s Susan Ferrechio, Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation President Mark Mix, and Washington Examiner’s Byron York joined WMAL on Thursday!

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, June 28, 2018

Hosts: Amber Athey and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C  27% of people who voted Trump in 2016 said SCOTUS was *the* most important factor

• Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announces he is retiring, effective July 31, giving President Trump another SCOTUS pick. Kennedy was nominated by President Reagan and took office in 1988
• With Justice Kennedy retiring, the 2 oldest Supreme Court justices are now both liberal judges: Ruth Bader Ginsburg, 85 and Stephen Breyer, 79 Trump may get to select replacements for both.
• President Trump says process to replace Kennedy on Supreme Court will ‘begin immediately’
• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell: “We will vote to confirm Justice Kennedy’s successor this fall”
• As they approach a new SCOTUS confirmation, Senate Dems will rue the day fmr Senate Dem Ldr opened Pandora’s Box w/the “nuclear option” in Nov ’13, altering precedent for filibusters for nominees except SCOTUS. Lowered bar to break filibusters from 60 to 51.
• McConnell in 2013, reacting to Reid: “You’ll regret this, and you may regret this a lot sooner than you think.”
• Sen. Ted Cruz: If Trump Needs A Nominee, Mike Lee Would Make A Great Supreme Court Justice
• Sen. Chuck Schumer: “Our Republican colleagues in the Senate should follow the rule they set in 2016: Not to consider a Supreme Court justice in an election year.”
• Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin has called on the Senate to wait to consider Trump’s nominee to replace Justice Kennedy until the new Congress is seated in January. He cited precedent set by GOP Sen. Mitch McConnell’s refusal to hold a vote on Merrick Garland.

5am – D House rejects second GOP immigration bill (The Hill) – The House rejected a Republican compromise bill on immigration Wednesday in a worse-than-expected 121-300 vote, effectively ending a months-long GOP drama that had put the conference’s internal politics on display.  The measure won far fewer GOP votes than a more hard-line measure rejected last week in a 193-231 vote.  Only 121 Republicans backed it, compared to 193 for the earlier measure. Two Republicans did not cast votes on Wednesday, while 112 Republicans voted against it.  Votes on the bill were twice postponed to give Republicans more time to win support for the measure, which was opposed by Democrats.

5am – E Fallout from NY Primary / Dems In Trouble:

• PELOSI DRESSES DOWN REPORTER AFTER ASKING ABOUT YOUNGER POLS WINNING: DON’T GET ‘CARRIED AWAY AS AN EXPERT ON DEMOGRAPHICS’
• Trump in Fargo calls Rep. Joe Crowley a ‘slovenly man’ who ‘got his ass kicked’
• Obama expected to hit the campaign trail for Democrats with help from Pelosi and Schumer (CNBC) — Former President Barack Obama has been laying low when it comes to taking on President Donald Trump and the Republican Party. That’s not going to last much longer. The most high-profile member of the Democratic Party will be hitting the campaign trail for House, Senate and gubernatorial candidates running in the midterm elections while getting guidance from House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-CA, and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-NY, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The timeline is fluid but the former president is expected to start making an impact in September, according to two sources familiar with his team’s plan. One source close to Obama said his team has not decided when the former president will start campaigning or which districts he will focus on.
• Bernie Sanders: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s win signals liberal values “will resonate” in November

6am – A/B/C Media Meltdown Over SCOTUS Retirement:

• Chris Matthews On Scotus Vacancy: ‘This Is Matthews Yells At MSNBC Host Steve Kornacki. Matthews is so worked up over this he started yelling at an MSNBC host who was only trying to ask him what “tool” or mechanism Democrats could use to prevent a confirmation vote. When pressed, Matthews snapped “I’m not a parliamentarian.”
• MSNBC’s Chris Matthews Predicts ‘Spanish Civil War Stuff’ With SCOTUS Seat Fight
• MSNBC’s NICOLLE WALLACE says this is regression on abortion rights!
• Mitch McConnell to Democrats in 2013 on going to a simple majority: “You’ll regret this, and you may regret this a lot sooner than you think.”
• Sen. Chuck Schumer: “Our Republican colleagues in the Senate should follow the rule they set in 2016: Not to consider a Supreme Court justice in an election year.”
• New York Daily News cover says ‘we are f—ed’ after Kennedy retires (The Hill) – The New York Daily News’ previewed its Thursday print cover reading “We are f—ed” following Justice Anthony Kennedy’s announced retirement from the Supreme Court. “Justice Anthony Kennedy has announced his retirement, giving President Trump the chance to appoint a second judge,” the newspaper tweeted with an image of its cover, which includes Trump holding a gavel. “An early look at Thursday’s front…”

6am – D      INTERVIEW — MARK KRIKORIAN – a nationally recognized expert on immigration issues, is Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS) @MarkSKrikorian — discussed the immigration vote failed in Congress on Wednesday. What’s next and its impact on midterms.

• House rejects second Republican immigration bill... (The Hill) — The House rejected a Republican compromise bill on immigration Wednesday in a worse-than-expected 121-300 vote, effectively ending a months-long GOP drama that had put the conference’s internal politics on display. The measure won far fewer GOP votes than a more hard-line measure rejected last week in a 193-231 vote . Only 121 Republicans backed it, compared to 193 for the earlier measure. Two Republicans did not cast votes on Wednesday, while 112 Republicans voted against it.
• House Rejects Goodlatte-Ryan-Denham Amnesty Bill. (Numbers USA) — The House of Representatives firmly rejected H.R. 6136, the Goodlatte-Ryan-Denham Amnesty bill, today by a vote of 121-to-301. The bill received 72 fewer votes than H.R. 4760, the Securing America’s Future Act, which fell just 20 votes short of passage last week. H.R. 6136 would have given permanent amnesty to at least 1.8 million illegal aliens with only promises of future enforcement. While the legislation did appropriate nearly $25 billion for border security, the funding could have been rescinded by a future Congress or President. In the event that the funding was rescinded, illegal aliens would still keep their legal status, they would just lose their special path to citizenship. The bill also failed to fully satisfy Pres. Trump’s 4 immigration pillars by only ending some chain migration categories. The legislation would have left the parents category — the largest of the family chain categories — still in place. By leaving the category in place, illegal aliens who received the amnesty would be able to reward their parents with green cards once they became citizens. Key negotiators for the bill had filed an amendment earlier in the week that would have added mandatory E-Verify to the legislation. It would have also made significant reforms to the Ag guestworker program and expanded the H-2B low-skilled guestworker program. But House Leaders decided against holding a vote on the amendment.

6am – E Melania Trump’s Zara jacket is selling for insane prices on secondhand sites (Washington Post) – Melania Trump made a surprise visit last week to a shelter for migrant children, but a not-so-hidden message is what really made headlines.  The first lady caught flak for the ensemble she opted to wear to and from Texas: an olive green anorak from retailer Zara with the words “I really don’t care, do u?” printed on the back in graffiti-style writing.  Those who were lucky enough to own the jacket seen round the world before the incident are now able to cash it in for a pretty penny. The coat, which has since sold out, originally retailed for approximately $39, but is currently fetching exponentially higher prices on secondhand sites.

6am – F  STRZOK ON CAPITOL HILL: ‘Intimate’ chats: FBI’s anti-Trump texter makes case to Congress (Politico) – Peter Strzok, the FBI agent whose anti-Trump texts have spawned months of conspiracy theories about deep state plots to take down the president, sparred with lawmakers Wednesday during a “feisty” daylong interview in his first Capitol Hill appearance.  Over nearly 10 hours, Strzok defended his texts as “intimate” conversations with an “intimate friend,” according to those in the room. But after multiple rounds of questioning, no one appeared to have budged. Republicans left the room raging, while Democrats left wondering what all the fuss was about.  “Mad and angry,” said Rep. Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.), describing his emotions leaving the meeting.  “Monumental waste of time,” countered Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).

7am – A INTERVIEW – Joe diGenova – legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia – discussed Justice Kennedy’s retirement and the upcoming Supreme Court nomination battle  

7am – B/C INTERVIEW – Susan Ferrechio – chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner – discussed the latest congressional news:

• Strzok was on Capitol Hill in closed door meeting yesterday
• Wray/Rosenstein to testify today on the Hill
• Look ahead to Supreme Court nomination battle in Congress

7am – D/E INTERVIEW – Tom Fitton – President of Judicial Watch – discussed the Strzok testimony, Wray/Rosenstein to testify today on the Hill and Justice Kennedy’s retirement

8am – A INTERVIEW – Mark Mix – President of the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation – discussed yesterday’s Supreme Court decision in favor of non-union workers. The Supreme Court dealt a major blow to public sector unions on Wednesday in a case that could shake their financial structure and undermine their future stability. The justices struck down an Illinois law that required non-union workers to pay fees that go to collective bargaining and overturned a 1977 law that required employees to pay so-called “fair share” fees. The ruling was 5-4 along familiar ideological lines, with conservative Justice Samuel Alito writing for the majority in a case that highlights how the blocking of President Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nominee has dramatically changed the legal and political landscape.

8am – B/C INTERVIEW – Byron York – chief political correspondent for the Washington Examiner – discussed the politics of the upcoming Supreme Court nomination battle       

8am – D/E TRUMP RALLY HIGHLIGHTS:

• Trump visits Fargo to boost Rep. Kevin Cramer’s Senate campaign
• Trump in Fargo dubs Heidi Heitkamp a ‘liberal Democrat,’ urges her defeat. FARGO, N.D. — President Donald Trump urged voters on Wednesday to fire “liberal Democrat” Sen. Heidi Heitkamp in November, claiming that she promised to be an independent mind but instead has voted in lockstep with her party leadership and against his agenda. Trump called instead for the election of Republican U.S. Rep. Kevin Cramer, one of his staunchest allies in Congress.
• National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar @HotlineJosh:Timing of Kennedy’s vacancy also ideal for Trump. Will be lots of pressure back home for Manchin + Heitkamp (if not other red-state Ds) to back Trump on SCOTUS. No-win situation for them.