University of MD professor Dr. Jason Nichols, White House’s Theo Wold, Corey Lewandowski, MoCo Fire & Rescue’s Pete Piringer and Fox’s Bret Baier joined WMAL on Friday!

Mornings on the Mall

Friday, May 17, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C College Board to Include ‘Adversity Score’ on SAT Exams to Calculate Students’ Background. “We can’t sit on our hands and ignore the disparities of wealth reflected in the SAT,” said College Board chief executive David Coleman. (People) –  For some students, the SAT exam is getting a slight change to reflect not only students’ educational accomplishments, but also the adversity they have faced outside of school. According to a report from the Wall Street Journal, the College Board — the New York nonprofit that oversees the SAT exam, a test that plays a crucial role in college applications — will be including an “adversity score” in the exam this fall. Reflecting students’ family income, educational differences and social backgrounds, the score will be calculated using 15 components, including the poverty levels and crime rate of the students’ high school and neighborhood, CNN reported. After completing a beta test that saw 50 colleges participate last year, the Board will now roll out the program to a total of 150 schools this fall. While colleges will be able to see the score and take it into account when reviewing applications, students won’t be able to review it. The addition to the exam comes amid the highly publicized college cheating scandal, which has seen high-profile parents accused of fraud after trying to get their children into prominent schools through various means, including expensive bribes and cheating on the SAT. According to the Journal, the Board has long been concerned about income inequality affecting the SAT results of black and Hispanic students, who often score lower than their white and Asian counterparts. Students whose parents are wealthy and college-educated frequently scored better than teenagers whose parents are not. The adversity score may help give many deserving students a chance to attend the college of their dreams, despite not getting a high score on the SAT. “There are a number of amazing students who may have scored less (on the SAT) but have accomplished more,” College Board chief executive David Coleman told the Journal, according to CNN. “We can’t sit on our hands and ignore the disparities of wealth reflected in the SAT.”

5am – D         STEELE IDENTIFIED RUSSIAN DOSSIER SOURCES, NOTES REVEAL. (Chuck Ross | Daily Caller) – Christopher Steele told a State Department official a former Russian spy chief and a top Kremlin adviser were involved in an operation to collect compromising information on Donald Trump. The State Department official’s notes also indicate Steele claimed the Russians, Vyacheslav Trubnikov and Vladislav Surkov, were “sources” for the dossier. There is no evidence the compromising material mentioned in the dossier actually exists, raising questions about whether Steele was given disinformation. Trubnikov, the former head of the SVR, also has links to Stefan Halper, an FBI informant who had contact with the Trump campaign. Dossier author Christopher Steele identified a former Russian spy chief and a top adviser to Russian President Vladimir Putin as being involved in handling potentially compromising information about President Donald Trump, State Department notes show. In her notes, State Department official Kathleen Kavalec also referred to the two Russians — former Russian foreign intelligence chief Vyacheslav Trubnikov and Putin aide Vladislav Surkov — as “sources.” The references to Trubnikov and Surkov, which have not previously been reported, are not definitive proof that either were sources for Steele’s dossier or that they were involved in an effort to collect blackmail material on Trump. But the notes are significant because they are the first government documents that show Steele discussing potential sources for the information in his dossier, which the former MI6 officer provided to the FBI. Trubnikov also has links to Stefan Halper, an FBI informant who collected information from Trump campaign aides George Papadopoulos and Carter Page. Halper arranged for Trubnikov to visit intelligence seminars at the University of Cambridge in 2012 and 2015. He also tapped Trubnikov to contribute to a Pentagon study published in 2015. Kavalec took the notes during an Oct. 11, 2016, meeting with Steele at State Department headquarters. The documents, which were released earlier in May by Citizens United and first reported on by The Hill, show Steele laid out many of the same allegations about Trump and his advisers that are found in the infamous dossier. The notes contain several inaccuracies, including that Russia was running operations out of its consulate in Miami. As Kavalec pointed out, Russia does not have a consulate in Miami.

Nellie Ohr deleted emails sent from husband’s DOJ account. Nellie Ohr, the wife of Justice Department official Bruce Ohr, told her husband she was deleting emails sent from his government account. The revelation comes as both Ohrs remain under intense scrutiny for their ties to Fusion GPS and British ex-spy Christopher Steele, the author of the anti-Trump dossier that was used to obtain warrants to wiretap a member of President Trump’s 2016 campaign. Conservative watchdog group Judicial Watch obtained a series of April 2016 emails from a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit against the Justice Department that show a correspondence between the Ohrs, an aide to Bruce Ohr named Lisa Holtyn, and Stefan Bress, a first secretary at the German Embassy. They discussed setting up a dinner for the German delegation as well as a meeting to discuss Russian organized crime. Included in a proposed agenda is the “Impact of Russian influence operations in Europe (‘PsyOps/InfoWar’).” On April 20, responding to the email thread with the subject line, “Analyst Russian Organized Crime – April 2016,” came the email from Nellie Ohr about deleting the emails. “Thanks! I’m deleting these emails now,” she said. Bruce Ohr was an associate deputy attorney general and director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force while his wife Nellie was an independent contractor and Russia specialist. Emails previously released by Judicial Watch show Bruce Ohr acting as an unofficial back channel between the FBI and Steele. He was demoted when it was revealed he met with Steele and Glenn Simpson, the co-founder of the opposition research firm Fusion GPS, which commissioned Steele’s work. Ohr also told lawmakers his wife shared a thumb drive with him to hand over to the FBI.

5am – E         FBI Officials Who Worked On Clinton Email Case Never Suspected Strzok-Page Affair Under Their Noses. (Luke Rosiak | Daily Caller) — Two FBI officials who worked in counterintelligence and described themselves as friends with either Peter Strzok or Lisa Page said they did not pick up that their colleagues were having an extramarital affair, according to transcripts of testimony obtained by The Daily Caller News Foundation. These friends both worked on the FBI’s investigation into Hillary Clinton’s email server. A former undercover federal agent said such seeming obliviousness reflects poorly on the work on that Clinton case and also that Strzok might have weaponized his FBI training in the art of deception for nefarious purposes. Two FBI officials who worked closely with Peter Strzok and Lisa Page had no idea about the pair’s extramarital affair, they testified to a congressional committee, even though they work for an investigative agency and considered themselves friends. The two who did not pick up on any signs of an affair played key roles in the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s private server use, which did not result in any criminal charges after FBI head James Comey drafted an exoneration speech before the investigation had concluded. FBI personnel are trained to look for activity that could lead to an agent being blackmailed, which could include an extramarital affair. A former undercover federal agent, Wayne Black, told The Daily Caller News Foundation the officials’ blindness to the affair says something about the Clinton probe, in which important leads were allegedly not followed.

6am – A/B/C Trump unveils immigration overhaul plan. President Trump on Thursday unveiled a long-awaited immigration overhaul that would dramatically alter how the U.S. accepts people into the country, upending the system in order to favor admissions based on merit rather than family ties. The proposal would judge immigrants with a points-based system that would favor high-skilled workers — accounting for age, English proficiency, education and whether the applicant has a well-paying job offer.

6am – D         DC-area commuters can take part in Bike to Work Day on Friday. Drivers might see more cyclists than usual on the road on Friday. The weather appears to be cooperating for the D.C. area’s Bike to Work Day 2019. Unlike last year’s rain, Friday temperatures are expected to be mild in the morning under 70 degrees and a bit toasty for the ride home about 80 degrees. “We’re looking for 19,000 to 20,000 participants for Bike To Work Day,” said Nicholas Ramfos, director of Commuter Connections. Sprinkled throughout the region, there will be 115 pit stops — 15 more than last year — where cyclists will find giveaways, raffles, water, snacks and entertainment. T-shirts will be available at pit stops for the first 20,000 people who register.

6am – E         STACEY ABRAMS 2020?

• Stacey Abrams hints she could still enter 2020 race. Abrams could jump into the 2020 electoral race as late as the fall of 2019, the Georgia Democrat said on Thursday. “I do believe I can enter the conversation as late as the fall and still have a real chance to win,” Abrams told MSNBC, acknowledging she might miss key parts of the campaign season.
• Abrams settles tax debt with IRS ahead of possible presidential run. (The Hill) — Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams (D) has reportedly settled her tax debt with the Internal Revenue Service as she eyes a possible bid for the presidency. A spokesperson for Abrams told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution Thursday that Abrams settled the approximately $54,000 she owed the federal agency as well as separate credit card and student loan debt. “Leader Abrams has been able to resolve her debt,” the spokesperson, Seth Bringman, said, “She will continue to speak openly about the challenges she faced — challenges that are all too common for Americans and their families.” Abrams had reported the debt during her campaign last year against then Georgia gubernatorial candidate, Brian Kemp (R). She revealed her debt to the IRS, in addition to roughly $170,000 in credit card and student loan debt, in financial documents in March. Abrams said she deferred tax payments in 2015 and 2016 to help pay for her family’s medical bills, noting she was on a payment plan to resolve what she owed.

6am – F         I-66 Express Lanes toll spikes to $46 for Tuesday morning commute. WASHINGTON (FOX 5 DC) – How much does it cost to get to D.C. from I-66?  On Tuesday, a commuter posted a photo on Twitter showing the toll road nearly reaching $50! The amount has hit the wallets hard for solo drivers traveling the nine-mile stretch between Interstate 495 and Route 29 in Rosslyn. Those who carpool are able to use the Express Lanes for free. Single drivers have to pay the toll Monday through Friday from 5:30 to 9:30 a.m. in the eastbound direction, and from 3 to 7 p.m. in the westbound direction. In the past, the Virginia Department of Transported has said the toll prices go up and down based on how many people are using the I-66 Express Lanes, and it has kept traffic down and moving by cutting travel time by several minutes. Most recently, the D.C. Council proposed spending nearly $500,000 to study the idea of charging tolls and a congestion fee to drive in certain parts of the District.  Maryland’s plan to expand I-270 and the Beltway has growing public support. Governor Larry Hogan plans to add express lanes with adjustable tolls to the Beltway and I-270, while keeping the existing lanes free.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – DR. JASON NICHOLS – professor in the African American Studies Department at the University of Maryland College Park

• SAT to Give Students ‘Adversity Score’ to Capture Social and Economic Background. The College Board plans to assign an adversity score to every student who takes the SAT to try to capture their social and economic background, jumping into the debate raging over race and class in college admissions.

7am – B/C     DE BLASIO’S ANNOUNCEMENT WAS A DISASTER:

• CNN: NYkers don’t want him to run…
• MSNBC: he’s not what you would call popular… NYkers weigh in and are brutal
• Whoopi mocks Bill de Blasio’s 2020 announcement on ‘The View:’ ‘What are you doing?’
• Tucker Carlson reminds us about De Blasio killing a ground hog

7am – D         INTERVIEW – THEO WOLD – Special Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy at the White House

• Trump unveils immigration overhaul plan. President Trump on Thursday unveiled a long-awaited immigration overhaul that would dramatically alter how the U.S. accepts people into the country, upending the system in order to favor admissions based on merit rather than family ties. The proposal would judge immigrants with a points-based system that would favor high-skilled workers — accounting for age, English proficiency, education and whether the applicant has a well-paying job offer.

7am – E         It’s ‘GoT’ finale weekend: The series finale of “Game of Thrones” will air on HBO this Sunday and “GoT” fans – enamored and disgruntled alike – will likely give the cable channel blockbuster, perhaps record-setting, ratings. Besides the fates of Jon Snow, Daenerys, Arya and the Iron Throne, there are other questions that will need to be answered: Will more Starbucks cups or other “GoT” editing blunders be noticed by eagle-eyed fans? Will any more NFL quarterbacks make cameo appearances? Will even more viewers join the 350,000-plus disgruntled faithful who have signed a petition demanding that HBO remake the final season “with competent writers”? Stay tuned.

• An estimated 10.7 million Americans could miss work the Monday after the ‘Game of Thrones’ finale.  Some 27.2 million workers will be late and distracted, costing $3.3 billion in lost productivity, management firm survey predicts.  An estimated 10.7 million Americans will skip work the morning after the feature-length series finale of the HBO juggernaut airs on Sunday night, according to The Workforce Institute at Kronos, either by calling in sick, taking a last-minute personal or vacation day, or making some other arrangement. That’s almost as high as the estimated 17 million people who were sidelined the Monday after the NFL’s Patriots beat the Rams in Super Bowl LIII in February.
• Over 650,000 Game of Thrones fans sign petition to remake Season 8

8am – A         INTERVIEW – COREY LEWANDOWSKI – former campaign manager of Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and co-author of his latest book “Trump’s Enemies: How the Deep State Is Undermining the Presidency”

• New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and his wife will hit the campaign trail in Iowa today, one day after officially announcing that he was joining the crowded field of Democratic presidential candidates. As he gets a late start, de Blasio said he would differentiate himself from the others by highlighting the progressive policies enacted in New York under his leadership. He’s also referring to President Trump as “Con Don.”

8am – B         INTERVIEW – PETE PIRINGER  – Montgomery County (MD) Fire & Rescue Service @mcfrsPIO – discussed the traffic problems at I-495 Beltway prior to River Road coming from American Legion Bridge btwn MacArthur Blvd & River Rd Exit 39, collision & vehicle fire.

8am – C         Burger King To Deliver Whoppers To LA Drivers Stuck In Traffic. LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) — After a successful test in Mexico City, fast-food chain Burger King will begin delivering food to drivers caught in traffic in Los Angeles in what they have dubbed The Traffic Jam Whopper. According to several reports, the direct-to-car delivery service will use motorcyclists to delivery food to those stuck in traffic jams using real-time data to pinpoint Burger King fans on the road. Drivers are welcome to order from a Burger King app when they are within a delivery zone, roughly a 1.9-mile radius from the closest Burger King restaurant. In efforts to ensure safety and avoid tickets, the app used to make orders will function using voice commands. Orders in the test were limited to a Whopper combo meal, including fries and choice of bottled Pepsi or water.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – BRET BAIER – Anchor for Special Report, Fox News Channel – discussed Mayor Pete’s town hall on Fox this Sunday, more Dems entering the 2020 field, Trump’s immigration plan and the trade war with China.

8am – E         BARR WEIGHS IN:

• Barr Says Review of Origins of Russia Probe Could Lead to Rule Changes. ‘Government power was used to spy on American citizens,’ Barr says. (WSJ) SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador—Attorney General William Barr said his review of the origins of the Russia investigation is focused on U.S. intelligence gathering before the Federal Bureau of Investigation opened its formal inquiry in July 2016 and could lead to rule changes for counterintelligence investigations of political campaigns. “Government power was used to spy on American citizens,” Mr. Barr told The Wall Street Journal, in his first interview since taking office in February. “I can’t imagine any world where we wouldn’t take a look and make sure that was done properly.” He added: “Just like we need to ensure that foreign actors don’t influence the outcome of our elections, we need to ensure that the government doesn’t use its powers to put a thumb on the scale.” Mr. Barr’s first few months on the job have been dominated by controversy surrounding his handling of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report and its aftermath, including his vocal defense of President Trump, whose actions he determined didn’t constitute a crime. Mr. Barr began his own investigation into the early stages of the Russia probe, a move Democrats and some former law-enforcement officials said was a politically motivated attempt to appease Mr. Trump and his Republican allies. Mr. Barr denied that criticism. In his Wednesday interview, he declined to elaborate or offer any details on what prompted his concerns about the genesis of the Russia probe.
• AG Bill Barr tells Fox News public must know if officials ‘put their thumb on the scale’ in Russia probe. (Fox News) — In an exclusive interview with Fox News, Attorney General William Barr explained that he is trying to get to the bottom of whether or not “government officials abused their power and put their thumb on the scale” during the early stages of the Russia probe. “I’ve been trying to get answers to the questions and I’ve found that a lot of the answers have been inadequate and some of the explanations I’ve gotten don’t hang together, in a sense I have more questions today than when I first started,” Barr told Fox News’ Bill Hemmer in an interview set to air Friday on “America’s Newsroom.” “What doesn’t hang together?” Hemmer asked. “Some of the explanations of what occurred,” Barr said. Why does that matter?” asked Hemmer. “People have to find out what the government was doing during that period. If we’re worried about foreign influence, for the very same reason we should be worried about whether government officials abuse their power and put their thumb on the scale,” Barr responded.