Daily Caller White House correspondent Saagar Enjeti, Maryland political analyst Todd Eberly, Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, and Washington Post sports reporter Matt Bonesteel joined WMAL on Thursday!

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, June 14, 2018

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

5am – A/B/C GOP A CULT?

• Sen. Bob Corker says the GOP is becoming ‘cult-like’ in its support of President Trump
• Graham jokes about Corker: GOP would have to be organized to be a cult. GOP Sen. Lindsey Graham (S.C.) said Wednesday that Republicans aren’t “cult-like” in their devotion to President Trump, as his colleague Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) charged, because “you got to be organized” to be a cult.
• Senator Lankford rejects Corker’s ‘cult’ comments about Trump and the GOP. “I would disagree with that. There are areas that you can agree or disagree with any person,” Lankford told Wolf Blitzer on CNN’s “The Situation Room” on Wednesday evening. “There are areas I agree with President Trump; there are a lot of areas I disagree. And that’s fine. We should be able to have that ongoing dialogue. Where we agree, we should be able to work together. But I don’t see it as a cult-like focus. I definitely wouldn’t use that term.”
• Ousted Trump-bashing Rep. Mark Sanford acknowledges his political career is likely over
• Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump: My political representatives didn’t want me to get involved in the Mark Sanford primary thinking that Sanford would easily win – but with a few hours left I felt that Katie was such a good candidate, and Sanford was so bad, I had to give it a shot. Congrats to Katie Arrington! 5:37 AM – Jun 13, 2018

5am – D PRUITT NEWS:

• EPA chief Scott Pruitt tapped aide, donors to help wife land job at conservative group
• National Review Says Time for Pruitt to Go: ‘This is No Way for Any Public Official to Treat Taxpayers’
• BREAKING: Republican Senator Inofe says EPA’s Pruitt may need to leave his post. Inhofe represents Oklahoma, where Pruitt was state attorney general.
• Sen. Inhofe criticizes Scott Pruitt, wants face-to-face meeting with embattled EPA chief
• There are new calls for EPA chief Scott Pruitt to resign – but from the right: James Inhofe, National Review and Laura Ingraham

5am – E Former Senate staffer pleads not guilty to lying to FBI in leak case (Washington Examiner) – A former Senate Intelligence Committee staffer on Wednesday pleaded not guilty to charges of lying to the FBI about his contacts with reporters.  James Wolfe, 58, was arrested last week at his Maryland home and appeared at FBI headquarters Monday for booking. He was arraigned Wednesday in federal court in Washington before U.S. Magistrate Deborah A. Robinson.  The longtime director of security for the Senate committee who retired in December was indicted on three counts of making false statements in December about contacts with reporters.  If he is found guilty, he could face up to 15 years in federal prison.  Court papers unsealed last week show that federal investigators are focusing on Wolfe as the source of an April 2017 article written by New York Times correspondent and former BuzzFeed News reporter Ali Watkins. Wolfe dated Watkins for three years, but he told the Times that he did not pass classified information to her.

6am – A/B DOJ NEWS:

• IG report could be day of reckoning  – THE INSPECTOR GENERAL’S REPORT, AT LAST: A slew of FBI and DOJ officials could face a reckoning when Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz on Thursday releases a long-awaited report detailing his review of the Hillary Clinton investigation during the 2016 presidential race
• Trump to receive briefing on inspector general’s Clinton email report before it goes public. Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein is expected to brief President Trump on Thursday about the inspector general report on law enforcement’s handling of the Hillary Clinton email probe before it is released to the public, people familiar with the matter said.
• Sessions defends firing Comey, warns DOJ report could prompt more terminations. In an exclusive interview with The Hill’s new TV show “Rising,” set to air Thursday morning, Sessions defended the decision to fire ex-Director James Comey, who he said “made a big mistake” that belied a “serious breach of discipline.”  Sessions also made clear that he is open to firing more employees if the Justice Department inspector general’s soon-to-be-released report warrants it.
• McCarthy: Rod Rosenstein’s Subpoena Threat: He’s Conflicted, and He’s Acting Like It
• MEADOWS: It is completely inappropriate for Rod Rosenstein to threaten staffers from a committee in this way–this report is unbelievable. He needs to be held accountable. I stand with our committee staff, and I hope our leadership will too.
• Meadows, Jordan unveil resolution asking for documents in FBI-DOJ probe
• PERGRAM: While Meadows/Jordan resolution about DoJ wields no “force” & acks the ability to “compel” DoJ to do anything, it does get members on the record about the issue. Ccould be a precursor for future resolutions or other actions against DoJ.
• Daily Caller: Rod Rosenstein To Ask House Intel Committee To Investigate Republican Staffers. Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein will recommend that the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence open an internal investigation of its Republican staffers following a damning new report from Fox News, a Department of Justice official said Tuesday. “[Rosenstein] will request that the House General counsel conduct an internal investigation of these Congressional staffers’ conduct,” the official told Fox News.

6am – C CBS NEWS: Sarah Sanders, Raj Shah planning to depart the White House

• SAAGAR: Sources I spoke to re: @CBS story tonight all told me a variation of this. That nothing is coming soon. The usual “anything could happen” was caveated in all cases

• White House press secretary Sarah Sanders pushes back on a report that she plans to leave the Trump administration. ‘I LOVE MY JOB’: White House press secretary Sarah Sanders hit back Wednesday night against a report that she was considering leaving her role, saying she “loves” her job and is “honored” to work with President Trump.
• SANDERS: Does @CBSNews know something I don’t about my plans and my future? I was at my daughter’s year-end Kindergarten event and they ran a story about my “plans to leave the WH” without even talking to me. I love my job and am honored to work for @POTUS

6am – D NORTH KOREA NEWS:

• Trump declares North Korea ‘no longer a nuclear threat’  In a series of tweets, Trump sought to take political credit for the summit but risked undermining the US strategy in the region. “Just landed – a long trip, but everybody can now feel much safer than the day I took office,” Trump tweeted as he arrived back in Washington. “There is no longer a Nuclear Threat from North Korea.”
• Mike Pompeo: No sanctions relief for North Korea until complete denuclearization
• James Clapper Praises Trump For North_Korea Meeting
• Kellyanne Conway swipes at Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize award, says Trump will “earn” one
• Two Norwegian lawmakers representing the populist party in the country’s legislature have nominated President Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize after his summit with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

6am – E World Cup Begins Today in Russia:

• The 2018 FIFA World Cup begins Thursday as host Russia squares off against Saudi Arabia, one day after a U.S.-led coalition won the right to host the 2026 tournament in North America
• World Cup coming to North America in 2026. The 2026 World Cup will be held in the United States, Canada and Mexico after their joint bid beat Morocco’s proposal to host it. The ‘United 2026’ bid was selected by Fifa member nations, winning 134 votes compared to 65 for Morocco. The 2026 tournament will be the biggest World Cup ever held – with 48 teams playing 80 matches over 34 days. “Football is the only victor. We are all united in football,” US Soccer president Carlos Cordeiro said. “Thank you so, so much for this incredible honour. Thank you for entrusting us with this privilege.”
• Donald J. Trump ‏ @realDonaldTrump 21h21 hours ago: The U.S., together with Mexico and Canada, just got the World Cup. Congratulations – a great deal of hard work!
• Russian workers are undergoing training to learn how to smile ahead of the World Cup.  Workers in Russia are being taught how to smile in a bid to be more welcoming to tourists during the 2018 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on Thursday. ussians do not smile as much as other Europeans, according to the BBC. An article in The Atlantic attempts to explain why when it loosely translates a Russian proverb: “Laughing for no reason is a sign of stupidity.”
• Russian women should avoid sex with foreign men during World Cup: lawmaker. Russian women should avoid sex with non-white foreign men during the soccer World Cup because they could become single mothers to mixed race children, a senior lawmaker in Moscow said on Wednesday. Even when Russian women marry foreigners the relationships often end badly, said Tamara Pletnyova, head of parliament’s committee for families, women and children. Women are often stranded abroad or in Russia but unable to get their children back, she said.
• World Cup 2018 host cities in Russia allegedly killing off stray dogs ahead of tournament. At least seven of the 11 Russian cities hosting World Cup matches have ordered street dogs to be killed off before Russia and Saudi Arabia spar off to officially commence this year’s tournament on June 14, animal-rights activists told Fox News.

6am – F IMMIGRATION NEWS:

• Stephen Miller: “We strongly support” House GOP efforts to pass two immigration bills
• Backdoor to illegal immigration closing: U.S. clears more asylum cases than it receives in May. WASHINGTON — The compromise House GOP immigration bill will include a provision that children will not be separated from their parents at the border. Rep. Jeff Denham, R-Calif., one of the moderate Republicans involved in negotiations over the legislation, said the provision will be part of the yet-to-be-written text of the measure. A senior GOP aide confirmed the provision to NBC and said Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., briefed House Republicans last week that it would be included in any bill that’s considered.
• New GOP immigration bill would prevent separation of children and parents at border. The House will vote next week on the compromise legislation, along with the conservative immigration bill, as part of the deal worked out Tuesday between moderates and conservatives. As of now, only a general outline of the compromise bill has been completed. Ryan said Wednesday that the White House is on board with the Hill GOP’s decision hold immigration votes next week.

7am – A INTERVIEW – Saagar Enjeti – White House correspondent for The Daily Caller – discussed the latest White House news         

7am – B/C INTERVIEW – Todd Eberly – Maryland political analyst and professor at St. Mary’s College of Maryland – discussed the upcoming Maryland gubernatorial race

7am – D/E INTERVIEW – Tom Fitton – President of Judicial Watch – discussed the upcoming release of the IG report.    

8am – A INTERVIEW – MATT BONESTEEL  – Sports reporter for the Washington Post – discussed the start of the World Cup today in Russia and the North American bid being awarded the 2026 World Cup     

8am – B Netflix film crews ‘banned from looking at each other for longer than five seconds’ in #metoo crackdown (The Independent) – Netflix has introduced new anti-harassment training in the wake of the #metoo movement that rocked Hollywood and seriously disrupted production on its House of Cards show.  New rules imposed on set reportedly include no looking at anyone for longer than five seconds, no lingering hugs, no flirting and no asking for a colleague’s phone number.  “Everyone was spoken to about #MeToo,” an on-set runner currently working on the new season of Black Mirror told The Sun.  “Senior staff went to a harassment meeting to learn what is and isn’t appropriate. Looking at anyone longer than five seconds is considered creepy.

8am – CONGRESSIONAL BASEBALL GAME TODAY:

• Congressional baseball game comes a year after shooting. WASHINGTON – The annual baseball game between congressional Republicans and Democrats carries special significance, coming on the first anniversary of the ball-field shooting that almost killed House Majority Whip Steve Scalise. Scalise is expected to start at second base in Thursday night’s game at Nationals Park. Top Republicans are hoping President Donald Trump attends, though the White House hasn’t said one way or the other.
• On June 14, 2017, at a park in Alexandria, Virginia, House GOP Whip Steve Scalise, R-Louisiana, Congressional staffer Zach Barth, lobbyist Matt Mika, U.S. Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas, and two Capitol Police officers — David Bailey and Crystal Griner — were injured when 66-year-old Illinois man James Hodgkinson began shooting at members of Congress who were practicing at Eugene Simpson Stadium Park. Scalise, Mika, Barth and Griner were shot. Bailey and Williams had injuries related to the shooting.
• GOP congressman asks Trump to attend annual baseball game. The coach of the Republican baseball team says he personally asked President Donald Trump to attend the annual game on Thursday, the anniversary of the shooting rampage that wounded the third-ranking GOP leader and others. “I asked him to come, I guess it was last week, I was over at the Oval Office,” said Rep. Roger Williams, R-Texas. “He said, ‘I’ll be there.’” A spokeswoman later said the meeting was May 21. Williams added that he doesn’t know if the president will attend.
• Congressional baseball game: (WTOP) – WASHINGTON — Members of Congress may not always agree and they may have challenges working together, but on Thursday they put their partisan differences aside for America’s favorite pastime. And, it’s for charity, too. The Congressional Baseball Game for Charity brings together Republicans and Democrats for a game of baseball at Nationals Park. The first pitch is set at 7:05 p.m. Tickets are $10 for general admission and $15 for reserved seating (Democrat, Republican or home plate).

8am – D/E GOP A CULT? Sen. Bob Corker says the GOP is becoming ‘cult-like’ in its support of President Trump