Cal Thomas, Mark Krikorian, Jonathan Schanzer, Rep. Jim Jordan and Mercedes Schlapp joined WMAL on Wednesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, December 12, 2018

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C Trump clashes with Pelosi, Schumer on border security in explosive Oval Office meeting (Fox News) –President Trump clashed Tuesday with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi with the cameras rolling in the Oval Office, as the president insisted he’s willing to let the government shut down if Congress doesn’t approve funding for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. “If we don’t have border security, we’ll shut down the government,” Trump said. The highly anticipated sit-down quickly escalated, in public, as Trump allowed the press to attend the start of it. Trump began by repeatedly telling Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, his party is limited in what it can do because it will take Democratic support to pass anything through the Senate. Schumer then raised his voice as he claimed the Senate could pass measures to keep the government running regardless. “If it’s not good [on] border security, I won’t take it,” Trump shot back. Pelosi and Schumer repeatedly urged the president to take the meeting private, but not before he declared he’s “proud to shut down the government for border security” and will “take the mantle.”

5am – D         Michael Flynn requests probation and community service, no jail time. (AP) — President Donald Trump’s first national security adviser is asking for probation and community service in his false statements case stemming from the special counsel’s Russia investigation. Michael Flynn is making the request in court papers filed Tuesday ahead of his sentencing next week. Prosecutors have also agreed that the retired Army lieutenant general should spend no time behind bars. They describe him as a model cooperator who has provided substantial assistance in the investigation into whether Trump associates coordinated with Russian election interference. Flynn pleaded guilty last year to lying to federal investigators about the contents of his conversations with Sergey Kislyak, then Russia’s ambassador to the U.S. Flynn was forced to resign from his national security post in February 2017.

5am – E         Key Democratic lawmakers object to Redskins stadium on federal land. (Washington Post) — Two key lawmakers — the incoming chairman of a House panel and the ranking Democratic senator directing the Interior Department’s spending — said they are firmly opposed to rushing through any legislation that could pave the way for a Washington Redskins stadium on federal land. Rep. Betty McCollum (D-Minn.), who will lead the Appropriations subcommittee on interior, environment and related agencies next year, spoke out after The Washington Post reported Friday on an effort by the team, D.C. officials and congressional Republicans to insert language in a sweeping year-end spending bill that could clear a crucial obstacle to building a new facility on the site of the existing RFK Stadium. In an interview Monday, McCollum raised two objections — to the potential long-term private use of federal land without a thorough public process and to the team’s name, which she called a “racial slur.” “That’s not something the federal government should be condoning, encouraging or be a part of,” said McCollum, a co-chair of the Congressional Native American Caucus. “Is it because there are no tribes here that it’s okay — they really don’t exist; we can pretend that this doesn’t mean anything? It means a great deal to young Native American children, that means a great deal to Native American veterans. It means a great deal to me.” Sen. Tom Udall (N.M.), the ranking Democrat on the corresponding Senate Appropriations subcommittee, said Tuesday that he, too, would “fully oppose” any effort to slip a stadium-related provision in the year-end bill.

Redskins, D.C. working with Congress to slip stadium provision into spending bill. Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder is getting help from District officials, congressional Republicans and the Trump administration as he tries to clear a major roadblock to building a new, 60,000-seat stadium on the site of RFK Stadium. Nearly three years after the Redskins unveiled futuristic designs for their next football stadium, the team has been working in concert with local and federal officials to insert a stadium provision into the massive spending bill that the Republican-controlled Congress is rushing to complete this month, according to four people familiar with the effort but not authorized to discuss it publicly. The provision could pave the way for the NFL stadium and other commercial development on the 190-acre site that was the setting of the team’s greatest triumphs. By tucking it into a complex spending bill, the team and local officials could sidestep some public debate over whether other uses for the coveted parcel of land would benefit a broader swath of D.C. residents.

6am – A/B/C Should Trump Take The Blame For The Shutdown?

• President Trump declared he’s “proud to shut down the government for border security” and will “take the mantle.”

6am – D         INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – SYNDICATED COLUMNIST – discussed the shutdown and the Pelosi-Schumer meeting.

6am – E         Pope Francis Implementing Change Of Lord’s Prayer: ‘Lead Us Not Into Temptation.’ “Abandon us not into temptation.” The Vatican under Pope Francis will soon be implementing a change to the Lord’s Prayer, also known as the Pater Noster, switching out the line “lead us not into temptation” for the Francis-approved “abandon us not into temptation.” According to the U.K.’s Express, the change to the Lord’s Prayer comes after 16 years of research by experts who found a mistake in the current translation “from a theological, pastoral and stylistic viewpoint.” It has been translated into literally hundreds of languages from the original texts in ancient Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. Last year around Christmas, Pope Francis spoke of his desire to update the “lead us not into temptation” part of the Lord’s Prayer, arguing that it portrays God in a false light. “A father does not lead into temptation, a father helps you to get up immediately,” the Pope said at the time. “It is not a good translation because it speaks of a God who induces temptation,” he added.

6am – F         Time Magazine has chosen “The Guardians and the War on Truth” as 2018’s “Person of the Year.” Time Magazine announced Tuesday that imperiled journalists, collectively labeled “the guardians,” are its 2018 persons of the year

7am – A         INTERVIEW – MARK KRIKORIAN – nationally recognized expert on immigration issues, has served as Executive Director of the Center for Immigration Studies (CIS)

• Trump clashes with Pelosi, Schumer on border security in explosive Oval Office meeting (Fox News) –President Trump clashed Tuesday with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi with the cameras rolling in the Oval Office, as the president insisted he’s willing to let the government shut down if Congress doesn’t approve funding for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. “If we don’t have border security, we’ll shut down the government,” Trump said. The highly anticipated sit-down quickly escalated, in public, as Trump allowed the press to attend the start of it. Trump began by repeatedly telling Pelosi, the House Democratic leader, his party is limited in what it can do because it will take Democratic support to pass anything through the Senate. Schumer then raised his voice as he claimed the Senate could pass measures to keep the government running regardless. “If it’s not good [on] border security, I won’t take it,” Trump shot back. Pelosi and Schumer repeatedly urged the president to take the meeting private, but not before he declared he’s “proud to shut down the government for border security” and will “take the mantle.”

7am – B/C INTERVIEW – JONATHAN SCHANZER –  a former terrorism-finance analyst for the US Department of the Treasury, is senior vice president at Foundation for Defense of Democracies.  @Jschanzer

• Deadly shooting near Christmas market in Strasbourg, France
• 3 dead, 12 injured with suspect at large after shooting near Christmas market in Strasbourg, France. A suspect on a terrorist watch list was being hunted Wednesday after three people were killed and more than a dozen others wounded in a shooting near a Christmas market in the French city of Strasbourg. Police had raided the suspect’s home hours before Tuesday’s attack as part of a burglary probe. Cultural sites and sports centers were closed on Wednesday as 350 police officers were deployed in the manhunt. The shooting took place shortly before 8 p.m. local time (2 p.m. ET) near a Christmas market that attracts millions of tourists every year. Strasbourg considers itself the “capital of Christmas.” The suspect fled the scene and exchanged shots with police between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. local time, according to Interior Minister Christophe Castaner. He said the suspect has a criminal record in France and Germany. A prosecutor had earlier said that officers were searching for the suspect in connection with alleged criminal association with a terrorist group and attempted assassination. Authorities believe a handgun was used in the attack. Of the at least 12 wounded, six have serious injuries, police said.
• 5 held in Strasbourg Christmas market attack, gunman remains at large/. France was on high alert Wednesday as hundreds of security forces took part in a manhunt for a gunman who killed at least two people and wounded a dozen more at a Christmas market in eastern France. French authorities had previously said that three people were killed, but prosecutor Remy Heitz said Wednesday that two people were dead and a third was brain dead. The attack happened in Strasbourg, which is home to the European Union’s Parliament, around 8 p.m. local time Tuesday. A terrorism investigation has been opened, but a motive for the attack remains unclear and no group has claimed responsibility. French police identified the suspect as 29-year-old Cherif Chekatt. He is thought to be from Strasbourg and radicalized while serving time in prison for several robbery cases. Heitz, the prosecutor, said witnesses heard the suspect shout “God is great” in Arabic during the attack. He said the assailant, who attacked the victims with a handgun and a knife, was shot in the arm during a gunfight with soldiers before fleeing in a taxi to another part of the city. He remains at large

7am – D/E     CHRISTMAS PET GIFTS — Are you someone who gifts pets? Do you agree with the pet adoption ban? How would you react if someone gifted you a pet?

• Christmas pet adoption ban at German shelters. A dog is for life, not just for Christmas – so the famous slogan goes. It’s certainly the case in Germany, where a temporary ban on new adoptions aims to cut short any plans to give an animal as a Christmas gift. Dozens of shelters have told potential pet owners that no animals will be handed over in the run-up to Christmas. Berlin’s shelter, the largest in Europe, is among them. It says the ban reduces unwanted animals being dumped back after the holiday period. “Animals are living beings with needs and feelings,” it said. “They are not suitable as surprise gifts.” In Bremen, none of 500 animals will be re-homed after 18 December. Regional news outlets are reporting similar decisions in other towns and cities, including dozens of shelters in a united decision in Lower Saxony. The problem, according to the ban’s supporters, is that pets are often bought impulsively at the last minute.

 

8am – A/B/C INTERVIEW – REP. JIM JORDAN – (R-OH) — co-founder of the House Freedom Caucus  @Jim_Jordan ‏ — discussed the Google CEO’s testimony before Congress, CoS rumors about Meadows and Trump’s meeting with Pelosi-Schumer

• Google CEO Denies the Company Is Politically Biased in Planned Testimony to Congress. Google Chief Executive Officer Sundar Pichai backed privacy legislation and denied the company is politically biased, according to a transcript of testimony he plans to deliver to Congress later this week. “I lead this company without political bias and work to ensure that our products continue to operate that way,” Pichai said, according to the transcript released on Monday. “To do otherwise would go against our core principles and our business interests.” He also described user privacy as “an essential part of our mission,” while stressing Google’s S. roots.
• Watch: Jim Jordan grills Google CEO over efforts to turn out Latino vote ‘in key states’ On Tuesday, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, grilled Google CEO Sundar Pichai over emails from a Google employee discussing an effort by the tech giant to encourage Latinos to vote in the 2016 election. Jordan read email excerpts from Google’s multicultural marketing head, Eliana Murillo, describing how Google had bolstered efforts to turn out the Latino vote and was “surprised” to find that President Donald Trump won 29 percent of the Latino vote. Pichai said an internal review found there was no evidence to support the claim that Google had engaged in partisan political activities. An incredulous Jordan hammered Pichai for denying what the emails indicate in plain English.
• Mark Meadows says it would be ‘incredible honor’ to serve as White House chief of staff
• Trump clashes with Pelosi, Schumer on border security in explosive Oval Office meeting (Fox News) –President Trump clashed Tuesday with Democratic leaders Chuck Schumer and Nancy Pelosi with the cameras rolling in the Oval Office, as the president insisted he’s willing to let the government shut down if Congress doesn’t approve funding for his U.S.-Mexico border wall. “If we don’t have border security, we’ll shut down the government,” Trump said.
• “The House Freedom Caucus will offer two amendments to this bill. First, we need to end the catch and release problem. Second, we need $5 billion in unrestricted funding for the border wall.”

8am – D         INTERVIEW – MERCEDES SCHLAPP – White House Director of Strategic Communications @mercedesschlapp – discussed the fight over border wall funding and the Chuck-Nancy meeting with President Trump.