Mornings on the Mall 01.07.20: Susan Ferrechio, Dan Bongino, Jeanine Lawson, Caitlynn Peetz, Lindsey Lee

Mornings on the Mall

Tuesday, January 7, 2020

Hosts: Vince Coglianese and Mary Walter

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Washington Examiner’s Susan Ferrechio, Dan Bongino, Prince William Board of County Supervisor Jeanine Lawson, Bethesda Beat’s Caitlynn Peetz and WMAL listener Lindsey Lee joined WMAL on Tuesday!

5am – A/B/C DIY-Deficiency: 2 In 5 Adults Can’t Fix A Single Household Problem Without Google. (StudyFinds) – IRVINE, Calif. — The internet is supposed to make our lives easier, and it’s hard to argue that it hasn’t. However, a new survey of 1,000 American adults suggests that all of that convenience may be robbing an entire generation of basic home maintenance skills. In all, about two in five (38%) respondents said they are helpless and unable to fix any common household problems (patching up a drywall, fixing a running toilet) without the help of the internet. The survey, commissioned by BigRentz, paints a pretty grim picture when it comes to home care self-sufficiency. Apparently, if the Wi-Fi happens to falter, many adults won’t be able to get anything done for themselves. Respondents were asked about their ability to fix a variety of different house problems without turning to Google for help, and while close to half (43%) said they know how to unclog a drain, only 25% know how to install a drywall anchor. Another 39% said they can stop a running toilet all by themselves, and 38% can find a stud. Additionally, 31% know how to patch a hole in a drywall, and 29% said they can replace a washer on a leaky faucet. Age is also a factor; 85% of survey participants over the age of 65 said they can accomplish at least one of the aforementioned tasks without the internet. Also, male respondents generally reported being more confident regarding home repair tasks than female participants.

5am – D/E     BOLTON’S TESTIMONY: Former White House national security adviser John Bolton says he is “prepared to testify” if he is subpoenaed by the Senate in its impeachment trial of President Trump. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has publicly expressed resistance to calling new witnesses. Democrats want testimony from Bolton and others who didn’t appear before the House in its impeachment inquiry.

6am – A         HOT MIC MOMENT AT FAIRFAX MEETING AND WMAL LISTENER’S EMAIL:

• VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS Caught On Hot Mic At Last Week’s Public Hearing In Fairfax Count: “They are like little kids. As long as we don’t reply we’ll get through this.”
  • The video shows Eileen Robin Filler-Corn Speaker-designate of the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia State Senator Dave Marsden talking about “gun nuts” acting “like kids” during a hearing in Fairfax on Saturday.
  • Rough Transcript: “Are you going to stick around for the ten o’clock gun nuts? THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY. Yeah just like little kids. DO YOU THINK THEY WILL STAY CALM? Yeah, as long as we don’t respond to them. YEAH. We will get through this.”
  • VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_FznXmpReM&feature=youtu.be

• EMAIL FROM LISTENER WHO CONTACTED DAVE MARSDEN ABOUT THIS VIDEO:
  • On Mon, Jan 6, 2020 at 8:45 AM Lindsey Lee wrote: I am writing to express my outrage at being called a “gun nut” and a “child” during a public Budget legislation meeting in Northern Virginia.  First, like most gun owners I have owned guns since I was old enough to hunt as a child in Pennsylvania and have enjoyed hunting ever since.  Also, your comment about being a “nut” is misplaced because 99.9 percent of gunowners are responsible citizens that only want to live their lives without interference or harassment from the Government.  Your ill advised gun legislative package is ill advised and will do absolutely NOTHING to solve the problem of illegal gun violence.  Instead of focusing on gun legislation whose intent is on eventual gun confiscation please support Mental Health legislation which will deal with the actual social problem that causes gun violence.  Thank you. Lindsey Lee
  • On Monday, January 6, 2020, 05:11:14 PM EST, Dave Marsden wrote: Lindsey, The behavior of VCDL members was childish and boorish at the forum. I appeared at a youth forum in December to answer youth questions. About 80 VCDL members showed up. In the next week I received dozens of texts and voice messages that were threatening violence or were just vulgar and obscene. That is a shame because the folks who stayed after were appreciative. In retrospect I should have made my comments publicly but too many of your members and other 2a supporters appear to have mental health issues.  Hope you disagree with this conduct. I am very concerned. I always give out my cell number. I did that night. I do not hide from voters. Call me. Let’s talk.  Best Regards, Dave Marsden
  • From: Lindsey Lee / To: Dave Marsden / Sent: Monday, January 6, 2020, 07:56:02 PM EST / Subject: Re: Gun Legislation / Senator Marsden, To be quite frank, your response to me regarding my objections to being characterized as “childish” and a “gun nut” is quite disturbing.  For a State Senator to say that his constituents have “mental health issues” based upon nothing more than a heated and emotional debate regarding a subject that is extremely important to them is a horrible and demeaning thing to say.  It also exhibits your disdain for people that disagree with you and considers their Second Amendment Rights an extremely important Constitutional Right.  I really see no reason for a further discussion because we have no areas of agreement in this area.  Sincerely, Lindsey Lee

6am – B/C     Hunter Biden’s Arizona ‘crack pipe’ crisis comes back to haunt him in Arkansas paternity case as he’s accused of having a history of using stolen identities. (DailyMail) — Hunter Biden’s ‘crack pipe’ crisis in Arizona has been dragged into his paternity case, as he’s accused of having a history of using stolen identities to conceal his location, according to legal papers obtained by DailyMail.com. Private eye Dominic Casey filed a notice of identity theft on Monday morning, as the Orlando, Florida-based investigator seeks to be made a party in Biden’s case with his baby mama Lunden Roberts in Independence County, Arkansas.  Casey rehashed the scandal of Biden, 49, leaving his rental car in Prescott, Arizona in October 2016, and calling Hertz to pick it up. Among the items authorities found in the car were a glass pipe, cocaine residue and his deceased brother Beau Biden’s Delaware Attorney General badge. No charges were ever brought against Biden because local prosecutors said there was a lack of evidence that the pipe had been used by him, due to no fingerprints being found.   Casey claims Biden used the fake name of Joseph McGee to call Hertz as well as citing Beau’s badge as alleged proof of Biden’s ‘history’ of using fake identities.

6am – D/E     Massive crowds gathered in the streets of Tehran Monday to mourn Gen. Qassem Soleimani.

• Soleimani’s daughter spoke to the crowd: “the families of the American soldiers … will spend their days waiting for the death of their children.” (through translator)
• Ayatollah Ali Khamenei shedding tears at Soleimani’s funeral.
• MSNBC Anchor Katy Tur Wowed By ‘Stunning’ Crowds In Iran, Where Authorities Reportedly Forced Attendance. MSNBC anchor Katy Tur expressed amazement at the size of funeral crowds Monday for deceased Iranian terrorist Qasem Soleimani. Tur called the funeral turnout “a stunning show of solidarity” and added that it “seems President [Donald] Trump did what the Iranian government has been unable to do: unite the country.”
• Iran postpones general’s burial after 35 people were killed in stampede during funeral procession. (Washington Post) – Throngs of mourners crushed through the streets of Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani’s hometown following his coffin when a stampede broke out, killing 35 people, according to state television. Mehdi Sadafi, the head of the funeral committee, told the ISNA news agency that due to the overcrowding the body would have to be buried on another day to be announced.
• Pentagon says US military won’t leave Iraq, ‘draft letter’ on troop movements released by ‘mistake.’ According to reports by Reuters, the United States military wrote a letter to Iraqi officials — just one day after Iraqi lawmakers approved a resolution calling to expel U.S. troops from the country — telling them the U.S. would pull troops from the region and work on repositioning forces in the coming weeks. Esper, who said he had not seen the letter but noted that it is unsigned, said the contents are not consistent with current U.S. policy. “There has been no decision to leave Iraq. Period,” Esper said.
• State Department spokeswoman Morgan Ortagus fact-checked a CNN anchor Monday who argued that the United States has no allies in the ongoing confrontation with Iran. “With all due respect that is just another completely inaccurate observation,” Ortagus said after CNN International anchor Becky Anderson said there was no international support for the United States strike that killed Iranian terror leader Qassem Soleimani. “You could look at the E3 statement this morning that was put out by the Germans, the British, and the French.”

6am – F         Ilhan Omar’s ex-husband marries pediatric nurse who worked on congresswoman’s campaign just 37 days after their divorce, as they make pilgrimage to Mecca following wedding ceremony in Somalia. Ilhan Omar’s ex husband Ahmed Hirsi has married pediatric nurse Ladan Ahmed, who had worked on Omar’s election campaign, DailyMail.com has learned. ‘She’s as Somali as they come,’ one leader of the large Somali community in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area said about Hirsi’s new wife. Omar filed for divorce from Hirsi and their divorce was granted on November 5. The tumultuous personal life of left-leaning congresswoman Ilhan Omar has taken another turn — her ex-husband remarried just 37 days after she divorced him, DailyMail.com has learned.Ahmed Hirsi, the father of the Minnesota representative’s three children, tied the knot with pediatric nurse Ladan Ahmed, who had worked on Omar’s election campaign. ‘She’s as Somali as they come,’ one leader of the large Somali community in the Minneapolis/St. Paul area said about Hirsi’s new wife. DailyMail.com understands the couple are now on honeymoon in Saudi Arabia and made a pilgrimage to Mecca. Hirsi did not return DailyMail.com’s requests for comment.  DailyMail.com also has acquired exclusive video of the ceremony that took place in an apartment in the Somali capital of Mogadishu.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – Jeanine Lawson – Supervisor, Brentsville District on the Prince William Board of County Supervisors — previewed the important Second Amendment meeting for the Prince William Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.

• A new board of supervisors in Prince William County means a new take on proposed gun reforms.
• From: “Lawson, Jeanine M.” / Sent: Sun, Jan 5, 2020 at 1:50 PM // Subject: Important 2A Jan 7 news: Citizens Time to speak ONLY at 2 pm. // Friends: Important:  The ONLY opportunity for citizens to address Chairwoman Wheeler’s Second Amendment resolution will be at the AFTERNOON session Citizen’s Time on Tuesday, January 7 at 2 pm .  The vote will also be in the afternoon session.   The previous information that citizens would be able to address the Board in the evening is incorrect.  The evening meeting is for closed session matters.   I am encouraging citizens to please consider attending in person at 2 pm to speak your thoughts and concerns about this proposal.  I have attached the resolution. You can contact all the Supervisors and the Chairwoman via email as well:  BOCS@pwcgov.org // Tuesday, January 7 at 2 pm — 1 County Complex Ct. Prince William County Link to agenda: https://eservice.pwcgov.org/documents/bocs/agendas/currentagenda.pdf  / Regards, Jeanine Lawson Supervisor, Brentsville District, Prince William Board of County Supervisors
  

7am – B/C     IMMIGRATION NEWS:

• Nearly 400K Anchor Babies Born in 2019, Exceeding U.S. Births in 48 States. (Breitbart) – Close to 400,000 anchor babies were born in the United States in 2019 as an executive order to end birthright citizenship gets kicked down the road for another year by President Donald Trump’s administration. Analysis conducted by the Center for Immigration Studies revealed in 2018 that about 300,000 U.S.-born children of illegal aliens are born every year. These children, often referred to as “anchor babies,” immediately obtain American citizenship and anchor their illegal or foreign parents in the country. In addition, about 72,000 anchor babies are born to foreign tourists, foreign visa workers, and foreign students every year — all of whom obtain immediate American citizenship simply for being born within the parameters of the country. Altogether, about 372,000 anchor babies are estimated to have been born last year despite a commitment by Trump to sign an executive order ending the nation’s “anchor baby policy” that incentivizes pregnant migrant women to cross the U.S.-Mexico border in the hopes of securing American citizenship for their children. This indicates that there were more anchor babies born in 2019 than births in each of the 50 states except California and Texas. California residents deliver about 455,000 babies a year, while Texans deliver about 379,000 babies a year, just slightly more than the total annual number of anchor babies born. For example, there were more than 34 times as many anchor babies born nationwide than American children born in the state of Delaware and nearly five times as many anchor babies born nationwide than the American children born in Arizona.
• Internal Docs Reveal That Trump Admin Will Begin Deporting Mexicans To Guatemala. (Daily Caller) –  The Trump administration is set to begin deporting Mexican asylum seekers to Guatemala, according to internal documents, marking the latest initiative to help manage the immigration crisis at the U.S. southern border. An asylum agreement signed between the Trump administration and the Guatemalan government is expanding to include Mexican nationals, according to internal United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documents reviewed by Reuters. Agency staffers, according to a recent email directive, have been informed that Mexican citizens will be included in the populations subject to the Guatemalan asylum deal.
• TRUMP IS QUIETLY WINNING AT THE BORDER: The 18 migrants were sent back to Mexico thanks to a policy President Donald Trump implemented that goes by the official name of “Migrant Protection Protocols” (MPP), but more colloquially known as “Remain in Mexico.” First adopted a year ago, the administration has been working with Mexico to steadily expand it. The Nogales port of entry south of Tucson, Arizona, where the 18 were sent, is the site seventh to be included.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – CAITLYNN PEETZ – Reporter for Bethesda Magazine’s Bethesda Beat

• CAITLYNN PEETZ – Residents appeal MCPS boundary changes, challenge legality of diversity focus. (Bethesda Magazine) – A group of Montgomery County residents is turning to the state Board of Education to overturn the county school board’s decision to redistrict students in Clarksburg and Germantown. In November, the school board voted 7-1 to reassign approximately 2,000 students in the Clarksburg, Seneca Valley and Northwest high school clusters to ease severe crowding at Clarksburg and Northwest. Rebecca Smondrowski was the only board member who voted against the plan. Seneca Valley is being rebuilt and will make the school the largest in the state at 440,000 square feet. The school will have capacity for 2,581 students, according to MCPS. Community members’ appeal, filed Dec. 26, alleges the school board “illegally reassigned school boundaries, resulting in unlawful and arbitrary redistricting … denying those students equitable access to the educational rigor, resources and supports designed to maximize their academic success.” They ask the state board to overturn the boundary changes. The appeal also challenges the school district’s policy that dictates how boundary changes are made. The policy outlines four factors the board is supposed to consider during boundary studies — student demographics, geography, school enrollment and stability of school assignments over time. The policy was updated in 2018, adding language that says the school board “should especially strive” to create a diverse student body at each school. Appellants allege the policy is illegal because it was not released for public comment after the phrasing elevating the importance of student body diversity was added.

• List of meetings:

People can weigh in on @MCPS’ districtwide boundary analysis study at these upcoming meetings:

🚌 Jan. 7 Walter Johnson High School in Bethesda.
🚌 Jan. 11 at Blair High School in Silver Spring.
🚌 Jan. 14 at Northwest High School in Germantown.https://t.co/BD6BBNK1yS

— Montgomery Community Media (@mymcmedia) January 6, 2020

• 7 p.m. Tuesday is the next community-based boundary analysis meeting at Walter Johnson HS.
• The Maryland General Assembly convenes Wednesday
• The school board meets Thursday with a full agenda, including an update on the boundary analysis.

— Caitlynn Peetz Stephens (@CaitlynnPeetz14) January 6, 2020

7am – E         BLOOMBERG’S CAMPAIGN:

• Michael Bloomberg declares his love of ribs with picture of brisket. It’s very clearly brisket. The debate between southern and northern barbecue may have just gotten harder, given that we’re now clearly operating under completely different terms. A recent campaign event left presidential candidate Michael Bloomberg with a particularly strange expression on his face in a barbecue restaurant, yearning with what his campaign has dubbed “love” over a plate of what his campaign has dubbed “ribs.” There are two problems here. First, that is brisket, not ribs. Second, if that is what Michael Bloomberg looks like when he’s excited, we’re interested in seeing what he looks like when he’s disgusted. Turns out, we’re not the only ones who noticed something amiss. “Is candidate Bloomberg unaware that brisket is not ribs or does he usually see imaginary ribs?” One user noted.

https://twitter.com/Mike2020/status/1213277965888446464

• BLOOMBERG GETS JUDGE JUDY’S ENDORSEMENT: Democratic presidential hopeful Michael Bloomberg on Monday announced an endorsement from Judge Judy Sheindlin, the well-known TV judge whose show has been on the air for more than two decades. Mr. Bloomberg, the former mayor of New York, will be a “truly great” president, “Judge Judy” says in the 30-second ad that will run across digital channels and in “relevant broadcast programming” across 26 states, according to Mr. Bloomberg’s campaign.
  

8am – A         INTERVIEW – SUSAN FERRECHIO – chief congressional correspondent for the Washington Examiner – discussed Congress returning to escalating tensions on impeachment and Iran.

• McConnell mum on GOP ploy to dismiss delayed impeachment articles
• Impeachment stalemate over witnesses: McConnell accuses Democrats of ’treating impeachment like a political toy’
• Schiff demands open hearings on Soleimani strike
• Democrats demand Trump declassify threats that justified killing Soleimani
• Democrats poised for House vote blocking US military action against Iran
• WAR POWERS VOTE: Fox is told Rules Cmte may prep War Powers Resolution Tuesday evening in preparation for potential floor vote Wednesday

8am – B/C     INTERVIEW – WMAL Listener LINDSEY LEE – discussed his recent exchange with Virginia State Senator Dave Marsden

• VIRGINIA DEMOCRATS Caught On Hot Mic At Last Week’s Public Hearing In Fairfax Count: “They are like little kids. As long as we don’t reply we’ll get through this.”
  • The video shows Eileen Robin Filler-Corn Speaker-designate of the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia State Senator Dave Marsden talking about “gun nuts” acting “like kids” during a hearing in Fairfax on Saturday.
  • Rough Transcript: “Are you going to stick around for the ten o’clock gun nuts? THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY. Yeah just like little kids. DO YOU THINK THEY WILL STAY CALM? Yeah, as long as we don’t respond to them. YEAH. We will get through this.”
  • VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_FznXmpReM&feature=youtu.be
  • g “like kids” during a hearing in Fairfax on Saturday.
  • Rough Transcript: “Are you going to stick around for the ten o’clock gun nuts? THESE PEOPLE ARE CRAZY. Yeah just like little kids. DO YOU THINK THEY WILL STAY CALM? Yeah, as long as we don’t respond to them. YEAH. We will get through this.”
  • VIDEO: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F_FznXmpReM&feature=youtu.be
• EMAIL FROM LISTENER WHO CONTACTED DAVE MARSDEN ABOUT THIS VIDEO:
  • On Mon, Jan 6, 2020 at 8:45 AM Lindsey Lee wrote: I am writing to express my outrage at being called a “gun nut” and a “child” during a public Budget legislation meeting in Northern Virginia.  First, like most gun owners I have owned guns since I was old enough to hunt as a child in Pennsylvania and have enjoyed hunting ever since.  Also, your comment about being a “nut” is misplaced because 99.9 percent of gunowners are responsible citizens that only want to live their lives without interference or harassment from the Government.  Your ill advised gun legislative package is ill advised and will do absolutely NOTHING to solve the problem of illegal gun violence.  Instead of focusing on gun legislation whose intent is on eventual gun confiscation please support Mental Health legislation which will deal with the actual social problem that causes gun violence.  Thank you. Lindsey Lee
  • On Monday, January 6, 2020, 05:11:14 PM EST, Dave Marsden wrote: Lindsey, The behavior of VCDL members was childish and boorish at the forum. I appeared at a youth forum in December to answer youth questions. About 80 VCDL members showed up. In the next week I received dozens of texts and voice messages that were threatening violence or were just vulgar and obscene. That is a shame because the folks who stayed after were appreciative. In retrospect I should have made my comments publicly but too many of your members and other 2a supporters appear to have mental health issues.  Hope you disagree with this conduct. I am very concerned. I always give out my cell number. I did that night. I do not hide from voters. Call me. Let’s talk.  Best Regards, Dave Marsden
  • From: Lindsey Lee / To: Dave Marsden / Sent: Monday, January 6, 2020, 07:56:02 PM EST / Subject: Re: Gun Legislation / Senator Marsden, To be quite frank, your response to me regarding my objections to being characterized as “childish” and a “gun nut” is quite disturbing.  For a State Senator to say that his constituents have “mental health issues” based upon nothing more than a heated and emotional debate regarding a subject that is extremely important to them is a horrible and demeaning thing to say.  It also exhibits your disdain for people that disagree with you and considers their Second Amendment Rights an extremely important Constitutional Right.  I really see no reason for a further discussion because we have no areas of agreement in this area.  Sincerely, Lindsey Lee

8am – D         INTERVIEW – DAN BONGINO – author of new book “Exonerated: The Failed Takedown of President Donald Trump by the Swamp”, publisher of the Bongino Report and host of The Dan Bongino Show podcast 

• His thoughts on how the Democrats are reacting to Trump taking out Soleimani,
• His thoughts on how Democrats are handling impeachment and
• Also his thoughts on the $80million bounty on President Trump and how Secret Service handles bounties. Comedian George Lopez comes under fire for his ‘joke’ about killing Donald Trump for half of the $80million bounty that Iran placed on the president’s head. George Lopez doubled down Sunday on the bounty Iran has put on President Trump — for half. The comedian replied to another Instagram user’s post Sunday that Iran had offered $80 million to any person who assassinated Mr. Trump’s “during the televised funeral of General #QasemSoleimani after he was assassinated last week.”