Eli Lake, The Hill’s Alex Bolton, Joe Concha and Mark Levin joined WMAL on Tuesday morning!
Mornings on the Mall
Tuesday, April 4, 2017
Hosts: Brian Wilson and Mary Walter
Executive Producer: Heather Hunter
5am – A/B/C Dems force Senate “nuclear” showdown. (The Hill) — The Senate is on the brink of a historic meltdown over President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court that would pave the way for his confirmation and move the body a step closer to completely doing away with the filibuster. Democrats on Monday showed they have more than the 41 votes they need to sustain a filibuster against Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s pick for the court. Republicans say this will lead them to follow through on their promise to go “nuclear,” which would change Senate rules, end the filibuster and allow Gorsuch to be confirmed with a simple majority vote. The final showdown will take place Thursday, when the Senate holds a vote to end debate on Gorsuch’s nomination.
5am – D UNMASKING NEWS:
- Report: Obama adviser Susan Rice requested Trump aides’ names in intel reports
- Rand Paul Calls For Susan Rice To Testify On Unmasking Trump Officials
- Mollie Hemingway @MZHemingway 17h17 hours ago: On the bright side, media are now admitting Nunes was right about unmasking.
- FLASHBACK: Susan Rice Said ‘I Know Nothing’ About Unmasking of Trump Officials. Rice,denied during a PBS interview last month having any knowledge of the intelligence community’s alleged incidental surveillance of Trump’s transition team. Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.), chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, asserted in March that he had seen evidence that some of the Trump transition team’s communications with foreign actors were surveilled by the Obama administration. On “PBS NewsHour” on March 22, Judy Woodruff asked Rice about Nunes’ claims. “I know nothing about this,” Rice responded at the time. “I was surprised to see reports from Chairman Nunes on that count today.” “So, today, I really don’t know to what Chairman Nunes was referring, but he said that whatever he was referring to was a legal, lawful surveillance, and that it was potentially incidental collection on American citizens,” added Rice, who went on to criticize Trump for his accusation that Obama wiretapped him during the presidential campaign.
5am – E The Census Bureau says more than one-third of the U.S. adult population has a bachelor’s degree or higher, the highest proportion ever.
If education counts, Americans have never been smarter. WASHINGTON — The Census Bureau says more than one-third of the U.S. adult population has a bachelor’s degree or higher, the highest proportion ever. The percentage rose to 33.4 percent in 2016. The Census Bureau has been collecting the information for 76 years, and says in 1940 just 4.6 percent of U.S. adults had a bachelor’s degree. The proportion is also sharply higher than just a decade ago, when 28 percent of U.S. adults 25 and older had at least a bachelor’s degree.
6am – A/B/C DEMS PUSH FOR VOTER REGISTRATION — AT BIRTH…
- Democrats need more voters. How about registration at birth? WASHINGTON – In Washington state, a local Democratic leader wants people registered to vote at birth. In Nevada and New Mexico, a liberal group is pressuring the legislatures to let people register when they get driver’s licenses. In Ohio, progressive activists have thrown their support behind a mayoral candidate because she fights with Republicans about voting access. Across the country, Democrats and their allies are plotting a quiet and disjointed but considerable push to make voting easier by dismantling registration barriers and promoting candidates who want to expand voting rights. It’s all an effort to reshape the electorate by creating new Democratic voters. If successful, the effect could be profound. The more people who vote, the better Democrats usually do in everything from a marquee presidential election to little-noticed municipal race.
6am – D Cyborgs at work: employees getting implanted with microchips. A company in Sweden is offering to implant its workers and startup members with microchips the size of grains of rice that function as swipe cards: to open doors, operate printers, or buy smoothies with a wave of the hand. The injections have become so popular that workers at Epicenter hold parties for those willing to get implanted. Would you voluntarily be microchipped?
6am – E Harrison Ford to keep pilot’s licence despite ‘schmuck’ error. (BBC) — Harrison Ford won’t face any penalties for mistakenly landing his single-engine plane on a US airport taxiway. The US actor, who admitted to air traffic control he’d been a “schmuck”, will retain his pilot’s certificate “without restriction”, his lawyer said. The incident in February saw Ford fly low over an American Airlines plane with 110 passengers and crew on board at California’s John Wayne airport. But the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) won’t be taking any action. “The FAA conducted a full investigation into the matter… and determined that no administrative or enforcement action was warranted,” his lawyer said. “The agency acknowledged Mr Ford’s long history of compliance with the Federal Aviation Regulations, and his cooperative attitude during the investigation,” Stephen Hofer continued.
6am – F Marvel executive says emphasis on diversity may have alienated readers. (The Guardian) — Comics studio’s vice president of sales tells summit that some stores say people ‘have had enough’ of new female and ethnic minority characters. Marvel’s vice president of sales has blamed declining comic-book sales on the studio’s efforts to increase diversity and female characters, saying that readers “were turning their noses up” at diversity and “didn’t want female characters out there”. Over recent years, Marvel has made efforts to include more diverse and more female characters, introducing new iterations of fan favourites including a female Thor; Riri Williams, a black teenager who took over the Iron Man storyline as Ironheart; Miles Morales, a biracial Spider-Man and Kamala Khan, a Muslim teenage girl who is the current Ms Marvel.
7am – A INTERVIEW – ELI LAKE — Bloomberg View columnist
- ELI LAKE: Top Obama Adviser Sought Names of Trump Associates in Intel
- Rand Paul Calls For Susan Rice To Testify On Unmasking Trump Officials
- FLASHBACK: Susan Rice Said ‘I Know Nothing’ About Unmasking of Trump Officials.
7am – B Immigration News:
- California Senate OKs Statewide Immigrant Sanctuary Bill. (AP) — California lawmakers gave initial approval Monday to a measure that prevents law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration officials, a measure that proponents said rebukes President Donald Trump for his immigration crackdown. It makes California a statewide sanctuary for many people who are in the country illegally. The state Senate passed the measure on a 27-12 vote, sending it to the state Assembly over the objection of opponents who said it endangers the public by shielding felons from being deported.
- MS-13 in Virginia: Three Salvadoran MS-13 gang members in Virginia have been charged with second-degree murder in relation to the death of 17-year-old Raymond Wood, Bedford County Sheriff Mike Brown announced. (Roanoke) — Victor Arnoldo Rodas, 19; Jose Coreas-Ventura, 21; and Lisandro Posada-Vazquez, 24, have been arrested and charged with second-degree murder, Brown said during a news conference at Central Virginia Community College’s Bedford campus. All three are undocumented immigrants.
- Sanctuary County Home To High School Rape Incident Hired An Immigration Attorney. (Daily Caller) — Montgomery County, where the alleged rape of a teenage girl by two illegal immigrants occurred, hired an immigration attorney for an exorbitant amount of money, The Daily Caller has learned. Leon Rodriguez signed a retainer agreement on March 8 to provide legal services “in connection with immigration matters.” The agreement was for $575 an hour, the highest hourly rate Montgomery County spent for an attorney at the time. This came in the weeks before the alleged rape at Rockville High School that put Montgomery County in the national spotlight. Rodriguez is the former director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) and after leaving his post he became a partner at Seyfarth Shaw, a law firm with a large immigration practice. Prior to joining USCIS, Rodriguez was county attorney for Montgomery County and served on the board of Casa de Maryland, which works to protect illegal immigrants from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
7am – C Trump donates first-quarter salary to National Park Service. (The Hill) — President Trump will donate his first three months of salary to the National Park Service, White House press secretary Sean Spicer announced Monday. “The president has spoken with counsel and made the decision to donate his first-quarter salary to a government entity,” Spicer said at Monday’s briefing. Spicer handed a check for $78,333.32 for the National Park Service to Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke. Spicer said the paycheck starts from Jan. 20, when Trump took office, until now. At Monday’s briefing, Zinke said the donation will go to the maintaining historic battlefield sites.
7am – D INTERVIEW — ALEX BOLTON — Staff writer, The Hill, covers Congress
- Dems force Senate “nuclear” showdown
- Senate Dems clinch enough votes to block Gorsuch’s nomination
7am – E SPORTS NEWS:
- NATS WIN: Harper, Lind HRs, Treinen save lift Nats over Marlins 4-2. WASHINGTON (AP) The ”1” written in blue ballpoint pen on the baseball protected by a plastic box in Adam Lind’s locker represented his first homer of the season – on his first swing as a member of the Washington Nationals, no less. The ”1” on the matching memento in Blake Treinen’s possession stood for his first save of 2017 – on his first opportunity as a big league closer, anointed as such by Nationals manager Dusty Baker after earning the job in spring training. Opening day is always about fresh starts – every team starts with the same record, every player with the same stats – and Washington’s 4-2 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday hinged on elements that have changed for the Nationals: a two-run, go-ahead, pinch-hit homer from new bench player Lind; a 1-2-3 ninth from familiar face but new closer Treinen; a double, two walks, a steal and a run from new center fielder Adam Eaton; a single and a run at the plate, plus steering of the pitchers from behind it, by new catcher Matt Wieters.
- METRO ESCALATORS BROKEN FOR NATS GAME:
Phil McNamara @philindc 16h16 hours ago: @wmata 3 escalators broken at Navy Yard stop on #OpeningDay of @Nationals and you wonder why ridership is down? @unsuckdcmetro
- Protesters unfurl giant “Impeach Trump” sign at Washington Nationals game
- Georgetown hires former star player Patrick Ewing as coach. (ESPN) – Georgetown has hired former star player Patrick Ewing to be the school’s new head coach, the team announced. He replaces John Thompson III, the son of Ewing’s former coach with the Hoyas, John Thompson Jr. A news conference is scheduled for 11 a.m. Wednesday. Ewing, 54, joins Chris Mullin of St. John’s as the only Division I head coaches who were Hall of Famers as players. Both schools are in the Big East Conference.
- North Carolina defeats Gonzaga for redemption in national championship. (USA Today) — GLENDALE, Ariz. — Seldom in life do we get what we actually desperately want. For a year now — almost exactly to the day — all these North Carolina players wanted was a chance to redeem themselves, an opportunity to erase the heartbreak from last April’s national championship game loss. They wanted this: A title of their own. And, somehow, they got just that, beating Gonzaga, 71-65, in Monday night’s national championship game here at the University of Phoenix Stadium. The Tar Heels became just the fourth team to come back from losing the national championship the year before to go on and win it the following year.
- Bradys jersey stolen again, this time in fun at Fenway Park. BOSTON (AP) — Tom Brady’s Super Bowl jersey was stolen again – this time by Rob Gronkowski in full view of 37,000 screaming Red Sox fans. The New England Patriots quarterback was showing off the recently re-acquired uniform top during the pregame ceremony on opening day at Fenway Park on Monday when Gronkowski ripped it out of his hands. Brady chased him around the infield and playfully tackled him in right field. The Patriots said it was the same jersey that had been stolen out of their locker room in Houston after the Super Bowl victory over the Atlanta Falcons in February.
8am – A INTERVIEW — JOE CONCHA — Media reporter and columnist for The Hill
- Media coverage of the unmasking story: The media has been obsessed with the Russia collusion narrative but how much are they focusing on the unmasking developments from journalists Adam Housley and Eli Lake?
8am – B OBAMACARE REPEAL:
- Rand Paul meets with Freedom Caucus on Obamacare repeal. Sen. Rand Paul and several members of the conservative House Freedom Caucus met Monday to try to create a new path on repealing Obamacare, but the Kentucky Republican conceded that a major sticking point that doomed the GOP’s prior effort remains. The short summit Monday in Paul’s Senate office comes as the White House is trying to rev up talks with the Freedom Caucus and the moderate Tuesday Group to end a major impasse on how to repeal Obamacare.
- Freedom Caucus meet with Pence. Meadows ‘intrigued’ on Obamacare change after Pence meeting. President Donald Trump’s administration had meetings Monday with two key groups of Republicans, whose split over health care policy caused GOP leaders to pull a plan last month to repeal and replace Obamacare. Emerging from a meeting Monday night with Vice President Mike Pence, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows said his group was “intrigued” by an idea the White House floated to give states more flexibility to opt out of Obamacare regulations using a waiver process, but Meadows wouldn’t promise the Freedom Caucus would be on board in the end.
- White House to unveil new Obamacare repeal deal Tuesday. The White House is expected to release the text of a new proposal on Tuesday that would give states the power to opt out of certain Obamacare insurance mandates, in a major attempt to revive Obamacare repeal as early as this week. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., chairman of the Freedom Caucus, told reporters after meeting with Vice President Mike Pence and White House officials that he expects the text of the new compromise on Tuesday. But Meadows seemed doubtful on whether the House would vote this week before adjourning Thursday for the two-week Easter recess.
8am – C Sources: Tony Romo heading into broadcasting. (ESPN) — owboys quarterback Tony Romo is leaving football and going into broadcasting, even with Dallas planning to release him Tuesday, league sources tell ESPN. Romo has received interest from CBS, Fox and NBC, and can choose to be a color commentator where he wants. That move could come as early as Tuesday, sources said. But the decision to leave football already has been made. His run as the Cowboys’ quarterback — and an NFL player — officially ends Tuesday. Dallas is expected to designate Romo a post-June 1 release, softening the blow against the Cowboys’ cap this season. Instead of counting $24.7 million in 2017, Romo would count $10.7 million this year and $8.9 million in 2018. The Cowboys would gain $14 million in cap space, but it would not become available until June 2. But after Tuesday, Romo will no longer be with the Cowboys. Romo’s decision came down to his health, sources close to the situation told ESPN. Turning 37 years old on April 21, Romo believes his family and his health are paramount at this time in his life. He was limited to playing in just parts of five games over the last two seasons because of collarbone and back injuries, and he suffered a compression fracture in his back last August that led to him ultimately giving way to Dak Prescott. He now will get to spend more time with his family while still retaining a strong connection to the game he loves. Romo spent the last several weeks working through this decision, sources told ESPN.
8am – D INTERVIEW – MARK LEVIN “THE GREAT ONE” — WMAL Host from 6 to 9 pm weekdays and author of upcoming book “Rediscovering Americanism: And the Tyranny of Progressivism” (publication date: Jul 4, 2017)
- Mark has been sounding the alarm on the Trump surveillance story and media has scoffed at it, only wanting to obsess over the Russia collusion story
- He’s been on top of this unmasking news about Susan Rice — he interviewed Adam Housley and Eli Lake last night
- Dems force Senate “nuclear” showdown. (The Hill) — The Senate is on the brink of a historic meltdown over President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court that would pave the way for his confirmation and move the body a step closer to completely doing away with the filibuster. Democrats on Monday showed they have more than the 41 votes they need to sustain a filibuster against Neil Gorsuch, Trump’s pick for the court. Republicans say this will lead them to follow through on their promise to go “nuclear,” which would change Senate rules, end the filibuster and allow Gorsuch to be confirmed with a simple majority vote. The final showdown will take place Thursday, when the Senate holds a vote to end debate on Gorsuch’s nomination.
- UPCOMING WMAL FREE SPEECH FORUM w/ MARK: The WMAL Free Speech Forum is back, Sunday, May 7th at The Birchmere! Join Brian Wilson, Mary Walter, Chris Plante, Larry O’Connor, and .. Mark Levin for an evening of food, drinks and conversation about the first 100 days of the Trump Administration. They’ll take the stage at 7:00pm, discussing all the highs and lows in politics today, plus taking your questions. Seating is general admission and first-come, first-served. Food and drinks are available for purchase, so please plan to enjoy dinner before the show! GO TO WMAL.COM to get tickets.
8am – E The Beatles reportedly plan 50th anniversary ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ release. The Beatles are reportedly readying a 50th anniversary release of their landmark album “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band.” While no official announcement has been made, the band’s website features four color bars matching the “Sgt. Pepper” uniforms worn by the Fab Four on the cover of that album, which was released on June 1, 1967. Britain’s The Times, citing sources at The Beatles’ Apple Records, said the re-release will include “Strawberry Fields Forever” and “Penny Lane” as bonus tracks. The songs were recorded during the same sessions as the songs on the “Sgt. Pepper” album, but were released four months earlier as a double A-sided single. Decades later, producer George Martin said it was a mistake to have not included those two songs on the album.
