Mornings on the Mall 12.18.17

Joe diGenova, Trevor Matich and Kevin Hassett joined WMAL on Monday!

Mornings on the Mall

Monday, December 18, 2017

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

5am – A/B/C   1.5 MILLION AMERICANS OVER THE AGE OF 75 ARE STILL WORKING: Judge Weinstein is one of the more than 1.5 million Americans over the age of 75, who are still in the paid work force, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

5am – D/E     MUELLER NEWS:

• Justice Dept official with ties to Fusion GPS to testify before Senate Intel. Bruce Ohr, the former associate deputy attorney general who was demoted at the Justice Department in the wake of revelations about undisclosed meetings he had with officials from Fusion GPS, is expected on Monday to testify in a closed-door hearing before the Senate Intelligence Committee, two sources told Fox News. Fusion GPS is the company that commissioned the anti-Trump dossier containing salacious allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump. Ohr’s wife, Nellie Ohr, worked at Fusion GPS during the summer, specifically on Trump related issues. Together, the Fusion connections for Mr. and Mrs. Ohr have raised Republican concerns about objectivity at the Justice Department, and even spurred a call from Trump’s outside counsel for a separate special prosecutor.
• White House Disputes ‘Rumor’ That Trump Plans To Fire Mueller. A rumor purportedly circulating around Capitol Hill that President Trump plans to fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller is false, says White House Special Counsel Ty Cobb. “As the White House has said for months, there is no consideration being given to firing the Special Counsel,” Cobb told The Daily Caller on Saturday in response to growing speculation that Mueller will soon be canned. Trump has made no public comments about Mueller over the past week, but Democrats have increasingly speculated that Trump will find a way to shut down the special counsel probe. Republicans have accused Democrats of raising that concern in order to deflect from revelations this week about anti-Trump text messages sent by the FBI agent who oversaw that Russia investigation went it began last year. Peter Strzok, the agent, was removed from Mueller’s investigation when his politically charged text messages were discovered.
• On Russia, the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to hear closed-door testimony from two key figures in the Russia investigation. Today, Bruce Ohr, the former associate deputy attorney general who was demoted at the Justice Department following revelations about undisclosed meetings he had with officials from Fusion GPS, will testify. Fusion GPS is the firm behind the infamous – and discredited – dossier containing salacious allegations about then-candidate Donald Trump. Ohr’s wife, Nellie, worked at Fusion GPS during the summer and fall of 2016.
• On Tuesday, Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe is set to appear before the House Intelligence Committee behind closed doors and face questions about Peter Strzok’s role in the Hillary Clinton email investigation. Strzok, a former deputy to the assistant director at the FBI, was removed from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team investigating Russia collusion after Mueller learned Strzok had exchanged anti-Trump texts with a colleague who was also his mistress.
• Eric Holder calls for mass, peaceful protests if Trump fires Mueller
• Eric Holder @EricHolder 14h14 hours ago: ABSOLUTE RED LINE: the firing of Bob Mueller or crippling the special counsel’s office. If removed or meaningfully tampered with, there must be mass, popular, peaceful support of both.  The American people must be seen and heard – they will ultimately be determinative.
• Trump transition lawyer: Mueller improperly obtained documents in Russia probe
• Trump’s lawyers to meet with Mueller on Russia probe: report Lawyers for President Trump are set to meet with special counsel Robert Mueller’s team next week. According to a CNN report, the president’s team of private lawyers are hoping to gain insight into the special counsel’s investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, and in particular, what the next steps in the probe may be. Trump’s lawyers have met with Mueller’s team before. But the upcoming meeting comes after investigators have finished an initial batch of requests for interviews with White House personnel and after a number of documents have been turned over to the special counsel. Trump’s legal team is hoping Mueller and his team will signal the investigation is coming to a close. One of Trump’s lawyers, Ty Cobb, said Tuesday that he expects the investigation to come to a close within a matter of weeks.

6am – A/B/C Revealed: the Pentagon’s secret UFO-hunting program. The Pentagon says its UFO-hunting program wound down five years ago, but the New York Times reported it is still in operation. Washington (AFP) – The Pentagon has acknowledged funding a secret multi-million dollar program to investigate sightings of UFOs. The shadowy program ended in 2012, according to the Defense Department, but the New York Times reported that it is still up and running — with officials continuing to study incidents brought to their attention by US military service members while performing their regular duties at the Pentagon. The so-called Advanced Aviation Threat Identification Program operated from 2007 to 2012 and had $22 million a year in funding tucked away in the Pentagon’s gargantuan budget, the Times said, quoting program participants and records. The program yielded documents describing sightings of unidentified flying aircraft that apparently moved very fast with no visible sign of propulsion or hovered with no apparent means of lift, the Times said. Program officials also examined video of encounters between unknown objects and US military aircraft. This included one released in August of a whitish oval object about the size of a jetliner, being pursued by two Navy fighter jets from an aircraft carrier off the California coast in 2004, the paper added. The Department of Defense said in a statement the program is now over.

6am – D         RYAN/RUBIO PUSH FOR MORE BABIES:

• Speaker Paul Ryan: Underpopulation is Causing Financial Problems, “People Need to Have More Babies” U.S. House Speaker Paul Ryan is taking some heat this week for encouraging families to have more children. Ryan made the comment Thursday while discussing the problems caused by an increasingly elderly population and low birth rates. “I did my part, but we need to have higher birth rates in this country,” said the father of three. During a news conference on Thursday, House Speaker Paul Ryan urged American women to have more babies, saying their lack of procreation was stunting economic growth. “People — this is going to be the new economic challenge for America. People,” Ryan said, in response to a question about entitlement reform.
• Ann Coulter rips Rubio for demanding child tax credit increase. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter slammed Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for demanding a child tax credit increase in the final tax-reform bill, accusing him of wanting single people to subsidize “happy families.” “We singles live empty lives of quiet desperation and will die alone,” Coulter tweeted. “Now Rubio is demanding that we also fund happy families with children who fill their days with joy.” Rubio on Thursday threatened to vote against the tax bill unless the child tax credit is made more generous. “Right now it’s only $1,100. It needs to be higher than that,” he told reporters. “I understand that this is a process of give and take, especially when there’s only a couple of us fighting for it,” Rubio continued. “Given all the other changes they’ve made in the tax code leading into it, I can’t in good conscience support it unless we are able to increase the refundable portion of it.”

6am – E         TAX VOTE ON TUESDAY:

• The House plans to vote on the tax measure Tuesday, Rep. Kevin McCarthy says
• Schumer tears into tax plan: GOP will “rue the day they pass this”
• Final Tax Bill Contains Language Allowing Illegal Immigrants To Get Tax Credit
• Marco Rubio is now a ‘yes’ vote on GOP tax plan
• New York’s wealthiest are threatening a mass exodus because of the GOP tax plan
• McCain, battling brain cancer, leaves Washington for Christmas break before contentious vote on tax bill. Sen. McCain returning to Arizona, will miss tax bill vote. Sen. John McCain left the nation’s capital Sunday to spend Christmas in Arizona with his family as he battles brain cancer, giving his Republican Party one less vote as it is expected this week to attempt to push through a contentious tax plan along party lines.
• CNBC: Here are some of the provisions the bill contains, according to a Republican summary:

The proposal would maintain seven individual income tax brackets at slightly different rates: 10 percent, 12 percent, 22 percent, 24 percent, 32 percent, 35 percent and 37 percent. The top rate would fall from the current 39.6 percent. The House originally proposed collapsing the system to four brackets, saying it would simplify the filing process. (Click here to see which bracket would apply to you.) The changes would phase out after 2025.

The bill would scrap the personal exemption but increase the standard deduction to slightly less than double its current level. It would go to $12,000 for an individual or $24,000 for a family.

It would drop the corporate tax rate to 21 percent from the current 35 percent. The change would take effect next year.

The plan would set a 20 percent business income deduction for the first $315,000 in income earned by pass-through businesses.

The bill would scrap Obamacare’s provision that requires most Americans to buy health insurance or pay a penalty, beginning in 2019. Doing so is projected to lead to 13 million fewer people with insurance and raise average Obamacare premiums, according to the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office.

The plan would eliminate the corporate alternative minimum tax, which the Senate added back to its plan at the last second to raise money. House leaders and corporate groups said the tax would stifle research and development. It would also increase the exemption from the individual AMT.

The estate tax, or so-called death tax, would remain but the exemption from it would be doubled.

The child tax credit would double to $2,000 per child from $1,000. It would be refundable up to $1,400 and start to phase out at $400,000 in income. The tweak would end after 2025.

The plan would limit state and local tax deductions. It would allow the deduction of up to $10,000 in state and local sales, income or property taxes.

It will not change the mortgage interest deduction for existing homeowners. For new homes, taxpayers can deduct interest on up to $750,000 in mortgage debt, down from $1 million currently.

Tax breaks for charitable contributions and retirement savings plans would remain.

The bill would not include the controversial first in first out stock sales change, which sparked backlash in the investing community.

6am – F         Kiss’ Gene Simmons Defends Himself in Sexual Battery Lawsuit: ‘Evidence Will Prove My Innocence.’  Bassist groped plaintiff and made “unwanted, unwarranted sexual advances” during an interview, according to lawsuit. UPDATE: KISS bassist Gene Simmons defends himself against accusations in a lawsuit that says he groped and made “unwanted, unwarranted sexual advances” on an unnamed radio and television broadcaster. “Friends, I intend to defend myself against any alleged charges you may have been reading about in the media,” Simmons said in a statement given to US Weekly. “For the record, I did not assault the person making these accusations in the manner alleged in the complaint or harm her in any way. I am conferring with my lawyers with the aim of vigorously countering these allegations. And, I look forward to my day in court where the evidence will prove my innocence.” PREVIOUSLY: Gene Simmons is being sued by a woman who says the KISS bassist groped her and made “unwanted, unwarranted sexual advances” during an interview she conducted last month, according to legal documents obtained by TheWrap. The radio and television broadcaster (identified as “Jane Doe”) is suing for sexual battery, gender violence, battery and assault.

7am – A/B/C INTERVIEW – JOE DIGENOVA – legal analyst and former U.S. Attorney to the District of Columbia

• Justice Dept official with ties to Fusion GPS to testify before Senate Intel.
• White House Disputes ‘Rumor’ That Trump Plans To Fire Mueller.
• On Russia, the Senate Intelligence Committee is expected to hear closed-door testimony from two key figures in the Russia investigation
• On Tuesday, Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe is set to appear before the House Intelligence Committee behind closed doors and face questions about Peter Strzok’s role in the Hillary Clinton email investigation..
• Eric Holder calls for mass, peaceful protests if Trump fires Mueller
• Trump transition lawyer: Mueller improperly obtained documents in Russia probe
• Trump’s lawyers to meet with Mueller on Russia probe: report
• Lisa Bloom Sought 6-Figure Payoffs for Donald Trump Accusers. Left-wing feminist attorney Lisa Bloom, who represented two of the women who made sexual harassment allegations against President Trump during the 2016 campaign, sought payoffs as high as six figures for her clients, according to the Hill. From the beginning, Trump has denied any and all wrongdoing. Moreover, he has argued that the allegations were part of an overall plot to personally destroy his candidacy with lies. The Hill obtained contracts and text messages that show Bloom sought to sell the stories of alleged victims to television outlets; one proposed deal included an offer of $750,000 to a woman who eventually declined to come forward. Bloom also sought to convince a donor to pay off the mortgage of a woman who did come forward.
• Metro defends its policy barring Catholic Church’s Christmas ads from its buses. Metro told a federal appeals court on Friday that a lower court was right to reject an injunction that would have let the D.C. archdiocese advertise a Christmas campaign on city buses. Metro defended the lower court’s ruling denying the Archdiocese of Washington’s “Find the Perfect Gift” campaign in a 32-page filing entered in response to a new emergency motion for injunction pending appeal currently being considered by the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia. The archdiocese sued Metro in U.S. District Court in Washington last month after the transit agency refused to let it advertise a website, FindthePerfectGift.org, on Metrobus exteriors. The archdiocese’s lawyers asked U.S. District Judge Amy Berman Jackson to grant a preliminary injunction forcing Metro to run the ads, but she ruled against them last Monday, prompting the church’s attorneys to file another motion for injunction in federal court on Tuesday.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – KEVIN HASSETT – Chair of the Council of Economic Advisers at The White House – previewed the tax vote on Tuesday.

7am – E         CHRISTMAS NEWS:

• ‘Jingle Bells’ rooted in racism, Boston University professor says. (Fox News) — “Jingle Bells,” one of the most well-known Christmas carols in the world, is now being called racist. A Boston University theater professor claims the Christmas carol has a “problematic history” because it was originally performed to make fun of African Americans. “The legacy of ‘Jingle Bells’ is one where its blackface and racist origins have been subtly and systematically removed from its history,” Kyna Hamill, a BU theater historian, wrote in her “Theatre Survey” research paper on the story of “Jingle Bells.” “Although ‘One Horse Open Sleigh,’ for most of its singers and listeners, may have eluded its racialized past and taken its place in the seemingly unproblematic romanticization of a normal ‘white’ Christmas, attention to the circumstances of its performance history enables reflection on its problematic role in the construction of  blackness and whiteness in the United States,” she wrote. Hamill started researching the history of the famous Christmas carol after a so-called “Jingle Bells War” – a dispute between two towns, Medford, Mass. and Savannah, Ga. – that claim to be the birthplace of the song written by James Pierpont. “Its origins emerged from the economic needs of a perpetually unsuccessful man, the racial politics of antebellum Boston, the city’s climate, and the intertheatrical repertoire of commercial blackface performers moving between Boston and New York,” Hamill wrote. The traces of blackface minstrel origins can be found in the music and lyrics, as well as the “elements of ‘male display,’ boasting, and the unbridled behavior of the male body onstage,” the author wrote. The song’s lyrics, which Hamill adds “display no real originality,” and reference things like “Miss Fanny Bright” and “dashing through the snow” connect the song to blackface dandy, according to the research paper.
• Christmas carolers detained for allegedly trying to convert man. Cops killed the Christmas spirit for a group of Catholic Christmas carolers in India — detaining them after a man accused them of trying to convert him, according to new reports. The carolers — 30 seminarians and two priests — were singing as they walked along the main road in the Satna district of the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh on Dec. 14, on their way to Christian institutions, Matters India reported. A local resident had complained that the group of carolers had previously asked him to “worship Jesus Christ” and had offered him money to convert, the BBC reported.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – TREVOR MATICH – WMAL’s Redskins Analyst

• Redskins rebound from back-to-back blowout losses to squeak past Cardinals, 20-15. After back-to-back blowout losses, collective relief rather than unbridled celebration settled over the Washington Redskins following Sunday’s 20-15 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The Redskins didn’t topple a world-beater in their return to FedEx Field. But with little to play for but pride, having eliminated themselves from playoff contention by two woeful defeats on the road, the Redskins did enough to handle an opponent with as many injuries and far greater limitations. Coach Jay Gruden credited his defense for holding the Cardinals without a touchdown.

8am – B         HARASSER NEWS:

• CHRIS MATTHEWS // NBC paid female staffer who accused Chris Matthews of sexual harassment: report. A former MSNBC employee who accused host Chris Matthews of sexual harassment in 1999 was given a separation payment by the network, according to a report by The Daily Caller. Two sources told the Caller that a woman who was then an assistant producer on Matthews’s show “Hardball with Chris Matthews” accused the longtime MSNBC host of making inappropriate comments about her while in the company of others. The sources say the company settled with the woman for $40,000.
• CONGRESS //  Wave of misconduct claims reshape 2018 elections. Sexual harassment allegations are ending some campaigns and creating openings for others (Politico) — The wave of sexual harassment allegations on Capitol Hill is already beginning to reshape the 2018 election landscape, crushing some campaigns under its pressure but providing breakthrough opportunities for others. Sexual harassment-related scandals have already claimed four House members — Reps. John Conyers (D-Mich.), Trent Franks (R-Ariz.), Blake Farenthold (R-Texas) and Ruben Kihuen (D-Nev.), who announced Saturday he would not seek reelection after his own party leadership called for his resignation. In Minnesota, the resignation of Democratic Sen. Al Franken has thrown a wrinkle into the 2018 Senate map — now, party strategists must contend with the prospect that his appointed successor, Tina Smith, will receive a competitive challenge when she attempts to win a full term.
• Fourth woman accuses Nevada lawmaker Ruben Kihuen of sex harassment. (NY POST) –  A fourth woman has now accused Nevada lawmaker Ruben Kihuen of inappropriate conduct. The news comes just a day after the Democrat declared he wouldn’t be seeking re-election, and the House Ethics Committee announced it would be investigating allegations that he’d sexually harassed a number of women. The 24-year-old told The Nevada Independent that the 37-year-old approached her in October, asked if she was single and lived by herself, and then offered to boost her career–which she told the paper she took as him propositioning her for sexual favors.
• Four senators urge Franken to reconsider resignation: report. (The Hill) — At least four senators, including two Democrats, have reportedly said that Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) should reconsider his resignation. Sen. Joe Machin (D-W.Va.) told Politico that the deluge of Democrats calling for Franken to resign was “the most hypocritical thing” he has “ever seen done to a human being.” “What they did to Al was atrocious, the Democrats,” Manchin added. Politico also spoke with sources familiar with a private conversation between Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and Franken in which Leahy told Franken that he regrets calling for the Minnesota Democrat to resign. Two other senators said they were rushed to weigh in as pressure on Franken mounted, according to the news outlet, which added that they said did not put enough care and thought into their statements. Franken announced earlier this month that he would resign after allegations of sexual misconduct emerged

8am – C         The United States Postal Service will honor the 50th anniversary of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” with a new forever stamp. PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The United States Postal Service will honor the 50th anniversary of “Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” with a new forever stamp. The stamp will feature Mr. Rogers in his signature red sweater along with King Friday. The stamp will be released next year.

• Shipping deadlines approach ahead of Christmas holiday. With Christmas just days away, time is running out for people who intend to buy gifts online or send gifts or cards through the mail. Hard-working men and women delivering packages are in overdrive, and major couriers have put out some deadlines to ensure packages arrive by Christmas. The ground shipping deadline has past, so those who intend on having packages by Christmas will have to pay extra for expedited shipping. Dec. 19 is the last day for FedEx express saver and Dec. 21 is the last day for FedEx overnight shipping. For UPS, the last day for three-day select shipping is Dec. 18, and Dec. 21 will be the last chance for next-day air shipping. The United States Postal Services says Dec. 19 is the last day for first class mail and Dec. 22 is the last day for the priority mail express overnight option.

8am – D         Mark Hamill Goes ‘Last Jedi’ On Ted Cruz Over Net Neutrality & Darth Vader. Ted Cruz argued on Twitter with Mark Hamill about net neutrality and it’s incredibly entertaining. In a Twitter battle encompassing net neutrality, Darth Vader, Jedi values and internet porn, Mark Hamill and the Texas Republican senator are crossing lightsabers and taking no prisoners. The sparring started Saturday when Hamill, taking some time away from promoting The Last Jedi (or maybe not) posted a tweet, complete with vomit emoji, of FCC chairman Ajit “Aren’t I Precious” Pai (Hamill’s words) in a Santa suit and holding a toy lightsaber.

• Ted Cruz‏ @tedcruz 19h19 hours ago: Ted Cruz Retweeted @HamillHimself: .@HammillHimself Luke, I know Hollywood can be confusing, but it was Vader who supported govt power over everything said & done on the Internet. That’s why giant corps (Google, Facebook, Netflix) supported the FCC power grab of net neutrality. Reject the dark side:  Free the net!
• @HamillHimself‏Verified account @HamillHimself @HamillHimself Retweeted Ted Cruz: Thanks for smarm-spaining it to me @tedcruz I know politics can be confusing, but you’d have more credibility if you spelled my name correctly. I mean IT’S RIGHT THERE IN FRONT OF YOU! Maybe you’re just distracted from watching porn at the office again❤️-mh
• Ted Cruz‏Verified account @tedcruz: 16h16 hours ago: Ted Cruz Retweeted @HamillHimself: Yes, that’s it. So sorry to misspell your name. Respond not with facts, but with anger. Who was it that said, “Fear is the path to the dark side…fear leads to anger…anger leads to hate”?  (1/2)
• Ted Cruz‏Verified account @tedcruz Ted Cruz Retweeted @HamillHimself: (2/2) Rather than insults, try civil discussion of facts. Fact 1: until 2015, the FCC had NO authority over Internet. The Net grew free & unregulated. Fact 2: W/ “net neutrality” the FCC declared power to regulate everything said & done on Internet. That’s really bad for freedom.
• Donald Trump Jr.‏Verified account @DonaldJTrumpJr 14h14 hours ago: Donald Trump Jr. Retweeted Ted Cruz: Ted Cruz kills Luke Skywalker again… Jedi apparently no match for facts.

8am – E         President Trump to outline his national security strategy in speech this afternoon. President Trump will outline a national security strategy that focuses on greater border security, better trade deals and combating jihadist terrorism and will not emphasize climate change … According to senior administration officials, President Trump’s strategy will focus on four “pillars”: Protecting the homeland; promoting American prosperity; preserving peace through strength; and advancing American influence abroad.

• National security strategy plan paints China, Russia as U.S. competitors. (Washington Post) — A new U.S. national security strategy plan presents China and Russia as competitors that want to realign global power in their interests, potentially threatening the United States, Trump administration officials said Sunday. President Trump will present the strategy, a kind of mission statement that guides policymaking, in a speech Monday.  Its broad outlines follow his “America First” doctrine of national sovereignty and putting a priority on the economic implications of global engagement. Officials said its main tenets are already in practice. For example, the congressionally mandated document says that under Trump, national security decision-making will take greater account of economic factors and homeland security, administration officials said.  Three officials described the document to reporters on the condition of anonymity ahead of its release. “This strategy advances what I would call a principled realism,” one official said. “In some ways, the global balance of power has shifted in unfavorable manners to American interests. This new strategy presents a plan of how America can regain momentum to reverse many of these trends.” Both China and Russia have sought to “change the status quo” in ways that the United States opposes and that could challenge U.S. interests, another official said. She cited Chinese military expansion and island-building in the South China Sea and Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea from Ukraine. The document does not expressly “overturn” the strategies of former president Barack Obama or his predecessors, but it frames Trump’s priorities differently, the third official said. Trump’s most significant foreign policy and national security decisions mostly have been cast as reversals of Obama policies, including on Iran and climate change, and a heavy focus on North Korea after what he calls the failed policies of the past.