Rep. Pete Hoekstra, Washington Examiner’s Susan Ferrechio, Daily Caller’s Vince Conglianese and guest host Jessie Jane Duff joined WMAL on Tuesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Tuesday, July 5, 2016

Hosts: Larry O’Connor and Jessie Jane Duff

 

5am – A/B/C   Twitter users call out PBS for using stock footage of DC fireworks show. WASHINGTON — Many who were watching PBS’s broadcast of “A Capitol Fourth” noticed something was a little “off” when they aired footage of the fireworks show in the nation’s capital showing clear skies. The rain took its toll on Fourth of July fireworks plans around the nation’s capital causing many shows to be postponed or canceled, but the National Mall fireworks show still went on as scheduled. Clouds made for poor visibility for those watching the fireworks show in the District, which caused some confusion for viewers at home when PBS showed clear skies for the show during their live broadcast.

5am – D         HILLARY NEWS:

• Hillary Clinton sees ‘Hamilton’ after FBI interview. (USA Today) — After being interviewed by the FBI for 3-and-a-half hours Saturday, Hillary Clinton went out on the town. She saw Broadway’s Hamilton, natch. The presidential nominee, along with former President Bill Clinton, went to see the Tony-winning show, again, and hung out backstage with the actors.
• F.B.I. Interviews Hillary Clinton Over Private Email Server.  (NY Times) – The F.B.I. interviewed Hillary Clinton on Saturday morning for its investigation into whether she or her aides broke the law by corresponding through a private email server set up for her use as secretary of state, a controversy that has dogged her presidential campaign and provided fodder for her political rivals. The voluntary interview, which took place over three and a half hours at the F.B.I. headquarters in Washington, largely focused on the Justice Department’s central question: Did the actions of Mrs. Clinton or her staff rise to the level of criminal mishandling of classified information?
• DAILY CALLER: Report: Hillary Is Considering Keeping Loretta Lynch As Attorney General. Hillary Clinton is considering retaining Loretta Lynch as Attorney General if she wins the presidency, according to a report from The New York Times. Picking Lynch as a holdover from the Obama administration would help Clinton’s stated goal of making her cabinet gender-equal. But the choice would likely prove controversial given that Lynch is the ultimate arbiter in the Justice Department’s investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information on Clinton’s private email server. Concerns over conflicts of interest reached new heights last week after Lynch, the first black female AG, met in secret with Bill Clinton at Phoenix’s international airport.
• DAILY CALLER: Undeterred By FBI Investigation, Obama To Campaign With Hillary. On Tuesday, for the first time in U.S. history, a sitting American president will campaign with a presidential candidate who is the subject of an FBI investigation. President Obama will stump with Hillary Clinton in Charlotte, North Carolina. The pair were scheduled to appear in Wisconsin last month after Obama formally endorsed his former secretary of state, but those plans were scrapped after Muslim terrorist Omar Mateen attacked a gay nightclub in Orlando.
• DAILY CALLER: Huma: Hillary Flouted Protocol, Used Burn Bags To Destroy Documents Prohibited By Federal Regs.  Huma Abedin, a top aide to presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, says that the former secretary of state routinely used burn bags to dispose of personal documents during her time at the State Department. Abedin’s revelation came when she was deposed by watchdog group Judicial Watch on June 30.  “If there was a schedule that was created, that was her Secretary of State daily schedule, and a copy of that was then put in the burn bag, then that certainly happened,” Abedin stated. “On more than one occasion.” Abedin also admitted to being “aware of [her] obligation not to delete federal records or destroy federal records.” The State Department has clear regulations pertaining to the use of “burn bags,” and while government officials are directed to use them to dispose of both “paper” and “hardrives,” the government strictly prohibits several items — including “personal documents” — from being destroyed in burn bags. The New York Post notes that Clinton’s use of burn bags to destroy personal documents is “unprecedented” among public officials, and several experts also believe this behavior “will likely come under intense scrutiny.”

5am – E         TERROR ATTACKS

• Bangladesh attack: Shock over ‘elite’ Holey Cafe suspects (BBC) Bangladeshi police are continuing to investigate Friday’s deadly attack on a Dhaka cafe, amid shock at the elite background of most of the suspects. They include the son of a government politician, along with university and elite public school students. Twenty hostages, two policemen and six suspects were killed in the raid. One suspect was arrested. The so-called Islamic State (IS) group said it was behind the attack but the government has denied this. Nine Italians, seven Japanese, one US citizen and an Indian were killed in the 12-hour siege at the Holey Artisan cafe in the Gulshan neighbourhood. One Italian is unaccounted for.
• Bombing that killed more than 200 deadliest attack in Baghdad in years (CNN) More than a day after a suicide truck bomb ripped through Baghdad, families are still hoping that rescuers searching through the rubble can locate the bodies of their loved ones. The bombing early Sunday in a busy shopping district was the deadliest single attack in Iraq’s war-weary capital in years, killing at least 215 people, Mohamed al-Rubaye‎, deputy head of the security committee of the Baghdad Provincial Council, said Monday on Afaq TV. Crews remain at the scene in the Karrada neighborhood where the blast occurred, trying to pull bodies from the devastation. Around 175 people were wounded, Rubaye said.
• Suicide Bombings Across Saudi Arabia Continue Deadly Week of Terror (NBC) Suicide bombs rocked two Saudi Arabian cities on Monday, killing at least four security officers, wounding five other people — and coming just hours after authorities in a third city stopped a bomber just feet from the U.S. Consulate. The explosions capped a week of bloodshed across the region, with Baghdad experiencing what is believed to be its worst attack in a decade and Bangladesh witnessing a gruesome standoff that left 20 hostages dead, many of them foreigners. In Saudi Arabia, the attacks began Sunday night, when a suicide bomber was stopped by security personnel in a hospital parking lot about 30 feet from the U.S. Consulate in Jeddah. The bomber detonated an explosive belt, killing himself and “slightly” injuring two officers, the Saudi Interior Ministry said in a statement. No Americans were hurt and all State Department personnel were accounted for.

 

6am –A/B/C  Trump tweets fuel VP speculation, cites Joni Ernst, Mike Pence, Tom Cotton. (CNN) Donald Trump announced he would meet with Sen. Joni Ernst on Monday, one of several recent names dropped on his Twitter feed that are fueling speculation over his highly-anticipated vice presidential selection.

• “I look forward to meeting @joniernst today in New Jersey. She has done a great job as Senator of Iowa!” Trump tweeted early Monday.
• @realDonaldTrump: Senator Tom Cotton was great on Meet the Press yesterday. Despite a totally one-sided interview by Chuck Todd, the end result was solid! 9:56 AM – 4 Jul 2016
• @realDonaldTrump Spent time with Indiana Governor Mike Pence and family yesterday. Very impressed, great people! 10:11 AM – 4 Jul 2016

6am – D         A Maryland county’s nickel tax for plastic bags is paying off, but not as planned (Washington Post) Like most local governments, Montgomery County is perennially looking for ways to generate revenue. When it imposed a 5-cent levy on disposable shopping bags in 2012, however, officials said the intent was to change behavior, not to squeeze more pennies from taxpayers. Plastic bags make up about a third of the trash found in the county’s streams and stormwater ponds. Many end up in the heavily polluted Anacostia River. Charging shoppers a nickel for each plastic or paper bag would prod them to embrace environmentally friendly reusable sacks, or so the county hoped. Four years later, county data that tracks the impact of the bag tax offers conflicting evidence about whether it is having the desired effect. Revenue from plastic-bag sales grew 3.2 percent from fiscal 2014 to 2015, according to a county analysis. Part of the growth is attributed to improved economic conditions, along with increases in population and the number of retail stores.

6am – E         TRUMP VOTERS:

• October Surprise! Why ‘Silent Majority’ Won’t Reveal Trump Support Until Last Moment! (Mediaite) “I used to be Republican until I had a wake-up call. I realized the fate of the nation was way less important than people liking me!”

On this week’s Real Time With Bill Maher, guest Jim Gaffigan proclaimed “I’ve never met someone who supports Donald Trump. . . . I see them on the news, but I don’t run into people who are going to vote for him.”  Maher replied, “that’s a little bit of living in a bubble.”

• Republican delegate revolt grows in effort to sidetrack Trump nomination (FOX) – A determined insurgency among some of the delegates to the Republican National Convention is growing, a last ditch effort to sidetrack the nomination of Donald Trump.The efforts focus on fighting state laws and party rules that bind delegates from states with winner-take-all primaries on the first ballot at the upcoming national convention. “If we were in a position where we didn’t have a divisive or a controversial candidate going into Cleveland we probably would have been ok,” explains Arizona GOP delegate Jarrod White. Like several states, Arizona law requires delegates to vote for the primary winner, who in this case happens to be Trump. White is part of an organization calling itself “Free the Delegates”which is calling on delegates to vote at the convention as their conscience dictates.

7am – A         INTERVIEW — Former Congressman PETE HOEKSTRA – is the Senior Fellow at the Investigative Project on Terrorism and the former Chairman of the U.S. House Intelligence Committee.TOPIC: Terror Attacks Over The Weekend:

• Suicide Bombings Across Saudi Arabia Continue Deadly Week of Terror
• Bombing that killed more than 200 deadliest attack in Baghdad in years
• Bangladesh attack: Shock over ‘elite’ Holey Cafe suspects

7am – B   HILLARY NEWS:

• Hillary Clinton sees ‘Hamilton’ after FBI interview. (USA Today) — After being interviewed by the FBI for 3-and-a-half hours Saturday, Hillary Clinton went out on the town. She saw Broadway’s Hamilton, natch. The presidential nominee, along with former President Bill Clinton, went to see the Tony-winning show, again, and hung out backstage with the actors.
• F.B.I. Interviews Hillary Clinton Over Private Email Server.  (NY Times) – The F.B.I. interviewed Hillary Clinton on Saturday morning for its investigation into whether she or her aides broke the law by corresponding through a private email server set up for her use as secretary of state, a controversy that has dogged her presidential campaign and provided fodder for her political rivals. The voluntary interview, which took place over three and a half hours at the F.B.I. headquarters in Washington, largely focused on the Justice Department’s central question: Did the actions of Mrs. Clinton or her staff rise to the level of criminal mishandling of classified information?
• DAILY CALLER: Report: Hillary Is Considering Keeping Loretta Lynch As Attorney General. Hillary Clinton is considering retaining Loretta Lynch as Attorney General if she wins the presidency, according to a report from The New York Times. Picking Lynch as a holdover from the Obama administration would help Clinton’s stated goal of making her cabinet gender-equal. But the choice would likely prove controversial given that Lynch is the ultimate arbiter in the Justice Department’s investigation into the potential mishandling of classified information on Clinton’s private email server. Concerns over conflicts of interest reached new heights last week after Lynch, the first black female AG, met in secret with Bill Clinton at Phoenix’s international airport.
• DAILY CALLER: Undeterred By FBI Investigation, Obama To Campaign With Hillary. On Tuesday, for the first time in U.S. history, a sitting American president will campaign with a presidential candidate who is the subject of an FBI investigation. President Obama will stump with Hillary Clinton in Charlotte, North Carolina. The pair were scheduled to appear in Wisconsin last month after Obama formally endorsed his former secretary of state, but those plans were scrapped after Muslim terrorist Omar Mateen attacked a gay nightclub in Orlando.
• DAILY CALLER: Huma: Hillary Flouted Protocol, Used Burn Bags To Destroy Documents Prohibited By Federal Regs.  Huma Abedin, a top aide to presumptive Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton, says that the former secretary of state routinely used burn bags to dispose of personal documents during her time at the State Department. Abedin’s revelation came when she was deposed by watchdog group Judicial Watch on June 30.  “If there was a schedule that was created, that was her Secretary of State daily schedule, and a copy of that was then put in the burn bag, then that certainly happened,” Abedin stated. “On more than one occasion.” Abedin also admitted to being “aware of [her] obligation not to delete federal records or destroy federal records.” The State Department has clear regulations pertaining to the use of “burn bags,” and while government officials are directed to use them to dispose of both “paper” and “hardrives,” the government strictly prohibits several items — including “personal documents” — from being destroyed in burn bags. The New York Post notes that Clinton’s use of burn bags to destroy personal documents is “unprecedented” among public officials, and several experts also believe this behavior “will likely come under intense scrutiny.”

7am – C         Metro track work guide: 3rd surge July 5-12 — WASHINGTON – Blue Line riders are hit again and Yellow Line riders face a first direct hit from Metro’s round-the-clock track work, in the next two work zones, which will affect rail service to and from Reagan National Airport. While this may not be quite as disruptive as the June 18-July 3 track work zone that impacted the Blue, Orange and Silver lines, Metro General Manager Paul Wiedefeld puts it in a similar category, with some impact on about 200,000 riders on a typical weekday during both the July 5-11 shutdown and a related shutdown just north of the airport July 12-18. It will make it tough for riders and potentially drivers who use the Blue and Yellow line corridors.

7am – D         Twitter users call out PBS for using stock footage of DC fireworks show. WASHINGTON — Many who were watching PBS’s broadcast of “A Capitol Fourth” noticed something was a little “off” when they aired footage of the fireworks show in the nation’s capital showing clear skies. The rain took its toll on Fourth of July fireworks plans around the nation’s capital causing many shows to be postponed or canceled, but the National Mall fireworks show still went on as scheduled. Clouds made for poor visibility for those watching the fireworks show in the District, which caused some confusion for viewers at home when PBS showed clear skies for the show during their live broadcast. 

7am – E         Durant’s move to the Warriors changes the NBA landscape (AP) — Kevin Durant’s decision to join the Warriors on Monday sent tremors through the NBA, and players and executives throughout the league immediately started to contemplate how the newest super team would alter the landscape. “Thats crazy!!!! KD in GSW????” Wizards center Marcin Gortat tweeted. “(Are) they gonna score 200 points a game?” The Warriors already were a super team before one of the league’s most unstoppable scorers decided to leave Oklahoma City for the Bay Area. Golden State won the championship in 2015, rolled to a regular-season record 73 victories last season and came within one game of back-to-back titles when they lost to the Cleveland Cavaliers Game 7 of the NBA Finals.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – SUSAN FERRECHIO — Chief Congressional Correspondent for the Washington Examiner – discussed what is on the agenda for Congress this week:

• Both the House and the Senate are in session as lawmakers return for a short work week following the July Fourth recess.
• Nearly two weeks after House Democrats staged a historic sit-in to demand action on gun control legislation, the Republican speaker of the House has agreed to hold a vote on a single gun-related bill
• Senate Democrats blocked a procedural motion on the military constructions and veterans affairs spending bill, which included $1.1 billion in Zika funding. Senate GOP leadership has vowed to bring the same legislation up again following the July Fourth recess, and Democrats say they will continue to oppose it.
• The House returns from a weeklong break on July 5 with plans to address mental health and anti-terrorism measures that will include some debate about gun control. The mental health vote is expected Tuesday evening.
• The Senate, meanwhile, will convene Wednesday afternoon, with several measures expected for votes. Just before the Senate adjourned for a brief recess Wednesday night, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) teed up procedural votes on four bills. The first two, concerning so-called “sanctuary cities,” are not expected to meet the 60-vote threshold needed to advance. One measure, from vulnerable Sen. Pat Toomey (R-Pa.), would bar congressional funding from those cities which block local law enforcement from helping federal immigration officials prosecute undocumented immigrants. The second, from Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas), would increase mandatory minimum prison sentences for some undocumented immigrants who repeatedly cross the border into the U.S. illegally.

8am – B         Too Dangerous to Talk? Some Cities Explore 911 Texting (ABC)

With gunshots ringing out just feet away, Eddie Justice hid in a bathroom in the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Florida, and frantically texted his mother for help. “Call police,” he wrote. “I’m gonna die.” Moments later, he texted again: “Call them mommy. Now. He’s coming.” Justice, who would later be confirmed among the 49 people killed in last month’s attack, was among several victims who texted relatives to call 911, fearing they would draw too much attention by making voice calls. None of them could text 911 directly because Orlando is among the vast majority of U.S. cities that don’t have that capability. But as active-shooter and hostage situations become more common, police departments are exploring technology that would allow dispatchers to receive texts, photos and videos in real time.

8am – C         Joey Chestnut eats 70 hot dogs, 17 more than Matt Stonie, to win Nathan’s title (ESPN) –  NEW YORK — Joey “Jaws” Chestnut beat his own record in regaining the Mustard Yellow International Belt on Monday, downing a stomach-churning 70 hot dogs and buns to top Matt “The Megatoad” Stonie at the annual July Fourth eating contest. Chestnut, 32, easily secured victory by polishing off 17 more hot dogs than Stonie, who last year ended Chestnut’s streak of eight straight wins in a major upset to take the championship title at Nathan’s Famous on Coney Island. The 70 hot dogs and buns gobbled by Chestnut were the most ever eaten at the competition. In 2013, Chestnut set a world record by eating 69 hot dogs and buns in 10 minutes. Contest officials said Chestnut also set a record last month when he ate 73½ hot dogs and buns during a qualifying event.

8am – D         INTERVIEW –VINCE COGLIANESE – Executive Editor, The Daily Caller

• Trump tweets fuel VP speculation, cites Joni Ernst, Mike Pence, Tom Cotton.
• Trump campaign continues to defend and explain use of star shape in tweet.
• DAILY CALLER: Report: Hillary Is Considering Keeping Loretta Lynch As Attorney General.
• DAILY CALLER: Undeterred By FBI Investigation, Obama To Campaign With Hillary. On Tuesday, for the first time in U.S. history, a sitting American president will campaign with a presidential candidate who is the subject of an FBI investigation.
• DAILY CALLER: Huma: Hillary Flouted Protocol, Used Burn Bags To Destroy Documents Prohibited By Federal Regs

8am – E         2016 News: More on the FBI Probe Into Clinton’s Emails.