VA Del. Rich Anderson, Del Wilber, MD Del. Nic Kipke, The Hill’s Alex Bolton, Looudon Now’s Danielle Nadler, Dinesh D’Souza and guest host Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer joined WMAL on Wednesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, January 11, 2017

Hosts: Brian Wilson and Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

5am – A/B     New Russia Claims: BuzzFeed prints sketchy Trump dirt, says America can decide what’s true. BuzzFeed on Tuesday pushed the boundaries of journalism by publishing an unverified document revealing potentially explosive allegations about President-elect Trump, under the theory that “Americans can make up their own minds” about whether those allegations are true or not. The dossier purports to be a series of notes about how Russia has worked to cultivate Trump, including by allowing Trump to participate in “perverted sexual acts.” It also said Russia tried to offer Trump several “sweetener real estate deals,” but said Trump had yet to take Russia up on those offers. BuzzFeed published the dossier even though it admitted it is unverifiable.

5am – C         Donald Trump has asked for bust of Winston Churchill to be put back in the Oval Office after Obama replaced it with Martin Luther King. The request was put to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson three days ago. (The Sun) – DONALD Trump has asked Britain to send Winston Churchill’s bust back to the White House so he can return it to the Oval Office, The Sun can reveal. The request was put to Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson by the President Elect’s senior advisers during talks in New York three days ago. Last night, Downing Street confirmed that Theresa May has agreed to a loan of the famous sculpture again. The gesture marks a diplomatic coup for the PM in her bid to win influence over the unpredictable new US leader. A bitter row over the bust’s location has raged for seven years since outgoing President Barack Obama replaced the wartime leader’s image with one of Martin Luther King in 2009.

5am – D         RECAP: Jefff Sessions, John Kelly kick off Senate confirmation hearings

5am – E         More than 300 pack into Loudoun School Board meeting, most to support Dominion principal on leave. The Loudoun County School Board meeting room was bursting at the seams Tuesday night. More than 300 people packed into a highly anticipated meeting, many of them to find out whether their beloved Dominion High School principal, Dr. John Brewer, would be reinstated after he abruptly went on leave following accusations of sexual misconduct against a former band director at the school. The School Board did not take any formal action Tuesday regarding Brewer’s employment. Last month, School Board Member Debbie Rose confirmed on the “Support Dr. Brewer” Facebook page that Superintendent Eric Williams recommended Brewer be terminated. Many believe the School Board will vote on the recommendation, though Loudoun County Public Schools Public Information Officer Wayde Byard, Williams and Rose declined to comment Tuesday on whether any recommendation has been made. The three school officials have not said when a final decision on Brewer’s employment will be made. More than 100 supporters — students, alumni, faculty and parents — urged the board to bring back their principal during the first couple hours of the meeting. They came bearing signs and shirts, and they shared testimonies about how Brewer helped them at Dominion.

6am – A/B/C Obama’s Farewell Speech: Obama offers optimism — and warnings — in farewell address. Chicago (CNN) Popular but politically humbled, President Barack Obama said goodbye to the nation Tuesday night, declaring during his farewell address that he hasn’t abandoned his vision of progressive change but warning that it now comes with a new set of caveats. His voice at moments catching with emotion, Obama recounted a presidency that saw setbacks as well as successes. Admitting candidly that political discourse has soured under his watch, Obama demanded that Americans renew efforts at reconciliation. “It falls to each of us to be those anxious, jealous guardians of our democracy,” the President said. “To embrace the joyous task we’ve been given to continually try to improve this great nation of ours.” Obama also stressed solidarity despite a presidency sometimes at odds with Congress.

6am – D         New Russia Claims: BuzzFeed prints sketchy Trump dirt, says America can decide what’s true.

6am – E         School Notes: The school district’s new celebrity: #KatiefromFCPS and her infamous tweetShe is …#KatiefromFCPS.  (Frederick News Post) — So, who the heck am I talking about? It’s Katie Nash, who as of Monday runs Frederick County Public Schools’ social media as part of her duties. Nash has gained what I might call a significant digital following after she posted a tweet last Thursday. She declined to talk to me for this column. On Thursday, someone who appeared to be a student tweeted to the school district’s Twitter account with a simple plea: Please close school tomorrow. The student, whose name is listed as “Nathan” on Twitter, spelled “tomorrow” as “tammarow.” Nash, who had control of the Twitter feed, @FCPSMaryland, wrote back (clearly in jest): “But then how would you learn how to spell ‘tomorrow?’ :)” Online reaction was swift and gleeful. Multiple people loved the comeback and declared Nash’s response “savage.” One user called Nash a “blessing.” Liz Barrett, vice president of the school board, said that any social media posting on the school district’s behalf should be thoughtful, clear and informative. “The tweet in question was inappropriate and certainly created a lot of unpleasant responses in terms of other students piling on,” Barrett said. She said this was a personnel matter that Alban would handle. Barrett said she hopes the person behind the tweets — she did not use Nash’s name — “understands the rules and gets more training.”

6am – F         Texas Judge Dismisses ‘Clock Boy’s’ Defamation Lawsuit Against Conservatives. A Texas judge has dismissed a defamation lawsuit filed last year by the father of “Clock Boy” Ahmed Mohamed against several conservatives. Dallas County district court judge Maricela Moore dismissed the suit on Monday, announced the Center for Security Policy (CSP), one of the defendants in the case. Mohamed Mohamed, “Clock Boy’s” father, filed the suit in September against CSP, its executive vice president, The Blaze, Inc., its founder Glenn Beck, Fox News, and several conservative pundits, including Ben Ferguson and Ben Shapiro, all of whom criticized his son.

7am – A         INTERVIEW — VIRGINIA DELEGATE RICHARD ANDERSON – Delegate, 51st House District (Prince William County)

• TOPIC: Preview What’s On The Agenda For VA Assembly:
• What Va. lawmakers will focus on as general assembly begins
• Following concession, Va. and Md. legislatures expected to okay Metro safety body. A new Metro safety oversight commission is a step closer to happening as the Virginia and Maryland legislatures convene this week.
• Va. delegate still pushing for ban on behind-the-wheel phone use. Del. Rich Anderson is persistent about a hands-free law, he said, because he wants to bring down the number of Virginians killed due to distracted driving.

7am – B/C     INTERVIEW — DEL WILBER – covers the Justice Department for the Los Angeles Times

• Sen. Jeff Sessions defends his civil rights record, promises to prioritize law over his personal views
• Sessions will recuse himself from matters involving Hillary Clinton as attorney general
• Amid attacks from Democrats, Sessions vows to uphold laws on abortion, same-sex marriage
• Trump is hit with allegations that Russia gathered compromising information on him. On the eve of his first news conference in more than five months, President-elect Trump faces unverified allegations that Russian officials had gathered compromising information about his personal life and political associates, further deepening the controversy over Russian involvement in the 2016 election.       

7am – D         INTERVIEW – MARYLAND DELEGATE NIC KIPKE – Maryland Minority Leader of the House of Delegates, Maryland Delegate of District 31

• Md. lawmakers to grapple with budget, sick leave, fracking.  (AP) — A budget shortfall will be a top concern for Maryland lawmakers during their annual 90-day legislative session. Lawmakers also will be weighing proposals to require paid sick leave and to either ban or extend a moratorium on the hydraulic oil and gas drilling process known as fracking.
• Re-districting. They will introduce new legislation with regards to redistricting, and hopefully the Assembly will pass it.
• The budget. It isn’t going to grow as much as democrats want because last year they increased spending
• The Second Amendment. They have made small movements toward the right to bear arms,. but they will keep pushing for it.

7am – E         Trump Reacts To New Russia Claims: Fake News

• Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 10h10 hours ago / ‘BuzzFeed Runs Unverifiable Trump-Russia Claims’ #FakeNews
• Donald J. Trump ‏@realDonaldTrump 10h10 hours ago / FAKE NEWS – A TOTAL POLITICAL WITCH HUNT!

8am – A         INTERVIEW — ALEX BOLTON – Senior Reporter, Senate Affairs for THE HILL – recapped Tuesday’s Jeff Sessions/John Kelly hearings and preview the numerous confirmation hearings on Wednesday.

8am – B/C     INTERVIEW — DANIELLE NADLER – managing editor of Loudoun Now

• More than 300 pack into Loudoun School Board meeting, most to support Dominion principal on leave. The Loudoun County School Board meeting room was bursting at the seams Tuesday night. More than 300 people packed into a highly anticipated meeting, many of them to find out whether their beloved Dominion High School principal, Dr. John Brewer, would be reinstated after he abruptly went on leave following accusations of sexual misconduct against a former band director at the school. The School Board did not take any formal action Tuesday regarding Brewer’s employment.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – DINESH D’SOUZA – filmmaker of “Hillary’s America” and “2016: Obama’s America” documentaries – analyzed President Obama’s Farewell Address Last Night and reflect on his legacy as president.

8am – E         Democrat re-hangs painting depicting cops as pigs following tug-of-war with GOP lawmaker.  (The Hill) – A tug of war between Democrats and Republicans over a controversial painting escalated Tuesday, with lawmakers taking turns removing the painting and re-hanging it in a Capitol thoroughfare.  Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.) returned the controversial painting, depicting a confrontation between black protesters and police officers portrayed as feral pigs, to its original place in the Capitol complex on Tuesday after a Republican lawmaker personally removed it. The painting had been displayed in a highly trafficked tunnel connecting the Capitol and two House office buildings since June as part of an annual high school art competition. But Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-Calif.) took down the painting and brought it to Clay’s office on Friday after conservative news outlets had taken notice in recent weeks. Clay, surrounded by fellow members of the Congressional Black Caucus, said taking down the painting violated the freedoms of speech and expression. “This is really not about a student art competition anymore. This is about protecting the Constitution,” Clay said. Within three hours of Clay re-hanging the painting, it was taken down again — this time by Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-Colo.). The painting was down for less than 15 minutes before Clay restored it for a second time, an aide to Clay said. But more GOP lawmakers picked up where Lamborn left off. Within three hours after Clay replaced the painting for a second time, Reps. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.) and Brian Babin (R-Texas) took it down together and brought it back once again to the Missouri Democrat’s office.