Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, Lt. Col. Tony Shaffer and Ken Klukowski joined WMAL on Tuesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Tuesday, May 9, 2017

Hosts: Brian Wilson and Mary Walter

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C   SPLITTING UP OVER TRUMP: New data from Wakefield Research found that one in 10 couples, married and not, have ended their relationships in a battle over political differences. For younger millennials, it’s 22 percent. 24 percent of Americans in a relationship or married and 42 percent of millennials told the survey that “since President Trump was elected, they and their partner have disagreed or argued about politics more than ever.” And nearly one in three Americans said that political clashes over Trump have “had a negative impact on their relationship,” said the report provided to Secrets.

5am – D         Yates-Clapper Senate hearing:

• Former Justice Department official Sally Yates told the Senate Judiciary Committee she tried to warn the Trump White House that then-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn might be susceptible to Russian blackmail. Prior to her testimony, it was learned President Obama warned his soon-to-be successor not to hire Flynn during an Oval Office meeting two days after the November election. After her testimony, Trump tweeted that “The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax.”
• James Clapper: Still no evidence of any Russian collusion with Trump campaign. James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Monday that he still has not seen any evidence of any kind of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian foreign nationals.
• Sally Yates wins the news cycle by saying Mike Flynn was ‘compromised’ by Russia. Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates managed to dominate the headlines on Monday by casting fired national security adviser Mike Flynn as “compromised” and susceptible to blackmail, despite Republican efforts to focus on the leaks that led to his downfall.
• Sally Yates Told the White House Michael Flynn ‘Could Be Blackmailed’ by Russia

5am – E         Scientists Have Discovered the Root of Gray Hair and Hair Loss. (Yahoo) — In what could be a huge breakthrough for treating gray hair and hair loss, scientists have stumbled upon the cells that cause the two issues. According to a release, scientists at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center were actually looking into how certain cancer tumors form when they discovered a protein called KROX20, which is generally associated with nerve development. In the case of hair growth, though, KROX20 essentially turns on in skin cells, eventually creating a hair shaft. “These hair shaft cells, otherwise known as progenitors, are basically prehairs that are formed before actually sprouting,” lead researcher Dr. Lu Le told Yahoo.  The cells then produce a different protein called stem cell factor (SCF), which provides pigmentation for hair color. Scientists explored combinations of genes in the hair progenitor cells in mice, deleting the SCF gene that turned their hair white. And, when they deleted the KROX20-producing cells, no hair grew and the mice became bald. While the general science behind hair growth and pigmentation was already known, the specifics of how the cells move, which ones make SCF, and the involvement of the KROX20 protein are all new revelations. In other words, according to Dr. Le, associate professor of dermatology with the Harold C. Simmons Comprehensive Cancer Center, his team “ended up learning why hair turns gray and discovering the identity of the cell that directly gives rise to hair.” So how does a discovery like this affect the products you use? Well, Dr. Le hopes to use the knowledge “to create a topical compound or to safely deliver the necessary gene to hair follicles to correct these cosmetic problems.”

6am – A/B DC Council Looks at Giving Tax Breaks to Officers, Firefighters Who Live in DC. WASHINGTON — (WMAL) It’s no secret that D.C. isn’t the cheapest place in which to put down roots, but some members of the D.C. Council are looking at giving an incentive to police officers and firefighters who want to live in the same city they serve. A proposal introduced by Councilmember Kenyan McDuffie would exempt a first responder’s entire salary from local income taxes. It seemed to get a favorable review during a Finance Committee hearing on Monday from Chairman Jack Evans and Councilmember Vince Gray. “There’s well over 83 percent of our police officers, and 75 percent of our fire and EMS employees who live outside the District of Columbia,” Gray said. “The fact that so many of our first responders live so far away from the citizens they protect and serve should be, and I think is, very troubling.” Gray said the proposal would mean about a $5,000 per year savings for a mid-career officer or firefighter. Stephen Bigelow, the Vice Chairman of DC’s Police Union, said anything the Council can do to help recruitment is a good thing. “Then-Chief Lanier said back in 2011 if we got below 3,800 members, we’d be in trouble. Right now we’re right around 3,400,” Bigelow said. “We’re having trouble recruiting, and I really applaud these initiatives that you’re putting forward.”

6am – C         Capitals suffocate Penguins with defense, force Game 7. Washington shuts down Pittsburgh for most of Game 6 and climbs out of a 3-1 series hole. (CBS Sports) — In the past two games, the Pittsburgh Penguins have had the Washington Capitals on the brink of elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. And in both those games, the Capitals have stepped up and stood out, keeping their ever-elusive title hopes alive. The biggest reasons after a 5-2 rout in Game 6 in Pittsburgh? Defense, defense and defense.

6am – D/E     Montgomery Councilmember Rice Sponsors “Be A Councilmember for A Day” For Students. What Would You Do If You Were A Councilmember For A Day?

6am – F         Tiffany Trump, President Trump’s youngest daughter, has been accepted to Georgetown Law’s class of 2020. Washington (CNN) Tiffany Trump, President Donald Trump’s youngest daughter, has been accepted to Georgetown Law’s class of 2020, a representative for the Trump family confirmed to CNN. The first daughter, a recent graduate of the University of Pennsylvania, will attend classes beginning in the fall.  Georgetown’s law program is one of the top in the country, ranked 15th among law schools, according to US News and World Report’s annual rankings. A spokesperson for Georgetown Law declined comment, and several of her fellow incoming students contacted by CNN were not aware of their new classmate. Orientation begins Monday, August 21, with classes beginning the following week, according to the school’s academic calendar.

Bill Clinton to pen first novel with James Patterson. (The Hill) — Former President Bill Clinton will pen his first novel, “The President Is Missing,” with best-selling author James Patterson. “Working on a book about a sitting President — drawing on what I know about the job, life in the White House, and the way Washington works — has been a lot of fun,” said Clinton in a statement. “And working with Jim has been terrific. I’ve been a fan of his for a very long time.” The former president is known for being a big fan of thrillers and mysteries, Patterson’s specialties.

7am – A/B/C             INTERVIEW – TOM FITTON – President of Judicial Watch

• Judicial Watch suing for Sally Yates emails — Judicial Watch Sues Justice Department for Sally Yates’ Emails While She Served as Trump Acting Attorney General. (Washington, DC) – Judicial Watch announced today that it has filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) lawsuit against the U.S. Department of Justice for emails of former Acting Attorney General Sally Yates from her government account.  The lawsuit was filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia (Judicial Watch v. U.S. Department of Justice (No. 1:17-cv-00832)).
• Judicial Watch vs DOJ/State on Hillary Benghazi email: Court Rules Trump State Dept Must Release Clinton Emails of Obama Response to Benghazi.  Despite legal pleadings from the Trump State Department, Judge Amy Berman Jackson of the U.S. District Court for D.C., has ordered the department to release eight paragraphs from emails sent by then-Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Sept. 12, 2012 “regarding phone calls made by President Barack Obama to Egyptian and Libyan leaders immediately following the terrrorist attack on the U.S. mission in Benghazi,” reported Judicial Watch.  The emails may reveal what Secretary Clinton and President Obama knew about the Benghazi attack the day after it happened. Judicial Watch argues that there is a “deliberate effort by the State Department to protect Clinton and the agency by avoiding identifying emails on Clinton’s unofficial, non-secure email server as classified.” “Does President Trump know his State and Justice Departments are still trying to provide cover for Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama?” said Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton.

7am – D/E     Montgomery says it made mistake releasing suspect wanted by ICE. (Washington Post) — A 19-year-old Salvadoran national — arrested in Maryland last week on charges that he brought an AR-15 assault-style rifle into a high school parking lot — was released from the Montgomery County jail despite a request that he be held for possible deportation proceedings, officials said Monday. The suspect — Mario Granados Alvarado, a high school student also believed to have been driving a stolen car — was found the day after his release from the county jail and arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, authorities said. The process created needless risk, federal officials said. “Keeping people safe means not tolerating the release of aliens that present a clear public safety threat back into our communities,” said Dorothy Herrera-Niles, a Maryland field office director of ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations unit. The use of immigration detainers has been contentious between ICE and Montgomery County. ICE uses detainers to request that jails hold suspects for up to 48 hours after they post bond, giving agents time to take people into custody if there is a potential immigration issue. Patrick Lacefield, a spokesman for Montgomery County Executive Isiah Leggett (D), said that the county has abided by detainers in serious, violent cases, but that it has declined to accept detainers from ICE for other cases as the county tries to balance public safety and building strong relationships with immigrant communities. On Monday, Montgomery officials said they should not have released Granados Alvarado. “It was a mistake and we should have honored the detainer,” said Robert Green, director of the Montgomery County Department of Correction and Rehabilitation. “It is the county’s intent to honor ICE detainers on serious charges.”

 

8am – A         INTERVIEW — LT. COL TONY SHAFFER – a CIA trained former senior intelligence officer and the New York Times bestselling author of ” Operation Dark Heart.”

• Analysis of yesterday’s Yates-Clapper Senate hearing
• Former Justice Department official Sally Yates told the Senate Judiciary Committee she tried to warn the Trump White House that then-National Security Advisor Michael Flynn might be susceptible to Russian blackmail. Prior to her testimony, it was learned President Obama warned his soon-to-be successor not to hire Flynn during an Oval Office meeting two days after the November election. After her testimony, Trump tweeted that “The Russia-Trump collusion story is a total hoax.”
• James Clapper: Still no evidence of any Russian collusion with Trump campaign. James Clapper, the former Director of National Intelligence, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee on Monday that he still has not seen any evidence of any kind of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russian foreign nationals.
• Sally Yates wins the news cycle by saying Mike Flynn was ‘compromised’ by Russia. Former acting Attorney General Sally Yates managed to dominate the headlines on Monday by casting fired national security adviser Mike Flynn as “compromised” and susceptible to blackmail, despite Republican efforts to focus on the leaks that led to his downfall.
• Sally Yates Told the White House Michael Flynn ‘Could Be Blackmailed’ by Russia

8am – B         ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

• Actor Antonio Sabato Jr. to run for Congress against Rep. Julia Brownley. (LA Times) — Actor Antonio Sabato Jr. is running for Congress, challenging Rep. Julia Brownley (D-Westlake Village), who represents the southern central coast and most of Ventura County, according to documents filed with the Federal Election Commission on Monday. Attempts to reach the Republican candidate were unsuccessful Monday, but GOP strategist Charles Moran, who will serve as Sabato’s fundraiser, confirmed the run. Strategist Jeff Corless will serve as a top adviser. Sabato is a longtime actor best known for roles in “General Hospital” and “Melrose Place” and as a model for Calvin Klein underwear.  In recent years he has appeared in several reality television shows, including starring in “My Antonio,” a VH1 contest for which women competed for his affection, and “Dancing With the Stars.” The 45-year-old was a vocal supporter of President Trump during the 2016 presidential campaign and spoke on his behalf at that year’s Republican National Convention.
• Richard Simmons Claims Former Associate Has Been Blackmailing Him for Years, Bombshell Lawsuit Reveals. Richard Simmons is alleging that a former associate, Mauro Oliveira, had “blackmailed, extorted and stalked” him in a bombshell lawsuit filed Monday against the National Enquirer and their publishers. The fitness guru, 68, who has not been seen publicly since February 2014, says Oliveira’s extortion led to his further retreat from the spotlight. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, alleges that Oliveira — who was not named as a defendant in the suit — was selling false and libelous information about Simmons to the National Enquirer and Radar Online, both owned by American Media, Inc. “Since early 2014, Mr. Simmons has taken a leave of absence from the media spotlight in order to retreat from his 40-year career in television, fitness and other arenas of entertainment. Starting from around May 2015, Mauro Oliveira, an individual who has blackmailed, extorted and stalked Mr. Simmons for several years with the intention of destroying the career and reputation of Mr. Simmons, contacted several press outlets, including the National Enquirer and Radar, and offered information on Mr. Simmons’s disappearance in exchange for a fee,” lawyers for Simmons allege in the court filing. The suit claims that Oliveira contacted the Enquirer offering different reasons for why he had been absent from public life. Firstly, that he was “frail, weak and spiritually broken.” Secondly, that he was “being held hostage by his housekeeper who was controlling Mr. Simmons, taking advantage of his weak mental state and engaging in witchcraft.”  Lastly, that he was transitioning to female. The suit continues that the Enquirer and Radar “knew and acted in reckless disregard for the fact that the information provided by Mr. Oliveira was false and that he was not a credible or reliable source.”

8am – C         Capitals suffocate Penguins with defense, force Game 7

Washington shuts down Pittsburgh for most of Game 6 and climbs out of a 3-1 series hole. (CBS Sports) — In the past two games, the Pittsburgh Penguins have had the Washington Capitals on the brink of elimination from the Stanley Cup playoffs. And in both those games, the Capitals have stepped up and stood out, keeping their ever-elusive title hopes alive. The biggest reasons after a 5-2 rout in Game 6 in Pittsburgh? Defense, defense and defense.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – KEN KLUKOWSKI – Legal Editor, Breitbart News and General Counsel with the American Civil Rights Union

• Trump names 10 conservatives for federal courts. Trump names 10 nominees to federal courts on heels of Gorsuch win
• The Justice Department urged the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond to lift a stay imposed by a Maryland federal judge in March blocking the executive order, but during Monday’s arguments many judges appeared skeptical of the White House’s argument.
• Appeals Court Skeptical of Trump Administration’s Defense of Executive Order Restricting Travel. (NBC News) –  A majority of the judges on a federal appeals court seemed skeptical of the government’s defense for President Donald Trump’s executive order restricting travel, during courtroom arguments Monday. The Justice Department urged the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond to lift a stay imposed by a Maryland federal judge March 16th blocking the administration from carrying out the executive order. Thirteen members of the appeals court heard the case, bypassing the normal first step of a hearing before a three-judge panel of the court. Jeffrey Wall, the acting solicitor general, representing the Trump administration, argued that the executive order had a legitimate national security purpose, allowing the government to assess the reliability of background information on visa applicants from six countries associated with terrorism.  

8am – E         IRS Hires Collection Agencies to Target Unpaid Taxes. The IRS last month enlisted the help of four debt collection companies to seek overdue taxes owed to the federal government. The tax-collection agency warned people to be aware of possible tax-collection scams, such as con artists posing as IRS officials seeking back payments. Before the debt collection companies start contacting taxpayers, the IRS will attempt to reach them by mail. “The IRS is taking steps throughout this effort to ensure that the private collection firms work responsibly and respect taxpayer rights,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said in a statement. “The IRS also urges taxpayers to be on the lookout for scammers who might use those program as a cover to trick people.” The four private debt collectors working for the IRS are: CBE Group of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Conserve of Fairport, New York; Performant of Livermore, California; and Pioneer of Horseheads, New York. The taxpayer’s account will be only assigned to one of these firms, never to all four, the IRS said. The IRS in 2016 estimated that about $458 billion in taxes don’t get collected every year.