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Mornings on the Mall

Thursday July 13, 2017

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

5am – A/B/C Vice President Mike Pence has been courting scores of the country’s most influential donors, corporate executives and conservative political leaders over the past several months in a series of private gatherings and one-on-one conversations.  Is Pence plotting his political future minus Trump? Vice President Mike Pence’s team pushed back Wednesday against the notion that he was trying to distance himself from President Donald Trump, after a statement Pence issued a day earlier on the latest developments in the Russia saga drew raised eyebrows.  Some White House aides said they were blindsided by Pence’s statement on Tuesday after Trump’s eldest son released emails about a June 2016 meeting with a Russian lawyer. Pence’s office said in response to the news that he was “not focused on stories about the campaign, particularly stories about the time before he joined the ticket.” Some White House officials said they felt the statement implied guilt on the part of the campaign.

5am – D/E  Millennials are making major money with side gigs (Bankrate) A new survey from Bankrate reveals that we are seriously a country of hustlers, with 44 million American adults claiming they have a side gig—aka an extra way to rake in cash aside from their main source of income. The age group most likely to grow their green with a side hustle? Millennials.  Bankrate’s survey found that younger millennials (ages 18 to 26) are the age group most likely to have a side hustle, with 28 percent saying they have an extra way to make money aside from their main source of income. And they’re not using these gigs to make a quick buck every now and then just to fund their trip to Coachella; 61 percent of younger millennials say they earn extra money on the side every week, and 96 percent of them say they do it at least monthly.  25 percent of younger millennials make more than $500 a month. Income from side gigs isn’t just limited to some loose change from a lemonade stand, either. Millennials are raking in serious cash from these side hustles. The survey found that millennials make a median of $200 monthly from their side jobs, and 25 percent of younger millennials make more than $500 a month. It makes sense that millennials are hustling harder than other generations; we’ve grown up with social media and the internet, so we’ve got a firm grasp on not only how to properly filter an Instagram post, but how to really grow our green in a gig economy dominated by apps and other on-demand services.

6am – A/B/C DC Council cracks down on owners who leave #pets in hot cars (WTOP) Do you ever leave your kids or pets in your car? Pet owners in D.C. will be under increased scrutiny during the summer following a vote by the D.C. Council Tuesday to approve emergency legislation cracking down on people who leave their pets alone in hot weather. “Extreme heat poses a great danger to animals,” said Council member Brandon Todd. Already this summer, two dogs had to be rescued from hot cars and a third died from heat exposure after being left outside, according to Todd. “We can and must do a better job at spreading awareness of the appropriate levels of care, specifically in instances of extreme weather,” he said. Under the emergency bill, owners cannot leave pets unattended outdoors for more than 15 minutes if the temperature is above 90 degrees. Police officers, firefighters and animal control officers will have the authority to bust into a parked car to save a pet that is left inside. The owner of the pet would need to pay for all costs associated with the rescue, and the city would not be responsible for any damage done to the vehicle. Animal control officers also will have the authority to issue citations and collect steep fines. Pet owners who violate the law can be fined up to $500 or $1,000 for each offense, depending on the severity. The emergency bill, which lasts for 90 days, is the first step in a broad effort to permanently tighten the city’s animal welfare laws, including those related to adequate shelter and access to food and water. In the fall, council members plan to consider a measure called the “Standard of Care for Animals Amendment Act of 2017.”

6am – D TRUMP NEWS: Pres. Trump has arrived in Paris for meetings with French Pres. Macron and to attend Bastille Day celebration. (ABC)  President Donald Trump departed Washington, D.C. tonight for two days to have a tête-à-tête with French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris. Trump accepted Macron’s invitation in May to visit France for Bastille Day, the country’s national holiday on July 14, and to commemorate the U.S. engagement alongside French troops during World War I. According to the Élysée Palace, President Macron’s office, Trump will be welcomed by the French leader tomorrow at Les Invalides, the site of Napoleon’s tomb and a military museum. They will hold a one-on-one meeting, followed by a press conference where Trump will likely face questions about his eldest son’s meeting with a Russian attorney. Later on Thursday, Trump and Macron, along with their wives, will dine at the Michelin star restaurant Le Jules Verne, on the second floor of the Eiffel Tower. “The two leaders will further build on the strong counter-terrorism cooperation and economic partnership between the two countries, and they will discuss many other issues of mutual concern,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer said in a statement from June, announcing Trump’s acceptance of Macron’s invitation. As Trump, 71, and the recently elected Macron, 39, try to reach common-ground on these issues, the two leaders have differing opinions on immigration and climate change. Trump recently crossed paths with Macron at the G-20 summit in Hamburg, Germany. Their first meeting was at the NATO summit held in Belgium in May, where they shared a now-notorious lengthy handshake showdown that made their knuckles white. After that first encounter on the sidelines of the NATO summit, Macron told a French newspaper his handshake with Trump was “not innocent” and it was a “moment of truth.” “One must show that you won’t make small concessions, even symbolic ones, but also not over-publicize things, either,” Macron told Le Journal du Dimanche. Trump claims Putin wanted HILLARY to win election saying: ‘Why would he want me?’ (Daily Mail) Trump sat down for an interview with Christian conservative broadcaster Pat Robertson on Wednesday amid a cascade of revelations about Russian election meddling that have rocked the White House. Attempting to thwart the allegations of Russian collusion, Trump first praised and then distanced himself from Putin – a man he’s repeatedly said he hopes to form a positive relationship with – in the Christian Broadcasting Network interview. President Donald Trump said Wednesday as his son continued to take flak for a secret meeting with a Russian lawyer that the Kremlin would have been better off with Hillary Clinton as president. ‘Why would he want me?’ Trump said of Vladimir Putin. ‘If Hillary had won, our military would be decimated. Our energy would be much more expensive. That’s what Putin doesn’t like about me. Trump added, ‘He would like Hillary where she wants to have windmills.’ ‘There are many things that I do that are the exact opposite of what he would want.’ Congressman introduces articles of impeachment against Trump Rep. Brad Sherman, D-Calif., has introduced formal articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, accusing him of obstruction of justice. Sherman, who first drafted the articles in June, formally introduced H.R. 438 on the House floor on Wednesday. Other Democrats have expressed concern about Sherman’s effort to impeach Trump over possible ties to Russia, and the resolution had only one cosponsor, Rep. Al Green, D-Tex. A successful vote for impeachment would require a majority in the House, where Republicans have 46 more seats than Democrats. The articles accuse Trump of violating “his constitutional oath faithfully to execute the office of president of the United States.” Trump “has prevented, obstructed and impeded the administration of justice during a federal investigation,” Sherman’s resolution says.

6am – E IMMIGRATION NEWS: President Donald Trump has appointed Lee Francis Cissna to serve as director of the DHS’s critical U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services agency. The agency is responsible for screening arrivals and immigrants to prevent jihad attacks and other terrorism. Cissna has been approved by the Senate committee, but he won’t get a Senate approval vote soon because Tillis asked the GOP’s leader to put a so-called “hold” on the nomination. Trump closes another immigration loophole (Breitbart) An Obama-created loophole for foreign nationals wanting to come to the United States to start a business has been halted for at least a year by the Trump Administration. The International Entrepreneur Rule was put in place two years ago by then-President Obama through executive order, essentially creating a new visa program for foreign nationals without approving it by Congress. Instead of coming to the U.S. on an employer-sponsored visa, such as a Green Card or H-1B visa, foreign nationals wanting to start business were given leave to remain in the country for at least 2 and a half years. In an order by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Secretary John Kelly announced that the program would be stopped to at least March of next year. “This delay will provide DHS with an opportunity to obtain comments from the public regarding a proposal to rescind the rule pursuant to Executive Order (E.O.) 13767, “Border Security and Immigration Enforcement Improvements,” the order stated. Millions of Illegals in the United States The acting ICE director said during the briefing that there are “11 million to 12 million” illegal immigrants in the U.S. The Pew Research Center pegged the number at 11 million illegal immigrants in 2015. Trump intervenes to grant rejected Afghan girls entry to U.S. for robotics contest (Politico) At the urging of President Donald Trump, U.S. officials have reversed course and decided to allow into the United States a group of Afghan girls hoping to participate in an international robotics competition next week, senior administration officials told POLITICO on Wednesday. The decision followed a furious public backlash to the news that the six teens had been denied U.S. visas. That criticism swelled as details emerged about the girls’ struggle to build their robot and get visas.“The State Department worked incredibly well with the Department of Homeland Security to ensure that this case was reviewed and handled appropriately,” Dina Powell, Trump’s deputy national security adviser for strategy, said in a statement. “We could not be prouder of this delegation of young women who are also scientists — they represent the best of the Afghan people and embody the promise that their aspirations can be fulfilled. They are future leaders of Afghanistan and strong ambassadors for their country.”

6am – F Second ambulance in two months stolen from Maryland hospital (BaltimoreSun) An ambulance stolen from a hospital in Cheverly has been recovered outside a convenience store. Local news outlets report a Prince George’s County fire department transport unit with no patients inside was stolen on Tuesday from a hospital in Cheverly, and tracked to a 7-Eleven store 2 miles away. Fire department spokesman Mark E. Brady says a suspect had been taken into custody, but further details were not released. This is the second reported time in less than two months that an ambulance has been stolen from Prince George’s Hospital Center. Local news outlets noted that Tuesday, July 11, was the convenience store chain’s designated “7-Eleven Day,” when free slurpees are offered, but no information has been released that ties the theft to a particular motive.

7am – A  Donald Trump, Jr. controversy Hillary Clinton’s former running mate Sen. Tim Kaine says Donald Trump Jr. may have committed treason. Donald Trump Jr. tweets email chain that he says is about his meeting with a Russian lawyer. The Russian lawyer who penetrated Donald Trump’s inner circle was initially cleared into the United States by the Justice Department under “extraordinary circumstances” before she embarked on a lobbying campaign last year that ensnared the president’s eldest son, members of Congress, journalists and State Department officials, according to court and Justice Department documents and interviews.

7am – B College Park considers extending local voting rights to noncitizens (WTOP)

College Park’s mayor and council are considering a move to allow residents who are not United States citizens to vote in local elections. The move would require change the city’s charter amendment, but College Park would not be alone in allowing noncitizens to vote in municipal elections. Other Maryland municipalities that allow residents who are not citizens to vote include Takoma Park, Hyattsville, Somerset, Glen Echo, Martin’s Additions and most recently, Mt. Rainier.  “I’m kind of torn. I sit on the fence. I kind of see both sides,” said Dan Blasburg of College Park. “The hang-up I have is nonresidents of the city having a say in what happens with regards to city politics and what goes on. And I don’t know how to rectify that.” Citing the number and types of visas offered to noncitizens, Blasburg wondered which type of visa holders would be eligible to vote. “I’m 60-40 against it at this time, but I’m open to listening to both sides,” Blasburg said. City resident and U.S. Army veteran Laurence Provost spoke before the council Tuesday evening, saying he opposed extending the right to vote in local elections to noncitizens. “Voting is a right, but it is also a privilege and there are standards for voting,” Provost said. “Citizenship is special.” College Park 12-year-old, Arun Ivatury spoke at the meeting in support of the proposal. Noting that other speakers referred to the Constitution, he said, “There’s nothing in the Constitution that prevents a municipality from allowing a noncitizen to vote.” Ivatury told the mayor and council that his support for the right of noncitizens to vote is rooted in fairness. Currently, he said, many noncitizens who are residents pay property taxes, own businesses and even fight for their adopted country — yet cannot vote in municipal elections. “There is something seriously unfair about this,” he said. The issue is scheduled for a vote Aug. 8.

 7am – C Here’s Where to Get Free Fries on National French Fry Day (FORTUNE)

This Thursday, July 13, is National French Fry Day, which means there’s lots of starchy goodness to be had. That’s music to the ears of any fast food addict. The average American eats roughly 30 lbs of french fries per year, so retailers are eager to lure shoppers in with discounts and giveaways. Whether you prefer regular style, waffle fries, curly fries, or chili-cheese, there are plenty of freebies and deals to be found. McDonald’s – Order via the french fry king’s app and get a free medium fries not only on French Fry Day, but every day through Sept. 7. Burger King – No free fries here this year, but for just $3.49 you can get two cheeseburgers, a small drink and, well, you guessed it, a small order of fries. Arby’s – Want free curly fries? Just order a Brown Sugar Bacon Sandwich and Arby’s will throw ’em in gratas. You’ll also get a drink. Dairy Queen – A small order of fries will run you just $1 on the 13th at select locations. Bob Evans – Sweet potato fries are what’s being offered at this restaurant chain..

7am – D INTERVIEW – RON HOSKO – former assistant director of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division and currently the ‎President at Law Enforcement Legal Defense Fund

 TOPICS: Christopher Wray hearing and FBI building budget

• FBI head nominee Wray pledges he would resign before improperly dropping an investigation. (Washington Post) – Christopher A. Wray, President Trump’s nominee to head the FBI, told a Senate panel Wednesday that if the president improperly pressured him to drop an investigation, he would first try to talk him out of it — and if that failed, resign. He testified during his confirmation hearing before the Senate Judiciary Committee that no one has asked him for a loyalty oath as part of his nomination, adding, “And I sure as heck didn’t offer one.” Wray, a low-key former senior Justice Department official, was nominated after Trump abruptly fired FBI Director James B. Comey in May amid a bureau investigation of potential coordination between Trump associates and the Kremlin to interfere in last year’s presidential election. Comey’s dismissal hung over the proceedings, as a number of lawmakers said they wanted to avoid a repeat of the controversial firing. The former FBI director has testified that the president asked him for his “loyalty” and suggested that he drop an investigation of former national security adviser Michael T. Flynn.
• Federal government cancels costly, decade-long search for a new FBI headquarters. (Washington Post) – The federal government is canceling the search for a new FBI headquarters, according to officials familiar with the decision, putting a more than decade-long effort by the bureau to move out of the crumbling J. Edgar Hoover Building back at square one. The decision follows years of failed attempts by federal officials to persuade Congress to fully back a plan for a campus in the Washington suburbs paid for by trading away the Hoover Building to a real estate developer and putting up nearly $2 billion in taxpayer funds to cover the remaining cost.

 7am – E SENATE RUNS: Kid Rock hints at potential US Senate run in Michigan The musician from suburban Detroit is teasing his potential 2018 candidacy, though it is news to Michigan Republicans. Kid Rock, who was born Robert Ritchie, said Wednesday that a website hinting at his campaign — www.kidrockforsenate.com — is legit. “I have had a ton of emails and texts asking me if this website is real,” he said on Facebook and Twitter. “The answer is an absolute YES. Stay tuned, I will have a major announcement in the near future.” Corey Stewart to announce run for U.S. Senate on Thursday, sources say (Richmond Times)  A month after nearly toppling Ed Gillespie in the GOP race for governor with a campaign centered around the Confederate flag and restricting immigration, Corey Stewart on Thursday will announce a run for U.S. Senate in 2018, sources said. Stewart has called a news conference for 11 a.m. at his home in Woodbridge, where sources say he’ll announce that he wants to be the GOP nominee to go up against first-term Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., who is running for re-election. Stewart is the first GOP candidate to announce a run for Senate next year, although several other names are being floated.

8am – A INTERVIEW – BRAD THOR – Bestselling author of the new book “Use of Force”

Topic: New book/Russia

• Joining Larry O’Connor tomorrow (7/14) for a Q&A at the East City Bookshop (open to the public)
• “Use of Force” a book of “faction” – thriller involving terrorism, much based on conversations with intelligence community
• Trump has been soft on Russia, our biggest political adversary

 8am – B ENTERTAINMENT NEWS: Shia LaBeouf tweets apology: ‘I am deeply ashamed of my behavior’ Shia LaBeouf is apologizing for his actions, and acknowledging that he’s “struggling with addiction.” The actor, who’s out of jail on a $7,000 bond, continued, “I don’t know if these statements are too frequent, or not shared often enough, but I am certain that my actions warrant a very sincere apology to the arresting officers, and I am grateful for their restraint. The severity of my behavior is not lost on me.” LeBeouf was arrested for public drunkenness, disorderly conduct and obstruction last weekend, and video footage of the incident has surfaced. In the body cam footage recorded by police, the Man Down star can be seen asking authorities why he is being apprehended. Mess with North West, and expect Kim Kardashian to step in: Kim defends North’s corset-inspired dress. The E! reality star’s 4-year-old daughter was recently spotted wearing what appeared to be a cream-colored corset over a silky peach dress, prompting some critics to call the designer look too provocative for the toddler. Well, leave it up to North’s protective mama to set the record straight. It’s not a traditional corset at all! Kim shared a video to Twitter breaking down her little girl’s streetwear chic dress. explaining, “This dress that I did not design, I actually bought, is not a corset. It’s just fabric on the front that looks like a corset.” Jay-Z admits that his marriage to Beyoncé “wasn’t totally built on 100 percent truth.”  Of course, this came to light thanks to 2016’s Lemonade and again in the rapper’s latest studio album, 4:44, which documents the A-list couple’s marital troubles (including infidelity accusations, raising children and more) in great detail. After tackling race issues in the U.S. for his Footnotes for “The Story of O.J.” mini-documentary, Jay-Z released yet another personal piece pegged to the album’s title track. Ariana Grande has been named the first honorary citizen of Manchester City Council decided to showcase more love for the 24-year-old singer following her work stemming from the bombing at her Manchester Arena concert on May 22. Council leader Richard Leese told council members ahead of the vote, “It would have been understandable if [Grande] had never wanted to see this place again. But she determined she would not to perform again until she had returned to Manchester. In doing so, she brought comfort to thousands, [and] she raised millions for the We Love Manchester Emergency Fund.” Showtime’s ‘Homeland’ to shoot its seventh season in Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe says creators of the Showtime spy thriller will begin filming in the Richmond area this fall. The show’s seventh season is set to premier in 2018. McAuliffe says the state is “delighted to welcome this outstanding drama to the Commonwealth.” McAuliffe’s office says the show will be eligible for a film tax credit and grant. The amount of funding they receive will depend on things like the number of Virginia workers hired.

 8am – C Cocaine found inside Cookie Monster doll (Fox 5 DC) A 29-year-old man was arrested in Key West after deputies found a large amount of cocaine hidden in a Cookie Monster doll in his car. The man was pulled over just after midnight Wednesday after a deputy spotted him driving down the street in a car with dark tinted windows and the license plate obscured. When the suspect, identified as Camus McNair, rolled down his window, the deputy smelled marijuana in the car. A search of the car turned up a backpack with with a blue “Cookie Monster” doll with two packages of cocaine inside of it, totaling 314 grams. There was also paperwork inside the backpack which indicated the backpack belonged to McNair. He was arrested and charged with trafficking cocaine.

8am – D SARAH WESTWOOD – White House reporter for the Washington Examiner

TOPICS: White House: “Absolutely no distance” between Trump and Mike Pence /latest WH reaction to Don JR news

• White House deputy press secretary Sarah Sanders denied Tuesday that Vice President Pence was trying to distance himself from President Trump after new details about Donald Trump Jr.’s meeting with a Russian national became public. “There’s absolutely no distance between the president and the vice president,” Sanders said. Pence’s office released a statement highlighting the fact that he wasn’t on the Republican ticket when Trump Jr.’s meeting about Hillary Clinton with the Russian lawyer took place.

 8am – E Sen. Rand Paul: Senate GOP Decides to Keep Obamacare The Senate Obamacare bill does not repeal Obamacare. Not even close. In fact, the Senate GOP bill codifies and likely expands many aspects of Obamacare. The Senate Obamacare-lite bill codifies a federal entitlement to insurance. With the Senate GOP bill, Republicans, for the first time, will signal that they favor a key aspect of Obamacare – federal taxpayer funding of private insurance purchases. The bill will transfer billions of dollars to people who will then transfer billions of dollars to insurance companies. What a great business model – encourage the federal government to use taxpayer money to buy a private company’s product. Great business model, that is, if you are Big Insurance.

man of the hour8am – E  Amelia Earhart Survived Crash, Claims New Documentary with Photo Evidence (TMZ) Amelia Earhart survived what everyone thought was a fatal flight and ended up a prisoner of war … this according to a new documentary. As everyone knows, almost 80 years ago to the day, Earhart took off in her Lockheed Electra from New Guinea and vanished. Neither her plane nor her body were ever found. She was presumed dead. But a new documentary — “Amelia Earhart: The Lost Evidence” — shows a photo taken on a South Pacific island days after she disappeared. The doc claims Amelia is in the photo, sitting on a dock, surrounded by people who might be her captors. The documentary — which airs Sunday on the History Channel — claims the U.S. government covered it allto save