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Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, November 29, 2017

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

5am – A Conyers faces new pressure to resign after fourth accuser alleges harassment (Washington Post) The political future of Congress’s longest-serving member, Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.), appeared precarious late Tuesday as leaders pressured him to resign over allegations he sexually harassed multiple female aides.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and members of the Congressional Black Caucus encouraged the veteran lawmaker to step down as soon as this week after a fourth accuser came forward Tuesday morning, according to a senior Democratic aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe private conversations. Although Conyers denies wrongdoing and has insisted he will not resign, he stepped down as ranking Democrat of the House Judiciary Committee on Sunday. The move was seen as a concession to critics who said he should no longer occupy such a powerful perch as allegations mount. Ex-Conyers spokesman: Most of us have walked in on him changing in his office (The Hill) A former aide to Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) said Tuesday that the congressman, who is facing multiple allegations of sexual misconduct, would often change clothes in his office, where staffers have walked in on him. Bob Weiner, a former spokesman for Conyers, said the congressman’s closet is inside his office, and he would change clothes there as a result, according to multiple reports. “Big deal,” Weiner said of some staffers walking in on him

5am – B Terry Crews Responds to Alleged Groper Adam Venit Returning to WME After Suspension: ‘Somebody Got a Pass (Breitbart) Actor Terry Crews expressed disappointment over news that Hollywood talent agent Adam Venit, whom Crews accused of groping him, returned to WME talent agency following a month-long suspension over the alleged encounter. During an appearance on Good Morning America earlier this month, Crews claimed that Venit, former head of WME’s Motion Picture Group, sexually assaulted him at a Hollywood event last year. Angela Lansbury Said Attractive Women Should Take Some Blame For Sexual Assault (Buzzfeed) Angela Lansbury came under fire on Tuesday following her remarks in a Radio Times interview on the recent string of allegations of sexual harassment and sexual assault in Hollywood. “There are two sides to this coin,” Lansbury told the Radio Times. “We have to own up to the fact that women, since time immemorial, have gone out of their way to make themselves attractive. And unfortunately it has backfired on us — and this is where we are today.” Lansbury continued, “We must sometimes take blame, women. I really do think that. Although it’s awful to say we can’t make ourselves look as attractive as possible without being knocked down and raped.”

5am – C Uzbekistan incident raises suspicions of Russian involvement in Cuba attacks (CBS News) A newly revealed incident reported by a USAID officer who is based at the American embassy in Uzbekistan is raising suspicions Russia may have been involved and could have had a hand in bizarre attacks targeting U.S. diplomats in Cuba, according to American sources. In September, the officer and his wife reported, according to one source familiar with the incident, what may have been at least one acoustic attack similar to those experienced by the diplomats in Havana. The first Cuba attacks began in November 2016, and the last report of an attack was in August 2017. Victims of the attacks in Cuba describe hearing a loud, high-pitched sound often described like a hiss of cicadas or crickets in unusual places—often in their homes. The State Department declined to describe in detail the incident in Tashkent.

5am – D/E  Trump confronts perilous North Korean test (CNN) North Korea pushed President Donald Trump closer to a set of excruciating choices with its most potent missile test yet, which shattered a two-month calm in Northeast Asia and set nerves in Washington back on edge. Trump, who earlier this year warned he would rain “fire and fury” on the isolated state if it continued to threaten the US or its allies, was relatively muted in responding to Kim Jong Un’s latest provocation. “I will only tell you that we will take care of it. … It is a situation that we will handle,” Trump told reporters at the White House. Trump, next to empty chairs, tears into Dems for skipping meeting (The Hill) President Trump tore into Democratic leaders on Tuesday for skipping a legislative strategy session at the White House. Trump said he is “not surprised” that Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) decided not to attend, accusing them of being “all talk” and “no action.” “Now it’s even worse. Now it’s not even talk. Now they’re not even showing up to the meeting,” Trump said. The president spoke at the White House, flanked by two empty chairs with placards for Schumer and Pelosi. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) sat at opposite ends of a long table inside the Roosevelt Room. Ryan said it was “very regrettable” his Democratic counterparts decided not to attend the meeting.

6am – A/B/C   Catholic Church files lawsuit after Christmas-themed ad rejected by D.C. subway system (The Washington Times) The Catholic church is taking Metro to court after the Washington-area transit agency rejected an ad campaign promoting a website aimed at encouraging attendance at parishes throughout the D.C. area. WTOP Radio reported that the Archdiocese of Washington filed the lawsuit Tuesday after Metro rejected an advertisement promoting the website FindthePerfectGift.org. “Find the perfect gift,” reads the ad’s tag line, set against a backdrop depicting shepherds with their flock of sheep looking up into a starry sky. While no overtly religious message is included in the text of the ad itself, the home page FindthePerfectGift explains that “Jesus is the perfect gift,” and includes links for visitors to find the nearest Catholic parish. The website also includes a section about Catholic Advent and Christmas traditions and includes tips for how families can start their own traditions.

 6am – D INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – Syndicated Columnist

Topics – North Korea/ Tax bill and concerns about the deficit

• Trump confronts perilous North Korean test (CNN) North Korea pushed President Donald Trumpcloser to a set of excruciating choices with its most potent missile test yet, which shattered a two-month calm in Northeast Asia and set nerves in Washington back on edge. Trump, who earlier this year warned he would rain “fire and fury” on the isolated state if it continued to threaten the US or its allies, was relatively muted in responding to Kim Jong Un’s latest provocation. “I will only tell you that we will take care of it. … It is a situation that we will handle,” Trump told reporters at the White House.
• Republicans Clear Major Hurdle as Tax Bill Advances (New York Times) Senate Republicans took a significant step toward passing a sweeping tax overhaul on Tuesday, with a key panel giving its approvaland several wavering senators indicating they would support the tax package, helping clear the way for full Senate consideration later this week.Passage of the tax overhaul, which seemed uncertain on Monday, strengthened considerably on Tuesday after the Senate Budget Committee voted along party lines to advance the plan. A flurry of last-minute deal making helped garner the support of a few Republican lawmakers who had expressed concerns about the $1.5 trillion package, including its treatment of small businesses and its effect on the deficit.

 6am – E  Grammy Awards Shocker for CBS as Top Pop Stars Ed Sheeran, Lady Gaga Snubbed, No Country Acts in Main Cateogories (ShowBiz) The Grammys in New York took a weird turn this morning as the nominations were a shocker: Ed Sheeran’s best selling “Divide” did not get an Album of the Year nod, neither did albums by Lady Gaga or Kesha. Instead, the Grammys went mostly for R&B and rap: Jay Z, Bruno Mars, Kendrick Lamar and Childish Gambino, who is really the actor Donald Glover. CBS must be plotzing. Indeed, all the acts they want on the show– the white pop acts– have been relegated to the Pop Vocal category. That’s Gaga, Sheeran, Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Kesha.

6am – F  TRUMP TWEETS

7am –  A BREAKING NEWS: NBC Matt Lauer fired, inappropriate workplace behavior

 7am – B/C INTERVIEW – SARAH WESTWOOD – White House correspondent, The Washington Examiner

Topic – Topics: latest on Trump’s tax push and no show Chuck and Nancy

• Trump, next to empty chairs, tears into Dems for skipping meeting (The Hill) President Trump tore into Democratic leaders on Tuesday for skipping a legislative strategy session at the White House. Trump said he is “not surprised” that Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer(D-N.Y.) and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) decided not to attend, accusing them of being “all talk” and “no action.” “Now it’s even worse. Now it’s not even talk. Now they’re not even showing up to the meeting,” Trump said. The president spoke at the White House, flanked by two empty chairs with placards for Schumer and Pelosi. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) sat at opposite ends of a long table inside the Roosevelt Room. Ryan said it was “very regrettable” his Democratic counterparts decided not to attend the meeting. 

 7am – D/E BREAKING NEWS: NBC Matt Lauer fired, inappropriate workplace behavior

8am – A  INTERVIEW – JUANITA BROADDRICK

Topic: She’s coming to Washington to speak out against how the media willfully ignores some victims sexual harassment and she wants predators like Franken and Conyers to go. 

8am – B/C  INTERVIEW – BRENDAN CARR –  FCC COMMISIONER

Topic – preview upcoming FCC net neutrality vote coming up 

• On December 14^th, the FCC will be voting on a plan that was circulated recently week to reverse a set of 2015 rules adopted by the Obama-era FCC governing the business practices of Internet Service Providers (these rules are commonly referred to as “net neutrality”).  

8am – D Fisher House and how you can help

8am – E Gloria Allred Refuses Third-Party Handwriting Analysis on Roy Moore Yearbook (Breitbart) Tuesday on CNN’s “New Day,” Gloria Allred, a lawyer representing Alabama U.S. Senate hopeful Roy Moore accuser Beverly Young Nelson, declined to offer up a high school yearbook for a third-party analysis she presented as evidence to strengthen her client’s claim that she was sexually harassed by Moore as a minor.

The yearbook in question purportedly has Moore’s signature, which has been called into question by those with the Moore campaign. Allred told “New Day” co-host Camerota she would only allow a handwriting analysis if Moore agreed to testify under oath.