Cal Thomas, Saagar Enjeti and Alliance Defending Freedom attorney Christen Price joined WMAL on Wednesday!

Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, June 26, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C FIRST DEM DEBATE PREDICTIONS TONIGHT: First 2020 Democratic debates time, place, candidates and everything else to know (Fox News) — The road to the 2020 presidential election is heating up, starting with the first Democratic primary debate this week. Top candidates — ranging from former Vice President Joe Biden to Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Mayor Pete Buttigieg — will take the stage in Miami starting Wednesday.

• What’s the schedule?  The first Democratic primary debate is split over two nights — the first taking place on Wednesday, June 26 and then Thursday, June 27. The debates kick off at 9 p.m. E.T. in Miami, Florida. A total of 20 candidates — 10 each night — will debate. Candidates were randomly selected to appear on the first or second night.

• Who’s debating when? On June 26, the following candidates will debate: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, Former Maryland congressman John Delaney,  Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Minn. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren

5am – D/E     Two-thirds of American employees regret their college degrees. (CBS Radio) — Two-thirds of employees report regrets about their advanced degrees, as Americans question the high cost of higher education. Student loan debt has ballooned to nearly $1.6 trillion nationwide in 2019, topping the list of regrets for employees.  Science, technology, engineering or math majors, who are more likely to enjoy higher salaries, were least likely to report regrets, while those in the humanities were most likely. A college education is still considered a pathway to higher lifetime earnings and gainful employment for Americans. Nevertheless, two-thirds of employees report having regrets when it comes to their advanced degrees, according to a PayScale survey of 248,000 respondents this past spring that was released Tuesday. Student loan debt, which has ballooned to nearly $1.6 trillion nationwide in 2019, was the No. 1 regret among workers with college degrees. About 27% of survey respondents listed student loans as their top misgiving, PayScale said. The findings illustrate why education loans burdening millions of Americans have become a hot-button issue among some Democratic presidential candidates. Most recently, Sen. Bernie Sanders on Monday proposed a plan to impose a tax on Wall Street trading and use the proceeds to erase that $1.6 trillion of debt. About 70% of college students graduated with student loan debt this year, averaging about $33,000 per student. And as younger grads pay off student loan balances, they’re struggling to accumulate wealth or are putting off purchasing homes — some millennials are even struggling to purchase groceries.

6am – A/B/C Wayfair employees plan walkout over $200K furniture order to immigration detention facility. (FoxBusiness) — Employees of online furniture retailer Wayfair on Tuesday said they will stage a walkout Wednesday to protest the company’s decision to sell furniture for use in immigration detention facilities at the U.S. southern border. The planned protest arose days after Wayfair employees learned that the company had received a $200,000 order for furniture from BCFS, a nonprofit government contractor that operates detention facilities, the Boston Globe reported, citing an employee with knowledge of the situation. A group of more than 500 Wayfair employees signed a letter last week asking company executives to cease business dealings with contractors operating at the border. Wayfair executives confirmed receip of the letter but said they would not cancel the order. In protest, Wayfair employees said they would walk out of the company’s Boston offices at 1:30 p.m. ET on Wednesday and demanded that all proceeds be donated to the Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services, a nonprofit which supports immigrant families.

6am – D         INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – Syndicated columnist – discussed VP Pence’s Latinos for Trump rally and previewed the first 2020 Dem Debate tonight.

6am – E         NEW WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: Melania Trump’s chief of communications Stephanie Grisham picked as next White House press secretary and communications director. First lady Melania Trump’s chief spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, has been tapped to replace Sarah Huckabee Sanders as the next White House press secretary, the first lady announced Tuesday. Grisham, who had served as the East Wing press secretary since March 2017, will also become the White House communications director, according to the first lady’s tweet. The first lady said in a tweet that she and President Donald Trump “can think of no better person to serve the Administration & our country.” Melania Trump added that she is “excited to have Stephanie working for both sides of the @WhiteHouse.”

6am – F         Alabama dealership offers Bible, shotgun, and American flag with every car purchase. CHATOM, Ala. (FOX 35 ORLANDO) – “We’re going to be celebrating July 4th a little bit differently this year.”  An Alabama car dealership is hoping to lure in 4th of July customers with a new promotion that’s going viral.  Chatom Ford says that every car they sell from now until July 31 will come with a Bible, a 12-gauge shotgun, and an American flag!  “GOD GUNS AND FREEDOM,” the dealership wrote on Facebook. “Celebrating July 4th from now until July 31, here at Chatom Ford!!! Every vehicle purchased new or pre-owned will come with a Bible, 12-gauge shot gun, and American flag!! This is a small gift to our valued customers and a opportunity for us to celebrate our independence.” “We do not keep guns at the dealership, nor do we give guns directly to our customers,” Koby Palmer, General Sales Manager, tells Fox 35. “We provide certificates that they present to the licensed firearms dealer. If the customers do not want or can not purchase a gun, they can use the certificate for something else.” Of course, to qualify, you must be 18 or older, have valid ID, and can pass all background checks associated with owning a firearm in Alabama.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – SAAGAR ENJETI  – Chief Washington Correspondent & Host at The Hill

• PREVIEW FIRST DEM DEBATE TONIGHT: Top candidates — ranging from former Vice President Joe Biden to Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Mayor Pete Buttigieg — will take the stage in Miami starting Wednesday.  The first Democratic primary debate is split over two nights — the first taking place on Wednesday, June 26 and then Thursday, June 27. On June 26, the following candidates will debate: New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro, Former Maryland congressman John Delaney, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee, Minn. Sen. Amy Klobuchar, Former Texas congressman Beto O’Rourke, Ohio Rep. Tim Ryan, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren
• NEW WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY:  Melania Trump’s chief of communications Stephanie Grisham picked as next White House press secretary and communications director. First lady Melania Trump’s chief spokeswoman, Stephanie Grisham, has been tapped to replace Sarah Huckabee Sanders as the next White House press secretary, the first lady announced Tuesday. Grisham, who had served as the East Wing press secretary since March 2017, will also become the White House communications director, according to the first lady’s tweet. The first lady said in a tweet that she and President Donald Trump “can think of no better person to serve the Administration & our country.”
• RECAP THE HILL’S INTERVIEW WITH TRUMP:
  •  Trump: I would fill Supreme Court vacancy before 2020 election
  • Trump vehemently denies E. Jean Carroll allegation, says ‘she’s not my type’
  • Trump accuses Biden of lying about Obama’s lack of endorsement
  • Trump: I do not need congressional approval to strike Iran
  • Trump on reparations: ‘I don’t see it happening’
  • Trump says it’s not appropriate for Megan Rapinoe to protest during national anthem
  • Trump declines to say he has confidence in FBI director

7am – B/C     CRUZ VS GOOGLE:

•  FLASHBACK: VERITAS RELEASED INSIDER VIDEO ON GOOGLE: Insider Blows Whistle & Exec Reveals Google Plan to Prevent “Trump situation” in 2020 on Hidden Cam
• Ted Cruz Grills Google on Its Political Bias. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) grilled a Google representative about the Silicon Valley giant’s political bias Tuesday during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing. Sen. Cruz grilled Google representative Maggie Stanphill during a Senate Commerce Committee hearing on Tuesday on how social media companies’ algorithms and machine-learning influence the public discourse. Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI) also chided Facebook on their “suggested follows” bias during the hearing. The Senate hearing arises as a Project Veritas video revealed that Jen Gennai, a top executive at Google, discussed how they might prevent the next Donald Trump from getting elected. Sen. Cruz said that Google and other social media companies received enhanced legal immunity through Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act with the understanding that they would act as neutral platforms.

7am – D/E     MUELLER TO TESTIFY:

• Mueller to testify publicly on July 17 following a subpoena. (CNN) Robert Mueller will testify before Congress on July 17 after House Democrats issued a subpoena for his appearance, a move that paves the way for a reluctant special counsel to answer questions publicly for the first time about his 22-month investigation into President Donald Trump. The House Judiciary and Intelligence Committees announced Tuesday that Mueller had agreed to testify after they issued subpoenas for his testimony, and Mueller would appear in public before the two panels next month.
• Meadows says Mueller ‘better be prepared’ for GOP ‘cross-examination’ after agreeing to testify.  Republicans will be ready to grill Robert Mueller at his July hearings, but the issuance of subpoenas to the former special counsel marks a dark time for “civil liberties,” according to U.S. Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C. Congressional Democrats have been working for a while to have Mueller come and testify, Meadows said Tuesday on Fox News’  “The Ingraham Angle.” “It is not a good day for America, but Bob Mueller better be prepared,” Meadows said. “Because I can tell you, he will be cross-examined for the first time and the American people will start to see the flaws in his report.”
• Mueller testimony will be epic media spectacle like nothing we’ve seen, Pergram tells Hannity. Media coverage of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s upcoming testimony on Capitol Hill will “dwarf” that of past congressional hearings linked to the Russia investigation, Fox News’ Capitol Hill senior producer Chad Pergram predicted Tuesday. “We’ve had some explosive hearings on Capitol Hill before,” Pergram said on “Hannity.” “You think of James Comey testifying, Jeff Sessions in the Senate a couple of years ago. You think about Michael Cohen in February. This will dwarf that. The pure magnitude of this will be off the Richter scale.” Pergram also broke down the events that led to Mueller’s scheduled July 17 appearances before both the House judiciary and intelligence committees.
• Lindsey Graham: Mueller’s agreement to testify before Congress will ‘blow up’ in Democrats’ faces. Former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s agreement to testify before Congress, as many Democrats have urged, will “blow up in their face,” Sen. Lindsey Graham charged on Tuesday night. Graham said in an appearance on “Hannity” that Mueller’s testimony won’t change from what was documented in his report on the Russia investigation. “Bottom line is, after all of your looking and all the time you had and all the money you spent, did Trump collude with the Russians? No – Do you stand by your report? – Yes,” Graham said, envisioning questions the special counsel likely will be asked. “It is ‘case-closed’ for me. They can do anything they want to in the House, and I think it will blow up in their face.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – CHRISTEN PRICE – Alliance Defending Freedom attorney

• Maryland officials deny low-income kids school vouchers if they choose Christian school. ADF attorneys file suit against state for discriminating against faith-based school. SAVAGE, Md. – Alliance Defending Freedom attorneys filed a federal lawsuit Monday on behalf of a church-run grade school in the Baltimore area after Maryland officials revoked the school’s eligibility to participate in a voucher program to benefit low-income students and demanded the school pay back thousands of dollars for previous participation in the program. Bethel Christian Academy offers a faith-based education to more than 280 students in the Baltimore metro area, including students from over 40 different nations, children who recently immigrated to the United States, and families with different or no religious affiliations. While over 20% of the students receive some financial aid, many families were able to afford sending their children to Bethel because the school participated in Maryland’s Broadening Options and Opportunities for Students Today school voucher program. In August 2018, just weeks before the school year started, Maryland officials abruptly notified families that they could no longer use their BOOST vouchers to educate their children at Bethel. “Bethel Christian Academy offers an academically rigorous and caring Christian education in a diverse environment,” said ADF Legal Counsel Christen Price. “Unfortunately, Maryland bureaucrats are telling low-income students that this high-quality education can’t be an option for them due solely to the school’s religious beliefs. Worse still, the state is now demanding Bethel pay back over $100,000 from the two years it participated in the program, which would be a serious financial hardship for the school.” Maryland law forbids participating BOOST schools from discriminating in admissions on the basis of sexual orientation, among other things. When Bethel applied to participate in the program, school officials truthfully stated that the school does not exclude students because of their sexual orientation. Sometime prior to the 2017-18 school year, the Maryland Department of Education started reviewing the websites of participating religious schools and demanding that those schools send in their student handbooks. MSDE subsequently disqualified Bethel from participating in the BOOST program after reading Bethel’s Christian beliefs about marriage and sexuality.

8am – B/C     Dem-led House passes $4.5B bill to aid migrants at border, setting up showdown with GOP-led Senate. Washington (CNN) The House of Representatives voted by 230-195 on Tuesday to approve $4.5 billion in aid for the growing crisis at the US southern border — a vote that followed Democratic infighting over the package and a White House veto threat. House Democratic leaders had worked to quell a progressive rebellion and secured passage after making several updates to the measure in response to concerns within the caucus, but the White House has already said it “strongly opposes” the legislation and it is not clear whether the House and Senate will be able to reach an agreement the President will sign off on. Four liberal Democratic freshmen voted against the measure, including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, Ayanna Pressley of Massachusetts, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of Minnesota. “Right now, we are not rising to the moment. Children are dying at the hands of our own government,” Omar said in a statement explaining her opposition to the bill. “Thousands are being held indefinitely in cages. They’re being forced to sleep on the floor, and denied basic necessities like soap and toothpaste.” Three House Republicans voted with Democrats: Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania, Will Hurd of Texas and Chris Smith of New Jersey. The Senate has a bipartisan bill that would allocate $4.59 billion for the border crisis and advanced out of the Senate Appropriations Committee on a 30-1 vote last week. But the proposal has significant differences with the House bill, adding to the uncertainty over whether a deal can be reached.

WARREN WANTS TO DECRIMINALIZE ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION: Julian Castro said in April that the U.S. should overhaul its immigration system, which would include making illegal immigration a civil rather than criminal offense. Now, Elizabeth Warren is on board. Elizabeth Warren calls for decriminalizing illegal immigration. Elizabeth Warren called for a repeal of the statute that criminalizes illegal entry into the U.S. The presidential candidate’s stance came after fellow 2020 Democratic competitor Julián Castro said he also supported the measure. “I agree with Secretary Castro,” Warren told the Huffington Post in a Tuesday statement. “We should not be criminalizing mamas and babies trying to flee violence at home or trying to build a better future. We must pass comprehensive immigration reform that is in line with our values, creates a pathway to citizenship for undocumented immigrants including our DREAMers, and protects our borders.”

8am – D/E     FIRST DEM DEBATE PREDICTIONS TONIGHT: First 2020 Democratic debates time, place, candidates and everything else to know (Fox News) — The road to the 2020 presidential election is heating up, starting with the first Democratic primary debate this week. Top candidates — ranging from former Vice President Joe Biden to Sen. Elizabeth Warren to Mayor Pete Buttigieg — will take the stage in Miami starting Wednesday.