Steve Kastenbaum, Tisha Lewis, Larry Michael, Tom Homan joined WMAL on Thursday!
Mornings on the Mall
Thursday, August 15, 2019
Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese
Executive Producer: Heather Hunter
5am – A/B/C EPSTEIN NEWS:
• Jeffrey Epstein autopsy reveals broken bones in neck, cause of death pending: report (Fox News) — An autopsy on the body of Jeffrey Epstein revealed the convicted sex offender had several broken bones in his neck, including the hyoid bone, according to a report. The hyoid bone, which is near the Adam’s apple, can be broken in a suicide by hanging — especially in older people — but is more common in strangulation murders, The Washington Post reported.
• Epstein accuser’s lawyer: Ghislaine Maxwell was a ‘principal conspirator’ in alleged sex-trafficking ring (Fox News) — Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged former “madam” Ghislaine Maxwell was a key figure in trafficking young girls to the financier, according to one accuser’s lawyer. Jennifer Araoz’s attorney Dan Kaiser claimed Wednesday on “The Story” Maxwell must be held accountable for her alleged role. “Justice begins now for her,” Kaiser said of his client. “That’s why she filed a lawsuit today. She is fully intending to see this through to the end.”In response, host Martha MacCallum asked whether Araoz, now 32, has ever met the British socialite and media heiress.
• DAILY MAIL: Jeffrey Epstein had a painting of Bill Clinton wearing a blue DRESS and red heels and lounging in the Oval Office inside his Manhattan mansion – visitor reveals bizarre image inside pedophile’s $56m lair (Daily Mail) — Jeffrey Epstein had a bizarre portrait of Bill Clinton in a dress hanging in his Manhattan mansion, DailyMailTV can reveal. The picture depicting the former president apparently lounging on a chair in the Oval Office, wearing red heels and posing suggestively in a blue dress redolent of Monica Lewinsky was in a room off the stairway of the Upper East Side townhouse. The dress is also strikingly similar to one worn by Hillary Clinton at the 2009 Kennedy Center Honors. The original painting is called ‘Parsing Bill’ and is by Australian-American artist Petrina Ryan-Kleid, although it is unclear if Epstein had bought the canvas or had a print mounted. Ryan-Kleid exhibited for her degree show when she graduated with an MFA in 2012 from the New York Academy of Art. The painting was secretly snapped inside the pedophile’s lavish $56 million home in October 2012, four years after Epstein completed his sweetheart deal for prostitution of a minor and seven years before he was accused of running a sex trafficking ring of underage girls.
• Virgin Islands Senator: ‘Evidence’ from Epstein’s Estate ‘May Have Been Lost’
• Rasmussen Poll: 42% Think Epstein Was Murdered
• Jeffrey Epstein’s last words to lawyer before his jailhouse death. Jeffrey Epstein was confident he could fight the child sex trafficking charges against him and was in “great spirits” just hours before his jailhouse death on Saturday morning — even telling one of his lawyers, “I’ll see you Sunday,” The Post has learned.
• Report: Maxwell Told Friend That Epstein’s Entire Island Was Wired For Video, Presumably For Blackmail Purposes
• FOX NEWS: ‘Orgy Island’ to airplanes, Epstein’s assets are up for grabs
• Jeffrey Epstein accuser Jennifer Araoz sues Ghislaine Maxwell, 3 Epstein staffers
• Tech CEO denies that Jeffrey Epstein’s alleged madam, Ghislaine Maxwell, is hiding out at his house
5am – D Montgomery County leaders, residents weigh in after two undocumented immigrants charged with raping girl (Fox 5 D.C.) — FOX 5 is hearing on camera for the first time from Montgomery County leaders and residents after two undocumented immigrants from El Salvador reportedly raped an 11-year-old girl repeatedly in Germantown. The county is now blaming the federal government and refusing to weigh in on if its sanctuary atmosphere attracted the two suspects to the area. “If the system failed, it failed on the federal government,” said Barry Hudson, Public Information Director.
5am – E SHOOTING IN PHILADELPHIA
• Man Accused of Shooting 6 Philly Police Officers During 7-Hour Standoff Surrenders (NBC10-Philadelphia) — A man accused of shooting six Philadelphia police officers during a standoff that lasted more than seven hours has surrendered to police. NBC Philadelphia was there as a member of the SWAT team shot tear gas into the home on North 15th and Butler streets around midnight. The suspect, identified by police as 36-year-old Maurice Hill of Philadelphia, then walked out of the home and was taken into custody by police. He had a gun on him at the time, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Ross said. Hill was taken to Temple University Hospital for an evaluation. He was released from the hospital to police custody Thursday morning. He is likely to be charged with six counts of attempted murder and aggravated assault, according to his longtime attorney Shaka Johnson.
• Crowd Taunts Philadelphia Police Officers, Laugh At Them In Midst Of Gunfire During Standoff In Nicetown-Tioga (CBS3-Philadelphia) — While Philadelphia police officers were dealing with a gunman who shot six of their own during a standoff at a home in the Nicetown-Tioga section, cops also had to deal with being taunted by some bystanders. CBS3’s Alexandria Hoff reports a crowd of people laughed and yelled at officers in the midst of gunfire during a standoff on Wednesday.
6am – A TENSIONS IN CHINA:
• Trump calls China’s Xi “a good man” in a “tough business” as tensions escalate in Hong Kong
• TRUMP: I know President Xi of China very well. He is a great leader who very much has the respect of his people. He is also a good man in a “tough business.” I have ZERO doubt that if President Xi wants to quickly and humanely solve the Hong Kong problem, he can do it. Personal meeting?
• TRUMP: Good things were stated on the call with China the other day. They are eating the Tariffs with the devaluation of their currency and “pouring” money into their system. The American consumer is fine with or without the September date, but much good will come from the short….. ..deferral to December. It actually helps China more than us, but will be reciprocated. Millions of jobs are being lost in China to other non-Tariffed countries. Thousands of companies are leaving. Of course China wants to make a deal. Let them work humanely with Hong Kong first!
6am – B/C INTERVIEW – Brandon Ludwig – Summer Intern at WMAL (via the National Journalism Center)
• ABOUT NJC – Since 1977, the National Journalism Center has trained aspiring journalists in the values of responsible, balanced, and accurate reporting. Weekly seminars and on-the-job experience provide participants with the tools to become leaders in combating bias in the mainstream media.
6am – D RECESSION WATCH:
• BILL MAHER ROOTING FOR A BAD ECONOMY: Last weekend: NBC’s Richard Engel Sides With Bill Maher on Hopes of Recession to Defeat Trump. Scaramucci disagrees
• The week before last: Bill Maher: “I’ve been hoping for a recession – people hate me for it – but it would get rid of Trump.”; says it’s worth it to surprised guest Josh Barro. Maher fine with people losing their jobs. Bill Maher: “I’ve been hoping for a recession – people hate me for it – but it would get rid of Trump.” Josh Barro: “Recessions are really bad. People lose their jobs.” Maher: “I know. It’s worth it.”
• White House adviser Peter Navarro blames Federal Reserve for moving ‘too far, too fast,’ causing market plunge (Fox News) — White House Trade Adviser Peter Navarro blamed the Federal Reserve for recent financial turmoil and called for lower interest rates to help stabilize U.S. markets. “This is basically the Federal Reserve’s problem — volatility,” he said on “America’s Newsroom” Wednesday. “They are causing this because when Jay Powell got in as chairman he proceeded to raise interest rates by 100 interest points, too far too fast. And even though the Trump economy is rock solid, it slowed us down a bit because of those higher interest rates.”
• Janet Yellen: Odds “have clearly risen” of US entering recession. (The Hill) — Former Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen on Wednesday said it is unlikely the U.S. economy is entering a recession, though recent indicators signal increased risk. “I think the answer is most likely no. I think that the U.S. economy has enough strength to avoid that,” Yellen said during an interview on Fox Business Network. “But the odds have clearly risen and they are higher than I’m frankly comfortable with,” she added. On Wednesday, the yield on 10-year Treasury bonds dropped below the yield of 2-year Treasury bonds, indicating concern over long-term economic activity. That reversal, known as an inverted yield curve, is one of the best predictors of an economic recession. Markets tanked, with the Dow Jones industrial average plummeting 700 points in mid-day trading. But Yellen said that the yield curve could be responding to other forces.
• Recession indicator with perfect track record flashing red (Fox Business) — The yield curve is blaring a recession warning. The spread between the U.S. 2-year and 10-year yields on Wednesday turned negative for the first time since 2007. Such a development has occurred ahead of each and every U.S. recession of the last 50 years, sometimes leading by as much as 24 months. “Historically, the 2-10 has had better predictive ability of recession than equities,” Sri Kumar, president of the Santa Monica, California-based Sri-Kumar Global Strategies, told Fox Business. “If you depended on equities to tell you whether you are entering into a recession you did not do well. For example, October, November of 2006, exactly one year before the Great Recession began, the 2-10- inverted. Equities did well in the first half of 2008 when we were in a recession and oil prices hit a peak in May of 2008 when we were very much in a recession.
6am – E CNN has bad week amid April Ryan, Chris Cuomo and Don Lemon news: ‘It was quite embarrassing’ (Fox News) — It’s been another rough week for CNN as the network suddenly has a plethora of off-screen issues in addition to its usual ratings struggles. “Just when one thought things couldn’t get any worse for CNN, they did,” NewsBusters managing editor Curtis Houck told Fox News. “In CNN’s current form, they’ve always had putrid ratings, disingenuous personalities and a pathetic inability to simply cover the news – instead fearmongering the small, anti-Trump audience into submission – but this past week was possibly the worst ever in totality.” The liberal news network started off the week making headlines for the wrong reasons. “CNN Tonight” host Don Lemon was accused in a civil suit of a sexually charged assault of a bartender in New York’s posh Hamptons area last year. The same evening that the Lemon news broke, on Tuesday, video circulated of CNN political analyst April Ryan looking on while a local news editor appeared to be violently removed from an event where she was a keynote speaker. The Lemon and Ryan headlines came less than 24 hours after video of “Cuomo Prime Time” namesake Chris Cuomo threatening a man who called him “Fredo” went viral, capturing the attention of President Trump in the process.
6am – F Someone left old TVs outside 50 homes in Virginia while wearing a TV on his head. No one knows why (Washington Post) — It was kind of like Christmas — except it was August, the only presents were vintage television sets, and Santa had a TV on his head. Residents of more than 50 households in Henrico County, Va., woke up this weekend to find old-style TVs outside their doorsteps, said Matt Pecka, a lieutenant with the local police department. Pecka said police began receiving reports about the TVs early Sunday. By the morning, their phones were clogged with calls. “Everyone started coming out of their houses, walking around the neighborhood looking at the TVs there on the doorstep,” said Jeanne Brooksbank, one of the recipients, who lives in the Hampshire neighborhood. Each home received exactly one TV, carefully placed so it faced inward toward the door, Brooksbank said. Some deliveries were caught on residents’ doorbell cameras — and that’s where things got truly bizarre. The givers had TVs instead of faces. The videos reveal at least one of the deliverymen: a man dressed in a blue jumpsuit, black gloves and what appear to be brown hiking-style boots. He wears a TV set on his shoulders, positioned so it obscures his face.
7am – A INTERVIEW – STEVE KASTENBAUM – Correspondent – discussed the latest on the shooting on police in Philadelphia.
• Man Accused of Shooting 6 Philly Police Officers During 7-Hour Standoff Surrenders (NBC10-Philadelphia) — A man accused of shooting six Philadelphia police officers during a standoff that lasted more than seven hours has surrendered to police. NBC Philadelphia was there as a member of the SWAT team shot tear gas into the home on North 15th and Butler streets around midnight. The suspect, identified by police as 36-year-old Maurice Hill of Philadelphia, then walked out of the home and was taken into custody by police.
7am – B/C 2020 NEWS:
• ‘Not electable’: Voters hesitant to support Pete Buttigieg over sexual orientation, youth. Articulate, personable South Bend, Indiana mayor impresses Iowans. (The Washington Times) COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa — Democratic voters here love Mayor Pete, but they may be penalizing him because he’s gay. It’s not that they hold it against Pete Buttigieg, mayor of South Bend, Indiana, but they fear the rest of the country may not be ready for a 37-year-old, married, openly gay man to sit in the White House, so they are reluctant to help him win the party’s presidential nomination. “Pete Buttigieg is interesting to me, but, honestly, he is probably not electable, and the last thing I want is Donald Trump in office,” said David Cline. “I do believe his sexuality is an issue for folks, which is too bad. “He is extremely articulate, and he is spot on in regards to faith and justice,” the 64-year-old said. “I think people probably think he is a little too young. My hope is that he stays in for the future.” His comments dovetail with the findings of a Quinnipiac University Poll that found most voters are open to electing a gay president, but a majority also doubt their fellow countrymen are. Just 36% told the pollsters they see it happening.
• “He just doesn’t seem super authentic, unlike (Warren) or (Bernie Sanders), who have been here a bunch. He just seems a little bit too polished. Pete Buttigieg draws skepticism over Midwestern bona fides. (Washington Examiner) – DES MOINES — Pete Buttigieg’s bid for the 2020 Democratic nomination emphasizes both his establishment credentials — Harvard grad, Rhodes Scholar, McKinsey consultant, military vet — and his current role as mayor of a mid-sized Midwestern city, South Bend, Indiana. But it’s his emphasis on that second part of his biography that’s giving pause to some Midwesterners. This week at the Iowa State Fair, a right of passage in Iowa presidential politics, some expressed reservations about Buttigieg, who last quarter led the Democratic pack in fundraising by pulling in $24.8 million. Michael McCalister, 71, who saw Buttigieg speak Tuesday, said he’s still learning more about the candidate, 37. But McCalister isn’t yet convinced, comparing Buttigieg to a pair of Democratic White House rivals who have spent months in Iowa, Sens. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Bernie Sanders of Vermont. “He just doesn’t seem super authentic, unlike Warren or Sanders, who have been here a bunch,” Michael McCalister, told the Washington Examiner. “He just seems a little bit too polished.” A Monmouth University poll released Aug. 8, found Buttigieg in fifth place in the first-in-the-nation caucus state at 8%, behind Sanders of Vermont, Sen. Kamala Harris of California, Warren and former Vice President Joe Biden.
7am – D INTERVIEW – TISHA LEWIS – FOX 5 DC REPORTER
• Montgomery County leaders, residents weigh in after two undocumented immigrants charged with raping girl (Fox 5 D.C.) — FOX 5 is hearing on camera for the first time from Montgomery County leaders and residents after two undocumented immigrants from El Salvador reportedly raped an 11-year-old girl repeatedly in Germantown. The county is now blaming the federal government and refusing to weigh in on if its sanctuary atmosphere attracted the two suspects to the area. “If the system failed, it failed on the federal government,” said Barry Hudson, Public Information Director.
• Tisha Lewis FOX 5 DC @TishaLewis: UPDATE: “If the system failed it, it failed on the federal government,” says Montgomery County’s Director of Public Information. AT 4, 5 & 6: Montgomery County blames federal government and “border patrol” after two Salvadoran nationals were in the country illegally & (1/2)
• Tisha Lewis FOX 5 DC @TishaLewis reportedly raped an 11 year old girl in Germantown, MD. County says it’s not their responsibility to deport undocumented immigrants who are committing crimes #fox5dc (2/2)
7am – E PUMPKIN SPICE CRAZE:
• Starbucks is bringing back the Pumpkin Spice Latte on its earliest launch date ever. (Business Insider) The iconic PSL will hit menus on Tuesday, August 27, Starbucks employees told Business Insider and said on social media. That would be the earliest Pumpkin Spice Latte launch that America has ever seen. Typically, the Pumpkin Spice Latte returns right around Labor Day weekend. Last year, the drink launched on August 28.
• Dunkin’ bringing back pumpkin spice long before summer ends. Pumpkin spice has conquered fall and now it’s coming for summer. (Fox News) — Multiple restaurants and brands have started announcing their fall line-ups. Not surprisingly, most of them heavily feature pumpkin spice. What was surprising, however, was Dunkin’ announcing that their pumpkin spice offerings would be appearing in August. Dunkin’ confirmed to Fox News that their fall menu will be premiering nationwide on August 21, despite it still being summer. The menu includes classic fall offerings, like the Pumpkin Spice Donut, along with several new items that will help customers ring in fall before the leaves have even started to change colors. In case anyone was wondering, the first day of fall is September 23, which means that Dunkin’s pumpkin spice will be available more than a full month before autumn officially begins.
• The absurd ‘pumpkin spice’ craze is officially dead thanks to Spam (New York Post) — It’s a balmy 80 degrees in New York City today, but the pumpkin spice latte is here — and it’s dead on arrival. Yes, it’s Aug. 14. Yes, sidewalks are still glistening with midsummer garbage vapors. Fall is more than a month away, but its emblematic flavor is prematurely pouring it on: Dunkin’ Donuts has released its pumpkin spice latte, along with a pumpkin-scented lip balm to mark the occasion, the company announced this week. The ubiquity of the autumnal drink seemed to reach a fever pitch last fall — but this year, the flavor is officially getting canned. Spam, never to be outdone, has unveiled its own demented take on everybody’s favorite orange gourd: Pumpkin Spice Spam. The canned meat product — which spawned a viral fake in 2017 — goes public for real Sept. 23 and will be available on Spam.com and Walmart.com.
8am – A EPSTEIN NEWS
8am – B/C INTERVIEW – LARRY MICHAEL – Voice of the Redskins – previewed tonight’s game.
• The Washington Redskins will make their preseason home debut Thursday night against the Cincinnati Bengals at FedExField.
8am – D INTERVIEW – TOM HOMAN – former Acting Director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) – discussed the threats and attacks on ICE facilities and shared his thoughts on illegals raping an 11-year-old girl in Montgomery County.
• Tom Homan: ICE, Border Patrol are targets for left-wing extremists. Where’s the outrage from Dems? (Fox News) – Americans have always argued about how our government should be run and what actions it should take. For the most part, we’ve settled our difference with ballots and not bullets – the Civil War being the worst exception, when irreconcilable differences over the immoral institution of slavery tore our nation in two and claimed the lives of an estimated 620,000 Americans. Today it seems like we’re fighting a small-scale civil war. Some angry people are claiming they have the right to harm and even kill others because of differences over political and public policy issues – or because they believe people belonging to a particular racial, religious, ethnic or other group are somehow evil or inferior and must be attacked. This is a poisonous attitude that is dangerous and un-American. Terrorism, murder and acts of violence are wrong whether they come from the right or the left. They should be condemned by all Americans and all our institutions, including government, political parties, religious institutions, and the media.
• FLORIDA ICE FACILITY: ICE offices, workers hit by wave of violence and threats: ‘We know where all your children live’ (Fox News) — Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) workers are facing a rapidly escalating series of threats, including protesters menacing their children and shots being fired at their offices, amid a rising tide of anti-ICE rhetoric from the left fueled by congressional Democrats, media voices and presidential hopefuls. Footage published Tuesday by Breitbart News shows protesters in Florida from groups such as Never Again Action and Black Lives Matter Alliance of Broward County threatening workers and former employees of the GEO Group, a private contractor used by ICE. One protester threatened the family of GEO Group’s former general counsel, John Bulfin. “We know where all your children live throughout the country … John Bulfin you have kids in [bleeped out], you have kids in [bleeped out],” the protester yelled. “We know everything about you and you won’t just be seeing us here.”
• Flashback July 14: Washington Man Accused of Hurling Molotov Cocktails at ICE Detention Center Killed by Police. The man was armed with a rifle and throwing “incendiary devices” at the building, police said. A man who was allegedly armed with a rifle and throwing molotov cocktails at an ICE detention center in Tacoma, Washington, was killed by responding police officers on Saturday, police said. Tacoma Police responded to the Northwest Detention Center, a privately run detention facility that holds migrants, at about 4 a.m. on Saturday after an employee called about an armed man outside, authorities told The Daily Beast. The Washington state man, identified by police as 68-year-old Willem Van Spronsen on Sunday, was armed with a rifle and throwing “incendiary devices” at the building and nearby cars, setting one on fire, police said. The incident comes one day before ICE agents are expected to carry out mass raids around the country in an effort to round up undocumented migrants.
• Several injured as officers pepper-spray protesters outside ICE facility in Rhode Island. (ABC News) – Chaos broke out at the protest of an Immigration and Customs Enforcement facility in Rhode Island late Wednesday when a truck tried to drive through protesters and corrections officers ended up pepper-spraying the crowd. The protest outside the Wyatt Detention Center in Central Falls, Rhode Island, less than 10 miles north of Providence, was led by members of the “Never Again” movement, which likens undocumented immigrants being imprisoned to the treatment of Jews during the Holocaust. Protesters have been organizing outside the ICE facility since early July. About a dozen people were treated for irritation due to the pepper spray Wednesday, while one person was taken to the hospital for a minor injury, Providence ABC affiliate WLNE reported.
8am – E GERM LABORATORY SHUT DOWN IN FREDERICK: Congress pushes Acting Army Secretary for answers after too germ laboratory is shut down after CDC inspection. Local officials and neighbors in Frederick say they weren’t notified. FREDERICK, Md. (FOX 5 DC) – Senator Ben Cardin and Congressman David Trone of Maryland have added their voices to the growing calls for information on why a major military germ laboratory in Frederick, which conducts research involving dangerous microbes like the Ebola virus, has been shut down. The United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases at Fort Detrick wrote in a statement that: “Research is currently on hold and that the shutdown is likely to last months.” The statement said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention decided to issue a “cease and desist order” last month to halt the research at Fort Detrick because the center did not have “sufficient systems in place to decontaminate wastewater” from its highest-security labs. U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen is demanding answers from Acting Secretary of the Army Ryan McCarthy.In a letter, Senator Van Hollen wrote: “this work stoppage may harm ongoing research. USAMRIID had several active projects at the time the cease and desist order was received, including the development of therapies for lethal viruses with no approved vaccines or treatments.” Van Hollen says he’s also upset the closure was not reported to local officials and Congressional representatives who he says learned of it through media reports.” Likewise, officials in the City of Frederick say they need more information. Alderman Ben MacShane tells FOX 5, “There are some big question marks. What is exactly happening? Are there safety concerns? How widespread is this shutdown? We have a LOT of questions!” Some residents in Frederick echoed those concerns, with one woman saying, “You’ve got the people that work there that they probably can’t say anything, then other mentalities, people that don’t care about it and others that are informed about what’s going on and are a little nervous about it.” FOX 5 requested to speak with the Garrison Commander at Fort Detrick. That request was not responded to. The Army did write in a statement that “research is currently on hold and that the shutdown is likely to last months.” As of now there is no information, as to when or if that military laboratory would reopen.
