Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, October 23, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Cal Thomas, Ken Cuccinelli, Scott Allen, Sen. Jim DeMint and Education Secretary Betsy DeVos joined WMAL on Wednesday!

5am – A/B/C RUSSIA PROBE UPDATE:

• Report: Brennan And Clapper To Be Interviewed As Part Of Investigation Into Russia Probe Origins. U.S. Attorney John Durham intends to interview former CIA Director John Brennan as part of his investigation into U.S. intelligence agencies’ activities in the Trump-Russia probe, according to NBC News. Brennan told NBC News, where he is an analyst, that both he and James Clapper, the former director of national intelligence, are sought for interviews with Durham’s investigators. The interviews, should they occur, would signal that Durham is expanding his investigation. […] But Brennan, a staunch critic of President Donald Trump and Barr, has fiercely defended the investigation of the Trump campaign. He is also questioning the legal basis for the Durham probe, which he called “bizarre.” “I don’t know what the legal basis for this is,” he told NBC News. “I’m very comfortable with everything I was involved in,” he added.
• FOX NEWS: Durham’s probe into possible FBI misconduct expanded based on new evidence, sources say. U.S. Attorney John Durham’s investigation into the origins of the FBI’s 2016 Russia probe has expanded based on new evidence uncovered during a recent trip to Rome with Attorney General Bill Barr, sources told Fox News on Tuesday. The sources said Durham was “very interested” to question former Director of National Intelligence James Clapper and former CIA Director John Brennan, an anti-Trump critic who recently dismissed the idea. The two Obama administration officials were at the helm when the unverified and largely discredited Steele dossier, written by British ex-spy Christopher Steele and funded by the Hillary Clinton campaign and Democratic National Committee, was used to justify a secret surveillance warrant against former Trump adviser Carter Page.
• Grassley Suspects ‘Deep State’ Is Responsible For Delay In FISA Abuse Report. Republican Iowa Sen. Chuck Grassley expressed frustration Monday at a months long delay in the release of the Justice Department Inspector General’s report on possible FBI surveillance abuse against the Trump campaign, questioning whether the “deep state” has somehow slowed the release of the document. “All of the delays and excuses why the Horowitz IG FISA report isn’t public yet after several months of anticipation of its issues leads me to the suspicion it’s going to be ‘deep six’ by the deep state,” Grassley wrote on Twitter.
• Nadler: Peter Strzok Acted In ‘Highest Tradition’ Of Government Service: “People like Peter Strzok and others, I think very much damaged — it’s unfair to the rest of the organization because the FBI is truly a great organization, one of the best in this nation,” said Ohio GOP Rep. Steve Chabot. Chabot was seemingly referring to anti-Trump text messages that led to Strzok’s removal from the special counsel’s Russia team, as well as his firing from the FBI. Strzok exchanged the messages with Lisa Page, a former FBI lawyer with whom he was having an extramarital affair. Nadler, a Democrat from New York, jumped to Strzok’s defense. “Let me just say for the record that I think Peter Strzok acted in the highest tradition of government workers,” he sai

5am – D/E     Trick or treaters over the age of 14 could earn jail time in Virginia town. CHESAPEAKE, Va. (FOX 5 DC) – How old is too old to trick-or-treat? According to city code in Chesapeake, Virginia, anyone over the age of 14 who is caught trick-or-treating could get jail time. Trick-or-treating over the age of 14 is punishable by a fine of $25 to $100 or up to six months in jail. In addition, anyone, no matter what age, trick-or-treating after 8 p.m. can end up behind bars. Police say they are not going to actively enforce this, and if a 14-year-old is trick-or-treating with a younger sibling for example, they won’t be in any trouble. Chesapeake City code reads:  (a) If any person over the age of 14 years shall engage in the activity commonly known as “trick or treat” or any other activity of similar character or nature under any name whatsoever, he or she shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor. Nothing herein shall be construed as prohibiting any parent, guardian, or other responsible person, having lawfully in his or her custody a child 14 years old or younger, from accompanying said child. (b) If any person shall engage in the activity commonly known as “trick or treat” or any other activity of similar character or nature under any name whatsoever after 8:00 p.m., he or she shall be guilty of a Class 4 misdemeanor.

6am – A/B/C LYNCHING HYSTERIA:

• TWEET: Donald J. Trump @realDonaldTrump So some day, if a Democrat becomes President and the Republicans win the House, even by a tiny margin, they can impeach the President, without due process or fairness or any legal rights. All Republicans must remember what they are witnessing here – a lynching. But we will WIN! 7:52 AM · Oct 22, 2019
• Democrats Pounce After Trump Slams Impeachment ‘Lynching’: ‘The President Is a White Supremacist’
• ‘What the hell is wrong with you?’ Black lawmaker’s fury after Donald Trump calls impeachment push a ‘lynching’ but Lindsey Graham AGREES and says president’s enemies are ‘taking the law in their own hands’
• McConnell chides Trump for calling impeachment inquiry a ‘lynching’: Senate Majority Leader McConnell on President Trump’s comparison of the impeachment effort against him to “a lynching”: “Given the history in our country, I would not compare this to a lynching. That was an unfortunate choice of words.”
• Sen. Lindsey Graham defended Pres. Trump’s tweet comparing the impeachment process to a “lynching,” saying, “African-Americans were lynched, other people have been lynched throughout History (…) that’s exactly what’s going on in the US House of Representatives right now… This is a lynching in every sense. This is un-American.”
• TWEET: Joe Biden @JoeBiden: Impeachment is not “lynching,” it is part of our Constitution. Our country has a dark, shameful history with lynching, and to even think about making this comparison is abhorrent. It’s despicable.
• Flashback: Joe Biden, outraged at Trump, called Bill Clinton’s impeachment. Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday denounced Trump’s comparison of the ongoing impeachment inquiry to a “lynching,” but in a 1998 interview, the then-senator from Delaware also invoked the term in reference to impeachment.
• Democrat Rep. Jim McDermott compared Clinton’s Impeachment n 1998 to #Lynching: “We’re taking a step down the road to becoming a political Lynch Mob… We are going to find a rope find a tree and ask a bunch of questions later.”
• Flashback: Democrat Jerry Nadler in 1998 Accused Republicans of Running a ‘Lynching Mob’ Against Bill Clinton
• TWEET: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez @AOC: It is atrocious that the President would refer to one of the most horrifying, violent practices of white supremacists to pretend he is a victim of anything but his own actions. Take this moment to learn abt this dark history,& why we should support the Commission on Reparations.
• TWEET: Bernie Sanders @BernieSanders: Lynching has been a dominant form of racial terrorism for hundreds of years in this country. It is disgraceful to compare that shameful history to the measured and constitutional investigation into Trump’s abuses of power.
• Beto O’Rourke says Pres. Trump, “a white man who has enjoyed privilege and power unknown to so many millions,” comparing impeachment to lynching, “is one of the most obscene things that I’ve heard him say in an administration that is rife with obscenities”: One of the most obscene things I’ve heard…
• When asked about President Trump’s use of ‘lynching’ to criticize the Democrats’ impeachment inquiry, House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said ‘it’s not the language’ he would use.

6am – D         INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – Syndicated columnist – discussed the Nats winning the first game in the World Series and the obsession over President Trump’s lynching comment.

6am – E         California congresswoman Katie Hill lashes out at ‘abusive husband,’ after allegations she was part of a throuple with him and her young female staffer as naked pictures of her brushing her lover’s hair surface. (Daily Mail) – Bisexual congresswoman Katie Hill lashed out at her husband Kenny Heslep on Tuesday after allegations she was in a throuple with him and her female staffer. Hill, a freshman Democrat from California, was the subject of a bombshell report by RedState alleging she was having an threesome the 22-year-old female. The report said that both Hill and Heslep were involved with the campaign worker – and even went on vacation to Alaska together. The report linked to a picture of a completely naked Hill brushing the hair of the young woman, as well as a photo of them kissing. The politician was also accused of having a separate affair with her male legislative affairs officer, Graham Kelly. Hill’s relationship with Kelly was the final straw for Heslep, as he said he could accept his wife having a relationship with a woman, but not with another man. In a statement on Tuesday, Hill, 32, said: ‘The fact is I am going through a divorce from an abusive husband who seems determined to humiliate me.’ She added: ‘This coordinated effort to destroy me and people close to me is despicable and will not succeed.’

6am – F         The Washington Nationals have opened the World Series by stealing home-field advantage from the Houston Astros. Juan Soto drove in three runs and Max Scherzer provided a gritty effort on the mound as the Nationals held off the Astros, 5-4. Soto delivered a solo homer and a two-run double while the Nats were turning a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 lead against Gerrit Cole. Scherzer quickly fell behind when Yuli Gurriel (YOO’-lee gur-ee-EHL’) lined a two-run double with two out in the bottom of the first. The three-time Cy Young Award winner needed 112 pitches to get through five innings, striking out seven and allowing five hits and three walks. Ryan Zimmerman sparked Washington’s comeback with a second-inning homer. Adam Eaton put the Nationals ahead to stay with a run-scoring single in the fifth, two batters before Soto widened their lead. George Springer made it a one-run game with a seventh-inning homer and an RBI double in the eighth. Sean Doolittle protected the lead by getting the final out in the eighth, stranding Spring at second before picking up the save. Cole suffered his first loss in 26 starts since May 22 against the Chicago White Sox. He entered the game 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA in the postseason before surrendering eight hits over seven innings. Game 2 is Wednesday night in Houston.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – KEN CUCCINELLI – acting Director of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — doscissed the USCIS’ FY 2019 Accomplishments and the MS-13 related murders in King County, WA—a sanctuary jurisdiction.

7am – B/C     Texas father blocked from stopping gender transition of son James, 7, to girl called Luna. (Washington Examiner) – A jury in Texas returned a verdict on Monday that will prevent a Texas dad from intervening in the gender transition of his 7-year-old son. Jeffrey Younger had petitioned a court in Texas to grant him sole custody of his twin sons, James and Jude, in part to avoid a plan to infuse James with female hormones. James, who would like to be called Luna, has been the center of controversy in the heated debate among his parents and others. Anne Georgulas, the mother of the two boys, has advocated for James to transition into Luna and has strongly backed the idea of chemically castrating her son and beginning hormone replacement therapy. The ruling on Wednesday will prevent Jeffrey from having sole custody of his children and paves the way for Georgulas to proceed with the procedure. The court has ruled that Georgulas will maintain sole custody of her two children and go forward with plans to give James life-altering medical procedures. Her original court filing had sought to limit her ex-husband’s visits with their children and require that he now refer to James as Luna. She further asked that Jeffrey not be exposed to any people who would not confirm his female identity.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – SCOTT ALLEN – Sports reporter, The Washington Post — recapped game 1 of the World Series.

• The Washington Nationals have opened the World Series by stealing home-field advantage from the Houston Astros. Juan Soto drove in three runs and Max Scherzer provided a gritty effort on the mound as the Nationals held off the Astros, 5-4. Soto delivered a solo homer and a two-run double while the Nats were turning a 2-0 deficit into a 5-2 lead against Gerrit Cole. Scherzer quickly fell behind when Yuli Gurriel (YOO’-lee gur-ee-EHL’) lined a two-run double with two out in the bottom of the first. The three-time Cy Young Award winner needed 112 pitches to get through five innings, striking out seven and allowing five hits and three walks.  Ryan Zimmerman sparked Washington’s comeback with a second-inning homer. Adam Eaton put the Nationals ahead to stay with a run-scoring single in the fifth, two batters before Soto widened their lead. George Springer made it a one-run game with a seventh-inning homer and an RBI double in the eighth.  Sean Doolittle protected the lead by getting the final out in the eighth, stranding Spring at second before picking up the save. Cole suffered his first loss in 26 starts since May 22 against the Chicago White Sox. He entered the game 3-0 with a 0.40 ERA in the postseason before surrendering eight hits over seven innings.  Game 2 is Wednesday night in Houston.

7am – E         MEGHAN MARKLE WHINES ABOUT BEING ROYAL:

• Wendy Williams slams Meghan Markle: ‘Nobody feels sorry for you’ (Fox News) – Now, Williams, 55, is clapping back during a segment of Tuesday’s episode of “The Wendy Williams Show.” “Meghan, nobody feels sorry for you. You knew what you were signing up for, girl!” Williams said (via Entertainment Tonight). “You knew exactly what you were doing. And I applaud her plot-ation on the royal situation. But please, don’t try to garner sympathy from us. You knew what you were doing.” The talk show host then offered a blunt tip to Markle. “Don’t be surprised that the paparazzi are everywhere, of course, because you’re now a royal.” Williams — and one of the show’s producers — then dived into a story about Markle’s past, in which she expressed interest in joining Williams’ show as a runway model and fashion expert. By the time the show was ready to book her, Markle had become engaged. “Here’s the thing. Every celebrity has their own relationship with the paparazzi,” said Williams before recounting a recent encounter she had with a photographer. “But Meghan Markle, nobody feels sorry for you, you knew what you were signing up for, girl.” Markle and Harry are currently embroiled in legal action against various tabloids in response to their publication of Markle’s private correspondence and alleged hacking of Harry’s phone.
• Meghan Markle is ‘existing, not living’ and Harry ‘wants to leave the UK entirely’, claims ITV broadcaster behind documentary that shows ‘vulnerable’ Royals talking about a new life in Africa
• Prince Harry and Meghan Markle ‘plan to take six weeks off from their royal duties for much-needed family time’

8am – A/B/C INTERVIEW – SEN. JIM DEMINT – chairman of the Conservative Partnership Institute, former U.S. Senator and author of  “Conservative: Knowing What to Keep.”  — IN STUDIO

• ABOUT BOOK: Sen. DeMint has a new book: “Conservative: Knowing What to Keep.” The book looks at the chaotic state of politics and how conservatives need to reclaim the principles that made America the freest, most prosperous nation. America is on the road to tyranny and socialism, and only a national return to transcendent values and proven traditions will bring us back to freedom and prosperity. Americans hunger for something real to believe in—leaders and ideas that actually work to make their lives better. The current political system is not satisfying this hunger and people are rebelling. Polished, experienced candidates in both the Democrat and Republican parties are facing stiff competition from radical, but more authentic, candidates. Jim DeMint and Rachel Bovard make a rock-solid case for why the principles that made America the freest, most prosperous nation in world history must be reclaimed to prevent our demise. Conservative is the simple truth on which this book is built; we all tend to keep what works. This exploration delivers the goods on what has and will work for America.
• BIO: Jim DeMint is a successful businessman who served a combined fourteen years in the U.S. House and Senate. He created the Senate Conservatives Fund to get true conservatives elected. He is chairman of the Conservative Partnership Institute and a bestselling author.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – EDUCATION SECRETARY BETSY DEVOS – current United States Secretary of Education since 2017 – discussed the Education Department hosting a big event to highlight the DC Opportunity Scholarships Program, a project that provides vouchers for 2,000 low-income students in D.C. to offset the cost of a private school of their choosing. This form of education freedom has benefited students and families in remarkable ways, not the least of which being significantly higher graduation rates.

• Secretary DeVos is known for her support for school choice, school voucher programs, and charter schools.
• Secretary DeVos to Host 15th Anniversary Celebration of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships Program at U.S. Department of Education. Washington, D.C.— U.S. Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos will host members of Congress, parents and students for a celebration to mark the 15th anniversary of the D.C. Opportunity Scholarships Program (DCOSP). This important program provides low-income families in D.C., whose average household income was $23,285 last school year, the opportunity to find the right education fit for their children. It has been a catalyst for making D.C. one of the most robust school choice environments in the country. The celebration will take place Wednesday, October 23 from 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Department’s Lyndon Baines Johnson auditorium. DCOSP has awarded life-changing scholarships to over 10,000 students in the past 15 years. Unfortunately, through uncertain scholarship funding year-to-year and impermanent authorization, Congress continues to create needless anxiety in the lives of participating families depending on scholarships. DCOSP authorization expired on September 30, and funding in a continuing resolution will expire on November 21. Secretary DeVos and key members of Congress are calling for permanent reauthorization at proper funding levels to secure the same education freedom for low-income families that D.C. political elites have always enjoyed.

8am – E         INTERVIEW – WMAL’s news gal MARIA LEAF dropped by to share her experience at Tuesday’s World Series Watch Party at Nats park.