Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday, April 15, 2020

Hosts: Vince Coglianese and Mary Walter

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Cal Thomas, U.S. News & World Report’s Beverly Harzog, Cordell & Cordell attorney Charles Hatley and National Journal’s Josh Kraushaar joined WMAL on Wednesday!

5am – A/B/C TRUMP CUTS WHO FUNDING: President Trump said on Tuesday he has instructed his administration to halt funding to the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic while his administration reviews its response to the global crisis. He said the WHO had promoted China’s “disinformation” about the virus that likely led to a wider outbreak than otherwise would have occurred.

5am – D/E     NPR: Bloomberg News Killed Investigation, Fired Reporter, Then Sought To Silence His Wife.— Michael Bloomberg’s short-lived presidential bid reignited a long-simmering dispute over the widespread use of nondisclosure agreements at American corporations — especially at his own. His namesake company, Bloomberg LP, has used nondisclosure agreements broadly to conceal allegations and silence complaints from employees of sexual harassment or a hostile work environment, as published reports have documented. The story of one Bloomberg reporter and his wife showcases the widespread use of such legal restraints at the company — and how far their reach can extend.Six years ago, Bloomberg News killed an investigation into the wealth of Communist Party elites in China, fearful of repercussions by the Chinese government. The company successfully silenced the reporters involved. And it sought to keep the spouse of one of the reporters quiet, too. “They assumed that because I was the wife of their employee, I was the wife,” the author and journalist Leta Hong Fincher tells NPR. “I was just an appendage of their employee. I was not a human being.” Fincher is married to the journalist Mike Forsythe, a former Beijing correspondent for Bloomberg News who now works at The New York Times. In 2012, Forsythe was part of a Bloomberg team behind an award-winning investigation into the accumulation of wealth by China’s ruling classes. In late 2013, Bloomberg News suspended Forsythe, accusing him of leaking word of the controversy to other news outlets. The company would later fire him. He soon landed at The New York Times.

Bloomberg EIC Reportedly Killed A Story To Appease Chinese Communist Party ‘Nazis’: (Daily Caller) – ‘That’s Who They Are. We Should Have No Illusions.’ Bloomberg News allegedly killed a story about the wealth of Communist Party elites in China six years ago to appease the country, and then sought to silence both the reporter and his wife. The publication not only successfully censored the story at the time, but also was able to silence all reporters involved in the story, according to NPR, who broke the news. Bloomberg News reportedly tried to keep one of the reporter’s wife silent in an attempt to kill the news. “It has to be done with a strategic framework and a tactical method that is … smart enough to allow us to continue and not run afoul of the Nazis [China] who are in front of us and behind us everywhere,” Bloomberg’s founding editor-in-chief Matthew Winkler said in a 2013 phone call about whether to run the story, according to audio verified by NPR. “And that’s who they are. And we should have no illusions about it.”

6am – A/B/C OBAMA ENDORSES BIDEN: Former President Barack Obama has endorsed Joe Biden, saying Biden has “all the qualities we need in a president right now.” Obama and Biden are known to be close friends from their two terms in the White House, and Biden leaned heavily on his affiliation with Obama throughout the Democratic primary. Obama released a 12-minute video on Tuesday endorsing his former vice president.

6am – D         INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – Syndicated columnist and author of new book “America’s Expiration Date: The Fall of Empires and Superpowers . . . and the Future of the United States” — analyzed the Obama endorsement and the handling of the pandemic.

6am – E         SUPREME COURTS NEWS:

• Trump-backed Wisconsin Supreme Court justice falls to liberal challenger in swing-state election. (Fox News) Wisconsin Supreme Court Justice Daniel Kelly, despite enthusiastic backing from President Trump ahead of last Tuesday’s election – which coincided with the Democratic presidential primary in the state – lost a closely watched contest to hold onto his seat to liberal Judge Jill Karofsky in results released Monday. Kelly’s defeat in the race that drew nearly $5 million in spending and will put Karofsky on the Wisconsin Supreme Court for a 10-year term amounts to a rebuke of the Trump-backed candidate in a state that was key to Trump’s 2016 presidential election victory and that Democrats are targeting as they hope to win back the White House in November. It also reduces the conservative majority in the Wisconsin Supreme Court to 4-3 with another conservative seat coming up for reelection in 2023. Trump had called Kelly “tough on crime” and said he is doing a “terrific job” protecting the Second Amendment in one tweet endorsing the justice. Former Vice President Joe Biden won the Democratic presidential primary in Wisconsin, which was held before Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders exited the presidential race, making Biden the presumptive nominee. The Wisconsin election became a microcosm of a nationwide fight over mail-in ballots during the coronavirus crisis.
• Supreme Court will allow live audio broadcast for first time. WASHINGTON — Responding to the coronavirus outbreak, the Supreme Court said Monday it would hear oral arguments next month over the telephone and allow a live audio broadcast of the proceeding, both for the first time. The announcement clears the way for the justices to decide by the summer whether President Donald Trump has an “absolute immunity” from being forced to disclose his taxes to a House committee or a New York grand jury. The health crisis forced the high court to postpone oral arguments on the cases that had been scheduled for March and April. If the justices had delayed hearings on all of those cases until the fall, Trump would have been assured his tax returns would remain confidential until after the November election. “In keeping with public health guidance in response to COVID-19, the justices and counsel will all participate remotely,” according to a court statement announcing the rescheduled cases. “The court building remains open for official business, but most court personnel are teleworking. The court building remains closed to the public until further notice.” Most justices have been working from home during the outbreak. Telephone arguments on 10 pending cases will be held on May 4, 5, 6, 11, 12 and 13, the court said. The justices have been resistant to introducing technology into their courtroom, such as refusing to allow live broadcasts of proceedings. Monday’s announcement takes a step toward opening the court’s work to the public.

6am – F         Florida ER doc loses custody temporarily of daughter, 4, over coronavirus fears. (WSBTV) – MIAMI, Fla. — A divorced emergency room physician in Miami has lost custody of her 4-year-old daughter while she continues to treat novel coronavirus patients, multiple media outlets reported. “In order to protect the best interests of the minor child, including but not limited to the minor child’s safety and welfare, this Court temporarily suspends the Former Wife’s timesharing until further Order of Court,” Circuit Judge Bernard Shapiro wrote in his ruling, adding, “The suspension is solely related to the outbreak of COVID-19.”  “In order to protect the best interests of the minor child, including but not limited to the minor child’s safety and welfare, this Court temporarily suspends the Former Wife’s timesharing until further Order of Court,” Circuit Judge Bernard Shapiro wrote in his ruling, adding, “The suspension is solely related to the outbreak of COVID-19.” Dr. Theresa Greene told CNN’s “New Day” she is appealing Shapiro’s emergency order that granted her ex-husband, Eric Greene, full custody of their daughter. “I think it’s not fair. It’s cruel to ask me to choose between my child and the oath I took as a physician,” Greene said. “I won’t abandon my team at work or the patients who will increasingly look to me to save their lives in the coming weeks, but it’s torture.” According to Fox News, Theresa Green has tested negative for the coronavirus and continues to follow the American Medical Association’s guidance for first responders and front-line physicians during the pandemic, which clearly states that health care professionals can interact and live with their families if they take necessary health precautions. Meanwhile, Theresa Greene told CNN she has had no problem securing and wearing approved protective gear to perform her duties.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – Beverly Harzog – U.S News & World Report Consumer Finance Analyst and Credit Card Expert  — shared tips for how consumers can use their stimulus money to help minimize risk during the coronavirus crisis.

• According to U.S News & World Report Consumer Finance Analyst and Credit Card Expert Beverly Harzog, the standard financial advice may not be the best choice during these uncertain times. “If you have high-interest credit card debt, I’d usually recommend paying that off as soon as possible. I also would tell you to stop using credit cards. But right now, all bets are off,” said Harzog. “The right choice today has to factor in your job stability and your emergency fund.”
• Beverly Harzog has tips to offer consumers in various financial situations, including:
  • Those with a large amount of high-interest credit card debt and no savings;
  • Those with some low-interest credit card debt and some savings; and
  • Those with a small amount of high-interest credit card debt and a large emergency fund.
• Treasury Department says 80 million people will get their stimulus payments this week. (CNN) The Treasury Department said Monday that 80 million people will get their stimulus payments via direct deposit this week. The payments are being made first to eligible people who have already filed their 2019 or 2018 tax returns, and who have also authorized a direct deposit.  Other people — including those who haven’t filed returns, haven’t authorized direct deposit, or don’t receive Social Security — will have to wait longer for their payments. Treasury said Monday that it expects a “large majority of eligible Americans” will receive their payments within the next two weeks.
• $1,200 coronavirus aid checks from IRS to be delivered starting Monday.  (Washington Times) The first direct payments of up to $1,200 for most Americans should be deposited into bank accounts starting on Monday, said the office of Rep. Kevin Brady of Texas, the top Republican on the House Ways and Means Committee. The direct payments are part of the $2.2 trillion economic rescue package signed into law by President Trump on March 27. Individuals with annual income of up to $75,000 will receive the full amount; payments will be phased out with an income cap of $99,000. Qualifying people with children will receive an additional $500 per child.

7am – B/C     OBTUSE & FAMOUS: RICKY GERVAIS RIPS CELEBS FOR COMPLAINING FROM THEIR MANSIONS AND PELOSI SHOWS OFF HER LUXURY FRIDGES:

• Comedian Ricky Gervais slammed celebrities complaining during the coronavirus quarantine. (Daily Caller) – Gervais does not believe celebrities have anything to whine about during the isolation, according to an interview published Monday by The Sun. “After this is over I never want to hear people moaning about the welfare state again, I never want to hear people moaning about nurses again. Or porters,” Gervais told the outlet. “These people are doing 14-hour shifts and not complaining,” he added. “Wearing masks, and being left with sores, after risking their own health and their families’ health selflessly.” “But then I see someone complaining about being in a mansion with a swimming pool,” he noted. “And, you know, honestly, I just don’t want to hear it.” The comments come after Ellen DeGeneres received backlash for comparing isolation in her California home to “being in jail.”
• Very wealthy Speaker Pelosi rocking the double luxury fridges in the background while talking to late night host James Corden.
• SIDE NOTE: CONGRESS NOT COMING BACK UNTIL AT LEASE MAY 4TH: *The House and Senate have pushed back their next meeting until at least May 4 to protect lawmakers from the coronavirus pandemic. That’s a change from their plan to convene in Washington next week to consider new legislation to prop up the hard-hit U.S. economy. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said Tuesday the decision follows the advice of health experts who urge people to continue social distancing.

7am – D         INTERVIEW – CHARLES HATLEY – lawyer for Cordell & Cordell – discussed the issues of being divorced, or divorcing while co-parenting during a pandemic.

• Cordell & Cordell is broadcasting a free webinar, “Can the Coronavirus Affect Custodial Rights? How Divorces and Parenting Time May Be Impacted.” It is live tomorrow Thursday, April 16 beginning at 2pm eastern.  Visit CordellCordell.com to register. The webinars cover a range of topics relevant to divorced fathers such as:

• • Practical tips to ensure the safety and well-being of your children.
  • Child custody issues such as how to arrange custody exchanges while quarantined.
  • The financial fallout of COVID-19 such as what to do if you can no longer afford alimony or child support.
  • How to proceed with your divorce if family courts are closed due to the virus.
• Gwen Stefani’s ex-husband Gavin Rossdale talks co-parenting amid coronavirus pandemic. (Fox News) – Rossdale, 54, was featured on SiriusXM’s Trunk Nation radio show last Friday, discussing how he and Stefani, 50, were managing their children amid the pandemic. The rocker said he and Stefani, as well as other split parents, have been facing a “real big dilemma” during the COVID-19 outbreak to determine how children may get exposed to the virus around one parent or the other. He noted that this situation was “a tricky one for all divorced parents.”
• Bruce Willis CONTINUES to quarantine with ex Demi Moore. (Daily Mail) — Bruce Willis continues to quarantine with ex-wife Demi Moore, leaving his wife Emma at home with his two young daughters. Demi, 57, posted a new image to Instagram on Monday, showing both her and Bruce, their three adult daughters, two of the daughters boyfriends, and Demi’s longtime assistant. All the group had their noses down reading a book, with Demi captioning: ‘Family book club… ⁣How to Rule the World from Your Couch — quarantine edition.’ The group all held a copy of Laura Day’s self-help book How To Rule The World From Your Couch – which uses step by step exercises to achieve goals such as career moves and building new or better relationships.

7am – E         REMEMBER THE 21-YEAR-OLD GIRL IN MIAMI WHO SAID SHE WANTED TO GET DRUNK BEFORE THE CORONAVIRUS SHUTDOWN?

• Spring Breaker Explains Her Viral Coronavirus Video In Miami: “I will be the first to admit that I was uneducated on the severity of coronavirus at the time of leaving Indiana to go to Miami,” Cordell said in an exclusive interview with the Daily Caller’s Stephanie Hamill. Cordell went on to say that she has received very nasty direct messages on social media including one from someone who told her to “kill” herself.

8am – A         INTERVIEW – JOSH KRAUSHAAR – political editor for National Journal – analyzed President Obama’s endorsement of Vice President Biden and discussed the politics of coronavirus.

8am – B/C     MICHIGAN’S AUTHORITARIAN GOVERNOR (AND POSSIBLE BIDEN VP PICK):

• Angry About The ‘Stay Home’ Order? Gov. Whitmer Says It’s OK To Direct It At Her. (WWJ) – She says she can’t wait to move on to the next phase, either. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer says she gets it.  “I want you to have your freedom; I want to have mine, too,” the governor said, taking a more person tone as she updated the public on the COVID-19 situation Monday. Whitmer said she knows that many Michiganders are mad about her “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order, and some are confused as to why one store is open, but not another. Or that they can shop for this item, but not that. “I will say that I understand the frustration that people have; I’m frustrated, too,” she said. “This is hard. This is not what any of us signed up for, frankly. But the fact of the matter is this is a virus that is ravaging our state.”  “It’s okay to be frustrated. It’s okay to be angry. If it makes it better to direct it at me, that’s okay. I have thick skin.”
• PROTESTS PLANNED: ‘Operation Gridlock’ rally planned in response to emergency order extension.  The Michigan Conservative Coalition organized the event. The group says they’re expecting thousands of vehicles from across the state to create a traffic jam in Lansing on Wednesday. It will create what they’re calling the Operation Gridlock rally. Nearly 4,000 people have RSVP’d on the Facebook event page. Board member Diane Schindlbeck said they’re coming to Lansing to let the lawmakers and the governor know the emergency order extension is too extreme.
• Michigan Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer bans travel between households statewide. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) has directed residents to remain in their homes — and to stop traveling between residences in the state. Whitmer’s “stay home” order, which rolled out on Thursday, prohibits the travel between Michigan residences beginning Saturday morning. The order is expected to remain in effect until May 1. The original order was in effect through April 13. Michiganders will only be permitted to visit residences within the state if they are set to care for a relative or elderly friend.
• Gov’t Gone Wild: Michigan Governor Bans In-Store Purchase of Non-Essentials, Like Garden Seeds. Not to be outdone, the Governor of Michigan has ordered some of the dumbest restrictions like banning people from buying seeds for a garden and gardening supplies.In a time where people should build gardens and grow their own food that woman in Michigan put an end to it. But we all know the government hates self-reliance. Whitmer’s extended stay-at-home order includes closure of store areas “dedicated to carpeting flooring, furniture,” and paint. Residents can still buy lottery tickets, though!
• Coronavirus Authoritarianism Is Getting Out of Hand. (David Harsanyi/National Review) –  It’s reasonable to assume that the vast majority of Americans process news and data, and calculate that self-quarantining, wearing masks, and social distancing make sense for themselves, their families, and the country. Free people act out of self-preservation, but they shouldn’t be coerced to act through the authoritarian whims of the state. Yet this is exactly what’s happening. I’m not even talking about national political and media elites who, after fueling years of hysteria over the coming Republican dictatorship, now demand Donald Trump dominate state actions. I’m talking about local governments. Under what imperious conception of governance does Michigan governor Gretchen Whitmer believe it is within her power to unilaterally ban garden stores from selling fruit or vegetable plants and seeds? What business is it of Vermont or Howard County, Ind., to dictate that Walmart, Costco, or Target stop selling “non-essential” items, such as electronics or clothing? Vermont has 628 cases of coronavirus as of this writing. Is that the magic number authorizing the governor to ban people from buying seeds for their gardens? Maybe a family needs new pajamas for their young kids because they’re stuck a new town. Or maybe mom needs a remote hard drive to help her work remotely. Or maybe dad just likes apples. Whatever the case, it’s absolutely none of your mayor’s business. It makes sense for places like Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Maryland to ban large, avoidable gatherings. But it is an astonishing abuse of power to issue stay-at-home orders, enforced by criminal law, empowering police to harass and fine individuals for nothing more than taking a walk.
• ‘Protesting is a non-essential activity’: Raleigh police face backlash for dispersing protesters: “What part of the governor’s order was violated here?” one social media user asked.  “Protesting is a non-essential activity,” the police department responded.

8am – D         CORONAVIRUS UPDATE:

• Trump absolutely body-slams CNN analyst and Playboy reporter Brian Karem a “loudmouth”
• TRUMP ALSO GAVE ANOTHER REPORTER A HARD TIME FOR TRYING TO ASK TWO QUESTIONS:
  • Reporter: “I have two questions.”
  • President Trump: “One question.”
  • Reporter: “But a person who can’t be here.”
  • President Trump: “Who cares, if you can’t be here that’s too bad.”
• TRUMP CUTS WHO FUNDING: President Trump said on Tuesday he has instructed his administration to halt funding to the World Health Organization over its handling of the coronavirus pandemic while his administration reviews its response to the global crisis. He said the WHO had promoted China’s “disinformation” about the virus that likely led to a wider outbreak than otherwise would have occurred.
• Trump read off names of just about every leading corporation in America — all of whom he said would advise the administration in the coming weeks about how to reopen the economy from its coronavirus-induced shutdown. After the president concluded his news briefing, the White House released a list of nearly 200 corporate executives, faith leaders and thought leaders broken out by sector in what the announcement called “Great American Economic Revival Industry Groups.”

8am – E         DRINKING IMPACTS IMMUNE SYSTEM:

• Excessive drinking during coronavirus lockdowns could weaken immune system, experts say. (Fox 5 DC) –  If everyone is staying home to stay healthy amid a viral outbreak, is drinking hindering that effort? Dr. Shannon Sovndal, an ER doctor and author of “Fragile,” spoke with Fox News and explained the effect alcohol has on the body. “People drink because it mellows them,” he said. “Well, alcohol has a similar effect on the immune system, making it slow and lethargic.” He also explained how light drinking (having one drink a day) will likely only have a minimal effect, but heavier drinking can “dampen” all of your body’s systems, including the immune system. Fox News previously reported on a study that detailed the immediate impact getting drunk can have on the immune system. Based on the results, the immune system may see a brief boost about 20 minutes after “peak intoxication.” About 2 to 5 hours after getting drunk, however, that boost fades and the immune system significantly slows down. Researchers noticed a reduction in the white blood cells important to immunity, along with an increase in proteins that reduce the immune system’s effectiveness. The Mayo Clinic’s findings also indicate that drinking too much alcohol can have a negative impact on the body’s immune system, specifically, that excessive drinking makes it harder for the body to resist disease. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) describes several different types of situations as “excessive drinking.” This can include “heavy drinking,” which is defined as eight or more drinks per week for women, or 15 drinks or more per week for men. This can also include binge drinking, which is defined as five drinks or more, consumed within a 2–3-hour period for men, or four drinks during the same time period for women.
• WE ARE SPENDING OUR QUARANTINES DRINKING…………A LOT: (Daily Mail) – The US has seen a massive spike in alcohol sales reminiscent of the Prohibition as people turn to drink to cope with the lockdown.  Alcohol sales were up 22% in the final week of March, not as large an increase as in the two previous weeks, but a rise that is far higher than expected.  Beer, flavored malt and cider sold 17% more than in the same week in March 2019. But more staggeringly, online sales of alcohol for March increased by 291% on the previous year.