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Mornings on the Mall

Wednesday June 14, 2017

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

5am – A/B/C Sessions Calls Russian Allegation ‘An Appalling And Detestable Lie’(Daily Caller) Attorney General Jeff Sessions called the allegation that he colluded with Russian officials to influence the 2016 presidential election “an appalling and detestable lie” during his testimony Tuesday before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. The attorney general denied that he has ever publicly misrepresented his interactions with Russian government officials, or that he is aware of any efforts to impede an investigation into Russian influence-peddling. Sessions And Wyden Get Testy During Hearing Things got testy when Wyden cut off Sessions and accused him of not answering the question. “General Sessions, respectfully, you’re not answering the question,” Wyden said. Completing this poll entitles you to Daily Caller news updates free of charge. You may opt out at anytime. You also agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. “Well what is the question?” Sessions fired back. “The question is: Mr. Comey said there were matters with respect to the recusal that were problematic and he couldn’t talk about them. What are they?” Wyden asked. “Why don’t you tell me?” Sessions snapped. “There are none, Senator Wyden.” “There are none. I can tell you that for absolute certainty,” he continued angrily. “This is a secret innuendo being leaked out there about me and I don’t appreciate it.”

5am – D  What we learned from the Virginia primary (politico) The state’s gubernatorial primaries were expected to feature a tight race on the Democratic side between Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam and ex-Rep. Tom Perriello, while former Republican National Committee Chairman Ed Gillespie was supposed to romp in his race against Donald Trump-inspired Corey Stewart, the former chairman of the president’s campaign in Virginia. But Northam won easily and early, and it was Gillespie who barely squeaked out a win, sending fear through the heart of the Republican establishment that wrote Stewart off early. The number of ballots cast stunned operatives on both sides: Democratic turnout skyrocketed, reaching nearly 170 percent of what it was last time there was a contested primary in 2009.

5am– E   ‘The Wire’ Creator: ‘Pick Up A Brick’ To Oppose Trump David Simon, the creator of “The Wire,” encouraged anti-Trumpers to “pick up a brick” if President Trump fires special counsel Robert Mueller. Comedy Central’s ‘Broad City’ to Bleep Out Trump’s Name in Upcoming Season The Comedy Central series Broad City will bleep out President Donald Trump’s name in its upcoming fourth season, in what one actress describes as an attempt to rid the show of any mention of the president. “There’s no airtime for this orange [person],” in season four of the show, actress Ilana Glazer told USA Today. “We bleep his name the whole season.”

“If Donald Trump fires Robert Mueller and is allowed to do so, pick up a goddamn brick,” Simon tweeted Monday. “That’s all that’s left to you.”

https://audioboom.com/posts/6015605-mornings-on-the-mall-06-14-17-6am-hr 

6am – A/B/C Freedom Caucus: Cancel August recess/ Should Congress cancel their August recess? The House Freedom Caucus on Tuesday night called on Republican leadership to cancel the August recess to continue work on tax reform and other GOP priorities. “We need to work through August recess to get everything done,” said Freedom Caucus Chairman Mark Meadows (R-N.C.), coming out of the meeting. “We believe that we need to stay through August to get through tax reform… and get our appropriations done.” Mnuchin Urges Congress to Lift Debt Ceiling Before August Recess

6am – D/E INTERVIEW – CAL THOMAS – Syndicated Author and Columnist

Topic: North Korea / Sessions

• North Korea Releases Cincinnati Student Otto Warmbier, Parents Say He’s in Coma
• U.S. weighs sanctions on countries doing business with North Korea

6am – F  Bodega worker suffers broken jaw after violent avocado attack Two men were caught on video launching avocados at a Bronx bodega worker — breaking the man’s jaw with the succulent fruit. The men went on the wild fruit-slinging spree in the Stadium Gourmet Deli near Yankee Stadium after an argument about their food order at about 4:45 p.m. on May 29, according to police. After being viciously pelted with both avocados and bananas, the 21-year-old bodega clerk was taken to Lincoln Hospital.

7am – A/B/C  Should Mueller recuse himself? Is Robert Mueller conflicted in Trump probe? (Washington Examiner) Comey is a good friend of special counsel Robert Mueller — such a good friend, for about 15 years now, that the two men have been described as “brothers in arms.” Their work together during the controversies over Bush-era terrorist surveillance has been characterized as “deepening a friendship forged in the crucible of the highest levels of the national security apparatus after the 9/11 attacks,” after which the men became “close partners and close allies Now Mueller is investigating the Trump-Russia affair, in which, if the increasing buzz in the case is correct, allegations of obstruction against the president will be central. And central to those allegations — the key witness — will be the prosecutor’s good friend, the now-aggrieved former FBI director.

7am – D INTERVIEW – DR. STEPHEN  J. FARNSWORTH- Professor of Political Science and International Affairs &

Director, Center for Leadership and Media Studies at University of Mary Washington

Topic: Virginia Primaries

• The gubernatorial race in Virginia, the only state other than New Jersey electing a new governor this year, is seen as a key test of Trump’s popularity ahead of the 2018 mid-term elections for the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate and House of Representatives.
• The winner in November will succeed incumbent Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe, who is barred by term limits from running again.

7am – E   Should Corey Stewart keep fighting for this election? Corey Stewart promises ‘fight will continue’ after close GOP primary

8am – A/B/C BREAKING NEWS: Republican House Whip Steve Scalise and congressional staffer shot in Virginia shooting The office of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise confirms that he has been shot in the hip and is undergoing surgery.

The Louisiana Republican is in stable condition at a Washington hospital. The statement says that before the surgery Scalise was “in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone.” He praised the efforts of U.S. Capitol Police and other first responders. Scalise was shot in Alexandria, Virginia as congressional Republicans practiced for the annual congressional baseball game.

8am – D INTERVIEW – NOEL FRITSCH – Spokesperson for Corey Stewart

Topic: Corey Stewart promises ‘fight will continue’ after close GOP primary

• The chairman of the Prince William Board of County Supervisors consistently trailed in public polls of the race for the Republican nomination for Virginia governor, and former lobbyist Ed Gillespie managed to out-raise him by roughly $4 million.
• Stewart very nearly knocked off Gillespie anyway, falling just 4,300 votes short to come within about 1 percent of the failed 2014 Senate candidate. In all Gillespie took home 43.7 percent of the vote compared to Stewart’s 42.5 percent, while state Sen. Frank Wagner, R-7th District, finished with 13.7 percent.
• Most political observers predicted Democrats would be counting votes until the late hours of June 13, yet Lt. Gov. Ralph Northam managed a runaway, 55-44 win over former Congressman Tom Perriello.

8am – E  BREAKING NEWS: Republican House Whip Steve Scalise and congressional staffer shot in Virginia shooting The office of House Majority Whip Steve Scalise confirms that he has been shot in the hip and is undergoing surgery.The Louisiana Republican is in stable condition at a Washington hospital. The statement says that before the surgery Scalise was “in good spirits and spoke to his wife by phone.” He praised the efforts of U.S. Capitol Police and other first responders. Scalise was shot in Alexandria, Virginia as congressional Republicans practiced for the annual congressional baseball game.