Hans Von Spakovsky, Ron Meyer, Tom Fitton and Joe Concha joined WMAL on Thursday!

Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, December 13, 2018

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

 

5am – A/B/C Michael Cohen, former Trump attorney, gets 3 years in prison for tax fraud, campaign finance violations, lying. (Fox News) – Michael Cohen, the president’s former fixer who once famously claimed he was willing to “take a bullet” for Donald Trump before later turning against his boss, was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday by a federal judge in New York after pleading guilty to numerous crimes while cooperating with prosecutors. Before sentencing, Cohen ripped into his former boss in federal court, telling the judge he felt it was his duty to cover up the president’s “dirty deeds.”

5am – D         More effective than condoms? Seattle-area couples test new birth control for men. It takes two people to make a baby. But to prevent pregnancy, the burden has almost always fallen on the woman. A new method being tested at the University of Washington aims to change that. The UW School of Medicine is one of three sites testing a contraceptive gel for men, which works by reducing sperm production when applied daily on the upper arms or shoulders, according to researchers. If the trials are successful, the substance may soon be available to people seeking to avoid unplanned pregnancies whose options traditionally have relied on more than a dozen options for women, including pills, implants, shots, patches and rings, compared with just condoms for men. “We are neglecting 50 percent of the population with our current methods,” Dr. Stephanie Page, a UW School of Medicine endocrinologist and the study’s principal investigator, said in a phone interview. “There’s every reason for men to be more engaged.” UW researchers are enrolling about 50 couples for the three-year trial, which started Nov. 28. The testing, which is also being conducted in Los Angeles and Kansas City, Kansas, is funded by the National Institutes of Health. The gel was developed by NIH and the Population Council, an international nonprofit focused on reproductive health.

5am – E         Delaware boy named Trump will be going by different name after being bullied by classmates. An 11-year-old boy with the last name Trump will now be going by a different name at his Delaware middle school after being bullied by his peers.  His mother, Megan Trump Berto, told administrators at Talley Middle School in Wilmington, Delaware, that her son, Joshua, was being punched and bullied on a school bus because of his last name. In a Dec. 6 Facebook post, Berto pleaded with parents whose children ride that school bus to discuss the topic of bullying. “I had to sit down with my son and here [sic] him tell me that he hates himself and that he feels sad all the time,” Berto said. The school’s principal, Mark Mayer, responded on Facebook to Berto’s comment that he was concerned about what allegedly occurred on the school bus and would contact her the following morning.

6am – A         Brzezinski apologizes after backlash over homophobic remark about Pompeo. MSNBC’s Mika Brzezinski is apologizing after she used a homophobic remark to describe  Secretary of State Mike Pompeo Wednesday morning on “Morning Joe.”  Brzezinski was speaking about Pompeo’s interview on cable news rival “Fox & Friends,” where the secretary of State reiterated that while the killing of Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi was a “tragic incident” that America doesn’t approve of, the Saudis are still “an important ally” of the United States. “I understand that Donald Trump doesn’t care … But why doesn’t Mike Pompeo care right now?” Brzezinski asked during an interview with Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.). “Are the pathetic deflections that we just heard when he appeared on ‘Fox & Friends,’ is that a patriot speaking, or a wannabe dictator’s butt-boy? I’m dead serious. I’m asking, are these the words of a patriot?” Brzezinski’s audio appeared to be cut right after the comment in an apparent attempt to bleep it. She later apologized on Twitter after her comment went viral on social media, calling it a “super bad” choice of words. “Totally agree with you -SUPER BAD choice of words,” she wrote. “I should have said ‘water boy’… like for football teams or something like that.. apologize to @SenatorDurbin too! SO SORRY!”

6am –B/C      American University Students and Staff Call for Minority-Only ‘Spaces’ on Campus to Promote Inclusion. American University students and administrators are pushing for “spaces” on campus designated for “students of color,” claiming that it will promote diversity and inclusion at the university. Students and staff at American University (AU) are calling for “the creation of more spaces for students of color,” so that minority students can have an area on campus where they can go to be separated from the rest of the campus body, in the name of “diversity and inclusion,” according to the university’s student newspaper. AU students are criticizing the university’s Hub for Organizing Multiculturalism and Equity (HOME) for being “marketed to students of all backgrounds rather than to students of color.” “HOME doesn’t provide people with a sense of security, with a sense of belonging, when everyone from all types of affinity groups can be there,” said Othniel Malcolm Andrew Harris to AU’s student newspaper.

6am – D   INTERVIEW – HANS VON SPAKOVSKY @HvonSpakovsky —  former counsel to the assistant attorney general for civil rights in the Justice Department, former commissioner for the Federal Election Commission from 2006 to 2007 and senior fellow at the Heritage Foundation – discussed Michael Cohen’s sentencing.

• Michael Cohen, former Trump attorney, gets 3 years in prison after pleading guilty to several charges
• Von Spakovsky: Trump’s Ex-Lawyer Didn’t Violate Campaign Finance Laws, and Neither Did the President
• National Enquirer publisher AMI strikes deal with prosecutors in Michael Cohen probe

6am – E Maryland’s Hogan speaks to GOP dissenters looking for alternative to Trump.  The Republican governor of Maryland didn’t mention President Trump’s name Tuesday when he opened a conference in downtown Washington focused on the future of the GOP. He didn’t have to. Gov. Larry Hogan told the assembled political and policy thinkers that he ran for office four years ago because he was “completely fed up with politics as usual — and, quite frankly, I still am, maybe today more than ever.” “Compromise and moderation should not be considered dirty words,” Hogan said at the Niskanen Center conference. “I believe it’s only when the partisan shouting stops that we can truly hear each other’s voices and concerns.” It was a rare venture into the national political conversation for Hogan, whose popularity in a blue state and reelection last month with strong Democratic and independent support have fueled talk about his future prospects. He cited GOP losses in the midterm elections as evidence that the current national Republican model was failing. And the audience of about 100 right-leaning writers and academics clearly agreed with him. “Trump is a virus, and the antibodies will emerge,” said Peter Wehner, a senior fellow at the conservative Ethics and Public Policy Center. “He’s not a political colossus. He’s weaker than he ought to be, all things considered.” Other attendees lamented that their movement, which sees politicians such as Hogan as proof that a more inclusive party could win anywhere in the country, has been taken over by Trump.  Columnist Bill Kristol, who has been actively encouraging a Republican primary challenge to the president in 2020, bemoaned the departure from politics of House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (Wis.), whom he’d seen as the “future of the party.”

6am – F  California Dem Ted Lieu say he would ‘love to regulate’ speech, bemoans US Constitution that prohibits him. (Fox News) — California Democrat Ted Lieu bemoaned on Wednesday that though he would “love to be able to regulate the content of speech,” including that on Fox News, he can’t do it because of the U.S. Constitution. Lieu made the comments during an interview about the testimony of Google CEO Sundar Pichai at a House Judiciary Committee hearing, where he dismissed the allegations that the tech giant amplifies negative stories about Republican lawmakers, saying “if you want positive search results, do positive things.” CNN host Brianna Keilar praised Lieu for his performance but asked whether other Democrats should have used the committee to press Google on conspiracy theories that spread on their platforms. “It’s a very good point you make. I would love if I could have more than five minutes to question witnesses. Unfortunately, I don’t get that opportunity,” Lieu said of the committee hearings. “However, I would love to be able to regulate the content of speech. The First Amendment prevents me from doing so, and that’s simply a function of the First Amendment, but I think over the long run, it’s better the government does not regulate the content of speech,” he continued.

7am – A         INTERVIEW – RON MEYER –  Supervisor, Loudoun County Board of Supervisors and member of the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC).

• VIRGINIA NOT HAPPY WITH DC FARE EVASION VOTE: The Northern Virginia Transportation Commission (NVTC) is not happy with legislation approved by the D.C. City Council to decriminalize fare evasion (“turnstile-hopping”) on the Metro system. Decriminalization “sends the wrong message and is unfair to the overwhelming majority of WMATA’s riders who pay their fares,” NVTC’s executive committee said in a Dec. 11 letter to D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser. Currently, those who use Metro – rail or bus – in the District of Columbia without paying face a fine of up to $300 and up to 10 days in jail. The D.C. City Council on Dec. 4 voted 10-2 to remove criminal sanctions for using Metro without paying, dropping it to a civil matter with a maximum $50 fine.
• WASHINGTON POST: Year-old 66 Express Lanes have caused shifts in commuter behavior, but not necessarily in ways officials hoped. When the 66 Express Lanes opened a year ago, officials promised the tolls would mean a smoother ride on the interstate, a major east-west thoroughfare from Northern Virginia into the District that is infamous for its headache-inducing congestion. The state’s promise — less congestion and faster travel times during rush hour — has been fulfilled for many commuters able to pay or carpool, but the new toll system has had an adverse effect for many of the remaining road users. “Would most people in the corridor say their commutes have improved? I don’t think so,” said Loudoun County Supervisor Ron Meyer (R-Broad Run). “This tolling system has just made driving impossible and not affordable.”

7am – B         CHRISTINE BLASEY FORD PRESENTS SPORTS ILLUSTRATED’S INSPIRATION OF THE YEAR AWARD. (Daily Caller) —  Christine Blasey Ford presented the Sports Illustrated’s Inspiration of the Year Award to Rachael Denhollander, a lawyer who first accused USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar of sexual abuse, in a video posted on Twitter Tuesday afternoon. “Rachael Denhollander, I am in awe of you, and I will always be inspired by you. In stepping forward, you took a huge risk, and you galvanized future generations to come forward … We all have the power to create real change, and we cannot allow ourselves to be defined by the acts of others,” she stated in the video. Blasey Ford gained notoriety after accusing then-Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexual misconduct dating back decades. After the initial claim became public, she and Kavanaugh publicly testified in front of the Senate Judiciary Committee back in September.  After Denhollander came forward publicly to accuse former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault, more than 300 women have reiterated similar claims.

7am – D/E     INTERVIEW – TOM FITTON – President of Judicial Watch – discussed Michael Cohen’s sentencing, entrapment of Michael Flynn and Tom’s testimony before Congress.

• Trump’s ex-attorney Michael Cohen sentenced to three years in prison. (Fox News) – Michael Cohen, the president’s former fixer who once famously claimed he was willing to “take a bullet” for Donald Trump before later turning against his boss, was sentenced to three years in prison Wednesday by a federal judge in New York after pleading guilty to numerous crimes while cooperating with prosecutors. Before sentencing, Cohen ripped into his former boss in federal court, telling the judge he felt it was his duty to cover up the president’s “dirty deeds.” Cohen appeared before U.S. District Judge William Pauley III for sentencing after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations, tax evasion and lying to Congress about Trump’s past business dealings in Russia. He was seen entering the Manhattan courthouse Wednesday accompanied by members of his family. Cohen doesn’t have to report to prison until March 6.
• Flynn should be pardoned: Tom Fitton ‏@TomFitton: Because the inescapable conclusion is that General Flynn didn’t lie. Comey just confirmed last week Flynn showed no signs of lying but corrupt Strzok and other FBI agent concluded Flynn somehow divined “obviously” was lying. More reason for @RealDonaldTrump to pardon Gen. Flynn.
• Flynn was ambushed: Judicial Watch @JudicialWatch: JW President @TomFitton: General Flynn was ambushed. It was a set-up. It was an Obama & Deep State targeting of General Flynn, and Mueller outrageously picked up the ball and ran with it. And when you look at the filing, you can see why it’s corrupt…
• Memo: FBI recommended Michael Flynn not have lawyer present during interview, did not warn of false statement consequences. Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, who arranged the bureau’s interview with then-national security adviser Michael Flynn at the White House on Jan. 24, 2017 — the interview that ultimately led to Flynn’s guilty plea on one count of making false statements — suggested Flynn not have a lawyer present at the session, according to newly-filed court documents. In addition, FBI officials, along with the two agents who interviewed Flynn, decided specifically not to warn him that there would be penalties for making false statements because the agents wanted to ensure that Flynn was “relaxed” during the session.
• Tom testifying today on Capitol Hill about Clinton Foundation:

Tom Fitton ‏@TomFitton: I will testify tomorrow to big House hearing chaired by @MarkMeadows on Clinton Foundation corruption issues. (Not sure if Mr. Huber will be there, too.)  @JudicialWatch warned about this issue ten years ago before Clinton was confirmed! 

8am – A         INTERVIEW – JOE CONCHA – Media Reporter, The Hill

• Donald Trump Reportedly Cancels This Year’s White House Holiday Press Party. CNN boycotted the event in 2017. President Donald Trump’s White House reportedly will not host a holiday party for members of the press this month. Trump himself canceled the annual shindig, making “the decades-old tradition a victim of his increasingly contentious relationship with major news organizations,” Fox News reported Thursday morning.
• Media frenzy over Michael Cohen sentencing
• Mika apologizes over butt-boy comment

8am – B         Open enrollment

8am – C         Spice spat: Old Bay sues New Bae for trademark infringement. A clash of seasonings is looming in federal court, as Maryland’s Old Bay seeks to protect its trademark in a lawsuit against another spice blend, New Bae. The Daily Record reports Old Bay maker McCormick & Co. sued this week to stop Pittsburgh-based Primal Palate from using the “New Bae” name. The paleo diet-centered Primal Palate launched New Bae as an organic blend in October 2017, touting its suitability for crab legs, fries and Bloody Marys. McCormick asserts Primal Palate has used taglines like “Out with the Old, and in with the NEW” to capitalize on Old Bay’s “fame and goodwill.” Primal Palate co-founder Bill Staley told the newspaper in an emailed statement that New Bae’s name was a “nod” to Old Bay, but is “designed to suggest a difference.”

8am – D/E     CHRISTMAS SONG PARODIES:

• SANTA SHARK: “Santa Shark” — The Baby Shark Christmas Song — Is the Gift No Parent Asked For
• BABY ITS COLD OUTSIDE PARODY: In Penn Holderness’ version, “Baby Just GO Outside,” consent is key.
• 12 DAYS OF TRUMP: Daily Caller song 12 days of Trump