Mornings on the Mall

Tuesday, December 10, 2019

Hosts: Mary Walter and Vince Coglianese

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton, Rep. Louie Gohmert, ESPN 630’s Carol Maloney, The Federalist’s Sean Davis and White House’s Tony Sayegh joined WMAL on Tuesday morning!

5am – A/B/C/D/E     IG REPORT RECAP: DOJ Watchdog Faults FBI Over ‘Significant Inaccuracies’ In Surveillance Warrants Against Trump Aide.  (Daily Caller) – The Justice Department’s office of the inspector general found “significant inaccuracies” in the FBI’s applications for warrants to conduct surveillance against a Trump campaign adviser, according to a report released Monday. Michael Horowitz, the inspector general, said that the FBI’s decision to open investigations against Trump campaign advisers in July 2016, as well as to apply for Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA) warrants against Page were permitted under FBI guidelines. The report also dispels some of the more aggressive conspiracy theories about the FBI’s investigation of Trump associates. But the report is highly critical of the FBI’s handling of information from Christopher Steele, the former British spy whose dossier the FBI used in applications for FISA warrants against Page. “[T]he FBI obtained additional information raising significant questions about the reliability of the Steele election reporting, the FBI failed to reassess the Steele reporting relied upon in the FISA applications.”

6am – A/B/C RECAP IMPEACHMENT HEARING HIGHLIGHTS:

• Gohmert tears into Nadler over Dems’ treatment of counsel: ‘How much money do you have to give?‘ (Fox News) – Rep. Louie Gohmert, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, infuriated Chairman Jerrold Nadler during Monday’s impeachment hearing into President Trump, after he appeared to suggest a counsel for the Democrats had given money to members of the party in order to serve in a role of both witness and questioner. The Judiciary Committee Democrats’ counsel Barry Berke, a high-powered defense lawyer, was seated on the dais near Nadler, D-N.Y., asking questions of Republican counsel Stephen Castor in a move that Gohmert, R-Texas, called “unprecedented.” Rep. Mike Johnson, R-La., initially interrupted Berke’s questioning to make a formal “parliamentary inquiry” to Nadler about what Berke was being allowed to do. Instead, Nadler slammed his gavel and told Johnson he was unable to make an inquiry. “Mr. Chairman, what is this?” Johnson asked, looking incredulously at the chairman as the New Yorker slammed his gavel. At that point, Gohmert himself interjected and accused Nadler of ignoring committee rules to have Berke ask questions of the other party’s counsel and take the witness stand as he had earlier in the day. “How many other rules are you just going to disregard?” Gohmert asked Nadler. The Democrat slammed his gavel again and told Gohmert he was not acting “in order.”
• Dems expected to announce at least 2 articles of impeachment against Trump on Tuesday. House Democrats are preparing to announce at least two articles of impeachment against President Trump on Tuesday, Fox News has learned. The articles of impeachment will focus on obstruction of Congress and abuse of power, but all details aren’t settled yet, Fox News is told. A markup session by the Judiciary Committee to prepare the articles would come either Wednesday or Thursday.

6am – D/E     INTERVIEW – TOM FITTON – President, Judicial Watch – reacted to the release of the IG report and Monday’s impeachment hearings.

6am – F         INTERVIEW – Weather Channel meteorologist RAY STAGICH – previewed a possible snowy commute on Wednesday morning.

• Sneaky snow event may impact Wednesday morning commute in DC region. WASHINGTON – One thing is for sure — the early week is going to feel a bit more like early fall as opposed to late fall. A strong storm system will be getting its act together across the Great Lakes region. Strong southern flow through multiple levels of the atmosphere will warm us nicely after a chilly weekend. Temperatures are expected to rise into the upper 50s and lower 60s by Monday afternoon with more widespread lower 60s by Tuesday afternoon. It will be warm enough that the last thing on one’s mind would be the threat of snow. But Wednesday morning may surprise with a little sneak attack!

7am – A/B/C IG REPORT RECAP: DOJ Watchdog Faults FBI Over ‘Significant Inaccuracies’ In Surveillance Warrants Against Trump Aide.           

7am – D         INTERVIEW – REP. LOUIE GOHMERT – R-TX, member of the House Judiciary Committee – shared his thoughts on the impeachment hearing yesterday.

• Gohmert tears into Nadler over Dems’ treatment of counsel: ‘How much money do you have to give?‘ (Fox News) – Rep. Louie Gohmert, a member of the House Judiciary Committee, infuriated Chairman Jerrold Nadler during Monday’s impeachment hearing into President Trump, after he appeared to suggest a counsel for the Democrats had given money to members of the party in order to serve in a role of both witness and questioner. The Judiciary Committee Democrats’ counsel Barry Berke, a high-powered defense lawyer, was seated on the dais near Nadler, D-N.Y., asking questions of Republican counsel Stephen Castor in a move that Gohmert, R-Texas, called “unprecedented.”

7am – E         INTERVIEW – CAROL MALONEY – Host of The Carol Maloney Show on ESPN 630

• Major League Baseball is a good way to make a living. World Series MVP Stephen Strasburg has agreed to a seven year $245 million contract and will stay with the Washington Nationals. Its highest salary paid for an MLB pitcher, maxing out David Price’s $217 seven-year 2016 deal with Boston Red Sox.  Strasberg will make about $35 million/year.
• What the Stephen Strasburg signing means for Anthony Rendon and where he might play next season. The Nationals are likely to bid adieu to their longtime third baseman

8am – A         INTERVIEW – SEAN DAVIS – Co-founder of The Federalist – discussed the IG report.

• DOJ Watchdog Faults FBI Over ‘Significant Inaccuracies’ In Surveillance Warrants Against Trump Aide. (Daily Caller) – The Justice Department’s office of the inspector general found “significant inaccuracies” in the FBI’s applications for warrants to conduct surveillance against a Trump campaign adviser, according to a report released Monday.

 8am – B/C     VA GUNS:

• Prince William to vote on ‘2nd Amendment sanctuary’ measure TODAY. Prince William supervisors are scheduled to vote Tuesday, Dec. 10, on a resolution similar to those passed by more than 20 Virginia localities. If approved, it would declare the county a “Second Amendment sanctuary” with the aim of restricting the use of county funds to enforce any new federal and state gun laws.
• Fauquier board has proposed a measure that affirms support for the Second Amendment while endorsing certain gun-safety initiatives.  Fauquier’s board will vote on a resolution Thursday, Dec. 12, to modify its legislative agenda to include several gun-safety measures and to state its support for the U.S. Constitution’s Second Amendment.
• Virginia sheriff vows to deputize residents in response to expected gun control legislation from state Democratic lawmakers. A Virginia sheriff has vowed to deputize residents in his county if the new Democratic-led legislature enacts gun control measures. Culpeper County Sheriff Scott Jenkins made the vow during a Board of Supervisors meeting last week in which the panel unanimously agreed to declare the county a Second Amendment Constitutional County. “Every Sheriff and Commonwealth Attorney in Virginia will see the consequences if our General Assembly passes further unnecessary gun restrictions,” Jenkins wrote on Facebook before the meeting.

8am – D         INTERVIEW – TONY SAYEGH – White House Senior Advisor for Strategy at The White House – reacted to Monday’s impeachment inquiry hearing.

• Next Steps of Impeachment – TODAY at 9am ET: Jerry Nadler, Adam Schiff, and other House Committee Chairs are scheduled to announce the next steps in the impeachment inquiry into President Trump.
• House Democrats are eyeing at least two articles of impeachment against President Trump.  Later today, Democrats are expected to put forward one charge of abuse of power and another for obstruction of Congress. The articles of impeachment will focus on obstruction of Congress and abuse of power, but all details aren’t settled yet, Fox News is told. A markup session by the Judiciary Committee to prepare the articles would come either Wednesday or Thursday. A vote to impeach the president could come before the end of the month.