Mornings on the Mall

Thursday, January 23, 2020

Hosts: Vince Coglianese and Mary Walter

Executive Producer: Heather Hunter

Brian Darling, VA Sen. Amanda Chase, James Rosen and VCDL’s Philip Van Cleave joined WMAL on Thursday!

5am – A/B/C Woman charged after going topless in front of stepkids faces court setback. (NY Post) – A Utah woman was dealt a setback in her fight against criminal charges for being seen topless by her stepchildren in her own home when a judge upheld the state’s lewdness law on Tuesday. Tilli Buchanan, who could face prison and be forced to register as a sex offender for 10 years if convicted, challenged the lewdness statute as unconstitutional on the grounds that it discriminates against women by making it illegal to show their breasts. Judge Kara Pettit upheld the law after prosecutors argued that lewdness in American society is commonly understood to include women’s breasts, the Salt Lake Tribune reported. Buchanan and the American Civil Liberties Union of Utah had said the law involving a child is unfair because it treats men and women differently for baring their chests. They made their case by pointing to a court ruling that overturned a topless ban in Colorado – a campaign known as the “Free the Nipple” movement. But Pettit said the ruling in Fort Collins, Colo., was different from the lewdness involving a child law in Buchanan’s case, FOX13 Salt Lake City reported.

5am – D Tulsi Gabbard files $50 million defamation suit against Hillary Clinton over “Russian asset” comment. TEXT OF LAWSUIT: “Tulsi Gabbard is running for President of the United States, a position Clinton has long coveted, but has not been able to attain,” Wednesday’s Manhattan federal lawsuit reads. “In October 2019 — whether out of personal animus, political enmity, or fear of real change within a political party Clinton and her allies have long dominated — Clinton lied about her perceived rival Tulsi Gabbard. She did so publicly, unambiguously, and with obvious malicious intent.”

5am – E           Ingraham investigation: Emails expose what Obama admin knew about Bidens and Burisma: What did alleged whistleblower know about Bidens and Burissma?

6am – A/B/C IMPEACHMENT TRIAL

• The Senate has approved rules for President Trump’s trial on two articles of impeachment. Nearly 13 hours after the first full day of the trial began, senators voted along party lines at close to 2am ET to accept the rules. Democrats failed to persuade Republicans to agree to issue subpoenas for documents and witnesses, though those matters may be revisited later. After one particularly bitter exchange, Chief Justice John Roberts admonished both the Democratic House managers and the White House counsel to “remember where they are.” Earlier, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell dropped plans for two late-night sessions to hear opening arguments, instead spreading arguments over three days.
• Senate passes impeachment trial rules to punt on witnesses in early Wednesday morning vote. (CNN)The Senate early Wednesday morning approved rules for the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump on a party-line vote that delays the question of whether the Senate should subpoena witnesses and documen until later in the trial. The rules resolution from Senate Majority Mitch McConnell was approved 53-47 after Republicans defeated a series of amendments from Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer on the opening day of the bitterly fought impeachment trial. Schumer proposed 11 amendments seeking to subpoena a trove of documents from the Trump administration and witnesses like acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and former national security adviser John Bolton, but the amendments were thwarted almost entirely by the same party-line vote, 53-47.

• Schiff warns of Russian attack on US mainland, the need to protect 2020 election in Day 2 of Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. (Fox News) – The Russians could attack the U.S. and removing President Trump from office is necessary to preserve the integrity of the 2020 election. Those were the claims Wednesday from Democrat Adam Schiff on Wednesday during Day 2 of Trump’s Senate impeachment trial. The lengthy arguments from Schiff and other House Democrats broke little new ground, if any. Trump’s lawyers sat by, waiting their turn, as the president blasted the proceedings from afar, jokingly threatening to face off with the Democrats by coming to “sit right in the front row and stare at their corrupt faces.” The challenge before the House impeachment managers was clear. Democrats were given 24 hours over three days to prosecute the charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Congress against Trump. They must try win over not just fidgety senators sitting silently in the chamber but also an American public that’s deeply divided over the president and his impeachment in an election year. Schiff, the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, sought to keep the stakes high in his arguments. He suggested at one point that military aid to Ukraine was essential so the U.S. would not have to fight Russians at home.

6am – D         WHY WHY WHY: Joe Bidens Weird Reaction to Reporter Asking About Feud With Sanders Calm Down: “Yesterday you said you accepted Bernie’s apology, now you’re attacking him. Why are you doing that? Why wasn’t his apology enough Mr. Vice President?” asked CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe, prompting Biden to turn around. “Why why why why why why why!” Biden shouted, as he started to shake O’Keefe with his hands. “You’re getting nervous man! Calm down, it’s okay!”

6am – E         Trump administration to issue new visa restrictions aimed at curbing ‘birth tourism’ (Fox News) – The Trump administration is planning to introduce new visa restrictions aimed at restricting “birth tourism,” whereby women travel to the U.S. to give birth so that their children automatically become U.S. citizens, according to officials. The new rules would make it harder for pregnant women to travel on a tourist visa. In one draft of the regulations, pregnant women would have to convince a consular officer that they have another legitimate reason to come to the U.S. before obtaining the visa. The State Department planned to publicize the rules Thursday, according to two officials with knowledge of the plans who spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity.

6am – F         Diddy no more: Court approves rap mogul’s name change to Sean Love Combs. Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs has officially adopted a new moniker – his petition to become Sean Love Combs has been granted. The rap mogul and entrepreneur filed a petition to change his name in October, and according to court documents obtained by Entertainment Tonight, the alteration has been approved. Diddy’s previous legal name was Sean John Combs, though professionally he has gone by Puff Daddy and P. Diddy for years. In November 2017, he took to Twitter to inform fans he was going by “Love, aka, Brother Love” and would “not be answering” to any other titles.  He later claimed the statement was made in jest, noting the name “was just part of one of my alter egos”. He added, “You can address me by any of my older names, but if you still wanna call me Love, you can call me Love, baby. But I was only playing.”

7am – A/B/C INTERVIEW – BRIAN DARLING – Founder of Liberty Government Affairs, Former Sen. Rand Paul Communications Director and Counsel and is a former veteran of the Senate – analyzed the impeachment trial.

7am – D/E     INTERVIEW – VIRGINIA SENATOR AMANDA CHASE – member of the Virginia Senate for the 11th District, representing Amelia County, the city of Colonial Heights, and part of Chesterfield County – discussed the latest gun control proposals being discussed this week in the VA Assembly.

• Virginia Senate votes in favor of ‘red flag law’ bill. Virginia’s state senate has passed a bill that would allow law enforcement officers to confiscate guns from or prevent the purchase of firearms by people deemed to be threats to themselves or others, just days after a massive gun rights rally swarmed the state capitol. The bill passed the chamber in a narrow 21-19 vote and will next move to the state Housem of Delegates. Jake Rubenstein, a spokesman for Virginia House Speaker Eileen Filler-Corn, told CNN the House would “deliver” on a demand from voters for gun control measures. “Virginians spoke loud and clear on Election Day demanding common sense gun violence protections, and make no mistake, we will deliver on that mandate,” Jake Rubenstein said. If passed, the bill would allow state attorneys or law enforcement officers to apply for a judge’s order to “prohibit a person who poses a substantial risk of injury to himself or others from purchasing, possessing, or transporting a firearm.” The bill is expected to be signed into law by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), who has indicated support for stronger gun control measures, should it pass the House of Delegates later this session.

8am – A/B/C  INTERVIEW – JAMES ROSEN – National Investigative Reporter for Sinclair Broadcasting and bestselling author of “The Strong Man: John Mitchell and the Secrets of Watergate (2008)” — IN STUDIO – analyzed the impeachment trial.

• House Democrats have wrapped up a day of arguments in President Trump’s impeachment trial, appealing to Republican senators to join them in voting to oust Trump from office to “protect our democracy.” The President blasted the proceedings, threatening jokingly to face off with the Democrats by coming to “sit right in the front row and stare at their corrupt faces.”

 8am – D         INTERVIEW – PHILIP VAN CLEAVE – the president of the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) – discuss the latest gun control proposals being discussed this week in the VA Assembly

• Virginia Senate votes in favor of ‘red flag law’ bill. Virginia’s state senate has passed a bill that would allow law enforcement officers to confiscate guns from or prevent the purchase of firearms by people deemed to be threats to themselves or others, just days after a massive gun rights rally swarmed the state capitol. The bill passed the chamber in a narrow 21-19 vote and will next move to the state Housem of Delegates.