Friday, December 21, 2018

JUST IN: Government shutdown inevitable at midnight as House adjourns with no deal


Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he hopes Senate Democrats can work on an "agreement that can pass both houses of congress and receive the President's signature," and that once an agreement is reached, it will receive a vote on the Senate floor


Cohen discussed mysterious $1.8 million loan to pool boy Jerry Falwell Jr and his wife befriended


Outgoing Defense Secretary James Mattis shaking hands with the outgoing chief of staff John Kelly today.


Lindsey Graham is calling for immediate hearings on Trump's decision to withdraw all American troops from Syria. He told reporters he wanted to hear directly from Jim Mattis at any hearing.


NEW: The judge in Maria Butina's case has lifted her gag order while Butina cooperates per her plea deal. Butina had asked to have the gag order lifted, the government wanted it to remain. The judge reminded everyone they still had to follow court rules in how they share info


BREAKING via @amyegardner @bethreinhard: N.C. election officials sounded alarm about alleged election fraud to federal prosecutors in January 2017


The last two terms I introduced the strongest House bill ever to tackle #climatechange. I will reintroduce my Climate Solutions Act in Jan. Mandates 100% clean energy by 2050; 80% renewables by 2040; and 40% renewables by 2030. Also creates stringent energy efficiency standards.


Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had two malignant nodules removed from her left lung today. Doctors say they removed it all.


“Once again we see a president who appears to be acting impulsively and erratically — except when it comes to Russia.... Here, Trump has been eerily consistent in his willingness to adopt policies that enable Russia’s strategy while undermining ours.”


Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg underwent lung surgery today to remove cancerous nodules, the Supreme Court announces


Tom Brokaw compares Trump to Captain Queeg: "Time for all hands to be on deck" to confront him


BREAKING: UN issues statement demanding UK immediately cease trying to arrest Julian Assange


My take on the Mattis resignation: Jim Mattis Was the Only Thing Keeping Trump’s Insane Clown Posse in Check


Republicans are responsible for the Trump fiasco


Russian warship en route to Azov Sea from Crimea: Reuters witness


How US foreign policy in Central America may have fueled the migrant crisis


Even Erdogan, who asked for the withdrawal, was like “what? n-no wait.”


Spotted so far at the White House: McConnell, Shelby, Lee, Collins, Grassley, Murkowski, and Daines.


Meanwhile, Outgoing-GOP Rep @RyanCostello tells us: “I’ve never seen somebody more scared of their base than the president *pause* that’s a good f-ing quote.” *walks away*


You own the shutdown—your own words, @realDonaldTrump. The Senate UNANIMOUSLY passed a bipartisan solution to avoid a shutdown. Then you threw another temper tantrum and convinced the House to ignore that compromise.


Trump promises a 'very long' government shutdown as the Senate is set to reject border wall money


"A sad day for America": Washington fears a Trump unchecked by Mattis


#GoodMorning folks. Meet “Vicky”... Vicky is a Trump supporting white supremacist. Vicky went on vacation the The US Virgin Islands- which is full of Black people- to express how much she hate “ni**rs with a passion”. Anyone here recognize “Vicky” from their community?


Nancy Pelosi: "The President is doing everything that he can to shut the government down."


AP Poll: Nearly 6 in 10 Americans say Trump tried to obstruct the investigation into his campaign's ties to Russia


Oh my lord, this quote


Richard Nixon went to Mar-a-Lago a month before he resigned the Presidency, July 1974:


Factory farms no longer have to report their air emissions. That's dangerous for their neighbors.


Mr. Trump relishes the idea of putting hundreds of thousands of workers out on the street right before Christmas. He loves human misery and suffering. His message is the exact opposite of the that of the nativity. He’s effectively just ordered the slaughter of Kurdish children.


It would be useful to know if Individual-1 is privately communicating with Putin.


Freeway in Los Angeles renamed "President Barack H. Obama Highway"


Mitch, use the Nuclear Option and get it done! Our Country is counting on you!


"I know tech better than anyone, (...)." - Trump, Twitter statement, Dec 21, 2018


Earlier in the show: “We are now abandoning the Kurds who are about three weeks away from total slaughter,” Kilmeade said. “All they have done for us is show total allegiance to us and they trusted us, and now we will never get another ally in that region”


Fox News’ Brian @Kilmeade just said Trump ‘re-founded ISIS’ by withdrawing U.S. troops from Syria


The Chinese built a giant wall to keep out the Mongols. — The Mongols got through it repeatedly. The French built the Maginot Line to keep out the Germans. — The Germans drove around, and flew over top of it. tRUmp’s Maginot Line on the southern border wouldn’t fare better.


Facebook's spiraling data issues could lead to billions in fines from U.S. regulators


A statement by the President:


Oh look, it’s the president’s son the polymath weighing in on government. I’m so glad we elected him. Also when is he getting indicted or was that just something he just told people for fun.


"Kolfage also ran Right Wing News’ shuttered affiliate sites including VeteranAF and FreedomDaily, which pushed false conspiracy theories, like ones claiming Hillary Clinton was secretly hiding deadly illnesses and fake voter fraud stories."


Trump is tweeting that the Dems will be the ones to blame if the government shuts down. The same guy that said "I'll be the one to shut it down. I will take the mantle.” And “I am proud to shut down the government for border security.” You break it, you buy it.


Billionaire pedophile Jeffrey Epstein has settled a lawsuit with a woman who alleged that he forced her into sex acts and directed her to have sex with Alan Dershowitz


"I know tech better than anyone."


Rod Rosenstein: "We've continued to manage the investigation as we have in the past and it's being handled appropriately, whether it's Bob Mueller or Rod Rosenstein or Matt Whitaker or Bill Barr, that investigation is going to be handled appropriately."


Trump is reportedly already turning on Mick Mulvaney—who hasn’t even started his new job as acting White House chief of staff yet—due to a two-year-old video uncovered by The Daily Beast, which shows Mulvaney calling the president "a terrible human being"


The father of Maria Butina says he’s run up hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal bills that he can’t pay


GM job losses fail to dent support for Trump in rust beltAuto workers blame GM not Trump for loss of jobs


#BREAKING Kurds ask for French help after Trump decision to pull US troops from Syria: Kurdish leader


Will Syria Become a Path to the Next 9/11?


House Foreign Affairs- likely led by NY's @RepEliotEngel- eyes new Subcommittee to investigate Donald's ties to foreign entities


Matt Gaetz already talking about using mercenaries in Syria to do the training


The parents of Roman Mokryak, one of 24 sailors captured by Russia, say they've been unable to contact their son as he awaits trial in Russian-controlled #Crimea.


Trump, Congress careen toward partial government shutdown


Donald Trump’s continued support for Saudi Arabia may bolster a lawsuit over the president’s financial dealings with foreign governments


‘I’m okay with a shutdown’: Inside the chaos of the House GOP’s last days


The German Chancellor Angela Merkel and other European leaders may finally have run out of patience with President Donald Trump:


Crude refusal: China shuns U.S. oil despite trade war truce


In immigrant children’s shelters, sexual assault cases are open and shut


Trump unleashed: Mattis exit paves way for global chaos


Okay, Republicans. How much longer are you going to let this farcical “presidency” continue? At a time of such political, economic, and geo-strategic turbulence—both nationally and globally—are you waiting for a catastrophe to happen before acting? Disaster looms!


Woah. Former GOP Sen., and Defense Secretary, William Cohen tells CNN that @realDonaldTrump isn’t fit to be Commander-in-Chief


The House approves $5 billion for Trump's border wall, sending a must-pass spending bill back to the Senate


Kristjen Nielsen admits she doesn't know exactly how many migrants have died at the border.


NEW from @mike_giglio: Part of Trump’s Syria withdrawal is the shuttering of al-Tanf, a base that was a target of Russian complaints and seen as key to countering Iranian influence in Syria


Within hours of Vladimir Putin's pivot to mention the U.S. presence in Afghanistan, the Wall Street Journal had news of Donald Trump ordering a reduction in U.S. troops in Afghanistan.


This morning I posted a few moments of video during my last visit to the Senate floor, before the Senate was in session. Sen McConnell’s office called the Sargent at Arms of the Senate to complain that I was not allowed to do that. I want to apologize. It will never happen again.


Another Trump fraud lawsuit and here the Federal Judge is protecting the plaintiffs from Trump attacks by allowing them to remain anonymous. Trump’s like a mobster. He does not belong anywhere near the White House. He’s degraded our highest office.


It seems Donny is doing Putin's bidding while he still can. First Syria, now Afghanistan.Donald J Trump is a collosal traitor to the Republic, & he has broken faith with those Allies who lost soldiers supporting the US in Afghanistan


James Mattis: Shaken, saddened, scared - Washington erupts over resignation


For those keeping score: Afghanistan is world’s largest producer of opium and key waypoint along the Silk Road. US presence there keeps transnational organized crime in check. It’s that simple


on the bright side, we now have a running list of xenophobes and racists.


“Donald’s right, and I agree with him,” Mr. Putin said


"Hold the Line."


Reminder to anyone who writes about this: Erik Prince's current company, Frontier Services Group, is owned by the Chinese government. Prince can't be a neutral observer in Afghanistan. He works for the Chinese government and is paid to protect their interests around the world.


U.S. pullout from Syria will be trigger that blows up the region


We all take an oath to protect and defend our country. Border security is an important part of that oath. Your wall will fail in the Senate tomorrow, Mr. President. America cannot afford a #TrumpShutdown.


"There is one thing this administration has done better than any other administration has in American history, which is lie." WATCH: @RepGutierrez tears into DHS Sec. Kirstjen Nielsen and the Trump administration at congressional hearing.


Mattis first ever secretary of defense to resign in protest


Nadler: Deeply un-American to think president cannot be indicted


Trump goal of undercutting Mueller exposed in A.G. picks


James Mattis's Resignation Leaves Congress With No Excuses - The Atlantic


Mattis departure exposes chaos within Trump administration


China denies 'slanderous' accusations from the United States and other allies criticizing China for economic espionage


JUST IN: White House has ordered the Pentagon to draw up plans for a troop withdrawal from Afghanistan, 2 defense officials and a person briefed on the matter tell


Wow. Watch every second of this Congressman Tim Ryan


Mattis resigns after clash with Trump over troop withdrawal from Syria and Afghanistan


An incredible sentence that captures where American politics stands right now: “the defense secretary left little doubt in his resignation letter that he viewed the president as a threat to the world order the United States helped construct.”


Trump infidelity to allies drives Mattis to resign in protest


President Trump is plunging us into chaos. The stock market is down 500 points. Secretary Mattis is leaving. We know he had serious disagreements with President Trump over Syria and the wall. And now, another temper tantrum and a Trump shutdown over Christmas is nearly upon us


AHEM ===> "Keeping the country’s military leadership in the dark about withdrawing US troops from a war-zone is without precedent and speaks to turmoil and disarray inside the Oval Office, not to mention a complete breakdown of civil-military relations."


The U.S. stock market appears to be headed for its worst December since 1931 — during the Great Depression — but does that mean a recession is imminent?