US federal shutdown becomes longest in history – Aljazeera.com
US federal shutdown becomes longest in history – Aljazeera.com

The partial government shutdown became the longest closure in the history of the United States when the clock ticked past midnight on Friday as President Donald Trump and nervous Republicans scrambled to find a way out of the mess.

A solution could not come soon enough for around 800,000 federal workers who got pay statements on Friday but no pay.

The House and the Senate voted to give federal workers back pay whenever the federal government reopens and then left town for the weekend, as the shutdown entered its 22nd day. 

While Trump privately considered one dramatic escape route, declaring a national emergency to build the wall without a new stream of cash from Congress, members of his own party were fiercely debating that idea, and the president urged Congress to come up with another solution.

“What we’re not looking to do right now is national emergency,” Trump said. He insisted that he had the authority to do that, adding that he’s “not going to do it so fast” because he’d still prefer to work a deal with Congress.


With polls showing Trump getting most of the blame for the shutdown, the administration accelerated planning for a possible emergency declaration to try to get around Congress and fund the wall from existing sources of federal revenue.

The White House explored diverting money for wall construction from a range of other accounts. One idea being considered was diverting some of the $13.9bn allocated to the Army Corps of Engineers after last year’s deadly hurricanes and floods.

That option triggered an outcry from officials in Puerto Rico and some states recovering from natural disasters and appeared to lose steam on Friday.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham said in a statement that it was “time for President Trump to use emergency powers to fund the construction of a border wall/barrier”. But other Republicans have expressed doubts, given the potential legal hurdles such a move may face.

‘Shame on the Senate’

Earlier, on Thursday, federal workers across the country rallied against the shutdown.

At a Washington rally, Richard Trumka, the president of the AFL-CIO, a federation of unions, called the shutdown a “lockout”.

“Shame on the Senate. Shame on the White House,” he told the crowd. “This lockout has to end, and it has to end now.”

In Detroit, federal worker Gregory Simpkins told the Associated Press news agency, “Next week, it’s going to be a panic mode. How are we going to pay rent? How are we going to pay out bills? How in the hell are we going to eat?”

In New York, furloughed Park Ranger Kathryn Gilson said if the shutdown goes much longer, it will probably cause her to go into a depression. “I’m kind of just sitting and staring at the wall and trying not to lose my mind,” she said.


Source Article from https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/federal-shutdown-longest-history-190112051750627.html

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MoDOT stays busy as weekend of snow falls on mid-Missouri – krcgtv.com
MoDOT stays busy as weekend of snow falls on mid-Missouri – krcgtv.com
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Julian Castro, former Obama official, launches 2020 presidential bid – ABC News
Julian Castro, former Obama official, launches 2020 presidential bid – ABC News

Julian Castro, former mayor of San Antonio and housing chief during the Obama administration, formally announced on Saturday that he is seeking the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election.

“Today we’re falling backwards instead of moving forward. And the opportunities that made America, America are reaching fewer and fewer people,” he said, flanked by his wife Erica and children Carina and Cristian in San Antonio’s Plaza Guadalupe, among a crowd of a couple hundred people. “That’s why we are here today. Because we’re going to make sure that the promise of America is there for everyone.”

Suzanne Cordeiro/AFP/Getty Images
Former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian n Castro announces his candidacy for President of the United States in his hometown of San Antonio, Texas, Jan. 12, 2019.

Introduced by his mother, local activist Rosie Castro, he said the country was going through a crisis of leadership under President Donald Trump.

“I’m running for president because it’s time for new leadership, because it’s time for new energy and it’s time for a new commitment to make sure that the opportunities I’ve had are available for every American,” he said. Most of his speech highlighted his family’s immigrant history and San Antonio roots — his grandmother moved to the United States in the 1920s and his mother is a longtime community activist.

Castro described the American Dream as not being a “sprint or a marathon, but a relay. My story wouldn’t be possible without the strong women who came before me and passed me the baton. Because of their hard work, I have the opportunity to stand here today.”

Eric Gay/AP
Former San Antonio Mayor and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro waves as he arrives with his family to an event where he announced his decision to seek the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, Jan. 12, 2019, in San Antonio.

Castro is the first Mexican-American and first San Antonio native to seek the White House.

“My family’s story wouldn’t be possible without a country that challenged itself to live up to the promise of America. That was the point of the American Dream: It wasn’t supposed to be just a dream. America was the place where dreams could become real, but right now, the relay isn’t working,” he said.

Asking for an America that is the “smartest, healthiest and fairest” nation on Earth, Castro touted his support for universal health care; pre-kindergarten for all, based on a program he sponsored as mayor of San Antonio; affordable higher education, criminal justice and immigration reform, and more attention on combating climate change. He said that if he is elected, his first executive action would be to recommit the U.S. to the Paris Climate Accord that President Trump abandoned last year.

Castro had harsh words for president Trump as the nation focuses on the ongoing government shutdown over Trump’s insistence to build a border wall.

“Yes, we must have border security, but there is a smart and humane way to do it. And there is no way in hell that caging children is keeping us safe,” he said, telling the crowd his grandmother died regretting that she wasn’t able to say goodbye to her mother when she left Mexico for the U.S. in the 1920s.

Eric Gay/AP
Supporters cheer for former San Antonio Mayor and Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julian Castro at an event where he announced his decision to seek the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination, in San Antonio, Jan. 12, 2019.

Acknowledging that his run for the White House was a long shot, as a growing number of high-profile Democrats are expected to enter the race, Castro referred to his hometown of San Antonio.

“There are no frontrunners born here, but I’ve always believed that with big dreams and hard work, anything is possible,” he said.

Introducing him, his mother told the crowd Castro is “not one to be underestimated.”

In response to Castro’s announcement, a spokesman for the Republican National Committee called Castro one of the “biggest lightweights to ever run for president,” saying he was a weak mayor and questioning his tenure as Housing and Urban Development secretary.

“This is obviously just another desperate attempt to become someone else’s running mate,” said RNC spokesman Mike Ahrens in a statement.

Castro faces a growing and diverse primary field as more Democrats jump in on the race. Just hours before Castro’s announcement, Sen. Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii teased a presidential run on Twitter and launched a campaign website. She told CNN in an interview set to air Saturday night that a formal announcement is imminent.

On the eve of the new year, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, formed an exploratory committee ahead of a potential run. She headlined several events in Iowa last week and is in New Hampshire this weekend — hitting two early primary states that are seen as barometers for presidential nominees.

These announcements come as former Vice President Joe Biden and Sens. Kamala Harris of California, Cory Booker of New Jersey and Bernie Sanders of Vermont — the 2016 primary challenger to Hillary Clinton — mull potential runs and tower Castro in name recognition.

But it’s most likely the possibility of another Texan running for president, former Rep. Beto O’Rourke, D-Texas, that could overshadow Castro’s prospects. O’Rourke catapulted to the national stage during his longshot campaign to unseat Republican Sen. Ted Cruz last year. He may have lost by 3 points, but his road trip campaign earned him comparisons to a young Barack Obama.

O’Rourke is set to embark on a solo road trip around the country later this month – and is making a stop in New York City Feb. 5 for an interview with Oprah Winfrey. A decision on a run could come as soon as next month.

Castro’s next stop and his first trip as a presidential candidate is to Puerto Rico. He’ll be in New Hampshire this Wednesday at the traditional “Politics and Eggs” breakfast, which has become an obligatory stop for presidential candidates.

Source Article from https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/julian-castro-obama-official-launches-2020-presidential-bid/story?id=60289874

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Neighbor who came to Jayme Closs’ aid: ‘We were armed and ready’ for suspect to come looking – Fox News
Neighbor who came to Jayme Closs’ aid: ‘We were armed and ready’ for suspect to come looking – Fox News
Video

Sheriff: Suspect was not at home when Jayme Closs escaped captivity, gun recovered consistent with crime scene

GORDON, Wisconsin – When Jayme Closs showed up at their doorstep, the Kasinskas family sprung into action, taking two steps before most anything else. They called 911. And they grabbed their firearms, in case the kidnapped teen’s abductor was in pursuit.

Kristin Kasiskas told Fox News that she and her husband immediately recognized the 13-year-old Wisconsin girl whose October kidnapping captivated the nation when a neighbor, Jeanne Nutter, frantically knocked on their door at 4 p.m. on Thursday.

We were armed and ready in case this person showed up.

— Kristin Kasinskas

“When our neighbor Jeanne came in with Jayme, she said: ‘Get a gun. We don’t know if he’s after us,’” Kasinskas said. “So we were armed and ready in case this person showed up.”

This is the road that Jayme Closs was found on. (Cristina Corbin/Fox News)

Closs escaped 88 days of captivity — authorities have identified her suspected captor as 21-year-old Jake Thomas Patterson — after he allegedly murdered her parents and kidnapped her. Closs gave neighbors and police a description of a car that Patterson was said to be driving, and police captured the suspect quickly. Authorities suspect he was driving around, trying to find the escaped teen.

ELIZABETH SMART: CLOSS’ RETURN HOME A ‘MIRACLE’

Patterson is charged with two counts of first-degree intentional homicide and one count of kidnapping. He’s being held in Barron County Jail. Police haven’t identified a motive for his alleged crimes, and said he had no social media contact with Jayme or her family.

This photo provided by the Barron County Sheriff’s Department in Barron, Wis., shows Jake Thomas Patterson, of the Town of Gordon, Wis., who has been jailed on kidnapping and homicide charges in the October killing of a Wisconsin couple and abduction of their teen daughter, Jayme Closs. Closs was found alive Thursday, Jan. 10, 2019, in the Town of Gordon. (Barron County Sheriff’s Department via AP)

Kasinskas said that three officers initially arrived at her home. They took Closs to safety and told Kristin and her kids to get away from any windows in case the suspected abductor came to their home.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“My kids and I – we went downstairs,” she said. “My husband was asked to stand guard at one of the doors on the upper floor. [Patterson] was then arrested not that far away from our house.”

I didn’t know he was my neighbor until Jayme said, ‘Jake took me.’

— Kristin Kasinskas

Kasinskas, who teaches middle and high school science, said Patterson had been a student when he was 12 or 13 years old. She said he was a shy, bright student in middle school who kept a small circle of friends.

“He didn’t say a whole lot and never really stood out a whole lot to me because he wasn’t super engaging,” Kasinskas said. “Since then, I didn’t keep up with him. I didn’t even know he lived on this street. … I didn’t know he was my neighbor until Jayme said, ‘Jake took me.’”

Patterson’s father owned the secluded home where he is accused of keeping Closs captive. Kasinskas said, “It’s just a small little house with a lot of vehicles in the yard.”

Police said Patterson was unemployed when he allegedly killed Closs’ parents and kidnapped her.

According to Douglas County Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald, Patterson took “many proactive steps” to hide his identity from law enforcement. He reportedly shaved his head so he wouldn’t leave forensic evidence when he kidnapped Closs and scrubbed his social media profiles from the internet.

Fitzgerald said Patterson had ties to Barron, Wisconsin, where Closs lived with her parents, but wouldn’t elaborate. He said Patterson surrendered peacefully, and it is believed that he acted alone.

Patterson’s initial court date is Monday. Fitzgerald said Closs has been medically cleared and released from the hospital to an aunt.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/us/neighbor-who-came-to-jayme-closs-aid-we-were-armed-and-ready-for-suspect-to-come-looking

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Government shutdown: Trumps complains about being stuck in White House – Vox.com
Government shutdown: Trumps complains about being stuck in White House – Vox.com

National parks are being vandalized, hundreds of thousands of federal employees are showing up to work without pay, but while the partial government shutdown drags on President Donald Trump wants you to know: You should feel bad for him that he’s stuck in the White House.

Since the shutdown first began on Dec. 22, Trump has tweeted every weekend, and during down time during the week, to make a point that he’s at the White House.

It started around Christmas time, just days into the partial government shutdown, when Trump began tweeting that he was holed up and by himself.

“I am all alone (poor me) in the White House waiting for the Democrats to come back and make a deal,” he tweeted on Christmas Eve, making it clear he was sore about missing his usual holiday at his resort in Mar-a-Lago. (Melania and their son Baron both left their Florida trip early in order to be with the president over the holiday.)

He brought it up again in his interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity this week:

TRUMP: If you don’t have a barrier, whether it’s a steel barrier or a concrete wall, substantial and strong, you never are going to solve this problem. You are never going to solve — and I don’t need this.

Look, I could have done something a lot easier. I could have enjoyed myself. I haven’t left the White House because I’m waiting for them to come over in a long time. You know that. I stayed home for Christmas. I stayed at the White House for New Year’s.

HANNITY: I think you tweeted Christmas Eve, all alone, where is Chuck and Nancy?

TRUMP: My family, I told them, stay in Florida and enjoy yourselves. The fact is I want to be in Washington. I mean, I consider it very, very important.

Trump is determined to get his border wall and a slam dunk on his signature campaign promise, refusing to back down from his demands of $5 billion to fund his border wall. Congressional Democrats say they won’t go higher than $1.3 billion on border security as a whole. But Trump wants you to believe that he’s working hard on a deal.

This weekend he’s blaming Democrats for the impasse. They’re away on “vacations” (or as some of us might call it, the weekend), while he’s alone in the Oval Office, waiting for a deal. In some ways, it’s a good communications strategy: He’s appealing over Twitter to his supporters to make it seem as though he’s been putting in extra hours at work — to no avail.

The reality, however, is that Trump has had ample opportunity to cut a deal for some time now.

It’s not like Trump has been doing a lot of productive work

So far, Trump’s meetings with congressional leaders have dissolved in chaotic tantrums. He’s stormed out of meetings, got into a shouting match on TV, and gone on profanity-laden rant while repeatedly referring to the shutdown as a “strike.” He took a trip to the southern border, where he paraded Border Patrol agents as props for his photo ops pushing for the wall.

He and his top advisors have offered extra money to address the humanitarian crisis at the border and have been willing to compromise on what his barrier will look like — be it steel slats, concrete, walls and fences. But so far Trump has yet to budge much at all on his $5 billion asking price. Vice President Mike Pence once floated a $2.5 billion compromise, but congressional Democrats rejected the deal after Trump himself said he refused to back down from his original offer.

Trump is not the only one who could be doing something — there are plenty of paths out of the impasse. Democrats could fold and give Trump his money. But it’s worth noting if Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell worked with a little more than dozen Democrats, he could form a veto-proof majority: Senate Republicans could suck it up and get the votes together to reopen the government.

Source Article from https://www.vox.com/2019/1/12/18180047/trump-tweets-white-house-shutdown

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Former HUD secretary Julián Castro joins 2020 Democratic presidential field – The Washington Post
Former HUD secretary Julián Castro joins 2020 Democratic presidential field – The Washington Post

Jenna Johnson

January 12 at 4:35 PM

SAN ANTONIO — Julián Castro, the former mayor of San Antonio and housing secretary under the Obama administration, on Saturday joined the increasingly crowded field of candidates for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination.

As Castro, 44, stood in the working-class neighborhood where he grew up, he promised to expand prekindergarten programs, make the first two years of college more affordable, expand Medicare to all Americans, overhaul the criminal justice system and immigration laws, increase the minimum wage and make housing more affordable. If elected, he would be the nation’s first Latino president.

“I’m running for president because it’s time for new leadership. Because it’s time for new energy. And it’s time for a new commitment to make sure that the opportunities that I’ve had are available for every American,” Castro told hundreds of supporters packed into San Antonio’s Plaza Guadalupe.

The announcement was intended to introduce Castro to an audience beyond San Antonio. He arrived at the plaza on the No. 68 city bus, the same one he and his twin brother, Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Tex.), rode to school as children. He pointedly noted that “no front-runners” are born in the neighborhood. He told the crowd about the most influential women in his life: His single mother, Rosie Castro, a political activist, and his grandmother, Victoria Castro, who as a 7-year-old orphan immigrated to the United States from Mexico in 1922. He announced his decision in both English and in Spanish.

Before Castro took the stage, a mariachi band played and a diverse body of supporters endorsed him. Castro’s announcement was not a surprise. He launched an exploratory committee on Dec. 12 and, the next night, Joaquin Castro confirmed his brother would run for president. Before taking the stage Saturday, Castro tweeted with the hashtag #Julian2020.

Castro grew up on the west side of San Antonio, studied at Stanford University and Harvard Law School, and was elected to the San Antonio City Council when he was just 26. He ran for mayor of San Antonio twice, losing the first time in 2005 and then winning in 2009.


Julian Castro, a former Obama administration housing secretary, announces his run for the 2020 Democratic presidential nomination in San Antonio. (Edward A. Ornelas/Getty Images)

During his announcement speech, Castro spoke at length about how he expanded prekindergarten programs in the city as mayor — an initiative financed by an increase in sales tax. If elected president, Castro said, that he would like to expand access to free prekindergarten to “all children whose parents want it.”

“Today, we live in a world in which brainpower is the new currency of success,” Castro said Saturday. “If we want to compete — and we’d better — we need everybody’s talent. We don’t have a single person to waste.”

As mayor, Castro also opened Cafe College, where high school students could study and get help applying to college. As the youngest mayor of a top U.S. city, Castro quickly attracted national attention and built relationships with Democratic leaders and fellow Latino lawmakers across the country. During a visit to the White House in December 2009, President Obama joked that he thought the young mayor “was an intern.”

In May 2014, Obama nominated Castro to become the secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development. He was confirmed later that summer, making him the youngest member of Obama’s Cabinet, and spent 2½ years in the position. During the 2016 presidential election, Hillary Clinton considered Castro as her running mate but eventually settled on Sen. Tim Kaine (D-Va.).

After Trump won the presidency, Castro started the Opportunity First political action committee that supports young liberal Democratic candidates. Castro lives in San Antonio with his wife, an elementary school teacher, and their two young children.

Although Castro was widely discussed as a possible candidate for governor in Texas in 2018, he decided not to run — and then watched as Beto O’Rourke, then a Democratic congressional representative from El Paso, ran for U.S. Senate and built a national following. O’Rourke is also considering a run for the White House, although those close to him do not expect him to make a decision until February.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) announced her candidacy on New Year’s Eve, joining former congressional representative John Delaney of Maryland and former state senator Richard Ojeda of West Virginia. Rep. Tulsi Gabbard (D-Hawaii) also has joined the race. Another two dozen potential candidates are believed to be considering a run.

Castro’s campaign promises fall within the current Democratic mainstream. He said he wants to make the first two years of college, a certification program or apprenticeship “accessible and affordable,” though he stopped short of calling for free college, as some Democrats have done. He called for “Medicare-for-all, universal health care for every American,” but did not get into the details of how he would pay for such a program. He promised to reinstate the Paris agreement on climate change in collaboration with other nations, and work to pass the Green New Deal that would invest in environmentally friendly jobs.

America must also “overhaul and reimagine our justice system” because too many people of color have been killed by police officers, Castro said, citing several by name.

“If police in Charleston can arrest Dylann Roof after he murdered nine people worshiping at Bible study, without hurting him, then don’t tell me that Michael Brown and Tamir Rice and Aiyana Jones and Eric Garner and Jason Pero and Stephon Clark and Sandra Bland shouldn’t still be alive today,” Castro said to cheers. “We’re going to keep saying their names and those of too many others just like them who were victims of state violence.”

He ended with a cultural blend: “So, let’s get to work. Vamonos!”

Source Article from https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/former-hud-secretary-julian-castro-joins-2020-democratic-presidential-field/2019/01/12/8e60314e-15eb-11e9-90a8-136fa44b80ba_story.html

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Jayme Closs’ family says she is ‘full of big smiles’ Saturday – WBAY
Jayme Closs’ family says she is ‘full of big smiles’ Saturday – WBAY

BARRON, Wis. (WBAY) — Newly released photos from the family of Jayme Closs say she is ‘full of big smiles’ Saturday.

Jayme’s aunt, Jennifer Smith, posted the photos on Facebook.

In the post, Jennifer writes ‘Everyone is so proud of you, Jayme!!’

Closs was found alive nearly three months to the day she was abducted from her western Wisconsin home where her parents were found shot and killed. A 911 call was placed from Denise Closs’s cell phone. Jayme was inside the home when her parents were killed. She was gone by the time police arrived on scene.

Sheriff Fitzgerald says Jayme was being held against her will in a home in the Douglas County community of Gordon, about an hour north of Barron. At some point on Thursday, she escaped the home on foot and found her way to safety.

Douglas County Sheriff Tom Dalbec says his office received a 911 call at about 4:30 p.m. saying Jayme Closs had been located. Jayme had approached a woman who was out walking her dog. That woman brought Jayme to the home of neighbors Peter and Kristin Kasinskas. They called for help.












Patterson was quickly identified as a suspect and taken into custody. It took about 11 minutes to find him.

The 21-year-old suspect has been arrested and will appear in court on Monday.

Source Article from https://www.wbay.com/content/news/Jayme-Closs-family-says-she-is-full-of-big-smiles-Saturday-504270911.html

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Newt Gingrich: Reported FBI probe of Trump was led by anti-Trump fanatics who betrayed Constitution – Fox News
Newt Gingrich: Reported FBI probe of Trump was led by anti-Trump fanatics who betrayed Constitution – Fox News
Video

New York Times: FBI opened counterintelligence probe on Trump to investigate potential of him working with Russia

Reaction from Fox News Contributor Doug Schoen, former Mike Pence Press Secretary Marc Lotter, and Daily Caller Editorial Director Vince Coglianese on ‘Fox News @ Night’ with Shannon Bream.

The extraordinary story published Friday night in The New York Times headlined “F.B.I. Opened Inquiry into Whether Trump was Secretly Working on Behalf of Russia” tells us how deeply sick the Washington establishment has become.

A group of bureaucrats – elected by no one – sat in a room and decided they would investigate the new president of the United States for possible treason. Let me repeat: treason. This is, after all, the implication of this investigation.

This group of bureaucrats reports to no one in elected authority. In a Justice Department where employees gave 97 percent of their presidential campaign contributions to Hillary Clinton, the hostility toward – and fear of – newly elected President Trump was deep.

NEWT GINGRICH: MUELLER PROBE HAS GONE FROM A WITCH HUNT TO AN INQUISITION OF TRUMP AND ALLIES

The senior members of the Justice Department (all promoted under the Obama administration) were clearly prepared to go all-out to repudiate the verdict of the American people in the 2016 election.

Further, these were Justice Department bureaucrats who had ignored the Clinton Foundation scandals, minimized the investigation into the Clinton email and Internet scandal, and ignored former President Clinton collecting money from Russians overseas while his wife was secretary of state.

Suddenly, these hitherto passive, dispassionate, and tolerant “law enforcement” bureaucrats were galvanized into investigating a president for possible treason.

When they made this decision, who did they share it with? Obviously, they could not go to President Trump, since he was the target of their investigation.

In an orderly world, they might have gone to Vice President Mike Pence and briefed him. Pence, after all, was a member of the U.S. House and governor of Indiana before he was vice president. There is no taint of any scandal involving anything Pence has ever done.

If these Justice Department anti-Trump fanatics were afraid to go to the White House, they could have briefed the leaders of the Judiciary and the Intelligence committees in the House and Senate. At that point they would have had some potential reality check.

President Trump was not betraying the Constitution. There is no evidence he ever considered betraying his country for the Russians. It is the Justice Department bureaucrats who have been betraying the Constitution.

As President Trump’s former attorney John Dowd said Saturday: “The (New York) Times story is an unwitting disclosure and verification of the utter corruption of their oaths by (fired FBI Director James) Comey and his colleagues to undermine the free election of the President of the United States. It was apparently done under the supervision of the Deputy Attorney General, who was reportedly ready to wear a wire to ensnare President Trump. This is the stuff of banana republics and dictatorships. This despicable, unlawful, official conduct undermines our entire federal criminal justice system which protects our liberty as a free people.”

This rogue investigation eventually mutated into the investigation led by Special Counsel Robert Mueller that has ruined lives, kept Americans in solitary confinement, and coerced confessions through threats of life-destroying and financially bankrupting prosecutions.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

President Trump was not betraying the Constitution. There is no evidence he ever considered betraying his country for the Russians. It is the Justice Department bureaucrats who have been betraying the Constitution.

Leaking this report to The New York Times rather than submitting it to the Congress is just one more example of the willingness of Justice Department officials to violate the rules and undermine the rule of law in favor of the rule of power. It also lays bare their alliance with the liberal media to undermine and, if possible, destroy the duly elected president of the United States.

CLICK HERE TO READ MORE BY NEWT GINGRICH

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/opinion/newt-gingrich-reported-fbi-probe-of-trump-was-led-by-anti-trump-fanatics-who-betrayed-constitution

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Hillary Clinton weighs in as partial government shutdown becomes longest in history – Fox News
Hillary Clinton weighs in as partial government shutdown becomes longest in history – Fox News
Video

Hillary Clinton jokes while thanking elected women leaders: I can attest how ‘likeable’ you all are

Raw video: Former Democratic presidential nominee pokes fun at her likeability while thanking elected women leaders at abortion rights event with Governor Andrew Cuomo in New York.

Hillary Clinton weighed in on the partial government shutdown Saturday, telling supporters that “Americans can’t afford another day” — as the Washington stalemate became the longest in history, eclipsing the record set in 1996 under President Bill Clinton, Hillary’s husband.

The shutdown, which began just before Christmas, entered its 22nd day Saturday, making it officially longer than the 21-day closure under President Bill Clinton. That ended on Jan. 6, 1996. Nine of 15 Cabinet-level departments are not funded, including departments of Agriculture, Homeland Security, State and Justice.

NEWT GINGRICH: WHY TRUMP MUST WIN THE BORDER FIGHT — HE CAN’T WALK AWAY WITHOUT A DEAL

Clinton, who lost to Trump in the 2016 election, noted the record set and said on Twitter that “the costs are already high.”

“People are missing paychecks, losing business, or working without pay. Our national parks are overrun with trash. The FDA and FBI warn of the harm to our food safety and national security,” she said.

She then warned “Americans can’t afford another day” and urged supporters to call their senators and “demand a vote to re-open” — focusing specifically on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.

Republicans and Democrats have been unable to come to an agreement over President Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion in funding for a border wall or a barrier. Democrats have said they would support $1.6 billion for more general border security, but not specifically for a wall. Democratic leaders have accused Trump of manufacturing a crisis.

Trump on Saturday said that the Democrats could “solve the Shutdown in 15 minutes.”

Trump has said he would consider declaring a national emergency, which would give him powers to build the wall without congressional approval — a move that would likely be aggressively opposed by Democrats, and even some Republicans.

TRUMP HOLDING OFF ON DECLARING NATIONAL EMERGENCY ON THE BORDER, CALLS ON DEMOCRATS TO FUND WALL

But on Friday he said he was holding off on making such a declaration, saying Congress should vote instead.

Video

“The easy solution is for me to call a national emergency,” he said at a border security roundtable. “But I’m not going to do that so fast as this is something Congress should do and we’re waiting for the Democrats to vote.”

“It’s the easy way out, but Congress should do this. It’s too simple, too basic and Congress should do this,” he said.

But Trump has seen some encouragement from Republicans, such as Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., who said he believes that Democrats have no intention of making a deal.

“Mr. President, declare a national emergency now,” he said.  “Build a wall now.”

Video

But there were other Republicans critical of the president.

“That is not a historical claim that I think any president or any Congress should want to make” Sen. Lisa Murkowski, R-Alaska, told the Associated Press, referring to the length of the shutdown.

Meanwhile, the pressure on Washington to strike a deal was intensifying as most furloughed workers missed a paycheck for the first time on Friday.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP 

The House of Representatives on Friday voted to approved a measure that had passed the Senate to ensure federal workers furloughed during the shutdown are paid retroactively when the government re-opens. Trump is expected to sign the bill.

Fox News’ Chad Pergram, Brooke Singman and The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/politics/partial-government-shutdown-now-longest-ever-with-no-end-in-sight-after-trump-holds-off-declaring-national-emergency

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Gabbard-Hirono clash shocks Hawaii | TheHill – The Hill
Gabbard-Hirono clash shocks Hawaii | TheHill – The Hill

The Hawaii delegation in Congress has long been known as one of the most tightly-knit in Washington, but that tradition was shattered this week when Rep. Tulsi GabbardTulsi GabbardJulián Castro hits Trump in campaign launch: ‘A crisis of leadership’ Julián Castro announces 2020 White House bid, swipes at Trump Gabbard-Hirono clash shocks Hawaii MORE publicly criticized fellow Democrat Sen. Mazie HironoMazie Keiko HironoGabbard-Hirono clash shocks Hawaii Hirono blasts McConnell’s explanation for blocking funding bills: ‘One of the lamest excuses I’ve heard’ 116th Congress breaks records for women, minority lawmakers MORE’s questioning of a judicial nominee.

Gabbard, who announced Friday that she has decided to run for president in 2020, made headlines and provoked an irritated response from Hirono earlier in the week by implicitly accusing the senator and other Democrats in an op-ed published in The Hill of having “weaponized religion for their own selfish gain” in their questioning.

While Gabbard did not mention Hirono by name, her fellow Hawaiian clearly saw the op-ed as friendly fire. 

Hirono, an outspoken critic of President TrumpDonald John TrumpJulián Castro hits Trump in campaign launch: ‘A crisis of leadership’ Center stage once again: Colin Powell’s UN speech in ‘Vice’ Julián Castro announces 2020 White House bid, swipes at Trump MORE, returned fire in a statement that dinged Gabbard for giving ammo to Trump’s right-wing allies. 

“Over the past two years, the Senator has been attacked by right wing ideologues for her examination of Donald Trump’s ideologically-driven nominees to the courts. It is unfortunate that Congresswoman Gabbard based her misguided opinion on the far-right wing manipulation of these straightforward questions,” Will Dempster, Hirono’s spokesman, said in a statement.  

A spokeswoman for Gabbard did not respond to a request for comment. 

Gabbard spokeswoman Lauren McIlvaine in a statement to The Washington Post said Gabbard will “always fight for religious freedom and oppose religious bigotry — no matter where it comes from or to whom it’s directed.”

“Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard respects Senator Hirono,” McIlvaine said. She added that “no nominee for public service should be disqualified, either directly or indirectly because of their religion or religious affiliation.”

The criticism of her fellow Democrats — including her home state senator —was a bold move by Gabbard and seen by political observers in Hawaii as gearing up for a White House campaign. 

“I suspect the editorial was written in conjunction with the plan to announce her run for president,” former Hawaii Gov. Neil Abercrombie, who served 19 years in Congress, told The Hill. “People who support her presidential campaign probably think it will be helpful, but I’m not sure.”

Gabbard said in an interview to be aired by CNN on Saturday that she will run for president and will make a formal announcement within the next week.

Gabbard may not have the national prominence to win the Democratic nomination outright, but she could be a top choice as a vice presidential pick if she can demonstrate the ability to woo pivotal Catholic voters. They were a crucial swing constituency in 2016 and are likely to be so again in 2020. 

Colin Moore, director of the Public Policy Center at University of Hawaii Manoa, said Gabbard could be trying to distance herself from the rest of her delegation. 

“You could characterize her as an independent thinker or a bit reckless,” he said. “It may also be personal to her. She’s a Hindu and her father is quite religious.”

Whatever the reason, it made shock waves in Hawaii.

“Not only does it break conventional wisdom, it’s very strange for someone in the Hawaii delegation to do this. They really think of themselves as a team and there’s this expectation among voters that they’ll operate as a team,” Moore said. “A criticism like this is unheard of.”

Hirono didn’t comment on what might be motivating Gabbard, though she did not discount the role of the 2020 race.

“Other people have made that suggestion,” Hirono told The Hill. “I’m not inside her head but what I do know is that her piece has resulted in all these alt-right groups that have been criticizing me for quite a while now over my questioning as to the fairness of these nominees — the alt-right groups are flocking to her defense. So if that’s what she wanted that’s what she’s getting.”

Gabbard criticized Democrats on the Senate Judiciary Committee for questioning Trump nominee Brian Buescher’s fitness to serve on the U.S. District Court for Nebraska because of his strongly held Catholic beliefs. 

Hirono sits on the committee and her written questions to Buescher includes whether he would recuse himself from a case related to abortion rights, and whether he intended to end his membership with the Knights of Columbus to avoid an appearance of bias in legal decisions.

Gabbard saw the questions about Buescher’s membership in the Knights of Columbus as thinly-veiled anti-Catholicism, a view shared by many conservatives following the debate.

“If Buescher is ‘unqualified’ because of his Catholicism and affiliation with the Knights of Columbus, then President John F. Kennedy, and the ‘liberal lion of the Senate’ Ted Kennedy would have been ‘unqualified’ for the same reasons,” Gabbard wrote in her op-ed.  

Gabbard also targeted Sen. Dianne FeinsteinDianne Emiel FeinsteinGabbard-Hirono clash shocks Hawaii Blumenthal: DOJ denying Dems meetings with AG nominee Barr, citing shutdown Overnight Energy: Trump threatens to stop FEMA funding for California fire relief | Wheeler officially nominated to be EPA head | Wildlife refuges to get staff during shutdown MORE (Calif.), the senior Democrat on the Judiciary panel, for challenging Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s nominee to the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, on her strongly held religious views. 

“No American should be asked to renounce his or her faith or membership in a faith-based, service organization in order to hold public office,” Gabbard argued in her op-ed.  

The column sparked an uproar in the normally tranquil world of Hawaii’s congressional delegations, where lawmakers traditionally work together to steer federal dollars to Hawaii.

Hirono told The Hill that Gabbard has mischaracterized the nature of her opposition to Trump’s nominees.  

“I’m sorry she didn’t call me so that I could have set her straight about the concern she had,” she said.

Hirono explained that her sharp questioning of Trump nominees is not motivated by bias against religious convictions but instead concern that they are giving more weight to their personal views than the law. 

“All of these Trump nominees that come before our Judiciary Committee for lifetime appointments, come having taken very strong positions on issues such as a woman’s right to choose, LGBTQ rights, all of that — contrary to Supreme Court decisions, by the way,” she said. “I want to make sure through my questioning that they can set aside their very strongly held ideological perspectives to be fair and impartial with their lifetime appointments.” 

Hirono said she had issued a statement but not reached out directly to Gabbard after the op-ed appeared. 

Abercrombie said Gabbard articulated a valid principle, that people should not be held back from government service because of their religious views.

But he said Hirono was also right to make sure that Trump’s nominees aren’t so biased in their political views as to render them incapable of making impartial decisions.

“I wasn’t born when Al Smith was attacked for his Catholic beliefs but I remember John KennedyJohn Neely KennedyMORE going to Houston,” he said, referring to the Democratic presidential nominee who was attacked over his Catholicism in the 1928 presidential race.

Kennedy, a Catholic, spoke about religious tolerance and separation of church and state to the Greater Houston Ministerial Association during the 1960 presidential campaign.

“I understand the principle but it’s unfortunate that it’s devolved into personalities in the context of Sen. Hirono,” Abercrombie said. “I’m saddened that it’s being seen as directed at Sen. Hirono.”

But he added, “Tulsi Gabbard would never intend to be unfair.”

Gabbard won a national spotlight during the 2016 presidential primary as one of the few Democrats in Congress willing to serve as an outspoken advocate for Sen. Bernie SandersBernard (Bernie) SandersGabbard-Hirono clash shocks Hawaii Bloomberg: I’d use ‘only my own money’ for potential 2020 bid Chuck Todd on Bernie Sanders: ‘If you can’t manage a campaign, how do you manage the country?’ MORE (Vt.), an independent who gave Hillary ClintonHillary Diane Rodham ClintonPompeo: ‘Ludicrous’ to think Trump is threat to US national security Trump is right: Walls work on the Southern border Gabbard-Hirono clash shocks Hawaii MORE a surprisingly tough race for the Democratic nomination.  

While most of the Democratic establishment backed Clinton, Gabbard stepped down as a vice chairwoman of the Democratic National Committee to endorse Sanders after clashing with committee colleagues over a debate schedule that appeared to favor Clinton. 

Hawaiian political experts think Gabbard carefully weighed the column before publishing it in a D.C. forum. 

“I know that Gabbard is a very cautious politician and doesn’t take stands on a whim, so I would expect that she has some polling research to back up her stand and attacks,” said Richard Borreca, a political columnist at the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 

Gabbard has surprised the Democratic political establishment before. 

In January 2017, she revealed she met with Syrian leader Bashar Assad, a move that angered politicians in both parties who questioned the appropriateness of sitting with a figure accused of gassing his own people.

Gabbard said she felt it was important for anyone interested in bringing peace to Syria to meet with those, like Assad, who might end the long Syrian war. 

Source Article from https://thehill.com/homenews/senate/425006-gabbard-hirono-clash-shocks-hawaii

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In government shutdown, Trump resumes his shafting of contractors – Quartz
In government shutdown, Trump resumes his shafting of contractors – Quartz

It was a moment of crackling intensity in the first 2016 presidential debate. About 40 minutes in, Hillary Clinton hit Donald Trump with an ugly accusation: “I’ve met dishwashers, painters, architects, glass installers, marble installers, drapery installers… who you refused to pay when they finished the work that you asked them to do.” Trump ducked the charge. Clinton redoubled. He ducked again.

And that was it. Trump won the presidency without ever addressing the well-documented pattern of accusations that he shortchanged hundreds of contractors who worked for his companies (paywall).

And now, as president, Trump seems to be at it again.

Thanks to the federal shutdown he championed, untold numbers of government contractors are going unpaid, reports the New York Times (paywall). Unlike federal employees, contractors working on an hourly basis have little hope for being reimbursed for lost wages once the government reopens. And many small businesses are left unable to receive payments for work completed as far back as October. Some have begun laying off workers.

The federal shutdown began on Dec. 22, when the government ran out of money after Trump reversed his plan to sign a spending bill, refusing to ink any spending bill that neglected to fund a wall on the US-Mexico border (a project that despite its dubious utility, somehow morphed from Trump’s signature campaign rally chant into a symbol of his loyalty to his voter base). Remarkably, the current one was the third shutdown in 2018, a sign of deepening antagonism between the Trump administration and Congressional Democrats. As of today, it is also the longest on record. And with the president so publicly committed to his wall ultimatum—and Democratic leaders refusing to renew an earlier offer of border security funding—it could get a good deal longer.

Exactly how many contractors’ livelihoods hang in the balance is unclear; the government publishes no official data on contractor and grantee numbers. However, Paul Light, a scholar of federal workers at New York University, tallies around 4.1 million federal contractors or grant recipients, according to the Times (though not all have been hurt by the shutdown). That compares with around 350,000 federal employees forced to stay home.

Contract workers range from storm-tracking radar operators to environmental researchers, though the majority are in the service sector—cafeteria workers, janitors, health aides. Many are employed through small businesses with government contracts. As the Times reports, some firms have yet to be paid for work finished in October.

With no clear end in sight, contractors find themselves torn between waiting out the standoff and finding new work. Other companies—like this e-learning firm that created apps for diplomats—have simply folded, unable to pay their workers.

Trump’s shoring up his 2020 reelection chances seems to be the only logical reason for subjecting millions of Americans to such economic trauma. (Recall that Trump had agreed to sign the spending bill, but flip-flopped after conservative media and supporters upbraided him for eschewing the wall.)

But unlike stiffing painters and dishwashers in his real estate mogul days, the president’s “hardball tactics” come with risks of much bigger, longer-term consequences. Each week of the shutdown costs the US $1.2 billion, according to Trump’s own chief economist, not counting lost productivity from workers stuck at home. That’s not helpful at a time when the American economy is already slowing. The shutdown also ups the risk of a downgrade on US government debt, which would raise its borrowing costs. And if this scarring episode deters small businesses from bidding for government work in the future, it could hurt government effectiveness (and cost taxpayers more to boot).

Or as Clinton put it in that debate years ago, “sometimes what happened in business would be really bad for government.”

Source Article from https://qz.com/1522018/in-government-shutdown-trump-resumes-his-shafting-of-contractors/

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Mueller news: How NYT’s Trump-Russia scoop changes what we know – Vox.com
Mueller news: How NYT’s Trump-Russia scoop changes what we know – Vox.com

The FBI officially opened a counterintelligence investigation into whether President Donald Trump was compromised by Russia in May 2017, according to a new report from the New York Times.

Per the Times, this investigation was meant to determine whether the president himself was either “working on behalf of Russia against American interests” or “had unwittingly fallen under Moscow’s influence” in a way that placed national security at risk.

We’ve known for some time that the FBI launched a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign’s Russia links in July 2016, and that they began investigating the president himself for obstruction of justice in May 2017.

But this is the first outright confirmation that at a certain moment, the FBI explicitly began investigating Donald Trump’s Russia ties — including whether, as president, he was acting on Russia’s behalf.

In one sense, the new story by the New York Times’ Adam Goldman, Michael Schmidt, and Nicholas Fandos is completely unsurprising. Of course the “Trump / Russia investigation” has been about getting to the bottom of Trump’s links to Russia — your head would have to have been in the sand for years for you to think otherwise. (“My concern with this story is that it felt, to some extent, like it was a “duh” story,” Goldman told the New Yorker’s Isaac Chotiner.)

Still, if we take a step back, it’s rather incredible that the FBI officially opened an investigation into whether the president of the United States was compromised by Russia, as Natasha Bertrand of the Atlantic points out:

Now, this news is about an event that occurred a year and eight months ago, before Robert Mueller was even appointed special counsel — so it gives us little insight into what the investigation has found since that point.

Yet the report does suggest that Mueller will be tasked with answering the question of whether Trump was working on Russia’s behalf by the time his work concludes.

“Mueller inherited this, and he will have to end it,” Goldman told the New Yorker. ”And it seems to me he will have to articulate, if he hasn’t already, why there wasn’t evidence to support this idea — or maybe there was.”

New information about the Russia investigation’s timeline

To understand how the information in the new Times report fits into what we knew about the probe, it’s helpful to keep the timeline of the investigation in mind:

  • Back in July 2016, the FBI opened its counterintelligence investigation into whether various Trump campaign officials were linked to Russia. This probe would focus particularly on four campaign advisers: George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort, Michael Flynn, and Carter Page.
  • In late 2016 and early 2017, the FBI was “suspicious” of Trump’s own Russia links as well, per the Times. But they did not yet choose to explicitly name the president as a focus of their investigation, alongside those four advisers — perhaps out of fear of political controversy.
  • In May 2017, after Trump fired FBI Director James Comey, that changed. The bureau then quickly approved an investigation into not only whether Trump had criminally obstructed justice (which we learned of long ago), but also into whether Trump had been acting on Russia’s behalf. Shortly afterward, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein appointed Mueller as special counsel to take charge of the probe.

So, why did the FBI suddenly move to open this investigation into Trump?

Partly, it may have been because events that the FBI had long been aware of now appeared more suspicious. The Times report says investigators were also influenced by two new developments: that Trump urged Rosenstein to mention the Russia investigation in his letter recommending Comey’s firing, and that Trump publicly tied Comey’s firing to the Russia probe in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt. (Trump’s lawyers have since claimed his interview with Holt has been misintepreted.)

Unmentioned in the new Times report but potentially relevant is that Trump met with two top Russian officials in the Oval Office the day after he fired Comey. In that meeting, the president disclosed classified information. He also told the Russian officials that by firing the “nut job” Comey, the “great pressure” he’d faced about Russia had been “taken off,” according to notes of the meeting that later leaked. (It’s not clear if the FBI was aware of Trump’s Oval Office comments when they opened the investigation into him.)

“My understanding is that people felt the evidence to open this was quite strong,” Goldman told Chotiner. “I know some of the thinking; I haven’t seen the full predication. This is a highly classified document. They would have had to lay out in detail their reasons for opening this.”

People are now rethinking what the “obstruction” investigation into Trump has been about

Robert Mueller was appointed special counsel to take over the Russia investigation in May 2017.

Then, about a month later, the Washington Post reported Mueller was investigating Trump for obstruction of justice, related to Comey’s firing and other matters.

After that, the conventional wisdom in Washington quickly formed: The true interest of Mueller’s probe, at least as it related to President Trump, was obstruction of justice — not Russian collusion.

This judgment was somewhat understandable. After all, no reporting had explicitly confirmed Trump was under investigation for his Russia ties. FBI director James Comey had even confirmed Trump wasn’t under investigation before he was fired.

But as Lawfare’s Benjamin Wittes writes, the new Times report certainly appears to suggest that the obstruction probe of Trump was closely connected to interest in his Russia ties all along.

“Observers of the Russia investigation have generally understood Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s work as focusing on at least two separate tracks,” Wittes writes: collusion and obstruction. But, he says, he now believes those two “are far more integrated with one another than I previously understood.”

“What if the obstruction was the collusion — or at least a part of it?” Wittes asks.

That is: Many have long wondered whether some of Trump’s actions — like him asking Comey to “let” a Russia-related investigation into Michael Flynn “go,” and eventually firing the FBI director when he didn’t — were part of an effort to obstruct justice.

But the FBI seems to have also been wondering whether they were part of an effort to obstruct justice to Russia’s benefit.

The Times reporting, Wittes writes, suggests “the FBI did not think of the Comey firing simply as a possible obstruction of justice. Officials thought of it, rather, in the context of the underlying counterintelligence purpose of the Russia investigation.”

In his interview with the New Yorker, the Times’ Adam Goldman suggested another implication — that the counterintelligence probe into the president was central to Mueller’s appointment in the first place, and will likely be central to whatever findings the special counsel puts together at the conclusion of this investigation.

“I think Mueller is going to have to address this,” Goldman said. “Which, by the way, is the question the American public expects him to answer. You don’t need me to tell you that the American public expects an answer to ‘Is Trump working with Russia?’ It’s the sixty-four-thousand-dollar question.”

Source Article from https://www.vox.com/2019/1/12/18179662/trump-russia-mueller-fbi-new-york-times

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Government shutdown becomes longest in U.S. history – Reuters
Government shutdown becomes longest in U.S. history – Reuters

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A partial U.S. government shutdown over President Donald Trump’s demand for $5.7 billion to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border entered its 22nd day on Saturday, making it the longest shuttering of federal agencies in U.S. history, with no end in sight.

The closure broke a decades-old record set by a 1995-1996 shutdown under former President Bill Clinton that lasted 21 days.

Trump said on Friday he would not declare a national emergency “right now” to end a standoff over border security that has idled about a quarter of the U.S. government. He spoke after lawmakers had adjourned for the weekend, precluding any possible action until next week.

In a tweet on Saturday, Trump took aim again at the Democrats.

“Democrats should come back to Washington and work to end the Shutdown, while at the same time ending the horrible humanitarian crisis at our Southern Border. I am in the White House waiting for you!” he tweeted.

Trump also urged his 57.2 million twitter followers to contact Democratic lawmakers and “Tell them to get it done!”

Democrats in Congress, who call a wall an ineffective, outdated answer to a complex problem, have passed several bills to reopen the government without funding for Trump’s barrier. But the legislation has been ignored by the Republican-controlled Senate.

Trump originally pledged Mexico would pay for the wall, which he says is needed to stem the flow of illegal immigrants and drugs. But Mexico has refused.

U.S. government departments including the Treasury, Energy, Commerce and State departments, shut down when funding lapsed on Dec. 22. Funding for other portions of the government, including the Department of Defense and Congress, was approved, allowing them to continue regular operations.

The dispute has disrupted everything from air travel to tax collection and suspended pay for many government workers.

Roughly 800,000 federal workers did not receive paychecks that would have gone out on Friday. Some have resorted to selling their possessions or posting appeals on online fundraising sites to help pay their bills.

Miami International Airport said it will close one of its terminals early over the next several days due to a possible shortage of security screeners, who have been calling in sick at twice the normal rate.

A union that represents thousands of air traffic controllers sued the Federal Aviation Administration on Friday, saying it had violated federal wage law by failing to pay workers. It is at least the third lawsuit filed by unions on behalf of unpaid workers.

The head of the U.S. Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting Trump, has warned employees that financial stress can lead to depression and anxiety. “Keep an eye out for warning signs of trouble,” Director R.D. “Tex” Alles wrote in a memo seen by Reuters.

Slideshow (2 Images)

Trump has repeatedly described the situation at the Mexico border as a “humanitarian crisis” as speculation has increased this week that he would circumvent Congress to begin building his signature wall – a move that would be sure to draw a court challenge from Democrats who say the barrier would be barbaric and ineffective.

Instead, the president urged lawmakers to provide him the $5.7 billion he is seeking for border security.

A national emergency would allow Trump to divert money from other projects to pay for the wall, which was a central promise of his 2016 campaign. That, in turn, could prompt him to sign bills that restore funding to agencies that have been affected by the shutdown.

Reporting by David Brunnstrom and David Morgan in Washington; Additional reporting by Ginger Gibson in Washington; Editing by Matthew Lewis

Source Article from https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-shutdown/government-shutdown-becomes-longest-in-u-s-history-idUSKCN1P60J1

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Castro launches 2020 bid with nod to party’s future – POLITICO
Castro launches 2020 bid with nod to party’s future – POLITICO

Former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julián Castro has long been considered one of the Democratic Party’s rising stars. | Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

2020 Election

The Texan will be one of the youngest candidates in the Democratic presidential field and likely it’s only Latino.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas — When 44-year-old Julián Castro officially launches his presidential campaign Saturday, he’ll be one of the youngest candidates in the prospective 2020 Democratic field. And he’ll be first — and likely only — Latino candidate.

That could give Castro an edge in a key early presidential state — Nevada has the highest percentage of Hispanic voters of the four early voting states. And it’s likewise an asset in California, which stands to cast a long shadow over the Democratic presidential primary now that its primary has been moved forward to early March.

Story Continued Below

Together, the former San Antonio mayor and former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development’s youth and background offer a profile built to appeal to the Democratic Party’s diverse and ascendent Obama coalition.

Castro, a longshot who lacks widespread name recognition or an extensive campaign infrastructure, will need every advantage he can get. That helps explain why he chose to hold his formal presidential announcement event before anyone else this year, declaring his White House bid at Plaza Guadalupe here on the west side of San Antonio, not far from where he grew up as the son of a single mother and twin brother to Rep. Joaquin Castro (D-Texas).

It’s the second part of his campaign launch — Castro kicked off his bid in early December, announcing his intentions via Twitter with a biographical video and the formation of an exploratory committee.

“You’ll always have front-runners. The bigger challenge might be a giant field,” said Jeff Link, an Iowa Democratic strategist. “Candidates who don’t start out with name identification or a giant campaign account, they have to figure out a way to distinguish themselves among all the lesser-known candidates.”

It’s never been a problem for him in the past. Castro in 2001 became the youngest person ever elected to the San Antonio City Council; later, he became the youngest person in the Obama administration Cabinet at the age of 39. In between, he mounted an unsuccessful bid for San Antonio mayor in 2005 before winning the post in 2009.

“His biggest asset is he’s a policy wonk. I mean, this guy is really, really smart,” said Gilberto Hinojosa, the Texas Democratic Party chairman. “He knows a lot about a lot of issues. He is extremely articulate. He’s got really good ideas and he’s able to put those ideas in terms where ordinary Americans can understand them and I think what that does is puts him in the situation where he is best, not only talking to large crowds but talking to smaller crowds where he can answer questions and articulate and share his ideas on his vision for America.”

Castro’s long been considered one of the party’s rising stars, leading to his delivery of a keynote address at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. He also made the short list of candidates to be Hillary Clinton’s running mate in 2016.

“At that time, I think there was a widespread feeling that this guy’s got something special,” recalled Brian Fallon, who served as Clinton’s national press secretary in 2016. “There was a natural feeling within the party that this guy was capable of big things, but in a state like Texas it might be hard to climb the ladder in the way that politicians in other states might be able to. Once you reach heights that lofty that early, there’s only so many more places to go.”

Yet in a crowded Democratic field that could feature some of the party’s leading lights and best-known candidates — among them, Sens. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.), as well as 2016 candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden — Castro registers as an asterisk in the early polls, if at all.

That’s led to speculation that the ambitious Castro is playing the long game, with an eye toward ending up as the running mate for the eventual nominee.

“I think he’s serious about running for the top job, but if he didn’t end up emerging as the nominee, I think he’s bound to be on anybody’s short list again and probably will be,” Fallon said. “He’s bound to be in the mix for things for a long time. I just think he’s gonna be somebody that’s gonna be a big personality in the Democratic Party for a long time, regardless, one way or the other.”

Castro, who released his memoir, “An Unlikely Journey: Waking Up from My American Dream,” in October, has already been working the early states, with recent trips to Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

His campaign intends to connect him with voters there in small gatherings — situations he’s comfortable in and where he excels. In an interview Sunday on ABC’s “This Week” with George Stephanopoulos, Castro called for investments in education, universal pre-K, universal higher education and Medicare for All. He also expressed support for Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) tax increase on the wealthy, saying he supports people at the top paying their fair share.

“I have experience actually running one of these federal agencies, being in charge of folks and making things work, also being mayor of a city that is one of the most diverse cities, as I said, in the United States, and then really in a fundamental way, represents the diverse future of America,” Castro said when asked what distinguishes him from the other potential candidates in what figures to be a sprawling field.

That connection to the Obama administration — and nod to the party’s diversity — is shaping up to be front and center in his message. It’s also key to his political fortunes since his success will likely hinge on his ability to connect with the younger voters and Hispanics who are a critical component of the coalition.

Castro — whose twin brother Joaquín Castro chairs the Congressional Hispanic Caucus and is expected to be closely involved in his campaign — has already been quietly laying the groundwork.

Earlier this week, Castro met with Latino leaders in Las Vegas. And he also recently assembled a group of Latino leaders in Washington to talk about his 2020 campaign, according to a person with knowledge of the meeting.

Source Article from https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/12/julian-castro-2020-election-democrats-1098636

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Columbia County authorities helped with Jayme Closs investigation – Portage Daily Register
Columbia County authorities helped with Jayme Closs investigation – Portage Daily Register

Whenever Brad Allen posts new content, you’ll get an email delivered to your inbox with a link.

Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items.

Source Article from https://www.wiscnews.com/portagedailyregister/news/local/crime-and-courts/columbia-county-authorities-helped-with-jayme-closs-investigation/article_ddcdfca6-0e5e-5d3f-ba12-f713f9f7f7e7.html

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‘Baby is turning blue’: 911 call released of woman who gave birth in vegetative state – KVOA Tucson News
‘Baby is turning blue’: 911 call released of woman who gave birth in vegetative state – KVOA Tucson News

KVOA, virtual channel 4, is an NBC-affiliated television station licensed to Tucson, Arizona, United States. KVOA consistently delivers the stories that people care about, and a highlight of its top-rated newscasts is News 4 Tucson Investigators, the station’s award-winning investigative unit.

Source Article from https://kvoa.com/news/local-news/2019/01/11/baby-is-turning-blue-911-call-released-of-woman-who-gave-birth-in-vegetative-state/

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Area agencies urging drivers to stay home Saturday; local malls opening late – KMOV.com
Area agencies urging drivers to stay home Saturday; local malls opening late – KMOV.com


ST. LOUIS (KMOV.com) — The latest information on this weekend’s winter storm that is expected to bring several inches of snow to the Metro area.

Get breaking news alerts, wherever you are, by downloading the KMOV News app.

10:40 a.m.

CBL Malls says all four of their area locations — Mid Rivers Mall, St. Clair Square, South County Center and West County Center — will open at noon Saturday. 

CBL Malls said department stores and restaurant hours may vary. They advise shoppers to call before heading out and check the malls’ website for more information. 

In addition, Schlafly has announced it’s Cabin Fever event, which was scheduled for Jan. 12, has been postponed until Jan. 19 due to the “overwhelming amount of snow.” 

Schlafly said those who cannot make the rescheduled date should contact them at events@schlafly.com and they will be issued a gift card for the amount of the ticket price.

9:15 a.m.

News 4’s Mark Griffin said drivers are experiencing delays on westbound I-44 past 141 because of a stalled semi. 

In a tweet, he reported traffic was better than Friday night but there was still a backup in the area.

7:30 a.m. 

The Phelps County Emergency Management Facebook page has announced that the eastbound lanes of Interstate 44 are closed at mile marker 257 until further notice. 

The emergency management officials said eastbound Interstate 44 is blocked near St. Louis and eastbound travelers coming in fro Oklahoma should seek a southern route at Exit 82.

They advise drivers to expect six to eight hour delays near St. Louis.

6:50 a.m.

During a press conference Saturday morning, MoDOT official Bob Becker said crews made a lot of progress overnight.

In addition, the MoDOT official said they were ahead of the winter storm and did everything they were supposed to do but the snow came down intensely and roads got slick fast, making it impossible for them to keep up.

Becker said they started pre-treating two days beforehand and did a lot of work to ensure their people were ready to go. He said “no matter what you throw at it, that road will get slick at some point.”

Becker said MoDOT officials have been on conference calls statewide and the Governor’s office is aware of what has been going on.

While speaking with the local news stations, Becker said he wouldn’t do anything different with how MoDOT prepared for the winter weather.

Looking ahead to Saturday, Becker advised people to try and stay home to give crews more time to clear the roads. He said if you have to venture out to be careful and give crews plenty of room.


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Illinois State Police / Facebook

Around the same time as MoDOT’s press conference, the Illinois State Police Department took to Facebook to urge people to “STAY HOME today!” They are advising people to watch cartoons, enjoy a movie with your family, build a snowman, eat soup and catch up on laundry instead of hitting the roads.

The police department is deeming the day as #StayHomeSaturday and said to give emergency workers room to clear the roads: “The less traffic on the road, the better.” 

6 a.m.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol said one lane of westbound Interstate 44 in the Antire Road area has reopened to traffic.

Although traffic is slowly starting to move in the area, troopers are still asking drivers to avoid the area while they continue to get the remaining traffic through. They also advise that MoDOT is working to get more lanes cleared.

In Illinois, state police said a crash has blocked the left lane of westbound I-70 at mile post 30. They said the right lane is still open to traffic.

4:30 a.m. 

After a night of snow and drivers stuck in traffic, News 4’s Marielle Mohs took to the roadways early Saturday morning and encountered a backup once again on Interstate 44 at Lindbergh. 


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Marielle Mohs / News 4

MoDOT officials told News 4 many people are stalled on westbound I-44 because semi-trucks have stalled out or broken down in the snow. The truck drivers are waiting on tow trucks. They also said that some truck drivers are going to their cabins to sleep while they wait for help because it is federal law for them to get sleep before driving once again. 

MoDOT said wreckers are out trying to tow the broken down tractor trailers and get things moving once again. They also said highway patrol troppers, tow truck drivers and MoDOT workers have been going up to semi-trucks and trying to wake up drivers.

According to MoDOT, their biggest concern during the early morning hours Saturday is eastbound from Gray Summit to Eureka. They said that area is experiencing the same problem there are just more trucks in the area. 


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MoDOT

In addition, Reporter Alyssa Toomey traveled about 18 miles from KMOV’s downtown station and counted nearly 50 stranded vehicles. 

11:08 p.m.

We’ve already seen a range of 4″ to 8″ across the St. Louis metro with some lower totals south. 

More snow accumulation comes through Saturday morning. Lighter snow, but still some accumulation is possible on Saturday afternoon and evening, especially west and northwest of St. Louis where the precipitation will be mostly snow.  However, from St. Louis south/southeast we will see  a mix, depending on your location it could be sleet, snow and/or rain.  Also expect some melting as temperatures warm to 33.  

10:30 p.m.

One lane of EB I-44 at Lewis Road near Antire briefly opened around 10:30 Friday. It was then shut down again when another truck jack-knifed. Eastbound lanes have been closed for six hours. 

9:45 p.m.

I-64 westbound is closed at the Forest Park exit. 

9:20 p.m.

MoDOT says they are going to be doing wellness checks on motorists stranded on closed highways. They said they are most focused on checking on those people trapped in Interstate 44 in St. Louis County and Interstate 64 in Chesterfield, where vehicles have been sitting since around 5:00.

In the wellness checks, a MoDOT spokesperson said they’ll make sure cars have fuel and occupants have water and food.

It is not known when those interstates will reopen.

9:17 p.m.

The Missouri Highway Patrol Troop C, which responds to calls in the St. Louis area, recorded 595 calls for service, 183 crashes, and 269 stranded motorists as of 8:00 p.m. Friday.

9:15 p.m.

Mizzou Athletics says the men’s basketball game scheduled for Saturday at South Carolina has been tentatively rescheduled for Sunday at noon. The university says a final determination will be made Saturday afternoon.

9:00 P.m.

Dierberg stores around the St. Louis area closed at 9:00 p.m. Friday. It is still unknown when the stores will reopen in the morning. 

8:20 p.m.

Here’s a list of current complete interstate closures. View our live traffic map here.

Westbound Interstate 64 is closed at Lindbergh. It is also closed near 141, where MoDOT says they have had trouble all day due to the hill.

Interstate 70 is closed in both directions in North City.

Interstate 44 is closed, in the eastbound direction, from Eureka to 141.

Northbound Interstate 44 in downtown St. Louis is closed at the Eads Bridge. The southbound side is closed at the Stan Musial Veterans Memorial Bridge.

Interstate 44 is also closed in Franklin County.

The southbound exit of I-170 to eastbound I-64 is closed.

MoDOT said their crews are having a hard time getting to the accidents because of the traffic. 

8:00 p.m.

All metro area Schnucks are closing at 8:00 p.m. and will not re-open until Saturday 6:00 a.m.

7:30 p.m.

Northbound 141 is still closed near Dutch Mill. 

The exit to Kingshighway Blvd. from I-64 eastbound is closed. 

7:00 p.m.

I-64 westbound is closed right before Woods Mill Road as well as near Clayton Road.

I-64 at 141 eastbound is closed. It is advised to use alternative routes. 

I-44 eastbound is closed before Antire Road in Eureka. 

I-70 eastbound is closed at Jennings Station. 

6:50 p.m.

All lanes of eastbound I-44 are closed near Washington Avenue in downtown St. Louis

6:30 p.m.

MoDOT says northbound I-55 at Potomac and eastbound I-70 Goodfellow are both closed due to accidents. I-44 in downtown is also closed.

St. Louis Lambert Airport announced 53 arriving flights and 39 departing flights were cancelled as of 6:00 p.m.

5:30 p.m.

How bad is the traffic in the Fenton area? While News 4 crews were en route to an overturned plow truck, we met a local resident who decided to walk home, after two hours of sitting in traffic. Watch his story here.

5:25 p.m.

The University of Missouri announced the scheduled men’s basketball game against South Carolina was postponed due to travel issues. The game, originally scheduled for noon Saturday, will be rescheduled. 

4:45 p.m.

Three accidents have Interstate 44 closed in three different locations.

Eastbound I-44 is closed in Valley Park, near 141, and just east of Eureka.

Westbound I-44 is closed near Pacific.

4:40 p.m.

An accident involving a Metro bus has closed the exit ramp from westbound I-64 onto northbound 141.


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Dan Fredman, Digital Content Manager

4:30 p.m.

Lambert officials report 53 arrival flights cancelled and 39 departure flights cancelled

3:50 p.m.

Highway 21 at Wells Road in South County has seen multiple accident, and looks more like a parking lot, according to this video sent in by a KMOV viewer

3:30 p.m.


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KMOV

Lambert officials confirm at least 70 flight cancellations. Several carriers are cancelling all flights between Friday afternoon and Saturday morning. 

3:24 p.m.

Interstate 64/Highway 40 is closed at Maryville Centre in West County due to crashes and snow-covered roads.


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MoDOT

3:10 p.m.

Interstate 44 is closed in multiple places in far west St. Louis County as cars have trouble navigated the roads.

News 4 crews saw many accidents near Eureka.

2:40 p.m. 

Drivers on Highway 40 in West St. Louis County are having trouble navigating a hill in the eastbound lanes of the interstate between Timberlake Manor and Highway 141. KMOV crews near the area say some cars are stuck and cannot make it up a snow-packed hill, resulting in a serious traffic jam.


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MoDOT

Drivers on Clarkson Road in Ellisville are having similar problems. The road goes over a large hill, and reports are coming in of cars attempting to drive over it spinning out and unable to make any progress on the road, leading to traffic backups and accidents.


+8 


KMOV

2:08 p.m.

A St. Louis County Highway truck overturned in Fenton. It took down a power pole right on Hawkins Rd. Driver was not injured.

2:00 p.m.

Accidents are being reported across the St. Louis area as snow is beginning to cover area roads and interstates.

As of 2:00pm, Interstate 55 northbound was closed at Highway M in Jefferson County and a separate crash had lanes of Interstate 44 closed near Six Flags.


+8 


KMOV

1:00 p.m.

The 4Warn StormTeam has increased their projection for total snowfall amount in the St. Louis area. 


+8 

Expect a prolonged period of snow through Saturday night. We are currently forecasting a large swath of 8″ to 12″, that includes much of the metro. We’ll still see significant amounts of snow south, but sleet and rain will mix in and help to lower snowfall totals there.

12:50 p.m.

Airlines at St. Louis Lambert International Airport (STL) have cancelled 39 arrivals and 30 departures for Friday, January 11, 2019 in advance of Winter Storm Gia.

STL is expecting the winter weather to begin around 1:00 pm and continue through Saturday. The airport will remain fully operational and have crews on staff at all times to maintain airfield conditions and safety.

11:55 a.m.

MoDOT is advising motorists not to head out on the roads unless it is necessary. 

In a news release, the company said drivers should limit travel if possible because as much as 10 inches of snow could fall in the St. Louis area and in parts of central and northeast Missouri. 

11:00 a.m.

The Illinois State Police Department has issued a winter weather travel advisory.

The department said motorists should plan ahead and take necessary safety precautions. If conditions become too hazardous, drivers are urged to exit the road and get to a safe location. 

If a driver crashes during extreme weather conditions, the police department encourages motorists to exchange insurance and driver information. The department said motorists can file crash reports within 10 days to the Illinois State Police Department. 

10:00 a.m.

MoDOT is advising anyone who can leave work or school early on Friday to do so, saying they have “high confidence” today’s snow will impact the evening commute.

During a press conference Friday morning, MoDOT officials advised drivers to get off the roads early so crews could work to clear the roads. They said there will be over 200 trucks working on the roads.

According to MoDOT, crews will be focused on the main routes first so it could take longer to get to minor roadways.

MoDOT said the main thing drivers need to remember is to slow down and give themselves plenty of time and room.

10:00 a.m.

Airlines at St. Louis Lambert International Airport have cancelled 25 arrivals and 20 departures for Friday, January 11,. Southwest Airlines & United Airlines have issued travel waivers for passengers flying to or from STL. Check the status of your flight with your airline before heading to the airport.

9:30 a.m.

Several school districts and universities are closing early Friday, in order to get students home before roads begin to deteriorate.

Students on both sides of the river are heading home early. See our updating list of closures here.

8:00 a.m.

The timing of the snow’s arrival in the metro area is becoming clear. The metro area should start seeing snowflakes around noon. 

Precipitation will start off as a rain/sleet/snow mix west and southwest of St. Louis Friday morning and move into the metro around lunch time.  Start times look a tad earlier, around 12-2 PM in St. Louis and earlier to the southwest.

We will see a pro-longed period of snow through Saturday night. We are currently forecasting a large swath of 5″ to 9″ snow. Isolated spots, including parts of the Metro area, may see totals higher than 9″.  The bulk of that snow accumulation comes Friday afternoon through Saturday morning.



Source Article from https://www.kmov.com/news/area-agencies-urging-drivers-to-stay-home-saturday-local-malls/article_f51ae92c-15b6-11e9-b58d-e38f33eccfe5.html

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Paris bakery explosion kills 4 people, injures 47 with 10 in critical condition – Fox News
Paris bakery explosion kills 4 people, injures 47 with 10 in critical condition – Fox News
Video

Gas leak in a Paris bakery causes explosion leaving several injured

A powerful blast caused by a gas leak at a Paris bakery Saturday killed at least three people and injured at least 47, sparking an all-out emergency response and evacuation of residents.

The explosion and fire blasted out the windows and even overturned cars, French authorities said. The incident occurred over Rue de Trevise in the upmarket 9th arrondissement of north-central Paris, not far from the shopping district that includes the famed headquarters of Galeries Lafayette.

HELICOPTER RESCUES INJURED SKIER IN FRENCH ALPS, DRAMATIC VIDEO SHOWS

At least three people were killed by the explosion, including two firefighters, and at least 47 people were also injured, with 10 in critical condition.

The Spanish foreign minister says a Spanish woman is among those killed. Spanish Foreign Minister Josep Borrell tweeted that “I deeply regret the death of three people after the explosion in central Paris, including a Spanish woman.” He offered his condolences to her relatives and “wishes for a quick recovery to the other injured Spaniard.”

It was initially reported that four people died in the incident.

An explosion in French capital Paris on January 12, 2019 caused fire and injuries.
(Emily Molli/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

“Unfortunately the human toll is particularly serious,” France’s interior minister Christophe Castaner told the media. He added that “the situation is under control” and described his “shock” after seeing the damage.

Around 200 firefighters and police were involved in the emergency operation. A helicopter landed in the area to evacuate the wounded people.

The cause of the explosion appears to be an accidental gas leak, Paris prosecutor Remy Heitz said, but an investigation was opened to determine the exact cause of the explosion.

He noted that firefighters were already at the scene to check on the gas leak at the bakery before the explosion occurred.

Firefighters respond the scene after A huge blast destroyed buildings and left casualties in French capital Paris on January 12, 2019.
(Emily Molli/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

BOXER-TURNED-‘YELLOW VEST’ PROTESTER WHO ALLEGEDLY HIT POLICE OFFICER HAS FUNDRAISING SITE TAKEN DOWN

The explosion caused debris and broken glass to cover the pavement. Some residents also described the loud blast, saying it scared them, fearing it was a terror attack.

An employee of a hotel opposite the bakery said he saw the firefighters entering the bakery about an hour before the blast.

“In the middle of nothing, I heard one big explosion and then a lot of pressure came at me (and) a lot of black smoke and glass,” the witness said. “And I had just enough time to get down and cover myself and protect my head.”

Firefighters rest in the street after the explosion of a bakery on the corner of the streets Saint-Cecile and Rue de Trevise in central Paris on January 12, 2019.
(Geoffroy VAN DER HASSELT/AFP/Getty Images)

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He added that the explosion left whistling in his ears. The hotel where he works was “destroyed” in the blast, he said.

The explosion occurred amid heavy police and emergency services presence in Paris due to the Yellow Vests protests, when protesters march on the capital every Saturday to show their dissatisfaction with the government.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Source Article from https://www.foxnews.com/world/paris-bakery-explosion-kills-4-people-injures-47-with-10-in-critical-condition

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Record shutdown is a massive Washington failure – CNN
Record shutdown is a massive Washington failure – CNN

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