Democrat Letters to Trump Reveal a Likely Source of Leaks About EPA’s Scott Pruitt

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Democratic lawmakers sent letters to the White House and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) that revealed a likely source of leaks to the media regarding Administrator Scott Pruitt.

Democrats want EPA to handover documents in an effort to substantiate allegations EPA Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations Kevin Chmielewski made. Chmielewski detailed allegations previously reported from news outlets related to Pruitt’s first-class travel, living arrangements, and giving raises to close aides.

Chmielewski featured prominently in a recent The New York Times story on Pruitt’s removing or reassigning of five agency officials, including the former deputy. Many claims made in NYT’s article are also made by Chmielewski in Democrats’ letter.

“The new information provided by Mr. Chmielewski, if accurate, leaves us certain that your leadership at EPA has been fraught with numerous and repeated unethical and potentially illegal actions on a wide range of consequential matters that you and some members of your staff directed,” five Democratic lawmakers wrote in their letter.

NYT’s own write-up of Democrats’ letter notes it “corroborates details previously reported by The New York Times, including that Mr. Pruitt and others at the agency retaliated against staff members, including Mr. Chmielewski, when they objected to the spending requests.” (Read more from “Democrat Letters to Trump Reveal a Likely Source of Leaks About EPA’s Scott Pruitt” HERE)

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Liberal Thugs in NYC Threaten Foreign Tourist, Take His MAGA Hat at Knife Point

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By The Daily Caller. A New York City tourist from Denmark had his Make America Great Again hat stolen at knife point Thursday and was physically threatened when he tried to take it back.

The 18-year-old unnamed victim was headed for the subway near Union Square when he was accosted by two men who grabbed him from behind,” The New York Post reported.

Authorities say the victim fought back, but backed down after one of the suspects pulled out a knife and started doling out threats. (Read more from “Liberal Thugs in NYC Threaten Foreign Tourist, Take His MAGA Hat at Knife Point” HERE)

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Tourist Mugged at Knifepoint for MAGA Hat

By The New York Post. A Danish tourist on a school trip was robbed at knifepoint by two thugs who snatched his “Make America Great Again” cap — and threatened him when he tried to get it back, authorities said . . .

“I began to shake, and as I heard the word knife I let the hat go,” he said.

Andersen said he bought the hat in New York — but never thought it would make him the victim of a crime.

“I bought it for my dad as a joke,” he said. “I don’t know why I decided to wear it. I didn’t think some people would take it so far to [try to] stab a tourist over a hat.” (Read more from “Tourist Mugged at Knifepoint for MAGA Hat” HERE)

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Leaked Emails Show Democrats Planning Nationwide Protests, Here’s the Ridiculous Reason Why

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Democrats believe President Donald Trump will take action to stop the Russia investigation this weekend and are contacting local organizers around the country to plan protests, leaked emails to The Daily Caller News Foundation show.

Connecticut Democratic Rep. Jim Himes sent an email out to field organizers in Norwalk and other towns in his home state Friday outlining his concerns that the president will fire either Attorney General Jeff Session, FBI Director Rod Rosenstein, or special counsel Robert Mueller . . .

The leaked email, authored personally by Himes, says that the congressman believes “that in the next 48 hours, it is more likely than not that the President acts against Attorney General Sessions, Deputy AG Rosenstein, and/or Special Counsel Mueller. His intent will be to end Mueller’s investigation.” . . .

“In both cases, constitutional order and rule of law are at stake. As a consequence, it is important that we speak and act in a coordinated manner,” Himes wrote to Connecticut party officials, referencing the need for organizers to begin planning.

In the case of the president ending Mueller’s investigation, Himes told confidants that “Congress must act immediately to require the preservation of all documents and work product, and to re-establish the investigation via statue,” adding that “this must be the sole initial priority.” (Read more from “Leaked Emails Show Democrats Planning Nationwide Protests, Here’s the Ridiculous Reason Why” HERE)

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Nikki Haley Stuns as She Throws Away Script and Rips Into Russian Ambassador on UN Floor

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By Bizpac Review. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley ripped Russia a new one Friday over their continued defense of Syria dictator Bashar al-Assad in face of a reported chemical weapons attack on civilians.

Haley let Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia know that she’s hip to the propaganda the diplomat was laying down, saying: “I’m in awe, Vassily, that you said what you said with a straight face. I really, really am.”

Source: Nikki Haley: ‘If Russia lived up to its commitment, there would be no chemical weapons in Syria" by BPR

Haley’s remarks followed Russian Ambassador to the UN Vassily Nebenzia, who said at Friday’s meeting of the Security Council “there’s no credible proof” of the chemical attack and Moscow believes “what took place was a provocation of certain countries intelligence services,” according to CNN.

The eye-to-eye counter from Haley broke from her prepared remarks. She went on to comment on Russia’s expressed concerns about “unilateral threats related to Syria.”

“What is strange is that Russia is ignoring the real threat to international peace and security that has brought us all here,” Haley told the body. “And it is ignoring its own unilateral responsibility for all of it.” (Read more from “Nikki Haley Stuns as She Throws Away Script and Rips Into Russian Ambassador on UN Floor” HERE)

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Haley Slams Russia Over Syria Chemical Attack

By CNN. US Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley stated Friday that chemical weapons were used in an attack in Syria that left scores dead and she blamed Russia for complicity, as the Trump administration continues to weigh how to retaliate and Russia maintains its denial that the attack took place.

“Did a chemical weapons attack happen? Yes,” Haley said, speaking to reporters before a meeting of the Security Council. “The US has analyzed, yes it has happened. The UK has analyzed, yes, it has happened. And France has analyzed, yes, it has happened. Three countries.” . . .

She told the council that President Donald Trump “has not yet made a decision about possible action in Syria, but should the United States and our allies decide to act in Syria, it will be in defense of a principle on which we all agree.” . . .

“You don’t rush decisions like this,” she told reporters. “We’re making sure we have all the information to know if we do something, what will happen, how will it happen and will it hurt anyone.” (Read more from “Haley Slams Russia Over Syria Chemical Attack” HERE)

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New Details Emerge About Investigation Into Trump’s Lawyer

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By The Daily Wire. On Friday, new details surfaced about the FBI’s investigation into Michael Cohen, President Donald Trump’s personal attorney, and it appears as though the investigation is not related to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

ABC News reports: “Federal prosecutors say Trump attorney Michael Cohen is under criminal investigation focused on his personal business dealings; the investigation is independent of the Mueller probe.”

(Read more from “New Details Emerge About Investigation Into Trump’s Lawyer” HERE)

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DOJ: Michael Cohen ‘Under Criminal Investigation’

By CNN. . .The revelation comes amid a courtroom drama that unfolded Friday, as Cohen’s attorneys and Trump’s attorneys began a fight hours before with the US Attorney’s Office in Manhattan over a massive raid of Cohen’s records.

Cohen’s attorneys have filed a temporary restraining order in the matter, asking the court to stop federal prosecutors from using some of the records they seized. Cohen did not appear in court Friday morning and has not been charged with a crime.

In response to Cohen’s motion to prevent prosecutors from using evidence collected in Monday’s raids of his home and office, the US attorney in New York asserted the raids were authorized by a federal judge to seek evidence of conduct “for which Cohen is under criminal investigation.” . . .

But the filing contains the first details released by the Justice Department on the searches, which covered Cohen’s residence, hotel room, office, safety deposit boxes and two cell phones. Previous search warrants allowed New York federal prosecutors to search multiple email accounts, the filing said. In them, they found that Cohen had done “little to no legal work, and that zero emails were exchanged with President Trump.” (Read more from “DOJ: Michael Cohen ‘Under Criminal Investigation'” HERE)

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This Is the Outrageous Claim Russia Is Making About the Syrian Chemical Attack

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By The Daily Wire. On Friday, the Russian military made an astonishing claim; they said the alleged chemical attack in the Syrian town of Douma, which has ratcheted up tension worldwide as President Trump and American allies has threatened to intervene to stop the use of chemical gas, was staged and directed by Great Britain.

Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said Great Britain was “directly involved in the provocation. ” He released statements by medics from Douma’s hospital who asserted that a group of people supposedly carrying video cameras entered the hospital, shouting that its patients were struck with chemical weapons and causing panic; the medics said none of the patients were hurt by chemicals.

Britain’s U.N. ambassador, Karen Pierce, leaving an emergency meeting of the U.N. Security Council, was furious, calling the Russian “bizarre” and “a blatant lie.” She added that she wanted “to state categorically … that Britain has no involvement and would never have any involvement in the use of a chemical weapon. … This is grotesque. … It’s some of the worst piece of fake news we’ve yet seen from the Russia propaganda machine.” (Read more from “This Is the Outrageous Claim Russia Is Making About the Syrian Chemical Attack” HERE)

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Russia Says No Evidence of Gas Attack in Douma

By AP. Russia’s military says its personnel in a Syrian city allegedly hit by a chemical weapons attack have not found evidence to support the claim.

Maj. Gen. Yuri Yevtushenko, head of the Russian center for reconciliation of the warring parties in Syria, said Friday that “According to the results of a survey of witnesses, studying samples and investigating locations undertaken by Russian specialists and medical personnel in the city of Douma, where chemical weapons purportedly were used, the use of poisonous substances was not shown.”

Yevtushenko also said the Russian military will ensure security for investigators from the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, who will be working to determine whether chemical weapons were used in Douma. (Read more from “Russia Says No Evidence of Gas Attack in Douma” HERE)

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Kidnapped Child Uses Smarts to Thwart Abduction

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By NBC San Diego. An 8-year-old girl who, along with her toddler brother, was inside of a car when it was stolen in Encanto was able to discretely call 911 from the back seat and help police arrest her captor before they crossed the border into Mexico, police said.

The father of the two children said he left them in his car with the engine on and air conditioning running while he ran into a beauty supply store on Imperial Avenue at about 12:30 p.m., according to the San Diego Police Department (SDPD).

Rodney Cole told NBC 7 he was only making a quick stop to purchase some hair ties for his daughter.

A witness to the robbery and kidnapping said a woman was bouncing a basketball near the car when she dropped it suddenly and peered into Cole’s car, presumably to see if the keys were still inside, and jumped in . . .

“I almost caught the car but she started driving erratically,” Cole said with his children at his side. “She got to the light and ran the light and made a left, and I was just stuck in the middle of the street crying and bawling. I didn’t know what to do, these are my babies.” (Read more from “Kidnapped Child Uses Smarts to Thwart Abduction” HERE)

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How a Child Used Smarts to Save Herself and Brother From Abduction

By The Blaze. Cole called 911, KNSD reported — and then minutes later his daughter did the same thing from her own cellphone. Cole gave it to Malaiha in case of an emergency, KABC reported. She’s had it since she was 5, KNSD said.

“I said, ‘If you don’t take us back to our daddy, I’ll call police.’ Then I called 911,” Malaiha told KNSD she told her abductor.

“They said, ‘911, what’s your emergency?’ And I said, ‘Me and my little brother got kidnapped,’” Malaiha told KABC. “She said, ‘Can you tell us where you are? What do you see?’ I said, ‘I see signs that say Mexico border.’”

Malaiha told KABC the woman “tried to take the phone from me, but then I moved away from her. She said, ‘Give me the phone or I’m going to drive in circles and crash into the freeway wall.’”

While Malaiha said she eventually gave the phone to the woman, by then authorities knew where they were, KABC noted. (Read more from “How a Child Used Smarts to Save Herself and Brother From Abduction” HERE)

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Democrats’ Stunning New ‘Ideological Purity Test’

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Traditional marriage is in the crosshairs of the progressive left again this week, as a sitting U.S. senator suggested secretary of state nominee Mike Pompeo was unfit for office because he opposes same-sex marriage, and a New Yorker column expressed horror over the successful expansion of Chick-fil-A in New York City.

On Thursday, Sen. Cory Booker, D-N.J., questioned Pompeo as part of the confirmation process and used part of his time to pepper Pompeo about his views on marriage and whether be believes “gay sex is a perversion.” He refused to accept Pompeo’s contention that he did not believe in same-sex marriage but would treat all subordinates equally.

National Organization for Marriage Communications Director Joseph Grabowski says this is the latest sign of a troubling litmus test being imposed by the left.

“I think this is a demonstration of an ideological purity test that unfortunately is becoming common in the Democratic Party. We’ve already seen it on the life issue and a woman’s so-called right to have an abortion. Now we’re seeing it also with respect to beliefs about marriage that people can hold personally,” said Grabowski, noting that as recently as 2008, both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton publicly opposed same-sex marriage.

Booker couched his comments as being in the interest of State Department employees who might have same-sex spouses, but Grabowski says the implication was clear that “somehow this view that Mr. Pompeo holds as a matter of personal belief, as a matter of religious conviction, disqualifies him from public service.” (Read more from “Democrats’ Stunning New ‘Ideological Purity Test'” HERE)

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Teenager Crushed to Death Despite Calls to 911

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Ohio authorities are investigating how a student was crushed to death in the back of a minivan at a school parking lot despite calling 911 two times with his exact location.

The Hamilton County Sheriff’s Office is launching an investigation into the death of 16-year-old Kyle Plush, whose body was discovered by his father six hours after he called 911 begging for help and giving dispatchers the correct description of the minivan and his location.

According to audio recordings, Plush called 911 at least twice Tuesday afternoon while he was trapped in the 2002 Honda Odyssey minivan outside Seven Hills School. The third-row seat flipped and had him pinned inside.

“I’m going to die here,” the sophomore told the dispatcher during his first 911 call, which was placed shortly after 3 p.m. Tuesday. “I probably don’t have much time left. Tell my mom I love her if I die.”

The dispatcher can be heard asking for his location several times but it was unclear whether Plush heard the operator’s questions, according to police. (Read more from “Teenager Crushed to Death Despite Calls to 911” HERE)

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Coffee Shop Attacked, Vandalized, Closed After Posting Happy Sign Libs Didn’t Like

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Vandals smashed a window. The words “white coffee” were spray painted in a cruel joke on the building’s exterior. . .

The reason the shop known as Ink! Coffee was in liberal crosshairs was that it committed the sin of “gentrification” — and maybe the bigger sin of being proud of it — two sins that are apparently unforgiveable to the modern liberal . . .

It was a clapboard sign on the sidewalk like a million other signs that have stood outside coffee shops and restaurants, carrying messages like the day’s specials or happy hour drink prices. This one said, “Happily Gentrifying the Neighborhood Since 2014.”

As Helen Raleigh wrote in a piece published by The American Conservative on Tuesday:

“The sign didn’t go over so well with some residents, many of whom congregated outside the little coffee shop in an angry mood. Hundreds showed up during a subsequent weekend to protest against the gentrification of their neighborhood, which they said had pushed out longtime minority residents. The shop building was sprayed with graffiti; at least one window was broken; the offending sign was carted off. The protesters demanded that the shop be shut down. Some wanted it replaced with a community center dedicated to helping residents with housing and other issues stemming from rising living costs in their neighborhood.”

(Read more from “Coffee Shop Attacked, Vandalized, Closed After Posting Happy Sign Libs Didn’t Like” HERE)

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