Trump Finally Breaks Silence on Stormy Daniels

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By The Daily Wire. On Thursday, President Donald Trump broke his silence on Stormy Daniels, denying that he knew about his lawyer’s alleged $130,000 payment to the porn star.

Trump’s comments were made on Air Force One when a reporter asked him: “Did you know about the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels?”

Trump replied, “No.”

“Why did Michael Cohen make it?” Trump was asked.

“You have to ask Michael Cohen,” Trump responded. “Michael Cohen is my attorney you’ll have to ask him.” (Read more from “Trump Finally Breaks Silence on Stormy Daniels” HERE)

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Trump Denies He Knew About Lawyer’s $130,000 Payment to Porn Star Stormy Daniels

By CNBC. President Donald Trump denied Thursday that he knew about his lawyer’s $130,000 payment to former adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Trump spoke to reporters for the first time about the payment, made shortly before the 2016 election, to secure Daniels’ silence about allegations of a sexual encounter with the president years ago. Representatives for the president have denied that Trump and Daniels engaged in a tryst.

The president said Thursday he did not know where his personal attorney Michael Cohen got the money . . .

Last month, Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, sued Cohen to try to get released from a nondisclosure agreement she signed in October 2016. (Read more from “Trump Denies He Knew About Lawyer’s $130,000 Payment to Porn Star Stormy Daniels” HERE)

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Threatening Legal Fight, Nunes Demands Document That Kicked off FBI Trump-Russia Investigation

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By Washington Examiner. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes, R-Calif., has sent a letter to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and FBI Director Christopher Wray demanding an uncensored copy of the document the bureau used to formally begin its investigation into alleged collusion between Russia and Trump’s presidential campaign.

The originating document has been the subject of much controversy. After some Republicans alleged that the FBI used never-verified parts of the Trump dossier as part of its reason to begin the investigation in July 2016, some “current and former” officials leaked to the New York Times that no, it was the case of George Papadopoulos, reported to U.S. authorities by foreign intelligence agents, that prompted the FBI investigation.

“The information that Mr. Papadopoulos gave to the Australians answers one of the lingering mysteries of the past year: What so alarmed American officials to provoke the FBI to open a counterintelligence investigation into the Trump campaign months before the presidential election?” the Times reported on Dec. 30. “It was not, as Mr. Trump and other politicians have alleged, a dossier compiled by a former British spy hired by a rival campaign. Instead, it was firsthand information from one of America’s closest intelligence allies.” (Read more from “Threatening Legal Fight, Nunes Demands Document That Kicked off FBI Trump-Russia Investigation” HERE)

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Mueller’s Team Questioning Russian Oligarchs

By CNN. Special counsel Robert Mueller’s team has taken the unusual step of questioning Russian oligarchs who traveled into the US, stopping at least one and searching his electronic devices when his private jet landed at a New York area airport, according to multiple sources familiar with the inquiry.

A second Russian oligarch was stopped during a recent trip to the US, although it is not clear if he was searched, according to a person briefed on the matter.

Mueller’s team has also made an informal voluntary document and interview request to a third Russian oligarch who has not traveled to the US recently. (Read more from “Mueller’s Team Questioning Russian Oligarchs” HERE)

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Mitch McConnell Says Midterms Will Be Tough for the Republican Party

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By The Blaze. In an interview with Kentucky Today, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) expressed concern this week over how his party might fare in the 2018 midterm elections.

Speaking with the paper’s editorial board, McConnell said “This is going to be a challenging year. We know the wind is going to be in our face. We don’t know whether it’s going to be a Category 3, 4, or 5.”

Other GOP lawmakers have voiced fears for their party in 2018, citing jitters over President Trump’s tariffs, the passage of a bloated omnibus spending bill and the possibility of an energized Democratic Party.

McConnell said he hopes for Republicans to be able to at least hold the Senate, where critical appointments can shape the future of the country. (Read more from “Mitch McConnell Says Midterms Will Be Tough for the Republican Party” HERE)

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Rep. Darrell Issa to Retire, Adding to Record GOP Exodus From Congress

By NPR. Rep. Darrell Issa, R-Calif., announced he will not seek re-election Wednesday, adding to a record number of House Republicans heading for the exits ahead of the 2018 midterms — perhaps seeing the writing on the wall of a possible wave election for Democrats.

There are now 31 Republicans who will not seek re-election in November: 19 who are retiring outright and another 12 who are running for higher office. And that list is is expected to grow in the coming weeks.

The last time a party had nearly that many members retire during a midterm year was in 1994, when 28 Democrats left and the GOP subsequently took back control of Congress in the Republican Revolution. Now, it’s Republicans who find themselves in the opposite and unenviable position. Just one year into his term, President Trump has record low approval ratings, congressional Republicans have had few legislative achievements save for the tax overhaul they passed last month, and Democrats seem more fired up than ever to issue a rebuke to the GOP at the ballot box this year. (Read more from “Rep. Darrell Issa to Retire, Adding to Record GOP Exodus From Congress” HERE)

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Trump Jr. Slams Double Standard Over Attack on YouTube Headquarters

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By The Blaze. . .Trump Jr. wondered in a rhetorical question if the social media accounts of the suspected attacker were shut down because she was liberal.

“You think there’s any chance whatsoever that a mass shooters hateful Instagram and YouTube channels would be pulled immediately if they were NRA members as opposed to liberal Vegan PETA activists?” he tweeted.

“Asking for a few million friends in the @NRA,” he added, sarcastically . . .

Trump Jr. appeared to imply that had the attacker been politically right-wing, or an NRA member, that the social media accounts would have been allowed to linger so that the media could push a political narrative. (Read more from “Trump Jr. Slams Double Standard Over Attack on YouTube Headquarters” HERE)

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Donald Trump Jr. Tweets After YouTube Shooting, Stirs Gun Debate

By Fox News. Donald Trump Jr. on Tuesday responded to reports that the YouTube shooter’s “hateful” Instagram and YouTube channels were pulled “immediately” after the shooting at the company’s headquarters.

“You think there’s any chance whatsoever that a mass shooters hateful Instagram and YouTube channels would be pulled immediately if they were NRA members as opposed to liberal Vegan PETA activists? Asking for a few million friends in the @NRA” Trump Jr. tweeted, referring to the National Rifle Association.

Authorities said Nasim Aghdam, 39, opened fire with a handgun at the YouTube headquarters in San Bruno, Calif., wounding three people before fatally shooting herself . . .

The extent of Aghdam’s animal activism or possible connection to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) was unclear Tuesday. She was once quoted in a 2009 news report about a PETA protest . . .

Aghdam also posted videos on YouTube, mostly about animal rights, the San Francisco Chronicle reported. Some of the videos reportedly appeared to be graphic, including one of a dog being boiled alive. Other videos “extol the virtues of a vegan diet,” the report said. (Read more from “Donald Trump Jr. Tweets After YouTube Shooting, Stirs Gun Debate” HERE)

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Village Bans Semi-Automatic Weapons, Residents Must Remove From Home or Face up to $1,000 Fines — per Day

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By The Daily Wire. Rulemakers in the village of Deerfield, Illinois, ​have voted unanimously to ban semi-automatic rifles, along with pistols and shotguns “with certain features,” as well as with magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

The ban passed Monday night outlaws any weapon the village leaders deem “assault weapons,” including AR-15s. But the ban also includes “semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns with certain features.”

“This is our fight. This is our generation’s fight, and we’re going to keep fighting,” Deerfield High School student Ariella Kharasch said at a public hearing, according to ABC-7 in Chicago. “Thank you for being part of that.”

The new ordinance takes effect June 13. Residents who still have banned weapons after that date face up to $1,000 fines per day.

The new ordinance was modeled on a ban put in place in Highland Park, Illinois, which went to the United States Supreme Court. The high court let a lower court ruling allowing the ban stand. (Read more from “Village Bans Semi-Automatic Weapons, Residents Must Remove From Home or Face up to $1,000 Fines — per Day” HERE)

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Deerfield Village Board Unanimously Votes to Ban Some Semi-Automatic Weapons

By ABC 7. The Deerfield Village Board voted unanimously to ban some semi-automatic firearms.

The amendment to the village’s gun ordinance restricts firearms village leaders define as assault weapons, such as AR-15s.

AR-15 rifles have been used in various mass shootings, including the Parkland, Florida school shooting.

“This is our fight. This is our generation’s fight, and we’re going to keep fighting,” said Deerfield High School student Ariella Kharasch. “Thank you for being part of that.”

Deerfield’s new ordinance also prohibits high-capacity magazines. The ordinance is patterned after Highland Park’s ban on high-powered weapons. (Read more from “Deerfield Village Board Unanimously Votes to Ban Some Semi-Automatic Weapons” HERE)

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National Guard Going to Border, DHS Wants ‘Military Installations’ Built

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On Wednesday, Department Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen announced that President Donald Trump is sending the National Guard to protect the United States’ southern border and also indicated that DHS is looking into constructing military installations along the border.

Nielsen’s announcement that the National Guard is being deployed to the southern border comes after Trump said on Tuesday that he will use the military to defend the border.

“It’s time to act,” Nielsen said, adding that the deployment force sent to the border “will be strong.” Nielsen said that the logistics involved in deploying the National Guard are being worked out with governors and that “we do hope that the deployment begins immediately.”

(Read more from “National Guard Going to Border, DHS Wants ‘Military Installations’ Built” HERE)

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YouTube Shooter Was a Leftist, PETA Activist, Likely Motive Identified

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By The Times of Israel. Gunfire erupted at YouTube’s offices in California Tuesday, leaving three people wounded and sparking a panicked escape before the suspected shooter — a woman — apparently committed suicide.

Two law enforcement officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, identified the suspect as Nasim Aghdam, a 39-year-old San Diego resident.

California news outlets late Tuesday said she appeared to be a vegan-themed content creator who has raged against YouTube on her personal website for what she saw as censorship of her videos.

“There is no free speech in real world and you will be suppressed for telling the truth that is not supported by the system,” read a post on a website identified as Aghdam’s by the San Francisco Chronicle . . .

Aghdam was quoted in a 2009 story in the San Diego Union-Tribune about a protest by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals against the use of pigs in military trauma training. She dressed in a wig and jeans with drops of painted “blood” on them, holding a plastic sword at the demonstration outside the Camp Pendleton Marine Corps base. (Read more from “Youtube Shooter Identified as Leftist Activist” HERE)

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The Latest: Father Says Suspect Was Angry at YouTube

By ABC News. . . .The father of a woman suspected of shooting three people at YouTube’s headquarters says she was angry at the company because it stopped paying her for videos she posted on the platform.

Ismail Aghdam told the Bay Area News Group that he warned police his daughter, Nasim Aghdam, might be going to YouTube because she “hated” the company.

Ismail Aghdam said he reported his daughter missing on Monday after she did not answer her phone for two days.

He said the family received a call from Mountain View police around 2 a.m. Tuesday telling they found Nasim sleeping in a car and he warned them she might go to YouTube.

Mountain View Police spokeswoman Katie Nelson confirmed officers located a woman by the same name asleep in a vehicle asleep in a Mountain View parking lot Tuesday morning. (Read more from “The Latest: Father Says Suspect Was Angry at YouTube” HERE)

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Take Heart! Even Though Planned Parenthood Is Still Funded, Pro-Life Victories Are Everywhere Else

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. . .In 2017, 19 states adopted 63 restrictions on abortion—the highest number of restrictions, according to the Guttmacher Institute, Planned Parenthood’s research arm, since 2013.

And that might be just the beginning. As The Hill noted, “that trend could continue in 2018 — state legislatures have proposed 15 bills that would ban abortions after 20 weeks, and 11 bills that would ban abortions if the sole reason is a genetic anomaly like Down syndrome.” And 2018 has already been a fruitful year for pro-life activists. Consider just a few examples:

On January 17, President Donald Trump spoke to the March for Life, addressing tens of thousands of pro-life activists gathered in Washington, DC. It was the first time a sitting president addressed the March, and was yet another example of Trump’s transformation from an avowedly pro-choice New York businessman to a politician dedicated to his pro-life allies.

Also on January 17, Congress passed the Born-Alive Survivors Act, which would protect babies who were born alive after failed attempts to abort them. The act both prohibited medical practitioners from denying the proper care to these survivors, required abortion workers to immediately bring these children to the hospital for medical attention, and instituted criminal penalties for those who refused to do so.

On January 18, President Donald Trump announced extensive conscience protections for medical professionals who have ethical, moral, or religious objections to performing abortions—a high priority for the pro-life movement in a cultural moment where religious liberties are under attack from every side.

(Read more from “Take Heart! Even Though Planned Parenthood Is Still Funded, Pro-Life Victories Are Everywhere Else” HERE)

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Veteran Sues Air Force After Forcibly Removing Him From Ceremony for Speech Mentioning God

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An Air Force veteran has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Air Force claiming he was pulled from a ceremony in the middle of a speech when he mentioned God.

Senior Master Sgt. Oscar Rodriguez told Fox News his First Amendment rights were violated . . .

Video from the April 3, 2016 military retirement ceremony showed service members at Travis Air Force Base in California physically removing Rodriguez as he recited a traditional passage in a flag-folding ceremony. Rodriguez was invited to speak at the event by an outgoing fellow Master Sgt. Chuck Roberson from the 749th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, who was retiring from the U.S. Air Force after 27 years of service.

“I was removed from the speech because my script mentioned God. Air force officials did not want me to utter those words,” the 33-year veteran told Fox News. “There was no direct communication between the Air Force and myself to forbid me from making this speech.”

U.S. Air Force officials would not comment to Fox News on the pending litigation, but had released a statement last year: “Evidence indicated Mr. Rodriguez was removed by members of the squadron because he attempted to participate in the ceremony even though his participation had been disapproved by the hosting squadron commander… When it became clear that Mr. Rodriguez intended to act inconsistent with the commander’s restrictions he was removed by several squadron NCOs (noncommissioned officers). The inquiry found no evidence that the NCOs were motivated to impair Mr. Rodriguez’s constitutional rights of freedom of speech or religion.” (Read more from “Veteran Sues Air Force After Forcibly Removing Him From Ceremony for Speech Mentioning God” HERE)

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DOMINOES FALLING: Another CA City Fighting Back Against State’s Sanctuary Law

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By The Daily Wire. The dominos are beginning to fall in California, as one city after another is joining the movement to exempt themselves from the state’s sanctuary law.

On Monday, the Huntington Beach City Council voted 6 to 1 to sue the state over SB 54, which protects illegal immigrants by limiting the cooperation between local police and ICE agents. Congressman Dana Rohrabacher said, “I am very proud of the USA. I would suggest that those who advocate for sanctuary states are betraying the American people.”

Huntington Beach follows the city of Los Alamitos, whose city council voted 4-1 on March 19 to pass a city ordinance exempting it from SB 54.

That prompted leaders in Aliso Viejo and Buena Park to say the very next day that they planned to push for a version of the Los Alamitos ordinance.

Last week, the Orange County Board of Supervisors voted to condemn SB 54 and join a U.S. Justice Department lawsuit that contends the law is unconstitutional. California Governor Jerry Brown signed SB 54 into law in October 2017; it was implemented on January 1, 2018. The law forbids local and state law enforcement from various actions. (Read more from “DOMINOES FALLING: Another CA City Fighting Back Against State’s Sanctuary Law” HERE)

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Huntington Beach Prepares to Sue State to Challenge ‘Sanctuary’ Immigration Laws

By Los Angeles Times. Huntington Beach plans to file a lawsuit against California and the state attorney general to challenge the legality of state mandates that expand protections for undocumented immigrants . . .

Several area cities have pushed against the sanctuary laws, starting in March, when the Los Alamitos City Council passed an ordinance opting out . . .

And the county Board of Supervisors voted last week to join a Trump administration lawsuit that contends the laws obstruct federal immigration law and thus violate the Constitution’s supremacy clause, which gives federal law precedence over state law.

Gates said Huntington will be the first city to challenge the legality of SB 54, authored by state Senate leader Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles), and he said he hopes “other cities in California follow our lead.” (Read more from “Huntington Beach Prepares to Sue State to Challenge ‘Sanctuary’ Immigration Laws” HERE)

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