Lindsey Graham: There ‘Will Be Holy Hell to Pay’ If Trump Fires Mueller

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By Fox News. Special counsel Robert Mueller’s charges against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and two other aides mark a new phase in his sprawling investigation into Russia and President Donald Trump. But the president’s supporters on Capitol Hill have said they want all the facts to come in first.

There “will be holy hell to pay” if Mueller is dismissed, Senator Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., told Fox News on Monday, unconcerned about rumblings of the ongoing threat Mueller poses to the president. He said there is zero evidence from the White House that Mueller’s investigation will be stopped or curtailed.

Asked to elaborate, Graham continued: “I’ve heard nothing from the White House to suggest that the president’s going to try to replace Mr. Mueller. Zero evidence from anybody I’ve talked to. It would be wrong to do so unless there were cause.”

People familiar with Trump’s thinking told The Associated Press the president has become increasingly concerned that the Mueller probe could be moving to an investigation into his personal dealings. (Read more from “Lindsey Graham: There ‘Will Be Holy Hell to Pay’ If Trump Fires Mueller” HERE)

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Gregg Jarrett: Still No Evidence of Trump-Russia ‘Collusion’ – but Hillary Is a Different Matter

By Gregg Jarrett. Over the weekend, the mainstream media was absolutely giddy with delight upon learning there would be an indictment by special counsel, Robert Mueller . . .

The celebration came to a crashing end when the indictments of Paul Manafort and his business associate, Rick Gates, were unsealed Monday morning. It turns out the charges are, basically, a tax fraud case. The two men stand accused of hiding their income from their lobbying work for Ukraine in order to avoid paying taxes, then lying about it. That’s it.

The 31-page indictment makes no mention of Trump or Russia or “collusion.” The media seemed as dejected as a kid who wakes up on Christmas morning, only to find there are no presents under the tree. Gee whiz. . . .

It is against the law for the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee to funnel millions of dollars to a British spy and to Russian sources in order to obtain the infamous and discredited Trump “dossier.” The Federal Election Campaign Act (52 USC 30101) prohibits foreign nationals and governments from giving or receiving money in U.S. campaigns. It also prohibits the filing of false or misleading campaign reports to hide the true purpose of the money (52 USC 30121). This is what Clinton and the DNC appear to have done . . .

But that’s not all. Damning new evidence appears to show that Clinton used her office as Secretary of State to confer benefits to Russia in exchange for millions of dollars in donations to her foundation and cash to her husband. Secret recordings, intercepted emails, financial records, and eyewitness accounts allegedly show that Russian nuclear officials enriched the Clintons at the very time Hillary presided over a governing body which unanimously approved the sale of one-fifth of America’s uranium supply to Russia. (Read more from “Gregg Jarrett: Still No Evidence of Trump-Russia ‘Collusion’ – but Hillary Is a Different Matter” HERE)

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Manafort Indicted, Campaign Volunteer Pleads Guilty in Russia Probe

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By WND. Former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and an associate surrendered to federal authorities Monday on felony charges of conspiracy against the United States and other charges in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation of Russian influence on the 2016 election.

Meanwhile, a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump, George Papadopoulos, entered a guilty plea in the investigation, admitting he lied to the FBI about his contacts with Russians.

The indictment swept up Manafort’s onetime business partner and protégé Rick Gates, but it makes no allegations about the 2016 election. Both pleaded not guilty.

It alleges 12 counts, including conspiracy against the U.S., conspiracy to launder money, being an unregistered foreign agent, misleading statements and failing to file reports of foreign bank accounts. The charges relate to overseas business operations. (Read more from “Manafort Indicted, Campaign Volunteer Pleads Guilty in Russia Probe” HERE)

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Clinton Ally Resigns as Firm Cited in Manafort Indictment

By Art Moore. The Podesta Group, founded by Democratic operative Tony Podesta and his brother, former Hillary Clinton campaign chairman John Podesta, appears to be one of the companies named in the indictment of Paul Manafort released Monday by special counsel Robert Mueller.

The release was followed later Monday by Tony Podesta’s announcement of his resignation from the Podesta Group. Podesta was a top campaign contributor and bundler for Hillary Clinton.

The indictment, the Daily Caller was first to report, states Manafort and associate Paul Gates – both of whom were charged with tax evasion and other crimes – chose two companies, dubbed Company A and Company B, to engage in “a multi-million dollar lobbying campaign in the United States at the direction of [former Ukrainian President Victor] Yanukovych, the Party of Regions, and the government of Ukraine” from 2006 to 2014.

NBC News previously reported, citing sources close to the investigation, that Mueller’s probe had expanded to the Podesta Group. The other lobby group in the indictment is reported to be Mercury LLC. (Read more from “Clinton Ally Resigns as Firm Cited in Manafort Indictment” HERE)

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Pro-Trans Judge Tells Trump ‘How to Run Military’

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A federal judge in Washington ruled Monday that while Barack Obama’s administration was allowed to change U.S. military rules based on his political agenda, President Trump cannot reverse the changes.

The temporary block on Trump’s plan to reverse Obama’s order that transgendered individuals be allowed to serve in the military was issued by Colleen Kollar-Kotelly in a case brought by transgenders.

The plaintiffs asserted Trump’s plan, which is under review before being implemented, violates their rights to due process and equal protection under the law under the U.S. Constitution. Kollar-Kotelly said the claim, filed in August, was likely to succeed, asserting the ban was unconstitutional because the administration’s reasons for it “do not appear to be supported by any facts” . . .

“This is where judicial activism is leading us. The courts have moved beyond legislating on the invented rights of abortion and same-sex marriage to clearly usurping the constitutional authority of the executive branch,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council and a Marine veteran.

“The president has the primary task of protecting Americans, but we see the courts weakening his immigration policies designed to protect America from threats and now telling the commander-in-chief how to run the military,” Perkins said. (Read more from “Pro-Trans Judge Tells Trump ‘How to Run Military'” HERE)

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IRS ‘Targeting’ Focus Now Turns to Lois Lerner

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A formal apology and reported $3.5 million settlement by the IRS with tea party and other conservative organizations the federal agency targeted during the 2012 election may not be the end of the story.

Just as apologizing – even sincerely – to a highway patrol officer may not enable a driver to avoid a traffic ticket.

Several individuals and groups that were victimized by the IRS tax-exempt organizations division run by Lois Lerner are calling for the reopening of a criminal investigation into her activities.

WND reported Friday the IRS offered a “sincere apology” for the Obama administration’s manipulation of the feared federal agency to target conservative organizations when Barack Obama was seeking re-election.

“For such treatment, the IRS expresses its sincere apology,” the agency said in a proposed consent order to resolve a number of lawsuits against the government brought by the injured organizations. (Read more from “IRS ‘Targeting’ Focus Now Turns to Lois Lerner” HERE)

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Navy SEAL Team 6 Under Investigation in Strangling of Green Beret

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By Jonah Bennet. The Navy is investigating two members from Navy SEAL Team 6 to find out whether or not they strangled a Green Beret to death in Mali.

Army Green Beret Staff Sgt. Logan J. Melgar was discovered dead in embassy housing in Mali in June, and his superiors immediately believed there to be foul play at work, which led investigators to subsequently declare the death a homicide by strangulation, The New York Times reports.

The first investigator was dispatched to Mali within 24 hours.

Shortly after the death, two Navy SEALs were taken out of Mali and put on administrative leave. At first, the SEALs were merely “witnesses,” but investigators soon changed that status to “persons of interest.”

Army Criminal Investigation Command looked into the case for several months before passing it off to the Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS). (Read more from “Navy SEAL Team 6 Under Investigation in Strangling of Green Beret” HERE)

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2 Navy SEALs Under Suspicion in Strangling of Green Beret in Mali

By Eric Schmitt. Navy criminal authorities are investigating whether two members of the elite SEAL Team 6 strangled an Army Green Beret in June while they were in Mali on a secret assignment, military officials say.

Staff Sgt. Logan J. Melgar, a 34-year-old veteran of two tours in Afghanistan, was found dead on June 4 in the embassy housing he shared in the Malian capital, Bamako, with a few other Special Operations forces assigned to the West African nation to help with training and counterterrorism missions.

His killing is the latest violent death under mysterious circumstances for American troops on little-known missions in that region of Africa. Four American soldiers were killed in an ambush this month in neighboring Niger while conducting what was initially described as a reconnaissance patrol but was later changed to supporting a much more dangerous counterterrorism mission against Islamic militants in the area. (Read more from “2 Navy SEALs Under Suspicion in Strangling of Green Beret in Mali” HERE)

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Despite Strong Economic Numbers, Trump’s Approval Rating Remains Low

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President Donald Trump remains below 40 percent approval in a key poll despite strong economic growth.

An NBC/Wall Street Journal poll released Sunday showed that 38 percent of Americans approve of Trump’s job performance.

The poll results come after the Commerce Department released figures showing the U.S. economy growing at a higher rate than expected and continued record stock market performances. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders frequently points at economic indicators to prove the Trump presidency is a success.

“The stock market is up. Unemployment is down. Jobs are back. And ISIS is on the run. America is winning, and that’s what we like to talk about,” Sanders said during a June press briefing.

However, Americans still aren’t fans of the Trump presidency. (Read more from “Despite Strong Economic Numbers, Trump’s Approval Rating Remains Low” HERE)

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Roger Stone Says He Will Sue Twitter Over Account Suspension

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Longtime Trump associate Roger Stone Jr. said he will sue Twitter in response to the company banning him from the platform.

“I have retained one of the best telecommunications lawyers in the country and will be bringing a legal action against Twitter over the suspension of my account,” he told TheWrap. “The battle for free speech has just begun.”

Stone would not publicly name the attorney until he signed a retainer agreement, which he said he expected to do Monday.

“I have been inundated on Twitter with bloggers threatening to kill me, my wife my kids and even my dogs yet Twitter seems unconcerned about that,” he said “This is just part and parcel of the tech lefts effort to silence conservative voices.”

Stone, always a provocative presence on the platform, was finally kicked off for good Saturday after launching a series of profanity-laced tweets towards CNN anchor Don Lemon and other network personalities. (Read more from “Roger Stone Says He Will Sue Twitter Over Account Suspension” HERE)

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Mueller’s Office Will Issue First Public Indictment

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By NBC News. A federal grand jury in Washington has approved the first criminal charges in the special counsel’s investigation into Russian election interference, two sources told NBC News, marking a significant milestone in an inquiry that has roiled Donald Trump’s presidency.

Mueller’s Special Counsel’s Office will make public an indictment on Monday, a U.S. official with firsthand knowledge of the process confirmed to NBC News, without disclosing the name of the target or the nature of the charges. The timing was confirmed by a second source familiar with the matter.

CNN was the first to report on Friday that the grand jury approved charges, citing multiple sources. The network added that the charges remain sealed by order of a federal judge.

Peter Carr, a spokesman for Mueller, declined to comment Friday night. (Read more from “Mueller’s Office Will Issue First Public Indictment” HERE)

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Dread, Expectation Hang Over Washington Before Mueller Sweep

By Stephen Collinson. A mood of fateful anticipation is cloaking Washington, with possible arrests imminent after the federal grand jury in the Russia investigation approved its first charges.

By taking one or more people into custody, a prospect first reported by CNN Friday, Justice Department special counsel Robert Mueller would create a new, perilous reality for the White House, reflecting the gravity of the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and alleged collusion by President Donald Trump’s associates.

Trump and his team deny any wrongdoing, and so far there is no conclusive evidence from Mueller’s closely held investigation or several congressional probes of nefarious links with the Russians. (Read more from “Dread, Expectation Hang Over Washington Before Mueller Sweep” HERE)

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Judge Jeanine: After Russian Dossier Funding, Time to ‘Lock Her Up’

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By Fox News Insider. Judge Jeanine slammed Democrats’ involvement in the Russia dossier used to smear President Trump during the campaign, saying it is time to “lock up” Hillary Clinton.

Last week new reports surfaced that Hillary Clinton’s campaign and the Democratic National Committee paid an opposition research firm for the controversial and salacious document.

Special Counsel and former FBI Director Robert Mueller must be fired, and all involved in the scandal investigated, Judge Jeanine said.

“This has been a charade.”

Pirro pointed out that the media have accused Donald Trump’s campaign of colluding with Russia, but the tables seem to be turning. (Read more from “Judge Jeanine: After Russian Dossier Funding, Time to ‘Lock Her Up'” HERE)

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Speculation Swirls as Mueller Indictment Looms in Russia Investigation

By Fox News. Speculation has escalated in Washington and across the country as lawmakers await the announcement of at least one indictment in special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation into alleged ties between the Trump campaign and Russia during the 2016 election — an announcement that could come as early as Monday.

The top Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee, Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., predicted Sunday on ABC News’ “This Week” that two prominent Trump campaign associates believed to be at the center of the investigation — former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn and former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort — could be indicted.

“Well, you know, there are two people I think just from press reporting that it is likely to be, either Mike Flynn or Paul Manafort,” Schiff said. “We haven’t been informed of who it is, and I don’t think it would been appropriate for Bob Mueller to tell us.”

Manafort has been the subject of an investigation into his dealings in Ukraine several years ago — for which he did not file as a foreign agent until June 2017. (Read more from “Speculation Swirls as Mueller Indictment Looms in Russia Investigation” HERE)

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Pentagon Makes Big Admission About Women in Combat

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A new Pentagon report that recommends including women in the Selective Service registration for any future draft includes a backhanded admission that females cannot meet the same combat standards as men.

The “Report on the Purpose and Utility of a Registration System for Military Selective Service” concludes the present volunteer military is serving the nation’s needs, but it says a draft always should remain an option because of the potential for future threats.

The report aligns with the Obama administration’s use of the military for social experimentation, with women in combat and tip-of-the-spear roles previously occupied by men, allowance of transgenders, open homosexuality and more.

It means that while President Trump has moved away from such experimentation, the holdovers from the previous administration still have authority.

The new report states: “Under current law, women may serve voluntarily in the U.S. Armed Forces but are not, and never have been, required to register for selective service. Since the ban on women in combat was lifted [by Obama], the merits of including women in the requirement to register for the draft have been hotly debated in the media and in the halls of Congress.” (Read more from “Pentagon Makes Big Admission About Women in Combat” HERE)

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