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Here’s How Trump Responded to Dem’s Impeachment Meeting

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The Trump administration responded to Democrats’ push for impeachment over a phone call that President Donald Trump had with Ukraine by announcing that the administration will be releasing the whistleblower complaint and the Inspector General report to Congress and will let the whistleblower testify in front of Congress.

“The White House is preparing to release to Congress by the end of the week both the whistleblower complaint and the Inspector General report that are at the center of House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry,” Politico reported. “The move shows the level of seriousness with which the administration is now approaching the House’s new impeachment proceedings.”

The Washington Times reported that the administration “reportedly has dropped its objection to Congressional Democrats getting testimony from the whistleblower whose leak started the Ukraine phone-call issue.”

The move comes after Trump announced on Tuesday that he is going to release on Wednesday the full unredacted transcript of his phone call with Ukraine. . .

Trump responded to the developments from Democrat House Speaker Nancy Pelosi that the Democrats plan to push ahead with impeachment in a series of tweets noting that Democrats have not even seen the transcript of the call.

(Read more from “Here’s How Trump Responded to Dem’s Impeachment Meeting” HERE)

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Here’s Why Adam Schiff Is Threatening to Sue the Trump Administration

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By The Daily Caller. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff threatened Thursday to sue the Trump administration over an intelligence official’s whistleblower complaint, which the director of national intelligence has refused to provide to Congress.

“I would imagine if it comes down that we have to go to court to get this, that we will have a very good case to seek a temporary restraining order … or some form of relief because the inspector general has said this can not wait,” Schiff told reporters after members of the committee met privately with Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) Michael Atkinson.

“I would imagine if it comes down that we have to go to court to get this, that we will have a very good case to seek a temporary restraining order … or some form of relief because the inspector general has said this can not wait,” Schiff told reporters after members of the committee met privately with Intelligence Community Inspector General (ICIG) Michael Atkinson.

“This is not a situation where we can afford to go through weeks or months of litigation in this court or that court. There’s an urgency here that I think the courts will recognize. I hope that’s not necessary,” Schiff said after the three-hour meeting.

The details of the complaint remain a mystery. Schiff said that Atkinson said he was unable to provide additional information about the complaint. Atkinson also declined to confirm a Washington Post report that the complaint, filed on Aug. 12, involves a phone call that President Donald Trump had with a foreign leader. (Read more from “Here’s Why Adam Schiff Is Threatening to Sue the Trump Administration” HERE)

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Whistleblower Complaint, Reportedly on Trump ‘Promise’ to Foreign Leader, Touches off DC Firestorm

By Fox News. A whistleblower complaint that reportedly involved allegations President Trump made a troubling and unspecified “promise” to a foreign leader touched off a new Washington firestorm on Thursday, as the intelligence community’s top watchdog was questioned by Congress on the matter and the president adamantly denied the accusations.

The details surfaced overnight in a Washington Post report, but many specifics remain unclear including the identity of the foreign leader.

Fox News has not confirmed the report, and White House officials have not offered additional comment on the claims.

But Trump railed against the Post’s reporting in a flurry of tweets that alleged his communications with foreign leaders were being blown out of proportion.

“Another Fake News story out there – It never ends! Virtually anytime I speak on the phone to a foreign leader, I understand that there may be many people listening from various U.S. agencies, not to mention those from the other country itself. No problem!” Trump said. “Knowing all of this, is anybody dumb enough to believe that I would say something inappropriate with a foreign leader while on such a potentially ‘heavily populated’ call. I would only do what is right anyway, and only do good for the USA!” (Read more from “Whistleblower Complaint, Reportedly on Trump ‘Promise’ to Foreign Leader, Touches off DC Firestorm” HERE)

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Trump Administration Ending Automatic Citizenship for U.S. Troops’ Children Born Abroad

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The Trump administration announced Wednesday that children born overseas to American servicemembers and government employees will no longer be granted automatic U.S. citizenship under a new rule slated to go into effect Oct. 29 of this year. . .

The policy alert issued by U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services was first reported by San Francisco Chronicle reporter Tal Kopan, and officials confirmed the guideline change to military and veteran-focused publication Task & Purpose. . .

USCIS spokesperson Meredith Parker confirmed to Task & Purpose, “The policy change explains that we will not consider children who live abroad with their parents to be residing in the United States even if their parents are U.S. government employees or U.S. service members stationed outside of the United States, and as a result, these children will no longer be considered to have acquired citizenship automatically.” . . .

Bloomberg reported that Trump officials are current analyzing the “correct interpretation” of a provision in the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which reads, “All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States.” (Read more from “Trump Administration Ending Automatic Citizenship for U.S. Troops’ Children Born Abroad” HERE)

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Several American Embassies Defy Orders from Trump Administration to Honor ‘Pride Month’

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By The Blaze. After the Trump administration formally denied requests from multiple United States embassies to hoist the LGBT flag in honor of “Pride Month,” several U.S. embassies and diplomatic missions are defying their orders. . .

Several embassies — including in Israel, Germany, Brazil, Latvia, among others — requested permission to honor “Pride Month” by flying rainbow flags. The requests, however, were denied.

American embassies have had official guidelines for honoring LGBT “Pride” events since 2011, when the Obama administration directed U.S. agencies involved in foreign policy to begin promoting LGBT rights. But the official State Department policy was changed last year by Mike Pompeo, a practicing Christian who became secretary of state last April. (Read more from “Several American Embassies Defy Orders from Trump Administration to Honor ‘Pride Month'” HERE)

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Trump Admin Tells U.S. Embassies They Can’t Fly Pride Flag on Flagpoles

By NBC News. . .Although the pride flag can and is being flown elsewhere on embassy grounds, including inside embassies and on exterior walls, the decision not to allow it on the official flagpole stands in contrast to President Donald Trump’s claim to be a leader in supporting LGBTQ rights overseas. Trump’s administration has announced a campaign to decriminalize homosexuality overseas and this month issued a tweet and formal statement to “celebrate LGBT Pride Month and recognize the outstanding contributions LGBT people have made.”

The denials to U.S. embassies have come from the office of the State Department’s undersecretary for management, Brian Bulatao, a longtime associate of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo who also worked for him at the CIA. Under State Department policy, embassies that want to fly the flag on their flagpoles are expected to obtain permission from Washington.

During the Obama administration, the government granted blanket permission to embassies overseas to fly the pride flag during June. This year, U.S. diplomats said, embassies were told they can display the pride flag in other places, including inside embassies, but that requests to fly it on the flagpole must be specifically approved. No approvals have been granted. (Read more from “Trump Admin Tells U.S. Embassies They Can’t Fly Pride Flag on Flagpoles” HERE)

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Is Team Trump Ready for Pelosi’s ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’?

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By Washington Examiner. The Trump administration is preparing for House Democrats to be a constant thorn in its side for the for the next two years, launching investigations into the president, his family, and members of his administration. . .

Armed with congressional subpoena power, House Democrats are expected to investigate everything from the president’s real-estate holdings and unreleased tax returns to his hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels to his termination of former FBI Director James Comey to any potential ties between himself, his associates and Russia. . .

As the administration remains outwardly confident, expressing willingness to work across the aisle, former administration officials and sources close to the White House who spoke to the Washington Examiner paint a different picture. They argue that White House officials underestimate the ability of Democratic inquiries to derail a presidential agenda.

Facing congressional subpoenas, document requests and requests for administration officials to appear before committees, House Democrats are guaranteed to make it difficult for the White House to control the message and promote the president’s “America First” policies. The concern is that even if the administration scores a policy win, like infrastructure, having an official appear before a committee to give sworn testimony will get the media coverage and “suck all the oxygen out of the room.”

“I think they are certainly not prepared for the death by a thousand cuts that is almost undoubtedly coming from Nancy Pelosi and House Democrats,” one source close to the administration told the Washington Examiner. “They are going to take every little thing they can take and use it against the president and the administration. Where it will have the biggest effect is it will derail their ability to communicate their policies or get coverage on their policies.” (Read more from “Is Team Trump Ready for Pelosi’s ‘Death by a Thousand Cuts’?” HERE)

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Pelosi, rebels discuss limiting her time as speaker to 4 years

By Politico. Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and a group of House Democratic rebels are discussing a proposal to cap her time as speaker to four years, a move that could clear the way for the California Democrat to clinch the gavel in the coming days.

The idea is part of a broader deal being floated that would limit the time all House Democratic leaders can serve, including Pelosi’s two longtime lieutenants, Reps. Steny Hoyer of Maryland and James Clyburn of South Carolina.

The plan would be a dramatic shift for Pelosi, who has refused to put an end date on her tenure as she works to reclaim the speakership.

Under the terms of the deal, Pelosi, Hoyer and Clyburn would be able to serve three terms with an option for a fourth term if they can win the support of two-thirds of the caucus, according to multiple Democratic sources. The effect would be retroactive, meaning the two terms the trio ruled in the majority from 2007 to 2011 would count against their tenure. (Read more from “Pelosi, rebels discuss limiting her time as speaker to 4 years” HERE)

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Not Obama’s State Department Anymore: Trump’s State Department Blasts Iran Full-Force

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On Sunday, the Trump administration’s State Department, a far cry from the Obama State Department’s sycophantic dealings with Iran, targeted the Iranian government with a series of blunt tweets that pointed out the corruption of Iranian officials, even referring to Iran’s Supreme leader, the Ayatollah Khamenei, as a “so-called holy man.” The State Department wrote, “Today is #AntiCorruptionDay. Sadly, for the Iranian people, their government is full of corrupt hypocrites. Take Ayatollah Khamenei, who has a tax-free hedge fund worth billions. This so-called holy man devours property from religious minorities, then funnels the cash to IRGC.”

Just in case you thought the State Department was only targeting Khamenei, think again. They were taking no prisoners. They followed with more tweets targeting more officials. They next tweeted, “This #AntiCorruptionDay Iranians have much to despair about. Their government is full of corrupt hypocrites. Meet Sadegh Mahsouli—The Billionaire General. Somehow he had a knack for winning lucrative construction and oil contracts from IRGC businesses. He is now worth billions.”

That was followed by tweeting, “Unfortunately, this #AntiCorruptionDay is a reminder for Iranians that their government is full of corrupt hypocrites. Meet Grand Ayatollah Makaram Shirazi—The Sultan of Sugar. He made millions flooding the market with expensive imported sugar, putting Iranian people out of work.”

(Read more from “Not Obama’s State Department Anymore: Trump’s State Department Blasts Iran Full-Force” HERE)

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How Trump and House Democrats Can Work Together on Foreign Affairs

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Following the 2018 midterms, political observers have begun forecasting dramatic battles between the Democratic House and the Trump administration over the next two years.

They predict that between the congressional investigations of the White House, wrangling with Republicans in the Senate, and political showmanship all around, little governing will actually take place. They may well be right, but for those on either side of the aisle interested in passing meaningful policy into law, there are definitely two areas where President Trump and congressional Democrats could work together: national security and foreign policy. . .

A place to start would be addressing the U.S. military’s ongoing involvement in Yemen. Despite bipartisan pushes for extracting our support from the Saudi-perpetuated humanitarian crisis, Trump has been reluctant to pull assistance from an ally. But there are signs that this obstacle might be eroding in the face of the admission that Saudi officials were complicit in the murder of a U.S. resident in Turkey.

American intervention in a small, strategically unimportant country’s civil war is precisely the kind of costly foreign entanglement Trump campaigned against. Steps can be taken by Congress and the administration to limit support to countries involved in the conflict and remove the boot from the throat of the Yemeni people.

There is also room for positive work on the broader war on terrorism, where the 2001 Authorization for the Use of Military Force (AUMF) — written in the impassioned aftermath of the 9/11 attacks — has long needed revisiting. Leaders in both parties have shown interest in reforming or ending the open-ended authorization for a global war on terror and the Trump administration could demonstrate good governance by collaborating in this process. (Read more from “How Trump and House Democrats Can Work Together on Foreign Affairs” HERE)

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Trump Administration Issues Major Decision on American Oil Production

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In what is sure to seem a controversial move to some, the Trump administration proposed Thursday that it is considering permitting drilling in most U.S. continental-shelf waters.

The plan includes drilling in areas such as the Atlantic and Arctic, considered protected areas and staunchly opposed by governors along the east coast and more than 100 U.S. lawmakers, according to The Washington Post.

According to Interior secretary Ryan Zinke, the proposal would exclude oil and gas exploration in only one of 26 planning areas in the Arctic Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean.

However, the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management recently identified 47 potential areas where companies within the industry can buy leases between 2019 and 2024 — the duration when the proposal would begin and end.

Yet, even though those such as The Draft Five Year Outer Continental Shelf Oil and Gas Leasing Program seem to be on board with the decision, the administration is expecting to face opposition from numerous state officials and environmentalists.

“Nothing is final,” Zinke said during a news conference. “This is a draft program. The states, local communities and congressional delegations will all have a say.”

And many conservatives, including Zinke, state the proposal is consistent with the president’s executive order in April when he made a pledge to widen energy exploration.

Zinke added that there was a clear difference between Trump’s plan and the previous administration’s policies.

The Obama administration, heeding the call of many environmentalists, had considered a five-year plan that would have permitted drilling in the Atlantic but abandoned the proposal by March of 2016 after concerns that the Navy conducted military exercises near those particular areas.

“This is a clear difference between energy weakness and energy dominance,” Zinke said, adding that the current administration would be cautious of environmental safeguards put in place.

However, environmental disasters of the past remain on the minds of many state officials along the east coast, specifically those who oppose drilling in the four planning regions all the way from Maine to the Florida Keys.

During a bipartisan call, both Republicans and Democrats have rejected to the uncertain terms that oil and gas drilling proposals have given.

“I’m not in favor of offshore drilling,” said Republican Maryland Governor Larry Hogan.

And even Henry McMaster, the Republican governor for South Carolina, has expressed concern over the impact to natural resources when drilling is performed.

Yet, Zinke didn’t address the other potential resistance from the Pentagon, but Assistant Secretary Kate McGregor stated that a task force has been implemented between the Interior and Defense departments in order to cool any misunderstanding and deal with the conflicts.

“We believe things can be done safely,” McGregor said. “In fact, in the central Gulf of Mexico planning area, 36 percent of leases are in military planning areas.

“We intend to continue a very strong relationship with DoD.” (For more from the author of “Trump Administration Issues Major Decision on American Oil Production” please click HERE)

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Why Is Trump Accepting the Resignation of an Ex-West Point Professor Who Criticized Obama’s Mother on Social Media?

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William C. Bradford, a Trump administration appointee who heads the Energy Department’s Office of Indian Energy, resigned Thursday after claiming this week inflammatory comments that appeared to have been made by him online were the result of hacking . . .

The account that appeared to be Bradford questioned Obama’s birth certificate and called the former president’s mother “a fourth-rate p&*n actress and w@!re.” . . .

In June, following his appointment to the Department of Energy, The Washington Post reported provocative comments Bradford made on Twitter — including calling Obama a Kenyan and saying that the World War II-era internment of Japanese-Americans was necessary. Bradford apologized for the comments at the time in a statement to the Post, calling them “inexcusable.”

In 2015, Bradford resigned as a professor at West Point after penning an academic paper that argued the US military should target Islamic holy sites as part of the war on terror. (Read more from “Why Is Trump Accepting the Resignation of an Ex-West Point Professor Who Criticized Obama’s Mother on Social Media?” HERE)

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Loser Federal Employee Quits Trump Admin ‘Because the People in Charge Want to Burn It Down’

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A former employee of a federal agency announced Wednesday that the reason for his recent departure was mainly due to his belief that the Trump administration is essentially “burning down” the government.

Noah Kunin originally felt compelled to write following the 2016 presidential election that he was staying on as an engineer for 18F, an agency that is modeled after a startup and operates within the federal government’s General Services Administration (GSA). But roughly eight months later (and six months into President Donald Trump’s tenure) he changed his mind, citing his discomfort with Trump’s conduct.

Specifically, Kunin cited two events as the tipping points.

First was the pre-release of former FBI Director James Comey’s written remarks before the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence . . .

The last straw for Kunin was that 18F — along with another larger service he helped create and its sibling organizations — is being reconfigured. He says that, to fully explain the whole ordeal, he would have to write a very lengthy “analytical piece.” Nevertheless, his primary grievance is that the commissioner of a particular agency soon to be higher up on the organizational hierarchy will “become a political position, with a person appointed directly by the White House” (emphasis his). (Read more from “Federal Employee Quits Trump Admin ‘Because the People in Charge Want to Burn It Down'” HERE)

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