CNN's Cuomo defends Antifa: Those who oppose hate 'are on the side of right'

On Monday, CNN host Chris Cuomo stuck up for members of Antifa who got into physical altercations with police officers and journalists in Charlottesville over the weekend. Cuomo mocked the “pathetic” turnout of white supremacists and neo-Nazis and praised the overwhelming turnout of counter protestors. Cuomo said that Antifa should not be equated with white supremacists, arguing that "in a clash between hate & those who oppose it, those who oppose it are on the side of right" even if they resort to "petty violence."

"You attack cops, you slap the media, you are in the wrong, period," Cuomo said in a commentary on "Cuomo Prime Time." "But I argue to you tonight all punches are not equal morally."

"In the eyes of the law, yes. But in the eyes of good and evil, here’s the argument: If you’re a punk that comes to start trouble in a mask and hurt people you’re not about any virtuous cause," he continued. "You’re just somebody that’s going to be held to the standard of doing something wrong."

Secret Service Launching Investigation into Antifa Threats to Murder Trump

Multiple members of the Antifa group gathered outside the White House Sunday and threatened President Trump with physical violence and murder. The Secret Service told The Daily Caller they are now “aware” of the threats and are “investigating” the progressive protesters. 

The Daily Caller’s Reporter at Large, Benny Johnson, attended the rally and spoke to these far-left extremists. As he reported on the No Spin News yesterday, many of the responses he received included violence towards Trump. 

When asked, “If Donald Trump showed up here, what would you say or do?” the answers regularly and voluntarily veered to violence. Protesters looked into the camera and threatened to physically harm or “murder the president.”  

One said they wanted to “do him like Gaddafi” in reference to the Libyan leader that was dragged into the street, beaten and murdered by his own people. Another wanted to “piss” on Trump and “beat his ass.” Yet another protester bluntly said he would “murder Trump for the American people.”

Fired FBI agent Peter Strzok sets up anti-Trump Twitter account, GoFundMe page seeking $150G

A GoFundMe page launched on Monday by "Friends Of Special Agent Peter Strzok," seeks $350,000 to be "put into a trust dedicated to covering Pete’s hefty and growing legal costs and his lost income."  

"Peter Strzok, a man who has spent his entire life working to help keep us and our nation safe, has been fired," reads a message on the GoFundMe page. "He needs your help." 

As of August 14, thousands of people had donated over $300,000 of the $350,000 goal. Strzok's GoFundMe success is not unprecedented. Earlier this year a similar fundraising campaign for McCabe raised more than $500,000. 

Trump Campaign Files for Arbitration Against Omarosa over Confidentiality Breach

The Trump campaign said Tuesday that it had filed for arbitration in New York City over the former Trump administration official's alleged breach of a confidentiality agreement.

A spokesman confirmed to The Hill that Manigault-Newman would be held in violation of an agreement signed in 2016, while she was still a member of the Trump campaign. 

Omarosa Manigault-Newman said she has many secretly recorded tapes from her time inside the White House and she'll hand them over to special counsel Robert Mueller if asked. Omarosa appeared Monday night on MSNBC's "Hardball," and she said she'd be willing to cooperate with Mueller and his investigators. 

"If his office calls again, anything they want, I'll share," Manigault-Newman told host Chris Matthews, appearing to indicate that Mueller's office had called her before. She didn't elaborate what interactions she may have had with Mueller's office in the past. 

Omarosa Manigault-Newman recorded several conversations during her nearly one-year tenure at the White House. She has already played some for the media, including a recording of chief of staff John Kelly firing her and one of Trump himself expressing dismay over her dismissal.

Manafort Defense Rests Without Calling Witnesses

The defense rested its case Tuesday morning in the trial against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort without calling any witnesses. Manafort spoke for the first time in court during the trial, saying he will not testify. 

Manafort told Judge T.S. Ellis that he would not testify during a brief questioning at the podium before the jury was brought in the room. Manafort is not required to testify because of his Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination. 

Manafort faces 18 charges of tax and banking crimes and has pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. 

On Monday, Manafort's team formally requested the court dismiss the case, a move generally seen as procedural following the prosecution's presentation. 

Ellis denied Manafort's request to throw out bank fraud and other charges against him, after considering a procedural motion where he could have intervened if he believed the prosecution hadn't adequately presented its case to the jury. 

The motion was for acquittal of the bank fraud counts related to Federal Savings Bank. 

Jurors heard Monday from two final witnesses called by the prosecution: James Brennan of Federal Savings Bank and Paula Liss of the Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. Following that testimony, the Prosecution rested its case

Emails Show MA High School Teachers Refusing to Hide Anti-Trump Bias

A group of history school teachers at Newton North High School in Newton, MA, pledged to reject teaching objectivity while they conspired to hide their anti-Trump prejudice, emails show. 

The Federalist reported that the Newton North High School teacherswere instructed by the principal to show their students different perspectives on issues like gun laws and immigration.

The group of teachers pledged to reject the “call for objectivity” in the classroom, bully conservative students for their beliefs, and serve as “liberal propagandist[s]” for the cause of social justice. In a statement, Principal Henry Turner said that he supports the emails exchanged between the teachers and that they show "ways in which to allow thoughtful discussion. 

The guidelines asked teachers to remain objective while teaching about historical and current events; and to treat all students, regardless of political opinion, with respect.  

Teachers were told: “For current controversial issues (health care, immigration, environmental policies, gun laws), teach students that there are different perspectives and present the reasoning of those who hold those different perspectives.

History teacher, David Bedar, sent an email to history staff members, accusing President Trump and his supporters of “nativism, xenophobia, homophobia, etc.” He continued, “Personally, I’m finding it really difficult in the current climate to teach kids to appreciate other perspectives. The ‘other viewpoint’ might not really be an argument ‘about which reasonable people can disagree and might not lead to any kind of intellectual, policy debate, it might just be blatantly racist.”

History teacher Isongesit Ibokette followed up David Bedar’s email stating, “I am concerned that the call for ‘objectivity’ may just inadvertently become the most effective destructive weapon against social justice.”

Mail Time!

• Hi Bill, you had made mention that ANTIFA has attacked the camera crew of an NBC reporter so shouldn’t the Boston globe be leading 100 other newspapers in publishing editorials decrying the let’s actual criminal actions against the media instead of writing about Trump's words towards the media? The bias is just so blatant. Keep up the good work Bill!

• Bill thanks for setting the journalistic standard for those of us who listen to you on a daily basis. My question is, it was some weeks ago you said...if the economy continues to do as well as it is, Trump is going to be very difficult to beat. Then I heard you mention the Trump burn out syndrome the media is pedaling and you said....if it doesn't tone down, he could very well lose. I'm paraphrasing which I didn't agree with, until I realized the economy isn't everything. The prior president was reelected, fairly convincingly, during a time of economic stagnation so it seems if a weak economy is not a hindrance to Obama, a great economy might not carry Trump. Your thoughts? 

• Bill, one thing I think PMs can do that might make a difference in Chicago is email the President and ask that he consider putting the National Guard in the neighborhoods effected by the violence. If you google "email address of POTUS" there is a link to the White House. I email my Senator, Representative and the Governor whenever I feel strongly about something. What do you think of that solution?

Word of the Day: Picayune