CNN Reporter Banned from White House Event
On Wednesday, Kaitlan Collins, the CNN White House Correspondent, attended a photo-op with President Trump and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker.
Collins was acting as the White House pool reporter and had tried to ask Trump questions about Russian President Vladimir Putin's postponed visit and recently released tapes documenting a conversation with lawyer Michael Cohen. President Trump ignored the questions, not just from Collins, but from everyone in the room.
Collins’ questions came after the conclusion of the remarks by President Trump and after the president had been asked to leave the Oval Office. It is standard protocol for reporters to ask the president questions at such events, and Trump, unlike some of his predecessors, often engages.
Shortly afterward the photo-op, Collins was summoned to the office of Bill Shine, Trump’s new deputy chief of staff for communications. There, Shine and Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Collins that she was barred from a Rose Garden press event later in the day with Trump.
"They said that the questions I asked were inappropriate for that venue," Collins told CNN.
Collins asked Trump the following questions: “Did Michael Cohen betray you, Mr. President?” and then repeated the question a second time. Then she asked “Mr. President, are you worried about what Michael Cohen is about to say to the prosecutors? Are you worried about what is on the other tapes, Mr. President?” When Trump didn’t answer Collins asked, “Why is Vladimir Putin not accepting your invitation, Mr. President?”
In a statement from Sarah Huckabee Sanders, she said, “At the conclusion of a press event in the Oval Office a reporter shouted questions and refused to leave despite repeatedly being asked to do so. Subsequently, our staff informed her she was not welcome to participate in the next event, but made clear that any other journalist from her network could attend. She said it didn’t matter to her because she hadn’t planned to be there anyway. To be clear, we support a free press and ask that everyone be respectful of the presidency and guests at the White House.”
Jay Wallace, President of Fox News and Executive Editor also commented on the situation saying, “We stand in strong solidarity with CNN for the right to full access for our journalists as part of a free and unfettered press.”
However, Fox Business host Lou Dobbs on Wednesday night said he supports the White House's decision to ban a CNN reporter from a press event for asking President Trump questions earlier that day. “My question is, who the hell are you?” Dobbs said after reading CNN's statement about the ban. “The president does insist on respect.”
“All I have to say about that is it’s about time there were consequences for disrespectful behavior in the White House.”
House Conservatives File Impeachment Articles on Rosenstein
House Republican members, led by Jim Jordan and Mark Meadows of the conservative Freedom Caucus, introduced articles of impeachment against Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein on Wednesday. The House members have claimed that he committed “high crimes and misdemeanors” for failing to turn over requested documents and obstructing oversight by Congress.
According to a released statement, Rod Rosenstein was "intentionally withholding embarrassing documents and information.” The House members allege the agency hid investigative information from Congress, abused the Federal Intelligence Surveillance Act and failed to comply with subpoenas.
A House GOP aide told ABC News Wednesday night that the articles of impeachment were not filed as a "privileged resolution," meaning they cannot force a vote on it on the House floor. However, the aide said, "that could change."
Impeachment is unlikely, and it is very unlikely at this point that the House will vote on the measure anytime soon. Rosenstein could also be held in contempt of Congress for not releasing the requested documents.
To hold someone in contempt, a majority of committee members must vote for a contempt citation, which must then be approved by the full House. If approved, the contempt citation is referred to the U.S. attorney for the District of Columbia, who brings the case to a grand jury for action.
President Trump could also fire Rod Rosenstein or force him to resign.
Dallas Cowboys Players Must Stand for Anthem
Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones on Wednesday said the team’s players will be required to stand on the sidelines for the national anthem this season, days after the NFL said it would freeze a new policy on the polarizing issue amid ongoing negotiations with the players union.
Starting before the 2016 season, dozens of NFL players have taken a knee during the national anthem to protest racial injustice and police brutality. The debate over the policy intensified last season after President Donald Trump said players were disrespecting the American flag and called on league owners to fire anyone who did not stand for the anthem.
At the spring owners' meetings, the NFL announced a new policy that would require players on the sideline to stand for the anthem. Last week, the league and the NFL Players Association issued a joint statement that said "no new rules relating to the anthem will be issued or enforced for the next several weeks" while both sides continue to hold discussions to figure out how to move forward.
It’s unclear if the NFL will have a new policy in place before the start of the 2018 season. With the suspension of the discussions, Jones said the teams do not have to file their anthem policy with the league.
University Cancels Classes for Day of 'Privilege' Programming
On November 6, the University of Alaska Southeast in Juneau, Alaska is cancelling most classes so that students and faculty members can attend a day long “Power and Privilege Symposium”
According to the university, most classes “will be canceled to allow students and faculty the opportunity to attend and/or present at the Symposium.” This is the 3rd Annual UAS Power and Privilege Symposium.
In a released statement by the university, the goal of this symposium is, “to give members of the UAS and Southeast Alaska communities an opportunity to come together and engage in difficult, thoughtful, and honest conversation about the ways social hierarchies and identities manifest themselves in our communities.”
The school is certain that the symposium will be held on November 6 and that there will be no classes to allow students and staff to attend. There is not a finalized agenda and not keynote speaker has been announced.
Mail Time!
- Dear Bill,
I not only have Trump fatigue, I also have politics fatigue. It seems every day some leftist is having a meltdown and over exaggerates the facts. Sick of it! I watch you and listen to Ben Shapiro. That's it. My joy has returned!
Keep up what you’re doing. You bring back the common sense in reporting the news.
- I like your idea about Trump should take a vacation. And I think he should throw his Twitter machine away for a month. That way we could have a rest of this sickening hateful rhetoric from the mainstream media.
- I don't like that way the White House Press Corps operates. President Trump and Ms Sarah Huckabee-Sanders could help take are country back by controlling the press room. As it is now, the Press Secretary is an interviewee with a whole gaggle of interviewers. She should school the press corps on basic journalism which they seem to have forgotten. Questions asked should be: Who, What, Where, When and Why. Anything else is not reporting.
Word of the Day: Jejune |
