Ronny Jackson withdraws as VA Secretary nominee:
On Thursday morning, Ronny Jackson withdrew his nomination as President Trump's nominee for VA Secretary, calling the allegations against him of alcohol abuse and over prescription of medication "false and fabricated."
Sarah Huckabee Sanders said Wednesday that Jackson had passed “at least four independent background checks” that found “no areas of concern.”
She said, “He has received more vetting than most nominees.” Shortly after Jackson dropped out, President Donald Trump called into Fox & Friends to praise Jackson as an “incredible man” who “runs a fantastic operation.”
Trump told Fox & Friends that he knows who he's going to nominate next, though he refused to provide a name. He said it was someone with “political capabilities.”
Mike Pompeo Receives Senate Nomination:
Mike Pompeo's nomination to be President Donald Trump's secretary of state cleared a key Senate hurdle on Thursday afternoon. The final vote was 57-42, which came after a handful of Democrats facing difficult reelection challenges joined Republicans in backing the CIA director.
Pompeo needed 50 votes from the Senate to be confirmed as the next Secretary of State.
Kanye West Criticizes Obama and Praises Trump:
On Monday, Kanye West sent out a series of tweets after fans lamented a report from Hot 97 radio host Ebro Darden that West recently told him, “I love Donald Trump,” and West defended a previous tweet in which the rapper complimented conservative commentator Candace Owens. Darden explained how he and West had a conversation over the weekend on a myriad of topics. He later revealed how shocked he was to hear West stand by his controversial stance and support of Trump.
On Wednesday, Kanye West followed up with more Trump tweets, one of them was an apparent request from his wife Kim Kardashian West, who is a critic of Trump, and clarified that he doesn't agree with everything Trump does.
Kanye West remained defiant amid mounting backlash from fans over the rapper's positive words about President Donald Trump, tweeting a picture of himself wearing a "Make America Great Again" hat and criticizing former President Barack Obama.
James Comey’s CNN Town Hall
On Wednesday, CNN featured a town hall featuring James Comey, which was hosted by CNN’s Anderson Cooper. The CNN town hall was held at William and Mary, James Comey’s alma mater. The live town hall comes amid the former FBI director's media blitz to promote his new book and a series of high-profile clashes with Trump.
During the town hall, James Comey confirmed CNN's reporting last week that he had shared the memos with additional close associates outside of the FBI, telling Anderson Cooper that he had shared the memos with his legal team after he was fired.
Comey was also questioned on any regrets he had as FBI Director. “I made a bunch of poor personnel decisions as FBI director,” he said. “I did something like I carelessly created a rift with Poland by speaking about them in a speech that wasn't about Poland. I did a bunch of other knucklehead things. No huge thing, but probably -- I could tick off about 30 sitting here of those kinds of things.”
Comey gave reasons why he views the Trump presidency as a “forest fire.” He said, “I think of Donald Trump's presidency as a forest fire that will do a lot of damage to values above our policy differences. But forest fires -- the reason I chose that metaphor -- is they do damage, but things grow in the wake of them that didn't have space or air or water to grow before.”
WaPo, Times, CNN, Politico and AP Seek Sealed Mueller Records
The Washington Post, The New York Times, CNN, Politico and The Associated Press filed a joint motion on Tuesday asking a court to unseal affidavits, warrants and seizure records filed by Mueller's team, the Post reported.
The motion argues that the sealed materials could contain information of public interest and provide details about the direction of Mueller's investigation and the basis for FBI raids.
The news media coalition is asking specifically for transcripts of hearings in the ongoing prosecution of President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, as well as access to sealed search warrant applications filed by investigators.
In addition, the news media organizations are asking for copies of applications and supporting affidavits for search warrants that have been executed in the case, including last year on Manafort’s home in Virginia and on a storage unit. The public interest in those records could not be greater, said the media court filing.
The request also covers warrant material used in the investigation of former Trump foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos, Paul Manafort’s associate Rick Gates and 13 Russian nationals who worked for the Internet Research Agency, a St. Petersburg-based company that allegedly plotted to undermine the 2016 election.
Iran Deal:
French President Macron addressed the press at an event at George Washington University in Washington on Wednesday. President Trump must decide by May 12th whether to continue suspending sanctions against Iran under the terms of the nuclear deal. Negotiated by the Obama Administration, the agreement lifts sanctions against Iran in exchange for Tehran accepting limits on its nuclear program.
May 12th is the deadline due to the fact that Trump is required to recertify the agreement every 90 days or leave its fate to Congress.
French President Emmanuel Macron said he believes President Trump will pull out of the Iran nuclear deal next month “for domestic reasons.” He also described the reversal of U.S. policy on international agreements, including Trump’s decision to pull the United States out of the Paris climate agreement, as “insane”.
President Macron stressed that he does not have inside information on Trump’s decision about the nuclear agreement. However, he said his view is that Trump “will get rid of this deal on his own, for domestic reasons.”
Sharyl Attkisson to Make Film Debut in Documentary About Free Speech
Sharyl Attkisson, who famously left CBS News and wrote a best-selling book alleging liberal bias in journalism, will make her film debut in No Safe Spaces, a humorous documentary about political correctness at universities. Also joining the movie are liberal activists Cornel West and Van Jones, the latter is the CNN contributor who was President Obama's special advisor for green jobs.
Attkisson is seen in the trailer amid scenes of chaos at various universities claiming that “the First Amendment is under assault,” while Jones speaks of college kids who demand to be “emotionally safe.” West, meanwhile, derides “conformity” and “cowardliness,” and Jordan Peterson, a rising conservative star, also makes an appearance.
The film, angling for a fall theatrical release, will feature lots of footage of college students shouting down conservative speakers like Ann Coulter and Ben Shapiro, and it will also allege bias in social media, delving into a lawsuit filed by Prager University against YouTube. Prager says the Google-owned platform is “restricting” about 40 of his five-minute videos because they make conservative arguments.
Caravan to Enter U.S. this Weekend
Hundreds of Central American migrants from a caravan that crossed Mexico reunited in Tijuana on Wednesday are planning to cross the border together this weekend in defiance of threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to repel them.
Busloads of migrants began arriving on Tuesday at a shelter that was a five minute-walk from the border and within sight of a U.S. flag waving under an overpass connecting the two countries.
Migrants said they fled their homes in Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras because of death threats from local gangs, the murder of family members or political persecution. Volunteers from U.S.-based advocacy group Pueblos Sin Fronteras, which organized the caravan, addressed the migrants to discuss a plan to cross together the main pedestrian bridge into the United States on Sunday.
Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen on Wednesday warned that the federal government is prepared to prosecute Central American migrants from a caravan planning to cross the U.S. border this weekend.
Mail Time!
- Bill, we millennials have a point that baby boomers, as a group, are becoming a net negative: massive social spending is occurring for those contributing less to the economy as they age. It is not their fault as individuals, but medical advancements and wealth has led to lower birthrates and baby boomers constitute such a large voting block that politicians will not make the necessary reductions in the enormous social spending required to balance the budget.
- The best news I heard today is that you are going to expand billoreilly.com and become a 'force of nature'! This country desperately needs to hear your honest and fair analysis. I truly believe you can make a difference. Thank you!
- Bill, Congratulations on your one-year anniversary this week of "The No Spin News"! We have not missed one of your newscasts since you began your technical production. You are a shining light in the murky world of journalism today. So happy to hear that you have plans to expand and become the true "voice of nature". May God guide you in all that you do and your commitment to fight the good fight and not give up "yet" on bringing the truth to us folks. We need your voice!
Word of the Day: Varlet |
