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Trump Schedule || Monday, September 24, 2018

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8:30 am || Participates in the Global Call to Action on the World Drug Problem; UN Headquarters, New York City
2:45 pm || Meets with South Korean President Moon; New York City
3:45 pm || Participates in a signing ceremony for the United States-Korea Free Trade Agreement; New York City
5:15 pm || Meets with Egyptian President Sisi; New York City
6:30 pm || Meets with French President Macron; New York City
7:45 pm || With the first lady, participates in a Diplomatic Reception photo line; New York City

All times Eastern

*******

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Second Woman Accuses Kavanaugh of Sexual Misconduct

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A second woman has come forward with an accusation of sexual misconduct against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh. The allegation, which is 35 years old, was reported by Ronan Farrow in the New Yorker.

In short, the woman alleges that during his freshman year at Yale University, Kavanaugh exposed himself to her during a drunken gathering. The woman admits that she too was very drunk but says she remembers enough to make the charge. Two other men whom she says were present deny that this happened, or that they remember it happening. Another former student says he remembers being told about it soon after it supposedly happened. The woman making the charge, Deborah Ramirez, is a Democrat who, she says, “works toward human rights, social justice, and social change.”

Many of you must be thinking, Another charge from long ago that is not supported. And you are absolutely right. But I am here to tell you the truth, no matter how unpalatable, which is that this is bad news for Kavanaugh. The charges are graphic. Several GOP senators, particularly Susan Collins of Maine, will now find it hard to support him.

Two wrongs don’t make a right, and two charges with little to back them up do not add up to the truth. But the Democrats are clever and ruthless. They do what it takes to win. That’s why Republicans elected Trump. He must not abandon Kavanaugh, and Kavanaugh, assuming this did not happen and that no further evidence emerges to show it did, must stay in the fight.

White House: All Four Individuals Said to be at Party Deny Blasey Ford Claim

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  • A statement from White House spokesperson Kerri Kupec on new information regarding Dr. Christine Ford’s allegation against Judge Brett Kavanaugh:

“One week ago, Dr. Christine Ford claimed she was assaulted at a house party attended by four others. Since then, all four of these individuals have provided statements to the Senate Judiciary Committee denying any knowledge of the incident or even having attended such a party.”

Background:

– On September 16, the Washington Post reported on Dr. Ford’s allegation of sexual assault taking place at a party attended by Judge Kavanaugh and three other individuals.

– On September 17, Judge Brett Kavanaugh issued a statement, saying: “This is a completely false allegation.” He urged the Committee to allow him to testify publicly, and in an interview with Committee Counsel, repeated his categorical denial.

– On September 18, Mark Judge issued a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, saying: “I have no memory of the alleged incident. … I do not recall the party described.”

– On September 19, Patrick “PJ” Smyth issued a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee, stating “I have no knowledge of the party in question; nor do I have any knowledge of the allegations of improper conduct she has leveled against Brett Kavanaugh.”

– On September 22, Leland Keyser issued a statement to the Senate Judiciary Committee through her counsel, stating “Ms. Keyser does not know Mr. Kavanaugh and she has no recollection of ever being at a party or gathering where he was present, with, or without, Dr. Ford.”

NY Times: Rosenstein Wanted to Tape Trump, Talked 25th Amendment; Is it True?

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The New York Times Friday reported the following. I urge you to use caution with this and consider the sources, which appear to be, well, the New York Times, and various officials hostile to President Trump, like former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe.

According to the Times report:

The deputy attorney general, Rod J. Rosenstein, suggested last year that he secretly record President Trump in the White House to expose the chaos consuming the administration, and he discussed recruiting cabinet members to invoke the 25th Amendment to remove Mr. Trump from office for being unfit.

Mr. Rosenstein made the remarks about secretly recording Mr. Trump and about the 25th Amendment in meetings and conversations with other Justice Department and F.B.I. officials. Several people described the episodes in interviews over the past several months, insisting on anonymity to discuss internal deliberations. The people were briefed either on the events themselves or on memos written by F.B.I. officials, including Andrew G. McCabe, then the acting bureau director, that documented Mr. Rosenstein’s actions and comments.

None of Mr. Rosenstein’s proposals apparently came to fruition. It is not clear how determined he was about seeing them through, though he did tell Mr. McCabe that he might be able to persuade Attorney General Jeff Sessions and John F. Kelly, then the secretary of homeland security and now the White House chief of staff, to mount an effort to invoke the 25th Amendment.

Rosenstein flatly denies the story. The Justice Department provided an anonymous source who said they were at the meeting and that Rosenstein mentioned a wiretap but was only being sarcastic. What’s more, the Times appears to not be relying directly on anyone who was at the meeting – other than the denials.

In his radio program Friday night, Mark Levin poses an excellent theory about what is going on here. Levin, a former chief of staff at the Justice Department, says he is being told that Rosenstein never seriously contemplated such things. Levin believes enemies of the president are trying to anger him into firing Rosenstein and provoke a crisis that could hand Democrats the Congress and sink the Kavanaugh nomination.

Makes sense to me. A sudden Constitutional crisis. New charges of abuse of power and obstruction of Justice by Trump. Questions raised anew about whether Kavanaugh loves executive power and would act to protect Trump.

Conservatives, and the White House, would be wise to be careful before falling into what could be a trap.

Michelle Obama Charging Up to $3,000 for Tickets to Her Book Tour

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Is she going to be accompanied by Paul and Ringo?

Former First Lady Michelle Obama’s message to her fans is Love me, do! – and show the love with greenbacks that will pad her earnings from her book “Becoming,” which won’t be released until November but which is already at #8 on Amazon.

Of course, this begs the obvious joke about whether the book should have been named “Becoming Rich,” but the Obamas are already wealthy based on her husband’s two autobiographies. Not to mention $3.2 million in presidential salary. But that’s peanuts.

Well, you know, the left is all about poor people. But that doesn’t mean they have to be coming to your book tour and everything. I mean, come on!

According to the Washington Post:

Tickets to hear Obama and as-yet-unnamed moderators discuss her upcoming memoir “Becoming” ranged from $29.50 for perches in the nosebleeds to $3,000 for front-row seats and a package that includes a “pre-show photo opportunity,” meet-and-greet reception with Obama, a signed book and other perks, including an “exclusive VIP gift item.”

Honestly, I spent eight years as a White House reporter listening to the Obamas’ platitudes. I would spend $3,000 NOT to meet with Michelle and to be permitted to sit as far away as possible.

Some members of the proletariat are wondering just what’s going on here, according to the Post:

With many fans snapping up cheap seats first, the big-ticket packages were some of the only seats left soon after the presale started. That didn’t sit well with some would-be attendees who complained about getting priced out. “I love Michelle Obama, I do,” a fan wrote on Twitter. “She is everything. But I am sorely disappointed in how expensive these book tour tickets are.”

“Michelle Obama is out here selling Beyoncé priced tickets and I was not prepared,” another wrote.

Yeah, well, tough, pay up.

I am also truly humbled by the response, by which I mean, I didn’t even get a book tour for my book. Hmmph.

Don’t worry, ten percent of the proceeds will go to local charities. Michelle is willing to put down a little CYA cash to preserve her left-wing bonafides.

How about 50 percent? Yeah, now we’re talking.

I don’t know. I guess this is a lot better than the money and influence funneling foundation the Clintons set up for themselves. There’s nothing corrupt about Michelle making a buck. I just want to remind her as she rakes in the cash: “You didn’t build that!”

I mean, there are roads to the arenas that she and her audience must take. Okay? Asphalt roads.

Kavanaugh Accuser Objects to Questioning by Non-Senator. Why?

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Can someone explain to me the rationale behind this?

Christine Blasey Ford, who has accused Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of sexually assaulting her 36 years ago, has a lot of requirements she wants senators to meet before she will agree to testify in front of the Judiciary Committee. The oddest, and most suspicious, is that she wants only members of the panel to question her.

Is that what she wants? Is that what her Democratic lawyers want? Because it sure sounds like they are trying to arrange a good visual of a bunch of angry old white men beating up on a lone, injured woman.

Having a non-senator question a witness is something Senate panels have done all the time. For example:

So what’s the problem? Is it that the Republicans would choose a woman to query Ms. Ford? Which of course, they would.

She also has requested that Kavanaugh testify first. But don’t worry, that’s probably just a joke. Because everyone knows it makes no sense for an accused person to defend himself before his accuser has spoken. Unless she thinks Kavanaugh is the accuser. So you see, it’s gotta be a joke. You know, like putting up a safety net after the high-wire act has been performed at the circus.

Speaking of circuses, just wait until the Democrats get started on Kavanaugh.

She also can’t do Monday. I don’t know, seems like if you accuse someone of sexual assault you might be able to open up your schedule so you can appear before others to justify your claim.

But I honestly don’t want to make light of the situation. This woman may have been harmed, or at least she may believe she was, and that’s a serious matter. But proving it happened 36 years ago and that Kavanaugh did it would seem impossible to me, which is why this should proceed with minimal delay.

And let’s also note that, as politically incorrect as it sounds, there’s a chance Kavanaugh is the victim here, whether intentionally by someone making up a story or unintentionally by someone who is mistaken. The man has a wife, two daughters, a girls basketball team he coached and on which his daughter played, and a reputation. Each of these has been harmed. Perhaps very badly, and perhaps irrevocably.

CNN’s Cuomo Bullies Kellyanne Conway, Who Threatens to Walk Off His Show

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Have a look at this. CNN host Chris Cuomo repeatedly interrupts his “guest” Kellyanne Conway while she tries to make her arguments. He’s got a more voluble voice than her and is able to do it. If a male conservative host did this to a liberal woman, they’d be called sexist and accused of “mansplaining” to them, or something. But it’s okay for liberals to bully conservative women.

This is what passes now for journalism and free debate. Strong-arming by an obviously biased “news” host who won’t even let a conservative speak. I’m sure he was hoping she would walk off the set and make headlines to boost his ratings. Maybe that was the idea.

Kavanaugh Supporter Ed Whelan Discredits Himself

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This morning, I wrote a piece describing tweets by Ed Whelan, who I described as a respected conservative. Whelan wrote that evidence would emerge showing Brett Kavanaugh did not assault Christine Blasey Ford. Whelan since named a classmate of Kavanaugh’s who looks like the judge and who, he says, could have assaulted Ford. I don’t… Continue Reading

Kavanaugh Accuser Would Testify Next Week – But Not Monday

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From the New York Times: The woman who has accused Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh of sexual assault has told the Senate Judiciary Committee, in an apparent bid to jump-start negotiations, that she “would be prepared to testify next week,” so long as senators offer “terms that are fair and which ensure her safety,” according to… Continue Reading

Video || One American Who Went to See His Country – and Liked What He Saw

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Just a video I thought you might like that appeared on the Facebook page of a fellow named Bill Kane the other day. It’s getting shared around FB a bunch. Kane lists himself as from Yeadon, Pennsylvania and says he has spent a lifetime traveling the country. Here’s his report. I imagine he’s a Republican.… Continue Reading