Congressional Black Caucus: Booker or Harris? ("The News," Thur., Jan. 31, 2019)
TOP OF FIRST HOUR:
(The Hill) The Congressional Black Caucus faces a tough decision on Harris and Booker. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-CA, won several Capitol Hill with her star power, but fellow Congressional Black Caucus members are hesitant to come out and support her. They praised her “awesome” campaign rollout, a 20,000-person rally in Oakland, $1.6M raised in 24 hours, a televised CNN town hall in Iowa, but they’re torn between backing Harris and another popular “African American” Democratic senator expected to launch a White House bid: Cory Booker of NJ. The new CBC chairwoman Karen Bass (D-CA whom Jesse debated at Politicon a recent year) thought Harris’s buzz was “amazing,” she said, “I am excited, but I have not endorsed anyone yet. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX) thought Harris’s campaign was “outstanding,” but she’s one of at least a dozen CBC members who told The Hill Weds they weren’t taking sides yet. Rep. Terri Sewell (black female D-AL) said, “I think it’s awesome we have so many amazing choices.” Rep. Danny Davis (D-IL) said Harris’s Oakland rally evoked “shades of Barack,” but he said “it would give me pause” if and when Booker jumps in. JLP has been saying Cory Booker & Kamala Harris were both bucking to run for president….
(Fox News) Ranking Judiciary Committee Republican wants FBI to explain use of force in Stone arrest. Rep. Doug Collins, R-Ga., sent a letter to FBI Director Christopher Wray on Wednesday, questioning the bureau's tactics when arresting Roger Stone, last week at his Florida home. On Hannity, Lindsey Graham also questioned the amount of force used to arrest the 66-year-old Stone at his home, given that he was not deemed a flight risk and had already publicly stated that he expected to be indicted. Collins pointed out that when Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., was indicted in 2015 on 14 charges, his lawyers were allowed to discuss how the lawmaker would voluntarily surrender. Collins also wanted to know if the FBi spoke to any media prior. A CNN commentator was near the scene during the time of the raid on Stone’s house and overheard his conversation with FBI agents.
(AP) Roger Stone pleaded not guilty to mueller’s charges on Tuesday in court in DC. The longtime Trump advisor and GOP political operative was arraigned on a seven-count indictment brought by special counsel Robert Mueller. The 24-page indictment of Stone, laid out charges of witness tampering, obstruction of justice and lying to Congress (CBS News) protestors were flying Russian flags as reporters mobbed Stone. Loudspeakers were playing the Beatles’ Back in the USSR. Still no actual allegations of Russian collusion by Trump or anyone in the campaign.
BOTTOM OF FIRST HOUR:
Quick reminder on WikiLeaks which is Stone just told the Trump campaign about new WikiLeaks releases from DNC emails which revealed collusion between Democrats and media figures such as NBC’s Chuck Todd, Debbie Wasserman-Schultz, and others.
(AP) An official says a mystery volunteer cleaned and maintained bathrooms at a national monument in New Mexico. Dennis Vasquez, The superintendent for Petroglyph National Monument expressed his gratitude for the “mystery person” who cleaned bathrooms during the government shutdown and kept them stocked with toilet paper. People who bisited the site during the 35-day shutdown were respectful of the the National Park overall. President Donald Trump on Friday agreed to end the shutdown for three weeks. The National Park Service said then that it was preparing to resume regular operations nationwide. Petroglyph National Monument is a protected site with carved symbols and designs dating back centuries.
Follow Jesse Lee Peterson on Stream.me/JesseLeePeterson — it’s his official Stream.me page where you can catch this radio show live M-F 6-9am Los Angeles time, and Church on Sundays 11am L.A. time.
TOP OF SECOND HOUR:
Shoutout to Periscope, Facebook live, YouTube live, & Stream.me/jesseleepeterson
(Politico) Sarah Sanders: God wanted Trump to become president. Sanders said during an interview with Christian Broadcast Network News, “I think God calls all of us to fill different roles at different times, and I think that he wanted Donald Trump to become president. And that’s why he’s there, and I think he has done a tremendous job in supporting a lot of the things that people of faith really care about.” Politico says that the president has long touted his Christian faith, and white evangelical voters have overwhelmingly supported his presidency. Trump admin. supports issues backed by evangelicals, such as restricting abortion rights, eliminating a birth control mandate, and expanding school choice and voucher programs. Recently, Trump in a tweet endorsed what Politico is calling a controversial campaign to introduce Bible literacy classes to public schools. Politico seems confused, citing what they call several gaffes, such as when he mispronounced “Second Corinthians" during the 2016 campaign. They also say he was criticized for not saying the Apostle’s Creed or singing some of the hymns during George H.W. Bush’s funeral in December. And of course they classlessly cite his past: Trump's multiple divorces and alleged affairs have also not significantly affected the president’s popularity among white evangelical voters.
(Politico needs to start watching Jesse Lee Peterson live M-F 9-noon ET & Church Sun. 2pm ET! On Stream.me/jesseleepeterson or FB The Jesse Lee Peterson Show — or Periscope.tv/jlptalk which blue check journalists can find on Twitter by following @JLPtalk)
(The Hill) Ocasio-Cortez on Schultz: Why are billionaires who want to run for president never told to ‘work their way up’? Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) on Wednesday ripped former Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz over his possible independent presidential bid, suggesting his lack of political experience pointed to a double standard. "Why don't people ever tell billionaires who want to run for President that they need to 'work their way up' or that 'maybe they should start with city council first'?" the 29-year-old congresswoman tweeted. She quote-tweeted a Daily Beast article saying “Howard Schultz blames Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez for his decision to run as an Independent and it has to do with her plan to tax the rich.” Schultz, the son of a truck driver who lived in a housing project, became a billionaire from his time at the helm of Starbucks. He said Tuesday morning, "It's far two extremes on both sides and the silent majority of America does not have a voice, and that's the voice I want to give." (Question: Is he the one who pushed same-sex marriage and homosexuality in America’s face? And told investors to find another company to invest in if they don’t like it?) But he attacked Ocasio-Cortez's proposal to impose a 70 percent marginal tax rate on income above $10 million, slammed Sen. Kamala Harris's (D-Calif.) plan for "Medicare for all" as "not American" and said Sen. Elizabeth Warren's (D-Mass.) plan for a special 2 percent annual tax on Americans whose net worth exceeds $50 billion was "ridiculous."
BOTTOM OF SECOND HOUR:
(Fox News) Mexico confirms it’s ending a fast-track visa program for Central American caravan. (But it’s not clear they’re willing to be effective in stopping these caravans.) Mexico’s Institute of National Migration confirmed that their temporary asylum visa fast-track program is suspended, and no more of those visas will be given for now. The Wall Street Journal first reported Tuesday that some 12,600 migrants, mostly from Honduras, applied for humanitarian visas since Jan. 16, and 4,000 have received them. Mexico is talking about making new migrants to apply in the Mexican Embassy in their native countries. But it’s unclear if officials will enforce Mexico’s southern border more aggressively. A caravan of nearly 2,000 left from San Pedro Sula, Honduras' most violent city, on Jan. 14. Upon arrival in Mexico, new migrants must fill out a form indicating their country of origin, gender and age — but are not required to give their name. They have the option — but are not required — to officially register in Mexico and seek temporary asylum for up to one year.
TOP OF THIRD HOUR:
Stream.me/jesseleepeterson now has payed subscribers shout out to furred Reich and Brandie Rose 1979.
(NY Times) “Undocumented Immigrant who worked for Trump will attend his State of the Union.” An “undocumented immigrant” who worked at a Trump golf club in NJ for years and recently spoke out about her experience was invited by “her Democratic congresswoman,” according to the woman’s lawyer and the Congresswoman’s office. Victorina Morales had worked as a housekeeper at Trump Nat’l Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ, since 2013, & spoke to NY Times last month. On the advice of her lawyer Anibal Romero, she stopped going to work Dec. 4, two-days before the Times published the article. Morales is from Guatemala and since ditching her job has campaigned for rights & fair treatment of “undocumented immigrants.” She said she’s “very proud because I am going to raise my voice for all of us immigrants.” She said in Spanish, “I’m not scared to show my face. I am not speaking for me, I’m speaking on behalf of millions of undocumented immigrants who live in the United States.” The congresswoman is Bonnie Watson Coleman, representing the district where this woman Morales lives. Watson Coleman said, “Immigrants by and large are hardworking, trustworthy and skilled people who simply want to work and build better lives here. For years these kinds of people were loyal and dedicated enough to be Trump Organization employees. I hope that in his State of the Union Address, Donald Trump will finally acknowledge the real face of immigrants in this country — women and children fleeing violence; law-abiding, taxpaying people who would do almost anything to be Americans. And if he can’t, I’ve invited Victorina so that he may look her in her eyes and tell his lies to a familiar face.”
Be sure to check out Jesse’s playlist on YouTube — Build the Wall and Send the Illegals Back!
BOTTOM OF THIRD HOUR:
Trump tweeted a couple hours ago: Republicans on the Homeland Security Committee are wasting their time. Democrats, despite all of the evidence, proof and Caravans coming, are not going to give money to build the DESPERATELY needed WALL. I’ve got you covered. Wall is already being built, I don’t expect much help! … He then tweeted: Democrats are becoming the Party of late term abortion, high taxes, Open Borders and Crime! ... Trump also tweeted this morning: More troops being sent to the Southern Border to stop the attempted Invasion of Illegals, through large Caravans, into our Country. We have stopped the previous Caravans, and we will stop these also. With a Wall it would be soooo much easier and less expensive. Being Built!
(Wash. Post) An extreme freeze was linked to several deaths, with emergencies declared across the Midwest — where millions experienced a freeze normally only seen in the Arctic Circle on Weds. Officials in Mich., Wisc., and Minn. linked six deaths to the weather as of Weds. night, including some who likely froze to death. Gov’ers in Wisc. & Mich. declared states of emergency & closed all state gov’t offices. Some agencies were closed in Illinois as well.