inquisitr--2020-01-07--Cable News Pundits Supporting Qassem Suleimani Assassination Have Ties To Arms Industry, Says Report

Donald Trump ‘ s authorization of the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Suleimani has received support from many media pundits during appearances on network television .
Retired Army general Jack Keane praised Trump ’ s decision on Fox News and NPR , while fellow retired general David Petraeus told Foreign Policy that the president ’ s move would help “ reestablish deterrence , ” The Intercept ’ s Lee Fang reported .
Interestingly , Fang reports that Keane and Petraeus — as well as other pundits that have been supportive of Suleimani ’ s assassination — have undisclosed ties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to work for the controversial military contractor Blackwater and currently serves as a partner at venture capital firm SCP Partners , which Fang says invests in defense contractors .
As for Petraeus , he allegedly works for the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co. , which owns stock in major defense contractors and is reportedly attempting to bolster its defense portfolio amid increased military budgets .
Other pundits with similar undisclosed ties include former State Department official John Negroponte , former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson , and the chair of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hipp .
Gin Armstrong , a senior researcher with the Public Accountability Initiative , believes that it ’ s essential for viewers to understand the background of the people providing their news commentary when financial incentives are tied to the topics they are discussing .
The Intercept notes that stock prices for major defense contractors have increased following Suleimani ’ s assassination due to expectations of escalating conflict .
Glenn Greenwald , one of the co-founding editors of The Intercept , previously noted the relationship between media networks and intelligence officials .
His @ @ @ @ @ @ @ General Michael Horowitz ’ s report , which revealed numerous abuses of the FBI ’ s Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act process during the bureau ’ s investigation into Trump ’ s 2016 campaign .
According to Greenwald , such violations were successfully hidden for so long due to the “ highly dangerous trend ” of media outlets not just accepting the claims of security state agents but employing them as pundits on their shows , allowing them to influence the news cycle .
“ All of this has meant that U.S. discourse on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ entirely by the very agencies that are trained to lie : the CIA , the NSA , the Pentagon , the FBI .
And their lying has been highly effective , ” he wrote , noting that such national security reporters lied for years about the warrant obtained on Carter Page and its use of the Steel Dossier .

Donald Trump‘s authorization of the killing of top Iranian general Qassem Suleimani has received support from many media pundits during appearances on network television. Retired Army general Jack Keane praised Trump’s decision on Fox News and NPR, while fellow retired general David Petraeus told Foreign Policy that the president’s move would help “reestablish deterrence,” The Intercept’s Lee Fang reported.
Interestingly, Fang reports that Keane and Petraeus — as well as other pundits that have been supportive of Suleimani’s assassination — have undisclosed ties to the arms industry. Keane reportedly used to work for the controversial military contractor Blackwater and currently serves as a partner at venture capital firm SCP Partners, which Fang says invests in defense contractors. As for Petraeus, he allegedly works for the investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts and Co., which owns stock in major defense contractors and is reportedly attempting to bolster its defense portfolio amid increased military budgets.
Other pundits with similar undisclosed ties include former State Department official John Negroponte, former Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson, and the chair of the lobbying firm American Defense International Van Hipp.
Gin Armstrong, a senior researcher with the Public Accountability Initiative, believes that it’s essential for viewers to understand the background of the people providing their news commentary when financial incentives are tied to the topics they are discussing.
“The key question is why media outlets allow anyone with a financial interest in war — regardless of their previous military or government experience — to have access to their platforms at a critical time like this.”
The Intercept notes that stock prices for major defense contractors have increased following Suleimani’s assassination due to expectations of escalating conflict.
This morning, Obama DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson debunked Democrats' claim that Congress needed to approve Soleimani strike Johnson: Soleimani was a "lawful military objective" & the President had "ample domestic legal authority to take him out" pic.twitter.com/1LUqYAwm9j — Zach Parkinson (@AZachParkinson) January 5, 2020
Glenn Greenwald, one of the co-founding editors of The Intercept, previously noted the relationship between media networks and intelligence officials. His comments came in the wake of Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s report, which revealed numerous abuses of the FBI’s Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act process during the bureau’s investigation into Trump’s 2016 campaign. According to Greenwald, such violations were successfully hidden for so long due to the “highly dangerous trend” of media outlets not just accepting the claims of security state agents but employing them as pundits on their shows, allowing them to influence the news cycle.
“All of this has meant that U.S. discourse on these national security questions is shaped almost entirely by the very agencies that are trained to lie: the CIA, the NSA, the Pentagon, the FBI. And their lying has been highly effective,” he wrote, noting that such national security reporters lied for years about the warrant obtained on Carter Page and its use of the Steel Dossier.


inquisitr--2020-01-07--Mike Pompeo Informs Mitch McConnell That He Won’t Seek Kansas GOP Senate Seat In 2020

Pompeo was previously expected to announce his run for a Kansas Senate seat to ensure Republicans have a better chance at maintaining control in 2020 .
As Republicans look to hold on to their majority control in the U.S. Senate , one surefire step in making that happen was the possibility of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo running for a Kansas seat in 2020 .
However , Pompeo informed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday that he ’ s no longer interested .
According to The Hill , the secretary of state , who has previously served in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ political and military background , was seen as a practical slam-dunk that would give the GOP one less Senate seat to worry about losing in 2020 .
But in the wake of the surprise drone strike that resulted in the death of Iranian military commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani — which escalated tensions between the United States and Iran to unprecedented levels — Pompeo reportedly told Republican party officials that he won ’ t be seeking the open seat , as reported by The New York Times .
The California native served as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ from 2011-2017 .
He also completed a distinguished career as a U.S. military officer , as well as a brief stint as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2017 to mid-2018 .
Pompeo ’ s apparent exit from the 2020 race leaves the Kansas Senate seat vulnerable , as the remaining Republican candidates aren ’ t necessarily seen as strong enough contenders to ensure a 2020 win — at least not at the level of assuredness that Pompeo would have provided .
Other GOP candidates in the running for the Senate @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a failed bid for the Kansas governorship in the 2018 election .
The Hill reported that Kobach is able to muster support from the more conservative voters in the state but seems to have trouble with moderates and independents .
McConnell reportedly believes that a Kobach nomination will allow Democrats to grab the win , with Sen. Barbara Bollier — a former member of the Republican party and presumably popular with moderates — as the likely Democratic nominee .
As previously reported by The Inquisitr , Pompeo drew criticism from Ben Rhodes — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Barack Obama administration — in the wake of President Donald Trump ’ s drone strike on Soleimani after the secretary of state essentially blamed Obama for the rocky relationship between the United States and Iran .
While appearing on Fox News Sunday , Pompeo claimed that Obama put the United States in a position of acting as a “ quasi-ally ” with Iran , which later led to the death of Americans at Iran ’ s hands due to the number of militias backed by the country .
Rhodes ripped Pompeo for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , offensive , obscene and an absolute disgrace.
” “ This man and his boss have destroyed America ’ s reputation and made a shambles of Iran policy in part because of their pathetic obsession with Barack Obama who they will never , ever measure up to , ” Rhodes tweeted in response .

As Republicans look to hold on to their majority control in the U.S. Senate, one surefire step in making that happen was the possibility of Secretary of State Mike Pompeo running for a Kansas seat in 2020. However, Pompeo informed Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell on Monday that he’s no longer interested.
According to The Hill, the secretary of state, who has previously served in the House of Representatives and has a strong political and military background, was seen as a practical slam-dunk that would give the GOP one less Senate seat to worry about losing in 2020.
But in the wake of the surprise drone strike that resulted in the death of Iranian military commander Gen. Qassem Soleimani — which escalated tensions between the United States and Iran to unprecedented levels — Pompeo reportedly told Republican party officials that he won’t be seeking the open seat, as reported by The New York Times.
The California native served as a representative of Kansas’ fourth congressional district from 2011-2017. He also completed a distinguished career as a U.S. military officer, as well as a brief stint as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency from 2017 to mid-2018.
Pompeo’s apparent exit from the 2020 race leaves the Kansas Senate seat vulnerable, as the remaining Republican candidates aren’t necessarily seen as strong enough contenders to ensure a 2020 win — at least not at the level of assuredness that Pompeo would have provided.
Other GOP candidates in the running for the Senate seat include Kris Kobach, who ran a failed bid for the Kansas governorship in the 2018 election. The Hill reported that Kobach is able to muster support from the more conservative voters in the state but seems to have trouble with moderates and independents.
McConnell reportedly believes that a Kobach nomination will allow Democrats to grab the win, with Sen. Barbara Bollier — a former member of the Republican party and presumably popular with moderates — as the likely Democratic nominee.
As previously reported by The Inquisitr, Pompeo drew criticism from Ben Rhodes — a top national security aide in the Barack Obama administration — in the wake of President Donald Trump’s drone strike on Soleimani after the secretary of state essentially blamed Obama for the rocky relationship between the United States and Iran.
While appearing on Fox News Sunday, Pompeo claimed that Obama put the United States in a position of acting as a “quasi-ally” with Iran, which later led to the death of Americans at Iran’s hands due to the number of militias backed by the country.
Rhodes ripped Pompeo for the accusation, calling it “a lie, offensive, obscene and an absolute disgrace.”
“This man and his boss have destroyed America’s reputation and made a shambles of Iran policy in part because of their pathetic obsession with Barack Obama who they will never, ever measure up to,” Rhodes tweeted in response.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Barack Obama Allies Reportedly ‘Hate’ Bernie Sanders, Have ‘No Idea’ How To Stop Him From Winning

In late November , news broke that former President Barack Obama is telling those close to him that he would be willing to intervene in the Democratic primary in order to stop Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders from winning the nomination .
Opposed to the senator and his agenda , Obama reportedly told advisers that he would “ speak up ” if Sanders were “ running away with the nomination.
” While it may be too early to tell which of the White House hopefuls is “ running away with the nomination , ” Sanders seems to be among the best-positioned @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in the polls in key early states and raised more money than anyone else in the race .
According to a new report from The Daily Beast , Obama ’ s allies have taken note of the senator ’ s rise .
According to the report , those in the Obama-sphere “ hate ” Sanders , but have “ no idea ” how to stop him from winning the nomination .
Multiple allies of the former president spoke with the publication , airing their grievances and discussing Sanders ’ chances of becoming the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ senior Obama campaign staffer indicate that the former president ’ s people hold a grudge against Sanders and members of his campaign .
“ If you read between the lines of what the Sanders folks are saying about the rationale of his candidacy , it is based on their belief that Barack Obama was not progressive , ” the staffer said , accusing the Vermont senator ’ s campaign of undermining Obama .
Another person close to Obama dismissed Sanders , saying that he would not stand a chance against President Donald Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ will be showing that you can defeat Donald Trump .
And he can not , ” they said .
Polls suggest otherwise .
In fact , almost every single head-to-head matchup poll listed on RealClearPolitics suggests that Sanders would beat Trump .
Neera Tanden , who served as the policy director for the Obama-Biden presidential campaign , dismissed Sanders ’ fundraising prowess .
“ Money is important but doesn ’ t always translate to votes , ” Tanden said .
Sanders has shunned donations from super PACs and billionaires , remaining the only @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on grassroots support .
In the fourth quarter , the senator raised $ 34.5 million , far surpassing the rest of the field .
Furthermore , 300.000 new donors contributed during this timeframe , indicating that his base is continuing to expand .
A former top Obama adviser acknowledged that Sanders is “ never going to run out of money , ” but dismissed his chances of winning the nomination .
Although Obama ’ s allies are “ eager to poke every conceivable hole ” in Sanders ’ campaign , one would get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about a coordinated effort to stop his ascending campaign , ” according to The Daily Beast .

In late November, news broke that former President Barack Obama is telling those close to him that he would be willing to intervene in the Democratic primary in order to stop Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders from winning the nomination. Opposed to the senator and his agenda, Obama reportedly told advisers that he would “speak up” if Sanders were “running away with the nomination.”
While it may be too early to tell which of the White House hopefuls is “running away with the nomination,” Sanders seems to be among the best-positioned candidates to do so, having surged in the polls in key early states and raised more money than anyone else in the race. According to a new report from The Daily Beast, Obama’s allies have taken note of the senator’s rise.
According to the report, those in the Obama-sphere “hate” Sanders, but have “no idea” how to stop him from winning the nomination. Multiple allies of the former president spoke with the publication, airing their grievances and discussing Sanders’ chances of becoming the Democratic nominee.
Statements from a former senior Obama campaign staffer indicate that the former president’s people hold a grudge against Sanders and members of his campaign.
“If you read between the lines of what the Sanders folks are saying about the rationale of his candidacy, it is based on their belief that Barack Obama was not progressive,” the staffer said, accusing the Vermont senator’s campaign of undermining Obama.
Another person close to Obama dismissed Sanders, saying that he would not stand a chance against President Donald Trump.
“The strongest argument against Bernie will be showing that you can defeat Donald Trump. And he cannot,” they said.
Polls suggest otherwise. In fact, almost every single head-to-head matchup poll listed on RealClearPolitics suggests that Sanders would beat Trump.
Today, I am very proud to share with you some extraordinary news: our campaign has received more than 5 million individual contributions — that is more contributions than any campaign has received at this point in a presidential election in the history of our country. pic.twitter.com/XsRHaVEEpT — Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) January 1, 2020
Neera Tanden, who served as the policy director for the Obama-Biden presidential campaign, dismissed Sanders’ fundraising prowess.
“Money is important but doesn’t always translate to votes,” Tanden said.
Sanders has shunned donations from super PACs and billionaires, remaining the only candidate in the race to rely exclusively on grassroots support. In the fourth quarter, the senator raised $34.5 million, far surpassing the rest of the field. Furthermore, 300.000 new donors contributed during this timeframe, indicating that his base is continuing to expand.
A former top Obama adviser acknowledged that Sanders is “never going to run out of money,” but dismissed his chances of winning the nomination.
Although Obama’s allies are “eager to poke every conceivable hole” in Sanders’ campaign, one would get “crickets” once they “ask about a coordinated effort to stop his ascending campaign,” according to The Daily Beast.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Justin Amash Says Donald Trump Must Listen To Congress Amid Threats To Iran

Independent Justin Amash has been highly critical of Donald Trump ‘ s foreign policy and increasingly vocal about his concerns after his decision to leave the Republican Party .
The Michigan congressman recently expressed his belief that Trump is not authorized to go to war with Iran following the president ’ s authorization of the assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani , and he recently doubled down on his beliefs in a lengthy Twitter thread on the situation .
“ Successive presidents and Congresses have conspired to rob the American people of the Constitution ’ s guarantee that they @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the nation to war , ” Amash began the thread , likely referring to the many presidents that have ignored Article I , Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution , which grants Congress the authorization to declare war .
Amash noted that it is the duty of Congress — not the president — to represent the American people in national debates .
“ The president ’ s job is to execute the law after Congress has debated and written it , ” he continued .
Amash noted that members of Congress live in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and regularly receive feedback from their constituents , whom they are “ accountable to ” for their decisions in national debates .
The 39-year-old congressman said that the Founding Fathers gave Congress the authority to declare war and acts of war against foreign powers to ensure that the American people have a say in the debate that leads to such decisions .
Meanwhile , tensions between the U.S. and Iraq have been escalating following Soleimani ’ s death .
Iran has threatened retribution , and Trump subsequently threatened to attack Iranian cultural sites @ @ @ @ @ @ @ war crimes .
Although the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq was reported to be planning to remove some troops from the region , U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said soon after that the country has “ no plans ” to leave the country , per Al Jazeera .
Amash was previously critical of Trump ’ s decision to remove troops from Syria , which some took as a sign that the U.S. would be leaving the region .
The libertarian-leaning Independent noted reports that the troop removal was not intended to end military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ conflicting reports of the U.S. ’ s alleged military withdrawal from Iraq .

Independent Justin Amash has been highly critical of Donald Trump‘s foreign policy and increasingly vocal about his concerns after his decision to leave the Republican Party. The Michigan congressman recently expressed his belief that Trump is not authorized to go to war with Iran following the president’s authorization of the assassination of Iranian Major General Qassem Soleimani, and he recently doubled down on his beliefs in a lengthy Twitter thread on the situation.
“Successive presidents and Congresses have conspired to rob the American people of the Constitution’s guarantee that they be heard in the decision to send the nation to war,” Amash began the thread, likely referring to the many presidents that have ignored Article I, Section 8 of the U.S. Constitution, which grants Congress the authorization to declare war.
Amash noted that it is the duty of Congress — not the president — to represent the American people in national debates.
“The president’s job is to execute the law after Congress has debated and written it,” he continued.
Amash noted that members of Congress live in the communities they are elected to represent and regularly receive feedback from their constituents, whom they are “accountable to” for their decisions in national debates. The 39-year-old congressman said that the Founding Fathers gave Congress the authority to declare war and acts of war against foreign powers to ensure that the American people have a say in the debate that leads to such decisions.
“When a president engages in war without congressional authorization and Congress does nothing to stop him, the two branches cut the American people out of the process, in violation of our Constitution’s design. This undermines both the liberty and the safety of the people.”
This Constitution of the United States of America will serve as notification to the president that should he order nondefensive strikes without congressional approval, he will be in violation of the law. Such legal notice was provided in 1789 but is given here again nevertheless. pic.twitter.com/ZzTDRbuDqf — Justin Amash (@justinamash) January 6, 2020
Meanwhile, tensions between the U.S. and Iraq have been escalating following Soleimani’s death. Iran has threatened retribution, and Trump subsequently threatened to attack Iranian cultural sites, which some claimed would amount to war crimes. Although the U.S.-led military coalition in Iraq was reported to be planning to remove some troops from the region, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said soon after that the country has “no plans” to leave the country, per Al Jazeera.
Amash was previously critical of Trump’s decision to remove troops from Syria, which some took as a sign that the U.S. would be leaving the region. The libertarian-leaning Independent noted reports that the troop removal was not intended to end military involvement in Syria, mirroring the current conflicting reports of the U.S.’s alleged military withdrawal from Iraq.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Republican Senators Introduce Resolution To Dismiss Impeachment Articles Against Donald Trump

On Monday , a group of Republican senators introduced a resolution to dismiss articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump before the House of Representatives sends them over , reports The Hill .
The resolution was introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri , and it is meant to change the Senate ’ s impeachment rules .
The current rules , according to Hawley , do not address a delay in transmitting impeachment articles against a president .
“ The Constitution gives the Senate sole power to adjudicate articles of impeachment , not the House .
If Speaker Pelosi is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ articles should be dismissed for failure to prosecute and Congress should get back to doing the people ’ s business , ” the Missouri senator explained in a statement .
House Democrats , led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi , have refused to send the articles to the upper chamber .
The articles , Democrats claim , will be sent to the Senate once Majority Leader Mitch McConnell commits to holding a fair and impartial trial .
If Hawley ’ s resolution passes , the House will have 25 days to send articles of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it refuses to do so , a senator could dismiss impeachment “ with prejudice for failure by the House of Representatives to prosecute such articles ” with a simple majority vote .
Several prominent senators are supporting the resolution , including Rick Scott of Florida , Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee , Ted Cruz of Texas , Mike Braun of Indiana , Tom Cotton of Arkansas , David Perdue of Georgia , James Inhofe of Oklahoma , John Barrasso of Wyoming , and Steve Daines of Montana .
In a statement , Cruz — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Republican primary , but now fully supports his agenda — accused House Democrats of making a “ mockery ” of the United States Constitution .
“ Now , they ’ re undermining the role of the Senate by attempting to dictate the terms of the Senate ’ s trial , ” he said .
Although he does not support Hawley ’ s resolution , Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said last week that he would try to persuade McConnell to change the Senate rules and start the trial .
McConnell has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ We can ’ t hold a trial without the articles , ” he said on Friday .
Top Democrats have indicated that they do not plan on holding the articles indefinitely , but it remains unclear when the House will send them over to the Senate .
According to House Democrats , Trump committed impeachable offenses when he pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden , threatening to cut military aid unless his requests are fulfilled .
The president claims to have done nothing wrong , and maintains @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hoax .
”

On Monday, a group of Republican senators introduced a resolution to dismiss articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump before the House of Representatives sends them over, reports The Hill.
The resolution was introduced by Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri, and it is meant to change the Senate’s impeachment rules. The current rules, according to Hawley, do not address a delay in transmitting impeachment articles against a president.
“The Constitution gives the Senate sole power to adjudicate articles of impeachment, not the House. If Speaker Pelosi is afraid to try her case, the articles should be dismissed for failure to prosecute and Congress should get back to doing the people’s business,” the Missouri senator explained in a statement.
House Democrats, led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi, have refused to send the articles to the upper chamber. The articles, Democrats claim, will be sent to the Senate once Majority Leader Mitch McConnell commits to holding a fair and impartial trial.
If Hawley’s resolution passes, the House will have 25 days to send articles of impeachment to the Senate, and if it refuses to do so, a senator could dismiss impeachment “with prejudice for failure by the House of Representatives to prosecute such articles” with a simple majority vote.
Several prominent senators are supporting the resolution, including Rick Scott of Florida, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Ted Cruz of Texas, Mike Braun of Indiana, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, David Perdue of Georgia, James Inhofe of Oklahoma, John Barrasso of Wyoming, and Steve Daines of Montana.
In a statement, Cruz — who ran against Trump in the 2016 Republican primary, but now fully supports his agenda — accused House Democrats of making a “mockery” of the United States Constitution.
“Now, they’re undermining the role of the Senate by attempting to dictate the terms of the Senate’s trial,” he said.
Although he does not support Hawley’s resolution, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said last week that he would try to persuade McConnell to change the Senate rules and start the trial.
McConnell has repeatedly dismissed all Republican initiatives, however.
“We can’t hold a trial without the articles,” he said on Friday.
Top Democrats have indicated that they do not plan on holding the articles indefinitely, but it remains unclear when the House will send them over to the Senate.
According to House Democrats, Trump committed impeachable offenses when he pressured the Ukrainian government to investigate former Vice President Joe Biden, threatening to cut military aid unless his requests are fulfilled.
The president claims to have done nothing wrong, and maintains that impeachment is yet another Democratic “hoax.”


inquisitr--2020-01-06--U.S.-Led Coalition Reportedly Plans To ‘Thin Troops’ In Iraq

After President Donald Trump authorized the killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad , Iraq , Iraqi parliament voted for the withdrawal of United States troops from the country .
In response , the U.S.-led military coalition in the country is reportedly planning to withdraw troops from the region , Reuters reports .
The letter announcing the withdrawal was penned by the United States Marine Corps Brigadier General William H. Seely III — who is the commanding general of Task Force Iraq — and addressed to the Iraqi defense ministry ’ s Combined Joint Operations Baghdad .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the Republic of Iraq , and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister , CJTF-OIR will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement , ” the letter reads .
The letter ’ s authenticity was reportedly confirmed to Reuters .
But according to Sky News ’ foreign affairs editor , Deborah Haynes , a coalition source says that the plan is to “ thin out ” troops in Baghdad , not completely leave the country .
“ We ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ source reportedly said , according to Haynes ’ Twitter .
The news comes just one day after Trump threatened sanctions on Iraq if they tried to force the U.S. from the region in a hostile manner , as well as shortly after the U.S. sent an additional 3,500 troops to the Middle East , including some to Iraq .
Per Reuters , Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi spoke to U.S .
Ambassador to Baghdad Matthew Tueller today , suggesting that the two countries work together on withdrawing American troops from the region @ @ @ @ @ @ @ prime minister ’ s office , Mahdi “ stressed the importance of mutual cooperation ” during the withdrawal process , as well as creating a “ proper foundation ” for U.S.-Iraq relations .
The withdrawal plan comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate following an attack on a U.S. embassy in Baghdad and the subsequent killing of Soleimani via a drone strike .
In response to Iran threatening retribution for the strike , Trump claimed to possess a list of 52 Iranian cultural sites that he said the U.S. @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a senior U.S. military official said that he is not aware of the existence of such a list .
Experts say that the Soleimani attack and subsequent escalation in tensions have put Iraq in a tricky position .
While the U.S. has had a military presence in Iraq for almost 20 years , the country does not appear to want to get into a conflict with its powerful neighbor , Iran .

After President Donald Trump authorized the killing of top Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani in Baghdad, Iraq, Iraqi parliament voted for the withdrawal of United States troops from the country. In response, the U.S.-led military coalition in the country is reportedly planning to withdraw troops from the region, Reuters reports.
The letter announcing the withdrawal was penned by the United States Marine Corps Brigadier General William H. Seely III — who is the commanding general of Task Force Iraq — and addressed to the Iraqi defense ministry’s Combined Joint Operations Baghdad.
“Sir, in deference to the sovereignty of the Republic of Iraq, and as requested by the Iraqi Parliament and the Prime Minister, CJTF-OIR will be repositioning forces over the course of the coming days and weeks to prepare for onward movement,” the letter reads.
“We respect your sovereign decision to order our departure.”
The letter’s authenticity was reportedly confirmed to Reuters.
But according to Sky News’ foreign affairs editor, Deborah Haynes, a coalition source says that the plan is to “thin out” troops in Baghdad, not completely leave the country.
“We’re not leaving Iraq,” the source reportedly said, according to Haynes’ Twitter.
The news comes just one day after Trump threatened sanctions on Iraq if they tried to force the U.S. from the region in a hostile manner, as well as shortly after the U.S. sent an additional 3,500 troops to the Middle East, including some to Iraq.
BREAKING: The US military sends a letter to the Iraqi military announcing the “onward movement” of US troops “in due deference to the sovereignty of Iraq & as requested by the Iraqi Parliament & the Iraqi PM”. It’s a withdrawal. pic.twitter.com/tQHSsHTtez — Liz Sly (@LizSly) January 6, 2020
Per Reuters, Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi spoke to U.S. Ambassador to Baghdad Matthew Tueller today, suggesting that the two countries work together on withdrawing American troops from the region. According to a statement from the prime minister’s office, Mahdi “stressed the importance of mutual cooperation” during the withdrawal process, as well as creating a “proper foundation” for U.S.-Iraq relations.
“He stressed how dangerous the situation is right now and its potential consequences, adding that Iraq is doing everything it can to prevent the descent into open war.”
The withdrawal plan comes as tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate following an attack on a U.S. embassy in Baghdad and the subsequent killing of Soleimani via a drone strike. In response to Iran threatening retribution for the strike, Trump claimed to possess a list of 52 Iranian cultural sites that he said the U.S. would target in retaliation. However, a senior U.S. military official said that he is not aware of the existence of such a list.
Experts say that the Soleimani attack and subsequent escalation in tensions have put Iraq in a tricky position. While the U.S. has had a military presence in Iraq for almost 20 years, the country does not appear to want to get into a conflict with its powerful neighbor, Iran.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Donald Trump’s Mental Health Is An Impeachment Consideration, Says Maxine Waters

The mental health of Donald Trump is a frequent topic of discussion for his adversaries , who often claim that he is unfit for office and a danger to the United States .
During an appearance on MSNBC ’ s Kasie DC on Sunday , California Rep. Maxine Waters called the president a “ liar ” and suggested that his mental health could factor into the impeachment process , Breitbart reports .
“ [ W ] e know several things about this president , ” Waters said .
“ We know he ’ s a liar .
We know that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Washington Post ’ that he ’ s lied thousands of times .
I think it ’ s over 15,000 times that they ’ ve actually documented .
We know that there is a matter of trust.
” The 81-year-old politician continued to note the psychiatrists who have expressed concern with Trump ’ s mental state , noting his frequent tweets and on-the-fly decision making that she claims excludes the high-ranking officials around him .
Waters continued to suggest that supporting Trump is not a partisan matter but one of trust .
Waters previously @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be imprisoned and placed in solitary confinement .
She made the comments on Twitter amid others that took aim at the president and his administration for allegedly pressuring Ukraine into digging up dirt on his opponents using foreign aid as leverage .
Despite the pushback , Waters defended her comments on CNN .
Speaking with Anderson Cooper , who pressed Waters on whether her comments have affected her “ cause , ” Waters pivoted to more attacks on Trump , Fox News reported .
Waters is not the only one who has repeatedly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and mental state .
Yale psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee has raised concerns on multiple occasions , and most recently , the professor of psychiatry called for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to request a 72-hour mental health hold on Trump following his authorization of the drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani .
Lee noted the previous signs of Trump ’ s purportedly dangerous mental state , including his abrupt withdrawal of troops from northern Syria , which she claims was done in “ direct response ” to the announcement of an @ @ @ @ @ @ @ professor noted that 800 mental health professionals signed a petition calling on Congress to consult with American psychiatrists , psychologists , and other mental health professionals about the president ’ s current mental state .

The mental health of Donald Trump is a frequent topic of discussion for his adversaries, who often claim that he is unfit for office and a danger to the United States. During an appearance on MSNBC’s Kasie DC on Sunday, California Rep. Maxine Waters called the president a “liar” and suggested that his mental health could factor into the impeachment process, Breitbart reports.
“[W]e know several things about this president,” Waters said. “We know he’s a liar. We know that it has been documented by ‘The Washington Post’ that he’s lied thousands of times. I think it’s over 15,000 times that they’ve actually documented. We know that there is a matter of trust.”
The 81-year-old politician continued to note the psychiatrists who have expressed concern with Trump’s mental state, noting his frequent tweets and on-the-fly decision making that she claims excludes the high-ranking officials around him. Waters continued to suggest that supporting Trump is not a partisan matter but one of trust.
“It’s whether or not they can trust the president of the United States, whether or not he’s a liar, whether or not he’s a — mental health is good. It is whether or not he’s presidential, yes.”
Waters previously faced criticism for calling for Trump to be imprisoned and placed in solitary confinement. She made the comments on Twitter amid others that took aim at the president and his administration for allegedly pressuring Ukraine into digging up dirt on his opponents using foreign aid as leverage.
Despite the pushback, Waters defended her comments on CNN. Speaking with Anderson Cooper, who pressed Waters on whether her comments have affected her “cause,” Waters pivoted to more attacks on Trump, Fox News reported.
“This president has not only undermined and denounced the press constantly and he’s dangerous.”
"He has shown us consistently if you come to close to this Russia investigation, he's going to get rid of you." —Maxine Waters to @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/4vEXplgjqg — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 12, 2017
Waters is not the only one who has repeatedly expressed concern with Trump’s actions and mental state. Yale psychiatrist Bandy X. Lee has raised concerns on multiple occasions, and most recently, the professor of psychiatry called for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to request a 72-hour mental health hold on Trump following his authorization of the drone strike that killed top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani.
Lee noted the previous signs of Trump’s purportedly dangerous mental state, including his abrupt withdrawal of troops from northern Syria, which she claims was done in “direct response” to the announcement of an impeachment probe into his behavior. The professor noted that 800 mental health professionals signed a petition calling on Congress to consult with American psychiatrists, psychologists, and other mental health professionals about the president’s current mental state.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Lincoln Chafee Files To Run For President In 2020 As A Libertarian

He 's the second third-party candidate to throw their hat in the ring for 2020 .
Lincoln Chafee , a former Republican Senator and Democratic Governor of Rhode Island , has announced that he is seeking the Libertarian Party ’ s 2020 nomination for president , CBS News reports .
Along with Socialist Howie Hawkins , Chafee is the second person from a major third party to have declared a run for the Oval Office in 2020 .
According to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday , Chafee has formed the “ Lincoln Chafee for President ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ He also has a website , Lincoln Chafee For President , which states that he ’ s running as a Libertarian .
He is currently asking for donations .
Chafee , 66 , was born and raised in Rhode Island .
He worked as a farrier before making a name for himself in politics .
By 1999 , Chafee had worked his way up to the United States Senate , having been appointed to his father ’ s former seat after the elder Chafee died .
Chafee served in the Senate as a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a challenger .
After that loss , he took some time off before setting his sights on Rhode Island ’ s Governor ’ s mansion .
He was elected to that office as an Independent , before switching to the Democratic Party during his term as governor .
What Does The Libertarian Party Support ?
The simplest and most direct description of the Libertarian Party is that its adherents believe in fiscal conservatism , similar to the Republican party , and social liberalism , similar to the Democratic party .
According to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the group has a plethora of stances .
It supports decreased military interventionism , ending the War on Drugs , marriage equality , reducing the size and scope of the police state and ending mass incarceration , maintaining gun rights , and protecting abortion rights , among other issues .
The Role Of Third Parties In Presidential Elections Third party candidates — while historically long shots to get elected to the Oval Office — have been known to play a role in presidential elections , splitting the vote and potentially taking away supporters @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Democratic Party .
For example , in the 1996 presidential election , Ross Perot ’ s Reform Party got 8.4 percent of the popular vote .
Former President Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole by only 8.5 percent in the popular vote .
These candidates can also have a major effect on the election outcome and electoral votes .
In the 2016 election , Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson and Socialist Party candidate Jill Stein received about 220,000 votes between them in Michigan .
Donald Trump won Michigan and its 16 electoral votes by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or Stein voters voted for Hillary Clinton , she ’ d have won Michigan ’ s electoral votes .

Lincoln Chafee, a former Republican Senator and Democratic Governor of Rhode Island, has announced that he is seeking the Libertarian Party’s 2020 nomination for president, CBS News reports. Along with Socialist Howie Hawkins, Chafee is the second person from a major third party to have declared a run for the Oval Office in 2020.
According to paperwork filed with the Federal Election Commission on Sunday, Chafee has formed the “Lincoln Chafee for President” campaign committee, based in Wyoming. He also has a website, Lincoln Chafee For President, which states that he’s running as a Libertarian. He is currently asking for donations.
“Thirty Years, Zero Scandals. Lincoln Leads With Truth.”
Who Is Lincoln Chafee?
Chafee, 66, was born and raised in Rhode Island. He worked as a farrier before making a name for himself in politics.
By 1999, Chafee had worked his way up to the United States Senate, having been appointed to his father’s former seat after the elder Chafee died. Chafee served in the Senate as a Republican for one term, before losing to a challenger. After that loss, he took some time off before setting his sights on Rhode Island’s Governor’s mansion. He was elected to that office as an Independent, before switching to the Democratic Party during his term as governor.
What Does The Libertarian Party Support?
The simplest and most direct description of the Libertarian Party is that its adherents believe in fiscal conservatism, similar to the Republican party, and social liberalism, similar to the Democratic party.
According to the Libertarian Party‘s website, the group has a plethora of stances. It supports decreased military interventionism, ending the War on Drugs, marriage equality, reducing the size and scope of the police state and ending mass incarceration, maintaining gun rights, and protecting abortion rights, among other issues.
The Role Of Third Parties In Presidential Elections
Third party candidates — while historically long shots to get elected to the Oval Office — have been known to play a role in presidential elections, splitting the vote and potentially taking away supporters of a candidate from the Republican or Democratic Party. For example, in the 1996 presidential election, Ross Perot’s Reform Party got 8.4 percent of the popular vote. Former President Bill Clinton defeated Bob Dole by only 8.5 percent in the popular vote.
These candidates can also have a major effect on the election outcome and electoral votes. In the 2016 election, Libertarian Party candidate Gary Johnson and Socialist Party candidate Jill Stein received about 220,000 votes between them in Michigan. Donald Trump won Michigan and its 16 electoral votes by about 11,000 votes. Had those Johnson or Stein voters voted for Hillary Clinton, she’d have won Michigan’s electoral votes.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Donald Trump’s Justification For Soleimani Killing Is A ‘Credibility Challenge,’ Says James Clapper

Donald Trump claims that his authorization of the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani came after discovering Soleimani was planning an attack on Americans in the Middle East .
Now , James Clapper , the former director of National Intelligence , is cautioning Americans to be skeptical of Trump ’ s claim , Newsweek reports .
“ Soleimani himself didn ’ t plant IEDs [ improvised explosive devices ] , ” Clapper said during a Monday appearance on CNN .
“ He didn ’ t himself launch rocket attacks against American personnel or facilities .
So to me it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ by doing this they thwarted an imminent attack , because attacks are carried out — typically under Soleimani — by proxies , that is Shia militias in Iraq .
So that ’ s hard to believe.
” Notably , Clapper served under President Barack Obama ’ s administration and was accused of perjury in 2013 .
Regardless , he believes Americans should remain skeptical of the Trump administration ’ s explanation of the recent drone strike , noting the intelligence assurances made by George W. Bush ’ s administration to invade Iraq that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Skepticism is in order here , ” Clapper said .
The 78-year-old retired lieutenant general continued to highlight Trump ’ s history of assaulting the credibility of the intelligence community , which he and his allies now appear to be leaning on to justify their killing of Soleimani .
“ The president has spent the last three years discrediting the very intelligence community that produced this intelligence , ” Clapper said , noting that Trump ’ s assault on the intelligence community is going to “ come back to haunt.
” Clapper noted @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the intelligence community ’ s findings on Russian meddling or North Korea ’ s determination not to denuclearize — claims he says were true — but now supports intelligence that aligns with the administration ’ s position .
“ So I think , again , a bit of a credibility challenge here for the administration , ” Clapper said .
As The Inquisitr reported , Trump ’ s shift in his views on the intelligence community has spread to his Fox News allies .
While allies like Sean Hannity , Stuart Varney , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ traditionally echoed Trump ’ s criticisms of the “ deep state ” in the past , they have reportedly changed their tune and appear to now be trusting the intelligence community to support the president ’ s claims .
As for the intelligence used to make the controversial attack authorization , New York Times terrorism correspondent Rukmini Callimach reported that such evidence was allegedly “ razor thin , ” and the killing of Soleimani was reportedly not a first-choice course of action .
However , after the attack on the U.S. embassy in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ decided that eliminating the top Iranian general was warranted .

Donald Trump claims that his authorization of the assassination of top Iranian general Qassem Soleimani came after discovering Soleimani was planning an attack on Americans in the Middle East. Now, James Clapper, the former director of National Intelligence, is cautioning Americans to be skeptical of Trump’s claim, Newsweek reports.
“Soleimani himself didn’t plant IEDs [improvised explosive devices],” Clapper said during a Monday appearance on CNN. “He didn’t himself launch rocket attacks against American personnel or facilities. So to me it is a bit of a stretch that by doing this they thwarted an imminent attack, because attacks are carried out — typically under Soleimani — by proxies, that is Shia militias in Iraq. So that’s hard to believe.”
Notably, Clapper served under President Barack Obama’s administration and was accused of perjury in 2013. Regardless, he believes Americans should remain skeptical of the Trump administration’s explanation of the recent drone strike, noting the intelligence assurances made by George W. Bush’s administration to invade Iraq that turned out to be untrue.
“Skepticism is in order here,” Clapper said.
The 78-year-old retired lieutenant general continued to highlight Trump’s history of assaulting the credibility of the intelligence community, which he and his allies now appear to be leaning on to justify their killing of Soleimani.
“The president has spent the last three years discrediting the very intelligence community that produced this intelligence,” Clapper said, noting that Trump’s assault on the intelligence community is going to “come back to haunt.”
Clapper noted that the Trump administration did not accept the intelligence community’s findings on Russian meddling or North Korea’s determination not to denuclearize — claims he says were true — but now supports intelligence that aligns with the administration’s position.
“So I think, again, a bit of a credibility challenge here for the administration,” Clapper said.
As The Inquisitr reported, Trump’s shift in his views on the intelligence community has spread to his Fox News allies. While allies like Sean Hannity, Stuart Varney, Brian Kilmeade, and Pete Hegseth have traditionally echoed Trump’s criticisms of the “deep state” in the past, they have reportedly changed their tune and appear to now be trusting the intelligence community to support the president’s claims.
As for the intelligence used to make the controversial attack authorization, New York Times terrorism correspondent Rukmini Callimach reported that such evidence was allegedly “razor thin,” and the killing of Soleimani was reportedly not a first-choice course of action. However, after the attack on the U.S. embassy in Baghdad, Trump allegedly changed gears and decided that eliminating the top Iranian general was warranted.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Joe Biden Falsely Claims He Opposed Iraq War From ‘Very Moment’ It Began

Biden 'repeatedly spoke in favor of the war both before and after it began , ' according to a 'CNN ' fact-check .
During a campaign event on Saturday , an interesting exchange took place between Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and an audience member .
“ I ’ m with you 90 percent of the way , ” the potential voter told the former vice president .
“ You were for the second Gulf War , which was a mess , ” they noted .
In an apparent effort to persuade the potential voter and defend himself from criticism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the war in Iraq “ from the very moment ” it began in 2003 .
According to CNN ‘ s fact-check , however , Biden was an enthusiastic backer of the Iraq war and “ repeatedly spoke in favor of the war both before and after it began.
” “ Right after ” former president George W. Bush launched his “ shock and awe ” military campaign against Iraq , Biden “ opposed what he was doing , and spoke to him , ” he told the uncertain voter .
That is not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ which complied a list of Biden ’ s statements demonstrating that he was a vocal supporter of Bush ’ s war .
In 2003 , for instance , the former vice president — who voted to authorize the invasion of Iraq — expressed unequivocal support for Bush .
Similarly , in a 2003 interview , Biden told Charlie Rose that he had believed “ all along ” that Saddam Hussein needs to be forcefully taken down and separated “ from his weapons.
” Biden not only supported the Iraq war , he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the United States Congress , according to CNN .
His latest statements , according to the fact-check , are “ highly misleading even under the most generous interpretation.
” This is not the first time Biden has made a false claim pertaining to his support for the Iraq war .
The former vice president has previously made false and misleading statements about his record , repeatedly contradicting himself and his campaign team .
On the campaign trail , Biden has alternated between acknowledging that he supported the war and claiming to have never @ @ @ @ @ @ @ candidate ’ s responses , his team said he “ misspoke ” when discussing his record .
Biden has also maintained that he was opposed to “ the way in which the war was conducted , ” which — according to the fact-check — is not true either .
Biden ’ s opposition to the war was minimal , as he had only criticized the Bush administration for the way it handled diplomacy .
Biden ’ s record has come under scrutiny since the beginning of the Democratic primary race .
The former @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders — whose record shows he staunchly opposed the Iraq war — recently suggested that Biden has too much political baggage to win in 2020 .

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inquisitr--2020-01-06--CNBC Slammed For Using Wrong Pictures For Andrew Yang And Tulsi Gabbard

During a recent airing of CNBC ’ s Squawk Box , the network aired a graphic that showed the fundraising totals of Donald Trump and all the Democratic presidential candidates .
In the chyron , both Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard — who raised $ 16.5 million and $ 3.4 million , respectively — were portrayed as the wrong people .
The network later apologized from the mistake , but that didn ’ t stop people from noting the pattern of both Yang and Gabbard not getting consistently accurate and fair coverage .
“ I ’ m starting to buy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ AndrewYang theory , ” Christopher J. Hale , a former congressional candidate and Obama White House and campaign alumni , tweeted in response to the omissions .
“ They identified Yang as just a totally different Asian man and for Tulsi Gabbard they put Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand , ” Saagar Enjeti said in a recent episode of The Hill ’ s Rising , which is posted on YouTube .
According to Enjeti and his co-host , Krystal Ball , Yang ’ s picture is Geoff Yang , a Silicon Valley investor who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ T , and they believe has likely been on CNBC before .
As for Gabbard , the pair speculated that the network typed in “ G ” in their graphics backend and selected the wrong one .
Although Ball said that mistakes happen , she noted that this is far from the first time such an error has occurred .
“ This is a repeated pattern , especially for Andrew .
They either leave him off entirely , call him John Yang , they called his wife the wrong name .
I mean @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over , and over again .
The guy has been in the race for a long time , he raised $ 16 million dollars , learn his face and his name , OK ?
It ’ s basic !
” Yang and his supporters have long criticized MSNBC — and other Comcast-owned companies like CNBC — for their coverage of the candidate , which led to the 44-year-old serial entrepreneur temporarily boycotting the network .
A recent analysis by the nonprofit Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting ( FAIR ) found that Yang is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the many instances of exclusion from MSNBC and CNN graphics .
The report also noted that Yang received far fewer mentions in the last six months than Amy Klobuchar — who he has consistently polled better than — on ABC , CBS , NBC , and CNN .
Gabbard ’ s supporters previously pushed the # TulsiMediaBlackout hashtag — as Yang ’ s supporters have done with # YangMediaBlackout — after the Hawaii representative was left off an MSNBC chyron showing the candidates who qualified for the December debate as well as those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ having met one condition at the time of the chyron , Gabbard was curiously left off the chart .

During a recent airing of CNBC’s Squawk Box, the network aired a graphic that showed the fundraising totals of Donald Trump and all the Democratic presidential candidates. In the chyron, both Andrew Yang and Tulsi Gabbard — who raised $16.5 million and $3.4 million, respectively — were portrayed as the wrong people. The network later apologized from the mistake, but that didn’t stop people from noting the pattern of both Yang and Gabbard not getting consistently accurate and fair coverage.
“I’m starting to buy the @NBCNews has it out for @AndrewYang theory,” Christopher J. Hale, a former congressional candidate and Obama White House and campaign alumni, tweeted in response to the omissions.
“They identified Yang as just a totally different Asian man and for Tulsi Gabbard they put Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand,” Saagar Enjeti said in a recent episode of The Hill’s Rising, which is posted on YouTube.
According to Enjeti and his co-host, Krystal Ball, Yang’s picture is Geoff Yang, a Silicon Valley investor who is on the board of AT&T, and they believe has likely been on CNBC before. As for Gabbard, the pair speculated that the network typed in “G” in their graphics backend and selected the wrong one.
Although Ball said that mistakes happen, she noted that this is far from the first time such an error has occurred.
“This is a repeated pattern, especially for Andrew. They either leave him off entirely, call him John Yang, they called his wife the wrong name. I mean, they just, over, and over, and over again. The guy has been in the race for a long time, he raised $16 million dollars, learn his face and his name, OK? It’s basic!”
Yang and his supporters have long criticized MSNBC — and other Comcast-owned companies like CNBC — for their coverage of the candidate, which led to the 44-year-old serial entrepreneur temporarily boycotting the network. A recent analysis by the nonprofit Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting (FAIR) found that Yang is left out of media conversations, noting the many instances of exclusion from MSNBC and CNN graphics. The report also noted that Yang received far fewer mentions in the last six months than Amy Klobuchar — who he has consistently polled better than — on ABC, CBS, NBC, and CNN.
CNBC has removed and apologized for this morning's "error," so for those who didn't see the video before it was removed, here is the relevant portion of the coverage. Note how they show the graphic TWICE. #YangMediaBlackoutpic.twitter.com/eFfUFD4roz — Scott Santens (@scottsantens) January 6, 2020
Gabbard’s supporters previously pushed the #TulsiMediaBlackout hashtag — as Yang’s supporters have done with #YangMediaBlackout — after the Hawaii representative was left off an MSNBC chyron showing the candidates who qualified for the December debate as well as those that met just one requirement. Despite having met one condition at the time of the chyron, Gabbard was curiously left off the chart.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--John Bolton Says He Is ‘Prepared To Testify’ In Senate Impeachment Trial Of Donald Trump

Former national security adviser John Bolton said on Monday that he is “ prepared to testify ” in the Senate ’ s impeachment trial of President Donald Trump , Politico reports .
In a statement , Bolton — who was asked to testify as part of the House of Representatives ’ impeachment investigation but did not — said that he wants to meet his “ obligations ” both as a citizen and as a former Trump administration official .
“ Since my testimony is once again at issue , I have had to resolve the serious competing issues as best @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and study , ” Bolton stated .
As NBC News notes , as national security adviser Bolton had a “ front-row seat ” to Trump ’ s alleged pressure campaign against the Ukrainian government .
Allegations pertaining to the president ’ s alleged pressuring of Ukraine are at the heart of the House of Representatives ’ impeachment articles .
According to the articles , Trump pressured Ukrainian authorities to investigate one of his main political rivals , former Vice President Joe Biden , by withdrawing military aid , and thus committing multiple impeachable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ administration a couple of weeks before an anonymous intelligence community official blew the whistle on Trump ’ s alleged pressure campaign — has previously said that he would not testify unless subpoenaed and ordered to defy commands given via the White House .
In his statement , Bolton also suggested that a Senate trial is necessary to determine whether Trump acted inappropriately during his contacts with the Ukrainian government , writing that “ it does not appear possible that a final judicial resolution of the still-unanswered Constitutional questions can be obtained before the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Nancy Pelosi is yet to send the two articles of impeachment her chamber voted on to the Senate .
Pelosi and other top Democrats have suggested that the articles will not be sent to the upper chamber until Majority Leader Mitch McConnell commits to holding a fair and impartial trial .
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff recently confirmed that the House does not plan on holding the articles indefinitely .
However , he did not disclose when they will be sent to the Senate .
Trump has maintained his innocence , blasting the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ yet another “ hoax.
” Today , the president lashed out at Democrats once again , arguing that the impeachment is a partisan “ hoax ” perpetrated by Democrats determined to damage his re-election campaign .
“ The Impeachment Hoax , just a continuation of the Witch Hunt which started even before I won the Election , must end quickly , ” the president tweeted .

Former national security adviser John Bolton said on Monday that he is “prepared to testify” in the Senate’s impeachment trial of President Donald Trump, Politico reports.
In a statement, Bolton — who was asked to testify as part of the House of Representatives’ impeachment investigation but did not — said that he wants to meet his “obligations” both as a citizen and as a former Trump administration official.
“I have concluded that, if the Senate issues a subpoena for my testimony, I am prepared to testify.”
“Since my testimony is once again at issue, I have had to resolve the serious competing issues as best I could, based on careful consideration and study,” Bolton stated.
As NBC News notes, as national security adviser Bolton had a “front-row seat” to Trump’s alleged pressure campaign against the Ukrainian government.
Allegations pertaining to the president’s alleged pressuring of Ukraine are at the heart of the House of Representatives’ impeachment articles. According to the articles, Trump pressured Ukrainian authorities to investigate one of his main political rivals, former Vice President Joe Biden, by withdrawing military aid, and thus committing multiple impeachable offenses.
Bolton — who left the administration a couple of weeks before an anonymous intelligence community official blew the whistle on Trump’s alleged pressure campaign — has previously said that he would not testify unless subpoenaed and ordered to defy commands given via the White House.
In his statement, Bolton also suggested that a Senate trial is necessary to determine whether Trump acted inappropriately during his contacts with the Ukrainian government, writing that “it does not appear possible that a final judicial resolution of the still-unanswered Constitutional questions can be obtained before the Senate acts.”
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi is yet to send the two articles of impeachment her chamber voted on to the Senate. Pelosi and other top Democrats have suggested that the articles will not be sent to the upper chamber until Majority Leader Mitch McConnell commits to holding a fair and impartial trial.
House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff recently confirmed that the House does not plan on holding the articles indefinitely. However, he did not disclose when they will be sent to the Senate.
Trump has maintained his innocence, blasting the Democrats for pushing what he claims is yet another “hoax.”
Today, the president lashed out at Democrats once again, arguing that the impeachment is a partisan “hoax” perpetrated by Democrats determined to damage his re-election campaign.
“The Impeachment Hoax, just a continuation of the Witch Hunt which started even before I won the Election, must end quickly,” the president tweeted.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Donald Trump Could Lose In 2020 If Bernie Sanders Becomes Democratic Nominee, Warns Conservative Com

Donald Trump Could Lose In 2020 If Bernie Sanders Becomes Democratic Nominee, Warns Conservative Commentator

During the latest edition of The Hill ’ s Rising , conservative commentator Saagar Enjeti issued a dire warning to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party .
According to Enjeti , if Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic nomination , Trump could very well lose the 2020 presidential election .
Pointing to a recent Pew Research Center survey — which found that nearly half of lower income Republican voters believe the current economy is hurting them — Enjeti suggested that Trump would not be able to match Sanders ’ economic populism in 2020 , given that his economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans , doing next to nothing for the middle and working class .
The latest Pew survey , Enjeti said , is a “ huge warning sign for Donald Trump ’ s presidential campaign and the elites within the Republican Party who have made it clear that they ’ re going to run the 2020 presidential campaign on the strength of the economy.
” The commentator — who worked as White House correspondent for Tucker Carlson ’ s Daily Caller and now co-hosts Rising with Krystal Ball — also pointed to numerous analyses @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s economic policies , his tax cuts in particular , helped only the wealthiest Americans and mega-corporations .
For instance , Enjeti noted , analyses show that Trump ’ s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 benefited Fortune 500 companies , 91 of which paid no federal taxes in 2018 .
Staunchly opposed to Trump ’ s tax cuts , Sanders has centered much of his platform on issues of income and wealth inequality , vowing to make the wealthiest Americans and corporations pay their “ fair share ” of taxes .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ best-positioned candidate to win the Democratic nomination , trailing only former Vice President Joe Biden nationally .
Sanders is ahead of Biden in two key early states , Iowa and New Hampshire , and continues to surge in polls , having surpassed Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren .
Even Democratic insiders are starting to acknowledge Sanders ’ chances , with former President Barack Obama ’ s adviser Dan Pfeiffer recently noting that the Vermont senator “ has a very good shot of winning Iowa , a very good shot of winning New Hampshire , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ best shot of winning Nevada.
” According to reports , Sanders is facing strong opposition from the Democratic Party establishment .
Even Obama would reportedly be willing to intervene in the primary race if Sanders comes close to winning the nomination .

During the latest edition of The Hill’s Rising, conservative commentator Saagar Enjeti issued a dire warning to President Donald Trump and the Republican Party.
According to Enjeti, if Vermont Independent Bernie Sanders wins the Democratic nomination, Trump could very well lose the 2020 presidential election.
Pointing to a recent Pew Research Center survey — which found that nearly half of lower income Republican voters believe the current economy is hurting them — Enjeti suggested that Trump would not be able to match Sanders’ economic populism in 2020, given that his economic policies appear to have helped the wealthiest Americans, doing next to nothing for the middle and working class.
The latest Pew survey, Enjeti said, is a “huge warning sign for Donald Trump’s presidential campaign and the elites within the Republican Party who have made it clear that they’re going to run the 2020 presidential campaign on the strength of the economy.”
“Trump and the Republicans would do very well to … quickly shift tactics or face the very real possibility of losing the 2020 presidential election, especially against a populist candidate like Bernie Sanders.”
The commentator — who worked as White House correspondent for Tucker Carlson’s Daily Caller and now co-hosts Rising with Krystal Ball — also pointed to numerous analyses and reports which suggest that Trump’s economic policies, his tax cuts in particular, helped only the wealthiest Americans and mega-corporations.
For instance, Enjeti noted, analyses show that Trump’s Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 benefited Fortune 500 companies, 91 of which paid no federal taxes in 2018.
Staunchly opposed to Trump’s tax cuts, Sanders has centered much of his platform on issues of income and wealth inequality, vowing to make the wealthiest Americans and corporations pay their “fair share” of taxes.
Sanders, Enjeti concluded, could be Trump’s “toughest opponent.”
Polls suggest that Sanders is the second best-positioned candidate to win the Democratic nomination, trailing only former Vice President Joe Biden nationally. Sanders is ahead of Biden in two key early states, Iowa and New Hampshire, and continues to surge in polls, having surpassed Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren.
Even Democratic insiders are starting to acknowledge Sanders’ chances, with former President Barack Obama’s adviser Dan Pfeiffer recently noting that the Vermont senator “has a very good shot of winning Iowa, a very good shot of winning New Hampshire, and other than Joe Biden, the best shot of winning Nevada.”
According to reports, Sanders is facing strong opposition from the Democratic Party establishment. Even Obama would reportedly be willing to intervene in the primary race if Sanders comes close to winning the nomination.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Donald Trump Demands ‘Con Game’ Impeachment End Because He Has ‘More Important Matters’ To Deal With

Donald Trump lashed out at Democrats on Monday , demanding that they end the impeachment because he is busy with other issues .
As The Hill reports , the president accused Democrats of facilitating a “ con ” and a “ hoax ” against him even as his administration is dealing with the dramatically escalating situation in the Middle East .
Trump claimed that the founders wouldn ’ t support the impeachment process and called it a “ partisan ” hoax .
“ Congress & the President should not be wasting their time and energy on a continuation of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so many important matters pending .
196 to ZERO was the Republican House vote , & we got 3 Dems .
This was not what the Founders had in mind !
” Trump tweeted that he believed that Democratic leaders had opened the impeachment against him because they wanted to help themselves win the upcoming November election .
It ’ s not the first time that Trump and his allies have argued that Democrats are attempting to influence the upcoming election , and they have also argued that impeachment is progressive leaders ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump spent the weekend , as he has during many in his presidency , at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida .
The tweets are his first since returning to Washington after a two-week stint at his resort on Monday morning , indicating that the issue of impeachment is weighing heavily on the president ’ s mind this week as he returns to work .
The impeachment process has stalled in recent days after the House voted along party lines to approve two articles of impeachment against the president — one for abuse of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Since then , the House has declined to send the articles to the Senate .
Nancy Pelosi has argued that the trial in the Senate is likely unfair since prominent leaders in the upper chamber have already vowed to acquit the president before hearing the evidence .
Adam Schiff has promised that the House won ’ t hold the articles indefinitely , but didn ’ t say when they would be sent to the upper chamber .
Trump ’ s allies in Congress have said that they will attempt to pass new rules @ @ @ @ @ @ @ forward .
Apparently , the conflict has troubled Trump , as he tweeted about it over his holiday trip to what he calls the “ Winter White House.
” Trump complained about Pelosi in particular during several tweets .

Donald Trump lashed out at Democrats on Monday, demanding that they end the impeachment because he is busy with other issues. As The Hill reports, the president accused Democrats of facilitating a “con” and a “hoax” against him even as his administration is dealing with the dramatically escalating situation in the Middle East.
Trump claimed that the founders wouldn’t support the impeachment process and called it a “partisan” hoax.
“Congress & the President should not be wasting their time and energy on a continuation of the totally partisan Impeachment Hoax when we have so many important matters pending. 196 to ZERO was the Republican House vote, & we got 3 Dems. This was not what the Founders had in mind!”
Trump tweeted that he believed that Democratic leaders had opened the impeachment against him because they wanted to help themselves win the upcoming November election. It’s not the first time that Trump and his allies have argued that Democrats are attempting to influence the upcoming election, and they have also argued that impeachment is progressive leaders’ effort to overturn the 2016 election.
“The Impeachment Hoax, just a continuation of the Witch Hunt which started even before I won the Election, must end quickly. Read the Transcripts, see the Ukrainian President’s strong statement, NO PRESSURE — get this done. It is a con game by the Dems to help with the Election!”
Trump spent the weekend, as he has during many in his presidency, at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The tweets are his first since returning to Washington after a two-week stint at his resort on Monday morning, indicating that the issue of impeachment is weighing heavily on the president’s mind this week as he returns to work.
The impeachment process has stalled in recent days after the House voted along party lines to approve two articles of impeachment against the president — one for abuse of power and one for obstructing Congress. Since then, the House has declined to send the articles to the Senate. Nancy Pelosi has argued that the trial in the Senate is likely unfair since prominent leaders in the upper chamber have already vowed to acquit the president before hearing the evidence. Adam Schiff has promised that the House won’t hold the articles indefinitely, but didn’t say when they would be sent to the upper chamber.
I think Speaker Pelosi is having 2nd thoughts about impeaching the President. The Senate should get back to work on USMCA & bills on surprise medical billing & lowering the cost of prescription drugs, while Pelosi is trying to figure how to get out of this mess she has created. pic.twitter.com/z7sAKZkXeQ — John Kennedy (@SenJohnKennedy) December 20, 2019
Trump’s allies in Congress have said that they will attempt to pass new rules that would force the trial to move forward. Apparently, the conflict has troubled Trump, as he tweeted about it over his holiday trip to what he calls the “Winter White House.” Trump complained about Pelosi in particular during several tweets.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Nancy Pelosi Promises That House Will Introduce ‘War Powers Resolution’ To Limit Trump In Iran

'Last week , the Trump Administration conducted a provocative and disproportionate military airstrike targeting high-level Iranian military officials , ' she wrote .
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has sent a letter to her Democratic colleagues advising them that the legislative body will soon be voting on a resolution intended to limit President Trump ’ s operations with regard to Iran , CNN reports .
The House resolution will be similar in scope and intent to a resolution introduced into the Senate by Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine .
Both resolutions come in the wake of Trump having ordered a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Qassem Soleimani , a surprising move that came without congressional authorization , and which has inched the U.S. and Iran closer to all-out war .
“ Last week , the Trump Administration conducted a provocative and disproportionate military airstrike targeting high-level Iranian military officials .
This action endangered our servicemembers , diplomats and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran , ” Pelosi writes .
Like the Senate resolution , the House resolution would seek to limit any further action in Iran to only what Congress authorizes .
What ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ specifically put a time limit on Trump ’ s actions in Iran : barring further authorization from Congress , Trump ’ s “ military hostilities with regard to Iran ” will have to end within 30 days .
Trump , for his part , does not appear to have shown any willingness to dial back his military hostilities with Iran .
Indeed , on Sunday , Trump threatened to target Iranian cultural sites .
As The Washington Examiner reports , Trump specifically claimed that the military has set its sights on 52 cultural @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Americans taken hostage curing the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979-1981 .
The Examiner points out that such an action would be contrary to established military protocol , in that the military generally tries to avoid carrying out operations of little military significance , and particularly , where civilians are likely to be killed or injured in the operation .
Iran , meanwhile , has threatened retaliation for the Soleimani killing , and indeed , it seems as if at least one act of retaliation has already taken place .
As previously reported by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , claiming to be Iranian , hacked a U.S. government website and defaced it with a pro-Iranian message and an image of Donald Trump with a fist punching his bloodied face .
Pelosi , in calling for Congress to have the power to restrain Trump and his military interventions in Iran , says that failing to do so could risk American lives .
“ I greatly appreciate the solemnity with which all of our Members are working to honor our responsibility to protect American lives and values , ” Pelosi wrote .

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has sent a letter to her Democratic colleagues advising them that the legislative body will soon be voting on a resolution intended to limit President Trump’s operations with regard to Iran, CNN reports.
The House resolution will be similar in scope and intent to a resolution introduced into the Senate by Virginia Democrat Tim Kaine.
Both resolutions come in the wake of Trump having ordered a targeted airstrike that killed Iranian top general Qassem Soleimani, a surprising move that came without congressional authorization, and which has inched the U.S. and Iran closer to all-out war.
“Last week, the Trump Administration conducted a provocative and disproportionate military airstrike targeting high-level Iranian military officials. This action endangered our servicemembers, diplomats and others by risking a serious escalation of tensions with Iran,” Pelosi writes.
Like the Senate resolution, the House resolution would seek to limit any further action in Iran to only what Congress authorizes. What’s more, the House resolution would specifically put a time limit on Trump’s actions in Iran: barring further authorization from Congress, Trump’s “military hostilities with regard to Iran” will have to end within 30 days.
Trump, for his part, does not appear to have shown any willingness to dial back his military hostilities with Iran. Indeed, on Sunday, Trump threatened to target Iranian cultural sites. As The Washington Examiner reports, Trump specifically claimed that the military has set its sights on 52 cultural targets, one each for the 52 Americans taken hostage curing the Iran Hostage Crisis of 1979-1981.
The Examiner points out that such an action would be contrary to established military protocol, in that the military generally tries to avoid carrying out operations of little military significance, and particularly, where civilians are likely to be killed or injured in the operation.
Iran, meanwhile, has threatened retaliation for the Soleimani killing, and indeed, it seems as if at least one act of retaliation has already taken place. As previously reported by The Inquisitr, a group of hackers, claiming to be Iranian, hacked a U.S. government website and defaced it with a pro-Iranian message and an image of Donald Trump with a fist punching his bloodied face.
Apparent hacking by an #Iran-linked group of a US government website (the little-known Federal Depository Library Program). https://t.co/r47ODmt4Pw is currently offline. pic.twitter.com/8dx7EDUZvu — Steve Herman (@W7VOA) January 5, 2020
Pelosi, in calling for Congress to have the power to restrain Trump and his military interventions in Iran, says that failing to do so could risk American lives.
“I greatly appreciate the solemnity with which all of our Members are working to honor our responsibility to protect American lives and values,” Pelosi wrote.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Julián Castro Endorses Elizabeth Warren For President

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro has endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for President of the United States , reports The Hill .
Castro announced his endorsement on Monday , just days after dropping out of the presidential race .
He announced the endorsement via Twitter , saying that he is “ proud ” to support Warren .
Castro , who was the only Latino candidate in the presidential race , centered much of his platform on immigration issues , calling for a decriminalization of illegal border crossings .
Warren has previously praised Castro ’ s immigration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that she admires the former HUD secretary ’ s work .
“ I think he ’ s got some really good ideas around this .
I am very interested in his work .
I admire it , ” she said of Castro .
Castro ’ s endorsement comes as candidates scramble to gain support from the Latino community , and as Warren continues to plunge in the polls .
For months , the Massachusetts senator was considered to be one of the front-runners in the Democratic primary race , but she has since @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ averages of polling data suggest that the primary race is now a competition between former Vice President Joe Biden and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders .
Nationally , Warren is polling at 14.4 percent .
In Iowa , the Massachusetts senator is in fourth place with around 15 percent of the vote .
The situation is identical in New Hampshire .
Sanders is topping the polls in both of the early states .
The latest CBS News Battleground Tracker poll paints a similar picture , with Sanders tied with Biden in Iowa @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
According to the tracker , Warren has faded away in both states .
The poll also suggests that Sanders ’ supporters are committed to their candidate , with 47 percent of his New Hampshire voters claiming to have made up their minds , and 65 percent of them reporting that they are “ enthusiastic ” about their choice .
According to Democratic insiders , the Vermont senator might be best positioned to win the nomination .
For instance , Dan Pfeiffer , who advised former President Barack Obama , said in a @ @ @ @ @ @ @ very good shot of winning Iowa , a very good shot of winning New Hampshire , and other than Joe Biden , the best shot of winning Nevada.
” Sanders also leads in overall fundraising .
South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Biden are both ahead of Warren , who posted a weak fourth quarter haul .

Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Julián Castro has endorsed Sen. Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts for President of the United States, reports The Hill.
Castro announced his endorsement on Monday, just days after dropping out of the presidential race. He announced the endorsement via Twitter, saying that he is “proud” to support Warren.
“Elizabeth and I share a vision of America where everyone counts. An America where people — not the wealthy or well-connected — are put first. I’m proud to join her in the fight for big, structural change.”
Castro, who was the only Latino candidate in the presidential race, centered much of his platform on immigration issues, calling for a decriminalization of illegal border crossings.
Warren has previously praised Castro’s immigration plan, saying in a May interview that she admires the former HUD secretary’s work.
“I think he’s got some really good ideas around this. I am very interested in his work. I admire it,” she said of Castro.
Castro’s endorsement comes as candidates scramble to gain support from the Latino community, and as Warren continues to plunge in the polls.
For months, the Massachusetts senator was considered to be one of the front-runners in the Democratic primary race, but she has since faded away.
A glance at RealClearPolitics’ averages of polling data suggest that the primary race is now a competition between former Vice President Joe Biden and Independent Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Nationally, Warren is polling at 14.4 percent. In Iowa, the Massachusetts senator is in fourth place with around 15 percent of the vote. The situation is identical in New Hampshire. Sanders is topping the polls in both of the early states.
Our achievements weren't born of fear. They were born of boldness and big dreams. Our best moments have been when we see a challenge and mobilize to meet it head-on. In Hanover, New Hampshire, and all across the country, Americans are ready to fight for a brighter future. pic.twitter.com/uR6i9IQOKR — Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) January 6, 2020
The latest CBS News Battleground Tracker poll paints a similar picture, with Sanders tied with Biden in Iowa and leading the field in New Hampshire. According to the tracker, Warren has faded away in both states.
The poll also suggests that Sanders’ supporters are committed to their candidate, with 47 percent of his New Hampshire voters claiming to have made up their minds, and 65 percent of them reporting that they are “enthusiastic” about their choice.
According to Democratic insiders, the Vermont senator might be best positioned to win the nomination. For instance, Dan Pfeiffer, who advised former President Barack Obama, said in a recent interview that Sanders “has a very good shot of winning Iowa, a very good shot of winning New Hampshire, and other than Joe Biden, the best shot of winning Nevada.”
Sanders also leads in overall fundraising. South Bend Mayor Pete Buttigieg and Biden are both ahead of Warren, who posted a weak fourth quarter haul.


inquisitr--2020-01-06--Donald Trump Blasted After Notifying Congress Via Twitter That He Will ‘Fully Strike Back’ Against I

Donald Trump Blasted After Notifying Congress Via Twitter That He Will ‘Fully Strike Back’ Against Iran

After failing to alert Congress about the planned airstrike that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani , Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to alert Congress that he would order the military to “ fully strike back ” against Iran if they attack American citizens .
In response , Washington leaders sarcastically replied with a scathing tweet of their own .
According to HuffPost , Congressional leaders admonished Trump last week to honor the War Powers Act of 1973 and alert lawmakers before entering into an armed conflict with a foreign nation , which some argue may happen @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In response , he sent a tweet notifying lawmakers that he was planning to respond harshly to any retaliation from Iran as a result of killing the prominent leader .
“ These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any U.S. person or target , the United States will quickly & fully strike back , & perhaps in a disproportionate manner , ” he wrote .
“ Such legal notice is not required , but is given nevertheless !
” The House Foreign Affairs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ laws that relate to foreign nations , slammed Trump ’ s tweet with a sarcastic response .
“ This Media Post will serve as a reminder that war powers reside in the Congress under the United States Constitution .
And that you should read the War Powers Act .
And that you ’ re not a dictator , ” it wrote .
The committee wasn ’ t the only one to respond to Trump ’ s tweet .
Many people were shocked that the president was using a social media platform to essentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Others warned the president to respect the constitution .
Eugene Gu , CEO of CoolQuit , informed the president that Roosevelt went to Congress when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor .
With the drone airstrike that took out a two-car convoy near Baghdad ’ s international airport , Trump has escalated tensions both in the Middle East and within the U.S. government .
Democrats , including House leader Nancy Pelosi , called out Trump for not notifying Congress within 48 hours of initiating conflict in the region as the War Powers Act requires .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , it didn ’ t include the usual information that is present in these types of situations .
“ This classified War Powers Act notification delivered to Congress raises more questions than it does answers , ” Pelosi said .
She went on to argue that the report raised questions about the justification for engaging in the conflict that could potentially destabilize the region .
She also said that classifying the document seemed to indicate that the Trump administration was hiding information from the citizens of the U.S. Trump has warned Iran that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his administration had identified 52 cultural sites that would be hit by the U.S. military .
People warned the president that attacking cultural sites and places of worship is considered a war crime .

After failing to alert Congress about the planned airstrike that killed Iranian military leader Qassem Soleimani, Donald Trump took to Twitter on Sunday afternoon to alert Congress that he would order the military to “fully strike back” against Iran if they attack American citizens. In response, Washington leaders sarcastically replied with a scathing tweet of their own.
According to HuffPost, Congressional leaders admonished Trump last week to honor the War Powers Act of 1973 and alert lawmakers before entering into an armed conflict with a foreign nation, which some argue may happen after Trump ordered the killing of Soleimani. In response, he sent a tweet notifying lawmakers that he was planning to respond harshly to any retaliation from Iran as a result of killing the prominent leader.
“These Media Posts will serve as notification to the United States Congress that should Iran strike any U.S. person or target, the United States will quickly & fully strike back, & perhaps in a disproportionate manner,” he wrote. “Such legal notice is not required, but is given nevertheless!”
The House Foreign Affairs Committee, which oversees investigations and crafts laws that relate to foreign nations, slammed Trump’s tweet with a sarcastic response.
“This Media Post will serve as a reminder that war powers reside in the Congress under the United States Constitution. And that you should read the War Powers Act. And that you’re not a dictator,” it wrote.
The committee wasn’t the only one to respond to Trump’s tweet. Many people were shocked that the president was using a social media platform to essentially declare war against a foreign nation. Others warned the president to respect the constitution.
Eugene Gu, CEO of CoolQuit, informed the president that Roosevelt went to Congress when Japan bombed Pearl Harbor.
With the drone airstrike that took out a two-car convoy near Baghdad’s international airport, Trump has escalated tensions both in the Middle East and within the U.S. government. Democrats, including House leader Nancy Pelosi, called out Trump for not notifying Congress within 48 hours of initiating conflict in the region as the War Powers Act requires. While Trump did issue a classified report, it didn’t include the usual information that is present in these types of situations.
“This classified War Powers Act notification delivered to Congress raises more questions than it does answers,” Pelosi said.
She went on to argue that the report raised questions about the justification for engaging in the conflict that could potentially destabilize the region. She also said that classifying the document seemed to indicate that the Trump administration was hiding information from the citizens of the U.S.
Trump has warned Iran that if it retaliates against the U.S., his administration had identified 52 cultural sites that would be hit by the U.S. military. People warned the president that attacking cultural sites and places of worship is considered a war crime.


inquisitr--2020-01-07--Republican Rep. Duncan Hunter Resigns Amid Campaign Finance Fraud Scandal

Hunter recently pleaded guilty to one count involving campaign finance fraud out of the 60 counts for with which he was charged .
As the number of Republicans in the House of Representatives who have announced their resignations this year continues to increase , leaving the party more vulnerable to an upset in the 2020 election , California Rep. Duncan Hunter joined that list on Tuesday by submitting his resignation on the heels of pleading guilty to scandal .
According to The Hill , Hunter submitted his intent to resign to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — a move that comes @ @ @ @ @ @ @ pleaded guilty to conspiracy to misuse campaign funds .
Officially , Hunter will leave Congress on January 13 .
Hunter changed his original not guilty plea to guilty as recently as last month , which is when he also first mentioned his intentions to eventually resign .
He and his wife , Margaret , were charged in August 2018 for allegedly misusing $ 250,000 of his campaign war chest on non-campaign related expenses .
Some of those expenses including travel trips to Hawaii and Europe , with one travel-related trip involving the family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country .
Other non-campaign expenses involved dental work , expensive meals , various forms of entertainment and school tuition bills .
In his official resignation letter , which he also submitted to California Gov .
Gavin Newsom along with the California Republican Party , Hunter failed to mention anything involving the charges that reportedly lead to the decision to leave the lower chamber .
Instead , the former U.S. Marine focused on a number of personal accomplishments and shared his feelings about his experience serving in U.S. Congress .
“ After three @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , I was elected to the House and brought with me the lessons I learned during my service in the Marine Corps and the values instilled by my father who held this seat before me , ” Hunter wrote .
The military veteran went on to talk about how he assisted several U.S. service members who were involved in high-profile cases after having been charged with war crimes , including U.S. Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher .
“ I fought for warriors like Clint Lorance , Eddie Gallagher and Matt Golsteyn that were treated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” Hunter wrote .
“ I will always be proud to stand with the men and women who protect our freedoms .
It has been an ·honor to serve the people of California ’ s 50th District , and I greatly appreciate the trust they have put in me over these last 11 years.
” Though the disgraced congressman lost his committee assignments and his ability to vote in the House , he reportedly waited to official resign until after the holidays in order to remain eligible for compensation .
Hunter will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
He pleaded guilty to only one charge out of the 60 that were leveled against him .

As the number of Republicans in the House of Representatives who have announced their resignations this year continues to increase, leaving the party more vulnerable to an upset in the 2020 election, California Rep. Duncan Hunter joined that list on Tuesday, not long after pleading guilty to a scandal.
According to The Hill, Hunter submitted his intent to resign to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — a move that comes just one month after the California congressman pleaded guilty to conspiracy to misuse campaign funds. Officially, Hunter will leave Congress on January 13.
Hunter changed his original “not guilty” plea to “guilty” as recently as last month, which is when he also first mentioned his intentions to eventually resign. He and his wife, Margaret, were charged in August 2018 for allegedly misusing $250,000 of his campaign war chest on non-campaign-related expenses.
Some of those expenses including travel trips to Hawaii and Europe, with one such trip involving the family’s pet rabbit being flown across the country. Other non-campaign expenses involved dental work, expensive meals, various forms of entertainment, and school tuition bills.
In his official resignation letter, which he also submitted to California Gov. Gavin Newsom along with his state’s Republican Party, Hunter failed to mention anything involving the charges that reportedly led to the decision to leave the lower chamber.
Instead, the former U.S. Marine focused on a number of personal accomplishments and shared his feelings about his experience serving in Congress.
“After three tours of duty in Iraq and Afghanistan, I was elected to the House and brought with me the lessons I learned during my service in the Marine Corps and the values instilled by my father who held this seat before me,” Hunter wrote.
The military veteran went on to talk about how he assisted several U.S. service members who were involved in high-profile cases after having been charged with war crimes, including U.S. Navy SEAL Eddie Gallagher.
“I fought for warriors like Clint Lorance, Eddie Gallagher and Matt Golsteyn that were treated unjustly by an abusive military justice system,” Hunter wrote. “I will always be proud to stand with the men and women who protect our freedoms. It has been an honor to serve the people of California’s 50th District, and I greatly appreciate the trust they have put in me over these last 11 years.”
Though the disgraced congressman lost his committee assignments and his ability to vote in the House, he reportedly waited until after the holidays to officially resign in order to remain eligible for compensation.
Hunter will be facing a trial sometime in January. He pleaded guilty to only one charge out of the 60 that were leveled against him.