Pelosi Tells Reporter: “Don’t Mess With Me

(Washington, DC-AP) – House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is offended by suggestions that she “hates” President Trump. Pelosi scolded a reporter during a Capitol briefing, saying — “Don’t mess with me when it comes to words like that!” She said she’s a Catholic who doesn’t hate anyone. She also noted that she regularly prays for the President. Pelosi also defended the move toward impeachment, saying the President’s actions have left lawmakers with “no choice.”

The reporter who asked the question was James Rosen, a former Fox News correspondent who now works for the Sinclair Broadcast Group. He said he was referring to comments from some House Republicans, who have said impeachment is being fueled by Democrats’ dislike of the President.

Rudy Giuliani Is In Ukraine Seeking Dirt On Political Rivals

(Kiev-AP) – President Trump’s personal attorney is back in Ukraine seeking to shift attention off the impeachment inquiry and on to political rivals.

The New York Times reports Rudy Giuliani met with a former Ukrainian prosecutor and is a key figure in the impeachment inquiry in Budapest on Tuesday.

He’s now in Kiev meeting with other former Ukrainian prosecutors.

All three of the former prosecutors have been accused of corruption in the past. The Times says Giuliani is talking to them for a documentary series that will debunk the case for impeachment.

Kamala Harris Drops Out, But Biden Would Consider Her As Running Mate

(Ames, IA-AP) – Democratic presidential hopeful Joe Biden says he’d consider Senator Kamala Harris as a running mate.

Harris dropped her campaign for the Democratic nomination this week. Biden told reporters in Iowa that she “has the capacity to be anything she wants to be.” He added that one day she could be president herself or even a Supreme Court justice.

Harris frequently butted heads with Biden during the presidential debates about his history in the Senate.

The Stage Is Set For The Democratic Debate

(Atlanta, Ga) – The stage is set for The 5th Democratic Debate tomorrow at Tyler Perry Studios. And even though several of the candidates have been holding court in Atlanta for days leading up to the debate; they’ll all come together face to face Wednesday night on the Oprah Winfrey Soundstage.

Tom Steyer met with members of the black clergy, while former Housing Secretary Julian Castro discussed some issues at Paschal’s restaurant and Andrew Yang hit the court with Dominique Wilkins for some 5 on 5.  Castro did not meet the requirements to appear in the debate at Tyler Perry Studios, but he’s making his rounds nonetheless.

Pete Buttigieg and Amy Klobuchar also held discussions in Atlanta and they along with VP Joe Biden, Cory Booker, Tulsi Gabbard, Kamala Harris, Bernie Sanders,Tom Steyer, Elizabeth Warren and Andrew Yang will be front and center on the debate stage and it’s pretty insane.

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To qualify, The Democratic National Committee raised the criteria requiring candidates to either reach 3% in four national or early-state, DNC approved polls, or reach 5% in two early-state polls. They also had to demonstrate that they have 165,000 unique donors, including at least 600 each in at least 20 states, U.S. territories or the District of Columbia.

The Oprah Winfrey Soundstage is the largest stage at Tyler Perry Studios and will hold 1000 lucky guests, including The Morning Groove’s Toni Moore.

Moderators include Rachel Maddow, Andrea Mitchell, Kristen Welker and Ashley Parker.  The Washington Post and MSNBC will co-host the event.

It airs live at 9pm on MSNBC, msnbc.com and the washingtonpost.com

Schiff Accuses Trump Of Witness Intimidation “In Real Time”

(Washington, DC-AP) – The chairman of the House Intelligence Committee is accusing President Trump of “witness intimidation, in real time.”

During a break in testimony in the latest public House impeachment hearing, California Democrat Adam Schiff suggested that a tweet from Trump, during the hearing, was designed to have a chilling effect on witness testimony. Trump attacked testimony from former U.S.-Ukraine ambassador Marie Yovanovitch.

Trump tweeted, “Everywhere Marie Yovanovitch went turned bad.” Asked to respond to the tweet, Yovanovitch defended her long service as a U.S. diplomat. She said — “I actually think that where I’ve served over the years, I and others have demonstrably made things better, for the U.S. as well as for the countries that I’ve served in.”

Yovanovitch also said it is important for Ukraine to “move out of Russia’s orbit.” The veteran diplomat said Russian influences have fueled considerable corruption in Ukraine. She alleged that “foreign and corrupt interests” have “hijacked” U.S.-Ukraine policy. She also argued that the State Department has been “hollowed out from within.”

Yovanovitch was recalled earlier this year after running afoul of Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, who was conducting unofficial diplomacy in Ukraine. Giuliani was pressuring Ukraine to launch an investigation of Democrats.

 

Roger Stone Guilty On All Counts

(Washington, DC-AP) – A federal jury says President Trump’s confidante Roger Stone is guilty on all seven counts. Stone was brought to trial as part of the Mueller investigation for his attempts to learn what information WikiLeaks had on hacked Democratic emails during the 2016 election.

Stone was charged with lying to Congress, obstruction of justice and witness intimidation. The jury deliberated for less than two days.

The 67-year-old Stone could face up to 50 years in prison. Stone’s attorneys had argued that he was not intentionally dishonest.

They also claimed the case against their client was politically motivated. Stone has been a longtime friend and adviser to Donald Trump since well before he decided to run for president in 2016.

BREAKING: Mulvaney Appears To Confirm Military Aid Held Up Over Requests To Investigate Democrats

(Washington, DC) – Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is appearing to confirm that the Trump Administration withheld military aid to Ukraine partly over a request to open an investigation into a debunked conspiracy theory of the DNC server.

He said it was one of three conditions for the release of the money.

Mulvaney said politics always influences policy. House Democrats opened an impeachment inquiry over President Trump asking Ukraine’s president for favors, including that nation’s involvement in the 2016 election and looking into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter.

President Trump has said there was no quid pro quo. Mulvaney, however, said this is business as usual in foreign policy.

Graham Warns Turkey Against Moving Into Northern Syria, While Other Republicans Condemn Trump’s Decision To Withdraw As Well

(Washington, DC-AP) – Senator Lindsey Graham is warning Turkey about moving troops into northern Syria. The South Carolina Republican said Turkey would face “sanctions from hell” by Congress.

He noted that sanctions would be wide, deep and devastating. There are growing concerns about Turkey plotting movements into northern Syria since President Trump announced plans to remove U.S. troops from the war-torn region. Graham chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee.

And Both of Alaska’s senators are joining with other Republicans in Congress to condemn Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Northern Syria. S

enator Lisa Murkowski called the move “abrupt and unsettling,” saying that it betrays U.S. alliances with Kurdish forces and give ISIS an opportunity to grow again. Senator Dan Sullivan said the President’s decision will lead to a power vacuum that could be filled by “Russian and Iranian proxies.”

2nd Whistleblower Comes Forward In Trump Ukraine Scandal

(Washington, DC-AP) — A second whistleblower is coming forward in the Ukraine scandal. Attorneys representing the first whistleblower whose complaint about President Trump’s dealings with the Ukraine confirmed to NBC News today they represent “multiple” clients.

Attorney Andrew Bakaj said his firm is working with the whistleblowers in connection with the August 12th disclosure to the Intelligence Community Inspector General.

The original complaint triggered an impeachment inquiry by House Democrats into claims the President pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate his Democratic political rival Joe Biden and his son.

Trump calls the impeachment inquiry a hoax.

2nd Whistleblower Comes Forward In Trump Ukraine Scandal

(Washington, DC-AP) – A Washington attorney says his law firm is representing a second whistleblower with first-hand knowledge of President Trump’s dealings with Ukraine.

The lawyer said today the second whistleblower has spoken with the intelligence community’s inspector general.

A complaint filed by the first whistleblower is the basis for an impeachment inquiry into claims Trump pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate his Democratic rival former Vice President Joe Biden.