Category: Uncategorized

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Trump Finally Finds A New FBI Director

President Trump tweets he has finally found his new FBI Director, and the winner is: former assistant attorney general Christopher Wray.

From NPR:

Wray has been in private practice for the past 12 years, working in litigation as a partner at the King & Spalding law firm in Washington and Atlanta. From 2003 to 2005, he was the assistant attorney general leading the Justice Department’s criminal division. In that post, he worked under attorneys general John Ashcroft and Alberto Gonzales — as well as former FBI Director James Comey, who was then the deputy attorney general.

From 1997 to 2001, Wray was an assistant U.S. attorney in north Georgia. In May of 2001, he rose to become an associate deputy attorney general at the Department of Justice, according to his biography at King & Spalding.

According to that bio, Wray “has substantial federal appellate experience, including successful oral arguments before the U.S. Court of Appeals for Eleventh Circuit sitting en banc and before the U.S. Supreme Court.”

Wray graduated from Yale University in 1989 and also attended law school there, serving as executive editor of the Yale Law Journal.

Apparently, Wray defended New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie during the BridgeGate scandal.

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Olivia Newton-John Covers People Magazine

People Magazine does great by pop icon Olivia Newton-John sharing her positive perspective as she faces down cancer again 25 years after her first bout.

While the article is filled with statements by her husband, John Easterling, and close friends like Didi Conn and Leeza Gibbons, the Aussie icon shares a message to her fans via the publication:

“I am really grateful for and touched by the worldwide outpouring of love and concern. Thank you.

“I am feeling good and enjoying total support from my family and friends, along with a team of wellness and medical practitioners both here in the US and at my Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness and Research Centre in Melbourne, Australia.

“I’m totally confident that my new journey will have a positive success story to inspire others!”

You can listen to my interview with Olivia talking about her latest album, LIV ON, on iTunes.

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Attorney General Sessions Suggests He Could Resign Over Tensions With President Trump


 ABC News reports that Attorney General Sessions has apparently suggested he may resign amid the rising tensions with President Trump:

The friction between the two men stems from the attorney general’s abrupt decision in March to recuse himself from anything related to the Russia investigation — a decision the president only learned about minutes before Sessions announced it publicly. Multiple sources say the recusal is one of the top disappointments of his presidency so far and one the president has remained fixated on.

Trump’s anger over the recusal has not diminished with time. Two sources close to the president say he has lashed out repeatedly at the attorney general in private meetings, blaming the recusal for the expansion of the Russia investigation, now overseen by Special Counsel and former FBI Director Robert Mueller.

But sources say the frustration runs both ways, prompting the resignation offer from Sessions.

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Texas Governor Calls Special Session Of State Legislature For Anti-Trans “Bathroom Bill”

The Republican Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott, has called a special session of the state legislature beginning July 18, and the anti-transgender “bathroom bill” will be on the agenda.

Via the Texas Tribune:

Abbott laid out 19 items that he will then ask legislators to take up. Among those 19 items: a so-called “bathroom bill” that would regulate which restrooms transgender Texans can use.

“We need a law that protects the privacy of our children in public schools,” Abbott said, reiterating his support for a proposal that did not make it to his desk during the regular session, House Bill 2899.

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Report: Comey Plans To Dispute Trump Claims But Won’t Accuse Him Of Obstruction Of Justice

According to ABC News, former FBI Director James Comey does not plan to accuse President Trump of obstructing justice during his upcoming testimony before the Senate Intelligence Committee on Thursday.

Although Comey has told associates he will not accuse the President of obstructing justice, he will dispute the president’s contention that Comey told him three times he is not under investigation.

The president allegedly said he hoped Comey would drop the Flynn investigation, a request that concerned Comey enough that he documented the conversation in a memo shortly after speaking with the president. In the memo, according to sources close to Comey who reviewed it, Trump said: “I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go,” during a February meeting.

The request made Comey uncomfortable, but the source tells ABC News that Comey has told associates he will not accuse the President of obstructing justice.

“He is not going to Congress to make accusations about the President’s intent, instead he’s there to share his concerns,” the source said, and tell the committee “what made him uneasy” and why he felt a need to write the memo documenting the conversation.

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Civil Rights Documentary THE FREEDOM TO MARRY Now Available VOD

Civil rights documentary, The Freedom To Marry, is available today on VOD and across digital platforms including iTunes, Amazon, and Google Play.

Via press release:

This is the epic, untold story of how same-sex marriage became law of the land.

Documenting one of the greatest civil rights stories of our time, The Freedom To Marry is a nail-biting, behind-the-scenes story that traces the marriage equality movement’s historic progress, and reveals the masterminds of the movement they lead the fight to win same sex marriage throughout the United States.

The Freedom To Marry follows Evan Wolfson, the architect of the marriage movement, attorney Mary Bonauto, and their team through their decades long battle, culminating in a dramatic fight at the United States Supreme Court. More than the saga of one of the most importnant civil rights stories of our time, this is an inspiring tale of how a real change occurs, even against the biggest odds.

Directed by veteran doc filmmaker Eddie Rosenstein, produced by Jenni Olson & Amie Segal. .

The essence of the right to marry is the freedom to marry the person you choose.
– Evan Wolfson, architect of the Freedom To Marry movement

When something is wrong, you do something to change it.
– Mary Bonauto, landmark civil rights attorney (Obergefell vs. Hodges)

“Thoroughly moving and inspiring”
– Boston Globe

“Landmark…this summer’s hot documentary.”
– Curve Magazine

Watch the trailer below.

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Think Tank Report Shows $110B Saudi Arms Deal Is “Fake News”

With much fanfare, President Trump visited Saudi Arabia last month and his administration announced that he had negotiated a $110 billion arms deal with the kingdom.

That’s what he does – makes deals. Right?

But hold on second there, Skippy. There’s a reason why Trump likes the term “fake news.”

Because that’s what he makes. Fake News.

Turns out there isn’t any “deal” in place with the Saudis.

From senior fellow Bruce Riedel at The Brookings Institute, a non-partisan think tank:

I’ve spoken to contacts in the defense business and on the Hill, and all of them say the same thing: There is no $110 billion deal. Instead, there are a bunch of letters of interest or intent, but not contracts. Many are offers that the defense industry thinks the Saudis will be interested in someday. So far nothing has been notified to the Senate for review. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency, the arms sales wing of the Pentagon, calls them “intended sales.” None of the deals identified so far are new, all began in the Obama administration.

None of the deals identified so far are new, all began in the Obama administration.

An example is a proposal for sale of four frigates (called multi-mission surface combatant vessels) to the Royal Saudi navy. This proposal was first reported by the State Department in 2015. No contract has followed. The type of frigate is a derivative of a vessel that the U.S. Navy uses but the derivative doesn’t actually exist yet.

Another piece is the Terminal High Altitude Air Defense system (THAAD) which was recently deployed in South Korea. The Saudis have expressed interest in the system for several years but no contracts have been finalized. Obama approved the sale in principle at a summit at Camp David in 2015.

Also on the wish list are 150 Black Hawk helicopters. Again, this is old news repackaged. What the Saudis and the administration did is put together a notional package of the Saudi wish list of possible deals and portray that as a deal. Even then the numbers don’t add up. It’s fake news.

Oh, and that “tax bill” that Trump told the world last week is currently “moving along in Congress” and “doing very well?”

Yeah, there’s no tax bill either.

According to Vox.com:

• No tax bill has been introduced to the US House of Representatives.
• No tax bill has been introduced to the US Senate.
• The White House has not released a tax plan that is detailed enough for experts to assess its economic or fiscal impact.

Fake news, folks. Fake news.

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NSA Document Indicates Russia May Have Attempted To Hack 2016 Voting Systems

The Intercept is reporting that a top-secret National Security Agency document indicates Russian government hackers may have attempted to hack more than 100 local election systems before Election Day 2016.

Russian military intelligence executed a cyber attack on at least one U.S. voting software supplier and sent spear-phishing emails to more than 100 local election officials just days before last November’s presidential election, according to a highly classified intelligence report obtained by The Intercept.

The top-secret National Security Agency document, which was provided anonymously to The Intercept and independently authenticated, analyzes intelligence very recently acquired by the agency about a months-long Russian intelligence cyber effort against elements of the U.S. election and voting infrastructure. The report, dated May 5, 2017, is the most detailed U.S. government account of Russian interference in the election that has yet come to light.

The report indicates that Russian hacking may have penetrated further into U.S. voting systems than was previously understood. It states unequivocally in its summary statement that it was Russian military intelligence, specifically the Russian General Staff Main Intelligence Directorate, or GRU, that conducted the cyber attacks described in the document.

According to Huffington Post, the leaker of the document has been arrested.

A government contractor in Georgia was arrested this weekend after a classified National Security Agency report was leaked on an alleged cyberattack attempt by Russian military intelligence officers on a voting software company and local election officials.

Reality Leigh Winner, a 25-year-old federal contractor for Pluribus International Corp. who had a top secret security clearance and was working at a government agency, was arrested by FBI agents Saturday at her home in Augusta, Georgia, according to the Justice Department.

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VH1’s “Daytime Divas” Premieres Tonight

Vanessa Williams in “Daytime Divas”

Can’t wait for the series premiere of Daytime Divas tonight!

There’s only one “I” in Diva!

And who better to be head diva than Vanessa Williams?

Based on former The View host Star Jones’ novel, Satan’s Sisters, Williams stars as the tough creator and host of a daytime talk show. The TV talker features five women who aren’t afraid to bare their claws when the cameras are off.

NewNowNext has a terrific interview with the Ugly Betty/Desperate Housewives star which includes questions about strong women and LGBT storylines.

You’re an outspoken LGBT rights advocate. Does Daytime Divas have any LGBT characters or storylines?

One of the co-hosts of The Lunch Hour, the show within our show, is sexually fluid with no apologies. And I think one of our strongest episodes is when Janet Mock comes on as a guest co-host. Our conservative evangelist co-host has a son who’s trans, and you’d think she would be judgmental, but she’s actually his champion and calls him by the name he wants. She asks Janet some really interesting questions, and Janet answers them in the most beautiful, sensitive way. I’ve never seen anything quite like it on an hour-long dramedy.

Maxine isn’t your first diva. Why are you so drawn to strong, powerful women with impeccable style?

Well, it’s how people see me, and it’s something people know that I can do believably, not broadly. I played a diva in Kiss of the Spider Woman, my first Broadway show, but I’ve been doing those types of roles since high school. Maybe my dancing background gives my gait and stature something that signifies power and elegance.

Is America not ready to see you as an average woman who wears flats?

I don’t know, but it might be fun to take on that challenge. Right now, by the way, I’m wearing very comfy, sensible shoes. But there’s a certain ease about playing Maxine because she is aging, and it’s great to be able to play a woman who actually looks her age. I’m 54 and proud of it, so it was a luxury to not have to get all pumped and pulled for a change.

Watch the first 8 minutes of the pilot below, and catch the full episodes on VH1 Mondays at 10PM ET.