Tag: Donald Trump

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Kathy Griffin: Donald Trump Is “Trying To Ruin My Life”

Comedian Kathy Griffin gave an emotional, sometimes rambling press conference today regarding the controversy surrounding the image and video of her holding a mask of Donald Trump meant to look like his severed head.

Standing alongside her publicist, Lisa Bloom, Griffin addressed the scandal saying, “I make mistakes. I’m an out there comedian.”

She made a point of saying her apology, issued earlier this week, still stands but added, “I don’t think I’m going to have a career after this. I’m going to be honest. He broke me. A sitting president of the United States and his grown children and the First Lady, personally, I feel, are trying to ruin my life forever.”

The former My Life on the D-List star shared that she is receiving death threats that are “constant, detailed and specific.”

I’m, personally, not sure the press conference was a good idea. In situations like this, where she did go too far, it’s best to make your apology and then step back.

Watch below.

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White House Informs Congress Trump Will Withdraw From Paris Climate Accord

President Donald Trump

We knew this was coming.

The Trump administration has told members of Congress today that the president plans to withdraw from the landmark Paris climate agreement.

From CNN:

In talking points delivered to Trump’s allies, the White House characterized the Paris agreement as a job killer that placed undue burdens on American taxpayers.

“The Paris Accord is a BAD deal for Americans, and the President’s action today is keeping his campaign promise to put American workers first,” the talking points read. “The accord was negotiated poorly by the Obama administration and signed out of desperation. It frontloads costs on the American people to the detriment of our economy.”

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence were calling lawmakers, including House and Senate leaders, in the hours leading up to the announcement to get input on his climate decision, a Republican source said.

In triggering the official withdrawal process, Trump will spark a lengthy process that won’t conclude until November 2020 — the same month he’s up for reelection.

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No Proclamation For Pride Month From President Trump

I’m not looking for a presidential proclamation for Pride Month to land in my in-box anytime soon.

Bill Clinton began the tradition in 1999, and issued a second in his last year in office.

And President Obama issued proclamations recognizing the month of June as LGBT Pride Month every year of his presidency, along with hosting LGBT festivities inside the White House.

But President Trump seems to have ended all that.

The Trump White House released a several Proclamations today celebrating June as “National Ocean Month”, “African-American Music Appreciation Month,” “National Homeownership Month”, and “Great Outdoors Month” – but nada for LGBT Pride Month.

But, we do have the Democrats.

Issued today from Democratic National Committee Chairman Tom Perez:

“From Stonewall to the Supreme Court, our nation has made great strides in LGBTQ rights. LGBTQ Pride Month is an opportunity to celebrate that progress, to appreciate the cultural achievements of LGBTQ Americans, and to recommit ourselves to the fight for global LGBTQ equality.

“Under the leadership of Barack Obama, America has advanced LGBTQ rights in ways unthinkable just a few years ago. This month, we celebrate the second anniversary of nationwide marriage equality. We ended Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and guaranteed transgender veterans the care they earned serving our nation. Today, hospitals receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds must extend visitation rights to LGBTQ patients. Across the country, violence against LGBTQ individuals can be prosecuted as federal hate crimes. These were hard-fought victories, but there is still much progress to be made.

“From bathrooms to boardrooms, too many LGBTQ Americans are denied the full equality they deserve. In some states, conservative lawmakers continue to advance legislation intended to discriminate against the LGBTQ community. Despite their promises, the Trump administration is hell-bent on rolling back progress, starting with Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ decision to end protections for transgender students. Democrats will fight those these efforts to erode the rights of LGBTQ people and continue to push for LGBTQ equality at home and abroad.

“Internationally, equality is also a long way away. According to the International Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Intersex Association, people in 72 countries can still be prosecuted for who they love. That is unacceptable. President Trump must use the full influence of the United States to pressure our neighbors to recognize the rights of LGBTQ people.

“However, there also are many reasons to be hopeful this Pride Month. Last Wednesday, Taiwan’s constitutional court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage, paving the way for Taiwan to become the first Asian country to legalize gay marriage. Hopefully, Taiwan’s landmark court decision is the beginning of LGBTQ equality across Asia.

“This month, we must redouble our efforts to fight for the rights of our LGBTQ family, friends, and neighbors around the world, especially those under threat from their own governments.”

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White House: All Questions Regarding Obstruction Of Justice “Will Be Referred To Outside Counsel”

During an off-camera press gaggle today at the White House, Press Secretary Sean Spicer was quick to respond to a question about James Comey’s upcoming testimony in Congress thusly:

“Going forward all questions on these matters will be referred to outside counsel.”

Lawyered up and ready to go. Listen below.

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Master Class In How To Kiss Your Boss’s Ass

That “magnetic personality” of Donald Trump on full display

White House spokeswoman Hope Hicks emptied an entire thesaurus of superlatives in describing her boss in response to a Washington Post report that President Trump is demeaning and condescending to his staff:

“President Trump has a magnetic personality and exudes positive energy, which is infectious to those around him. He has an unparalleled ability to communicate with people, whether he is speaking to a room of three or an arena of 30,000. He has built great relationships throughout his life and treats everyone with respect. He is brilliant with a great sense of humor . . . and an amazing ability to make people feel special and aspire to be more than even they thought possible.”

I’d guess the Trumpmeister wrote it himself except there are some awfully bigly words in that word salad.

I can only imagine this is what it’s like to live in fear of being screamed at by your boss.

(source)

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Former FBI Director James Comey To Testify On Pressures From Trump To End Russia Investigation

Former FBI Director James Comey

CNN reports fired FBI Director James Comey will definitely be testifying before the Senate Intelligence Committee, possibly as soon as next week.

He is expected to confirm the dramatic accounts that have surfaced since his dismissal, including the accusations that Donald Trump asked him to drop the current investigation into ties with Russia.

Final details are still being worked out and no official date for his testimony has been set. Comey is expected to appear before the Senate Intelligence Committee, which is investigating possible connections between the Trump campaign and Russia during last year’s presidential election.

Comey has spoken privately with Special Counsel Robert Mueller III to work out the parameters for his testimony to ensure there are no legal entanglements as a result of his public account, a source said. Comey will likely sit down with Mueller, a longtime colleague at the Justice Department, for a formal interview only after his public testimony.

When he testifies, Comey is unlikely to be willing to discuss in any detail the FBI’s investigation into the charges of possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign — the centerpiece of the probe, this source said. But he appears eager to discuss his tense interactions with Trump before his firing, which have now spurred allegations that the president may have tried to obstruct the investigation.

If it happens, Comey’s public testimony promises to be a dramatic chapter in the months-long controversy, and it will likely bring even more intense scrutiny to an investigation that Trump has repeatedly denounced as a “witch hunt.”

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Backlash Continues For Kathy Griffin In Wake Of “Beheading” Stunt

After posting a very graphic photo of a fake “beheading” of Donald Trump, comic Kathy Griffin took to Twitter to beg for forgiveness.

“I’m a comic. I crossed the line. I moved the line, then I crossed it. I went too far. The image was too disturbing. It wasn’t funny. I beg for your forgiveness.”

The stunt is already affecting Griffin’s bottom line as one casino has cancelled a summer appearance, and even buddy Anderson Cooper has denounced the photo as CNN fired her from her high-profile New Year’s Eve gig.

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Donald Trump Handing Out His Cell Number To World Leaders

I’m not sure Donald Trump understands the concept of “secure” phone lines.

From the AP:

President Donald Trump has been handing out his cellphone number to world leaders and urging them to call him directly, an unusual invitation that breaks diplomatic protocol and is raising concerns about the security and secrecy of the U.S. commander in chief’s communications.

Trump has urged leaders of Canada and Mexico to reach him on his cellphone, according to former and current U.S. officials with direct knowledge of the practice. Of the two, only Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has taken advantage of the offer so far, the officials said.

Trump also exchanged numbers with French President Emmanuel Macron when the two spoke immediately following Macron’s victory earlier this month, according to a French official, who would not comment on whether Macron intended to use the line.

Presidents generally place calls on one of several secure phone lines, including those in the White House Situation Room, the Oval Office or the presidential limousine. Even if Trump uses his government-issued cellphone, his calls are vulnerable to eavesdropping, particularly from foreign governments, national security experts say.

“If you are speaking on an open line, then it’s an open line, meaning those who have the ability to monitor those conversations are doing so,” said Derek Chollet, a former Pentagon adviser and National Security Council official now at the German Marshall Fund of the United States.

The Presidential Records Act of 1981 requires all official communications by the president (that would include calls to world leaders) to be logged and documented.

You might recall a few times during the presidential campaign that Trump lambasted Hillary Clinton for her email server saying it left the U.S. vulnerable to intel leaks.

Maybe? Once or twice?

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President Trump To Withdraw From Paris Climate Accord


 Reuters is reporting that President Trump has (surprise!) decided to withdraw from the Paris climate accord.

The accord, agreed on by nearly 200 countries in Paris in 2015, aims to limit planetary warming in part by slashing carbon dioxide and other emissions from the burning of fossil fuels. Under the pact, the United States committed to reducing its emissions by 26 to 28 percent from 2005 levels by 2025.

The decision to withdraw from the climate accord was influenced by a letter from 22 Republican U.S. senators, including Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, calling for an exit, Axios reported.

Trump has repeatedly expressed doubts about climate change, at times calling it a hoax to weaken U.S. industry. An overwhelming majority of scientists, however, say climate change is driven by human use of fossil fuels.

The withdrawal would mean only the United States joins Syria and Nicaragua as the world’s only non-participants in the Paris Climate Agreement.

A recent NBC/WSJ poll shows 67% of Americans support action to combat climate change.