Category Archives: Reviews

Flynn Alleges FBI Faked Records

Reviews
In this article, a Fox News reporter gives his analysis on a case involving the FBI and a former NSA worker Michael Flynn. Flynn's lawyer wants the case dismissed because there is evidence that the FBI may have edited or changed the record of an interview with his client in 2017.
Meta Data
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/28/2019 02:39:54 am
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
Fox News
Content (12)
"FBI agents handling former national security adviser Michael Flynn's 2017 interview had seemingly 'nefarious' intent in editing official records, Fox News contributor Jason Chaffetz said Saturday." (10/26/19)
"Chaffetz, a Republican and former Utah congressman, was reacting to an explosive new motion filed by Flynn's attorney, Sidney Powell, who called on the court to 'dismiss the entire prosecution for outrageous government misconduct.' "
"In the 37-page filing, Powell also asked that federal prosecutors be held in contempt and that the government be ordered to hand over all evidence relating to Flynn."
"The case stemmed from an FBI interview in which Flynn was asked about his conversations with former Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak. "
"Flynn ultimately pleaded guilty to making false statements as part of former Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation."
"But Powell alleges that FBI officials manipulated Flynn’s FBI 302 — a form used by agents to report or summarize interviews."
"Powell is also raising concerns about text messages between since-fired FBI agent Peter Strzok and former FBI lawyer Lisa Page days following the publication of the salacious anti-Trump dossier, which was funded by the Clinton campaign and the Democratic National Committee through law firm Perkins Coie."
"A newly revealed email exchange between Strzok and Page on Feb. 10, 2017, reads: 'I made your edits and sent them to Joe. I also emailed you an updated 302. I'm not asking you to edit this weekend, I just wanted to send it to you.' "
"Prosecutors have strongly rejected claims they're hiding evidence, saying 'the government has exceeded its discovery and disclosure obligations in this matter,' including by providing Flynn with thousands of pages of documents."
"All of this comes as U.S. Attorney John Durham's ongoing probe into potential FBI and Justice Department misconduct in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election has transitioned into a full-fledged criminal investigation."
"Chaffetz said the information Powell unearthed should be 'pivotal' in the lawyer's efforts to clear Flynn."
"While filling in for 'Hannity's' Sean Hannity, Chaffetz spoke with Flynn's attorney."
Spin (5)
"Appearing on 'Fox & Friends: Weekend' with hosts Ed Henry, Pete Hegseth and Jedidiah Bila, Chaffetz said Powell's allegations are 'huge' and could potentially get Flynn 'out from a guilty plea.' "
" 'The FBI manipulated how they interviewed him. They used the precursors that were not there. And then, they actually edited,' [Chaffetz] said."
" 'And one of the key things I think is so important — it really gets to me — is that Michael Horowitz, the inspector general, went to go get these text messages and the FBI said, "Oh, we can't find them," ' Chaffetz said."
" 'He had to go to the Pentagon to get an algorithm to go get these text messages which now reveal this interaction between these FBI agents that really does look like nefarious activity,' Chaffetz noted."
"We also have information that the agents did manipulate the 302. You know, it was long in a quote 'deliberative state,' as they called it. Which is highly unusual in and of itself. People can go to the actual document and read it and see a lot for themselves," Powell said.
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 2019-10-26 00:00:00
Date Accessed: 2019-10-29 22:37:00
Article Author: Julia Musto
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Maria Butina Released

Reviews
Maria Butina, convicted of acting as a foreign spy, was released from her 18 month sentence in a federal prison. After failing to register as a Russian agent, Butina tried to connect the Russian Intelligence to conservative U.S. political leaders by means of the NRA (National Rifle Association). Using both past, present, and future events, the author wrote this article well with relative and interesting details.
Meta Data
Definitions (9)
Butina: Maria Butina is a Russian national and a professed firearms enthusiast.
Chutkan: Tanya S. Chutkan is a U.S. District Court Judge.
NPR: NPR stands for National Public Radio.
Putin: Vladimir Putin is the Russian President.
Torshin: Alexander Torshin is a sanctioned Russian businessman.
FSB: The FSB is Russia's domestic intelligence service.
NRA: NRA stands for National Rifle Association.
Mueller: Robert Mueller is Russia's former special counsel.
Erickson: Paul Erickson was a longtime Republican fundraiser.
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/25/2019 08:46:12 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
NPR
Content (18)
"Maria Butina's prison term has ended."
Butina pleaded guilty late 2018 to "conspiring to act as a clandestine foreign agent."
Butina was released Friday.
Butina was released into the custody of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Prosecutors accused Butina of connecting Moscow and the Trump administration.
Butina was also accused of connecting Moscow with people of importance in the conservative political community.
The people of importance included officials at the National Rifle Association and the National Prayer Breakfast.
December 2018, Brutina "admitted failing to register as a Russian agent with the Justice Department."
Failing to register is a crime that could end in up to five years in prison.
In April 2019, Chutkan gave Butina 18 months instead of five years, with credit for time already served.
A few weeks after the judge's order, Butina spoke with NPR by phone.
Butina spoke with NPR while still in detention, awaiting transfer to the low-security federal prison in Tallahassee, FL, where she would finish her sentence.
Federal investigators accused Butina of working with Torshin and the FSB to connect with conservative political leaders in the USA.
Mueller left Butina's name out of his investigation's published report.
Butina was not the only one facing legal jeopardy.
Erickson was dating Butina at the time she was accused.
Erickson was accused of defrauding health care investors in South Dakota.
Earlier 2019, Erickson pleaded not guilty to his accusation.
Spin (12)
Butina is expected to be quickly deported back to Russia.
Butina's release closes a negative chapter in her life.
For months, Butina was the spotlight in the federal investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election.
In her conversation with NPR, Butina persisted that "all she had been doing was 'building peace' between the U.S. and Russia."
Butina said it wouldn't be appropriate to say she was part of a "giant plan" and that there was a "giant plan" at all.
"There is no proof of that," Butina said, "And I have no knowledge that there is a certain plan."
Putin has repeatedly "slammed the allegations against Butina as a sham."
Putin tabled Butina's sentence an "outrage."
Naturally, federal investigators had a different view.
Butina and Torshin ended up with "extensive access" to the NRA.
Because of Butina and Torshin's access, a Senate report recently found that "the influential gun rights group had effectively become a 'foreign asset' during the 2016 election cycle."
Butina's efforts seem to be separate from Mueller's Russian election interference campaign.
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 2019-10-25 13:18:00
Date Accessed: 2019-10-25 15:41:00
Article Author: Colin Dwyer
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Trump Ends Turkey Sanctions

Reviews
President Trump has declared a cease-fire between the Kurds and Turkey. He is taking credit for taking many Americans out of harm's way and saving many Kurds and Turkish people in the process. Russia is taking command of removing Kurds alongside of the Turkish Soldiers.
Common Facts
Content (4)
The Gua.
CNN
Blo.
"President Donald Trump said he is lifting recently imposed sanctions against Turkey after the country complied with a cease-fire agreement with Kurdish forces in Syria."
"Shortly before [Trump] spoke, the US special envoy for Syria and the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS, Jim Jeffrey, told the House Foreign Affairs Committee that the US believes Turkish-backed opposition forces in Syria have committed war crimes."
"But Trump reiterated previous statements that a small contingent of U.S. forces will remain to guard oil fields in northern Syria, adding cryptically that 'we’ll decide what we’re doing with it in the future.' "
"An hour earlier, Jeffrey told House lawmakers that the US now estimates that over 100 ISIS fighters had escaped and that 'we do not know where they are.' "
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/26/2019 02:24:27 am
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
The Guardian
Content (14)
"In a televised address on Wednesday, (10/23/19) Trump emphasized that US troops were 'safe' and said America would leave other powers to fight each other in the region."
"Wednesday’s (10/23/19) announcement came as Russian troops expanded their presence across north-eastern Syria, the result of an agreement between Ankara and Moscow."
"Just a week ago, Trump announced a series of financial punishments on Ankara – including the reimposition of 50% tariffs on Turkish steel – after Turkey launched its attack on Kurdish-led forces in north-eastern Syria."
"That offensive began hours after a phone call between Trump and Recep Tayyip Erdoğan in which the Turkish president, informed Trump of his plans, and understood the US president to give a green light."
" 'The government of Turkey informed my administration that they would be stopping combat and their offensive in Syria, and making the ceasefire permanent,' Trump said."
" 'I have, therefore, instructed the secretary of the Treasury to lift all sanctions imposed October 14,' [Trump] added."
"Earlier on Wednesday, (10/23/19) Syrian and Russian media showed footage of Russian military police vehicles on the outskirts of the important towns of Manbij and Kobani, one day after Erdoğan, met Vladimir Putin in Sochi."
"A statement carried on Russia’s Interfax agency said Russian patrols had already begun inside Manbij, a town that until two weeks ago was a key US base in the region."
"The deal was hailed as a 'big success' by Trump, although his critics say it cements Russia’s role as prime powerbroker in the Middle East."
"In an earlier tweet, the US president claimed the Kurds were safe and Isis prisoners secured."
"Turkish troops, allied Syrian rebel proxies, the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) and soldiers belonging to the Syrian president, Bashar al-Assad, are now all present in the border zone, with Russia the only negotiating force between them."
"The talks on Tuesday between Erdoğan and the Russian president defined the contours of Turkey’s long-proposed border 'safe zone': Turkish troops in the area seized since the offensive began on 9 October will remain in situ, and Russian soldiers and the Syrian army will control the rest of the frontier. "
"Moscow and Damascus will supervise the removal of Kurdish fighters and weaponry to the depth of 18 miles (29km) from their current positions on the border before 26 October, after which joint Russian-Turkish patrols will begin across the entire border area to a depth of six miles, with the exception of the de facto Kurdish capital, Qamishli."
"On Wednesday (10/23/29), the Russian ministry of defence published a map showing 15 planned border observation posts that will be manned by the Syrian regime."
Opinion (5)
"The US president, who has come under withering criticism for abruptly withdrawing US troops – and paving the way for a deadly Turkish offensive against the Kurds – said on Wednesday that a 'small number' of US troops would remain in Syria’s oilfields."
"[Trump] added: 'Let someone else fight over this long-bloodstained sand.'"
" 'How many Americans must die in the Middle East in the midst of these ancient sectarian and tribal conflicts?' Trump said. 'I am committed to pursuing a different course, one that leads to victory for America.' "
"Some troops would remain in Syria’s oilfields, Trump said. 'We have secured the oil and, therefore, a small number of US troops will remain in the area where they have the oil.' "
"Big success on the Turkey/Syria Border. Safe Zone created! Ceasefire has held and combat missions have ended. Kurds are safe and have worked very nicely with us. Captured ISIS prisoners secured. I will be making a statement at 11:00 A.M. from the White House. Thank you!"
-@realDonaldTrump on Twitter.
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/23/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/26/2019 03:10:00 pm
Article Author: Bethan McKernan
Click here to see the article
CNN
Content (13)
"Trump didn't mention Turkey's potential violations of international law."
"Defense Secretary Mark Esper told CNN's Christiane Amanpour on Tuesday that NATO ally Turkey and its allies may be liable for war crimes based on reports he'd seen."
"The President spoke on Jeffrey's second day of congressional testimony to lawmakers united in bipartisan anger over his decision to pull back US troops from northeastern Syria. "
"The decision was widely seen as a green light for Turkey's plan to attack the Kurds, a betrayal of a long-standing ally in the fight against ISIS and a damaging blow to US national security interests."
"[Trump] said the Kurds' military leader was 'extremely thankful for what the United States has done' and has assured the US 'that ISIS is under very, very strict lock and key.' "
"Asked how the US pullback had impacted the terror group's recruiting, Jeffrey said, 'ISIS is pitching this as a victory for them.' "
"Trump and other administration officials have insisted his decision to pull back troops didn't constitute a green light to Ankara, which saw the US-allied Kurds as an extension of a terrorist group it considers an existential threat."
"But on Wednesday, for a second day, lawmakers repeatedly returned to the question, with some noting that the US had spent the previous weeks convincing the Kurds to dismantle their defensive positions along the Turkish border."
"Rep. Adam Kinzinger, an Illinois Republican and military veteran, asked Jeffrey if Turkey had threatened to proceed even if the US didn't withdraw its troops. "
"Jeffrey said Ankara never felt constrained because the American troops were not told to stand their ground."
On Tuesday,(10/22/19) Jeffrey had told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee that, "if US troops had been given the order to stand and fight against a NATO ally, I think you're right, the Turks may have thought twice. They have never been given that order."
"While some of Trump's claims were undermined or refuted by his on-the-ground expert, the President also contradicted himself. "
"Trump said Wednesday that America was 'getting out' of the Middle East, yet earlier this month, he announced the US would send up to 3,000 additional troops to Saudi Arabia, which would pay for them."
Opinion (8)
"Speaking in the White House Diplomatic Reception Room, the President claimed that 'people are saying, wow, what a great outcome … we've done a good job, we've saved a lot of lives'."
[Trump] "praised President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, hinted that the Turkish leader would soon visit Washington and appeared to wash his hands of further US involvement in Syria."
" 'Let someone else fight over this long-bloodstained sand,' Trump said."
" 'We've seen several incidents which we consider war crimes,' Jeffrey said."
" 'The Turkish incursion into northeast Syria is a tragedy. It was long-standing US government policy in two administrations to keep that from happening and we were clearly not successful,' Jeffrey said."
" 'They are horrible, and if accurate — and I assume they are accurate — they would be war crimes,' Esper said. 'I think those responsible should be held accountable. In many cases, it would be the government of Turkey.' "
"On Wednesday, (10/23/19) however, the President said his administration had done a 'good job,' and claimed ISIS fighters who had escaped Kurdish jails after the Turkish attack have 'been largely recaptured.' "
" 'There was never a consideration in the Turkish decision chain about US forces being in the way or anything else, because they never felt they were being blocked by the US forces,' Jeffrey said."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/23/2019 04:41:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/26/2019 12:00:00 am
Article Author: Nicole Gaouette
Click here to see the article
Bloomberg
Content (12)
" 'The sanctions will be lifted — unless something happens that we’re not happy with,' Trump said Wednesday (10/23/19) in a statement from the White House."
"Trump said the penalties would be reimposed if Turkey resumes attacks on the Kurds. "
"The U.S. imposed sanctions on Turkey on Oct. 14, including penalties against three government ministers."
"The lira gained against the euro after Trump’s remarks Wednesday."
"Kurds fought alongside American troops against Islamic State in Syria."
"Shortly after the U.S. pulled out of the region, Turkey invaded and attacked Kurdish fighters, prompting condemnation and sanctions from the White House."
Trump then dispatched U.S. Vice President Mike Pence for meetings in Ankara, where the two sides struck an agreement for a five-day truce intended to allow Kurdish fighters to evacuate an area 120 kilometers long and 30 kilometers deep between the border towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ayn.
"Trump repeated his stance that the U.S. shouldn’t police the region. "
"Critics have charged that the agreement is a functional victory for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has long sought to push Kurdish fighters he considers terrorists from his country’s border, at the expense of the Kurds. "
"On Tuesday, (10/22/19) Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a separate pact that would clear Kurdish fighters from a northeastern zone in Syria also bordering Turkey."
" The agreement between Russia and Turkey has prompted further bipartisan criticism of Trump’s withdrawal."
“The only people who benefit from more violence and more chaos are America’s adversaries: Vladimir Putin, Bashar al-Assad, the terror sponsoring dictatorship in Iran, and Islamist extremists in the area and around the world, as shown by the deal that Erdogan struck yesterday with Putin,” Representative Michael McCaul, the senior Republican on the House Foreign Affairs Committee, said at a hearing on the Syria situation on Wednesday.
Opinion (5)
"Trump’s decision on sanctions — and assertion that his approach on Turkey was a success — is likely to reignite bipartisan criticism of the administration’s decision to withdraw forces from northern Syria, exposing U.S.-allied Kurdish fighters to attack by Turkey. "
"Trump says that the cease-fire’s persistence shows his 'unconventional' foreign policy approach paid dividends."
" 'This was an outcome created by us, the United States, and nobody else,' Trump said. 'We’re willing to take blame and we’re also willing to take credit.' "
" 'Let someone else fight over this long-bloodstained sand,' he said."
"But Trump said in a tweet on Wednesday (10/23/19) that the Kurds 'are safe and have worked very nicely with us.' "
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/23/2019 12:27:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/27/2019 12:00:00 am
Article Author: Josh Wingrove
Click here to see the article

Romney is Pierre Delecto

Reviews
Governor Mitt Romney came into the news this week after it was revealed that he had a fake alias on twitter. He said in an interview with the Atlantic that he had one, and it was later revealed that he was going under the name Pierre Delecto. He often attacked President Trump and responded to his critics.
Common Facts
Content (13)
Was. Pos.
The New
BBC
"Mitt Romney, the senator from Utah, former Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts governor, is also, apparently, the man behind a Twitter account that uses the moniker 'Pierre Delecto.' "
"Asked to confirm by a journalist, Mr Romney said, 'C'est moi' ("It's me")."
"The Utah senator and former governor of Massachusetts is an outspoken critic of President Donald Trump, a fellow Republican."
"It is unknown why he chose the account name, Pierre Delecto."
"Coppins prompted the revelation that [Romney] "uses a secret Twitter account – 'What do they call me, a lurker?' – to keep tabs on the political conversation"."
"The senator did not give away the name, but listed some of the roughly 700 accounts he follows – including journalists, athletes and comedians."
"All this was not enough for Slate journalist Ashley Feinberg, who launched an investigation into what possible account the senator could be using."
"The [Delecto] account has since been made private."
"It first opened on the social media site in July 2011, one month after Mr Romney announced plans to run for the presidency."
"Pierre Delecto follows a number of Mr Romney's family members and former aides."
"The account also posted several telling replies to Romney-related tweets, which were captured by screenshot before the account was made private on Sunday night. (10/20/19)"
"Asked if he was indeed Pierre Delecto, Mr Romney gave his brief reply in French."
"Former FBI Director James Comey tweeted under the name of American theologian Reinhold Niebuhr. Reporter Ashley Feinberg again was behind speculation it was him before he confirmed his use of the account in October 2017."
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/22/2019 01:51:39 am
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
Washington Post
Content (13)
"For years, Pierre Delecto’s presence on Twitter largely went unnoticed."
"Operating a bare-bones account with the handle @qaws9876, the user’s limited activity revealed only an interest in politics — namely, supporting Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah). "
"By early Monday (10/21/19), the unusual pseudonym was a trending moment on Twitter and had been mentioned in more than 47,000 tweets."
"When reached for comment late Sunday, a spokesperson for Romney responded by emailing The Washington Post a link to a tweet from Coppins that contained Romney’s brief confirmation."
"Romney brought up his covert Twitter persona during an interview with the Atlantic as he discussed Trump lashing out at him on social media. "
"The 72-year-old senator has condemned Trump for allegedly attempting to get officials in Ukraine to dig up dirt on former vice president Joe Biden and slammed the president’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria."
"According to Coppins, Romney shrugged off Trump’s insults and grabbed an iPad off his desk during the interview."
"But those slim details were more than enough for Feinberg. "
"The process, Feinberg wrote, hinged on the assumption that 'Romney, a known family man, would want to keep close tabs on his offspring.' ”
"Instead of targeting his family members with tens of thousands of followers, Feinberg homed in on a public account belonging to Allie Romney Critchlow, the senator’s oldest grandchild. "
"Critchlow’s account 'has just 481 followers, making digging through them an annoying-but-not-impossible feat,' Feinberg wrote."
"A deeper dive into Delecto’s account found that it matched the description Romney gave to the Atlantic. "
"Beyond politicians, political reporters and pundits, Delecto follows late-night hosts Conan O’Brien, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon and athletes such as New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and former Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre, according to Slate."
Opinion (5)
"So when 'Pierre Delecto' started trending Sunday on the social media platform, people were understandably confused."
“ 'Why are we talking about Pierre Delecto,' one person asked.
'WTH is a Pierre Delecto & why is everyone going crazy about it?' another wanted to know."
"I think people on both sides of the aisle can admit that Pierre Delecto is an amazing fake twitter name." -@SpikeEskin on twitter.
" 'The newly rebellious senator has become an outspoken dissident in Trump’s Republican Party, just in time for the president’s impeachment trial.' -theatlantic.com "
"In response, Trump has labeled Romney a “pompous ‘ass’” and called for his 'impeachment,' though senators cannot be impeached."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/21/2019 07:16:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/21/2019 10:53:00 pm
Article Author: Allyson Chiu
Click here to see the article
The New York Times
Content (13)
"Mr. Romney on Sunday admitted to McKay Coppins, a writer at The Atlantic, that he was responsible for the social media account."
"[Romney] uses (The Delecto twitter account) to covertly monitor political discourse and occasionally defend himself. "
"Several events preceded [Romney's] admission."
"The Atlantic published a profile of Mr. Romney on Sunday (10/20/19)."
"Those efforts form the basis of an impeachment investigation by the House."
"[Romney's] admission spurred curiosity, particularly that of the online newsmagazine, Slate."
"Slate theorized that Pierre Delecto, or Twitter user @qaws9876, was Mr. Romney after it discovered the account among the Twitter followers of one of his grandchildren."
"Slate’s Ashley Feinberg found that Pierre Delecto’s first follower was Mr. Romney’s oldest son, Tagg. "
"The account also followed all of Mr. Romney’s children who are on Twitter and several former advisers, according to Slate."
" 'Jennifer, you need to take a breath,' Pierre Delecto replied. 'Maybe you can then acknowledge the people who agree with you in large measure even if not in every measure.' "
"After Slate published its article, Mr. Coppins circled back with Mr. Romney to ask if he was indeed 'Pierre Delecto.' "
"A spokeswoman for Mr. Romney did not directly answer questions about the account on Sunday night. "
" But in an email, the spokeswoman sent a link to the tweet from Mr. Coppins describing Mr. Romney’s admission."
Opinion (4)
"Mr. Trump lashed out in response this month, calling the senator on Twitter a 'pompous ‘ass’ who has been fighting me from the beginning.' "
"In one tweet, the president used the hashtag '#IMPEACHMITTROMNEY.' "
In one tweet from May, Jennifer Rubin, a conservative blogger at The Washington Post, said Mr. Romney’s strategy on Mr. Trump was “non-confrontation verging on spinelessness.”
" 'i believe i may have found mitt romney's secret twitter account.
— Ashley Feinberg' "
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/21/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/24/2019 10:32:00 pm
Article Author: Mihir Zavieri
Click here to see the article
BBC
Content (15)
"In an interview with The Atlantic magazine on Sunday (10/20/19), the former presidential candidate admitted he had a 'lurker' Twitter handle to follow the US political conversation anonymously."
"While he did not reveal its name, US news site Slate posted an article speculating it could be Pierre Delecto, @qaws9876."
"Coppins asked the senator about President Trump's prolific tweeting – including attacks on Mr Romney himself."
"Mr Trump was not among [Romney's Followers]. Mr Romney said in the interview the president 'tweets so much', comparing him to his niece on Instagram. 'I love her, but it's like, Ah, it's too much.' "
"Scouring Mr Romney's grandchildren's Twitter accounts revealed Twitter user @qaws9876, known as Pierre Delecto."
"The account has only tweeted a handful of times, all in reply to other tweets."
"Coppins, who wrote the Atlantic piece, then called Mr Romney to see if the speculation was accurate."
"The senator had learnt the language while doing missionary work in France as a young man."
"Mr Romney ran unsuccessfully for the presidency in 2012, losing to incumbent Barack Obama."
"Since January 2019, he has served as the junior US senator from Utah."
"He has publicly questioned Donald Trump's fitness for office, writing in the Washington Post that the president had not 'risen to the mantle' of his office."
"Mr Romney is not the only US politician to use a pseudonym."
"James Comey was sacked by President Trump in May 2017."
"Ex-New York congressman Anthony Weiner reportedly used the alias "Carlos Danger" when he sent explicit photos to a young woman. Weiner was recently released from prison after serving a 15-month sentence for sending explicit messages to a minor."
"President Trump has allegedly used a number of fake names throughout his career, among them John Barron and John Miller. The Washington Post reported in 2016 about the allegations, which Mr Trump has repeatedly denied."
Opinion (1)
"Mr Trump has attacked the senator several times, most recently calling for his impeachment on Twitter."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/21/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/25/2019 10:10:00 pm
Article Author: Unknown
Click here to see the article

Mulvaney Readdresses Statements About Ukraine

Reviews
On Thursday, Mick Mulvaney said Trump used $391 million in military defense aid to pressure Ukraine into investigating the 2016 election. On Sunday, Mulvaney said nothing of the kind was happening; he was misunderstood. This turn of events produced criticism from both Democrats and Republicans. House committees are conducting an impeachment investigation to see whether or not Trump's "abuse-of-power" actions warrant a vote impeachment. The author seems to have no opinion on the matter at hand, but doesn't present the matter itself very clearly.
Common Facts
Definitions (12)
Mulvaney: Mick Mulvaney is President Trump's acting chief of staff.
Schiff: Adam Schiff is the Democratic House Intelligence Committee Chairman.
Murkowski: Lisa Murkowski is a Republican senator from Alaska.
Hunter: Hunter is Joe Biden's son.
Biden: Joe Biden is a possible Democratic presidential candidate.
Burisma: Burisma is a Ukrainian energy company.
Taylor: Bill Taylor is the acting U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
Reeker: Philip Reeker is the acting assistant secretary of European and Eurasian affairs in the State Department.
Mulvaney: Mick Mulvaney is the acting White House chief of staff.
Wallace: Chris Wallace is "Fox News Sunday's" anchor.
DNC: DNC stands for Democratic National committee.
Pompeo: Mike Pompeo is the secretary of state.
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/21/2019 08:37:09 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
NPR
Content (22)
On Thursday, Mulvaney said that the White House used nearly $400 million in military aid to pressure Ukraine to investigate the 2016 election.
On Sunday, Mulvaney tried to retrace his steps.
On Sunday, Mulvaney spoke with Chris Wallace on "Fox News Sunday."
Mulvaney's statements on Thursday were said during a televised news conference.
On Thursday, Mulvaney told reporters that Congress had already taken the military aid to Ukraine.
Mulvaney's remarks were repeated across the Capitol.
Mulvaney's remarks prompted denouncements from both Republicans and Democrats.
"Some Republicans also condemned the surprise remarks."
Following Mulvaney's remarks, the Justice Department, Trump's personal attorney, and Mulvaney himself backed off and tried to clean up Mulvaney's remarks.
Continuing his complete change of opinion, Mulvaney said on Sunday that he never used specific words "quid pro quo."
Trump's long-standing defense is that military aid to Ukraine was never conditioned by advancing Trump's political agenda.
Three House committees are leading the impeachment investigation.
These three House committees continually bring witnesses to the Capitol.
"On Thursday, Mulvaney said he was only aware of Trump's desire to have Ukraine look into the hacked DNC servers."
However, texts among State Department officials apparently reveal a plan to get Ukraine to investigate Burisma.
Hunter serves of the board of Burisma
The USA eventually delivered $391 million in military defense aid to Ukraine.
On Sunday, Mulvaney said the delivery of the $391 million in defense aid alone should "put the matter to bed."
On Thursday, Mulvaney was asked if he ever thought his "explosive comments" would cost him his job.
On Thursday, Mulvaney said, "Absolutely positively not. Did I have the perfect press conference? No, but again the facts are on our side."
Meanwhile, impeachment investigators are examining Trump's dealings with Ukraine.
These investigators are expected to call at least Taylor and Reeker for testimony soon.
Opinion (22)
On Sunday, Mulvaney tried to "control the damage" made by commenting again on Thursday.
Mulvaney's comments on Thursday are a stunning admission.
On Sunday, Mulvaney assigned responsibility to the media.
On Sunday, Mulvaney insisted his words were misinterpreted.
On Sunday, Mulvaney flatly denied what he said on Thursday.
Mulvaney's statements on Thursday were that military defense funding was stopped partly over the demand that Ukraine launch an investigation that could politically benefit Trump.
"That's not what I said. That's what people said that I said," Mulvaney said.
Mulvaney said, "Can I see how people took that the wrong way? Absolutely. But I never said there was a quid pro quo, because there isn't."
On Thursday, Mulvaney said Congress was using the military aid as a lever for Trump's demand that Kyiv investigate a false conspiracy theory.
This false conspiracy theory blames Ukraine for election interference in 2016.
Ukraine's alleged election interference involved hacking the Democratic National Committee computer servers.
The "intelligence community" has concluded that the effort was organized by Russia.
On Thursday, Mulvaney said, "Did he also mention to me in the past the corruption related to the DNC server? Absolutely. No question about that. But that's it, and that's why we held up the money."
On Thursday, Mulvaney told reporters that "we do that all the time with foreign policy," referring to politics influencing foreign affairs.
Schiff said Mulvaney's admission meant "things have gone from very, very bad to much, much worse."
Murkowski said, "You don't hold up foreign aid that we had previously appropriated for a political initiative, period."
Mulvaney said the "back and forth" and "rapid fire" ways of White House press briefings may have left some people confused about what he was trying to say.
On Sunday, Mulvaney said "there was never any connection between the flow of money and the server."
Because Mulvaney is saying on Thursday the opposite of what he said Sunday, he weakens Trump's long-standing defense.
The problem lies in the impeachment inquiry into Trump's interactions with the president of Ukraine.
These witnesses are in a case examining abuse-of-power allegations that could lead to lawmakers voting on whether to impeach the president.
The military defense aid was at the "core of the scandal."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/20/2019 02:21:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/20/2019 03:03:00 pm
Article Author: Bobby Allyn
Click here to see the article
The New York Times
Content (20)
On Thursday, Mulvaney said the Trump administration offered to give military aid to Ukraine if Ukraine investigated the Democrats.
Mulvaney said he did not have a "perfect press conference."
Mulvaney appeared on "Fox News Sunday."
Mulvaney disagreed with Wallace.
Mulvaney struggled to explain how his comments Sunday were not at odds with his comments Thursday.
On Thursday, Mulvaney had a news briefing with reporters.
Wallace played back Mulvaney's appearance on Thursday.
"Pressed by Mr. Wallace, Mr. Mulvaney said he was “not acknowledging there’s three reasons.”"
Wallace urged that Mulvaney said "three reasons."
Mulvaney said he didn't speak clearly on Thursday.
Mulvaney said people misinterpreted what he said.
Mulvaney's comments on Thursday alarmed the White House and its Republican allies in Congress.
Mulvaney said it was "legitimate for the president to want to know what's going on with the ongoing investigation into the server. Can I see how people took that the wrong way? Absolutely."
On Sunday, Pompeo declined to contribute to Mulvaney's news conference.
Mulvaney initially held Thursday's news conference to announce the site for the Group of 7 summit.
Mulvaney acknowledged that President Trump made "the right decision to change" the host location from his Trump National Doral resort after political arguments between Democrats and Republicans.
On Saturday, Trump announced that the summit would no longer be held there.
Trump changed the location after being "honestly surprised by the level of pushback," according to Mulvaney.
Mulvaney said the Trump still considers himself to be in the hospitality business.
Mulvaney said Trump wants to take the biggest leaders around the world the very best way, and was doing it well at Doral.
Opinion (13)
On Sunday, Mulvaney tried to back off assertions he made last week on Thursday.
Wallace said Mulvaney's remarks were proof of a quid pro quo, which the president has publicly denied for weeks.
Mulvaney said, “That’s what people are saying that I said, but I didn’t say that."
On Sunday, Mulvaney said that he outlined two reasons for withholding aid to Ukraine.
In reality, Mulvaney on Thursday outlined three reasons: "the corruption in the country, whether other countries were also giving aid to Ukraine, and whether the Ukrainian officials were cooperating in a Justice Department investigation."
On Thursday, Mulvaney said both the president's concern about interference in the 2016 election and his interest in a "widely debunked theory" that a DNC server is being held in Ukraine was part of the final reason for withholding aid to Ukraine.
"“I recognize that,” Mr. Mulvaney responded. But he urged Mr. Wallace “to go back to what actually happened in the real world.”"
Mulvaney said the facts are "absolutely clear and they are there for everyone to see.”
Mulvaney said a quid pro quo was not possible because “the money flowed without any connection whatsoever to the D.N.C. server.”
Mulvaney's comments alarmed them because a "Democratic impeachment inquiry over Ukraine gathers steam."
On Sunday, Mulvaney reinforced his assertion that Trump had a right to "demand information about the investigation in the unfounded theory that Ukraine, not Russia, was involved in hacking and releasing Democratic Party emails during the 2016 election."
“I will leave to the chief of staff to explain what it is he said and what he intended,” Mr. Pompeo said on ABC’s “This Week.”
Mulvaney says the Trump administration will find another place the media doesn't like and will be able to put an excellent G7 there.
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/20/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/20/2019 04:41:00 pm
Article Author: Katie Rogers and Emily Cochrane
Click here to see the article

Republicans Torn over Trump's Syria Decision

Reviews
President Trump decided to move his troops from Syria and give Turkey an open lane to them. Trump is trying to save American lives from a war that doesn't benefit us and can only hurt us if things get out of hand. The Washington Post makes it seem like this was a spur of the moment decision that almost no one in his party agrees with. It is split but not as much as they say. And this decision has been planned since December 2018, not merely the ravings of a lunatic as they would make you believe.
Common Facts
Definitions (3)
ISIS: The Islamic State
SDF: Syrian Democratic Forces
ISIS: Islamic State
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/12/2019 10:26:43 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
Washington Post
Content (8)
"After scheduling and then canceling negotiations with the Taliban at Camp David… the White House announced Sunday (10/6/19) night that the United States will leave northern Syria and apparently allow Turkey to invade."
"Turkey regards the Kurds as terrorists and is thought to have as much or more interest in targeting them as it does in continuing the fight against the Islamic State."
"Regular Trump critic Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) called it “a betrayal” of the Kurds."
“ 'If the President sticks with this retreat, he needs to know that this bad decision will likely result in the slaughter of allies who fought with us, including women and children,' Sasse said."
"But while Romney, Sasse and others have criticized Trump on many occasions, some top allies spoke out, too."
" 'Terrorists thousands of miles away can and will launch attacks against America, as the United States learned on September 11, 2001,' Cheney said. "
"Even former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley, who picks her spots carefully when criticizing Trump, said the decision was tantamount to 'leaving [the Kurds] to die.' "
"Trump’s most striking critic, though, was one of his most loyal allies. Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) unleashed an extensive tweetstorm featuring dire predictions, including the revitalization of the Islamic State. He called the whole thing 'a disaster in the making.' "
Opinion (14)
"For the second time in one month, President Trump has made a foreign policy move that much of his party regards as unthinkable. "
"And for the second time in one month, it’s not clear Republicans know what to do about it. "
"Canceling negotiations with the Taliban at Camp David [happened] just shy of the 9/11 anniversary, no less."
"Opponents of the move, which are legion, regard it as an abandonment of America’s Kurdish allies, with whom the United States fought in northern Syria against the Islamic State for years. "
"Many high-profile Republicans spoke out Monday (10/7/19), and while some didn’t mention Trump directly, many rebuked him in no uncertain terms."
" 'The President’s decision to abandon our Kurd allies in the face of an assault by Turkey is a betrayal. It says that America is an unreliable ally; it facilitates ISIS resurgence; and it presages another humanitarian disaster.' " -Mitt Romney
"Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.) said the decision would probably lead to a 'slaughter.' "
"Rep. Liz Cheney (Wyo.), the No. 3 House Republican, called it a 'catastrophic mistake that puts our gains against ISIS at risk and threatens America’s national security.' "
" 'Pulling out of northern Syria ignores that painful lesson, represents an abandonment of our Kurdish allies despite their vital contributions to the fight against ISIS, emboldens Iran, and serves as an undeserved gift to the [Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan] regime, which has only continued its steady march toward Moscow.' " -Cheney said
"Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Tex.) said it would 'be DISGRACEFUL if we sat idly by while Turkey slaughters the Kurds, as public reports suggest that Turkish leader Erdogan explicitly told President Trump he intends to do.' "
" 'We must always have the backs of our allies, if we expect them to have our back. The Kurds were instrumental in our successful fight against ISIS in Syria. Leaving them to die is a big mistake. #TurkeyIsNotOurFriend' " -@NikkiHaley on Twitter
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said, 'A precipitous withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syria would only benefit Russia, Iran and the Assad regime. And it would increase the risk that ISIS and other terrorist groups regroup.'"
" * Ensures ISIS comeback.
* Forces Kurds to align with Assad and Iran.
* Destroys Turkey’s relationship with U.S. Congress.
* Will be a stain on America’s honor for abandoning the Kurds." -@LindseyGrahamSC on Twitter
"I don’t know all the details regarding President Trump’s decision in northern Syria. In process of setting up phone call with Secretary Pompeo.
If press reports are accurate this is a disaster in the making." -@LindseyGrahamSC on Twitter
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/07/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/13/2019 04:55:00 pm
Article Author: Aaon Blake
Click here to see the article
The New Yorker
Content (9)
"The criticism of Donald Trump from Republican elected officials, when it finally came, this week, was scathing."
" John Shimkus, a Republican representative from Illinois who is not running for reëlection, said on Thursday that he was 'shocked, embarrassed, and angered' and no longer backs Trump as a result. "
"The barrage, however, had nothing to do with the story that has been convulsing Washington for the last few weeks."
"These Republicans—all of them ostensibly Russia hawks—were not objecting to Trump’s decision to hold hundreds of millions of dollars in military aid to Ukraine hostage in what appears to have been a transparent effort to force the country to investigate his possible 2020 rival, Joe Biden."
"Instead, the tough words for the President were unleashed over Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops and 'shamelessly' abandon the U.S.’s Kurdish allies in Syria (Graham, again), as another U.S. ally, Turkey, launched a military attack on them."
"Graham has said that impeachment over the Ukraine matter would be 'insane.' "
"On Thursday (10/10/19), at an event at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, a hawkish think tank whose executive director has advised the Administration on foreign policy."
" I asked the former Trump national-security adviser H. R. McMaster whether it was appropriate for Trump to solicit foreign interference in the U.S. political process."
"The silence of the overwhelming majority of Republicans has been one of the signatures of Trump’s Washington."
Opinion (20)
"The President’s latest decision was 'terrible' (Will Hurd); 'shortsighted' and 'wrong'; (Adam Kinzinger); 'impossible to understand' and carried 'sickening' consequences (Liz Cheney)."
" The resulting 'damage to our reputation & national interest will be extraordinary and long lasting,' Marco Rubio tweeted."
“ 'Pull my name off the ‘I support Donald Trump’ list,' John Shimkus said."
"Even Lindsey Graham, the Trump critic turned cheerleader, got in on the act. 'I think he’s putting the nation at risk,' Graham told an interviewer, “and I think he’s putting his Presidency at risk. "
“Obviously, this is an area where, despite [Graham's ] relationship with the President, he’s decided to go full bore against one of Trump’s policies,” Senator Chris Van Hollen, the Democrat who teamed up with Graham on a tough new bill to sanction Turkey, told me.
"Trump’s abandonment of the Kurds is certainly an outrage, and a black mark on America’s national honor."
"But at this particular moment the Republican fury at the President over the decision seems like an almost incomprehensible act of hypocrisy. "
"How is it different from Trump’s threatened abandonment of the Ukrainians—and his apparent blackmailing of them for nakedly personal, political reasons? "
"Putting aside the potential high crimes and misdemeanors involved with Trump’s Ukraine play, isn’t countering Russia in an active war zone on Europe’s eastern flank at least as important a security interest for the United States?"
"How is it even controversial for a Republican member of Congress to say that congressionally appropriated military aid should not be contingent on demanding a political favor for the President?"
"The answer, of course, is politics. Ukraine is now the subject of an impeachment inquiry by the Democratic-controlled House of Representatives, therefore making it a matter for either resolute silence on the part of Republicans, or outraged defense of Trump."
" Liz Cheney has said that Trump’s wildly inappropriate phone call with the Ukrainian President, which was detailed in the White House’s own transcript, might have been a 'political setup.'"
"Neither has had much if anything to say about the emerging facts of the case involving Trump, which are already bad and getting worse."
"As Republicans on Capitol Hill see it, impeachment is an existential threat to President Trump—you are either with him or you are against him."
“ 'Of course no, absolutely not,' McMaster replied. Despite being fired by Trump last year, McMaster has hardly been a vocal public critic."
[McMaster] went on, “What has to happen here is seeing our democracy play out. And for the American people, through the representatives in Congress, to make a judgment as to whether or not that happened.”
"It was a simple, straightforward answer. But, so far, even that has been too much to expect from the elected Republican officials on Capitol Hill."
"But this week it was their speaking out that proved most revealing, both for what they said and for what they didn’t. "
"It may be tempting to dismiss it all as sound and fury, signifying not much of anything—this is Washington, after all—but, as we approach the fourth year of Trump’s Presidency, the reckoning, long deferred, seems to be upon the Republican Party."
"Silence, or token objections to Trump policies, will not work for much longer."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/10/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/13/2019 11:24:00 pm
Article Author: Susan B. Glasser
Click here to see the article
News 18
Content (24)
"Turkish troops and their Syrian rebel allies attacked Kurdish militia in northeast Syria on Wednesday, pounding them with air strikes and artillery before starting a cross-border ground operation that could transform an eight-year-old war."
[Moving the troops] "….prompting denunciations from senior members of his own Republican Party who say he abandoned the Syrian Kurds, loyal allies of Washington."
" 'The Turkish Armed Forces and the Syrian National Army have launched the land operation into the east of the Euphrates river as part of the Operation Peace Spring,' the Turkish defense ministry tweeted after nightfall, following a day of pounding the area from the air."
"Turkish media reported troops entering Syria at four points, two of them close to the Syrian town of Tel Abyad and two close to Ras al Ain further east."
"Turkey told the United Nations Security Council in a letter seen by Reuters that its military operation would be 'proportionate, measured and responsible.' "
"The 15-member body will meet on Thursday to discuss Syria at the request of the five European members, Britain, France, Germany, Belgium and Poland."
"The 22-member Arab League said it will hold an emergency meeting on Saturday."
"Thousands of people fled Ras al Ain towards Hasaka province, held by the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). "
"The Turkish air strikes killed at least five civilians and three fighters from the SDF and wounded dozens of civilians, the SDF said."
"Reuters journalists at Akcakale on the Turkish side of the frontier watched as explosions struck Tel Abyad. "
"Explosions from Tel Abyad could be heard eight hours into the bombardment. A witness reached by telephone said civilians were fleeing en masse."
"After dark, the red flare of rockets could be seen fired across the border into Tel Abyad, and flames burned near the town."
"SDF fighters repelled a ground attack by Turkish troops in Tel Abyad, SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said on Twitter."
"The assault on the Kurds – for years Washington's main allies on the ground in Syria – is potentially one of the biggest shifts in years in the Syrian war that has drawn in global and regional powers. "
"The Kurds played a leading role in capturing territory from Islamic State, and now hold the largest swathe of Syria outside of the hands of President Bashar al-Assad."
"Russia, Assad's strongest foreign ally, urged dialogue between Damascus and Syria's Kurds."
"Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday U.S. troops started to withdraw after a phone call he had with Trump."
"The SDF controls much of the territory that was once held by Islamic State and holds thousands of [ISIS] fighters and tens of thousands of their relatives in detention."
"The U.S. pullout has prompted concerns that some of those prisoners might escape in the chaos of the Turkish incursion."
"One of the prisons where ISIS detainees are held was struck by a Turkish air strike, the SDF said on Twitter."
"A U.S. official said the U.S. military had taken custody on Wednesday of two high-profile [ISIS] militants being held by Kurdish-led fighters and moved them out of Syria."
"The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the individuals were being held in a secure location but offered no further details."
"The SDF has halted operations against [ISIS] because of the Turkish offensive, two U.S. officials and a Kurdish source said."
"Turkey had been poised to enter northeast Syria since the U.S. troops who had been fighting alongside Kurdish-led forces against Islamic State started to leave."
Opinion (6)
"The assault began days after U.S. President Donald Trump pulled American troops out of the way, "
"Trump called the Turkish assault a 'bad idea' and said he did not endorse it. He said he expected Turkey to protect civilians and religious minorities and prevent a humanitarian crisis."
"But one of Trump's closest fellow Republican allies, Senator Lindsey Graham, said failing to support the Kurds would be 'the biggest mistake of his presidency' and unveiled a framework for sanctions on Turkey with Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen."
" 'While the Administration refuses to act against Turkey, I expect strong bipartisan support,' Graham said in a statement."
"Representative Liz Cheney, a Republican hawk, said: 'The U.S. is abandoning our ally the Kurds, who fought ISIS (Islamic State) on the ground and helped protect the U.S. homeland. This decision aids America’s adversaries, Russia, Iran, and Turkey, and paves the way for a resurgence of ISIS.' "
"Trump's decision was denounced by some Kurds as a 'stab in the back'."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/10/2019 11:00:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/14/2019 08:30:00 pm
Article Author: Reuters
Click here to see the article
The Hill
Content (7)
"Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin announced Friday that Trump would sign an executive order giving the Treasury Department 'very significant' new sanctions authorities against Turkey. "
it’s unclear whether [Turkey's sactions] will be enough to placate Republicans on Capitol Hill. "
"Graham, alongside Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.), is expected to introduce harsh sanctions against Turkey this week as a punishment for its incursion into northern Syria against the Kurds, longtime allies of the U.S. "
"But more and more Republicans are coming out in support of sanctions against Turkey, a NATO ally, as it bombs Kurds who were instrumental in the U.S.-led fight against ISIS, raising the possibility that Congress will pass veto-proof legislation rebuffing Trump’s foreign policy."
"As lawmakers craft bills, Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley are scheduled to brief the Senate Armed Services Committee on Syria and 'the wider region' behind closed doors Thursday,(10/17/19) according to a committee notice."
"When the president said in December he would withdraw all U.S. troops from Syria, there was an outcry from Republicans and the Senate passed an amendment warning against the withdrawal in a veto-proof 68-23 vote. Trump eventually walked back his plan."
[Trump] "administration has also sought to change the narrative."
Opinion (18)
"Congressional Republicans appear poised to hand President Trump a stinging rebuke of his Turkey and Syria policy when lawmakers return to Washington this week."
"GOP lawmakers, furious over Trump’s decision to withdraw troops to make way for a Turkish offensive against Kurdish allies, are preparing legislation that would force the administration to impose sanctions on Turkey."
"Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) called the announcement 'welcome news,' "
"Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said the administration needs to 'up their game.'"
“ 'We are witnessing ethnic cleansing in Syria by Turkey, the destruction of a reliable ally in the Kurds, and the reemergence of ISIS,' Graham tweeted after Friday’s (10/11/19) announcement."
“ 'The conditional sanctions announced today will be viewed by Turkey as a tepid response and will embolden Erdogan even more,' [Graham] added, referring to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. 'The Turkish government needs to know Congress will take a different path — passing crippling sanctions in a bipartisan fashion.' "
"It’s not yet known whether their bill will get a floor vote; a spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said Friday (10/11/19) he had no 'updates or guidance on this right now.' "
“ 'I want to co-sponsor that resolution,' Sen. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.), who is up for reelection next year, said in an interview with Fox News. 'We cannot have a supposed ally who is continuing to go in the wrong direction under Erdoğan's leadership, invading another country.' ”
“ 'We got to do our part in the Senate in order to hold Turkey accountable,' McSally added."
"Republicans are fuming after Trump decided to withdraw U.S. troops from northeast Syria, paving the way for Erdoğan to move forward with a long-threatened offensive against Syrian Kurdish forces."
"Ankara considers the Syrian Kurds terrorists connected with a Kurdish insurgency inside Turkey. But the United States partnered with the Kurds in the fight against ISIS and relied on them to do the most dangerous ground fighting."
"Lawmakers in both parties have called Trump’s decision a betrayal of the Kurds and one that will send a chilling signal to any country or group that might want to ally itself with the United States in the future."
"[Lawmakers] have also expressed concern that ISIS will take advantage of the chaos to escape from Kurdish-guarded prisons and regroup."
"While the condemnation has been bipartisan, the Republican criticism is particularly notable since it comes at a time when the GOP is vociferously defending Trump from House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry. "
"But Syria has riled up Republicans like no other issue during Trump’s presidency. "
"Amid the latest backlash, Trump has sought to distance himself from Turkey’s actions. On Thursday, (10/10/19) he raised the possibility of playing mediator between Turkey and the Kurds, despite the fact that Trump’s retreat and Turkey’s incursion unraveled the previous U.S.-mediated plan for a safe zone. "
“ 'We can mediate. I hope we can mediate,' Trump told reporters at the White House."
"A senior State Department official told reporters on a background call this past week that 'we gave them a very clear red light,' while Esper told reporters Friday that 'nobody greenlighted this operation' and insisted that 'we have not abandoned the Kurds.' "
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/13/2019 06:51:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/16/2019 12:00:00 am
Article Author: Rebecca Kheel
Click here to see the article
Politicus USA
Opinion (11)
"Republicans are blaming Democrats for impeaching Trump and causing him to endorse Turkey’s war crimes in Syria."
"Liz Cheney said on Fox and Friends, 'I think that what we’re seeing happen is going to have ramifications, not just in the Middle East, but around the world if our adversaries begin to sense weakness if our adversaries begin to think that we won’t defend our allies that we won’t defend our interests that’s provocative….' "
[Cheney said]" '… that the impeachment proceedings that are going on, and what the Democrats are doing themselves to try to weaken this president is part of this.' "
[Cheney said]"… 'It was not an accident that the Turks chose this moment to roll across the border, and I think the Democrats have got to pay very careful attention to the damage that they’re doing with the impeachment proceeding.' ”
"Eric Columbus on Twitter-
'Liz Cheney suggests Erdogan is attacking Kurds now because Trump is beset by impeachment. Instead of blaming Dems, maybe she should help get us a POTUS who can walk and chew gum at the same time?
And who doesn’t keep bragging about impeachable acts?' "
"It is not the fault of Democrats or impeachment that Trump decided to abandon US allies and give Erdogan free reign to invade Syria. Liz Cheney’s comments were just the opener."
"Get ready for Republicans to blame every bad thing that Trump does on Democrats and impeachment."
"There is much more to the story of Trump’s call with Erdogan than Liz Cheney is letting on. Erdogan didn’t call Trump out of the blue and say that he is invading Syria. "
"The invasion has Putin’s fingerprints all over it."
"The American people should be demanding to see the transcript of Trump’s call with Erdogan."
"Democrats and impeachment aren’t to blame for what is happening in Syria. The responsibility rests with Donald Trump and whatever secret promises that he made to Putin, Erdogan, and Assad on Syria."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/14/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/17/2019 12:00:00 am
Article Author: Jason Easley
Click here to see the article

Former Ambassador Testifies to Congress

Reviews
Marie Yovanovitch is a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine who is discontent with her dismissal. She is also a witness for an impeachment inquiry done by the House Intelligence Committee, who issued a subpoena regarding the inquiry. However, Trump issued an order denying the subpoena, so people are navigating the waters. Unfortunately, the authors did not present their information in an orderly manner and their work is confusing to read and ambiguous. There is interest to be found, but the process of finding it takes more energy than the excitement of finding it.
Common Facts
Definitions (14)
Yovanovitch: Marie Yovanovitch is a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
SD: United States State Department.
Giuliani: Rudolph W. Giuliani is President Trump's personal attorney.
Biden: Joe Biden is the former vice president.
Pompeo: Mike Pompeo is the Secretary of State.
McKinley: Michael McKinley was a career diplomat and senior adviser to Pompeo.
Sondland: Gordon Sondland is a U.S. ambassador to the European Union.
Yovanovitch: Marie Yovanovitch is a former U.S. ambassador to Ukraine.
Giuliani: Rudy Giuliani is Trump's personal attorney and has no official role in the U.S. government.
Zelenskiy: Volodymyr Zelenskiy is the Ukrainian President.
Pompeo: Mike Pompeo is the Secretary of State.
Bodine: Barbara Bodine is the director of the Georgetown program.
Herbst: John Herbst is a predecessor as ambassador to Yovanovitch in Ukraine who worked alongside her there in the early 2000s.
McEldowney: Nancy McEldowney is a former U.S. ambassador to Bulgaria who now directs a Foreign Service program at Georgetown.
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/11/2019 09:31:27 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
Washington Post
Content (23)
Yovanovitch's dismissal has become a focus to House impeachment investigators.
Yovanovitch prepared her remarks and said them before Congress.
SD's No. 2 official also told Yovanovitch that his agency had been "under significant pressure to remove her since the summer of 2018."
Biden's son served on the board of a Ukrainian energy company.
Yovanovitch denied the accusations people made against her.
Yovanovitch also commented on Giuliani's associates.
Yovanovitch has had more than 30 years in the foreign service.
Yovanovitch commented amid "rising dissatisfaction inside the SD."
Pompeo's subordinates became targets in the Ukraine controversy.
McKinley resigned from his post this week as dissatisfaction has grown.
Yovanovitch is one of several current and former diplomats who are witnesses in this inquiry.
Yovanovitch arrived to her deposition late.
House Democratic leaders said the SD directed her not to attend the voluntary interview.
A White House letter earlier this week stated the SD "would not cooperate with the impeachment inquiry."
The SD discouraged Yovanovitch's appearance because they did not want to deal with the impeachment inquiry.
The panel leaders said the House Intelligence Committee ushered a subpoena concerning the impeachment inquiry Friday morning.
Trump issued an order saying not to cooperate with the subpoena.
Sondland announced he would appear as a witness "under subpoena" next week.
House Democrats will have to interview many government officials especially if doing so might prevent witnesses against the impeachment from showing up.
Some officials are willing to testify subpoena or no.
These officials can find a way around Trumps's order to not cooperate with the impeachment inquiry.
The White House distributed these talking points to congressional Republicans.
Some talking points were directed specifically to officials considering disobeying Trump's order and cooperating with the impeachment inquiry.
Opinion (24)
On Friday, Yovanovitch said her departure directly resulted from pressure President Trump placed on the SD to remove her.
Yovanovitch describes herself as a foreign service officer caught in a storm of groundless inferences.
Yovanovitch displays herself as pushed by Giuliani and other former officials who viewed her as "a threat to their financial aid and political interests."
Yovanovitch told lawmakers she was forced to leave Kiev on "the next plane" this spring, thereby was removed from her post.
Yovanovitch said SD's No. 2 official told her that although she had done nothing wrong, Trump lost confidence in her.
While explaining her departure, Yovanovitch acknowledged months of being criticized by Giuliani.
Yovanovitch said Giuliani accused her of privately defaming Trump.
Yovanovitch said Giuliani accused her of seeking the protect Biden's interests and his son's.
Yovanovitch said she was "incredulous" that she was removed based on "unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives."
Yovanovitch said Giuliani's associates could have been threatened financially by her anti-corruption efforts in Ukraine.
"Neither the White House nor the SD immediately responded to requests for comments."
This dissatisfaction is considered Pompeo's failure to defend his subordinates.
Yovanovitch's testimony could increase calls of Trump's impeachment.
Yovanovitch said that under Trump, U.S. foreign policy has been "compromised by self-interested actors who have badly demoralized and depleted America's diplomatic corps."
"Today, we see the SD attacked and hollowed out from within," Yovanovitch said, meaning Trump and his policy.
Yovanovitch warned that U.S. adversaries such as Russia benefit when "bad actors in countries beyond Ukraine see how easy it is to use fiction and innuendo to manipulate our system."
The House Intelligence is probing into whether Trump used "U.S. military aid and official diplomatic interaction to pressure Ukraine's president to investigate his political rivals."
Yovanovitch arrived at Capitol Hill with a "swagger uncommon" for many witnesses appearing before panels investigating Trump.
Yovanovitch chose to walk across the Capitol grounds with her legal team rather than drive up to a building entrance.
House Democratic leaders said the SD attempted to block Yovanovitch's testimony Thursday night.
The panel leaders noted that "the illegitimate order from the Trump Administration not to cooperate has no force."
The exchange of the subpoena and the opposing order from Trump and Sondland's prospective appearance suggests that House Democrats will have to start interviewing many government officials.
The White House made talking points that said "We are not concerned with any information Yovanovitch might share, because the President did nothing wrong."
The White House talking points also say because Yovanovitch did not have State Department lawyers telling her what to say, there "is serious danger that she could breach her obligations as a current employee not to reveal such information without authorization."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/11/2019 02:58:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/11/2019 03:45:00 pm
Article Author: John Hudson, Karoun Demirjian, and Paul Sonne
Click here to see the article
The Mercury News
Content (20)
A former diplomat who has spoken with Yovanovitch said she was dismissed after insisting Giuliani's requests to Ukrainian officials for investigations be "relayed through official channels."
Yovanovitch is "scheduled to testify before congressional lawmakers on Friday as part of the House impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump."
Yovanovitch was recalled from Kyiv in May while Giuliani pushed Ukrainian officials to investigate groundless corruption allegations against the Bidens.
"Neither Giuliani nor Trump have specified their objections."
A former diplomat recalled a recent conversation with Yovanovitch.
This former diplomat said she was removed after insisting that "a request for Ukrainian officials to join in an investigation be relayed according to long-established protocol."
"The former diplomat insisted on anonymity to disclose the private conversation."
Traditionally, the State Department "relies on mutual legal assistance treaties, under which U.S. and foreign officials agree to exchange evidence and information in criminal investigations."
Behind closed doors on Friday, Yovanovitch is scheduled to speak to the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs, and Oversight and Reform committees.
This testimony is part of the impeachment investigation.
"The people requested anonymity to discuss the closed-door meeting."
"Earlier this week, the White House sent Congress a letter outlining its opposition to the impeachment probe and refusing to cooperate with requests for information, including interviews with administration officials."
Instead of administration officials, the House committees will interview subpoena officials.
Even before giving her testimony, Yovanovitch gained attention again on Thursday.
On Thursday, U.S. prosecutors arrested two Florida businessmen linked to Giuliani.
The U.S. prosecutors charged them with campaign finance violations.
The men were raising campaign funds for a U.S. congressman.
The request for removal was at least partly the request of Ukrainian government officials.
"Yovanovitch has led U.S. embassies in Kyrgyzstan and Armenia and is now a State Department fellow at Georgetown University."
Bodine said the former envoy is declining all requests for interviews.
Opinion (10)
"Democrats say they expect her to appear despite the White House's position that no administration officials cooperate with the probe."
In a July 25 call, Trump told Zelenskiy that Yovanovitch was "bad news," according to a partial transcript released by the White House.
The former diplomat said Yovanovitch refused to do "all this offline, personal, informal stuff" and made it clear that the U.S. government had a formal system to request foreign governments' help with investigations.
"Despite Trump's assertion that his administration will not cooperate, three people familiar with the deposition said that Yovanovitch is expected to appear."
Thursday, 10 Democratic senators sent a letter to Pompeo, demanding an explanation for Yovanovitch's removal before the end of her three-year assignment.
They said that Yovanovitch's early recall questions whether Pompeo puts the personal interests of the President above the Department's career personnel or U.S. foreign policy.
An indictment filed in the case alleged that the men asked him for help in removing Yovanovitch.
Former colleagues of Yovanovich say Trump allies' characterizations of her when politically motivated are mistaken.
Herbst said that she is “a top-notch diplomat, careful, meticulous, whip smart,” and unlikely to have badmouthed Trump, either to Ukrainian officials or her colleagues.
McEldowney said that Yovanovitch always knew that the role of diplomat “wasn’t about her” but about “serving American national interests and supporting the people around her."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/10/2019 06:17:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/11/2019 05:34:00 pm
Article Author: Adam Geller and Mary Clare Jalonick
Click here to see the article

Turkey Makes it's Move

Reviews
President Trump is once again being criticized for his actions. This time it is for removing troops from Syria and leaving them after they helped fight ISIS. Turkey is taking advantage of this and attacking even though Trump has threatened its economy. Some are concerned that not helping the Kurds in Syria will lead to the return is ISIS or worse.
Common Facts
Content (6)
ABC New.
CBS
CNN
"U.S. troops pulled back from the [war zone], paving the way for an assault on forces that have long been allied with the United States."
"Mr. Trump's move has drawn harsh bipartisan opposition at home. It represents a shift in U.S. policy that essentially abandoned the Syrian Kurdish fighters who have been America's only allies inside Syria in the fight against ISIS."
"Trump's decision to pull US troops from the area…. has provoked a backlash from Republican allies."
"Mustafa Bali, a spokesman for the U.S.-backed Syrian Democratic Forces, said Turkish warplanes were targeting 'civilian areas' in northern Syria, causing 'a huge panic' in the region."
" 'Turkish warplanes have started to carry out airstrikes on civilian areas. There is a huge panic among people of the region.' -Mustafa Bali."
"Before Turkey's attack, Syrian Kurdish forces that are allied with the U.S. issued a general mobilization call, warning of a 'humanitarian catastrophe.' "
Definitions (1)
SDF: Syrian Democratic Forces
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/09/2019 08:33:10 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
ABC News
Content (12)
"President Donald Trump on Wednesday called Turkey’s offensive in Syria “a bad idea” that the United States did not support [it], hours after Turkey launched a long-planned military offensive in northeastern Syria."
"The Turkish military is targeting the Syrian-Kurdish fighters that helped the United States defeat ISIS."
"Trump had for days faced harsh criticism from across the political spectrum after the White House announced Sunday night that the United States would stand aside while Turkey proceeded with an operation in northern Syria. "
"As Turkey pushed forward with their operation Wednesday, Sen. Lindsey Graham, a Republican from South Carolina who is normally a staunch supporter of Trump, blasted Trump again. "
"Trump said in his statement Wednesday that Turkey had 'committed to protecting civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place.' "
"Turkey considers the YPG to be a terrorist organization and a part of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, a Kurdish nationalist movement that is banned in Turkey."
"The Turkish state has been battling Kurdish separatists in its own territory for decades and has even invaded Syria to fight against Syrian Kurds several times in recent years."
" 'The border areas of northeast Syria are on the edge of a possible humanitarian catastrophe,' Bali said in a statement Tuesday. 'This attack will spill the blood of thousands of innocent civilians because our border areas are overcrowded.' "
"Turkey's president said the operation in northeastern Syria targeting the YPG/PKK will 'neutralize terror threats against Turkey and lead to the establishment of a safe zone, facilitating the return of Syrian refugees to their homes.' "
"'We will preserve Syria's territorial integrity and liberate local communities from terrorists,' Erdogan tweeted Wednesday. [10/9/19]"
"Trump also said that Turkey was no responsible for holding thousands of ISIS prisoners the Syrian Kurds had been guarding."
"Turkey is now responsible for ensuring all ISIS fighters being held captive remain in prison and that ISIS does not reconstitute in any way, shape, or form. We expect Turkey to abide by all of its commitments, and we continue to monitor the situation closely," Trump said.
Opinion (6)
" 'The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea,' Trump said in a statement."
"Trump signaled Monday he was listening to the criticism. 'I told Turkey if they do anything that is not humane, Turkey will suffer a very decimated economy,' Trump told reporters at the White House. 'If Turkey does anything that they are not supposed to do, we will hit them so hard in their economy.'"
“Pray for our Kurdish allies who have been shamelessly abandoned by the Trump Administration,” Graham tweeted Wednesday. “This move ensures the reemergence of ISIS.”
"The president added that the United States would 'hold them [Turkey] to this commitment.' He did not specify how the administration would do so, although he has in recent days floated the prospect of economic punishment."
"Trump also warned in a tweet Monday that, 'if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off-limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey.' He did not specify what would qualify as 'off-limits. ' "
" 'As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I’ve done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over…" [-Trump on Twitter]
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/09/2019 01:59:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/09/2019 10:00:00 pm
Article Author: By Morgan Winsor and Ben Gittleson and Jordyn Phelps
Click here to see the article
CBS
Content (15)
"Turkey launched airstrikes and fired artillery aimed at crushing Kurdish fighters in northern Syria on Wednesday." [10/9/2019]
"Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced the start of the campaign, which followed an abrupt decision Sunday [10/6/19] by U.S. President Trump that American troops would step aside to allow for the operation."
"After Turkey's offensive began, there was sign of panic in the streets of Ras al-Ayn- one of the towns under attack with residential areas close to the borders. "
"Cars raced to safety, although it was not clear if they were leaving the town or heading away from border areas."
"Near the town of Qamishli, plumes of smoke were seen rising from an area close to the border after activists reported sounds of explosion nearby."
"At least one member of the Kurdish-led force known as the Syrian Democratic Forces was killed in the Turkish bombardment, Kurdish activists and a Syria war monitor said."
"Turkey's campaign — in which a NATO member is raining down bombs on an area where hundreds of U.S. troops are stationed — drew immediate criticism and calls for restraint from Europe."
" 'Coalition forces are not near the places Turkey has struck so far,' an official with the U.S.-led coalition told The Associated Press."
"CBS News national security correspondent David Martin reports that as part of the now abandoned joint patrols along the Turkish border, the U.S. had set up a Joint Operations Center in Turkey. That center is still being used to advise the Turks on the location of American troops."
"The Kurdish forces have warned of a 'humanitarian catastrophe' that could potentially unfold because of the Turkish military operation.
'Our mission is to prevent the creation of a terror corridor across our southern border, and to bring peace to the area,' Erdogan said in a tweet."
"He added that Turkish Armed Forces, together with Turkish-backed Syrian fighters known as the Syrian National Army, had begun what they called 'Operation Peace Spring' against Kurdish fighters to eradicate what Erdogan said was 'the threat of terror' against Turkey."
"Minutes before Erdogan's announcement, Turkish jets began pounding suspected positions of Syrian Kurdish forces in the town of Ras al Ayn, according to Turkish media and Syrian activists. The sound of explosions could be heard in Turkey."
"A photograph released to Turkish media showed Erdogan at his desk, reportedly giving orders for the start of the operation."
"It was difficult to know what was hit in the first hours of the operation."
"The Turkish operation meant to create a so-called 'safe zone' carries potential gains and risk for Turkey by getting even more deeply involved in the Syria war. It also would ignite new fighting in Syria's 8-year-old war, potentially displacing hundreds of thousands."
Opinion (4)
"Mr. Trump offered no explicit condemnation of Turkey in a statement Wednesday." [10/9/19]
" 'This morning, Turkey, a NATO member, invaded Syria,' Mr. Trump said. 'The United States does not endorse this attack and has made it clear to Turkey that this operation is a bad idea. There are no American soldiers in the area.' "
" 'From the first day I entered the political arena, I made it clear that I did not want to fight these endless, senseless wars — especially those that don't benefit the United States.' " -Trump
" 'Turkey has committed to protecting civilians, protecting religious minorities, including Christians, and ensuring no humanitarian crisis takes place — and we will hold them to this commitment …' " Trump said.
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/09/2019 01:16:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/11/2019 09:21:00 pm
Article Author: Unknown
Click here to see the article
CNN
Content (25)
"Fears are growing among American officials that thousands of ISIS fighters may escape from prisons in Syria as the Kurdish personnel guarding them gear up for a fight with Turkey."
"Turkey launched a military offensive in northeastern Syria on Wednesday. " (10/11/2019)
"Turkey's assault has already had a 'detrimental effect' on American counter-ISIS operations, which have 'effectively stopped,' a senior US defense official told CNN on Wednesday." (10/11/19)
" The Turkish offensive, the official said, 'has challenged our ability to build local security forces, conduct stabilization operations and the Syrian Democratic Forces' [ability] to guard over 11,000 dangerous ISIS fighters.' "
"When asked Wednesday (10/11/19) about the threat of ISIS prisoners escaping, President Donald Trump claimed that some of the most dangerous ISIS prisoners had been moved, 'putting them in other areas where it's secure.' "
"He [Trump] dismissed the overall threat, replying, 'Well, they're going to be escaping to Europe.'"
"US officials have long warned of the vulnerability of the 'pop-up prisons' housing some 11,000 to 12,000 ISIS fighters captured on the battlefield, 2,000 of whom are foreigners not from Iraq or Syria."
"Despite Trump's assertion, only several hundred of the prisoners are believed to be from Europe."
"Those same officials emphasize that the security of the facilities is very much in question and a 'huge concern' as Syrian Democratic Forces personnel head to the front lines."
"'SDF will focus on the fight. The fear is that they abandon post,' said a congressional aide who attended a classified briefing given Tuesday (10/8/19) by national security officials on the detention facilities. 'It's a really bad situation.'"
"Hundreds of ISIS prisoners continue to be held in makeshift prisons close to the Turkish border, according to US defense officials."
"Some SDF fighters had already left their posts at various prisons before the Turkish offensive began and had headed north, two US officials told CNN."
"As the operation got underway, the SDF suspended their counter-ISIS operations to focus on the Turkish offensive, another official said."
"A US defense official told CNN on Wednesday that while the SDF had reduced the number of personnel guarding the prisons, the US military believes that all of the prisons continue to be guarded, albeit by fewer SDF troops."
"Later on Wednesday the SDF said a prison holding ISIS detainees was hit in a Turkish airstrike."
"In a Twitter post from the verified SDF account, the group said 'One of the prisons that ISIS detainees held in was struck by Turkish airstrike. Turkey is aiming to undermine all successful efforts and achievements that we gained during our fighting against #ISIS.'"
"Trump's decision to pull US troops from the area, [gave] Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan a de facto go-ahead to proceed with his long-planned move against Kurdish fighters who make up part of the Syrian Democratic Forces and had fought against ISIS"
"It could also potentially reverse one of Trump's main foreign policy achievements, the elimination of ISIS's so-called caliphate, which the President had heralded in March. " (2019)
"Analysts warn that should the ISIS prisoners escape it could be a major step toward the militants regrouping and challenging for territory again."
"Two weeks ago, the State Department's counterterrorism coordinator, Ambassador Nathan Sales, warned that 'destabilizing events' could 'trigger the release of these folks.' "
"'We've seen several attempted prison breaks over the last few months,' Sales said. 'None have been successful to date, but we don't want to hope that our luck holds. That's not an effective strategy.'"
"Sales said more funding and support were needed to reinforce the often-overcrowded facilities but argued the only long-term solution was to repatriate the prisoners, something Trump has repeatedly called for."
" 'We already did not have professional jails or professional prisons to keep those prisoners in,' SDF spokesman Mustafa Bali said."
"Bali said 'the Turkish invasion to our region is going to leave a huge space, because we are forced to pull out some of our troops from the prisons and from the [displaced people] camps to the border to protect our people.' "
"On Wednesday afternoon, Bali tweeted that Turkey had shelled an area near a prison holding ISIS prisoners."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/09/2019 07:45:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/11/2019 11:20:00 pm
Article Author: Alex Marquardt and Ryan Browne
Click here to see the article

Trump Tax Returns: Safe for Now

Reviews
A U.S. District Court of Manhattan demanded Trump's tax returns, but Trump was granted a reprieve. From the Department of Justice, there is a policy that discourages the prosecution of the president, but that policy is not law. The author struggles with the clearness of his point, but introduces interesting facts and relevant details about the president's case. Overall, the author presents the entire situation well, but again with confusion.
Common Facts
Content (1)
Fox New.
Yah.
On Monday, the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Manhattan granted a delay requested by Trump's lawyers.
Definitions (6)
Mazars: Mazars USA is an accounting firm.
Manhattan: New County County District is also known as the Manhattan District.
Vance: Vance is an attorney for the Manhattan District.
Sekulow: Jay Sekulow is one of Trump's attorneys.
Marrero: Victor Marrero is a U.S. District Court Judge for the Manhattan District.
DOJ: Department of Justice, a branch of the Federal Government.
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/07/2019 08:39:00 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
Fox News
Content (13)
A federal judge issued an order that Trump's tax returns from Mazars be presented in court by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
President Trump was granted “at least” a short reprieve to present his tax returns from Mazars.
The reprieve will last only as long as the court reviews the case.
Trump's lawsuit sought to block the subpoena.
Marrero was appointed by the then-President Bill Clinton.
The subpoena covers records from January 2011 until October 2019.
The subpoena is "part of an ongoing probe" of the Trump Organization done by Vance's office.
Marrero ruled that the federal court abstain from the matter because the investigation is part of an ongoing state prosecution.
Marrero tried to explain why he rejected Trump's immunity claim and denied the withdrawal of the subpoena.
Marrero wrote that the policy of not prosecuting the president has gained some acceptance.
The DOJ's position on presidential prosecution was also brought up by Robert Mueller's Russia probe.
Mueller explained he was not following the tradition of not prosecuting the president, citing the policy.
After Marrero issued his decision, Trump tweeted a reference to Vance's case.
Opinion (14)
The order that demanded Trump's tax returns was scathing.
Sekulow said "we are very pleased" that the reprieve has been granted.
How the case will resolve is unclear.
On Monday, Marrero was not easy on Trump's legal team when he dismissed Trump's lawsuit.
Marrero wrote that shielding Trump from lawsuits is an overreach of executive power.
Marrero wrote that Trump's argument claims the president, his relatives, and people and businesses associated with him in potentially illegal private activities are above the law.
"Trump argued that Mazars should not have to release the tax records because sitting presidents should be immune from state investigations."
Marrero recognized that an appellate court might have issues with the U.S. District Court of Manhattan abstaining.
In rejecting Trump, Marrero challenged conventional legal wisdom regarding the steps to presidential prosecution.
Marrero: "it may be DOJ's policy not to prosecute a sitting president."
Marrero emphasized that the DOJ policy comes from the Office of Legal Counsel guidance, not established law.
Marrero wrote that the DOJ Memos which forward the policy would have major legal force if they were law.
Marrero wrote that the Court considers the DOJ policy not to be law.
Trump's reference said, "The Radical Left Democrats have failed on all fronts, so now they are pushing local NYC and State Democrat prosecutors to go get President Trump."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/07/2019 12:18:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/07/2019 03:18:00 pm
Article Author: Ronn Blitzer
Click here to see the article
Yahoo
Content (5)
This is the latest on what Trump's tax return situation is.
An appeals court has temporarily blocked the release of Trump's tax returns to NY state investigators.
The delay is granted until the appeals court can quickly review the case.
The delay was granted at the same time Trump tweeted a response.
The delay froze the ruling of Judge Victor Marrero that summoned Trump's tax returns.
Opinion (4)
"Trump tweeted that 'Radical Left Democrats' were pushing local and state 'Democrat prosecutors to go get President Trump.'"
Marrero's ruling made Trump unable to stop his accounting firm from giving his tax returns to the federal court.
Two women claimed to have had affairs with the president.
These tax returns were also sought in an investigation of whether or not Trump's Organization bought the silence of these two women.
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/07/2019 09:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/07/2019 04:45:00 pm
Article Author: Associated Press
Click here to see the article

Trump Calls for China to Investigate the Bidens

Reviews
Trump once again does something questionable in the sight of the media by asking China to investigate the Bidens. The Washington Post favors the democratic perspective as it relates to the events surrounding Trump's recent comments on foreign investigation to the Biden family.
Common Facts
Content (5)
Was. Pos.
Fox New.
The Gua.
"Donald Trump has called for China to investigate his leading political rival, in defiance of impeachment proceedings in Congress."
[Trump also] "stands accused of abusing his office to put similar pressure on Ukraine."
"Hunter Biden was on the board of an energy company in the eastern European country [Ukraine], where Joe Biden, as vice-president, pressed for the dismissal of the chief prosecutor."
"On a 2013 trip to China, the then vice-president took his son with him on his official plane. The younger Biden was in the process of setting up a private equity fund, BHR, with money coming in part from Chinese investors."
"The Washington Post recently reported that the firm behind the fund said they planned to raise $1.5 billion, but a spokesman said Hunter Biden bought only a 10 percent equity interest in the fund that was actually worth $430,000."
Review Info (3)
First Published: 10/06/2019 10:56:48 pm
Last Updated: 11/30/-0001 12:00:00 am
Original Front Page Link
Washington Post
Content (9)
"Trump’s plea to China for an investigation into the Bidens came almost immediately after he addressed his acrimonious trade war with China."
"Hunter Biden joined the board of an investment advisory firm whose partners included Chinese entities shortly after visiting China in 2013 with his father while he was vice president. "
"George Mesires [is] an attorney representing Hunter Biden."
"House investigators deposed the first major witness in the Ukraine matter, Kurt Volker."
"Kurt Volker…resigned last week as U.S. special envoy for Ukraine after being named in the whistleblower complaint that sparked the impeachment inquiry."
"Also, Thursday (10/3/19) came the revelation that Trump ordered the swift removal of the U.S. ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch, this year after hearing concerns from Giuliani, as well as former Texas congressman Pete Sessions, among others, outside of the administration, a senior administration official confirmed. "
"Trump’s role in the ambassador’s ouster was first reported by the Wall Street Journal."
"Giuliani complained in a recent interview with The Washington Post that Yovanovitch obstructed efforts to persuade the Ukrainians to investigate the Bidens.
"Following the nearly 10-hour deposition, House investigators released text messages provided by Volker illustrating how at Trump’s behest, senior State Department officials coordinated with a Ukrainian official and Trump’s lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani to leverage a summit between the two heads of state on the Ukrainian president’s promise to investigate the 2016 election and an energy company that employed Hunter Biden."
Opinion (16)
[This request to China] "is a new request that a foreign government assist his reelection campaign."
[The request to China] "is adding to the extraordinary pattern of conduct at the center of a fast-accelerating impeachment inquiry."
"With his brazen and direct appeal to the Chinese, delivered before journalists assembled on the South Lawn of the White House, Trump seemed to make a mockery of the charge that he abused the power of his office by pressing his Ukrainian counterpart to examine unfounded allegations of corruption by Biden and his son Hunter."
“ 'I have a lot of options on China,' Trump warned, 'but if they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous power.' "
"When a reporter then asked what he had hoped Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky would do following their July 25 phone call, Trump replied: 'If they were honest about it, they’d start a major investigation into the Bidens. It’s a very simple answer. They should investigate the Bidens.' "
"Trump’s remarks underscored his claim that he did nothing improper by calling on a foreign power to investigate a domestic political opponent, a move his critics consider an egregious violation of his constitutional oath."
"Trump’s statement about China effectively globalizes the argument he has been making domestically, calling on other countries to stand with the United States under his rule or against it."
"[Trump's statment] could signal to other countries that one way to curry favor with the United States is by digging up damaging information about Democrats."
"Thursday [10/3/19] also marked the latest instance of Trump saying aloud something that almost certainly would be a major scandal if revealed from a private conversation."
"Trump’s request of China echoed his 'Russia, if you’re listening . . .' appeal during the 2016 campaign for the Russian government to steal Hillary Clinton’s missing emails and release them."
"'Someone should inform the president that impeachable offenses committed on national television still count,' Hillary Clinton tweeted Thursday."
"Trump and his allies have provided no evidence to back up their claims of wrongdoing [by the Bidens]."
"On Capitol Hill, meanwhile, Democratic leaders denounced Trump’s China comments and appeared dumbfounded that the president had given them live ammunition to use against him in their impeachment proceedings."
"'The president of the United States encouraging a foreign nation to interfere again to help his campaign by investigating a rival is a fundamental breach of the president’s oath of office,' House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) told reporters."
" 'It endangers our elections, it endangers our national security, it ought to be condemned by every member of this body, Democrats and Republicans alike.' " -Schiff said.
“She [Yovanovitch] is running around the streets of Ukraine going against the elected president of the United States,” Giuliani said."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/04/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/06/2019 08:49:00 pm
Article Author: Philip Rucker, Rachael Bade and Colby Itkowitz
Click here to see the article
Fox News
Content (11)
"[Trump's] call for a Chinese investigation into the Bidens comes as the House moves forward with an impeachment inquiry against Trump for pressing Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky over the summer to 'look into' the family's dealings."
"While it is not unusual for families to join such trips, NBC News reported that Hunter Biden was attempting to start a big-money private equity fund."
"Chinese authorities issued the business license for the fund 10 days after the trip was over."
"Biden campaign Chairman Cedric Richmond dismissed Trump's comments on China, saying it is a reprisal of his Ukrainian efforts to taint Biden and a reflection of polling showing Biden leading Trump in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup."
"The money figure cited by Trump has been disputed by a spokesman for Hunter Biden."
"Nonetheless, Trump said Chinese authorities should look into Hunter Biden's business dealings in their country."
"Hunter Biden was discharged from the Navy in February of 2014 after a positive drug test for cocaine in 2013, the Wall Street Journal reported at the time."
"Fox News reported Tuesday, however, the former vice president appeared in a 2014 photo with Hunter Biden and Devon Archer, who served on the board of Burisma Holdings at the same time as Hunter. Biden's allies maintain his intervention in Ukraine had to do with corruption concerns."
"Biden's allies maintain his intervention in Ukraine had to do with corruption concerns."
"When asked by a reporter if he had spoken to President Xi about the Chinese opening an investigation into the Bidens, Trump said, 'I haven’t but it’s certainly something we could start thinking about.' "
"Later in his conversation with reporters, Trump speculated that there could be more countries in which Hunter Biden had allegedly illicit business activity."
Opinion (11)
"Trump struck a characteristically defiant tone while speaking to reporters on the White House South Lawn, en route to Florida."
" 'China should start an investigation into the Bidens because what happened with China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine,' Trump said. 'I’m sure that President Xi [Jinping] does not like being under that kind of scrutiny where billions of dollars is taken out of his country by a guy that just got kicked out of the Navy.' "
"[Richmond said] it is a reprisal of his Ukrainian efforts to taint Biden and a reflection of polling showing Biden leading Trump in a hypothetical head-to-head matchup."
"'This president is scared, and he's acting out,' the Louisiana congressman [Cedric Richmond] said."
"The Biden campaign charged that Trump's comments were 'equivalent' to his call in 2016 for Russia to release Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton's emails if they had obtained them by hacking– U.S. intelligence agencies later assessed to be the case."
" Biden communications director and deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield called it 'a grotesque choice of lies over truth and self over the country.' "
"Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., tweeted Thursday that Trump's comments underscore the importance of the impeachment investigation he is now helping lead."
" 'The President cannot use the power of his office to pressure foreign leaders to investigate his political opponents,' he said. 'His rant this morning reinforces the urgency of our work. America is a Republic, if we can keep it.' "
" 'He got kicked out of the Navy,' Trump told reporters Thursday. 'All of a sudden he’s getting billions of dollars. You know what they call that? They call that a payoff.' "
"Biden, speaking recently to reporters in Iowa, had said he'd 'never spoken to my son about his overseas business dealings.' "
" 'I think Biden is going down,' Trump said, 'because now you may very well find that there are many other countries that they've scammed, just like they scammed China and Ukraine and basically who are they really scamming? The U.S.A and it's not good.' "
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/03/2019 12:00:00 am
Date Accessed: 10/07/2019 12:00:00 am
Article Author: Tyler Olsen
Click here to see the article
The Guardian
Content (15)
"At the same time as calling for an investigation of the former vice-president and frontrunner in the Democratic primary, Joe Biden, and his son Hunter, Trump noted that the US was in trade talks with China and 'if they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous, tremendous power'."
"Asked if he had already asked China’s leader, Xi Jinping, to start an investigation, the president said: 'I haven’t, but it’s certainly something we can start thinking about.' "
"Later on Thursday, CNN reported Trump had brought up Biden in a June phone call with Xi, mentioning the former vice-president’s political prospects, as well as those of Senator Elizabeth Warren."
"Trump also told Xi he would remain quiet on the unfolding Hong Kong protests as long as trade talks between the US and China progressed, CNN said."
"The White House record of the June call was reportedly stored in the top restricted database that also contained the call between Trump and the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy."
"Trump spoke on Thursday (10/3/19) as his former special envoy on Ukraine, Kurt Volker, was giving evidence to House committees about what he knew about parallel contacts with Kyiv conducted by Trump and his personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, and aimed exclusively at obtaining compromising material on the Bidens."
"According to ABC News, among the materials Volker provided to Congress was a text message from the acting US ambassador to Kyiv, Bill Taylor, saying: 'I think it’s crazy to withhold security assistance for help with a political campaign.' "
"Another ambassador, Gordon Sondland, a Trump mega-donor and the current envoy to the European Union, disagreed."
[Songland said] "the president had made it 'crystal clear no quid pro quo of any kind,' and then texted to suggest they take the discussion off-line
"Trump has insisted he did nothing wrong in his dealings with the Ukrainian president, and has even accused an intelligence whistleblower of treason for providing evidence that the president used the power of his office – the withholding of military aid and a summit meeting – for his own political ends."
"However, Trump appeared to do just that [wrong dealings overseas] in front of the cameras on the White House lawn on Thursday, when he openly called for Ukraine and China to investigate the Bidens."
"Hunter Biden later acknowledged having met a prospective partner during the trip, though a spokesperson told NBC News it was a social encounter."
"There is no evidence the Bidens did anything illegal."
"On Thursday (10/3/19), Trump also noted that Chinese negotiators are due in Washington for the latest round of high-stakes trade talks, and threatened negative consequences if Chinese leaders did not make concessions."
"In 2018, Ivanka Trump’s fashion and homewares business received initial Chinese approval for trademark applications days before her father announced a reversal in policy, dropping a US ban against ZTE, a Chinese telecoms firm that admitted breaking US sanctions on Iran and North Korea."
Opinion (4)
“ 'If they were honest about it, they would start a major investigation into the Bidens,' Trump said. 'Likewise, China should start an investigation into the Bidens. Because what happened in China is just about as bad as what happened with Ukraine.' ”
“ 'The Chinese are coming in next week,' [Trump] said. 'We’re going to have a meeting with them, we’ll see, but we’re doing very well. I have a lot of options on China. But if they don’t do what we want, we have tremendous, tremendous power.' ”
"Beijing has shown itself to be sensitive to Trump family dynamics."
"Trump’s China comments seemed likely to broaden the impeachment inquiry, which is already at fever pitch in Congress."
Article Info (4)
Date Published: 10/03/2019 02:55:00 pm
Date Accessed: 10/08/2019 12:00:00 am
Article Author: Julian Borger and Lauren Gambino
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