The Dakota Access Pipeline area saw 74 arrests Wednesday after a group of protesters attempted to start an illegal camp on private land, causing concern among the Standing Rock Sioux tribe, which had been leading the opposition to the structure. The tribe called the gathering “a rogue group of protesters” that tried to start a new camp against the wishes of the tribal council and district leaders, CNN reported .
Day: February 3, 2017
Christie ‘Really Willing Partner’ in Defunding Sanctuary Cities
Gov. Chris Christie, R-N.J., never made it into President Donald Trump’s Cabinet after being fired as head of the transition, but he vowed to be a “really willing partner” of Trump’s potential federal defunding of “sanctuary cities” in his state. “The fact is that those folks should be enforcing federal law, and the federal government has to give tools to the states to be able to help them have the enforcement of federal law,” Christie told Fox News’ “The O’Reilly Factor” on Thursday night.
The Latest: Official: Officer’s death homicide by trauma
Mounted police patrol travel along Smyrna Landing Road alongside James T. Vaugh Corrections center, Thursday, Feb. 2, 2017 in Smyrna, Del. Inmates used “sharp instruments” to assume control of the building at the James T. Vaughn Correction Center on Wednesday, taking three prison guards and a woman counselor hostage.
Environmentalists Want Your Baby Dead
In an appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight , the executive director of the Sierra Club, Michael Brune, advocated abortion to reduce human population , saying that abortion “helps to address the number of the people that we have on this planet. We feel that one of the ways in which we can get to a sustainable population is to empower women to make choices about their own families.”
Faith leaders call on sheriff to meet witha
Faith leaders called on DoA a Ana County Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil to break his silence with the local immigrant community Faith leaders call on sheriff to meet with immigrant community Faith leaders called on DoA a Ana County Sheriff Enrique “Kiki” Vigil to break his silence with the local immigrant community Check out this story on lcsun-news.com: http://lcsun.co/2k5EHfa Brandon Vasquez, living in the United States legally under the immigration policy known as Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, speaks Friday, Feb. 3, 2017, outside the DoA a Ana County Sheriff’s Office, about his experience as an undocumented immigrant.
Obamacare sign-up period ends with a whimper, sees first decline
The number of Americans signing up for coverage through HealthCare.gov dropped by a half-million for 2017, as efforts by President Donald Trump and congressional Republicans to demolish the Affordable Care Act propelled the first enrollment decline in its history. The lower total, with 9.2 million consumers choosing health plans in ACA marketplaces through the enrollment deadline Tuesday, marks a striking turnabout from the trend as former President Barack Obama’s administration neared its end – when sign-ups for coverage under the law were running steadily ahead of a year ago.
Trump Boots Reporters Out of Oval Office: – They’re Not…
The White House press pool got the boot from the Oval Office on Friday after one journalist dared to ask the president a question about Iran. According to the pool brief, the small circle of reporters were escorted into the Oval Office at 1:18 pm ET for a signing ceremony of an executive orders on financial regulations.
Dem Senate operative: The big Supreme Court fight will be over the next nominee, not Gorsuch
The potential political downside could be much greater for the Democratic Party with Gorsuch than it ultimately was for the GOP with Garland – leaving reason to doubt that Democrats would fully obstruct the nominee rather than seek a more favorable fight elsewhere. “I think it’s likely he’ll be confirmed,” said one Democratic Senate campaign operative, “and there will be a larger fight on the next one.”
Dakota Access Pipeline protest leader charged with inciting a riot, 74 arrested
Dakota Access Pipeline protester Chase Iron Eyes was arrested this week and has been charged with inciting a riot, which is a felony. Iron Eyes allegedly led a group of several dozen protesters who set up a new camp on higher ground that would be out of the flood plain where the current camp sits.
Gov. John Bel Edwards seeks President Donald Trump’s help in securing $2B more in federal flood aid
Gov. John Bel Edwards, right, and FEMA Regional Administrator Tony Robinson talk while arriving with other officials to take a tour of flood damage Thursday, August 25, 2016, in and near Youngsville, La. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards wants President Donald Trump’s help in getting another $2 billion in federal aid for the state’s recovery from last year’s historic floods and loosening restrictions that limit how the money can be used.
Hawaiian Airlines jet was forced to avoid Cessna on takeoff
Officials say a Hawaiian Airlines jet carrying 130 people was forced this week to avoid a small plane that was taking off without clearance. The Federal Aviation Administration said Friday it launched an investigation and that the much smaller Cessna was taking off without clearance.
Yes! Mattis Just Put N. Korea On Notice Like a Boss- ‘Attack…
North Korea is always trying some sort of shenanigans, and Mattis isn’t taking it. He gave them a stern warning that was clearly only going to be said once.
Women could take big hit if ACA is tossed
From a return to higher premiums based on gender, to gaps in coverage for birth control and breast pumps, experts say women could end up paying more for less if the Obama-era health care law is repealed. The 2010 law ended a common industry practice of charging women more than men for policies purchased directly from an insurer.
4-year-old Somali girl reunited with mom in Minnesota
A 4-year-old Somali girl whose long-awaited reunion with her mother was put on hold this week due to President Donald Trump’s travel ban is now with her family in Minnesota. Mushkaad Abdi gripped a doll and the hand of her mother, Samira Dahir, who wiped away tears Friday as she spoke to reporters about the reunion.
2/03/2017
Online neo-Nazi and white supremacist forums have been unmistakably jubilant lately, as web chatter moved from celebrating President Donald Trump’s electoral victory to celebrating individual cabinet appointments and policy proposals. On Thursday, internet racists celebrated another perceived victory: Reports that President Trump will soon remove white nationalist groups from a federal effort to study and neutralize extremist radicalization, and rebrand the program to focus solely on groups associating themselves with Islam.
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This week on the podcast, reporters discuss the nomination of Neil Gorsuch to the U.S. Supreme Court, whether anyone will be able to challenge Rep. Rod Blum in the 1st Congressional District and the likelihood that Iowa will allow fantasy sports betting to become legal. On Iowa Politics is a weekly news and analysis podcast that re-creates the conversations that happen when Iowa’s political reporters get together after the day’s deadlines have been met.
US judge temporarily blocks Trump’s travel ban nationwide
In this Jan. 30, 2017 file photo, Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson, right, speaks in Seattle as Gov. Jay Inslee, left, looks on, during a news conference. Ferguson announced that he is suing President Donald Trump over an executive order that suspended immigration from seven countries with majority-Muslim populations and sparked nationwide protests.
DeVos moves closer to confirmation as education secretary
Betsy DeVos moved closer toward confirmation as education secretary Friday after clearing a major hurdle in the Senate, even as Democrats and labour unions fervently sought another Republican vote against her. Tensions flew on the Senate floor during an early-morning session, with a senior Republican saying DeVos will make an “excellent” secretary and a top Democrat calling her “one of the worst nominees.”
Iowa Senate approves education funding bill
KIMT News 3- The Iowa Senate approved an education funding bill that will provide a 1.1% increase for public schools. The GOP-controlled chamber voted 28-21 Thursday for the legislation, which would take effect in July.
US Federal judge slaps restraining order on Donald Trump’s travel ban
Seattle: A federal judge in Seattle, has granted a nationwide temporary restraining order blocking US President Donald Trump’s recent executive order barring nationals from seven countries from entering the United States. The judge’s order represents a major challenge to the Trump administration, which is expected to immediately appeal.
Arrested for burping: The Gorsuch dissent
Remember when a 13-year-old Albuquerque boy was arrested – taken in handcuffs to a juvenile detention center – for fake burping in P.E. class? His mother sued, but the 10th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals in Denver ruled in favor of the school district in July 2016. Judge Neil Gorsuch, now a nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court, wrote a memorable dissent , reprinted in Valerie Strauss’s Washington Post column.
Israeli settler group shrugs off White House criticism
Israeli settlers on Friday shrugged off White House criticism of settlement construction, convinced they have the sympathies of President Donald Trump. The Palestinians, still wary of Trump, warned that the settlers’ hard-line stance could spell the end to a two-state solution to the conflict.
Navy decommissions ‘legendary’ carrier that shaped history
During Friday’s ceremony at a Newport News shipyard, the USS Enterprise was described as a “legendary” vessel that helped shape history. It served more than 50 years, playing a role in the Cuban Missile Crisis, Vietnam and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Obama WH photographer throws more shade at Trump
Since we first posted this story, former President Barack Obama’s chief photographer, Pete Souza, the man who documented almost every impactful moment of the Obama presidency, continues to post images to his Instagram account, and its 738,000 followers, in response to President Donald Trump’s actions and policies. A silent, social media, shade-throwing protest told in visuals from the millions of images in Souza’s archive, the photos appear to be Souza’s expression of opposition to the recent moves of the Trump administration.
Senators appeal to GSA watchdog on Trump hotel lease
Citing inaction by the General Services Administration, two top Senate Democrats asked the agency’s inspector general to investigate President Donald Trump’s lease of the Old Post Office building for possible re-negotiation.
Globe editorial: How to trump Trump
U.S. President Donald Trump looks up after signing an executive order rolling back regulations from the 2010 Dodd-Frank law on Wall Street reform at the White House in Washington February 3, 2017. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque U.S. President Donald Trump looks up after signing an executive order rolling back regulations from the 2010 Dodd-Frank law on Wall Street reform at the White House in Washington February 3, 2017.
Teen creates Facebook page to spotlight immigrants’ weekly achievements
Valeria Alvarado, a 19-year-old sophomore at Villanova University, is launching an online storytelling effort to highlight the positive impacts immigrant, undocumented and refugee communities bring to the United States every week. The Facebook page – called ” We, Too, Are America ” – will list the submitted and curated accomplishments to help combat the “criminal” narratives of these groups popularized by President Donald J. Trump.
Chance the Rapper models a oeThank You Obamaa clothing line
Chance tweeted out photos of himself Thursday wearing Obama-themed clothing made by Joe Fresh Goods’ “Thank You Obama” line. Some of the items include a T-shirt imprinted with name of Obama’s daughter, Malia, and a basketball jersey with the number 44, in honor of the 44th president.
Trump loved to bully Obama about vacations, so of course he’s off to Florida
Not that continuity or facts matter anymore, but in an alternative universe in which those things were relevant, you’d think President Donald Trump would have held off taking a vacation for a little while after he got into office. Trump is set to spend the weekend at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where Politico reports he will hold several meetings and phone calls amid doing things one does at a resort.
VP Pence to Attend Super Bowl 51
Vice President Mike Pence will be attending Super Bowl LI Sunday, a source familiar with his schedule told CBS News . It is not clear if Pence, the former governor of Indiana, has a favorite in the game between the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons.
Trump thanks Australian prime minister for disputing report of…
President Donald Trump on Friday thanked Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull for disputing details of a Washington Post report that described a contentious phone call between the two world leaders. “Thank you to Prime Minister of Australia for telling the truth about our very civil conversation that FAKE NEWS media lied about,” Trump tweeted Friday morning.
Sen. Blackburn Pleased With Trump’s Tough Take on Iran
The Trump administration is taking steps that are “very appropriate” when it comes to Iran, as the Middle Eastern country needs to be “put on notice,” Sen. Marsha Blackburn said Friday. “They know that they should not have tried that missile test,” the Tennessee Republican told Fox News’ “America’s Newsroom” program.
Rep. Jordan: No Obamacare Repair, ‘Get Rid of Every Single Bit of It’
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the Affordable Care Act should not be repaired, because that would mean the insurance plan nicknamed Obamacare contains some viable parts. “Repair by definition implies that there’s something worth fixing,” Jordan told Fox News on Friday.
Ex-Obama DOJ Attorney: ‘100% Comfortable’ With Gorsuch
A former Justice Department attorney under President Barack Obama backed the candidacy of Neil Gorsuch for the Supreme Court, saying in a new ad she is “100 percent comfortable with Judge Gorsuch.” The Judicial Crisis Network based the entire 30-second ad on Jane Nitze, who once clerked for Gorsuch before going to work in Obama’s administration.
Senate Dems Urge Trump to Divulge Mar-a-Lago Membership List
Two Senate Democrats wrote a letter to President Trump, urging him to take four steps to “dispel any notion that Mar-a-Lago is a private refuge for pay-to-play politics,” according to reports. Sens. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., and Tom Udall, D-N.M., sent the letter Friday, asking, Trump divulge, among other things, the private club’s membership list so the country can see which well-heeled members of society get access to the president at his “Winter White House.”
Tom’s #Mailbag, Feb. 3, 2017
Another bigly week at the mailbag, with an unusual number of political questions about U.S. Rep. Rodney Davis and any potential opponents, plus queries about Gov. Bruce Rauner’s public appearances. Also: an update on the federal lawsuit involving a former Villa Grove school superintendent, a Campustown neon sign hanging by the proverbial thread, a mysterious medallion worn by University of Illinois great Nick Holonyak, more on Trader Joe’s, Clearview and a long-vacant house in Champaign, charges at the Leonhard Center and Carle parking garages, and whether any agency does health inspections at fitness centers.
Congress Swamped With Calls in Era of Trump
President Donald Trump has promised to shake up Washington, but so far he’s produced gridlock – at least with the phone lines on Capitol Hill. Whether constituents are calling to request congressional flags, get help with a local issue – or, more likely, to register their support or displeasure with the latest move by President Donald Trump – these days they are more likely to get a busy signal or voice mail than a live human, at least if they’re calling their senator.
Trump’s Administration Following Actions of Obama’s, Media Fails to Report
He’s nominated Neil Gorsuch – a great judge who understands and reveres what the Constitution says, not what he’d like it to say – to fill Antonin Scalia’s un-fillable seat on the Supreme Court. He’s seen his major cabinet picks at State, Treasury, the EPA, HHS, etc., finally get confirmed, despite the whining and foot dragging of Senate Democrats.
Peter Morici: Businesses Await Trump Tax Cuts, Deregulation for Hiring to Explode
While the January jobs report was certainly a positive sign and a “good way” for Barack Obama to end his presidency, businesses are really looking for President Donald Trump to complete his campaign vow of fewer regulations and lower corporate taxes before U.S. hiring can truly flourish, Peter Morici, economist at the University of Maryland, predicts to Newsmax TV . “We’ve had several lean months and now we have a month that’s a little better.
Is Donald Trump an Ebola-Level Global Health Threat?
Trump is a genuine threat not only to the health and well-being of Americans, but of people all over the world – especially women. . The Ebola outbreak, which killed some 12,000 people, was one.