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Updated 2024-11-25 14:46
Headlines for February 16, 2017
President Trump Not Committed to Israel-Palestine Two-State Solution, Lawmakers Want Transcripts of Michael Flynn Russia Calls, Report: Agencies Withhold Intelligence from Trump over Leak Concerns, Senior General Warns U.S. Government in "Unbelievable Turmoil", Secretary of State Tillerson in Talks with Russian Counterpart, Report: Russia Deploys Cruise Missile, Violating Arms Treaty, Fast-Food CEO Andrew Puzder Withdraws as Labor Secretary Nominee, Report: Pentagon Considers Deploying Ground Troops in Syria, Yemen: U.S.-Backed, Saudi-Led Coalition Strikes Kill 10 Civilians, Iraq: Suicide Bomb Blast in Baghdad Kills 15, Wounds Dozens, Malaysia: Three Arrests in Murder of DPRK Leader's Half-Brother, Texas: ICE Agents Detain Immigrant Seeking Domestic Abuse Protection, Colorado: Undocumented Mother Seeks Sanctuary in Denver Church, Senate Set to Approve Tea Party Lawmaker as Budget Director, Democrats Seek Delay on Scott Pruitt EPA Confirmation Vote, Trump Science Adviser Candidate Calls Climate Science a "Cult", Standing Rock Sioux Sue for Halt to Dakota Access Pipeline, Patients' Advocates Seek Life-Saving Generic Hepatitis C Drugs, Journalist Jeremy Scahill Cancels HBO Appearance to Protest White Nationalist
The Stephen Miller Story: From Pestering Latino Students in High School to Drafting Muslim Ban
A new investigation by Univision shows how President Trump's senior White House policy adviser, 31-year-old Stephen Miller, was well known at his Santa Monica High School for heckling his fellow Hispanic classmates, including telling them to speak only English. He's now best known as one of the architects behind Trump's Muslim travel ban. For more, we speak with one of Miller's former classmates, Cynthia Santiago, the first Latina president of the school's Associated Student Body and now an immigration defense lawyer who has been helping people impacted by Trump's travel ban. We also speak with Univision reporter Fernando Peinado. His recent piece is titled "How White House advisor Stephen Miller went from pestering Hispanic students to designing Trump's immigration policy."
Trump Security Protocols Questioned: Mar-a-Lago Resort is Not the White House Situation Room
On Tuesday morning, President Trump tried to divert attention from the resignation of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn by saying the "real story" was "illegal leaks," and asked whether there would also be leaks as he deals with North Korea's recent ballistic missile test. But Trump's handling of potentially classified information about the launch already appears to have been compromised—by his own actions. On Saturday, as the news of the test broke, Trump and other White House officials were dining in the restaurant at the Trump-owned Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where Trump was hosting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe for the weekend. As Trump and top officials moved to coordinate the United States' response, other Mar-a-Lago diners gawked at the scene. Some even posted pictures of it on Facebook. For more, we're joined by California Democratic Congressmember Ted Lieu.
Rep. Ted Lieu to Introduce Bill Requiring a Psychiatrist in White House
Dozens of mental health professionals recently wrote a letter warning that President Trump is displaying "grave emotional instability." Now, one lawmaker has introduced a new piece of legislation that would require a psychiatrist in the White House. For more, we speak with that lawmaker: California Democratic Congressmember Ted Lieu.
Rep. Lieu: The White House Lying & Stifling Dissent on Yemen Raid is Step Toward Authoritarianism
Trump's White House has warned journalists and lawmakers against criticizing a botched raid by U.S. commandos on a Yemeni village last month that left 25 civilians and one U.S. soldier dead. The Bureau of Investigative Journalism reports the January 28 assault killed nine children under the age of 13, with five other children wounded. William "Ryan" Owens, a veteran member of SEAL Team 6, also died during the raid. The White House continues to claim the raid was a success. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has said that anyone who criticizes the raid should apologize to Owens's family. For more, we speak with California Democratic Congressmember Ted Lieu.
Rep. Lieu on Kellyanne Conway: White House Should Not Be Used for Enriching the President's Family
The Office of Government Ethics says counselor to the president Kellyanne Conway committed a "clear violation" of federal ethics rules when she used a TV appearance on "Fox & Friends" last week to market merchandise sold by President Trump's daughter, Ivanka. Her endorsement of Ivanka's products came after Trump tweeted from his official government account blasting Nordstrom for dropping Ivanka's product line. Trump is also facing a lawsuit alleging he is in violation of the Constitution's Emoluments Clause for his foreign conflicts of interest. For more on these conflicts of interest, we speak with California Democratic Congressmember Ted Lieu.
Trump & Spicer Blame Russia Scandal on "Illegal Leaks" Rather Than Lies by Senior Officials
President Trump initially responded to former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's resignation Tuesday morning by tweeting, "The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington? Will these leaks be happening as I deal on N.Korea etc?" Later on Tuesday, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer also tried to make the story about "illegal leaks." For more, we speak with California Democratic Congressmember Ted Lieu.
What Did Trump Know & When Did He Know It? White House in Crisis over Flynn & Russia Scandals
The Washington Post reports the White House is in "full-blown crisis" following the resignation of former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. On Tuesday, the White House admitted that Trump knew "for weeks" Flynn had discussed sanctions in a call on December 29 with the Russian ambassador and then lied to Vice President Mike Pence and other top White House officials about it. The New York Times and CNN are now reporting phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Donald Trump's presidential campaign had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the lead-up to November's election. The Times reports U.S. law enforcement and intelligence agencies intercepted the communications around the same time they were discovering evidence that Russia was trying to disrupt the presidential election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee. Lawmakers are now calling for an investigation. For more, we're joined by Democratic Representative Ted Lieu of California.
Headlines for February 15, 2017
Trump White House in Crisis After Flynn's Resignation, Gov't Watchdog: Conway Violated Ethics Rules with "Free Commercial" for Ivanka Products, Trump Scraps Rule Requiring Oil Company to Disclose Payments, In Meeting with Netanyahu Today, Trump May Abandon Two-State Solution, Seattle: ICE Arrested DACA Recipient Daniel Ramirez Medina, Scientists: Climate Change Exacerbated Oroville Dam Crisis, Report: Sea Ice Around Antarctica at Lowest Point Ever Recorded, Bolivia's Drought State of Emergency Hits 100 Days, Russia Says It Will Not Relinquish Control of Crimea, HRW: Syrian Gov't Repeatedly Used Chlorine Gas Against Aleppo Residents, China: Protests Erupt Against $6.7 Billion Aluminum Plant, Dominican Republic: Two Radio Journalists Killed, WSJ Faces Criticism over Favorable Coverage of Trump, White House Gives Credentials to Far-Right-Wing Gateway Pundit, Humana to Pull Out of Obamacare's Public Exchange in 2018
Criminalization & Trump's ICE Raids: Two Immigrant Rights Organizers Facing Deportation Speak Out
The Department of Homeland Security is saying the number of immigrants arrested over the past week has risen to 680. Raids were reported in at 11 states, including California, New York, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. To talk more about who is being targeted, we are joined by two prominent immigrant rights advocates in New York. Both of them are also immigrants whose criminal records put them at risk of deportation. Abraham Paulos is executive director of Families for Freedom. Ravi Ragbir is executive director of the New Sanctuary Coalition of New York City. Ragbir faces deportation when he goes to his ICE check-in on March 9.
FCC Under Trump: Net Neutrality & Internet Freedom Face New Attack
We turn now to look at President Donald Trump's newly appointed chair of the Federal Communications Commission, Ajit Pai, who has begun to attack net neutrality rules and other consumer protections. In a series of actions earlier this month, Pai blocked nine companies from providing affordable high-speed internet to low-income families, and withdrew the FCC's support from an effort to curb the exorbitant cost of phone calls from prison. He has also said he disagrees with the 2015 decision to regulate the internet like a public utility. We speak Jessica González, deputy director and senior counsel at Free Press. González was formerly on the FCC's Open Internet Advisory Committee and Diversity Committee.
Clayton Thomas-Muller: Rising Fascism in U.S. Is Emboldening White Supremacists in Canada
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's visit to Washington came just weeks after a Canadian man shot dead six people at the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec City. The shooter, Alexandre Bissonnette, was a supporter of Donald Trump and far-right-wing French politician Marine Le Pen. Trudeau condemned the massacre as an act of terrorism. Donald Trump, however, made no comment about the attack. We speak to Clayton Thomas-Muller about the rise of racism in Canada.
Crossing the Northern Border: Immigrants in U.S. Flee into Canada Seeking Refuge from Trump
A growing number of asylum seekers are braving freezing temperatures in an attempt to cross from the United States into Canada. Several refugees have suffered frostbite after trekking for hours in sub-zero weather, and aid organizations are overwhelmed. Many of those seeking refuge in areas including Manitoba come from one of the seven countries targeted by Donald Trump's anti-immigration executive order. They say they are worried about being deported if they remain in the U.S. We speak to Clayton Thomas-Muller in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Pipeline Partners: Trudeau & Trump Meet as They Push for Keystone XL & Other Big Oil Projects
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau visited the White House Monday for the first time since Donald Trump took office. In a joint news conference, Trump and Trudeau discussed trade, national security and immigration policy. During a White House press conference, neither president talked about oil pipelines, despite their joint support for building new ones. Last month, Trudeau welcomed the decision by Donald Trump to move ahead on the Keystone XL pipeline project. Trudeau has also come under fire by environmental activists for approving two major pipelines: Kinder Morgan's $5 billion Trans Mountain pipeline and the $7.5 billion Enbridge Line 3 pipeline. We speak to Clayton Thomas-Muller, a leading organizer and writer on environmental justice and indigenous rights. He is a campaigner at 350.org and a member of the Mathias Colomb Cree Nation in Northern Manitoba, Canada.
Headlines for February 14, 2017
Michael Flynn Resigns as National Security Adviser, "Holy Moly!": Diners Watch as Trump Handles N. Korea Missile Launch in Public, Senate Confirms Steven Mnuchin to Be Treasury Secretary, Hundreds of Fast-Food Workers Protest Labor Sec. Pick Andrew Puzder, Senate Confirms David Shulkin as Head of Veterans Administration, Trump's Muslim Ban Suffers Two More Legal Blows, Milwaukee: 20,000 March for "Day Without Latinos, Immigrants and Refugees", U.S. Blocks Fmr. Palestinian PM from Serving as U.N. Special Rep. to Libya, Pakistan: Suicide Attack Kills 13 in Lahore, Fmr. Black Liberation Activist Zolo Azania Freed After 35 Years
California vs. Trump: Lawmakers Push to Become "Sanctuary State" Despite Threats from Washington
California state Senate President Kevin de León recently introduced a bill to make California a sanctuary state. President Trump responded by threatening to pull federal funds from the state. "If they're going to have sanctuary cities, we may have to do that. Certainly that would be a weapon," Trump told Fox News.
ICE Arrests 600 in Nationwide Raids After Trump Order Expands Criminalization of Immigrants
Immigrant communities across the country are on edge after federal immigration agents arrested over 600 people in the past week in the largest raids since Donald Trump became president. Raids were reported in at 11 states, including California, New York, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri and Wisconsin. On Sunday, Trump tweeted, "The crackdown on illegal criminals is merely the keeping of my campaign promise. Gang members, drug dealers & others are being removed!" Immigrant rights activists say the actions signal a clear shift by the Trump administration to deport people who were considered a "low priority" for removal under President Obama. We speak to California state Senate President Kevin de León and Steven Choi, executive director of the New York Immigration Coalition.
Saru Jayaraman: Trump Labor Nominee Andrew Puzder Does Not Respect Women At All
A recent survey by Restaurant Opportunities Centers United has found a shocking two-thirds of women working at labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder's restaurants experience sexual harassment at work. The report comes as Puzder is facing questions about past allegations of domestic violence against his ex-wife. For more, we speak with Saru Jayaraman of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, or ROC United.
Former Carl's Jr. Worker Recalls Sexual Harassment & Wage Theft at Andrew Puzder's Restaurant Chain
Today, hundreds of fast-food workers plan to converge on the corporate offices of labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder and demand the fast-food mogul withdraw his nomination or be rejected by the Senate. The Washington Post reports Puzder's chain restaurants, Carl's Jr. and Hardee's, have been the subject of multiple Labor Department investigations over wage theft, which have led the companies to pay nearly $150,000 in back pay to workers and more than $80,000 in penalties. The companies have also been cited with more than 30 health and safety violations. We speak with a shift leader at a Carl's Jr. in Los Angeles for two years, Maggie Guerrero. She's with Fight for 15 Los Angeles.
Secretary of Labor Violations? Opposition Grows to the Nomination of Fast-Food CEO Andy Puzder
Hundreds of fast-food workers plan to converge on the corporate offices of labor secretary nominee Andrew Puzder and demand the fast-food mogul withdraw his nomination. Puzder is head of the company that franchises the fast-food outlets Hardee's and Carl's Jr. He is a longtime Republican donor who has been a vocal critic of raising the minimum wage, the Fight for 15 movement, expansion of overtime pay, paid sick leave and the Affordable Care Act. Puzder's Senate confirmation hearing is scheduled for Thursday. The hearing has been postponed four times. For more, we speak with Saru Jayaraman, co-founder and co-director of the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, or ROC United. The organization's new report is titled "Secretary of Labor Violations?: The Low Road Business Model of CKE Restaurant Inc's Andrew Puzder."
Headlines for February 13, 2017
ICE Arrests More Than 600 People Nationwide in Last Week, Amid ICE Raids in NYC, Protest Demands End to "Broken Windows" Policing, Trump Adviser Stephen Miller Repeats Trump Lie About Voter Fraud in 2016 Election, Trump Adviser Stephen Miller: "The Powers of the President Will Not Be Questioned", Trump Says He May Sign "Brand New" Travel Ban, North Korea Tests Ballistic Missile, Sparking International Condemnation, Pro- and Anti-Planned Parenthood Rallies Held Nationwide, U.N.: 26 People Killed in NATO & U.S. Airstrikes, the Majority Women & Children, Thousands of Mexicans March to Denounce Trump's Deportation Plans, Veterans Return to Standing Rock as Dakota Access Construction Resumes, Report: FBI Terrorism Task Force Investigating #NoDAPL Water Protectors, Standing Rock: Indigenous Women's Gathering Planned for Feb. 18-19, California: 180,000+ Evacuated Amid Fears of Dam Break, 6 Patriots Players Won't Visit White House as Protest of Trump, NFL Players Pull Out of Trip to Israel in Solidarity with Palestinians, After Years of Protests, Yale to Rename Calhoun College, Beyoncé at Grammys: "It's Important to Show Images to My Children That Reflect Their Beauty", Paris Jackson Shouts Out #NoDAPL During Grammys, Busta Rhymes Slams "President Agent Orange" at Grammys
In Real Bowling Green Massacre, a White Supremacist Planned Attack Against African Americans & Jews
As the nonexistent terrorist attack manufactured by Donald Trump's counselor Kellyanne Conway makes headlines, we look at an actual threat by an extremist in Bowling Green, Ohio. In 2012, an FBI raid uncovered a full arsenal of assault rifles, firearms, body armor and ammunition amassed by the suspect, who prosecutors later determined was planning to carry out mass killings. But the suspect is not a radical Muslim. He is white supremacist Richard Schmidt, who federal authorities say was planning targeted attacks on African Americans and Jews. Investigators found a list of names and addresses of people to be assassinated, including the leaders of NAACP chapters in Michigan and Ohio. Schmidt was sentenced to less than six years in prison after a federal judge said prosecutors had failed to adequately establish that he was a political terrorist. He is scheduled for release in February 2018. His case isn't the only one involving terror threats by a white supremacist that received little coverage by mainstream media. On Monday, the trial of Christian minister Robert Doggart began in Tennessee federal district court. Undercover FBI agents allege that Doggart was plotting to travel to upstate New York to kill Muslims there, using explosives, an M-4 assault rifle and a machete. According to a federal investigation, Doggart saw himself as a religious "warrior" and wanted to kill Muslims to show his commitment to his Christian god. We speak with ProPublica's A.C. Thompson, whose recent article is "When the Government Really Did Fear a Bowling Green Massacre—From a White Supremacist," and with Dean Obeidallah, a columnist for The Daily Beast writing about the Doggart case.
ICE Raids Speed into Overdrive: Advocates Say Obama's Deportations Reaching "100 MPH" Under Trump
We are joined from Phoenix by Aarón Rayos, the husband of a mother of two U.S.-born children who is at the center of an immigration fight in Arizona and has been deported to Mexico. Guadalupe García de Rayos was arrested and detained Wednesday during a routine check-in with immigration officials. She had been living in the United States for the past 21 years, but had been arrested in 2008 during a raid on a water park in Maricopa County and convicted of a felony for using forged documents in order to get a job. Advocates say her arrest signals a clear shift by the Trump administration to deport people considered a "low priority" for removal under President Obama. We also speak with Francisca Porchas, organizing director of Puente Arizona.
Trump Launches "Blue Lives Matter Regime" with Three New Executive Orders on Law Enforcement
On Thursday, President Trump signed three new executive orders addressing crime and immigration. One seeks to increase penalties on those found guilty of assaulting police officers. A second order directs law enforcement agencies to increase intelligence sharing while going after drug cartels. A third order directs Attorney General Sessions to prioritize fighting "illegal immigration" alongside drug trafficking and violent crime. This is "the beginnings of what we are calling a blue lives matter regime," explains our guest, Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights.
Court Refuses to Reinstate Trump's Muslim Ban, Says "No Evidence" of Attacks from 7 Listed Countries
In a major victory for civil rights advocates, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has unanimously refused to reinstate Donald Trump's executive order that banned people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States and sparked nationwide protests. The judges ruled that the administration "has pointed to no evidence that any alien from any of the countries named in the order has perpetrated a terrorist attack in the United States." Trump has vowed to appeal the case, possibly to the U.S. Supreme Court. We get reaction from Vincent Warren, executive director of the Center for Constitutional Rights. "It is the veracity of the administration that is at stake," Warren says.
Headlines for February 10, 2017
Appeals Court Upholds Injunction on Trump Travel and Refugee Ban, Report: Threats Against At Least One Judge Weighing Trump Ban, Jeff Sessions Sworn In as U.S. Attorney General, President Trump Signs New Executive Orders on Crime, Immigration, Protests Erupt in Los Angeles After Reports of ICE Home Raids, Arizona Mother of Two Deported Under Trump's New Orders, White House Warns Journalists and Lawmakers over Botched Yemen Raid, Senate Confirms Tom Price as Health and Human Services Secretary, In Reversal, Trump Commits U.S. to "One China" Policy, Report: Michael Flynn Discussed Sanctions with Russian Ambassador in December, President Trump to Host Japanese Leader at Trump Properties, Report: Trump Tells Russia's President the U.S. Won't Renew Nuclear Treaty, Ethics Probe for Kellyanne Conway to Follow Ivanka Trump Product Endorsement, Rep. Jason Chaffetz Protested at Raucous Town Hall Meeting, Construction Begins on Final Section of Dakota Access Pipeline, Syria: Russian "Friendly Fire" Kills Three Turkish Soldiers, South Africa: Fistfights Erupt at President Zuma's National Address, Independence Activist Oscar López Rivera Returns to Puerto Rico
"Made Me Feel We Were Back in 1950s" Coretta Scott King Memoirist on Silencing of Elizabeth Warren
The Senate has confirmed Jeff Sessions as the United States attorney general after a 52-47 vote Wednesday evening. Sessions's confirmation has faced widespread protests over his opposition to the Voting Rights Act and his history of making racist comments. The vote capped a contentious 24 hours that began Tuesday night, when Massachusetts Senator Elizabeth Warren was silenced and rebuked by the Senate for reading a 1986 letter written by Coretta Scott King denouncing Sessions, who was at the time being considered for a federal judgeship. For more, we speak with Rev. Dr. Barbara A. Reynolds. She worked with Coretta Scott King on her memoir, "Coretta Scott King: My Life, My Love, My Legacy."
Which Foreign Group Will the Trump Administration Designate as a Terrorist Organization Next?
The White House is considering officially designating more groups as foreign terrorist organizations, including the Muslim Brotherhood—one of the Middle East's oldest and most influential Islamic groups. We speak to Hina Shamsi, director of the ACLU's National Security Project.
Meet the ACLU Attorney Interrogated by Border Agents About Her Work, Nationality & More
An appeals court is expected to rule as early as today on President Trump's ban on refugees and people from seven Muslim-majority countries from entering the United States. On Wednesday morning, Trump accused the judges on the court of being "so political" and described the legal process as "disgraceful." For more updates on the legal fight over the executive order, we speak with Hina Shamsi, director of the American Civil Liberties Union's National Security Project. Although she is a legal permanent resident of the United States, Shamsi was stopped and questioned about her Pakistani citizenship and her work with the ACLU, when she flew back into the country last week.
Syrian Refugee Crisis Linked to Rampant Torture, Disappearances & Arrests of Civilian Population
Amnesty International's report on prison hangings at Saydnaya prison was published less than two weeks after President Trump signed an executive order banning refugees indefinitely and temporarily barring entry to all citizens from Syria and six other Muslim-majority nations. We speak to Nicolette Waldman about the root causes of the Syrian refugee crisis.
Human Slaughterhouse: Amnesty International Says Up to 13,000 Hanged at Syrian Prison
Amnesty International has released a shocking report claiming as many as 13,000 people—mostly civilians—have been hanged in a Syrian government military prison in recent years. Amnesty accuses the Assad government of running a human slaughterhouse and engaging in a deliberate policy of extermination by hanging thousands of civilians at a prison near Damascus. Amnesty says the killings amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity. We speak to the co-author of the report, Nicolette Waldman, an Amnesty International researcher specializing in detention issues.
Headlines for February 9, 2017
Senate Confirms Jeff Sessions as Attorney General, Trump Lashes Out at Judges Hearing Lawsuit over Muslim Ban, Neil Gorsuch Calls Trump's Attacks on Judges "Disheartening & Demoralizing", Rosie Ayliffe to Trump: "My Daughter's Death Will Not Be Used to Further This Insane Persecution", Wisconsin Rep. Claims White Terrorist Attacks are "Different", Protests Erupt Nationwide as Army Approves Dakota Access Pipeline, Phoenix: 7 Arrested Blocking ICE Van After Mother Is Detained Under Trump's New Orders, Trump Faces Conflict of Interest Accusations over Nordstrom Tweet, Afghanistan: 6 Red Cross Workers Killed in Ambush, Romania: Nightly Anti-Government Protests Continue, 3 Patriots Players Will Refuse to Visit White House Super Bowl Celebration, PA State Senator Calls Trump a "Fascist, Loofa-Faced, Sh*t-Gibbon"
Water Protectors Call for Global Mass Mobilizations as Army Plans to Approve Dakota Access Pipeline
On Tuesday, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday it will greenlight the final phase of construction of the pipeline. Amnesty International called the announcement "an unlawful and appalling violation of human rights." In recent months, police have launched an escalating and violent crackdown against the resistance at Standing Rock. Last week, more than 70 people were arrested after militarized police raided a new resistance camp set up on historic Sioux treaty land. Among those arrested was award-winning Pueblo journalist Jenni Monet, who was on assignment for Indian Country Media Network.
A Violation of Tribal & Human Rights: Standing Rock Chair Slams Approval of Dakota Access Pipeline
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers said Tuesday it will greenlight the final phase of construction for the Dakota Access pipeline, prompting indigenous-led water protectors to call for a "last stand" against the $3.8 billion project. In a letter to Congress, acting Army Secretary Robert Speer said the Army Corps will cancel an environmental impact study of the Dakota Access pipeline and will grant an easement today allowing Energy Transfer Partners to drill under Lake Oahe on the Missouri River. The Army Corps also said it would suspend a customary 14-day waiting period following its order, meaning the company could immediately begin boring a tunnel for the final one-and-a-half miles of pipe. We speak to Standing Rock Sioux Tribal Council Chair Dave Archambault II.
Inside the ACLU's Fight Against Trump's Muslim Ban, with the Attorney Whose Lawsuit First Halted It
Within 24 hours of President Trump signing his executive order on immigration, the American Civil Liberties Union filed the first legal challenges. The ACLU asked a federal judge to intervene in the case of two Iraqis detained at JFK airport. On Saturday night, U.S. District Judge Ann Donnelly in Brooklyn ordered the men released as part of a nationwide stay on part of Trump's executive order. Her ruling temporarily blocked the deportation of valid visa holders, including those from countries listed in Trump's ban. We speak to Lee Gelernt, the ACLU attorney who helped argue the case.
ACLU: We're in a Dangerous Situation as Gov't Claims That Courts Have No Role Reviewing Muslim Ban
The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals heard arguments Tuesday on whether to restore President Donald Trump's executive order banning people from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the United States. The case was brought by the states of Washington and Minnesota. The emergency hearing came just days after a judge in Seattle imposed a nationwide temporary restraining order on the ban. Justice Department lawyer August Flentje questioned the court's authority to review Trump's executive order, while the state of Washington argued the court must provide a check on the executive branch. We air excerpts of the oral arguments and speak to ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt, who presented the first challenge to Trump's executive order on immigration. His argument resulted in a nationwide injunction.
Headlines for February 8, 2017
Army Corps to Greenlight Construction of Dakota Access Pipeline, Seattle to Divest $3 Billion from Wells Fargo over Dakota Access Pipeline, Senate Confirms Billionaire Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary, Senator Warren Silenced After Reading Coretta Scott King's Letter on Floor, Labor Sec. Pick Andrew Puzder Under Fire for Employing Undocumented Worker, EPA Pick Scott Pruitt Sued for Withholding Emails with Oil & Gas Industry, Appeals Court Hears Arguments over Trump's Muslim Ban, Trump Falsely Claims U.S. Murder Rate is at Highest in 40 Years, Trump Threatens to "Destroy" Career of Texas State Senator, Yemen Bans U.S. from Running Military Ground Operations After Failed Raid, Japan: Levels of Radiation at Fukushima Nuclear Plant are "Unimaginable"
Harvard Professor to Trump: There is No Evidence Media Is Covering Up Terrorist Attacks
On Monday, President Trump falsely claimed that the media is intentionally covering up terrorist attacks. "It's gotten to a point where it's not even being reported," Trump said. "And in many cases, the very, very dishonest press doesn't want to report it." The claims appear to be part of a wider push by the White House to increase fear about potential—and even imaginary—terrorist attacks in order to justify President Trump's crackdown on immigration, including his Muslim ban. We speak to Harvard professor Stephen Walt. His recent piece in Foreign Policy is headlined "Trump Has Already Blown It."
Stephen Walt: From Israel to Iran to Mexico, Trump Has Already Blown It on Foreign Policy
We turn now to look at President Trump's emerging foreign policy. Last week, Trump reportedly abruptly ended a call with Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull after complaining about the terms of a refugee deal between the U.S. and Australia. Meanwhile, during a call with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto, Trump reportedly threatened to send U.S. troops to Mexico. Trump's national security adviser, Michael Flynn, also announced the United States was putting Iran "on notice"—but it's not clear what that means. And Trump's first covert operation in Yemen went disastrously wrong: One U.S. Navy SEAL and as many as 23 Yemeni civilians died as a result. We speak to Harvard professor Stephen Walt. His recent piece in Foreign Policy is headlined "Trump Has Already Blown It."
Iranian Student Blocked from Entering U.S.: Trump Remarks on Muslim Ban Remind Me of the Nazis
A federal appeals court will hear arguments today on whether to restore President Donald Trump's executive order banning people from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the United States. We speak to one of the people caught up in Trump's ban, Saira Rafiee, a doctoral student enrolled at the CUNY Graduate Center through an F1 visa. She was initially barred from entering the country last week. We speak to her and Hadi Ghaemi, founder and director of Campaign for Human Rights in Iran.
Rep. Maxine Waters: Trump Should Be Impeached If He Colluded with Russians Ahead of Election
Rep. Maxine Waters calls for a full investigation to determine if the Trump campaign colluded with Russia in any way during the campaign. Waters says such collusion would be grounds for impeachment.
Rep. Maxine Waters Urges Rejection of "Foreclosure King" Mnuchin for Treasury & Sessions for AG
Donald Trump's pick for treasury secretary, Steven Mnuchin, has deep ties on Wall Street, including working as a partner for Goldman Sachs, where his father also worked. Mnuchin's hedge fund also played a role in the housing crisis, after it scooped up the failing California bank IndyMac in 2008. Under Mnuchin's ownership, IndyMac foreclosed on 36,000 families, particularly elderly residents trapped in reverse mortgages. Mnuchin was accused of running a "foreclosure machine." We speak to Rep. Maxine Waters about why she opposes Mnuchin for the Treasury post.
Rep. Maxine Waters: DeVos is a Billionaire Wannabe Teacher Who Doesn't Care About Public Education
The Senate is scheduled to hold a full vote today on the confirmation of Donald Trump's nominee for education secretary, billionaire Betsy DeVos. DeVos is perhaps Trump's most contested pick among a group of controversial Cabinet nominees. DeVos is a longtime backer of charter schools and vouchers for private and religious schools. She and her husband have also invested in a student debt collection agency that does business with the Education Department. On Monday, Senate Democrats took to the floor of the U.S. Senate to begin a 24-hour protest opposing DeVos. Last week, two Republican lawmakers, Senators Susan Collins and Lisa Murkowski, announced plans to vote against DeVos, leaving Senate Republicans one vote short of confirming her. If the Senate vote is 50-50, Vice President Mike Pence would then cast the deciding vote—an event that has never happened to any other presidential nominee in history. We speak to Democratic Congressmember Maxine Waters of California.
Headlines for February 7, 2017
Senate Dems Are Stalling DeVos Confirmation with 24-Hour Protest Debate, Fmr. Secretaries of State & 100+ Companies Back Suit Against Muslim Ban, Trump Falsely Claims Media Covering Up Terrorist Attacks, Kellyanne Conway Has Repeatedly Lied About Nonexistent "Bowling Green Massacre", British Speaker of Commons to Refuse to Invite Trump to Speak to Parliament, Patriots' Martellus Bennett Says He Won't Visit Trump's White House, Trump on Gutting Dodd-Frank: "Friends of Mine Can't Borrow Money", Melania Trump Suing Owner of Daily Mail for $150M over Article, Amnesty International: 13,000 People Secretly Hanged at Military Prison, Israel Approves Bill to Retroactively Legalize Settlements, Afghanistan: More Than a Dozen Dead in Suicide Blast in Kabul, NYC Students Slated to Walk Out Today in Protest Against Trump
Trump Reportedly Scraps Anti-LGBT Executive Order, But Vows to Give Churches More Political Power
Speaking at a National Prayer Breakfast on Thursday, Trump vowed to "destroy" the Johnson Amendment, a 1954 provision that prohibits tax-exempt religious or charitable organizations from "directly or indirectly participating in, or intervening in, any political campaign on behalf of (or in opposition to) any candidate for elective public office." White evangelical Protestants have long pushed for the amendment to be repealed. Another move reportedly being considered by the Trump administration is a sweeping religious freedom executive order that would create wholesale exemptions for people and organizations who claim religious objections to same-sex marriage, premarital sex, abortion and trans identity. For more, we speak with journalist Sarah Posner. Her most recent piece published in The Nation is titled "Leaked Draft of Trump's Religious Freedom Order Reveals Sweeping Plans to Legalize Discrimination."
Actor Cynthia Nixon at LGBT Rally Outside Stonewall Inn: Trump's "Fear and Anger Are Consuming Him"
Among the thousands of anti-Trump demonstrators who gathered outside the Stonewall Inn in New York City's West Village was actress Cynthia Nixon, best known for her role as Miranda in "Sex and the City."
"Resist, Resist, Resist": Thousands Protest Trump in Solidarity with LGBT Community at Stonewall in NYC
On Saturday, thousands of anti-Trump demonstrators supporting the LGBT community held a rally in front of the Stonewall Inn in New York City's West Village. The site was recently designated by the Obama administration as a national monument for its historic role in the long fight for gay rights. On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn. The people inside, led by transgender patrons, fought back. The ensuing riot launched the modern gay and lesbian rights movement. New York City elected officials, activists and celebrities spoke at Saturday's event. We hear voices from the rally, including the first openly gay New York City Council member, Corey Johnson, as well as actress and model Hari Nef, actor Omar Sharif Jr. and transgender Mexican activist Ishalaa Ortega.
Seattle Lawyer Challenging Trump's Muslim Ban: "The Outpouring of Support is Unprecedented"
Over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security began allowing visa holders affected by Trump's order to board U.S.-bound flights. The agency said it had "suspended any and all actions" related to the travel ban. Among those who were able to travel back to the U.S. was a 12-year-old Yemeni daughter who was able to reunite with her family on Sunday. For more, we speak with her family's lawyer, Matt Adams. He's the lead attorney for a class action lawsuit challenging the Trump administration's executive order.
Lawyers Urge Appeals Court Not to "Unleash Chaos Again" by Reinstating Trump's Muslim Ban
Courts have temporarily blocked President Trump's executive order banning people from seven majority-Muslim nations from entering the United States. Early this morning, lawyers for the states of Washington and Minnesota filed a brief with a panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals arguing against restoring Trump's executive order banning people from Iraq, Syria, Iran, Sudan, Libya, Somalia and Yemen from entering the United States, saying that to reinstate the ban would "unleash chaos again." On Sunday, a California appeals court sided with a lower court in Seattle and refused to reinstate the travel ban. The Seattle ruling, issued by U.S. District Court Judge James Robart on Friday, imposed a nationwide temporary restraining order on the ban. Over the weekend, the Department of Homeland Security began allowing visa holders affected by Trump's order to board U.S.-bound flights. On Sunday, Roslyn Sinha, an Iraqi passport holder with a valid visa to live in the United States, was among those who was able to return.
Headlines for February 6, 2017
Courts Temporarily Block Trump's Muslim Ban, Sen. Leahy Accuses Trump of Trying to Spark "Constitutional Crisis", Army Secretary Pick Vincent Viola Withdraws from Nomination, Senate to Vote on Betsy DeVos for Education Secretary Today, Neil Gorsuch Opposed Anti-Apartheid Protesters in College, Coast to Coast, Tens of Thousands Protest Against Trump, Thousands Protest Dakota Access Pipeline in L.A.; Video Shows BIA Officer Beating Water Protector, Ajit Pai Rolls Back Net Neutrality & Consumer Protections, France: Marine Le Pen Kicks Off Presidential Bid with Xenophobic Speech, Argentine President Pushes Immigration Crackdown, Drawing Comparisons to Trump, Romania: Protests Swell as Demands Widen to Include Resignation of Government, U.N.: Civilian Casualties Rose in Afghanistan in 2016, "Rest in Power": Trayvon Martin's Parents to Release Book on Their Son, Watch the Scenes of the Pro-Immigration Super Bowl Ad That Fox Rejected
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