ytchen0821-blog

[ytchen0821-blog]

How all but one Republican senator found a way to pass tax reform

Republicans are finally on the verge of enacting a signature legislative achievement.

It's something that seemed up in the air less than 24 hours before the vote, unlikely just a few months ago and completely unfathomable despite bold claims to the contrary midway through President Donald Trump's first year in office.Yet the Republican-controlled US Senate, by a vote of 51-49, early Saturday morning passed a historic overhaul of the US tax code, clearing what has long been considered the largest and most byzantine hurdle in an effort that hasn't been completed in more than 31 years.

"We have an opportunity now to make America more competitive, and to keep jobs from being shipped offshore and provide substantial relief to the middle class," McConnell told reporters after the vote. "At the end, there was not a single Democrat who thought this was a good idea, and so we're going to take this message to the American people a year from now."Trump sounded a jubilant note Saturday morning, thanking Republican lawmakers on Twitter for their work on the bill. The White House, too, lauded passage of the legislation Saturday morning, saying in a statement that the senators who voted for the bill "did a great service to their constituents" and adding that the legislation would lead to "sustainable economic prosperity and job creation.""We have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to reclaim America's great destiny," the statement read, adding that the administration looked forward to enacting the legislation by year's end.The legislative product -- something that will touch every facet of American life, every US business and every individual in the country -- came from a year of closed-door, cloistered meetings. It was driven by GOP goals of significant cuts and benefits to corporate entities designed to turbocharge economic growth, with significantly less benefit to the individuals who have been at the heart of the Republican pitch for the plan itself. It was created without the inclusion of Democrats and it came on the heels of a devastating failure on what has been the Republican Party's top legislative priority for more than seven years: the repeal of Obamacare. Just hours before the bill was voted on, aides were still writing the bill. When the final bill emerged, notes were still hand-written and scribbled in the margins. Yet, McConnell lost just one Republican vote, something even senior GOP members would deem almost inconceivable just a few weeks ago. After rushing the bill through a release and a markup, GOP leaders also survived a late, and completely unexpected, scare that nearly stalled a tax bill on the brink of passage. The bill is now expected to go to conference committee with House.The story of how Senate Republicans closed the deal, which despite the roaring success of Republicans up to this point, still faces challenges in the days ahead as lawmakers in both chambers attempt to reconcile proposals that differ sharply in several key substantive ways, involves multiple Republican senators negotiating with other members right up until the final moments before the vote.To tell that story, CNN spoke with dozens of lawmakers, administration officials, aides and lobbyists directly involved in the process, most of whom requested anonymity to candidly discuss the process.The speed with which GOP leaders recovered from Thursday night's scare on the bill was emblematic of the entire process. Expectations of potential doom from the lobbyists and outside advocates who watched the process like hawks quickly were overcome by the phoenix-like nature of a legislative priority that for decades has flummoxed both parties. As the proposal took another step forward, Republicans were candid about what appeared to be the accelerant behind the effort: political imperative. The idea that passing something -- anything -- was better than protecting a single provision or a single industry.

[ytchen0821-blog]

Donald Trump is totally not worried about Michael Flynn's guilty plea

President Donald Trump wants you to know one thing about former national security adviser Michael Flynn's guilty plea for lying to the FBI about his contacts with the Russians during the 2016 campaign: He's not worried about it. Not at all. Zero percent. Nada. Zilch.

How do we know that? Because Trump just keeps telling us.Since Flynn's guilty plea on Friday morning, Trump has tapped out double-digit tweets making clear that Flynn's decision to cooperate with special counsel Bob Mueller's investigation has no impact on him and, oh yeah, the FBI is super corrupt and bad. Also, the Russia investigation is a hoax. And Hillary Clinton got off easy. The media is bad and dishonest too.Overcompensate much?

It all started Saturday morning with this tweet -- that Trump attorney John Dowd now claims he wrote: "I had to fire General Flynn because he lied to the Vice President and the FBI. He has pled guilty to those lies. It is a shame because his actions during the transition were lawful. There was nothing to hide!"The obvious problem here for Trump -- if that tweet is taken as accurate -- is that the day after he fired Flynn, he reportedly asked then FBI Director James Comey to see if he could find a way to "letting this go," meaning the bureau's investigation into Flynn. If you take Trump/Dowd's tweet literally, then Trump did so while knowing that Flynn had lied to the FBI.Thus began a string of Trump tweets (and retweets) in which he seemed to lash out in five directions all at once -- which is either an attempt to distract from that first tweet or just Trump tweeting whatever comes into his head at any given moment.The first strain of this next Trump Twitter tornado was the "Why aren't we talking about Clinton?" narrative."So General Flynn lies to the FBI and his life is destroyed, while Crooked Hillary Clinton, on that now famous FBI holiday 'interrogation' with no swearing in and no recording, lies many times...and nothing happens to her?" Trump tweeted. "Rigged system, or just a double standard?"He followed that one up with this: "Many people in our Country are asking what the 'Justice' Department is going to do about the fact that totally Crooked Hillary, AFTER receiving a subpoena from the United States Congress, deleted and 'acid washed' 33,000 Emails? No justice!"Then came the media portion of the tweets."Congratulations to @ABC News for suspending Brian Ross for his horrendously inaccurate and dishonest report on the Russia, Russia, Russia Witch Hunt," tweeted Trump. "More Networks and 'papers' should do the same with their Fake News!"That tweet is in reference to an erroneous report by Ross that Flynn had told the special counsel's office that Trump as a candidate had instructed him to reach out to Russia. Ross later corrected that to say Trump had done so as president-elect.

Ross was suspended four weeks by ABC for the error

.On Sunday morning, Trump turned his focus back to Flynn and Comey. "I never asked Comey to stop investigating Flynn," he tweeted. "Just more Fake News covering another Comey lie!"And then, this one an hour later: "After years of Comey, with the phony and dishonest Clinton investigation (and more), running the FBI, its reputation is in Tatters - worst in History! But fear not, we will bring it back to greatness."That's a sampling of the tweets. (You can check out Trump's feed for the full accounting.) You get the idea.If there is a method to this madness -- and I am on record as being skeptical that there is some sort of deep strategy at work here -- it is to muddy the waters, to distract from the Flynn guilty plea by insisting that he's not at all worried about it and then throwing out lots and lots of other things for his base to focus on/be outraged about.Which will work for some of Trump's supporters. But, his rhetoric doesn't match reality -- and it's important to note that because facts still matter (or at least they should.)The broad message out of Trump's tweets over the past 24 hours is that the entire Russia investigation by Mueller is a fraud -- run out of a Justice Department that can't shoot straight.Here are some facts:1. The "Justice" Department -- Trump's words -- is run by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who was Trump's pick for the job. The special counsel exists because Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein -- who works for Sessions -- appointed Mueller to the job.2. The Russia investigation, which Trump refers to as the "Russia Russia Russia Witch Hunt," has now led to two guilty pleas from Trump associates -- Flynn and foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos -- for lying to the FBI about the nature of their contacts with the Russians. It has led to two more Trump associates -- Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and his deputy Rick Gates -- being charged with money laundering and conspiracy against the US government, among other things. (Both Manafort and Gates have pleaded not guilty to all charges.)3. Comey testified under oath to the Senate Intelligence Committee in June that Trump told him: "I hope you can see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go. He is a good guy. I hope you can let this go." This came in a meeting on Feb. 14 at the White House.4. Mueller

removed Peter Strzok from the special counsel investigation

over the summer after an internal investigation turned up messages he sent to another FBI official during the 2016 campaign that could be read by some as showing bias toward Clinton.5. ABC acknowledged Ross's error and

suspended him from the network for four weeks

.There are more, but those are five key facts that -- unless you believe Comey is lying under oath -- are indisputable. No amount of Trump tweets or red herrings change those facts.That Trump is working overtime to insist he is innocent in the entire Russia investigation and to undermine the investigation itself is without question. He has been doing it for months, but that effort appears to have kicked into a much higher gear in the last 72 hours.The unanswered -- and, at the moment, unanswerable -- question is why Trump is doing this. Is it purely borne of his reflexive defensiveness and insistence on always seeking to discredit anyone and anything that says something less than nice about him? Or is there something more -- or more nefarious -- at work here?

[ytchen0821-blog]

Kentucky House speaker steps down after sexual harassment allegations

Washington (CNN)Kentucky Speaker of the House Jeff Hoover resigned from his position Sunday amid sexual harassment allegations, saying he had made "mistakes."

Hoover, who The Courier-Journal newspaper in Louisville reported had secretly settled a sexual harassment allegation by a woman on his legislative staff, did not resign as a state representative, however, and has denied all allegations."I did make mistakes, in that I engaged in inappropriate text messages," the Republican lawmaker said at a press conference announcing his decision. "I engaged in banter that was consensual, yet make no mistake, it was wrong on my part to do that. And for that I am truly sorry."

The Courier-Journal was the first to

report

Hoover's settlement last week, citing sources with direct knowledge of the matter. The settlement involved three other Republican state representatives and Hoover's chief of staff, the newspaper reported.Hoover and his accuser, whom the Courier-Journal has not identified because she says she was sexually harassed, declined to comment, as did a lawyer for the woman, the newspaper said.Hoover asked for the public's forgiveness in a tearful statement on Sunday, saying, "To say that the past few weeks and days have been trying and difficult for me and my family would be an understatement."Kentucky's House speaker pro tempore, Republican David Osborne, said in a statement that he will be assuming operational control of the chamber as acting speaker.Hoover's resignation comes a day after Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin, also a Republican, called for "the immediate resignation of every individual who has settled a sexual harassment case, who is party to trying to hide this type of behavior."In

a press conference Saturday

, Bevin drew a "clear line in the sand for every elected official in Kentucky. These actions that have been alleged, not denied, and increasingly corroborated, and that are increasing in specificity and in number, were not isolated to a single person, or a single event, but involved multiple events and multiple people.""They know who they are, some have been named," Bevin said. "I would simply say this: For the sake of themselves, for the sake of their families and for the sake of Kentucky, they should resign. Period. The people of Kentucky deserve better than the type of shenanigans that have gone on for far too long in this town.""I expect the immediate resignation of everyone named," Bevin concluded.Hours after Bevin's speech, Hoover issued a statement that stopped short of confirming the Courier-Journal report."I am disappointed that our Governor in his press conference Saturday afternoon would call not only for my resignation but the resignation of other individuals who have no involvement in this matter," he said. "The governor has yet to ask our side of the story. He and I have not spoken since the story broke, and I did not receive a courtesy call from him before his grandstanding today. Instead, he has accepted as fact only, one side of the story.""In effect, the governor seeks to be judge, jury, and executioner without hearing the evidence," Hoover said, adding then that he had no plans to resign, and was "more resolved than ever to continue my work as speaker thru the 2018 session."

CNN's Tony Marco, Marilia Brocchetto and Kelly Christ contributed to this report.

[ytchen0821-blog]

Trump, Putin to meet and discuss North Korea

Tokyo (CNN)President Donald Trump will seek to enlist his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin this week on a mission to confront an increasingly truculent North Korea during their second face-to-face meeting.

Trump said aboard Air Force One as he winged toward Japan on Sunday that he expected the sit-down to occur on the sidelines of a summit for Asia-Pacific leaders in Vietnam, which is due to begin Thursday.The talks will come as the

investigation into Trump's ties to Russia's 2016 election meddling heats up back home

. Before Trump departed for Asia, three of his campaign aides were ensnared in the probe led by special counsel Robert Mueller.

During their first meeting in July

, Trump did raise the issue of Russia's interference, though since then he's called the notion that Russia worked to sway the vote in his favor a hoax.

Trump and his aides had hoped this week's grueling itinerary through five countries would help distract from the Russia matter, though Trump himself appeared preoccupied by the issue as he departed the White House on Friday, unleashing a stream of tweets as Air Force One headed toward Hawaii.While the timing of a meeting with Putin may force the Russia issue back to the forefront, Trump's aides determined face-to-face talks were essential while the two men were in the same city.Putin will be just one of the world leaders Trump hopes to pull toward a more aggressive posture against Pyongyang during a marathon 13-day tour of Asia that began Sunday."We want Putin's help on North Korea, and we'll be meeting with a lot of different leaders," Trump said midway through the eight-hour flight to Tokyo from Honolulu, where he'd spent the night.

Before Trump faces Putin in the Vietnamese seaside city of Da Nang, he will have visited three Asian capitals on his North Korea diplomacy mission. After talks here with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Trump will head to Seoul and Beijing for state visits that are also set to include discussions of trade and security.The United States will determine "very soon" whether to designate North Korea a state sponsor of terror, a senior administration official said on Sunday."The administration and Secretary (of State Rex) Tillerson and others in the administration are looking very closely right now whether to designate North Korea a state sponsor of terror," the official said. "I would expect an answer very quickly."When asked whether that meant an announcement would come during Trump's trip to Asia, the official only said: "Stay tuned."Trump's diplomatic efforts have so far been focused on North Korea's neighbors China, South Korea and Japan. He's ruled out direct talks with Pyongyang.He has not focused as intently on persuading Putin to join his efforts, though the two men have discussed the matter before.A senior White House official told reporters in Tokyo that North Korea will be a "primary subject" of conversation when Trump and Putin meet."Russia borders North Korea," the official said. "They are also very concerned I think with ... the direction that North Korea is leading the region toward into this crisis and naturally Russia should have a role in that future."

CNN's Allie Malloy contributed to this report.

[ytchen0821-blog]

Mueller charges would shift the script for Trump

(CNN)As early as Monday, special counsel Robert Mueller, brought in to investigate possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, could have someone in custody. This follows CNN's Friday night story, citing sources briefed on the matter, which revealed that a federal grand jury has approved the first charges in the investigation.

Regardless of who is charged and what the charges are, it is clear that the news constitutes a major political blow to President Donald Trump. After a week when the President attempted to spin a story about Hillary Clinton's corruption and collusion vis-a-vis the Russians, when some Republicans called on Mueller to resign and when the administration insisted that the congressional investigations come to an end, the hard-hitting Mueller may be about to shift the conversation.

The impact of the first charges will be as much about how they are handled politically as they are legally.

And it is far from clear how this drama will unfold. The charges on Monday could have a similar effect as the Watergate indictments in March 1974, when several of President Richard Nixon's top aides and a lawyer for his reelection campaign were indicted for perjury, obstruction of justice and a conspiracy to cover-up the 1972 break-in at the Democratic headquarters.Although we often praise Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein for bringing down the President with their reporting, special prosecutor Leon Jaworski had a huge impact as well. When Americans read on the front pages of their papers that John Mitchell (former Attorney General and chairman of the Committee to Reelect the President), H.R. Haldeman (former chief of staff), John Ehrlichman (former domestic advisor), Charles Colson (former White House counsel) and others were indicted, they were shocked."Never before,"

wrote Anthony Ripley

in The New York Times, have so many close and trusted advisers of an American President faced criminal accusations in a single indictment." Most important, the high-profile congressional investigations in the summer of 1973 had already prepped the public by laying out the basic components of this case so that when these indictments arrived, the President could not easily wipe them away. In June, the press added to the political damage by reporting that the grand jury had named President Nixon as a co-conspirator.

The indictments came at a critical moment when Nixon's support had weakened significantly as a result of investigative reporting and the revelations from the Watergate congressional hearings. His public approval was falling fast -- including within his base -- which had held firm through much of the scandal.The indictments also exposed the potential criminality of Nixon's closest advisers and accelerated the erosion of support for the President on Capitol Hill. More Republicans would start to come out in opposition to Nixon in these final months leading up to his resignation in August 1974.But the Mueller charges could have a much weaker political bite as well. In March 1988, with independent prosecutor Lawrence Walsh heading the investigation, two top officials from Ronald Reagan's administration, former National Security staffer Lt. Oliver North and former National Security Adviser John Poindexter, as well as retired Air Force Gen. Richard Secord and Iranian businessman Albert Hakim, were indicted for their role in illegally sending money from the sale of weapons to Iran to the Nicaragua Contras -- despite a congressional ban on doing so. "The indictment," wrote Philip Shenon, "was the most sweeping criminal action against former White House officials since the Watergate scandals...." Unlike with Nixon, both Ronald Reagan and his vice president, George H.W. Bush, survived politically. Reagan was already in a better place by the fall of 1988. In the final throes of his lame duck period, there was not much congressional interest in bringing Reagan down. And he had made a historic breakthrough with Soviet Premier Mikhail Gorbachev by reaching agreement on the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), which greatly reduced the number of ballistic and cruise missiles and boosted his standing with the American people.

Furthermore, most Republicans stuck to the game plan of House Minority Whip Dick Cheney, who had authored the minority report for the congressional investigation, by standing behind the decisions that the administration had made and insisting that it was the Democrats, who refused to provide support to the anti-communist forces, who were the real villains in the story.The person who could have experienced the worst blowback from the indictments was Vice President George H.W. Bush, who was running to succeed Reagan. The Iran Contra scandal loomed like a dark cloud over his campaign. But Bush, with the help of campaign consultant Lee Atwater, mounted a full-throated political response by viciously attacking the Democratic candidate Massachusetts Gov. Michael Dukakis, accusing him of being soft on crime and weak on defense, and ensuring that the reemergence of Iran Contra would not kill his chances of winning the presidency.The way in which the different political players -- the President and his staff, the chairs and ranking members of the congressional investigative committees, party leaders on the Hill, disaffected Republicans who have been issuing warnings about the President and Mueller himself -- react to these charges in the next few weeks will be as important as the charges themselves. Will President Trump, as he has done in the past, overreact by tweeting himself into more trouble or triggering a constitutional crisis by trying to have Mueller fired? Will supportive Republicans be able to persuade the public that the indictments do not directly implicate the President in any wrongdoing? Will people who may be indicted provide Mueller with even more damaging information?

But the most important question will be whether Democrats and Republicans who are not blindly loyal to the President can do what Nixon era investigators accomplished. Can they make certain that the courts, the prosecutor and Congress coordinate their efforts to ensure that the final stages of the decision-making draw bipartisan support? Or, will they fall into the same trap of the Iran Contra era, when partisanship blocked efforts to deal with the magnitude of the wrongdoing that had been exposed in the executive branch? 

[ytchen0821-blog]

House GOP concedes on property tax deduction

The House hasn't even released its tax reform bill yet, and Republican lawmakers are already making a big concession over one of their most controversial proposals.

Kevin Brady, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, has decided to only partially repeal the state and local tax deduction, bending to concerns of colleagues from high-tax states.

"At the urging of lawmakers we are restoring an itemized property tax deduction to help taxpayers with local tax burdens," Brady said in a statement this weekend.

The news was first reported by Bloomberg.

Today, anyone who itemizes their deductions on their federal tax return may deduct their state and local property taxes, as well as their state and local income taxes or general sales taxes.

In their bid to pay for the trillions in tax cuts they want, as well as simplify the tax code, Republican leaders have proposed repealing most itemized deductions. The state and local tax deduction -- aka SALT -- is the biggest among them. Repealing it fully could bring in more than $1 trillion in revenue over a decade.

Brady's concession on property taxes may help some of the moderate-income people who benefit from the deduction today.

The majority of the SALT deductions claimed by those who make less than $50,000 come from property taxes, according to a report from the Government Finance Officers Association. By contrast more than 70% of the SALT deductions from those making more than $200,000 are due to income.

Related: Millions in middle class will feel it if GOP kills this tax break

But it's not clear from Brady's statement if there would be any limits on who may take the property tax deduction. For instance, if it's available only to people who itemize, then chances are many wouldn't take it. That's because his bill would nearly double the standard deduction. And that would drastically reduce the number of itemizers, since you only itemize if your deductions combined exceed your standard deduction.

Impossible to satisfy all demands

Brady's decision, just a few days before he's due to unveil the House tax reform bill, speaks volumes about the political and policy challenges ahead for lawmakers: how to meet the Republican goals, while garnering enough support to pass a bill.

A group lobbying to keep all of the state and local deduction intact was quick to call foul at Brady's concession, noting that his home state of Texas has no income tax and is heavily dependent on property taxes for revenue.

"[His] partial elimination plan for the state and local tax (SALT) deduction would insert the heavy hand of Washington into state and local finance decisions, dictate winners and losers among states, and unfairly penalize taxpayers in states that rely significantly on income taxes," Americans Against Double Taxation said in a statement.

Leonard Lance, a New Jersey Republican congressman who has been a lead negotiator in the SALT debate, called the announcement a "step in the right direction" but argued there's more work to be done.

"I will need to see legislative text to determine if this proposal is in the best interest of New Jersey," Lance said in a statement. "We already send more than enough money to Washington."

Related: Is now really the time for massive tax cuts?

Separately this weekend, the National Association of Home Builders made clear it wouldn't support the GOP tax plan as is because it doesn't do enough to support homeownership.

"This plan is particularly disappointing, given that the nation's home builders warned that the proposal would severely diminish the effectiveness of the mortgage interest deduction and presented alternative policies that would retain an effective housing tax incentive in the tax code," the NAHB said in a statement.

The group said it believed it had a deal with lawmakers to include a homeownership tax credit that could be taken by anyone -- even if they don't itemize. But "we were told by the House leadership that the credit will be removed from the bill."

But the House bill -- which is supposed to be released Wednesday -- is just the first word, not the last, on any tax legislation.

As the negotiations begin over tax reform, first in the House and then the Senate, there's no telling yet where things end up.

Brady said in his statement he hopes members of Congress will further examine the NAHB proposed credit "before tax reform heads to the president's desk."

— CNN's Kevin Bohn, Lauren Fox and Ashley Killough contributed to this report.

[ytchen0821-blog]

Why Trump's visit to Capitol Hill could get tense

Washington (CNN)President Trump faces huge personnel and policy decisions while visiting the Hill this week to push tax reform. His upcoming trip to Asia could be ... complicated. And will he push for a new Fed Chair to replace Janet Yellen?

These stories and more are part of this week's "Inside Politics" forecast, where the best reporters in Washington give you a taste of tomorrow's headlines today.1) Trump goes to Capitol Hill

President Trump makes a rare foray to Capitol Hill on Tuesday to meet with Senate Republicans over lunch. Their shared goal of tax reform is the top agenda item, but the visit will put the president in the same room with a good number of GOP lawmakers who view him warily or don't trust him outright.

But Bush was not just repeating his greatest hits. The speech appeared to have been organized, top to bottom, to challenge President Trump on both substance and tone.The effort by aides to play it down is consistent with 43's long-held view that former Presidents should whenever possible steer clear of current debates. Bush reportedly has no interest in a daily back and forth with Trump.But friends and associates say that President Bush understood the implications of the moment and knew his speech would get attention.It was born, these friends say, of a frustration shared by both Presidents Bush that not enough senior voices in the GOP are challenging an administration they view as bad for the Republican Party and for the country.

[ytchen0821-blog]

Japan's Abe on track for landslide victory, exit polls show

Tokyo (CNN)Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promised to take a firm stance on North Korea, after a predicted landslide win in Sunday's parliamentary elections.

"My immediate task is to deal with North Korea," Abe told reporters. "It will take tough diplomacy. With the mandate given by the people, I would like to exercise my command in diplomacy."Abe had called the snap vote to seek a boost to his parliamentary majority and is likely to use any new powers to attempt to overhaul the country's defense strategy and pacifist stance.

An exit poll by public broadcaster NHK forecast a decisive win for Abe's coalition, saying his conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) would take 253 to 300 of Parliament's 465 seats. The Komeito party, which is in a coalition with the LDP, is predicted to take 27 to 36 seats.

Other local broadcasters reported well over 300 seats by the coalition. Exit polls are not final results and the official count is expected early Monday.

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Clinton on Putin: 'Keep an eye on him, because he's not done'

Washington (CNN)Hillary Clinton acknowledged that Russian President Vladimir Putin has notched some victories against the US and issued a warning that he still poses a significant threat.

"Keep an eye on him, because he's not done," Clinton, the losing 2016 Democratic presidential candidate, said in an interview that aired Sunday on CNN's "Fareed Zakaria: GPS."Clinton cited the intelligence community's assessment in January that Putin

directly ordered

a Russian campaign to meddle in the 2016 presidential election to hurt Clinton and boost the Trump campaign.

Exclusive: Clinton 'sick,' 'shocked' and 'appalled' by Weinstein allegations

She said Putin had gotten some of what he wanted in President Donald Trump, but that Russia is not getting as much as it otherwise could out of the US, due to the nation's system of checks and balances.

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Tillerson on North Korea: Diplomacy will continue 'until the first bomb drops'

Washington (CNN)US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said Sunday his diplomatic efforts will continue as long as they possibly can despite the saber-rattling on both sides of the Pacific.

"Those diplomatic efforts will continue until the first bomb drops," Tillerson said on CNN's "State of the Union."Tillerson said prioritizing diplomacy to try to curb North Korea's nuclear ambitions is President Donald Trump's preferred avenue. Despite a statement on Twitter that suggested diplomacy won't work, the President wants to avoid violence, Tillerson said.

"The President has also made clear to me that he wants this solved diplomatically," Tillerson said. "He is not seeking to go to war."

Tillerson says he's 'fully intact' despite Corker's 'castrate' comment

[ytchen0821-blog]

Rainbow flag controversy in Burton

BURTON (WJRT) - (10/05/17) - October is LGBTQ history month, and the Burton mayor is putting on a public display of support at city hall. The gesture isn't coming without opposition.

City council president Steve Heffner says it opens up a can of worms. Meanwhile, Mayor Paula Zelenko says there's no better time than now to take a stand against discrimination. We listened to their conversation at Monday's city council meeting. Here's an excerpt:

(Zelenko) "I'm going to tell you, to stand here in a public meeting and take a stand on equality and then privately to say other things..."

(Heffner) "Oh, I'm not against equality."

(Zelenko) "...is hypocritical."

(Heffner) "I'm not against equality. To each their own. Love your neighbor. I'm not judging."

Heffner says he believes the rainbow flag violates Burton city ordinance 157 under zoning - outdoor displays. The city attorney said during the same meeting that it didn't violate the ordinance, citing that it is not being used commercially or for advertisement.

Heffner believes it is an "advertising" flag and sets a precedent for other organizations. He says he has received three or four calls from others expressing their displeasure.

[ytchen0821-blog]

Corker: Trump setting US 'on the path to World War III'

Washington (CNN)Sen. Bob Corker, who engaged in a public feud with President Donald Trump over the weekend, said Trump is setting the country "on the path to World War III."

Trump is a President who is acting "like he's doing 'The Apprentice' or something," the Tennessee Republican

said in an interview with The New York Times

that was published Sunday night."He concerns me," Corker added. "He would have to concern anyone who cares about our nation."

[ytchen0821-blog]

Trump: Tillerson 'wasting his time' negotiating with North Korea

Washington (CNN)President Donald Trump on Sunday again mocked North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and said Secretary of State Rex Tillerson should not bother trying to negotiate with him in an effort to stop the country's development of nuclear weapons.

"I told Rex Tillerson, our wonderful Secretary of State, that he is wasting his time trying to negotiate with Little Rocket Man..." Trump said on Twitter.He continued, "...Save your energy Rex, we'll do what has to be done!"

Kim was officially declared leader of North Korea following the death of his father, Kim Jong Il, in 2011.Trump's tweets undermining his secretary of state follow his attacks Saturday on San Juan's mayor over the Puerto Rico hurricane crisis and come a day after Tillerson said the US had direct lines of communication with North Korea and that he was trying to "calm things down" following months of escalating rhetoric over Pyongyang's continued nuclear weapons and ballistic missile tests.

Tillerson, speaking at a press conference in Beijing, said the US made it clear through its direct channels to North Korea that it was seeking peace through talks."We've made it clear that we hope to resolve this through talks," Tillerson said."I think the most immediate action that we need is to calm things down," Tillerson added. "They're a little overheated right now, and I think we need to calm them down first."Asked about Trump's own rhetoric, Tillerson said the entire situation was "overheated."Trump's tweets on Sunday seem to directly counter Tillerson's stated goal to use direct communication to lower tension between the two hostile nations. The US and North Korea have ramped up their rhetoric about one another as Pyongyang continues to develop its nuclear weapons program.Asked if the President's tweets indicate he has decided to abandon the diplomatic track on North Korea, a senior administration official told CNN: "We are still committed to a diplomatic approach."State Department spokesperson Heather Nauert tweeted about the US channels to the North Korean government shortly after Trump's tweets Sunday."#DPRK will not obtain a nuclear capability," Nauert tweeted. "Whether through diplomacy or force is up to the regime @StateDept.""Diplomatic channels are open for #KimJongUn for now," she added. "They won't be open forever @StateDept @potus."

Trump has sent similar tweets complicating diplomatic efforts in the past on issues such as Qatar's regional isolation over accusations that it supports terrorism and the future of NATO.Tillerson and Defense Secretary James Mattis have said the goal on North Korea is to reach a diplomatic solution between the countries, and after the pair briefed members of Congress in closed-door meetings in September, some Democrats noted the difference between their assessments and the President's words."I feel like we still have two different polices on North Korea: one at the Department of State and Department of Defense, and another on the President's Twitter feed," Sen. Chris Murphy, a Connecticut Democrat, said after the briefing.In August, Mattis stressed the importance of the nation's diplomatic efforts, particularly through the United Nations, but in September he warned the US would meet threats from North Korea with "a massive military response."Last month, North Korea conducted its sixth nuclear test and in recent months it has launched missiles multiple times, which experts say could reach the mainland US.In early August, Trump warned the US would rain down "fire and fury" on North Korea, saying the US would destroy the nation of some 25 million people if its dictator's threats against the US and its allies continued.Trump delivered a speech to the United Nations in September in which he referred to the North Korean dictator as "rocket man," an insult he has used several times, including in Sunday's tweets.North Korea responded to the insult at the UN in kind, with Kim saying, "I will surely and definitely tame the mentally deranged US dotard with fire."In response to North Korea's continued weapons development this year, the UN Security Council agreed to increased sanctions on North Korea, gaining support from China and Russia.Trump also signed an executive order penalizing any company or person doing business with North Korea.

[ytchen0821-blog]

Last Americans rush to North Korea ahead of travel ban

Pyongyang, North Korea (CNN)A looming US travel ban has prompted some daring American globetrotters to fast-track their vacations to North Korea.

Beginning September 1, United States passports will be invalid for travel to the hermit kingdom."With the upcoming travel ban I felt like it was now or never," said Virginia resident Nicholas Burkhead, who lamented that he had run out of time to learn Korean before the travel ban.

For Burkhead and others like him, the threat of arrest and imprisonment in the totalitarian state is seemingly not a deterrent, nor is the looming threat that Pyongyang could become the staging ground for a nuclear war.As the United States and South Korea conducted their annual joint military exercises on Friday, Pyongyang fired three short-range ballistic missiles into the sea between the Korean Peninsula and Japan. Two missiles flew successfully while a third exploded moments after launch.The US ban was issued a month after the mysterious death of Otto Warmbier, a 22-year-old college student from Ohio who was imprisoned for nearly a year and a half, and returned to his parents in a coma from which he never woke up.There may be exceptions to the ban, though, at the discretion of the State Department. Journalists are one example."US passports will be invalid for travel to, through and in North Korea, and individuals will be required to obtain a passport with a special validation in order to travel to or within North Korea," said Heather Nauert, a State Department spokeswoman.Despite the recent tensions and missile launches, tourism to North Korea continues, though a recent flight was a little emptier than usual. There were eight Americans on board, among the last to be allowed in under tourist visas before the ban.

"It's a pity for anyone curious to go, but especially for North Koreans who might want to know what American visitors are really like," said Simon Cockerell, who was on the flight.Cockerell is the general manager of Beijing-based Koryo Tours, which specializes in helping tourists get to North Korea.

It was Cockerell's 165th trip to the reclusive country."At the end of the day, everybody is exactly the same," said Washington, DC, resident Ali Karim.Karim, a former doctor traveling the world with a message of unity, said he moved up his trip to North Korea by several months to beat the ban.

The State Department does not track the number of American travelers to North Korea, but tour operators have estimated that it is about a few hundred each year.

CNN's Will Ripley reported from Pyongyang, North Korea, where he is currently the only Western journalist. CNN's Amy La Porte wrote from Atlanta.

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North Korea could test hydrogen bomb over Pacific Ocean, says foreign minister

(CNN)North Korea could test a powerful nuclear weapon over the Pacific Ocean in response to US President Donald Trump's threats of military action, the country's foreign minister has warned.

Ri Yong Ho spoke to reporters in New York shortly after North Korean leader Kim Jong Un made an unprecedented televised statement, accusing Trump of being "mentally deranged."The forceful rhetoric from Pyongyang came after Trump threatened to"totally destroy" North Korea in a speech to the UN General Assembly on Tuesday. Trump tweeted Friday that Kim was "obviously a madman" who would be "tested like never before."

In a rare direct statement delivered straight to camera, Kim said that Trump would "pay dearly" for the threats, and that North Korea "will consider with seriousness exercising of a corresponding, highest level of hard-line countermeasure in history.""I am now thinking hard about what response he could have expected when he allowed such eccentric words to trip off his tongue," Kim said. "I will surely and definitely tame the mentally

deranged US dotard with fire

."Kim said Trump's comments were reflective of "mentally deranged behavior."Hours later, Kim's foreign minister told reporters in New York that Pyongyang could launch a nuclear missile test in response. "This could probably mean the strongest hydrogen bomb test over the Pacific Ocean. Regarding which measures to take, I don't really know since it is what Kim Jong Un does," said Ri.

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Trump administration announces new travel restrictions

Washington (CNN)The Trump administration has unveiled new travel restrictions on certain foreigners from Chad, Iran, Libya, North Korea, Somalia, Syria, Venezuela and Yemen as a replacement to a central portion of its controversial travel ban signed earlier this year.

The new restrictions on travel vary by country and include a phased-in approach."Making America Safe is my number one priority. We will not admit those into our country we cannot safely vet," President Donald Trump tweeted just after his administration released the details of the restrictions Sunday night.

In a statement Sunday night, the White House called the new restrictions a "critical step toward establishing an immigration system that protects Americans' safety and security in an era of dangerous terrorism and transnational crime."

"We cannot afford to continue the failed policies of the past, which present an unacceptable danger to our country," Trump said in the White House statement. "My highest obligation is to ensure the safety and security of the American people, and in issuing this new travel order, I am fulfilling that sacred obligation."

For the last three months, the administration used an executive order to ban foreign nationals from six Muslim-majority countries from entering the US unless they have a "bona fide" relationship with a person or entity in the country. Those nations included Iran, Syria, Libya, Somalia, Yemen, and Sudan.Individuals with that "bona fide" exception -- such as a foreign grandparent of a US citizen -- can still apply for visas until October 18. After that date, the new restrictions on travel will begin.The new list of countries notably includes several non-Muslim majority nations, including North Korea and Venezuela. In most instances, travel will be broadly suspended, while in other cases, travelers will have to undergo enhanced screening and vetting requirements.For instance, foreign nationals from North Korea are banned, but a student from Iran will be allowed in, subject to "enhanced screening and vetting requirements."However, no current validly issued green cards, visas or travel documents will be revoked.Secretary of State Rex Tillerson said in a statement that with the new restrictions, "the President is carrying out his duty to protect the American people.""The State Department will coordinate with other federal agencies to implement these measures in an orderly manner," Tillerson said. "We will continue to work closely with our allies and partners who share our commitment to national and global security."Acting Department of Homeland Security Secretary Elaine Duke also issued a statement, saying President's proclamation will allow DHS "to better keep terrorists and criminals from entering our country."

"The restrictions announced are tough and tailored, and they send a message to foreign governments that they must work with us to enhance security," Duke said.The revised travel ban effecting those from six-Muslim majority countries officially expired earlier Sunday.Trump signed the initial travel ban during his first week in office, but it was met with immediate legal challenges, which have continued to hinder implementation of the full scope of the executive order. The administration released a second version in March, which included substantial changes.The US Supreme Court is set to hear arguments on the legality of the travel ban next month.

This story is developing and will be updated.

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University of California, Napolitano sue to save DACA program she created

Washington (CNN)The University of California sued the Trump administration on Friday over its decision to end DACA -- setting up a court clash between the former secretary who helped create the program and the President who declared its demise.

Janet Napolitano is the president of the UC school system -- and was the homeland security secretary in 2012 who established the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program that has protected nearly 800,000 young undocumented immigrants from deportation and gave them the ability to work and study in the US.Now, the university and its president are joining the legal battle to try to save that very program, arguing that President Donald Trump's decision Tuesday to end it failed to follow procedures mandated by law and violated constitutional due process rights.

"Dreamers face expulsion from the only country that they call home based on nothing more than unreasoned executive whim," the lawsuit argues. "It is hard to imagine a decision less reasoned, more damaging, or undertaken with less care."

Napolitano foreshadowed the move earlier this week, when the Trump administration announced it would stop allowing new applications to DACA and allow a six-month window for renewals before letting permits expire beginning March 6, 2018.The former secretary sent an email, obtained by CNN, to former colleagues at DHS that expressed her dismay at the end of DACA and encouraged others to join the effort to save it.The UC lawsuit joins at least two others already filed since Trump announced his decision on Tuesday. Sixteen democratic state attorneys general sued on Wednesday, and an undocumented immigrant filed another lawsuit on Tuesday.All of the suits base some arguments on a federal law that requires specific procedures for making regulations, saying those weren't followed. Legal scholars believe those arguments are an uphill climb, but could be viable in court.

UC also focuses on the fact that the administration pinned its decision on an anticipation that DACA could be overturned in court, responding to an ultimatum from 10 conservative state attorneys general that threatened legal action if the administration did not act.Attorneys for UC argue that that justification is not enough of a "reasonable explanation" for ending the program. The university also cites its own due process rights, in addition to those of the recipients, that it says were violated by removing a program that is already in effect.There are approximately 4,000 undocumented students in the UC system, the university said, many of whom are protected under DACA, in addition to teachers, researchers and health care providers protected under the program. California has the most DACA recipients of any state."To arbitrarily and capriciously end the DACA program, which benefits our country as a whole, is not only unlawful, it is contrary to our national values and bad policy," Napolitano said in a statement.The Department of Justice on Friday said it stands ready to defend the government's action."As the attorney general said on Tuesday: 'No greater good can be done for the overall health and well-being of our Republic, than preserving and strengthening the impartial rule of law,'" DOJ spokesman Devin O'Malley said. "While the plaintiffs in today's lawsuit may believe that an arbitrary circumvention of Congress is lawful, the Department of Justice looks forward to defending this administration's position."