GOP Trial Defense Team Wraps Up, Scores Big

Posted on January 28, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 28, 2020

Tuesday, the last day of the GOP case to the Senate in defense of President Trump, was marked by scholarly analysis and low key appeals to basic integrity by presidential attorneys Pat Cipollone, Patrick Philbin, and Jay Sekulow.

Philbin led off the day, after an intro by Cipollone, expounding on points made Monday by Alan Dershowitz. He specifically warned of the expansive nature and vague context of the “abuse of power” impeachment charge against the president, likening it to a Bill of Attainder.

That kind of bill, legislation targeting a single individual, was prohibited by the Founders in Article I, Section 9 of the Constitution.

The podium was then taken by Jay Sekulow who, eschewing his usual tough manner, moderately emphasized that elections, not impeachments, are the proper way to change presidents in this nation.

He did castigate Democrat manager Jerry Nadler for referring to executive privilege as “other nonsense.” In warning of Nadler’s attitude and impeachment itself, Sekulow oddly channeled the robot from “Lost in Space” as he intoned “danger, danger, danger” more than once.

Will Robinson could not be reached for comment.

Pat Cipollone concluded the active defense case with a subtle, yet hard-hitting, strike against the Democrats by playing videos showcasing their own words from the Clinton impeachment against them.

Nadler, Lofgren, and even Chuck Schumer had to sit there mortified while their on-screen selves from over 20 years ago warned against partisan impeachment and the negative future effects of it on the nation and the presidency.

Schumer even predicted then that Democrats would want “payback” in the future and would unfairly target a GOP president.

Upon seeing that, Cipollone simply responded, “You were right.”

Pat Cipollone closed with a sincere appeal to the Senate, “It is time for this to end here and now.” His manner and tone were agreeable, even gentle, as he asked the 100 members of the U.S. Senate to look to the better angels of their natures and defend the Constitution by rejecting these articles of impeachment. His pitch seemed to be convincing and effective, as opposed to the bombast of the Democrat legal team.

The Senate reconvenes Wednesday at 1pm to begin two days of senatorial questions to opposing legal teams. Chief Justice Roberts asked that responses be brief.

Whether the legal teams will act as such remains to be seen.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Chilling Footage Emerges of Kobe Bryant’s Helicopter Flying Erratically Before Crash

Posted on January 28, 2020 by LifeZette

By PopZette Staff | January 28, 2020

Chilling video footage has emerged showing Kobe Bryant’s helicopter circling the skies of Glendale, California “aggressively” minutes before it crashed, killing the 41 year-old NBA legend and eight others.

The video was shared to Twitter by a user with the handle @theironlydreams, who spotted the helicopter flying above their house and immediately started filming.

“I try and video /photograph all the weird stuff happening above my house in Glendale, CA,” the user wrote. “Unfortunately this morning I didn’t realize I was filming the helicopter Kobe Bryant, his daughter and others were in 31 minutes before they crashed.”

I try and video /photograph all the weird stuff happening above my house in Glendale,CA. Unfortunately this morning I didn’t realize I was filming the helicopter Kobe Bryant, his daughter and others were in 31 minutes before they crashed . RIP pic.twitter.com/8zdiplvEbv

— THEIR ONLY DREAMS (@theironlydreams) January 27, 2020

The Twitter user later added that the “pilot was performing a very aggressive circling maneuver, that’s why I went outside to Film because it was so loud. I observed 1 or 2 circles before filming and he was even lower and closer to my house, engine maxed.”

I appreciate the compliment, unfortunately this flight was tragic. This pilot was performing a very aggressive circling maneuver,that’s why I went outside to Film because it was so loud.I observed 1 or 2 circles before filming & he was even lower & closer to my house,engine maxed

— THEIR ONLY DREAMS (@theironlydreams) January 27, 2020

This comes after veteran pilot Robert Ditchey told USA Today that the helicopter crash, which also killed Bryant’s 13 year-old daughter Gianna, “was totally avoidable.”

“And on the part of some people I can go as far as to say irresponsible,” Ditchey said. “Here’s one of the most important people in the world who comes to a tragic end like this and you say, ‘Why? What the hell happened?'”

The weather was so foggy in Southern California on the morning of the crash that the Los Angeles Police Department had grounded all of their helicopters due to safety concerns, according to Daily Mail. Despite this, Bryant’s helicopter took off from Santa Ana in Orange County just after 9am to take him to a basketball game that his daughter was set to play in.

Ditchey wondered why anyone would get on a helicopter in these kind of “very scary conditions.”

“The weather is not good enough for the police to fly,” Ditchey said. “Why should Kobe do it?”

The experienced pilot went on to explain that the helicopter likely crashed because of the decreased visibility that stemmed from the fog in Glendale.

RELATED: My Take: Kobe Bryant Death

“They’re in the fog, and you’re down hugging the ground trying to fly up the highway and barely able to see it,” Ditchey said, referring to the mountain the chopper crashed into.

“He’s down only 100 feet or so above the ground,” he continued. “In that area of the San Fernando Valley you have mountains on either side of you … and the clouds have obscured them, and you don’t have that much room to maneuver.”

Unfortunately, it is becoming increasingly clear that this tragedy could have been prevented had more precautions been taken. We can only hope that this devastating tragedy causes people to think twice before boarding helicopters in questionable weather conditions going forward.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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DEVELOPING: China Dismisses U.S. Help on Coronavirus

Posted on January 28, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 28, 2020

The global coronavirus that has killed over 100 people and sickened thousands across national borders has the potential to jump from China to become a worldwide pandemic.

Thus you’d think the Chinese government would want the aid of the most advanced medical organization in the world, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Nope.

HHS Secretary Alex Azar told media that the Chinese have refused more than one offer of help from the U.S. to send CDC officials to China to assist in fighting the outbreak.

The authoritarian Chicom regime is sensitive about losing face to the Americans and admitting its health programs are not up to Western standards. It also likely thinks the U.S. mission would be filled with U.S. Intelligence operatives.

Hopefully, they would be right.

Azar went on to say the virus is possibly a “very serious public health threat” but that currently the threat in the U.S. is low.

At public places in DC, as students from the virus ground zero in China’s Wuhan province are close to the area in Falls Church, VA, thousands of workers and tourists yesterday could be seen wearing surgical masks as they made their way around the city.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Toomey Proposes One Witness Deal in Senate Trial

Posted on January 28, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 28, 2020

Pennsylvania GOP Senator Pat Toomey, a Trump supporter but not particularly close to the White House, is reportedly floating a plan that would permit the Democrats and the Trump defense team one witness each during the impeachment trial of President Trump in the Senate.

He bills it as a compromise that would limit the time spent on witnesses and would avoid a potential Trump loss on the question when it comes up soon to a Senate vote.

The vote could be won with a simple majority of 51 and several Senators out of the 53 member GOP caucus, to include Alexander, Collins, Romney, Murkowski, McSally, and Gardner, are said to be thinking about supporting the current Democrat proposal for unlimited witnesses.

The Democrats would need four GOP turncoats to win that vote.

Collins, McSally, and Gardner are up for reelection this year in light red to purple states and they may be thinking they need to vote for the Democrat measure to keep swing and moderate support. Toomey believes this gambit will keep them and the other possible rebels on board.

LifeZette has learned that Toomey has spoken directly with Romney and Collins on the issue and they have not shot it down out of hand.

Who would those witnesses be?

According to Capitol Hill staffers on both sides of the aisle the Democrats would go with John Bolton and the GOP defense team is leaning towards informer Eric Ciaramella or Adam Schiff.

If Bolton testified against Trump and said the president directly linked Ukrainian military aid to a political hit on Biden it would mark the greatest case of political betrayal DC has seen in a while. It would also be the Fort Sumter in outright political warfare between the Warhawk and America First wings of the GOP.

Putting Ciaramella on the stand could expose his partisan nature and his lack of direct knowledge of everything he alleges, thus undercutting the entire Democrat case.

Watching Schiff squirm under cross examination from Jay Sekulow, Eric Herschmann, or, please God, Alan Dershowitz, would not only be spiritually satisfying on the order of a Bach High Mass but would set forth the firm case that the entire House process was a sham from the beginning.

Witnesses would also add to the drama of the proceeding and the media feeding would only get more frenzied.

The vote on the issue could happen this week.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Actress Evan Rachel Wood Gets Major Backlash For Calling Kobe Bryant A ‘Rapist’ After His Death

Posted on January 28, 2020 by LifeZette

By PopZette Staff | January 28, 2020

Evan Rachel Wood, who is best known for starring in the HBO television series “Westworld,” has found herself in hot water this week after she called late NBA star Kobe Bryant a “rapist” hours after his death on Sunday.

Bryant tragically passed away on Sunday at the age of 41 in a helicopter crash that also killed his 13 year-old daughter Gianna as well as seven other people. Just hours later, Wood took it upon herself to say that Bryant was both a “sports hero” and a “rapist” in a tweet to her over 444,000 followers.

“What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe’s family. He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist. And all of these truths can exist simultaneously,” Wood tweeted.

What has happened is tragic. I am heartbroken for Kobe’s family.
He was a sports hero. He was also a rapist.
And all of these truths can exist simultaneously.

— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) January 26, 2020

Wood’s tweet refers to allegations stemming from 2003, when a 19 year-old woman accused Bryant of choking and sexually assaulting her in a hotel room in Colorado, according to The Daily Beast. After being arrested, Bryant admitted to cheating on his wife with the woman, but claimed that their encounter in the hotel room was consensual. All charges against Bryant were later dropped when the woman refused to testify against him in court, instead choosing to hear an apology from him that was read by his lawyer.

Despite the fact that the charges against Bryant were dropped, Wood still decided to portray him as a “rapist” less than a full day after his passing. Unfortunately for her, however, this came back to bite her in a big way when social media users fired back at her for condemning the NBA hero.

And this is where the Me too movement has gotten out of control… attacking a man who literally just died less than 24 hours ago, with his little girl!
Was it proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that he raped somebody? Did he go to jail? Was he charged?

— Catherine (Kathleen) Curtin (@kathleencurtinc) January 27, 2020

And you are both a feminist hero and one who wants to lynch black men without a fair trial. All of these truths can exist simultaneously.

— Dr Boyce Watkins (@drboycewatkins1) January 27, 2020

This is an absolutely disgusting comment that reeks of white feminism, narcissism and veiled racism. You took this tragedy and made it about yourself.

— Kevin Arbouet (@kevinarbouet) January 27, 2020

It's cool how you're both:

1) Able to go back in time & re-try both his criminal & civil cases and change the outcome to suit your "preferance" (also wtf??); and

2) Be so classless, inhumane, and spiritually devoid all at the same time.

WELL DONE.

— Kate Schmidt (@330_schmidt) January 26, 2020

Would it kill you to have some empathy for the family who are grieving not only Kobe but their daughter as well?
It hasn't even been 48 hours yet.

— Alister – Your Larrikin Ghost (@highjournals) January 27, 2020

The backlash eventually got so great that Wood finally responded in a second tweet.

Beloveds, this was not a condemnation or a celebration. It was a reminder that everyone will have different feelings and there is room for us all to grieve together instead of fighting. Everyone has lost. Everyone will be triggered, so please show kindness and respect to all.

— #EvanRachelWould (@evanrachelwood) January 27, 2020

Twitter users were still having none of it, however.

We didnt need a "reminder". You used the death of a man & his daughter to get clout from the #metoo movement. You used allegations, not an actual conviction to disrespect a black icon on the day of his death. This is why your brand of feminism makes us all look like a joke

— Maria M (@mariapaalbergm) January 27, 2020

My point is you wouldn't say this to his wife and kids. You're hiding behind your keyboard just as much as the trolls. With you being high profile they may well see it.

— Daniel Scott (@DanielScott128) January 27, 2020

You showed no "respect' or "kindness". When you defamed a dead Black Man who died tragically w/ his daughter & other ppl. Don't play passive/aggressive now. Being empathetic goes against your demonic nature of course. So,your smear comes as NO surprise. We won't forget. #RIPKobe

— Onyx Paradigm (@C_Rich75) January 27, 2020

For Wood to defame a man hours after his death and that of his child based on allegations from seventeen years ago that were eventually dropped in a court of law is truly beyond the pale. Her tweet is also especially hypocritical coming from someone who works in the industry of Hollywood, which turned a blind eye to the sexual deviances of someone like disgraced producer Harvey Weinstein for decades.

Wood owes the entire Bryant family an apology, and she deserves all of the social media backlash that she is receiving.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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GOP Brings Out Three Big Guns in Senate Trial of Trump

Posted on January 28, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 28, 2020

Monday was a banner day for the GOP in the Senate impeachment trial of President Donald Trump as three members of the Republican legal team, even by some liberal estimations, ran circles around the Democrat case for removal of the president.

Pam Bondi handled the myriad legitimate allegations against Joe and Hunter Biden. Eric Herschmann focused on the massive double standard being applied against Trump in this case.

Batting cleanup the famed Alan Dershowitz engaged in a historical tour de force and urged senators, some of them his former students, to rise above partisan concerns and do what is right for the country. Clinton impeachment figure Ken Starr also spoke for the defense, as did Patrick Philbin.

The low key Starr made a workmanlike appeal against a partisan impeachment, using his work in and knowledge of the Clinton drama to make his case.

Then it was Bondi’s turn and the extremely telegenic former Florida Attorney General point by point laid out the corruption at the heart of the Burisma affair. She detailed how the cozy relationship between the then veep’s son and other scions of wealth and power enabled Hunter Biden to leverage his status into a position he was completely unqualified for with Burisma. By the end of her time at the podium she had eviscerated both Bidens.

This was bound to happen when the Democrats opened the door to this line of attack on Friday.

Bondi will be heard from again on the national scene.

She was followed by the powerful arguments of Eric Herschmann, who launched a devastating strike on the double standards involved in the Trump impeachment. He showed graphic evidence of past misdeeds by Democrat presidents, most notably the infamous Obama hot mike moment with Russian leader Medvedev, that rose to the level of impeachment. Yet Democrats never uttered a peep about those. Fancy that.

Herschmann made a point of using the Democrat’s own words against them and when he was done their obvious hypocrisy was laid bare.

Alan Dershowitz then made the day’s final detailed presentation. Dershowitz used his brilliant knowledge of history and impressive courtroom manner to nail down the historical precedent against impeachment.

Citing the vague nature of the charges against the president, he noted that the Founders had made the bar for impeachment high, lest the president, as in the British parliamentary model, serve at the will of the lower house and be subject to removal from office by a virtual vote of no confidence.

At the day wrapped up, many noted the last day of the GOP case on Tuesday looks to be the finale of a very good defense for the president.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Alicia Keys Demands That Trump Be Impeachment While Hosting Grammy Awards

Posted on January 27, 2020 by LifeZette

By Andrew Spalding | January 27, 2020

While hosting the Grammy Awards on Sunday night, singer Alicia Keys took the opportunity to call for President Donald Trump to be impeached.

Breitbart News reported that Keys took the stage near the beginning of the show to perform her own version of the song “Someone You Loved” by Lewis Capaldi. The star revamped the lyrics of the song to include reference to various nominees at the music show, including Ariana Grande and K-Pop group BTS. However, she also made sure to include some lyrics about impeaching President Trump.

“Tonight we must unite in spite of all the news that we’re seeing,” Keys sang as she also played piano. “It’s like so crazy. I don’t even watch TV.”

“Commander in chief impeached, y’all get out, let’s bring Cardi B. Cardi — can you please show all these people what to do?” she added.

someone you loved – alicia keys version pic.twitter.com/azRyQNobnf

— nadz ☻⁷ (@hwafully) January 27, 2020

Cardi B is a 26 year-old former stripper-turned-rapper who has been open about her hatred for President Trump. Over the past few weeks, Cardi B has begun saying that she wants to run for Congress, and she has even earned the endorsement of 2020 Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders.

I do feel like if I go back to school and focus up I can be part of Congress.I deadass have sooo much ideas that make sense.I just need a couple of years of school and I can shake the table .

— iamcardib (@iamcardib) January 13, 2020

Unfortunately for Keys, her little political moment backfired on her, as social media users made it clear that they don’t care what she thinks about the current president.

Who really cares what you think?! Don’t use the stage to spew your political hatred. Nobody values your opinion.

— kerry foust (@kerryfoust) January 27, 2020

https://twitter.com/OlszowyHank/status/1221768532318478336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

DOES EVERY CELEB EVENT HAVE TO BE POLITICAL? YOU ARE PREACHING TO THE CHOIR, a group of people who live in La La land and have no idea what it's like to live in the real world anymore. You are making $$$ making music, why not spread love, instead of your hatred for the President?

— Joseph J Gomez aka Joe Gomez (@Joseph_Gomez) January 27, 2020

Keys’ move was particularly classless given the fact that the Grammys took place hours after the death of NBA legend Kobe Bryant, who was killed on Sunday morning in a helicopter crash along with his 13 year-old daughter and seven others. Keys opened the show by paying tribute to Bryant, and it was hoped that she and her fellow stars would be able to put their leftwing politics aside for an evening to honor the athlete.

“We are literally standing here heartbroken in the house that Kobe Bryant built,” Keys said to kick off the show.

Unfortunately, Keys just couldn’t resist still using the awards show to take digs at Trump like the ignorant liberal elitist that she is.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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Iowa’s Des Moines Register Endorses Elizabeth Warren as the Democrat Candidate

Posted on January 27, 2020 by LifeZette

By PoliZette Staff | January 27, 2020

While Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has surged to the tops of the polls in New Hampshire, a much tighter race abounds in Iowa. Former Vice President Joe Biden and Sanders have battled for the lead with Elizabeth Warren and Pete Buttigieg remaining relevant parties in the polls.

Those latest polls have the Massachusetts Senator in fourth place with 15 percent support, trailing South Bend, Indiana Mayor Pete Buttigieg by 4 points. Biden and Sanders share the lead and are in a statistical dead heat at 22 percent.

However, despite recent figures, the big news this week was the Des Moines Register’s endorsement of Elizabeth Warren.

After interviewing nine Democrat presidential candidates, the editorial board at Iowa’s top newspaper chose Warren, stating she is “the best leader for these times.”

While describing the reasoning behind their choice they stated, “the senior U.S. senator from Massachusetts is not the radical some perceive her to be. She was a registered Republican until 1996. She is a capitalist.”

However, despite a mostly glowing review and ultimately their prized endorsement. The Register did qualify some of their statements and pushback against some of Warren’s ideas.

A qualification: Some of her ideas for “big, structural change” go too far. This board could not endorse the wholesale overhaul of corporate governance or cumulative levels of taxation she proposes. While the board has long supported single-payer health insurance, it believes a gradual transition is the more realistic approach. But Warren is pushing in the right direction. [Des Moines Register]

Still, despite the endorsement, as indicated with the aforementioned poll numbers, Warren has a long way to go in order to be more statistically relevant in Iowa. However, such a climb – though unlikely – is not out of the realm of possibility.

As reported by Geoffrey Skelley at FiveThirtyEight, a great deal of Iowans have not made up their minds and new data from a New York Times Upshot/ Siena College poll found that 39 percent would be willing to change candidates. Time, however, is not on Warren’s side though as the 2020 Iowa Democratic caucuses will take place on February 3, 2020.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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DEVELOPING: More GOP Senators Could Defect in Impeachment Trial

Posted on January 27, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 27, 2020

Respected political analyst Dr. Tim Blessing of Alvernia College in Pennsylvania has had a look at the Senate GOP caucus and how they may vote on witnesses in the impeachment trial.

“I did a count Friday night. The following are GOP Senators who have publicly left some air in their positions as per witnesses: Murkowski, Gardner, Ernst (though she appears to have walked hers back), Collins, Tillis (who also might be rethinking things), Portman, Inhofe (a bit of a surprise), Lankford (also a bit of a surprise), Toomey (who is quietly moving to a center position–but he cannot be re-elected if he does so), Alexander, Enzi, and Romney. I have no idea what Cruz is doing. If we get down in the weeds, some of these folks could switch.”

It’s a majority vote and current projections show that the Democrats only need to flip four GOP Senators in order to get witnesses.

If Dr. Blessing is right and witnesses are called to testify in the impeachment trial, this becomes an entirely different ordeal and one that could go in very strange directions.

LifeZette will provide additional updates as more information becomes available.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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DEVELOPING: Taliban Claims it Shot Down U.S. Air Force Plane Carrying CIA Officials in Afghanistan

Posted on January 27, 2020 by LifeZette

By LifeZette | January 27, 2020

The Taliban has just taken responsibility, claiming they shot down a United States Air Force plane in Afghanistan which they say was carrying ‘high-ranking’ CIA officers.

The Daily Star reported that the aircraft was shot down on Monday afternoon in the Ghazni province of the Middle Eastern nation.

Originally, it was claimed by local officials that the plane was a Boeing 737-400 jet belonging to Ariana Airlines that was carrying 83 people, but photos clearly showed that the aircraft had a U.S. Air Forces logo.

This caused the U.S. military to launch an investigation into the incident, and the Taliban has since admitted that they shot down the plane, which was in fact a U.S. Air Force Bombardier E-11A.

Video #American aircraft shutdwaned in #Ghazni #Afghanistan pic.twitter.com/2Wm9pImtBi

— Tariq Ghazniwal (@TGhazniwal) January 27, 2020

According to the The Daily Star, a Taliban spokesman said in a statement that everyone onboard the plane was killed, and that passengers included high-ranking CIA officers.

Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid added that “lots” of U.S. service members were killed in the crash, but since the terrorist group is known to exaggerate when it comes to casualty figures, it is unknown at this time just if the statement is true or not.

The plane reportedly came down in the mountainous Deh Yak district just 10km (6.2 miles) from a U.S. military base at around 1:15pm local time.

The area where the plane crashed is controlled by the Taliban, which made it difficult for Afghan forces to reach the crash site earlier.

The U.S. Air Force has yet to officially commented on this situation.

“We are aware of the reports and are investigating,” an official with the U.S. Defense Department told Military Times. “At this point, we cannot confirm it is a DOD [Department of Defense] asset.”

Ghazni police commander Ahmed Khalid Wardak told the BBC that there is currently no information available about casualties, as it is unknown just how many people were onboard the plane at the time of the crash.

This piece originally appeared in LifeZette and is used by permission.

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