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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Bolton Manuscript Leaked, Romney and Collins May Vote Against the President

Posted on January 27, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 27, 2020

Reports out of DC, on the heels of the selective leaking of John Bolton’s new book, is that Republican Senators Mitt Romney of Utah and Susan Collins of Maine are likely to go south on the GOP trial process and vote to bring in witnesses.

If that happens the trial won’t be over by late this week/early next week. It could go on for weeks. If the duo votes against the president’s trial agenda the Dems would still need two more votes to win on the subject. They are targeting GOP Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Lamar Alexander of Tennessee.

The pressure to vote for witnesses was ratcheted up over the weekend with leaks from John Bolton’s new book that claim that the president directly told Bolton that the delay in military aid to Ukraine was tied to Biden.

Bolton is using the same team and strategy as has James Comey and the leak was coordinated to coincide with the impeachment trial, a vote on witnesses and, most importantly to Bolton, the availability to preorder his book online.

But bringing on witnesses is a two-edged sword for the Dems. Yes, the Dems may get Bolton. But the GOP could call Joe Biden, Hunter Biden, Adam Schiff, and Eric Ciaramella. As spiritually satisfying at it would be to watch Jay Sekulow munch on their still warm legal carcasses for lunch, the sooner this charade is over is the sooner the president can get back to undistracted work and the Congress can get back to whatever it does on a daily basis aside from fundraisers and hitting on lobbyists.

Bolton’s move can not only be seen as revenge for being fired by Trump, but as another chapter in the intramural GOP fight over a Cold War national security stance or the America First approach of the president.

If Collins and Murkowski vote for witnesses it is likely to throw some meat to their moderate supporters. Alexander is a lame duck and can vote the way he chooses without electoral repercussions.

Though if he desires an appointment in a second Trump administration this would not be the way to get it. And then there’s Mittens.

This would be a way for him to play to the press and shiv Trump at the same time. Given Romney’s notorious sanctimony and ego, it may be a temptation he is unable to resist.

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

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Brazil’s ‘Trump’, President Jair Bolsonaro, Rises in New Poll

Posted on January 27, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 27, 2020

It is rule of thumb that many conservatives who take over national leadership from failed liberals undergo a policy trial of fire before triumphing and winning a solid reelection.

Except Donald Trump. His policy and political victories seem to have started the day he took office. His trials, well, have been actual trials.

But Margaret Thatcher went through tough times and violent national labor strikes until good economic news and the Falklands War brought her landslide reelection in 1983.

Ronald Reagan went through his own economic crucible from 1981-1983 until a rising economy and a national security resurgence, typified by the successful Grenada operation, brought him his own massive win over a weak Democrat opposition in the 1984 presidential election.

Now, one of the two strongest conservative leaders in the Western hemisphere is in a similar situation. We know where Trump stands. But how about Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro?

Better than he was before.

Good numbers in a Wednesday CNT/MDA poll has the pugnacious president scoring well with Brazilians on fighting corruption, handling the economy, and stopping crime. 35% of his countrymen view his administration as great or good. That’s up from 30% in August. His detractors are at 31%, down from 39%.

His personal approval is at 48%, up from 41% in August. The other side sports 47%, down from 54%. The next presidential election is in 2022 and Bolsonaro leads his probable leftist opponent, a former president driven from office and jailed for corruption, by over ten points.

The Brazilian president’s main issue has been in comms. He just had to fire his cultural secretary for cribbing from Josef Goebbels, the Third Reich cultural minister, in a speech. But that’s mild compared to other missteps.

He once told a female political opponent, “I wouldn’t rape you because you don’t deserve it.” He later clarified, saying the female politician was “not worth raping; she is very ugly.”

On women in general, “I’ve got five kids but on the fifth I had a moment of weakness and it came out a woman.”

On those who betray national security, “I am in favor of torture, you know that. And the people are in favor of it as well.”

On gays, “I would be incapable of loving a homosexual son.”

I could go on. But you get the drift. The man makes Donald Trump look like Joy Behar.

However, voters all over the world care more about crime and the economy than they do about boneheaded statements. Bolsonaro like Trump, warts and all, looks like a good bet for eventual reelection.

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

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Trump Defense Goes for Broke on Monday

Posted on January 27, 2020 by LifeZette

By David Kamioner | January 27, 2020

Saturday saw the Trump defense team embarrass the Democrat House managers. With a carefully devised message and personality calibration they laid out their case in a concise yet powerful manner.

But Jay Sekulow, the Trump attack dog, said Saturday was but a mere preview. That sets a serious expectation level. What’s the movie going to look like? Here are some possible PR and legal scenarios.

The kitchen sink- The Democrats want it? They get it. After bringing up Hunter Biden and his dad repeatedly on Friday the Democrats have left the door open for the GOP team to walk right through it. Is it a trap? Will they pull a Battle of Cowpens? Unlikely.

It very well could be an invitation from the hard left of the Democrat party to do their dirty work for them and implicate Biden just before the Iowa caucuses.

Just as there are those who say the Pelosi delay was an effort to help Biden by keeping Sanders and Warren out of Iowa close to the election. Either way, Team Trump has said they’re going for it and the possible consequences are devastating for the Democrat legal team.

It will not be too hard to prove that this impeachment effort is but a distraction operation to set aside notice from a myriad number of Democrat scandals, the Bidens among them.

There is no there, there- Pat Cipollone’s team has already shown us this in an entertaining trailer. The main feature looks quite popcorn worthy. The basic premise is, where’s the crime? A phone call? A missed meeting? As Mike Purpura said, “There can’t be a quid pro quo without a quo.”

They could expose the big lie behind the entire Democrat case, that this is a political operation and not a legal argument. It is an attempt to refight the 2016 election by way of impeachment and Senate trial.

It will likely have the same outcome as that election: Donald Trump is the president.

Where is the victim? – If the Ukrainians say they felt no pressure and they didn’t even know about the defense aid delay during the time in question, just who exactly was victimized?

These and other gambits will be featured on Monday by Team Trump. It promises to be a good day for the president’s defense.

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

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