Trump Slaps Tariffs On $200BN In China Imports; Will Add Another $267BN If China Retaliates

With traders waiting with bated breath for hours, moments ago the White House announced that it has imposed tariffs on approximately $200 billion worth of imports from China, effective September 24.

The tariffs will start at 10% until the end of the year, but in an unexpected twist, are set to rise to 25% on January 1, 2019, in what is worse case scenario than what the market had been pricing in, namely a 10% rate indefinitely.

Trump also warns that if China takes any retaliatory action "against US farmers or other industries", the US will immediately pursue "phase three", and impose an additional $267 billion in tariffs on Chinese imports.

The statement notes that while the US has given China "every opportunity to treat us more fairly", so far China "has been unwilling to change its practices."

Trump concludes by saying that it is his duty "to protect the interests of working men and women, farmers, ranchers, businesses, and our country itself. My Administration will not remain idle when those interests are under attack. China has had many opportunities to fully address our concerns. Once again, I urge China's leaders to take swift action to end their country's unfair trade practices."

Separately, the USTR announced that it has removed about 300 product categories from the tariff list and has cut some subsets of products, but the total value remains "approximately $200 billion", and - as we showed earlier - a substantial portion of the imports targeted this time are consumer goods, which means that the pain to the US household bottom line is about to get real.

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2018-09-17/trump-imposes-tariffs-200bn-china-imports-will-add-another-267bn-if-china

Kavanaugh Accuser’s Lawyer: It’s Not Her Job To Corroborate Her Story

Debra Katz, the attorney for the woman accusing Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault, said that it is not her client’s job to corroborate her claims.

Katz said on CNN on Monday that investigators should be responsible for proving Christine Blasey Ford’s claim that Kavanaugh held her down and drunkenly groped her while at a party in high school.

During the interview, Katz revealed that there was another girl present at the party, which allegedly took place in 1982 while Kavanaugh was attending Georgetown Prep. Ford previously told the Washington Post that there were four boys at the party but never indicated if there were other girls beside herself.

“While we have you, perhaps you can help us fill in the blanks on some of her story. She says that she was at a party in probably 1982 in Montgomery County, Maryland. She says that there were four guys there, these are high school students, as was she. There were four guys there. Were there any girls there that day?” anchor Alisyn Camerota asked.

“Yes, there was another girl at this party, yes,” Katz said.

Camerota asked if Ford has tried to talk to any of the other partygoers to see if they will corroborate her story, but Katz declined to place the burden of proof on her client.

“That’s not her job to do that. If this is going to be investigated, it should be done by investigators,” Katz asserted.

https://dailycaller.com/2018/09/17/kavanaugh-accuser-laywer-corroborate/

Kavanaugh and Accuser to Testify at Monday Hearing, Thursday Vote Is Off

Contradicting earlier reports, the Senate Judiciary Committee will reconvene for an additional hearing on Judge Brett Kavanaugh’s Supreme Court nomination in which both Kavanaugh and his accuser, Christine Blasey Ford, will testify under oath.

Ford has accused Kavanaugh of groping her and forcing himself on top of her at a high school party in or around 1982. The accusation, known to Senate Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) for more than six weeks but kept private until after the end of the scheduled hearings on Kavanaugh’s nomination, has thrown an already chaotic confirmation process even further afield of the norm.

Earlier Monday, sources close to the confirmation process were confident Thursday’s scheduled final committee vote would still take place. But that vote is now unlikely to take place until at least next Tuesday.

The reports emerged shortly after Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) told reporters she would need to see both Ford and Kavanaugh tesitfy under oath on the matter before she cast her vote.

The news of a Monday hearing took even staffers close to Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley’s (R-IA) office by surprise. Even after talk of a hearing flowed, Kavanaugh, who categorically denies Ford’s accusation, had indicted he was willing to testify under oath as soon as Tuesday this week.

Grassley himself confirmed the reports in a statement shortly therefore, setting 10:00 a.m. as the hearing start and indicating the hearing was decided on after Senate Democrats refused to participate in a Monday evening conference call with Kavanaugh on the matter.

https://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2018/09/17/kavanaugh-and-accuser-to-testify-at-monday-hearing-thursday-vote-is-off/

SPLC Smears Conservative Christian Organization as Hate Group Ahead of Mike Pence Speaking at Their Annual Summit

The ‘Hatewatch’ publication from the far-left Southern Poverty Law Center is smearing the Family Research Council as a hate group ahead of next weekend’s 13th annual summit featuring Vice President Mike Pence.

“The Values Voter Summit has always served as an important political networking forum for anti-LGBT, anti-choice and anti-Muslim activists and policymakers. But with the current administration, VVS’ role has grown into that of a direct conduit to the White House for discriminatory sentiment and policy,” the SPLC wrote about the event.

This year, Pence will be the first sitting Vice President to address the summit. Last year, President Donald Trump became the first sitting president to address the attendees at the annual political conference.

The Values Voter Summit is focused on traditional marriage, religious liberty, sanctity of life and limited government — or good Christian values.

“Value voters waited eight years for a leader who puts America’s mission first and respects the values that made America into a great nation. In 2016, values voters were instrumental in the election of President Trump and Vice President Pence,” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said in a statement. “Values voters will be coming to our nation’s capital eager to continue the restoration of faith, family, and freedom in American life. Vice President Pence has been a vital part of the Trump administration’s efforts to restore religious liberty, uphold the sanctity of human life in our policies and rebuild America’s economy.”

Other confirmed speakers at the event include Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Dr. Ben Carson, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin, House Freedom Caucus Chairman Rep. Mark Meadows, Dr. Sebastian Gorka and many more.

The three-day long event will feature activist trainings, an exhibit hall, book signings, speeches and movie screenings.

Tickets are still available on the Values Voter website. The Gateway Pundit will be present and covering the event.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/09/splc-smears-conservative-christian-organization-as-hate-group-ahead-of-mike-pence-speaking-at-their-annual-summit/

THE PLAN IS AWESOME