Senate Democrats feared Trump would hack their cellphones at White House

Senate Democrats feared Trump would hack their cellphones at White House

by Naomi Lim

| April 08, 2019 12:46 PM

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Senate Democrats were so distrustful of the President Trump that they feared his aides would hack their cell phones during a White House visit. The Democratic caucus raised their suspicions after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in April 2017 asked administration officials to brief the Senate on the nuclear threat posed by North Korea "before it spiraled out of control," according to a new book by Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer.

But President Trump nixed the idea of sending envoys to Capitol Hill in favor of hosting all 100 senators at the White House for the briefing by then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and then-Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis, among others.

"This invitation sent multiple senators — including Chuck Schumer, the minority leader — into a panic," they write of the top Democrat from New York. "They speculated Trump was trying to buoy flagging approval ratings before his hundredth day in office by staging a photo with the entire Senate in the West Wing." "Even worse, many Democrats held a deep-seated conspiracy theory that the White House would force them to relinquish their cell phones to participate in the briefing, and the administration would hack into them to steal their private data."

At the time, Sen. Chris Murphy, D-Conn., tweeted his dismay at having to travel to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. for the meeting. The Hill To Die On: The Battle for Congress and the Future of Trump's America, published by Crown, is set for release on Apr. 9.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/senate-democrats-feared-trump-would-hack-their-cellphones-at-white-house

ACLU warns 'immigrants and people of color,' against travel in Florida

The American Civil Liberties Union has issued a travel advisory for “immigrants and people of color to use extreme caution” in Florida because of a pending immigration bill the state legislature is considering that would ban so-called sanctuary cities. The Florida Legislature has advanced legislation that would require local law enforcement to work with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement in detaining undocumented immigrants. Both of Florida’s legislative chambers are expected to consider the measure in the coming weeks.

The ACLU is opposed to the bill, which they have argued would “trample on the civil rights and liberties of actual or perceived immigrants.” In a tweet Monday, the organization sent out the travel warning. “We and partners have issued a travel advisory urging immigrants and people of color to use extreme caution when traveling in Florida,” the ACLU tweeted. “The state is on the verge of passing a draconian anti-immigrant bill which will endanger our communities.”

Florida’s undocumented immigrant population is estimated to be greater than 700,000. Gov. Ron DeSantis, a Republican, has urged law enforcement officials in cities and counties to cooperate with immigration officials.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/congress/aclu-warns-immigrants-and-people-of-color-against-travel-in-florida

https://twitter.com/ACLU/status/1115267311961812993

Trump and Pompeo designate Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a 'foreign terrorist organization'

President Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo announced today the State Department is designating Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps a "foreign terrorist organization," following months of speculation that the administration was considering blacklisting the most powerful branch of the country's armed forces. Though the State Department has long labeled the Iranian regime the world’s leading state sponsor of terrorism, before today, it had never classified an element of a foreign government as a terrorist group. The IRGC joins a list that includes al Qaeda, Hezbollah, Hamas, ISIS, and Boko Haram. It marks the latest move toward pressuring Iran since the United States withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal in 2018.

"It underscores the fact that Iran’s actions are fundamentally different from those of other governments," Trump said in a statement. "It makes crystal clear the risks of conducting business with, or providing support to, the IRGC. If you are doing business with the IRGC, you will be bankrolling terrorism." "The IRGC is the Iranian government’s primary means of directing and implementing its global terrorist campaign," Trump added.

The Revolutionary Guard, along with its specialized Quds Force, supports terrorists around the world, carries out cyberattacks and assassinations, funds illicit missile development, and wields huge influence both inside the country and around the region. The IRGC also plays an integral role in funding, training, and guiding Iran’s global proxies — including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Shiite militias in Iraq, and the Houthis in Yemen — and in propping up Bashar Assad in Syria.

Pompeo told reporters the designation will take effect April 15. “This designation should surprise no one. For 40 years, the IRGC has engaged in terrorism," he said. "It pretends to be a regular military organization, but none of us should be fooled." Pompeo gave a number of examples of Iran’s involvement in terrorist attacks against the U.S., including the 1983 bombing of the U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, which killed 241 U.S. service members, and the 1996 Khobar Towers bombing in Saudi Arabia, which killed 19 U.S. Air Force personnel. In 2011, the Quds Force plotted to bomb a restaurant in Washington, D.C., and kill the Saudi ambassador to the United States. “With this designation, the Trump administration is simply recognizing reality," Pompeo added. “Our designation makes clear to the world that the IRGC not just supports other terrorist groups but engages in terrorism itself.”

Iranian foreign minister Javad Zarif responded by sending a letter to President Hassan Rouhani suggesting that Iran put U.S. Central Command on its terrorism list. In a tweet yesterday, Zarif warned the United States that designating the IRGC would result in "consequences for US forces in the region." “I’ve seen foreign minister Zarif make many public statements before," Pompeo told reporters, "and an attack on the United States is something that they ought to think more than twice about.”

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/policy/defense-national-security/trump-and-pompeo-designate-irans-islamic-revolutionary-guard-corps-a-foreign-terrorist-organization

Iran responsible for deaths of 608 American troops in Iraq

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/us-military-blames-iran-for-deaths-of-608-american-troops-during-iraq-war

>>6097643

Indeed, the rest of the country needs to follow suit. It will be an up hill battle with the blue states I believe.

New York Democrats seek solution to obtain Trump's state tax returns

Democratic lawmakers in New York are trying to amend state law to obtain President Trump’s tax returns. State lawmakers are expected to introduce a bill this week that would allow the commissioner of the New York Department of Taxation and Finance to release any state tax return requested by leaders of three congressional committees for any “specific and legitimate legislative purpose,” according to the New York Times. The bill would allow the release of tax filings for personal income taxes, corporation taxes, and real estate transfer taxes.

New York is the president’s home state and the Trump Organization is headquartered there. Democrats control the legislature and governorship. In Washington, Democrats are trying to obtain Trump’s federal taxes, which he has refused to release over claims that he is being audited. House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Richard Neal, D-Mass., has requested six years’ worth of Trump’s personal and business tax returns from the Internal Revenue Service and Treasury Department. Chairs of the congressional tax policy committees are legally permitted to request tax information without having permission from businesses and individuals. Acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney vowed Sunday Democrats will “never” see Trump’s tax returns.

https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/new-york-democrats-seek-solution-to-obtain-trumps-state-tax-returns