The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) has released the jobs number for November and the results are astoundingly excellent. November jobs gains 266,000; the year-over-year wage growth is 3.1% with non-supervisory wages growing double the rate of supervisory wages. The unemployment rate dropped slightly to 3.5 percent.
Additionally, September was revised up by 13,000 from +180,000 to +193,000, and the change for October was revised up by 28,000 from +128,000 to +156,000. With these revisions, employment gains in September and October combined were 41,000 more than previously reported. [Full BLS Report Here]
Also in November, 1.2 million persons were marginally attached to the labor force. This is a reduction of 432,000 from a year earlier. Those additional jobs are not counted in any labor report because those returning workers were previously not looking for employment; they came off the sidelines and entered the workforce. AMERICA IS WORKING AGAIN !
Shortly after 6pm this evening Supreme Court Justice Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg put a prior 2nd Circuit ruling on hold until next Friday, December 13, at 5 p.m.
President Trump went to the Supreme Court after the House Financial Services and Intelligence Committees issued subpoenas to Deutsche Bank and Capital One seeking President Trump’s tax records. In his request to the court [Read Here] Trump asked SCOTUS to block the subpoenas on the ground they go beyond the committees’ powers.
Justice Ginsburg’s order tonight gives the justices time to rule on Trump’s request for a longer stay of the lower court’s decision while he files a petition for review. Ginsburg ordered the House of Representatives to file a response to Trump’s request by 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 11.
At their private SCOTUS conference next week, the justices are scheduled to consider President Trump’s original petition for review of a lower-court ruling that would require him to turn over tax records to the SDNY who are seeking them as part of a grand-jury investigation. The SCOTUS decision today, placing a hold on a similar House effort, essentially allows the court to receive arguments relating to the second request for tax records and contemplate the merit of both.
The first request to the Supreme Court resulted in them issuing a ruling maintaining the block against House Democrats receiving President Trump’s tax returns. The one paragraph order [pdf here] essentially maintained the stay and requested the Trump administration to file a formal request for review by the court. The Trump filing today is a response to that SCOTUS request:
Attorney Ristvan previously provided a good encapsulation of the problems for the House that explains why President Trump could likely win the case:
House Oversight is one of three committees that 26USC§6103(f) requires the IRS to turn over individual returns “upon request”.
They requested (PDJT taxes for 6 years 2013-2018) long before Pelosi announced her impeachment inquiry, way before the House vote on same, to which Pelosi said Sunday, (paraphrased) “We haven’t decided to impeach. We are only inquiring about it.”
The ‘upon request’ is not as absolute as it seems. The request must still be predicated on a legitimate legislative purpose. SCOTUS has held (I skip the rulings, since previously commented on here many months ago) that there are only two valid purposes, both constrained to legislative powers expressly granted by A1§8.
1. An inquiry into making, repealing, or amending an A1§8 law.
2. Oversight of executive administration of an existing law.
With respect to (1), a legitimate legislative purpose would be reviewing real estate tax law for possible changes. BUT then, the request should have come from Ways and Means (Neal) where tax laws originate. AND, it should have included requests for tax returns from other big real estate developers also. Singling out only PDJT is a fatal defect to this purpose.
With respect to (2), after Nixon/Agnew the tax code was amended to require a special IRS audit of annual POTUS and VPOTUS returns, with the results held in the National Archive. Reviewing those special audits by IRS would be a proper Oversight and Reform legislative purpose, BUT ONLY for 2017-2018 after PDJT was inaugurated. The earlier 4 years demanded are a fatal defect to this purpose.
Both these valid points were raised by President Trump and were already on their way to SCOTUS. Now the committee is trying to ‘cure’ these fatal request defects by claiming the returns are necessary for impeachment. This raises four new issues where PDJT can also win.
1. Impeachment is not a legislative purpose within A1§8.
2. Articles of Impeachment have historically been the the province of Judiciary, NOT Oversight.
3. The demand was made BEFORE the impeachment inquiry unofficially started and cannot be retrospectively cured.
4. No tax ‘high crimes of misdemeanors’ have even been alleged. Impeachment fishing expeditions are unconstitutional.
IMO this case has the potential to set a major constitutional precedent about POTUS harassment via political impeachment. The constitutional convention minutes and Federalist #65 both make it clear why ‘maladministration’ (the original third test after treason and bribery, and which WOULD allow for political impeachment) was replaced by ‘High Crimes and Misdemeanors’. The phrase was borrowed from prior British law, has a specific set of meanings, and DOES NOT allow political impeachment. (link)
The quest for President Trump’s financial records is essentially a legislative fishing expedition in an attempt to gain opposition research for their Democrat candidate in the 2020 election.
The Supreme Court has not yet ruled on any ancillary case that touches upon the validity of the unilaterally declared House impeachment process. The Supreme Court has not ruled on any case that touches the impeachment “inquiry”.
The issue at stake is whether the legislative branch can penetrate the constitutional firewall which exists within the separation of powers.
If the House loses the Tax case in SCOTUS (likely), and/or either HJC case in appeals or SCOTUS it will mean there was no constitutional foundation for the “impeachment inquiry” upon which they have built their original legal arguments.
♦The first case is the House Oversight Committee effort to gain President Trumps’ tax returns as part of their impeachment ‘inquiry’ and oversight. That case is currently on-hold (10-day stay) in the Supreme Court. Written briefs soon, arguments perhaps in early December? Outcome pending. There is a very strong probability Pelosi will lose this case because Oversight doesn’t have jurisdiction and the case began back in February.
Ginsburg placed a hold on the order on Friday, according to Reuters. The 2nd District Court of Appeals issued a ruling on Tuesday ordering Deutsche Bank and Capital One to turn over financial documents on Trump, members of his family, and his business.
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg put the 2nd Circuit’s ruling on hold until next Friday, December 13, at 5 p.m. Ginsburg’s order gives the justices time to rule on Trump’s request for a longer stay of the lower court’s decision while he files a petition for review. Ginsburg ordered the House of Representatives to file a response to Trump’s request by 11 a.m. on Wednesday, December 11. (link)
Probability of loss to Pelosi 90%.
♦The second case is the House Judiciary Committee (HJC) effort to gain the grand jury information from the Mueller investigation. The decision by DC Judge Beryl Howell was stayed by a three member DC Appellate court. Oral arguments were November 12th, the decision is pending. [Depending on outcome, the case could will also go to SCOTUS]
[…] the appeals court in a brief order said it would not immediately release the documents “pending further order of the court.” The court also asked the House and the Justice Department for more briefings and set a Jan. 3 date for another hearing. (link)
Probability of SCOTUS 100%
♦The third case is the HJC effort to force the testimony of former White House legal counsel Don McGahn. Issue: subpoena validity. The HJC asked for an expedited ruling. Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson delivered her ruling November 25th.:
Federal District Court Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson said McGahn must appear before Congress but retains the ability to “invoke executive privilege where appropriate” during his appearance. The judge did not put her own ruling on hold, but the Trump administration will likely seek one to put the effect of her ruling on hold while it pursues an appeal. (link)
However, two days later Judge Brown-Jackson stayed her own ruling...
Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson, an Obama appointee on the district court in D.C., granted McGahn’s request for a temporary stay while she deliberates on whether to issue a lengthier one to allow him to appeal her decision.
The House Judiciary Committee, which had asked the court to enforce its subpoena for President Trump‘s former legal adviser, said it would not oppose a temporary stay. (read more)
Probability Appeal 100% – Probability SCOTUS 90%
Pelosi, Schiff, Nadler and Lawfare are now rushing toward a full House impeachment vote while simultaneously attempting to stall any judicial decision (Appeals or SCOTUS) that would undermine their manufactured impeachment authority.
I’ve been watching the ongoing farce known as the impeachment hearings and I realized their Star Chamber circus was never going to end. The Democrats will continue to invent and spew slime toward Trump no matter what. They accuse the president of interfering with next year’s election, yet THEY are the ones who are trying to negate the will of the American people who lawfully put Trump into office–and they are already interfering with his reelection in 2020.
President Trump is not part of the Deep State. He was elected as an outsider—an America-first populist and he promised to drain the swamp and end the corruption. The swamp is fighting back. Everyone is onto their tiresome game, but that makes no difference. They all have severe cases of Trump Derangement Syndrome.
The Democrats have contempt for the will of the American people. The Deep State Swamp will never stop spewing slimy lies as they continue to make a mockery of the Constitution.
HPSCI Ranking Member Devin Nunes responds to the possibilities of how HPSCI Chairman Adam Schiff gained private phone records for use in his impeachment effort.
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One of the possibilities is that Lev Parnas is a foreign national. SDNY gets a subpoena from the FISA court. Rudy Giuliani is in contact with Parnas (1-hop). They then unmask and pull Giuliani’s records and get Nunes and Solomon (2-hops).
The question would then be how did the unmasked information in an active investigation that started in the FISC end up being sent to the House Intel Committee to be disclosed to the public?
House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler has announced the date for the next impeachment hearing. The date is Monday, December 9th – 2019 It appears from the announcement the HJC hearing will be set up to receive the impeachment recommendation(s) from Adam Schiff and the House Intelligence Committee:
(HJC) The Impeachment Inquiry into President Donald J. Trump: Presentations from the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and House Judiciary Committee (link)
Monday December 9th, is also the same date that IG Horowitz is expected to release the results of the 21-month-long FISA investigation.
Two days later on Wednesday December 11th, Michael Horowitz will be testifying to the Senate Judiciary Committee about his investigation…. Therefore we can expect Nadler, Pelosi and Lawfare to schedule another House event for Wednesday Dec. 11th.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump participate in the 2019 National Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on the Ellipse in Washington DC.
…“At Christmas we remember this eternal truth: every person is a beloved child of God. As one grateful nation, we praise the joy of family, the blessings of freedom and the miracle of Christmas. On behalf of Melania and our entire family, Merry Christmas and God Bless you all.”…
~ President Donald Trump
“More than 2,000 years ago, a brilliant star shone in the East. Wise men traveled far, far afield. They were a long distance away and they came and stood with us under the star, where they found the Holy Family in Bethlehem. As the Bible tells us, when wise men had come into the House, they saw the young child with Mary his mother and fell down and worshipped him. Christians give thanks that the son of God came into the world to save humanity. Jesus Christ inspires us to love one another with hearts full of generosity and grace.”
“At Christmas we remember this eternal truth: every person is a beloved child of God. As one grateful nation, we praise the joy of family, the blessings of freedom and the miracle of Christmas. On behalf of Melania and our entire family, Merry Christmas and God Bless you all.”
Earlier today President Trump hosted a luncheon with international ambassadors representing permanent members of the United Nations Security Council. The president delivered remarks on the NATO summit this week, and took a few questions from the media. [Video and Transcript Below]
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[Transcript] – THE PRESIDENT: Okay, thank you very much. I just returned from London, where we had a tremendous success with NATO. The relationship we have with other countries is very, very good. It has to be good; otherwise, they wouldn’t have done what they’ve done.
As you know, NATO was suffering very badly from depletion of funds, and it was going down like a rollercoaster goes down. Not up, but down. And I was able to, over the last couple of years, increase their contribution — not the United States, because we were paying far more than anybody else, to put it mildly. It was really getting ridiculous.
And over the last couple years, I had them increase by $130 billion. And then, over the next couple of years — and this was done largely over these last two days, but also set up time before that — they had to now contribute $400 billion more. So it’s a total of $530 billion other countries will be putting into NATO. And NATO now is very financially sound. It’s very strong. Far greater than anybody ever thought.
If you look at Secretary General Stoltenberg’s remarks, he was very generous in his remarks about what I’ve done for NATO and what our country has done, but what I’ve done in terms of getting other countries to put up money — because they weren’t putting up money, and now they put up money at a level like has never been seen before, actually. It’s actually never been seen.
So I want to thank everybody that was there, and maybe especially Mr. Stoltenberg, who’s really a terrific man. I think he’s done a fantastic job at NATO. So the Secretary General has my great thanks. That was a tremendous success.
And I have to say — you know, it wasn’t reported accurately, but that’s okay — but the relationship I have with other countries is really good. Now, they can’t totally love me when I say, you know, “You’re not putting up your money, you’re not putting up your fair share, you’re not spending the kind of money that you’re supposed to be spending — because we’re giving you protection. You’re getting the protection of the U.S. and the greatest military force in the world, and you’re not paying. You’re delinquent.”
So I tell some people they’re delinquent. Not everybody can love that. You can’t say in too nice a manner, otherwise they’re going to be just like they’ve been for the last 15 years and not pay, and certainly not pay up to the 2 percent level — which, frankly, isn’t even that high. Frankly, 2 percent isn’t that high.
But I had a lunch yesterday that was great with, I call them, the “2 percenters.” These are the people that were at that level. There’s a total of nine countries. And we had the lunch, and a lot of countries are close and getting closer. And some are really not close. And we may do things having to do with trade. It’s not fair that they get U.S. protection and they’re not putting up their money, and they’re — really, I call them — I used that term, “delinquent.” That’s exactly what they are.
But we had a tremendous success in London. And NATO is in very, very good shape. And the relationships with other countries are really extraordinary.
Today, I’m honored to host the working lunch with ambassadors representing countries on the United Nations Security Council. I want to thank our U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Kelly Craft, for joining us and doing an extraordinary job at the United Nations. Thank you very much, Kelly. You’re doing fantastically well.
The United States holds the rotating presidency of the U.N. Security Council for the month of December. During our lunch, I will outline America’s priorities and ask our distinguished guests from other nations how we can best work together. They have a lot of great ideas. We’ve done this before. We’ve learned a lot. And it’s been really quite an interesting time for me.
Today, our nations face a range of shared security threats, including terrorism, drug trafficking, illegal migration, cyberattack, and the spread of nuclear, chemical, and biological weapons. And we’re working very hard on those problems, especially the last three. There can be nothing more important.
The Council must take action to confront these and other dangers facing the world. That also includes the behavior of the Iranian regime, which has killed hundreds and hundreds of people in a very short period of time. They’re killing protestors. They turned down their Internet system. People aren’t hearing what’s going on.
I would like to see the media get involved in that and go in and see what’s happening, because it’s not a good situation. It’s a horrible situation. It’s something that is going to be a big scandal throughout the world very soon. They’re killing a lot of people. And they’re arresting thousands of their own citizens in a brutal crackdown in recent weeks because they’re protesting. And I think the media should get involved in that. I don’t know that they will because they have their own reasons, but the media should absolutely get involved in that.
America will always stand with the Iranian people in their righteous struggle for freedom. They’re not being treated properly. All of that money is being wasted on weapons and on other things, and they’re not treating their people properly. And there are people in — all over the country, they’re rioting and they’re protesting, and they’re very unhappy.
We also call on Security Council members to join the United States in our vital efforts to promote religious liberty around the globe. The world is more secure when people have the right to follow their convictions and to worship in peace. And we’ve been very strong on that.
And getting back to Iran, I do have to say that I think the Iranian situation could be fixed very quickly and very easily, and it could become really something special, as it was at certain points of time. There are certain points of time where it was doing very well. But for quite a long time, it’s been doing very poorly, but it could be — it could be fixed very quickly. But we have people that just don’t want to do that. For some reason, they just don’t want to do that. They don’t get it.
But I want to thank everybody for attending the lunch today. I think what I’m going to do is go around. These are very important people. These are people, in their own countries, that are at the top level and really have great ideas. I learn a lot about their countries.
And I’d like to just maybe — we’ll start with Kelly, and she’ll introduce herself and just say a couple of words. And then we’ll go around the room and introduce the representatives from these very important countries.
Please, Kelly.
AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you. Thank you, Mr. President. And, you know, it is such an honor for anyone to serve a President. But for me to serve a personal friend, and this particular President, is such a great thrill — so much so that I felt like today I was bringing home all my boyfriends and the girlfriends — (laughter) — to meet my family. So I was just so — so very excited.
And he has taught me well the importance of being a business leader first when you’re putting your country first. Because I think within the Security Council, to be transparent, as the President has made very clear to countries, and accountable and being efficient — and just with NATO and demanding the 2 percent — I think that’s very important that we hold people accountable.
And as the Security Council, we all have the same values, and that is uplifting people that have less than we have. And that’s something that the President has taught us well in the United States. So people that elected him are those very people that didn’t have a voice. And that’s what we are all about in the Security Council.
And I’m very proud to introduce you to perhaps the strongest Council that I believe the United Nations has ever had.
THE PRESIDENT: That’s very good. Thank you very, Kelly.
Please.
AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Marc?
AMBASSADOR PECSTEEN DE BUYTSWERVE: I’m Marc Pecsteen. I’m the Ambassador of Belgium.
THE PRESIDENT: Good.
AMBASSADOR PECSTEEN DE BUYTSWERVE: So it’s a privilege to be here, Mr. President. Thank you very much. Thank you also to Kelly for organizing this. I think it’s really a great moment for us. Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: And I just met your representatives over the last two days, as you know. So, it was very good. Thank you very much. Please.
AMBASSADOR ZHANG: Mr. President, I’m Zhang Jun, the Permanent Representative of China. Thank you for inviting us to the White House. We have made a tour around this — a number of rooms — the green one, the red one, and also the China Room.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. (Laughter.)
AMBASSADOR ZHANG: And we were very much impressed.
THE PRESIDENT: That’s true.
AMBASSADOR ZHANG: And we were very much impressed by the decorations, and do wish you and your family and all colleagues a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR ZHANG: And we are very happy to be here. And we have listened to your remarks very carefully. Yes, indeed, the Security Council is entrusted with a huge mandate in maintaining peace and security. For that purpose, it needs our cooperation, needs our unity. And we are happy to see that Kelly Craft is leading us in December.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
AMBASSADOR ZHANG: She’s really doing a great job. She asked me to say so. (Laughter.) No, not really. (Laughs.) But we are very much impressed by the way she’s really leading the Security Council.
THE PRESIDENT: Good.
AMBASSADOR ZHANG: And, indeed, it’s our really common responsibility to work together, to stay united, to make the United Nations strong, and to maintain world peace and promoting security and development. Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. That’s beautifully stated. And we’re having meetings and discussions with your representatives right now, as you know. So it’s going along very well. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
AMBASSADOR ADOM: My name is Léon Adom, the Ambassador and Permanent Representative of Côte d’Ivoire, Ivory Coast. We were not in the NATO meeting — (laughter) — but we followed everything you did there, and you did well. Thank you very much. We thank you very much for welcoming us here. And thank you, Kelly, for your leadership in the Security Council. You represent America and President Trump in the best ways possible. Thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: That’s true. Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR SINGER: My name is José Singer. I’m Ambassador and Special Envoy to the Security Council for the Dominican Republic. I thank you for this lunch. I thank Kelly for convening this. You have a great representative in Robin Bernstein in the Dominican Republic. She’s a great ambassador.
THE PRESIDENT: Good.
AMBASSADOR SINGER: And wish you Merry Christmas and Happy Hanukkah.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. Robin is doing a very good job.
AMBASSADOR SINGER: She is great.
THE PRESIDENT: She’s fantastic. Thank you.
AMBASSADOR DE RIVIÈRE: Nicolas de Rivière, I’m the Permanent Representative of France. Thank you very much, Mr. President, for your hospitalities. It’s a privilege to be here. And thank you also for sharing Kelly with us. Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. That’s very nice. Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR HEUSGEN: Mr. President, I’m Christoph Heusgen, the Ambassador of Germany. And I was just wondering who you meant when you spoke about NATO and the delinquent. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: That’s a very interesting conversation we had yesterday with Angela. She’s a terrific woman. She’s really a terrific woman. But we did have that conversation, actually. Good. Thank you very much. Very much.
AMBASSADOR HEUSGEN: Thank you. And I wanted to thank also for Kelly Craft. We work very closely together — for instance, on religious liberties. And Germany is chairing the Sanctions Committee on North Korea, where we believe that the U.N. plays a very important role to keep the sanctions in place to make the policy that you conduct on North Korea a successful one.
And with regard, coming back to the budget, we of course hope that you also think the U.N. is very important —
THE PRESIDENT: That’s true.
AMBASSADOR HEUSGEN: — and the U.S. also pays its dues there. Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: I think the U.N. has tremendous potential, actually, as an organization. And it’s doing well. Good leadership right now. Thank you very much.
Please.
AMBASSADOR DJANI: I’m Dian Triansyah Djani. I am the Ambassador, Permanent Representative of Indonesia. We also — we’re not a member of NATO, but we’re working closely with you on G20.
I also would like to second colleagues to have Kelly there. You have appointed Nikki Haley from the south and then Kelly from the south. I studied in the south, in Nashville. So I’m very happy we have an ambassador from the southern part of U.S.
THE PRESIDENT: That’s right.
AMBASSADOR DJANI: So, thank you very much for having us here.
THE PRESIDENT: And say hello.
AMBASSADOR AL-OTAIBI: My name is Mansour al-Otaibi. I’m Ambassador of Kuwait. First, I’m really honored to be here, Mr. President. Thank you —
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
AMBASSADOR AL-OTAIBI: — for hosting us. And we are very grateful to Kelly, our colleague. She came only three months ago and she’s now presiding over the Council for the month of December. We wish her all the best.
Our bilateral relationship between the United States and Kuwait is excellent.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, it is.
AMBASSADOR AL-OTAIBI: And we will work also to (inaudible).
THE PRESIDENT: Say hello.
AMBASSADOR AL-OTAIBI: I will.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR POPOLIZIO: Good afternoon, President. My name is Néstor Popolizio. I am the Ambassador of Peru at the U.N. And I would like to thank you for receiving us, for inviting us to this important lunch.
And I would like to say that we support fully the program presented by the Ambassador, Kelly Craft, for the presidency of the United States during this month on the Security Council. It’s a very good program. Thank you for your leadership.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, thank you very much. A great country.
AMBASSADOR WRONECKA: Joanna Wronecka. I am the Permanent Representative of Poland to United Nations.
THE PRESIDENT: Sure. I just met with somebody you know very well.
AMBASSADOR WRONECKA: Yes.
THE PRESIDENT: Right?
AMBASSADOR WRONECKA: And I am so honored because, for me, it’s already for the second time that I am here in the new — in White House. Allow me, Mr. President, to say how lucky we are to have a very — a very kind and human leadership of Kelly in the Security Council, not only madam president is very professional, but also she try already in a few days to be the good spirits.
THE PRESIDENT: Good.
AMBASSADOR WRONECKA: So we are very enthusiastic.
And for Poland, we are so privileged to work closely, of course, with the NATO. Not only we share the same values. And Poland will very soon be out of the Security Council, but we always pay attention to the values, and not only —
THE PRESIDENT: Good.
AMBASSADOR WRONECKA: — freedom of religious, but also how to uphold the standards of international law.
So again, I am so privileged to be here.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR WRONECKA: All the best, and thank you so much.
THE PRESIDENT: We had a great meeting yesterday, I have to say. And he was a member of the 2 percenters. That means Poland — (laughter) —
AMBASSADOR WRONECKA: (Inaudible.)
THE PRESIDENT: So that was very good. So we happened to have lunch also. Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR NEBENZYA: President, I’m Vasily Nebenzya, the Permanent Representative of Russia in the Security Council.
THE PRESIDENT: Good.
AMBASSADOR NEBENZYA: We will not be out of the Security Council anytime soon. (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t think so. I hope not.
AMBASSADOR NEBENZYA: Thank you for hosting us and for your fantastic hospitality. Thank you for the tour of the White House.
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
AMBASSADOR NEBENZYA: We saw the China Room, but we didn’t see the Russia Room yet.
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, well, we’ll have to take care of it.
AMBASSADOR NEBENZYA: Maybe it’s the one —
THE PRESIDENT: We’ll take care of it. (Laughter.)
AMBASSADOR NEBENZYA: — which is top secret here. We couldn’t discover it.
But we’re — I thought I would be the first one to compliment and to thank you for having Kelly with us, but I was taken over by my colleagues. But we fully share — we really enjoy her company at Security Council. And I think we can do a lot of things together.
THE PRESIDENT: I agree. And you’re doing a good job, too. I’ve heard from a lot of people. Great job. Thank you very much.
Please.
AMBASSADOR MATJILA: President, I’m Jerry Matjila from South Africa. Very grateful for you to invite us to the White House. We are so happy about it. And thanks for giving us our friend. Kelly is a friend. And we coalesce with the Council, together, to South Sudan. We get together on African issues and we followed your Africa strategy. And thank you so much for the programs you have in Africa.
And next year, South Africa will be chairing the African Union. And I hope we can work together —
THE PRESIDENT: Oh, very good. Yeah.
AMBASSADOR MATJILA: — on peace and security of Africa. But thank you so much, President.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
AMBASSADOR MATJILA: And thanks for sending Lana Marks to South Africa.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes.
AMBASSADOR MATJILA: She’s doing a great job already. She’s all over the (inaudible).
THE PRESIDENT: That’s great. I hear that. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
AMBASSADOR PIERCE: Mr. President, I’m Karen Pierce from the United Kingdom. It’s a real honor, sir, to be here and to have the tour of the White House and to have lunch with you.
I hope the little matter of 1812 might now be laid to rest. (Laughter.) This is the most wonderful building, and we are deeply honored to be here.
I wanted to thank you as well, sir, for your support for the United Nations by sending us two inspiring appointments: first, Nikki, and now Kelly, as all my colleagues have said.
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
AMBASSADOR PIERCE: There’s a lot to do together.
Another colleague mentioned DPRK. But 2020 will be the anniversary of the U.N. And I know, sir, that when you came to the U.N. the first time, I think you said we needed a better United Nations. And I think we can support you in that, absolutely.
THE PRESIDENT: Good. I think so. Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
AMBASSADOR JÜRGENSON: Thank you. I am Sven Jürgenson, Ambassador of Estonia. And it’s a pleasure and privilege of being here. And thank you so much for having us here.
You mentioned the lunch in London. Just driving here, I read an article in one of Estonian newspapers with a funny headline: “The Two Percenters Got a Free Lunch.” (Laughter.)
THE PRESIDENT: That’s right. (Inaudible.) I paid for it. (Laughter.)
AMBASSADOR JÜRGENSON: (Inaudible.) So, thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much.
AMBASSADOR KING: Mr. President, it is indeed a great honor for me. Rhonda King is my name. I represent the smallest country ever to be elected to the Security Council, St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
And I think you are familiar with one of the islands in the Grenadines: Canouan. You once had some business interests there.
THE PRESIDENT: Yes. Absolutely.
AMBASSADOR KING: Yes. And my Prime Minister sends his greetings because —
THE PRESIDENT: Good.
AMBASSADOR KING: — I spoke with him yesterday and told him I was coming here. So he asked me to remind you —
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
AMBASSADOR KING: — of our beautiful island.
THE PRESIDENT: Sure.
AMBASSADOR KING: And I would be remiss if I also didn’t join Karen in complimenting you for appointing two — if you look around the table, you would see that there are only four women, and only three will be sitting on the Council. And we are on our way in. So it was — it’s a wonderful thing that you have appointed two very great women —
THE PRESIDENT: That’s right. Thank you.
AMBASSADOR KING: — during your tenure. So I congratulate you on that.
And I wish to also compliment Kelly, because already she has brought — restored a sense of civility and dignity and grace to diplomacy. So I congratulate Kelly. I’m looking forward to working with her over the next two years.
THE PRESIDENT: That’s very nice.
AMBASSADOR KING: Once again, it’s an honor for me.
THE PRESIDENT: Great job.
AMBASSADOR KING: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
AMBASSADOR BAATI: Mr. President, I’m Moncef Baati. I am the Ambassador of Tunisia. For me, it’s a big honor and privilege to be here with you. Thank you for the invitation.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you.
AMBASSADOR BAATI: And also, I share the views of my colleagues. You sent us a talented professional and great lady. She is doing a wonderful job. Thank you for that.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Appreciate it.
AMBASSADOR ĐẶNG: Yes, I am the last one, and there from Vietnam. And I have chance to see you the first time in Da Nang —
THE PRESIDENT: Right.
AMBASSADOR ĐẶNG: — in 2017, in APEC meeting. So this is my great honor to be here today at the White House. And I hope that you will visit our region again. But next year, Malaysia will be the heart of APEC Summit, and Vietnam the heart of ASEAN, EAS. So please come again. Thank you very much.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you very much. Thank you. And say hello, by the way. We had some great meetings in Vietnam. Very successful meetings.
AMBASSADOR ĐẶNG: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: And the trade is doing very well with Vietnam. Thank you very much.
So thank you all very much. Again, this last two days have been really amazing. The success of the days, the amount of money raised was a number that nobody could even believe. And if you add it up again, it’s $530 billion over a very short period of time. Much of it is already coming in by other nations, some of whom are represented here today. So that was really something special.
And this will be great, and we’re going to learn a lot. And we’re going to give some ideas. And we’re going to have lunch, and a lot of good things will happen. But I appreciate you all being here.
And, Kelly, congratulations on doing a fantastic job.
AMBASSADOR CRAFT: Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Thank you all very much.
Q On China, sir? (Inaudible) on China?
THE PRESIDENT: Moving along well.
Q Moving along well?
THE PRESIDENT: It’s moving along very well.
Q Will the tariffs go into effect next week, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, we’ll have to see. But right now we’re moving along. We’re not discussing that, but we are having very major discussions on December 15th. Something could happen, but we are not discussing that yet. We are having very good discussions with China, however.
Q Are you worried, sir, about the stain that impeachment might have on your legacy?
THE PRESIDENT: No, not at all. No, not at all. It’s a hoax. It’s a hoax. It’s a big fat hoax.
Q Mr. President, on Iran?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, go ahead?
Q Mr. President, on Iran, the Pentagon officials are saying that you’re all considering possibly sending more troops to the Middle East because there’s a threat situation —
THE PRESIDENT: We’ll announce — whatever we do, we’ll announce. But certainly, there might be a threat. And if there is a threat, it will be met very strongly. But we’ll be announcing whatever we may be doing — may or may not be doing. Okay?
Q What would you like to see the U.N. in regards to Iran and the crackdown vis-à-vis human rights?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, the U.N. has actually been involved very much with us. We’re already dealing with the U.N. and dealing very well with the U.N. So they’re very much involved with respect to Iran and other things with us.
Thank you all very much. Appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you very much.
Earlier today President Trump responded to the House Judiciary Committee farcical construct of a constitutional academic panel:
Moments later, Speaker Pelosi announced her instructions to the House Chair to assemble articles of impeachment for House floor vote consideration. In response to the Pelosi announcement President Trump tweeted:
With the House calendar extended to December 20th it now appears the full House vote on articles of impeachment will take place within this year. Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced her instructions to House Judiciary Chairman Jerry Nadler to assemble the formal articles of impeachment to be brought to the House floor.
Speaker Pelosi did not provide many details; however, Democrats have said they are considering multiple articles of impeachment against Trump including abuse of power, obstruction of justice and obstruction of Congress. The House Judiciary Committee is expected to draw up articles of impeachment as soon as next week.
This is the first time in History that articles of impeachment will be assembled without an official full house vote to initiate the impeachment process. This is also the first impeachment effort without the House attaining recognized judicial enforcement authority. The vote will take place before the Supreme Court weighs-in on the legal framework for the House effort. The House judicial enforcement authority, not being recognized by the Supreme Court, likely had a strong bearing on the timing.
The awakened American middle-class insurgency, led by Donald Trump, is an existential threat to the professional political class and every entity who lives in/around the professional political class. Their entire political apparatus is threatened by our insurgency. The political industry, all of corrupt governance, is threatened by our support through Donald Trump.
You know why the entire apparatus is united against President Trump. You know why the corrupt Wall Street financial apparatus is united against President Trump. You know why every institutional department, every lobbyist, every K-Street dweller, every career legislative member, staffer, and the various downstream economic benefactors, including the corporate media, all of it – all the above, are united against Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is an existential threat to the existence of a corrupt DC system we have exposed to his disinfecting sunlight. Donald Trump is the existential threat to every entity who benefits from that corrupt and vile system.
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This is a library of News Events not reported by the Main Stream Media documenting & connecting the dots on How the Obama Marxist Liberal agenda is destroying America
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