September 27, 2017


News and Views


THE STRANGE WORLD OF MR. TRUMP’S TWEETS – AND HOW SERIOUSLY HE AND THE GOVERNMENT APPARENTLY TAKE THEM. COVFEFE, IN THIS CASE, STANDS FOR: “COMMUNICATIONS OVER VARIOUS FEEDS ELECTRONICALLY FOR ENGAGEMENT" ACT ON MONDAY, DESIGNED TO AMEND THE PRESIDENTIAL RECORDS ACT TO CATEGORIZE SOCIAL MEDIA POSTS AS OFFICIAL PRESIDENTIAL COMMUNICATIONS THAT MUST BE PRESERVED FOR POSTERITY.”

http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/27/politics/deleted-tweets-trump-luther-strange/index.html
Trump's recent tweets supporting Luther Strange deleted
By Madison Park, CNN
Updated 7:23 AM ET, Wed September 27, 2017

(CNN)President Donald Trump's most recent tweets urging Alabamians to vote for Sen. Luther Strange disappeared from his verified Twitter account Tuesday night after the candidate was projected to lose the Republican primary runoff for a Senate seat.

Three recent Trump tweets about Strange were deleted Tuesday night, according to ProPublica, which tracks deleted tweets.

This came shortly after Strange appeared headed for a loss, despite Trump's efforts to help the candidate.

The deleted tweets had touted Trump's personal endorsement of Strange.

On Tuesday morning, Trump had tweeted: "ALABAMA, get out and vote for Luther Strange - he has proven to me that he will never let you down! #MAGA"

Earlier in the morning, Trump had tweeted: "Luther Strange has been shooting up in the Alabama polls since my endorsement. Finish the job - vote today for 'Big Luther.'"

On Monday night, Trump had tweeted: "Big election tomorrow in the Great State of Alabama. Vote for Senator Luther Strange, tough on crime & border - will never let you down!"

Roy Moore: We can support the President
Roy Moore: We can support the President 01:02

Those three tweets were deleted Tuesday after Roy Moore appeared to have beaten Strange. Strange conceded shortly after 8:30 p.m. local time, 9:30 p.m. ET.

CNN reached out to the White House regarding the deleted tweets.

Trump's post congratulating Moore on Tuesday night, remained visible on his Twitter account.

Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump
Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy, WIN in Dec!
10:17 PM - Sep 26, 2017
15,729 15,729 Replies 15,662 15,662 Retweets 74,508 74,508 likes

That tweet read: "Congratulations to Roy Moore on his Republican Primary win in Alabama. Luther Strange started way back & ran a good race. Roy, WIN in Dec!"

Moore now faces Democratic nominee Doug Jones in a December general election in the race to replace Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

Trump's older tweets endorsing Strange, dating back to last week, remained public.

Congressman introduces 'COVFEFE Act*' to make social media a presidential record

Trump often deletes tweets from his personal account over spelling mistakes and then quickly tweets corrected versions. Deletion of tweets have raised questions about how presidents' social media should be handled and preserved.

The question has also been raised whether Trump is violating the Presidential Records Act of 1978, which requires all the president's records be preserved for eventual release to the public on a delayed basis long after the commander in chief leaves office.


REMEMBER *COVFEFE? IT’S BACK ....

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/congressman-s-covfefe-act-would-force-president-trump-save-all-n771256
NEWS JUN 12 2017, 7:06 PM ET
Congressman’s ‘COVFEFE Act’ Would Force President Trump to Save All His Tweets
by ALEX JOHNSON

The White House has already promised to preserve all of President Donald Trump's tweets — even those he's deleted — but Democratic Rep. Mike Quigley of Illinois wants to make sure it follows through.

Quigley, who represents parts of Chicago, introduced the "Communications Over Various Feeds Electronically For Engagement" Act on Monday, designed to amend the Presidential Records Act to categorize social media posts as official presidential communications that must be preserved for posterity.

In case you didn't notice, the bill's acronym is COVFEFE — after the president's mysterious May 31 tweet (since deleted) reading: "Despite the constant negative press covfefe."

Trump later tweeted (and didn't delete): "Who can figure out the true meaning of 'covfefe' ??? Enjoy!" And White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer told a journalists [sic] at an off-camera briefing that day that "a small group of people know exactly what he meant."

Image: Donald Trump -- Donald Trump on his mobile phone during a campaign stop in North Charleston, S.C., in February 2016. Matt Rourke / AP

Most observers believe Trump was simply misspelling the word "coverage."

"The name might be silly, but the issue's really important and serious," Quigley's spokeswoman, Tara Vales, told NBC News.

Like most matters presidential, Trump's use of Twitter is a subject of much controversy, especially after Spicer said last week that Trump's tweets should be regarded as official statements of policy.

On Monday, a three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals took Spicer up on his offer. It cited Spicer's statement in its unanimous decision upholding a lower-court decision to block Trump's executive order to temporarily block entry into the United States by travelers from six mostly Muslim countries.

The court then went on to cite Trump's tweet last week declaring that "we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries" as support for actually regarding the order as a blanket, and likely unconstitutional, "travel ban."

Follow
Donald J. Trump ✔@realDonaldTrump
That's right, we need a TRAVEL BAN for certain DANGEROUS countries, not some politically correct term that won't help us protect our people!
9:20 PM - Jun 5, 2017
33,881 33,881 Replies 31,597 31,597 Retweets 120,999 120,999 likes

In April, the National Archives, which in 2014 declared that presidential social media posts should be handled as official documents, said it had been reassured by the White House that it's saving all of Trump's tweets.

But it remains unclear whether that policy applies to his personal account, @realDonaldTrump, in addition to his official account, @POTUS. Quigley's COVFEFE ACT would make that interpretation federal law.

"Tweets are powerful, and the president must be held accountable for every post," Quigley said in a statement.

Related: President’s Twitter Account Should Not Block Users, First Amendment Lawyers Argue

More to the point, Vales told NBC News, Twitter is "where the president goes to make a lot of his public policy proposals."

"When the president deletes a tweet, it is the equivalent of him destroying a record," she said.

Quigley is co-chairman of the Congressional Transparency Caucus, and "he would hope that anyone committed to those principles" would be on board, regardless of party, she said.

Image: Mike Quigley -- 'Tweets are powerful, and the president must be held accountable for every post,' said Rep. Mike Quigley, D-Illinois, the bill's sponsor. Bill Clark / CQ-Roll Call Inc. – file

The nonprofit journalism site ProPublica independently archives tweets deleted by hundreds of elected officials — including Trump. Its database shows that the president has deleted 19 tweets from @realDonaldTrump since he was inaugurated on Jan. 20.

The great majority of the deleted tweets are relatively innocuous messages that appear to have been killed and quickly replaced to correct spelling errors or to add links to relevant material. (For example, on May 12, Trump gnomically tweeted and then deleted the single word "we.")

But a handful have addressed contentious policy issues, raising questions about Trump's motive for deleting them. Most prominent was this tweet on May 4: "An honor to host President Mahmoud Abbas at the WH today. Hopefully, something terrific could come out it between the Palestinians & Israel."

That tweet stayed up for 13 hours before it was deleted, with no replacement.

It turns out that Quigley's congressional account, @RepMikeQuigley, has deleted seven tweets of its own this year — including one on Monday promoting the COVFEFE ACT. According to ProPublica's database, however, all were quickly replaced, apparently to correct misspellings and add links.

(ProPublica is an investigative partner of NBC News.)

And in case you were wondering, Vales was finally able to clear up a question that has plagued analysts and news readers since May 31.

According to Quigley, she said, it's pronounced "coe-FEFF-feh."


ON THE QUESTION OF WHAT THE H “COVFEFE MEANS, I FOUND A BUNCH OF SPECULATIONS, NONE OF WHICH ARE PROBABLY TRUE. I HAVE CHOSEN THE ONE BY HUFFINGTON POST BECAUSE I LOVE HUFFINGTON POST. THE ARTICLE IS BELOW. H POST ALLOWS ITSELF TO WANDER DEEPLY INTO THE WORLD OF PROFANITY AND VULGARITY, WHICH IS WHERE NOT A LITTLE, BUT MOST STREET SLANG BEGINS. TAKE THE PHRASE “HE IS A JERK OR JERK OFF,” FOR INSTANCE. THEY BECOME COMMONPLACE BECAUSE THEY ARE FUNNY IN AN INSULTING WAY.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/the-meaning-of-the-word-covfefe-in-the-samoan-language_us_592f0f0ae4b017b267edff7e
The Meaning Of The Word ‘Covfefe’ In The Samoan Language
Lagipoiva Cherelle Jackson, Contributor
05/31/2017 02:54 pm ET Updated Jun 01, 2017

BBC has alerted us all that the word “covfefe” as used by the president of the United States of America, Donald Trump, is a Samoan word. Do you know how excited our very small country is, that a leader of the free world has used a word in our language, and what better time than the celebration of Samoan language week in New Zealand. Spoken by a little over 200,000 people, we are indeed honored that one of our words, or at least that sounds like one, has been used by a non-native speaker.

TE PAPA MUSEUM -- This photo has no relationship to the article, it’s just a cool old photo of a Samoan woman.

As a graduate of the Center of Samoan Studies with a minor in the examination and analysis of the Samoan language and oratory, I can confirm to you today, that the word “covfefe” does have some similarities to several Samoan words, and has some basis on our beautiful language. Below, I will analyse this most intriguing, weird, tweeted word.

Cov (similar to the Samoan word ko and kou) meaning:

ko: Pregnant; to pick a fruit or; to reach for something

kou: is short for oukou (you people, plural) or kakou (us people, plural)

Cov is not a Samoan word because it has the letter ‘C’ and ends with a consonant. Our alphabet does not contain the letters c, d, w, b, y, j and z, and as you can imagine it is vowel-centric. Cov, however is phonetically similar to the word “ko” and “kou” so for the purposes of this particular phrasing, we will use both ko and kou.

Fefe: Fear; afraid ; or an expression of mockery

Depending on how the word fefe is used, it can be interpreted as fear, afraid or an expression of mockery similar to “whatever or whatevs” in modern day language and slang.

Similar sounding words include the following.

Kefe: Circumcise (original meaning); but recently evolved into an offence or noun that refers to; asshole; and/or putrid person

Fefeke: Inflate and/or fat or large

Fefela: To display ones genitals and/or underwear by voluntarily or involuntarily adjusting ones attire while seated cross legged on the floor.

Based on the phonetic similarities alone, covfefe sounds like the Samoan word combos “ko fefe”, “ko fale”, “kafefe”, “ko kefe” and “kou kefe.”

These combination words are explained as follows:

Ko fefe: pregnant but in fear of it

Ko fale: pregnant from ones own relative

Ko kefe: a pregnancy of the nether region; or pregnant asshole. If we use the original meaning of kefe (circumcise) then this also means; to reach for ones circumcision.

Kafefe: An expression of shock, dismay or surprise, similar to “Oh my!”

Kou Kefe: You assholes

To be clear, “covfefe” is most certainly not a Samoan word by any measure, however the word “fefe” itself is very much a Samoan word, and one most often used to display the strength of Samoans by the indication that we have no “fefe.”

So, dear Trump, thank you for highlighting our language this week, you are most welcome to invest in the education system of our small nation so that people like yourself can learn proper Samoan, if you should see the need.



STRANGE’S PERSONAL BACKGROUND IS IN THE OIL INDUSTRY AND THE LAW. HE HAS A SCANDAL, OR THE HINT OF ONE, WHICH HAS MADE HIM UNPOPULAR TO MANY REPUBLICANS – NOT TO DONALD TRUMP, THOUGH.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_Strange
Luther Strange
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Luther Johnson Strange III (born March 1, 1953) is an American lawyer and politician currently serving as the junior United States Senator from Alabama. He was appointed to fill that position after it was vacated by now-U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions upon Sessions's confirmation.

He previously served as the 47th Attorney General of the U.S. state of Alabama from 2011 until 2017.[1] Strange was a candidate for public office in both 2006 and 2010.[2][3] In 2006, Strange ran for Lieutenant Governor of Alabama and defeated George Wallace Jr. in the Republican primary. Strange then lost the general election to Democrat Jim Folsom Jr. In 2010, Strange defeated incumbent Attorney General Troy King in the Republican primary, before going on to win the general election against Democrat James Anderson.[4]

After President Donald Trump appointed Alabama Senator Jeff Sessions to the office of Attorney General of the United States, then-Governor Robert J. Bentley appointed Strange to fill out the vacancy.[5] He ran to finish the term in the subsequent special election and advanced to the Republican primary runoff, where he lost to the former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama, Roy Moore.[6]

. . . .

Reaction[edit]

Strange's appointment was welcomed by fellow Republicans, such as Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge,[34] and Karl Rove.[35] Conservative activists, such as Chris W. Cox of the NRA, also hailed the appointment.[36] NPR Southern political analyst Debbie Elliott said that Strange's conservative politics are "very much in the mold of Jeff Sessions." She noted that as state attorney general: "He's been very active in state-led fights against federal environmental regulations, against Obamacare, against transgender bathroom directives. He's fought for Alabama's strict abortion laws. He defended the state's controversial immigration law. A good bit of it was struck down by federal courts."[37]

There was negative reaction from other Republicans who expressed concern about Strange's appointment. In early November 2016, prior to Election Day, he had requested that impeachment proceedings against Bentley be delayed.[38] Some saw a link between this and Strange's appointment. "There's going to be such an air of conspiracy hanging over our state and our new senator," said state representative Ed Henry.[39] "It's just one of those things where it appears there could have been collusion," said state representative Allen Farley.[40] "The whole thing stinks," said State Auditor Jim Zeigler. "It is outrageous. We have the potential for Gov. Blagojevich situation."[41]


THIS IS A GREAT STORY, AND A GREAT WAY TO SAY THAT TRUMP IS A CHUMP. DO GO TO THE WEBSITE AND LOOK AT THE PHOTO THERE.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/president-donald-trump-impeachment-billboard-california/
CBS NEWS September 26, 2017, 3:24 PM
Billboard calling for Trump's impeachment goes up in California

Photograph -- A billboard calling for the impeachment of President Trump went up near the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in Northern California. CBS SAN FRANCISCO

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Drivers crossing the Bay Bridge from Oakland to San Francisco witnessed an in-your-face political statement Monday morning.

CBS San Francisco reports a billboard that calls for the impeachment of President Trump was constructed along the roadway.

The digital ad bears a giant photo of a brooding Mr. Trump with the word "Impeach" in huge yellow letters. It also has a URL for an online petition.

The billboard is the work of a group called the Courage Campaign, whose president says it's time to get the country behind the removal of Mr. Trump. They want to pressure the Republican-controlled Congress, which has shown no inclination to impeach the president.

Melania Trump threatens lawsuit over English class billboard

"We are a grassroots organization. If we are not calling for impeachment, given what has happened, who is?" asked the organization's president and executive director, Eddie Kurtz.

He points out that more than a million people cross the bridge every day, so it's an incredibly strategic place to have a billboard.

Courage Campaign is a progressive organization, probably best known for fighting Proposition 8, the ballot initiative that banned same-sex marriage in California in 2008. Its website says it focuses on economic justice, human rights and corporate and political accountability.

"There's this pattern that seems to repeat: Trump does something absolutely unacceptable, unethical, just the thing you could never imagine even the worst of our previous presidents doing," Kurtz said. "There's this wave of outrage -- it happened after Charlottesville, it happened even before he was elected when he admitted to sexually assaulting women -- and then it settles down and his base is still with him."

Saint Mary's College political professor Steve Woolpert says it's unlikely that Mr. Trump would be impeached without some finding of significant legal wrongdoing. But, then again, just getting elected was something that few people expected to happen.

"This is an unusual moment," Woolpert said. "It's fraught with both opportunity and peril, largely because so many people didn't see it coming."

Kurtz says the campaign is spending $1,500 for the billboard and that its online petition was already nearing 100,000 signatures.

"It really is going to take an overwhelming [sic] of political energy, of grassroots energy, to demand impeachment, as well as having a legal case," he said. "So our piece of the fight is to mobilize and educate grassroots progressives about the case for impeachment."

Kurtz isn't worried about distracting drivers. He says the ad falls within the Bay Bridge billboard guidelines. He says with every new outrageous statement by the president, the petition drive wins more support.

The billboard will stay up through Sunday and perhaps longer if there are enough donations.



I HAVE INCLUDED THIS AS A FOOTNOTE ON THE TRUMP/CLINTON/RUSSIA STORIES AND SOME ON OBAMA, TOO. THIS MAN STARTED THE VIRAL RUMOR THAT OBAMA IS GAY, FOR INSTANCE. HE IS ONE OF THE “NEWS” WRITERS WHO GIVE CNN, CBS, NPR, ETC. A BAD NAME IN THE HINTERLANDS OF THE USA.

https://www.cbsnews.com/videos/infamous-fake-news-writer-dead-at-38/
Infamous fake news writer dead at 38
SEPTEMBER 27, 2017, 12:07 PM| Paul Horner became notorious for publishing widely shared fake news stories on Facebook -- especially during the 2016 election. He was found dead in his bed in Arizona at the age of 38. Officials say he had a history of drug abuse and that evidence at the scene suggests it was an accidental overdose.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paul_Horner
Paul Horner
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paul Horner (November 5, 1978[1] - September 18, 2017) was an American writer, comedian and contributor to fake news websites whose stories have been said to have had a significant impact on the 2016 U.S. presidential election.

Lead writer for National Report[edit]

Horner was lead writer of the website National Report since the site's launch.[2][3]

One of his widest-spread fake stories was a piece claiming artist Banksy* had been arrested and his identity revealed as Paul Horner, which Horner posted in 2013 and was re-circulated in 2014 and once again in 2017.[4][5][6][7][8]

Horner is still listed as a possible suspect behind Banksy's true identity and some even believe Banksy could be Horner's creation who goes by the name Fappy The Anti-Masturbation Dolphin; a Christian mascot with over 100,000 followers on Facebook and was supposedly doing a documentary by Michael Moore along with being arrested for public masturbation five times.[9][10][11][12][13] Random art sightings claiming to be works of art by Banksy stating, "Paul Horner I come for you", turned out to be hoaxes by Horner.[14][15]

Due to one of Horner's stories, former Arizona Governor Jan Brewer had to go on live television to insist that she was not implementing mandatory gay to straight programs in all Arizona K-12 schools.[16] Fox News did a live broadcast about one of Horner's stories as being factual: Barack Obama had personally funded a Muslim museum so it could stay open during the government shutdown of 2013.[17][18][19]


“BANKSY” IS A WELL-KNOWN BRITISH STREET ARTIST WHO WAS UNKNOWN TO ME. I TENDED TO ASSUME THAT THOSE THINGS WEREN’T REALLY SERIOUS ART AT ALL, BUT APPARENTLY THAT ISN’T TRUE. THIS ARTICLE ON HIM AND HIS WORK IS SHORT, BUT VERY INTERESTING. HAVE A LOOK AT IT. ALSO, SCAN THE OTHER SUBJECTS COVERED BY “PRIMARY FACTS.” THERE IS A HUGE WORLD OF LITTLE KNOWN INFORMATION TO BE DISCOVERED ON THE INTERNET. I AM SO GLAD THAT I DECIDED TO SUBSCRIBE TO IT, EVEN THOUGH IT ISN’T INEXPENSIVE.

GO TO THESE WEBSITES FEATURING BANKSY.

http://primaryfacts.com/2218/banksy-facts-and-information/
Banksy: Facts and Information
Posted on July 18, 2013 by James • 11 Comments

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HViUIh-lSLo
BEST oF Banksy Street Art – YouTube -- 4:45.


ABOUT NATIONAL REPORT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Report
National Report
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

National Report is a fake news website which posts fictional articles related to world events.[1][2] It is described by Snopes.com as a fake news site,[3] by FactCheck.org as a satirical site[4] and by Caitlin Dewey of the Washington Post as part of a fake-news industry, making profits from "duping gullible Internet users with deceptively newsy headlines."[5] The National Report describes itself as a "news and political satire web publication" and provides a disclaimer that "all news articles contained within National Report are fiction".[6] The disclaimer, however, is not printed on the main page, which instead claims that the website is "America's #1 Independent News Source."[7]

Stories from the National Report have been taken seriously by third parties such as Fox News Channel, and the site drew criticism in October 2014 for running a series of fake stories about Ebola outbreaks in the United States,[8] including the false report that the town of Purdon, Texas, has been quarantined after an outbreak.[9][10] The story led to a traffic spike of two million unique visitors, and although the story was debunked by other websites, the original National Report story received six times as many "shares" on social media sites as the debunking stories did.[8]

History[edit]

In February 2013, National Report was registered as a site.[11] Paul Horner was the publication's lead writer;[12] his employment began shortly after National Report went online.[13] He said that he left National Report in 2014.[14] Jestin Coler has written for the site under the pseudonym "Allen Montgomery".[15]

In 2014, a Facebook interface experiment included the site on a list of those whose stories were flagged as "satire" when appearing on the social network.[16] Writing at the time, Craig Silverman of emergent.info saw National Report as one of several websites which were "not driven by trying to do comedy or satire, but by what kind of fake stuff can we spin up to get shares that earn us money",[9] with particularly widely spread hoax stories capable of earning thousands of dollars per day from on-site advertising.[12]

Disclaimer[edit]

The National Report carries a disclaimer identifying its content as satire and fake news,[6] but there was no prominent link to this page until late December 2014.[17][18] Numerous articles referring to National Report stories stated that National Report's disclaimer had been removed.[9][19]

List of serious interpretations[edit]

Several hoax National Report stories have been mistakenly reported as fact by media outlets.

A report that Arizona governor Jan Brewer intended to introduce mandatory gay-to-straight conversion courses into the state's public school system. A spokesman for the governor called the fake article 'vile' and said 'its authors should be ashamed.' Brewer has been a target of gay rights activists because of her efforts to strip same-sex partners of government benefits, and for her stance on making it harder for gay couples to adopt children.[20][21][22]

One article, at the time of the closure of some US monuments including the World War II memorial in Washington, DC, during a budget dispute, fooled researchers at Fox News Channel into reporting that the President had announced his intention to spend his own money to keep a Muslim museum open during a government shutdown.[11][19]

A report published on November 2, 2013 claiming a fictitious Assam Rape Festival created a furor in Indian national and local media. Several newspapers and blogs reported the same.[23][24][25] A police probe in India showed the story originated from Uganda.[26]



HOW POLITICIANS MAKE THEIR FORTUNES IN THE GOVERNMENT IS THE SUBJECT HERE. “PRICE TOLD FOX NEWS ON SATURDAY THAT HE WILL NOT TAKE A PRIVATE CHARTER FLIGHT WHILE HHS' INSPECTOR GENERAL IS INVESTIGATING PRICE'S TRAVEL.” THAT’S LIKE “I WON’T TAKE ANY MORE COOKIES WHILE MOMMY IS WATCHING.” IT MAY BE A WISE MOVE, BUT IT HARDLY GIVES ME CONFIDENCE IN HIS HONESTY. ALSO, HIS USE OF THE PHRASE “THE OPTICS” TO REFER TO 24 DIFFERENT INSTANCES OF GOVERNMENT WASTE OF AN AVOIDABLE KIND, A REALITY AND NOT “OPTICS”; WHILE CONGRESS TRIES TO CUT MEDICARE, MEDICAID AND EVEN SOCIAL SECURITY. I HOPE THESE GUYS GET PUNISHED IN SOME WAY THAT THEY WILL PERSONALLY FEEL.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-casts-doubt-on-tom-prices-future-after-use-of-private-charter-planes/
By KATHRYN WATSON CBS NEWS September 27, 2017, 1:38 PM
Trump casts doubt on Tom Price's future after use of private charter planes

Photograph -- Chairman of the House Budget Committee Tom Price (R-GA) announces the House Budget during a press conference on Capitol Hill in Washington on March 17, 2015. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts/File Photo - RTSTR8O REUTERS

President Trump told reporters on Wednesday he is "not happy" with Health and Human Services Secretary Tom Price, who has come under fire for using a private plane to conduct his daily business, leaving open the possibility of firing price.

Mr. Trump, asked if Price will be fired, said, "We'll see," as he prepared to depart for Indiana to announce his tax framework.

Price is one of three cabinet secretaries under fire for his government-funded travel expenses, the other two being Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Environmental Protection Agency Scott Pruitt. Price's travel, first reported by Politico, includes, by Politico's count, at least $400,000 spent on at least 24 private charter plane flights, often on jaunts where commercial travel options were available. HHS insists there were only 11 flights, related to hurricane travel and work on the opioid crisis.

Price told Fox News on Saturday that he will not take a private charter flight while HHS' inspector general is investigating Price's travel.

3 Trump Cabinet officials under fire for taking costly flights at taxpayer expense
Play VIDEO
3 Trump Cabinet officials under fire for taking costly flights at taxpayer expense

"The optics in some of this don't look good, and that's why we again have taken this criticism to heart," Price told Fox News.

Price said HHS takes those criticisms "very seriously."

"We've heard the criticisms," Price told Fox News. "We've heard the concerns. And we take that very seriously, and have taken it to heart. As you mentioned, the inspector general is going through a review and an audit of this process and we will cooperate fully with it. I've instituted or initiated as well an internal or departmental review of the procedures and processes that we go through for official travel to determine whether there are any changes or reforms that are necessary. And if there are, then we look forward to instituting those, because we welcome this review."

The Price travel story comes as HHS is looking to slash its budget and programs, and as Mr. Trump himself is under fire for the mounting costs to fund his frequent travel to his clubs in Bedminster, New Jersey, and Palm Beach, Florida. The story also comes as Republicans' last-ditch attempt to repeal and replace Obamacare — a move Price staunchly supported — is officially dead on Capitol Hill.

Kathryn Watson
Kathryn Watson is a politics reporter for CBS News Digital.



THIS IS FRIGHTENING, BUT IT TURNED OUT WELL. THIS FOUR WEEK-OLD BABY WAS FOUND ON THE SIDE OF A HIGHWAY BY A CHURCH VAN. I WONDER IF THE MOTHER WAS REMAINING NEARBY TO SEE THAT HE WAS RECOVERED SAFELY, BECAUSE THE ARTICLE SAYS THAT SHE WAS IDENTIFIED, AND THAT NO CHARGES WERE FILED. I HOPED THERE WOULD BE A VIDEO OF THIS, BUT I COULDN’T FIND ONE. THERE IS A GOOD PHOTO OF HIM.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/baby-abandoned-near-highway-was-left-with-id-5k-in-cash/
By CRIMESIDER STAFF CBS NEWS September 27, 2017, 12:45 PM
Baby abandoned near highway was left with ID, $5K in cash

SHAWNEE, Okla. — Police say more than $5,000 in cash was found left with an infant who was discovered apparently abandoned near an Oklahoma highway Saturday, reports CBS affiliate KWTV.

The four-week-old boy's identification documents were also left at the scene, where passengers in a church van first noticed the baby along Interstate 40, near Oklahoma City.

Alexis Harrison told KWTW that she and her husband pulled over soon after the church van found the baby.

Photograph -- 170925-kwtw-infant-found-interstate.jpg, An infant who was found alone inside a car seat near Interstate 40 in Oklahoma City on Sat., Sept. 23, 2017. KWTW-TV

"Obviously our initial reaction was, that's not real. There's no way that's real," Harrison said. "When we got there, you know I just said please tell me that's not what I think it is."

The baby was in a car seat barely visible through the tall brush. He was abandoned on the side of the interstate without food or water. Harrison said surprisingly the 4-week-old was calm and not crying.

"His eyes were just huge," said Harrison. "You know, just 'what is going on' kind of look."

Police determined the baby had not been there long and was not harmed.

"This could have had a very tragic outcome," said Msgt. Gary Knight, Oklahoma City Police Department. "Not only because of cars going by but it was hot that day. The temperature was in the 90s and you're talking about a child that's like four weeks old."

The baby is currently in the care of state officials and will either be placed with family or a foster family, officials said.

Police were able to identify the baby's mother. Charges have not been filed.



“A KENTUCKY MAN IS SUING THE GOVERNMENT OVER A PROGRAM THAT SEIZES THE PROPERTY OF SUSPECTS OF A CRIME. THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT TOOK NEARLY $29 BILLION WORTH OF MONEY AND PROPERTY BETWEEN 2001 AND 2014. MOST OF IT WAS SEIZED WITHOUT CHARGING ANYONE WITH A CRIME.”

"‘I LOVE THAT PROGRAM,’ SESSIONS SAID SEPT. 1 AT A LAW ENFORCEMENT CONFERENCE IN ALABAMA.” THIS REMINDS ME OF TRUMP’S RECENT STATEMENT THAT THE SAFETY REGULATIONS ARE “RUINING” FOOTBALL BY OUTLAWING FULL ON HEAD STRIKES, DESPITE THE NUMBER OF BRAIN DAMAGE CASES THAT HAVE BEEN DISCOVERED. THOSE WHO PROMOTE IT ARE CRIMINALS WHO ARE DOING THINGS THAT SHOULD BE, BUT JUST AREN’T, AGAINST ANY WRITTEN LAW. VICIOUSNESS SHOULD BE A CRIME IN AND OF ITSELF.

THIS CIVIL FORFEITURE PROCEDURE HAPPENS OVER AND OVER AGAIN ACROSS THE COUNTRY, ESPECIALLY IN SMALL CITIES AND TOWNS WHERE THERE IS LITTLE MOBILIZATION OF PUBLIC OUTRAGE AGAINST POLICE AND CITY OVERREACH. THE MONEY USUALLY GOES INTO THE CITY FUNDS. AS FAR AS I’M CONCERNED, IT’S THEFT PURE AND SIMPLE.

THE GOOD NEWS HERE IS THAT SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES IS IN THE WORKS, THOUGH IT IS DESCRIBED HERE AS CASES IN WHICH THE CITIZEN “HAS COMMITTED NO CRIME.” I PERSONALLY WOULD QUESTION THE WHOLE PROCEDURE. IT SOUNDS LIKE “CRUEL AND UNUSUAL PUNISHMENT” TO ME. IT IS USED (I REMEMBER FROM THE NEWS ARTICLES) IN FERGUSON MO FOR THOSE “BROKEN TAIL LIGHT” CASES. THAT SHOULD BE ILLEGAL, AND THE OFFICERS, COURT OFFICIALS, AND EVEN THE MAYOR SHOULD BE PENALIZED FINANCIALLY AND WITH A LOSS OF THEIR POSITION IF THEY VIOLATE THE (NEWLY IMPROVED) LAWS GOVERNING THE SITUATION. IN THIS CASE THE VICTIM OF THEIR MISUSE OF POWER IS SUING THEM. I HOPE HE HAS THE MONEY TO PUSH IT ALL THE WAY UP TO THE SUPREME COURT.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/kentucky-man-sues-government-civil-forfeiture-seizes-car-without-conviction/
CBS NEWS September 27, 2017, 7:46 AM
Kentucky man sues after law enforcement seizes his car without a charge

A Kentucky man is suing the government over a program that seizes the property of suspects of a crime. The federal government took nearly $29 billion worth of money and property between 2001 and 2014. Most of it was seized without charging anyone with a crime.

Civil forfeiture was meant to help law enforcement break the backs of drug cartels when tying money or assets to a cartel boss can be difficult. Now, lawmakers on Capitol Hill are vowing to look into cases where property was seized from individuals for crimes they didn't commit, reports CBS News correspondent Jan Crawford.

ctm-0927-civil-forfeiture-gerardo-serrano.jpg
Gerardo Serrano CBS NEWS

In 2015, rancher Gerardo Serrano drove from his home in rural Kentucky to visit his cousin in Mexico. As he crossed the border in Eagle Pass, Texas, Serrano snapped a picture, drawing the attention of agents who pulled him out of his truck and started searching his vehicle.

"The next thing I know, one of the agents say, 'We got 'em!'" Serrano said. Then an agent showed him a magazine with five bullets in it, he said.

"I have a conceal-and-carry license," Serrano said.

"Was there a gun with them?" Crawford asked.

"No," Serrano said.

Serrano, a U.S. citizen, was detained for hours before agents informed him they would be seizing his new Ford pickup, accusing him of transporting "munitions of war" across a U.S. border.

The seizure was authorized under a program that empowers law enforcement to take money or property suspected of being linked to a crime. Even without a conviction, agencies often use the money, or auction off the property, and keep the proceeds.

The federal government's forfeiture fund increased from roughly $1 billion in 2007 to $4.5 billion in 2014, and in 26 states where records are public, more than $250 million was seized in 2012 alone.

After assuming office, President Trump vowed to roll back Obama-era restrictions on the program. In July, Attorney General Jeff Sessions followed through but promised more Justice Department oversight.

"I love that program," Sessions said Sept. 1 at a law enforcement conference in Alabama.

Since then, Sessions has trumpeted the program's successes.

"Taking drug dealers' money and passing it out to people trying to put drug dealers in jail. What's wrong with that?" Sessions said.

Officers like Montgomery County Police Chief Tom Manger argue the program shouldn't be eliminated because of a few bad actors.

"We cannot just allow people who have earned hundreds of thousands -- millions of dollars -- through criminal activity, to keep that money," Manger said, adding, "So let's find a way to do this right."

ctm-0927-civil-forfeiture.jpg
Twenty-five states have passed reforms in recent years to protect citizens from forfeiture abuse, but the Institute for Justice still grades most protections as below average, giving the federal government a D-.

Robert Johnson is a lawyer with the institute who has taken on Serrano's case pro bono. He said the current federal policy provides a big loophole.

"You could still be pulled over by a state police officer who says, 'Oh, gosh. You have cash in your car. I wanna take it.' And instead of forfeiting it under state law, I'm gonna transfer it to the federal government," Johnson said.

While many individuals admit guilt just to get their property back, Serrano, who relies on his truck for work, has paid nearly $20,000 while waiting for his day in court.

"I wanted the judge to see this. And I want them at some point to stop this policy," Serrano said.

"Do you ever think, 'I'm an American. I'm an American citizen —'" Crawford started.

"Look, if they changed my government, I wanna know," Serrano said. "I need the Bill of Rights. If we don't have my rights, what have we got?"

Customs and Border Patrol told CBS News the agency doesn't comment on pending litigation, but emphasized agents are trained to uphold the law. Some critics hope that Serrano's case makes it to the Supreme Court, where conservative Justice Clarence Thomas has signaled opposition to the practice.



THIS IS AN UPDATE ON THE TERRIBLE EVENTS IN PUERTO RICO, AFTER PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS RECEIVED A HIGH LEVEL OF PERSONAL CRITICISM. HIS COMMENT ABOUT PUERTO RICO’S “DEBT,” HASN’T APPARENTLY BEEN REPEATED.

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/101st-airborne-division-deploying-to-puerto-rico-as-recovery-effort-lags/
CBS/AP September 27, 2017, 11:24 AM
101st Airborne Division deploying to Puerto Rico as recovery effort lags

SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico -- The U.S. Army's elite 101st Airborne Division is deploying eight medevac helicopters and support personnel to Puerto Rico to assist in the recovery from Hurricane Maria as many residents remain without power and basic necessities six days after the storm.

More than 70 service members left for the island on Wednesday, a spokesman for the 101st told CBS News. The effort is the first time the 75-year-old unit has been deployed to assist in hurricane relief.

The 101st joins thousands of military personnel being sent to assist in distributing aid to the island, where 3.4 million people lack power.

Many residents are waiting for help from anyone from the federal or Puerto Rican government. But the scope of the devastation is so broad, and the relief effort so concentrated in San Juan, that many people from outside the capital say they have received little to no help.

170926-a-gk110-0338.jpg
The 101st Airborne Division prepares to deploy to Puerto Rico. 101ST AIRBORNE / HANDOUT

Only 21 of the 69 hospitals on the island have power or fuel, CBS News correspondent David Begnaud reports.

San Juan Mayor Carmen Yulín Cruz is frustrated with what she says is a slow response from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

"They're waiting for their marching orders now. You're in an emergency. If you don't do -- hundreds of lives will be lost," she told Begnaud.

There are several thousand U.S. federal employees in Puerto Rico helping with the recovery effort. They are most visible in San Juan, where officials with FEMA, Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection have a presence at hotels that before the storm served tourists in the Condado neighborhood or at the convention center that has become a staging ground for relief efforts.

Federal workers supplied diesel to generators at hospitals and delivered desperately needed food and water to hard-hit communities across the island. They have repaired the air traffic control systems and power at the airport, which is far from normal operations with only about a dozen commercial flights per day. U.S. agents have also provided security across the island and the Coast Guard has worked with local authorities to restore the sea ports, a vital link because Puerto Rico is almost completely dependent on imports.

In addition, teams from the Army Corps of Engineers are helping to repair the electricity grid and to inspect and look for ways to avert the collapse of a dam near the western town of Quebradillas that has developed a crack and that officials have said could potentially fail. And personnel from Health and Human Services, the Department of Defense and Veterans Affairs have provided care and helped evacuate people from Puerto Rico with chronic medical conditions.

Puerto Rico governor asking truck drivers to help transport food
Play VIDEO
Puerto Rico governor asking truck drivers to help transport food

Teams also were scheduled to visit the central mountain town of Aibonito, which was cut off from the rest of the island for five days. Many people began rationing their food and water supplies as they dwindled, unclear of when they would have contact with the outside world.

"We thought somebody was going to stop by," said Ana Lidia Mendoza, a 48-year-old cook at a barbecue restaurant who lost part of her roof. "They told us that we had to stay calm."

Gov. Ricardo Rossello and Resident Commissioner Jennifer Gonzalez, the island's representative in Congress, have said they intend to seek more than a billion dollars in federal assistance and they have praised the response to the disaster by President Donald Trump, who plans to visit Puerto Rico next week, as well as FEMA Administrator Brock Long.

"I am confident that they understand the seriousness of the situation," the governor said Tuesday.

Still, it is hard to avoid the fact that the response looks different than previous ones. After hurricanes in Louisiana, Texas and Florida, waves of power company trucks from other states descended in long convoys, something that is obviously not possible on an island 1,000 miles to the southeast of the mainland. After the devastating earthquake in Haiti in January 2010, the U.S. military sent ships and the skies seemed to be filled with heavy-lift helicopters and planes carrying emergency relief, though the scale of that disaster was far worse.

Hurricane Maria was the strongest hurricane to hit Puerto Rico in nearly 100 years and officials say the cost of recovery will dwarf that of the punishing Hurricane Georges in 1998. Whatever the final bill, Valentin just hopes it will factor in people like her. "If FEMA helps us, we are going to build again," she said.



THE 9/11 EVENTS BEGAN IN AFGHANISTAN, AND NOW WE ARE BACK THERE. IT MAKES ME UNHAPPY TO ADMIT THAT THE HUMAN ANIMAL IS GIVEN TO CONSTANT HATRED, FIRST AGAINST ONE GROUP AND THEN AGAINST ANOTHER. FIGHT THE WAR AND WIN, THEN TOO SOON HAVE TO GO BACK IN AND DO IT AGAIN. I’M LIKE HENRY DAVID THOREAU. I WISH I HAD THE MONEY TO HAVE MY MODEST HOUSE ON A WOODED PATCH OF LAND AND LOOK AT THE NATURAL WORLD. SO PEACEFUL!

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/afghanistan-rockets-hit-kabul-airport-james-mattis-jens-stoltenberg/
CBS/AP September 27, 2017, 10:00 AM
Rockets hit Kabul airport as U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis visits Afghan capital

KABUL, Afghanistan -- At least five civilians were wounded when several rockets were fired toward Kabul international airport in the Afghan capital, officials said Wednesday. The attack came as U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis and NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg were in town for a visit.

Najib Danish, spokesman for the Afghan Interior Ministry, said one rocket struck a home near the airport, wounding the five victims. He said one victim was a woman who was "not in a good health condition."

Zabihullah Mujahid, a Taliban spokesman, claimed responsibility for the attack on his official Twitter account. The Islamic State of Syria and Iraq (ISIS) also claimed responsibility for the attack.

U.S. troops helping develop Afghanistan's Air Force
Play VIDEO
U.S. troops helping develop Afghanistan's Air Force

Danish said Afghan security forces surrounded an area where where [sic] they suspected the rockets might have been fired. "A search operation is underway in the area by police units," he said.

Tumor Shah Hamedi, director of Kabul airport, said all flights were halted as result of the attack.

Ghani said [Afghan President Ashraf Ghani] during a joint news conference with Mattis and Stoltenberg at the presidential palace that special forces troops brought the attack under control. Mattis called the attack "a crime" during the news conference, which was broadcast live.

Both Mattis and Stoltenberg have pledged continued support for Afghanistan and vowed to do everything possible so the country "doesn't again become a safe haven for international terrorists."

Stoltenberg said NATO is aware of "the cost of staying in Afghanistan, but the cost of leaving would be even higher." He said "if NATO forces leave too soon, there is a risk that Afghanistan may return to a state of chaos and once again become a safe haven for international terrorism."

Stoltenberg also said NATO was committed to funding the Afghan security forces until at least 2020, and would continue to provide them almost a $1 billion each year.

Mattis said Washington supports a negotiated settlement between the Taliban and Afghanistan. "The sooner the Taliban recognizes they cannot win with bombs, the sooner the killing will end," he said.



IT’S “THE MEDIA’S” FAULT, OF COURSE. [NOTE: HIS WORDS WERE, “TOMLIN JUST ADDED HIMSELF TO THE LIST OF NO GOOD N****. YES, I SAID IT.”] WE HAVE A LONG WAY TO GO IN THIS COUNTRY, AND TO TELL THE TRUTH, IN HUMAN SOCIETY IN GENERAL. WE HAVE A LEARNING AND THINKING BRAIN, BUT WE CHOOSE NOT TO USE IT. THAT WOULD SPOIL THE JOY OF OUR GROUP BONDING EXPERIENCE. I NOTICE, THOUGH, THAT EVEN SMITH’S NEIGHBORS ARE SPEAKING AGAINST HIM. I AM GLAD TO SEE THAT. I DON’T WANT THE WHOLE OF AMERICAN SOCIETY TO BE CORRUPTED BY RACISM, RELIGIONISM, OR SIMPLY BULLYING OF ANY KIND. INTERESTINGLY, SMITH IS “OUT OF THE COUNTRY ON VACATION.”

https://www.cbsnews.com/us/
U.S. News
CBS NEWS September 26, 2017, 6:30 PM
Fire chief removed after posting racial slur at Steelers coach over anthem protest

PITTSBURGH -- Volunteer fire chief Paul Smith resigned from his position Tuesday in wake of a shocking message he posted on Facebook using a racial slur, according to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

In a statement to the newspaper, Smith said, "The media dragged my fire company and township into this as well as my family."

Smith's Facebook message grabbed national headlines and came amid the fallout after the Pittsburgh Steelers game Sunday, when the team decided to stay in the tunnel at Chicago's Soldier Field during the national anthem.

The fan reaction was mixed from support for the players to outraged fury over their decision. However, as CBS Pittsburgh reported, many local residents felt Smith's response crossed the line.

Smith, the chief of Cecil Volunteer Fire Station #2, posted a derogatory response on Facebook which directed a racial slur at Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin.

Photograph -- tomlin-racial-slur-post.jpg, Paul Smith posted a derogatory response on Facebook, which directed a racial slur at Steelers' head coach Mike Tomlin. CBS PITTSBURGH

Reaction to Smith's post in Cecil Township was quick and negative.

The Cecil Township Board of Supervisors said in a statement Tuesday that it's "deeply disturbed by the comments made by Volunteer Chief Smith, and in no way, shape or form condone his comments."

Dylan Pareso, who lives across the street from the fire hall, said, "I'm completely upset, especially for a town like this, coming from the fire chief, that's disrespectful in my eyes. I don't agree with it one bit."

Mary Plumley told CBS Pittsburgh, "For a fire chief or for anybody like that to say something like that is wrong. They don't need to be in that position."

"It's not good. No, I don't like it at all," Janet Vickers said.

Wes Leopold reacted to Smith's post, saying, "It's kind of a dumb thing to do. I think, there's enough tension in this country. He's definitely adding to it."

Chief Smith is out of the country on vacation, but on Facebook, he responded to CBS Pittsburgh.

"I am embarrassed at this. I want to apologize. I was frustrated and angry at the Steelers not standing the anthem. This had nothing to do with my Fire Department. I regret what I said."

"My fire department should have never been dragged into this. It was a bad judgement by me, for which I am very embarrassed, for them and my township."

Also Tuesday, the Steelers' president Art Rooney II released a statement on Twitter to reiterate that the team's decision to stay in the locker room was meant to remove themselves from making a political statement.

View image on Twitter
View image on Twitter
Follow
Pittsburgh Steelers ✔@steelers
A letter from Steelers President Art Rooney II to #SteelersNation:
10:00 AM - Sep 26, 2017
3,157 3,157 Replies 3,471 3,471 Retweets 6,609 6,609 likes

Meanwhile, Steelers lineman Alejandro Villanueva -- the only Steelers player standing outside the tunnel for the national anthem before their game Sunday -- said on Monday that the he did not intend to make a political statement. He said the national anthem situation got out of control and he is taking the blame.

"Unfortunately I threw my teammates under the bus, unintentionally," Villanueva said. "Every single time I see that picture of me standing by myself I feel embarrassed."



SEPTEMBER 26 -- TRUMP, IN HIS VIDEO STATEMENT TODAY, DID INDEED TALK ABOUT PUERTO RICO’S DEBT IN RELATION TO THIS GREAT HUMANITARIAN CRISIS. SEE MAYOR CRUZ’S STERN MENTION OF THAT MATTER. LIKE SO MANY OF HIS STATEMENTS, IT IS INAPPROPRIATE IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE AT BEST, AND HEARTLESS AT WORST. HE’S MAKING ENEMIES AGAIN. I WISH HE CARED.

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show
THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 9/26/17
San Juan mayor: 'This is a big S.O.S. for anybody out there'
Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz of Puerto Rico's capital city, San Juan, talks with Rachel Maddow about the desperate situation in her city and in Puerto Rico broadly, and expresses her frustration with an administration that is slow to deploy eager helpers. Duration: 9:56


THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW 9/26/17
Trump staff, lawyers in tow, to face Mueller in Russia scandal
Rachel Maddow reports on expectations that special counsel Robert Mueller will interview White House staff this week in the Trump Russia scandal, and notes how crowded the timeline since 2016 has become with known events. Duration: 15:23