Saturday News: Trump Has (Supposed) “Major Announcement” on Trump/GOP Shutdown; Forced Birther Says He Wouldn’t Kill “Baby Hitler”; “Who Owns the Women’s March?”; “I’m tired of hearing about gambling”

by Lowell

Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Saturday, January 19.

• It’s official: Trump and Kim Jong Un will have a second summit (“The third scenario is the scariest: a failed summit.”)
• Mueller breaks silence to dispute parts of bombshell report on Michael Cohen (“Special counsel says elements of BuzzFeed story, claiming Trump told his former lawyer to lie to Congress, are ‘not accurate’”)
• In rare move, special counsel disputes a report saying Trump directed Cohen to lie (“The denial was remarkable on several levels — first, the special counsel’s office speaks exceedingly rarely, and second, the statement seemed to drive a stake through a sensational allegation that Democratic lawmakers suggested earlier in the day could spell the end of the Trump presidency.”)
• Democrats Add $1 Billion in Proposed Border Spending; Trump Has ‘Major Announcement’ (“The funding bills would reopen most of the government, even as President Trump said he would speak on Saturday about the border and the stalemate. The decision by Democrats and Mr. Trump’s planned remarks were the first indications of possible movement over the shutdown.”)
• The High Stakes of BuzzFeed’s Story on Trump Tower Moscow
• Trump plans to make Democrats an offer to end shutdown, not declare national emergency, in Saturday speech, official says
• ‘Theater of the absurd’: How the shutdown’s bleakest week unfolded for Trump (“From a fast food buffet to a feud with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, the president only moved farther from a shutdown solution.” So much for Mr. “Art of the Deal!”)
• Pelosi accuses Trump team of security threat by leaking new Afghanistan plans (“The speaker told reporters that the ‘president outing our trip had made the scene on the ground much more dangerous.'”)
• The shutdown’s effect on the US economy, explained (“The longer it goes on, the bigger the risk is of broader damage.”)
• Democrats and activists punish Trump with a new strategy: Ignoring him (“The silent treatment limits President Trump’s ability to dictate national coverage and frame the day’s debate. And it’s providing an early template for how Democratic presidential candidates may attempt to deal with him in 2020, essentially forcing him out of a conversation they want to have with voters.”)
• The Most Cartoonish Week of the Shutdown Yet (“Why zero progress was made in reopening the government”)
• Congress Can’t Wait for Mueller. It’s Time to Start the Impeachment Process. (“Donald Trump is as crooked as Richard Nixon ever was.”)
• There Is No More Loathsome Creature Walking Our Political Landscape Than Mitch McConnell (“Yes, that includes the jumped-up real-estate crook in the White House.” Close call between McConnell and Trump, but no doubt McConnell is a “loathsome creature.”)
• Republicans’ lack of alarm over the shutdown reveals a disturbing truth (“The rightwing, anti-government forces which first took root in the Republican party more than 40 years ago are now in full bloom and Trump is their willing avatar” These people are very dangerous, and have been for a long time. The failure of the media and many Americans to understand that has been appalling.)
• Trump and Pence give surprise addresses at antiabortion March for Life (Reminder to the media – don’t use right-wing framing devices like “pro life”…or “tax burden” or whatever.)
• Who Owns the Women’s March? (“Two years after 4 million people took to the streets, the movement is grappling with power struggles.”)
• Bush calls for end to shutdown, delivers pizza to Secret Service
• Ben Shapiro loses podcast sponsor after March for Life speech (“Shapiro garnered widespread attention online Friday after saying during his appearance at the rally that ‘no pro-life person would kill baby Hitler’ because ‘baby Hitler was a baby.'” This guy is completely unhinged.)
• Ben Shapiro at March For Life rally: ‘No pro-life person would kill baby Hitler’
• Graham Says End to U.S. Shutdown Possible In ‘Couple of Weeks’
• John Kelly shocked staff with speech ‘hostile’ to Trump, tell-all book reveals (“Book by ex-White House aide Cliff Sims, seen by Guardian, says chief of staff indicated ‘country first, president second’ approach”)
• These top GOP senators once claimed obstruction of justice should trigger impeachment
• The Invisible Children of the Trump Administration (“According to a new report, the White House separated many more families than it had previously acknowledged—and failed to keep track of those it separated.”)
• Fox News host Laura Ingraham complains about the “minority privilege” of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (It’s hard to believe there even ARE people like Laura Ingraham.)
• Former Chicago cop Jason Van Dyke sentenced to 6 years in prison for murdering Laquan McDonald (“Prosecutors had sought 18 to 20 years, while the defense argued he should be released on probation.”)
• Warner, Kaine meet with federal employees
• Virginia House Subcommittee Follows Senate Counterparts, Ignores the Will of Voters on Gun Violence Prevention (“November will be here soon”)
• Video, Photos: Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax Observes “Lee-Jackson Day” by Stepping Off the Virginia State Senate Dais
• Virginia’s lone black statewide official sits out Robert E. Lee tribute
• Schapiro: A pioneer among female lawyers in Va. rides into the sunset
• ‘I’m tired of hearing about gambling’: Virginia senators say bills on casinos, sports betting may be too much to tackle (“There’s too many opportunities to screw up on something this big” – agreed, slow down!)
• ‘This can save farms:’ After federal changes, Virginia policymakers plow new ground on industrial hemp
• Job of Va. regulatory agency director in jeopardy; Sen. Deeds defends him
• Video: Sen. Favola Says Partisan Gerrymandering Leads BOTH Dems and Republicans to the “Extreme.” That Is Simply Not Accurate.
• WMATA Says Metro Losing $400k/Day Thanks to Government Shutdown
• Deepest Condolences to Del. John Bell on the Loss of His Son Josh [UPDATED with Video of Del. Mullin’s Moving Tribute]
• Virginia lawmakers mourn the death of Delegate John Bell’s adult son, Joshua (“The delegate and his son had spoken openly about Joshua’s struggles with addiction to opioids since he injured his neck in a car accident eight years ago, and how at one point Joshua had turned from pain pills to heroin.”)
• Virginia’s unemployment rate stays at 2.8 percent
• Massive solar proposal goes to Spotsylvania supervisors
• Less violence, more job training: A new approach pays off at Virginia’s juvenile prison
• Virginia Beach Judge Robert Hagans dies days after being involved in a car crash
• Light wintry mix arrives late today and transitions to heavier rain tonight, then Arctic air pours in Sunday