Andrew Wright's Blog

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The redacted version of the Muller report was released Thursday and shows evidence of public officials lying under oath, according to the Washington Post. The 448-page report revealed President benefited from Russian interference in the 2016 presidential campaign, and documented several meetings between Trump's campaign and Russians, according to the New York Times. However, the report was inconclusive on bringing criminal conspiracy charges against President Trump. The report stated the evidence was insufficient to bring charges, but the report did not fully exonerate Trump. Although Mueller's report does not conclude on bringing charges against the president, the report is much more incriminating than the summary written by Attorney General William Barr in March. It is unclear what effect the Mueller report will have in Washington, but it is sure to be a highly contentious debate for the remaining time of Trump's presidency before the 2020 ele...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Julian Assange, the co-founder of WikiLeaks, was arrested Thursday after being evicted from the Ecuadorian embassy in London, according to the BBC Th United Kingdom will now decide whether to extradite Assange to the United States, where the Justice Department charged him with conspiracy to commit computer intrusion for leaks in 2010. According to the New York Times, in 2010, WikiLeaks received leaked confidential documents and videos from Chelsea Manning regarding U.S. campaigns in the Middle East. Assange decided to publish the information. Manning was subsequently arrested and convicted of leaking the information to Assange. Manning was sentenced to 35 years in prison, which was later commuted after Manning served seven years.  The United States asserts that Assange worked with Manning in obtaining the leaked information, and is wanted for his role in acquiring and disseminating the information.  More recently, Assange and WikiLeaks have...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT A New York man was arrested and charged Friday after her threatened to murder Rep. Ilhan Omar, according to NBC News. Patrick W. Carlineo Jr., 55, called Omar's office in late March and made threatening remarks to the staff member who answered the phone. "She’s a [expletive] terrorist. I’ll put a bullet in her [expletive] skull,” Carlineo said on the phone call. Carlineo's threats continue a series of hostilities toward Omar. Back in February, graffiti calling for Omar's assassination was investigated by the FBI. Additionally, according to the Washington Post,  Fox News host Jeanine Pirro made antagonistic and racist remarks about Omar's Islamic faith. "Is [Omar's] adherence to this Islamic doctrine [wearing a hijab] indicative of her adherence to sharia law, which in itself is antithetical to the United States Constitution,” Pirro said last month. Omar continues to be berated by racist remarks and receive death threats because...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT President Trump signed a one-year extension for the Deferred Enforced Departure program Thursday, allowing Minnesota Liberian immigrants to stay in the state for another year. Trump has considered ending the program in the past. In 2018, Trump proposed not extending the program, saying living conditions had improved and the government of Liberia had stabilized,  according to the Pioneer Press. The Deferred Enforced Departure program gives legal status to Liberians who fled war and natural disasters in Africa. According to the Pioneer Press, around 4,000 Liberians in Minnesota are covered by the program. President Trump faced backlash if he were to end the program. According to the Star Tribune, a coalition of attorneys general filed a brief Monday in support of Liberians remaining in the United States. One of the attorneys general was Minnesota's Keith Ellison.   The Minneapolis-St. Paul area has one of the largest Liberian immigrants populations ...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Sen. Amy Klobuchar criticized President Trump's rhetoric about Muslims and Islamophobia Sunday after a shooting in New Zealand left 49 dead and 40 injured, according to The Hill. Klobuchar spoke on CNN and said she thinks Trump's rhetoric has worsened Islamophobic behavior not only in the United States, but in other countries, as well. "I don't think you can actually take each of the murderous acts and say what role Donald Trump played, but I can tell you this: his rhetoric doesn't help," Klobuchar said on CNN.  "And many of these people, whether it was the person who tried to bomb Barack Obama or this murderer in New Zealand, have cited Donald Trump along the way." Klobuchar called for the president to speak out against these acts of terror and violence and should begin to praise defend the Muslim community. The recent attack in New Zealand continues to put a spotlight on white nationalism, which many people see as a grow...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT The Senate voted Thursday to overturn President Trump's national emergency relating to the border wall, according to the New York Times. The vote to overturn Trump's declaration marks the first time Congress has overturned a presidential national emergency.  Both Republicans and Democrats joined together to reject Trump's emergency, arguing the president's declaration was setting dangerous precedent as an overreach in executive power. Republican Sen. Jerry Moran of Kansas posted statements on his Twitter of his response to Trump's emergency. "Expanding the powers of the presidency beyond its constitutional limits is something I cannot support," Moran said. Trump was quick to respond to the Senate's vote. Trump took to his Twitter and sent out a simple message, "VETO!" Several senators clarified that the vote was not a rejection of Trump's border wall. Instead, some senators said this vote was the ...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT President Trump's former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, sued Trump Organization Thursday over unpaid legal fees, according to USA Today. Cohen alleges that Trump Organization failed to pay for his legal fees after Cohen started to cooperate with federal prosecutors. According to the New York Times, Cohen accused Trump Organization of breaking a contract between the two parties, and is seeking $1.9 million in unpaid legal fees. Cohen is also seeking and additional $1.9 million in reimbursement after Cohen pleaded guilty for lying to Congress, tax invasion, and violating campaign finance laws. In April 2018, Cohen's property were raided after he became a key figure in the Robert Mueller investigation. Trump defended Cohen after the raids. After Cohen stated he may be willing to cooperate with the federal investigation, Trump's support for Cohen stopped. Cohen said that around this time, the legal payments ceased. The lawsuit comes after Cohen te...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Sen. Bernie Sanders deviated from his 2016 presidential campaign strategy and focused more on his personal life during his campaign kickoff Saturday, according to the Washington Post. At a rally in Brooklyn, New York, Sanders spoke on his life as a child and his family. Sanders recalled his father's escape from Nazi Germany and his struggles with antisemitism. Sanders also spoke on his upbringing in a family growing up in a lower-middle class household. "I know where I came from," Sanders said at the rally. According to the New York Times,  Sanders contrasted his upbringing to President Trump's life. During the rally, Sanders said he did not come from a privileged family that allowed him to become a reality television personality, an obvious remark towards Trump. Sanders also said his father did not award him millions of dollars to build numerous edifices. In 2016, Sanders ran his presidential campaign completely policy-based and f...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT In a video posted on social media Friday, Sen Dianne Feinstein can be seen arguing with schoolchildren over the Green New Deal, according to the Star Tribune. Students confronted Feinstein with the hope of convincing the senator to support the Green New Deal legislation introduced to Congress by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts. Feinstein told the students she did not support the legislation with questions about how to pay for it. According to the Washington Post, the students are a part of a group called the Sunrise Movement, a movement of young people that advocate for ambitious action on climate change. The group has been active in its goal to elect politicians that will address climate change and endorse the Green New Deal, holding several rallies and protests this week.

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe said Thursday that officials in the Justice Department discussed removing President Trump from office after firing former FBI directer James Comey, according to the Star Tribune. McCabe said in an interview that officials discussed invoking the 25th Amendment of the Constitution after Comey's firing. McCabe also said he demanded the FBI team investigating whether Russia interfered in the 2016 election to also investigate whether Trump's firing of Comey was obstruction of justice, according to the New York Times. Trump and Congress Republicans reacted swiftly to McCabe's comments, criticizing the former deputy as having a bias against the president. Trump took to Twitter , where he said, "McCabe is a disgrace to the FBI and a disgrace to our Country." North Carolina Rep. Mark Meadows joined Trump in criticizing McCabe. Meadows said on his Twitter his page , "McCabe has zero credibility."

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam said he will not resign Saturday after a photograph from the governor's medical school yearbook revealed an individual dressed in blackface and another in a Ku Klux Klan outfit, according to CNN. Northam initially admitted to being one the individuals in the photo, but later retracted his statement and denied being involved in the photo, according to the Washington Post.  Northam also admitted to once darkening his face to resemble a Michael Jackson costume for a dance contest in the 1980s, a CNN article said. Calls for Northam to resign continue to escalate, as many Democrats criticize Northam for his actions and believe him to not be fit to serve as governor. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont took to his Twitter and said, "Gov. Northam should resign. Lt. Gov. Justin Fairfax should step in and begin a new day for Virginia." Former Vice President Joe Biden also took to Twitter , where he said, "There is no place for ra...

BY ANDREW WRIGHT Mitch McConnell clashed with Congress Democrats Wednesday as the Senate majority leader criticized legislation that would make Election Day a federal holiday, according to the New York Times. McConnell referred to the legislation as a "power grab" by Democrats as an attempt to consolidate power. McConnell's remarks received heavy criticism from Democrats, who defended the legislation as an attempt to make voting easier for citizens and to restore democracy, according to CNN.  Some took to Twitter to criticize McConnell. Former Senator Barbara Boxer said on Twitter , "What is Mitch afraid of? Answer: the people." This clash continues a trend of gridlock between Republicans and Democrats as tempers continue to flair in Congress.