The Patriot Post® · Thursday Top News Executive Summary
COMEY EXPOSED: Former FBI Director James Comey, whose Trump Derangement Syndrome motivated him to leak a memo, has managed to remain legally unscathed. But his luck just might be running out. The Justice Department inspector general today revealed, “We conclude that Comey’s retention, handling, and dissemination of certain Memos violated Department and FBI policies, and his FBI Employment Agreement.” Furthermore, “Comey is also a possible target of Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz’s investigation into alleged Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act abuse,” according to the Washington Examiner. “He signed three of the four FISA applications targeting former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page before being fired by Trump. Horowitz’s report is expected to be released after Labor Day.” Put another way, Dorian might not be the only storm wreaking havoc over the coming weeks and months.
LABOR DAY STORM: USA Today reports: “Hurricane Dorian is on track to become a major hurricane with dangerous storm surge and winds before it slams into Florida’s east coast at the end of Labor Day weekend, forecasters said Thursday. Dorian left the Caribbean relatively unscathed as it pushed past Puerto Rico and the U.S. and British Virgin Islands on Wednesday. But forecasters at the National Hurricane Center say the storm is primed to strengthen to a Category 3 hurricane with possible ‘rapid intensification’ as it swirls into the Atlantic.” By the way, it’s global warming’s fault.
FAKE NEWS: “One of MSNBC’s hosts walked back Wednesday an incendiary claim he had made the previous night about President Trump being controlled by the Kremlin. Lawrence O'Donnell retracted his claim that Russian oligarchs had co-signed Mr. Trump’s loans with Deutsche Bank, saying the claim hadn’t been vetted and was based on hearsay.” (The Washington Times)
THINNING THE HERD: “Struggling Democratic presidential candidates are facing the bad news that they are not among the 10 who have qualified for the next debate, a predicament that is likely to spell doom for their campaigns. Hours ahead of a midnight Wednesday deadline to qualify, New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand announced she was dropping out of the race after spending at least $4 million on advertising in recent months to qualify. Billionaire climate change activist Tom Steyer, Montana Gov. Steve Bullock and self-help guru Marianne Williamson were also among those missing September’s debate, as were Colorado Sen. Michael Bennet, Hawaii Rep. Tulsi Gabbard and a handful of others.” (Associated Press)
ONE-TRICK PONY? “Former Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams on Wednesday ruled out running for the Senate next year following news that Sen. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) would retire,” according to The Hill. Maybe that’s because she has her eyes set on the veep prize.
Other Notables
NEW FACEBOOK RULES: “Facebook announced Wednesday that it will tighten its rules on political advertising ahead of the 2020 elections, in an attempt to crack down on election interference after insidious actors ran rampant on the platform in 2016. … The rules will enhance a previous set of regulations the social-media company rolled out last year requiring political advertisers to name and prove the identities of the groups behind their ads.” (National Review)
UNION CORRUPTION: “FBI and Internal Revenue Service agents raided the home of UAW President Gary Jones in metro Detroit early Wednesday as part of a nationwide sweep of sites tied to the autoworker union,” the Detroit Free Press reports. “Agents also raided the California home of Dennis Williams, who preceded Jones as UAW chief; the union’s northern Michigan conference center; a UAW regional office in Missouri, where Jones was based previously; and the home of Williams aide Amy Loasching in Wisconsin. The multiagency raids were a major step as federal officials ramped up their corruption investigation of the autoworkers union — which is in the midst of contract negotiations with Detroit automakers.” And yet they wonder why Chattanooga’s Volkswagen plant doesn’t want AUW representation?
METHANE DEREGULATION: “The Environmental Protection Agency, in a proposed rule, will aim to eliminate federal requirements that oil and gas companies install technology to inspect for and fix methane leaks from wells, pipelines and storage facilities. … Under the proposal, methane, the main component of natural gas, would be only indirectly regulated. A separate but related category of gases, known as volatile organic compounds, would remain regulated under the new rule, and those curbs would have the side benefit of averting some methane emissions.” (The New York Times)
WHAT DISCRIMINATION? “This year is shaping up to be the first year that women make up the majority of the college-educated labor force, a milestone that is already altering benefits packages offered by companies and one that could influence family sizes in the future. … Since 2013, the female share of college-educated workers has been around the 49% mark, with 2019 being the year that women cross into a very slight majority.” (The Wall Street Journal)
Closing Arguments
POLICY: Why are automakers caving to California’s radical greens? (Issues & Insights)
POLICY: Despite the yield curve, the sky isn’t falling (The Washington Times)
HUMOR: ACLU sues Steinway because piano has only 36 black keys (IMAO)
For more of today’s editors’ choice headlines, visit In Our Sights.
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