84 Republican national security and foreign policy leaders say they won’t back Trump if nominated

By Miriam Raftery

March 3, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – An open letter signed by 84 Republican foreign policy and national security leaders condemned Donald Trump, stating, “We are unable to support a Party ticket with Mr. Trump at its head.”

The leaders’ letter comes on the heels of former CIA director and ex-National Security Agency director Michael Hayden stating that if Trump ordered torture which violates the Geneva Convention or ordered the killing of family members of suspected terrorists, the military would disobey his orders.   Hayden told Bill Maher, “If he were to order that once in government, the American armed forces would refuse to act.”

The 84 Republican letter signers included Michael Chertoff, former Homeland Security director under George W. Bush and former Under Secretary of Defense Policy Eric Edelman who served under the senior George Bush.

By Miriam Raftery

March 3, 2016 (Washington D.C.)—Following her strong showing in the Super Tuesday primaries, Hillary Clinton is the frontrunner in the Democratic presidential primary.  But several revelations this week raise troubling questions for Clinton supporters regarding the integrity of Clinton and her campaign:

• The U.S. Justice Department has granted immunity to Brian Pagliano, the staffer who set up a private e-mail server in Clinton’s home, as the investigation into allegations over classified emails continues, the Washington Post reports.  What does the staffer know and could Clinton face indictment?

• The Clinton campaign and Super PACs supporting Clinton have paid pundits who have appeared on major  TV news shows. They were presented as neutral analysts , all touting Clinton’s candidacy and downplaying the electability of her opponent, Bernie Sanders.  TV networks failed to disclose financial ties, a clear violation of journalistic ethics, the Intercept  reveals in an investigative report.

• Former President Bill Clinton has drawn criticism for holding a rally for his wife outside a Massachusetts polling place, using a megaphone for amplification and even entering two other polling places on election day. Massachusetts law prohibits electioneering within 150 feet of polling places, the Boston Globe reports. No charges were filed despite videos of the activities, though the Secretary of State did sent the Clinton campaign a reminder of the state’s rules.
  

There has never been a female Secretary-General in the more than 70-year history of the UN

East County News Service

March 3, 2016 (Washington D.C.) -- U.S. Senators Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) and Barbara A. Mikulski (D-MD) today sent a letter to President Obama in advance of the United Nation's upcoming election for Secretary-General, urging the United States to "reaffirm the UN's founding principle of equality by encouraging the strong consideration of candidates for the first female Secretary-General."

By Liz Alper

Photo: Youtube screenshot

March 1, 2016 (Radford, Va.) - A Time Magazine photographer was physically attacked by Secret Service agents at a Donald Trump rally on Monday. The assault comes just two days after Trump issued a threat against media.

East County News Service

February 26, 2016 (San Diego's East County) - State Senator Ben Hueso (D-San Diego) has introduced Senate Bill 1216, which would establish a business tax credit for employers who hire high-risk youth.  The credit applies only to jobs for young people ages 18-25, who have been convicted of a crime and completed a work readiness program through a qualified job training provider.    

East County News Service

February 25, 2016 (San Diego) — Following President Barack Obama’s announcement calling on Congress to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, San Diego Congresswoman Susan Davis, a Democrat and senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, issued this statement:

Photo: Youtube screenshot

Jeb Bush exits race

East County News Service

February 21, 2016 (San Diego) – Two key presidential contests were held on Saturday – the Nevada Democratic Caucus and the Republican primary in South Carolina.

By Miriam Raftery

February 16, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – The House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed an amendment that would impose a federal ban on vaping or e-cigarettes on all airlines in the U.S..  Congressman Duncan Hunter, who took over $10,000 in tobacco industry campaign contributions this election cycle, opposed the amendment–even lighting up during the hearing and puffing a cloud of vapor to make his point.

By Miriam Raftery

February 13, 2016 (Washington D.C.) – The sudden death of prominent conservative Justice Antonin Scalia today leaves a vacancy on the U.S. Supreme Court and the prospect of numerous high-profile cases deadlocking 4-4.  President Barack Obama has announced he intends to appoint a replacement, but  Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has suggested any nomination would be blocked by Senate Republicans and stated that in this election year,  Obama should leave nominating a Supreme Court justice for the next administration.

McConnell’s remark may be viewed as hypocritical, since he voted for Republican President Ronald Reagan’s appointment of Justice Anthony Kennedy in an election year.  Kennedy was confirmed by the Senate, which was controlled by Democrats.

In fact, since 1900 there has not been a single case of the Senate refusing to confirm a presidential appointment to the Supreme Court in an election year due to the pending election. The stakes are high for both sides in filling the void left by Scalia, but so are the consequences of leaving a seat vacant for nearly a year.

By Miriam Raftery

Photo, left: Bernie Sanders, by Troy Page; Photo, right: Donald Trump, by Gage Skidmore

February 10, 2016 (San Diego) – Last night’s presidential primary in New Hampshire proved historic on several fronts.  By huge landslides, voters in both Democratic and Republican parties cast their ballots for candidates running outside the mainstream political framework: mavericks Bernie Sanders and Donald Trump.  Sanders is also the first Jewish candidate ever to win a presidential primary. 

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders pulled in 60% of the vote to win the Democratic primary, trouncing former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who got 38%. Sanders, a self-proclaimed democratic socialist, is running on a platform of closing the wealth gap by reining in Wall Street, taxing the rich and providing free healthcare for all. 

On the Republican side, billionaire businessman and former reality TV show host Donald Trump won with 35% of the vote. Ohio Governor John Kasich took second at 16% in an upset over the Iowa caucus winner, Senator Ted Cruz, who got 12%, narrowly edging out Florida Governor Jeb Bush and Florida Senator Marco Rubio, who had 11% and 10% respectively. Other candidates placed in single digits, with 100% of precincts now reported.

By Suzanne Potter, California News Service

February 7, 2016 (Los Angeles) -- Teams are hitting the streets gathering signatures for a ballot measure this fall that would extend part of Proposition 30, which raised income taxes on the wealthy and raised the sales tax by a quarter of a percent, then funneled the money to public education. 

East County News Service

February 7, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) – State Senator Ben Hueso, a San Diego Democrat, and his campaign treasurer Nancy Haley are being sued by activists Ken Mosher and  retired Marine Colonel Richard Shigley  for allegedly failing to properly disclose campaign expenditures.  The action is the latest in a string of controversies involving Hueso's campaign finances.

East County News Service

February 2, 2016 (Sacramento) – Californians beleaguered by a barrage of ballot initiatives in recent elections may be surprised–and relieved—to learn that only one statewide ballot measure has qualified for the June election.

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January 31, 2016 (San Diego’s East County) --Congresswoman Susan Davis was our special guest on the East County Magazine radio show on KNSJ on January 21^st.

She shared highlights of the past Congressional session, her legislative efforts, and what we can expect in the coming year. Topics covered include education reforms, college affordability, healthcare, hate targeting religious minorities, support for military women, families and veterans. She also spoke out on the need to prevent future infrastructure disasters such as the L.A. natural gas leak and Flint water poisoning, both the results of regulatory failures.

East County News Service

January 29, 2016 (San Diego) -- Congresswoman Susan Davis (D-San Diego) and Senator Patty Murray praised President Obama’s proposal to reduce child summer hunger by making permanent the Summer Electronic Benefits Transfer for Children (Summer EBT) program nationwide. 

During the school year, low-income children have the opportunity to receive free or reduced-price meals at school. However, millions of these same children go hungry during summer break.  The President’s budget will address this summer meals gap by investing $12 billion to scale up the successful Summer EBT demonstration project that has decreased hunger among participating children by about 33 percent while increasing healthy food intake.