1 Lawmakers Cut Deal To Avoid Shutdown "In Principle"
While lawmakers say they've reached a deal in principle on border security that would avoid another government shutdown…the country is bracing for President Trump’s response, which he hadn’t posted to Twitter by press time. According to reports, the deal does include over one-billion-dollars for new barriers along the southern border…enough to cover about 55-miles of the border with a barrier. Of course, that amount is far short of the nearly six-billion Mr. Trump has been demanding. Still, under the agreement, Democrats would give up their demand to cap the number of people Immigration and Customs Enforcement can hold at a time. On the flip side, the deal includes funding for a limited number of detention beds, just over 40-thousand. Will the deal be affirmed? Will President Trump sign off? Time is off the essence – as another shutdown is looming come Friday.
2 Trump Again Warns Of Growing Crisis At Border As CA Pulls Guard Troops
No matter what local officials have been saying, President Trump is firm: there’s a growing crisis at the southern border. Meeting with a group of sheriffs at the White House yesterday, Trump said the U.S. “needs” a massive border wall and added that “a wall will keep the U.S. safe.” He also warned about migrant kidnappers and smugglers, murders, robberies and rapes saying that Democrats “want to allow criminals into U.S. society.” Trump made the remarks before heading to El Paso, Texas for a campaign-style rally. On a related note? The President is about to get a little less assistance at the southern border. That’s because California Governor Gavin Newsom is withdrawing California National Guard troops from the southern border. In a press conference in Sacramento, Newsom says he'll withdraw more than two-thirds of the 360 troops deployed to the south. He also blasted the Trump Administration's claims of chaos at the border, saying illegal crossings are at their lowest point in decades. He said the whole border issue is "manufactured," and that California isn't interested in participating in what he called "political theater."
3 VA Lt. Gov Fairfax Staffers Resign Following Assault Allegations
There’s an old adage about “if a tree falls and no one’s there to hear it, does it make a sound?” But Virginia Lieutenant Governor Justin Fairfax is facing a much more serious question: Can he do his job as staffers begin resigning? As we’ve been telling you, Fairfax has been battling calls to resign as he faces two accusations of sexual assault. Now, the “Richmond Times-Dispatch” reports that two of his government staffers and two workers from his political action committee have resigned. He has denied the allegations. And while many Democrats on a local and national level have called for Fairfax to resign, Virginia Democrats are now backing off plans to introduce articles of impeachment against him. Virginia Delegate Patrick Hope, who said he would file articles of impeachment if Fairfax did not resign, has since tweeted that "additional conversations" are needed. Hope went on to say he believes the accusers. Fairfax has denied both accusations and called for an investigation to clear his name.