The White House is proposing to offer governors individualized reports about refugees in their states.
White House chief of staff Denis McDonough said in letters to all 50 governors that upon receiving a governor’s request, the State Department would send back a “tailored report” on refugees resettled in the last month and throughout the year so far. […]
McDonough says the State Department would update the information monthly on a password-protected website. He says it would break down refugees by nationality, gender and age range.
White House Press Secretary Joshua Earnest said Wednesday that the White House “will provide more frequent updates on refugees resettled in their states and increase information-sharing on our extensive security precautions.”
Republican Gov. Bruce Rauner was not placated. He still wants Illinois to temporarily halt acceptance of Syrian refugees in the aftermath of the Nov. 13 terror attacks in Paris. Likewise, more than half the nation’s governors say they are rolling up the welcome mat. […]
Rauner spokeswoman Catherine Kelly said the letter completely ignores the governor’s request that background vetting information be provided to state officials prior to refugee resettlement in Illinois.
The White House “wants to provide limited information after resettlement has already occurred,” she said.
“Given the close coordination that exists between state and federal officials on a range of issues related to homeland security, the White House’s continued refusal to provide vetting information to states prior to resettling refugees is truly puzzling,” she added.
City Hall sources, meanwhile, talked to POLITICO, working to dispel theories that the mayor controlled the release of the explosive police shooting video to protect his own political interests, saying it was attorneys representing McDonald who first approached the city with a settlement offer. City Hall sources say the team representing McDonald reached out to the city on Feb. 27 — three days after Emanuel failed to clinch reelection and was forced into a runoff — asking to settle before filing a lawsuit. ‘I can tell you the timing of this was driven by their reaching us, by their desire to settle,’ one of the sources said.
Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy admitted Tuesday on NBC Chicago that the initial press release sent out after 17-year-old Laquan McDonald was fatally shot 16 times by an officer last year was wrong.
“The initial press release was mistaken, no two ways about it,” he said. “I guess that’s my fault.”
Police initially said an officer shot McDonald in the chest when the teen refused to drop a knife and continued to walk toward officers. Authorities also said the boy lunged at officers with the knife.
But dash-cam video of the shooting shows an officer shooting the teen several times as he appeared to walk away from police.
McCarthy added that he didn’t see dash-cam video of the shooting until the day after the press release went out.
“At that point I was too involved in trying to learn the circumstances of this event and what I needed to do internally and externally and communication is a part of that, no two ways about it, but in this particular case my greatest concern was that information came from elsewhere that he had lunged at the officers, which we knew not be the case and that was what I was trying to fix behind the scenes with the FOP quite frankly,” he said.
Chicago Police Supt. Garry McCarthy has been fired by Mayor Rahm Emanuel, sources said Tuesday.
*** UPDATE 2 *** The reporter who forced the city to release the LaQuan McDonald video says there’s more…
What did these officers do following the shooting? In the first video released, you don’t see them bending down to comfort or render aid to Laquan.
Instead, police moved around some of their vehicles. We know this because video from a car that arrived on scene five minutes after the shooting shows a different configuration of cars than were seen when Van Dyke fired. This is important because each of these cruisers records what happens in front of them thanks to dashcams. Police have said that the five videos they released are the only ones from the scene that night, but police did not release video from the police car that likely shows Laquan’s face—and thus likely shows the shooting from the clearest angle.
*** UPDATE 3 *** The problem with throwing him under the bus is there aren’t many more bodies left to jettison…
Rahm on his decision to push out McCarthy: "He has become an issue rather than dealing with the issue."
A primary battle could be shaping up in the 99th House District that covers much of the city of Springfield. Republican Kent Gray of Leland Grove filed nominating petitions Monday. Gray is a lawyer and member of the Lincoln Land Community College board. He has also been named campaign manager for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
Republican Sara Wojcicki-Jimenez of Leland Grove has also filed. Jimenez was appointed to the seat two weeks ago to replace former Rep. Raymond Poe, R-Springfield, who was named state agriculture director. Jimenez, former chief of staff to first lady Diana Rauner, was backed by the governor for the appointment. […]
In the 50th Senate District, Bryce Benton of Springfield, a state trooper and member of the Prairie Capital Convention Center board, filed to run as a Republican against incumbent state Sen. Sam McCann, R-Plainview. Benton said McCann has alienated himself with Rauner and other Republicans because of positions he’s taken, such as voting to send state worker labor talks to an arbitrator. McCann, though, has been endorsed by the Sangamon County Republican Party organization. […]
A Republican primary could also be in store in the 95th House District represented by Rep. Avery Bourne, R-Raymond. Republican Dennis Scobbie of Litchfield has filed to run against Bourne who was appointed to the seat when former Rep. Wayne Rosenthal, R-Morrisonville, was named director of the Department of Natural Resources. Scobbie is a retired teacher who is a member of the Litchfield School Board.
On Monday, Republican Christopher Hicks of Sawyerville also filed. Hicks works for Incremental Sales and Marketing, which handles sales for a beer distributorship. Hicks criticized Bourne for voting “present” on a bill to send state employee labor talks to arbitration.
Discuss.
*** UPDATE *** These Rauner guys are really quite good at getting people out of the way…
Sangamon County assistant state’s attorney Gray Noll will be nominated by Morgan County Republicans to replace Morgan County state’s attorney Robert Bonjean III, who has decided not to seek re-election.
Noll, 38, also is a member of the Springfield Park Board and recently was a candidate to replace State Rep. Raymond Poe after Poe was appointed director of the Illinois Department of Agriculture last month. Sara Wojcicki Jimenez, who was First Lady Diana Rauner’s chief of staff, was instead appointed to that post.
Noll, a graduate of Illinois College and the Southern Illinois University School of Law, has been an assistant prosecutor in Sangamon County for 13 years. […]
He said if he receives the appointment, he and his wife, Lauren, will move to Morgan County and he will give up his Springfield Park Board seat.
The Kirk For Senate campaign launched its second television ad of the 2016 U.S. Senate race, titled “Trust”. The ad highlights the contrast on national security issues between Senator Mark Kirk and Rep. Tammy Duckworth. Since the Paris attacks, Rep. Duckworth has called on the United States to accept 200,000 Syrian refugees–20 times more than the President has requested–while simultaneously voting against the America SAFE Act that would require greater screening of refugees to ensure none are associated with ISIS. The statewide ad buy begins today.
Statement from Kirk For Senate Campaign Manager Kevin Artl:
“The facts remain that ISIS used the Syrian refugee crisis to smuggle its terrorists into France and carry out their tragic and deadly acts. Yet Rep. Duckworth continues to ignore the concerns of the Director of the FBI, Director of National Intelligence and the Director of the National Counterterrorism Center about our government’s flawed vetting process which cannot ensure that these refugees are not part of ISIS. Instead of listening to the experts, Rep. Duckworth is doubling down on a reckless plan to let in 200,000 Syrians - 20 times more than the amount the Obama Administration is requesting. Rep Duckworth’s plan demonstrates a complete lack of judgment and creates unnecessary security risks for American families.”
In 2009, the flawed vetting system allowed two al Qaeda terrorists disguised as Iraqi refugees to settle in Kentucky, according to an ABC News Investigation. This investigation resulted in the temporary halt of the refugee program by the Obama Administration.
Less than a month ago, Rep. Duckworth voted against the American SAFE Act. This bipartisan measure requires the FBI Director, DHS Secretary and Director of National Intelligence to certify that each refugee admitted to the United States from Syria or Iraq poses no national security risk.
· Mr. Valls Said Some Of The Paris Attackers Had Taken Advantage Of The Massive Influx Of Migrants Into Europe Fleeing Conflict. (”These Individuals Took Advantage Of The Refugee Crisis… Of The Chaos, Perhaps, For Some Of Them To Slip In” to France, He Told French TV. “Paris Killers Used Refugee Crisis To Slip In,” SKY News, 11/20/2015)
· Two Of The Terrorists Bought Ferry Tickets From Leros To Continue Through Europe With Syrian Refugees. (”Paris Attacks: BBC Names Stade De France Bombers As M Al-Mahmod,” BBC, 11/22/2015)
Amazingly, Tammy Duckworth still wants to bring 200,000 Syrian refugees to America, even though the FBI says they cannot be safely screened.
Citations:
· But U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, D-Schaumburg, said at a separate event that the country needs to “have confidence in our intelligence services” and not put up walls. “Our nation is better than that,” Duckworth said, underlining her support for a measure to allow up to 200,000 refugees from the war-plagued country in the U.S. (Greg Hinz, “Stark Political Split Opens Up On Syrian Refugees,”Crain’s Chicago Business, 11/16/15)
· The Head of the FBI Said The Screening Process Is Not 100% Accurate. “I can’t sit here and offer anybody an absolute assurance that there’s no risk associated with this,” Comey said. (Jerry Markon, “Senior Obama Officials Have Warned of Challenges In Screening Refugees From Syria,” Washington Post, 11/17/2015)
Duckworth supports 20 times more refugees than the President.
Citation:
· Obama Said He Will Continue With His Plan To Allow 10,000 Syrian Refugees Over The Next Year. (Eric Lichtblau, “White House Affirms Syrian Refugee Pan Despite Paris Attacks,” New York Times, 11/18/15)
DUCKWORTH CLIP
“I signed on for 200,000 refugees.”
Citation:
· Duckworth Says Publicly She Wants 200,000 Refugees Allowed Into The U.S. (Fox Chicago News: “Reporter on Senator Mark Kirk and Rep. Tammy Duckworth addressing the Syrian refugee crisis” FOX Chicago, 11/15/2015)
ANNCR:
Mark Kirk opposes more Syrian refugees until it can be done safely.
Citation:
· Kirk Calls On Obama To Pause Intake of Syrian Refugees Until There Is 100% Guarantee With Vetting Process (Mark Kirk, “We’ve Already Let Terrorists In As Refugee,” Chicago Tribune, 11/24/215)
For your family’s safety: Who do you trust?
KIRK:
I’m Mark Kirk and I approve this message.
Rate it.
*** UPDATE 1 *** Response…
Good morning. In response to Sen. Mark Kirk’s new ad, please see the following statement, attributable to Matt McGrath, deputy campaign manager. Please also see the attached document, which goes point-by-point on Sen. Kirk’s uncertainty and dishonesty on this matter:
“We agree this is a crucial difference in this campaign. Tammy Duckworth believes leadership comes through strength, not fear. Mark Kirk’s worldview, on the other hand, is driven very much by fear and a willingness to compromise American values and to act how enemies like ISIS want us to act.
He has called for the mass incarceration of African Americans and suggested we just drive faster through African American neighborhoods. He suggested the President’s goal was to arm the Iranians with nukes, and compared the Iran peace agreement to Nazi appeasement. He wanted to place coffins outside the offices of his political opponents. Now, like Donald Trump, he’s appealing to base xenophobia, sowing fear of refugees in the midst of one of the largest humanitarian crises of our time. His ad is false, and he knows it, but worse yet it appeals exclusively to fear and the lowest common denominator. He should be ashamed. Illinois deserves better.”— Matt McGrath, campaign spokesman
