Weekend Edition: Inform Your Opinion 11-17-19

Roger Stone, a former campaign adviser to President Donald Trump was found guilty by a jury on all seven charges that he faced on Friday. The charges he was found guilty of include lying to Congress, witness tampering and obstruction. Stone faces up to 50 years in prison if sentenced to the maximum for each of the charges he was found guilty of. Roger Stoner is the 6th Trump aide or adviser to be convicted of charges brought as part of special counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation.

AP report by Ashraf Khalil & Michael Balsamo.

Kellyanne Conway and her husband George Conway are on opposite ends when it comes to politics. Kellyanne Conway is a counselor to the president for President Donald Trump and often goes on major news networks to speak positively of the president. Her husband on the other hand, George Conway is a major critic of the president and goes on major news networks to criticize the president. When Kellyanne Conway is confronted about recent comments by her husband accusing the President of using his powers of the Presidency to advance his personal interests; Kellyanne dismisses his comments as personal opinion and instead tries to say that it is shameful of the media to even ask her about the different view points her husband has.

Mediaite report by Charlie Nash.

Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle were paid $50,000 in student fees to speak at the University of Florida on October 10, 2019. The October speech was part of Trump Jr.’s tour for his book “Triggered,” yet it bore elements of a campaign-style rally, including effusive praise for President Trump. Two weeks later, the school newspaper, The Independent Florida Alligator, published emails between UF student body president Michael Murphy and Caroline Wren, a finance official for Donald Trump’s reelection campaign, in which they discussed the speech. However, student activity funds should not be used in support of, or against a political party. So Tuesday, November 12th, five student senators at the university filed impeachment resolution to impeach student president Michael Murphy.

CNN report by Eric Levenson.

Inform Your Opinion 11-15-19

The first public impeachment hearing was held on Wednesday, November 13th with two witnesses, acting U.S Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor, and State Department official George Kent. Both testified how they grew increasingly concerned over the summer about how Ukraine was being urged to launch political investigations President Donald Trump wanted in exchange for either a White House meeting or military aid.

Vox report by Andrew Prokop.

Following the first public impeachment hearing, Speaker Nancy Pelosi held a press conference on Thursday, November 14th saying that the testimony of acting U.S Ambassador to Ukraine Bill Taylor, and State Department official George Kent was “devastating,” and that it “corroborated evidence of bribery” that President Trump himself has admitted to.

Axios report by Zachary Basu.

Today, November 15th, the former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch testified in the impeachment hearing of President Donald Trump. She was “shocked and devastated” after learning that President Donald Trump had disparaged her in his July phone call with the Ukrainian President, while a tweet from the President attacking her during the impeachment inquiry hearing sparked a real-time response and new Democratic accusations of witness intimidation.

CNN Politics report by Jeremy Herb & Manu Raju.

Inform Your Opinion 11-13-19

Historic public impeachment hearing of President Donald Trump start today, November 13th of 2019. Democrats will build a case to impeach the President, while Republicans will argue against impeachment.

The Democrats case to impeach include Trumps solicitation of election meddling from Ukraine, by starting an investigation into his campaign rival Joe Biden; in exchange for an invitation of President Zelensky to the White House and the release of military and security assistance to Ukraine among other charges.

The Republicans case against impeachment is that the inquiry was flawed, Donald Trump as President has vast foreign policy powers and was within his right to make such requests; and after all the military assistance was released to Ukraine.

CNN Politics report by Zachary Cohen, Clare Foran, Michael Warren & Zachary Wolf.

Last week it was reported that Michael Bloomberg was preparing a potential run for a 2020 bid. Earlier this week, Former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick is considering of joining the Democratic presidential primary. The late comers to the race are worried about the front runner, former Vice President Joe Biden not being able to secure the nomination and that Senator Elizabeth Warren or Senator Bernie Sanders could win the nomination. Bloomberg’s strategy is to go after Super Tuesday states by being able to use the vast amount of personal wealth he has to buy up advertising in those states. While Patrick could influence the results of the early states, and have significant support of the black voters if he was in the race.

Politico report by Marc Caputo & David Siders.

Usually by this time, the Democratic presidential primary field would narrow, but instead it looks like it may grow with Bloomberg and Patric considering a run for the nomination and they might not be alone.

Hilary Clinton said on BBC Radio 5 Live, “I will certainly tell you, I’m under enormous pressure from many, many, many people to think about it.” When she was asked about running again. She did follow up her comment with, “I, as I say, never, never, never say never. But as of this moment, sitting here in this studio talking to you, that is absolutely not in my plans.”

Politico report by Abbey Marshall.

Weekend Edition: Inform Your Opinion 11-09-19 & 11-10-19

A very important update on the public health crisis EVALI.

CDC has made a breakthrough in finding the possible cause of the deadly vaping illness affecting the entire country. Vitamin E Acetate was detected in all 29 lung tissue samples from the patients that the health officials have tested.

While Vitamin E Acetate is normally safe when applied to the skin or swallowed, inhaling the compound is not safe. Vitamin E Acetate when inhaled turns into a honey like substance that coats the lungs from the inside, specifically the alveoli inside the lungs get covered. The lungs have no way of getting rid of the coating. Thus impairing lung function possibly for life.

Alveoli are tiny balloon shaped structures and are the smallest passageway in the respiratory system. The alveoli are only one cell thick, allowing the relatively easy passage of oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) between the alveoli and blood vessels called capillaries. With enough of them being covered you lose ability to supply the body with enough oxygen. There is no way to get more oxygen in other then your lungs. So in serious cases its death or an emergency lung transplant.

As of Tuesday, the CDC has confirmed 2,051 probable cases, 163 of those were new cases diagnosed just last week. The patients affected are from 49 states, the District of Columbia, and the Virgin Islands. The number of fatalities rose to 39. Health officials are calling the disease EVALI, short for e-cigarette, or vaping, product use associated lung injury.

The CDC is recommending that consumers stop vaping, particularly THC and especially anything bought off the street. There have been thousands of fake THC cartridges that are packaged to look like the name brand cartridges that were made using Vitamin E Acetate. The CDC said that it is important that the compound not be added to any vaping products until the relationship of vitamin E acetate and lung health is better characterized.

CNBC report by Berkley Lovelace Jr.

CDC link on the outbreak with updates.

Inform Your Opinion 11-08-19

As Netflix encounters more competitors entering the streaming market their in, Apple TV launched last week and Disney is launching next week, ratings start to matter. In the past Netflix would not provide any viewing data about its programing and kept the information a secret. The only way to tell if a TV show was doing good was to see if it was renewed for another season. However in the last year, things have started to change and Netflix is providing some viewing numbers for select shows and movies that Netflix wants to boast about. With more competitors emerging its not just about the number of subscribers you have but rather the bang for your buck you get.

Vox report by Peter Kafka.

President Donald Trump and The Apprentice Creator Mark Burnett reportedly were discussing a new reality TV show after Donald Trumps presidency. Potential name for the TV show: The Apprentice: White House. TV program would be explicitly politics-themed and take full advantage of Trump’s status as a former president of the United States and a newfound Republican kingmaker.

The Daily Beast report by Asawin Suebsaeng & Lachlan Cartwright.

Donald Trump Jr. was on The View this week and things got a little heated. Guests clashed with hosts and hosts clashed with audience members at the ABC show on Thursday.

The Hollywood Reporter report by Jeremy Barr.

Inform Your Opinion 11-07-19

House Democrats have considered drafting as many as three articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump, as they prepare to take their Ukraine impeachment inquiry public next week. The three possible impeachment articles would be for abuse of power, obstruction of Congress and obstruction of justice.

ABC News report by Benjamin Siegel & Katherine Faulders.

Former New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, after saying in March that he wouldn’t run for president, is backtracking and preparing a potential run for a 2020 bid. Bloomberg is expected to file the necessary paperwork to get on the Democratic primary ballot in Alabama this week, however Bloomberg has yet to make a final decision on a run.

CNN report by Dan Merica, Kate Sullivan & Cristina Alesci.

Former Attorney General Jeff Sessions is expected to announce plans to run for his former Senate seat on Thursday according to the report by The Hill. A source familiar with Sessions’s plans said that the former Alabama senator “will come out forcefully in support of [President] Trump’s agenda while denouncing Democrats’ impeachment efforts. And steps have already begun to hire campaign staff.”

The Hill report by Juliegrace Brufke & Al Weaver.

Inform Your Opinion 11-06-19

Tuesdays election results are in and the Republicans and Donald Trump are on the losing end. In Kentucky Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear is poised to defeat Republican Governor Matt Bevin. In Virginia, Democrats won majorities in both House and Senate, giving them full control of the states government. In Mississippi, the Republicans held onto the governor’s office by a thin margin.

CNN report by Eric Bradner.

Right wing news outlets and Presidents son Donald Trump Jr. are trying to spread the identity of the alleged impeachment whistleblower. While other major news outlets are declining to publish the identity over concerns to the safety of the whistleblower. First off before we get ahead of ourselves, this is just the alleged whistleblower, so publishing their name could bring them unwarranted harassment.

Forbes report by Rachel Sandler.

The Washington Post reported that President Donald Trump wanted his Attorney General William Barr to hold a press conference to clear him of any wrongdoing in regards to the July 25th phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. This tactic sounds awfully familiar.

SF Gate article.