House Speaker Nancy Pelosi of Calif., center, speaks to reporters as she leaves an event with furloughed federal workers amid the partial government shutdown, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2019, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)
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Developing now, Thursday, Jan. 17, 2019
THE STATE OF THE UNION IS NOT SHUT DOWN: The Trump administration and Republicans are pushing back on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s suggestion that President Trump delay his upcoming State of the Union address because of the partial government shutdown … The president is slated to deliver his televised annual address to a Joint Session of Congress on Jan. 29. But with no compromise in sight to resolve the standoff over government funding for Trump’s proposed border wall — a stalemate that is in its fourth week, with the impact deepening for furloughed federal workers and others — Pelosi, D-Calif., suggested in a letter that Trump put those plans on hold, speak from the Oval Office rather than Capitol Hill, or submit the address in writing. The House speaker also cited concern over whether a partially closed government could provide proper security for the address — but was quickly rebuked.
Though President Trump and the White House did not immediately respond to Pelosi, Republicans accused Pelosi of playing politics. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise tweeting that Democrats are “only interested in obstructing @realDonaldTrump, not governing.” Homeland Security Secretary Kirstjen Nielsen denied anyone’s safety would be compromised, saying that both Homeland Security Department and Secret Service “are fully prepared to support and secure the State of the Union.”
- Jason Chaffetz: The Senate should vote to open the government, fund the wall and force Dems to vote ‘nay’
- Jonah Goldberg on ‘Special Report’: ‘So much stupidity’ surrounding battle over border wall
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DISSENSION AMONG DEMS OVER THE WALL: House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., broke from other top Democrats and acknowledged Wednesday on Fox News’ “Special Report with Bret Baier” that border walls “obviously” work in some areas, and rejected suggestions that barriers should be removed where they already exist … In addition, the second most powerful House Democrat said the question of whether to fund President Trump’s proposed border wall is “not an issue of morality.”
Hoyer’s comments were seemingly at odds with the positions of other House Democrats, most notably House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who have argued that border walls like the one Trump is proposing are ineffective and immoral.
- Nearly 250 illegal immigrants arrested in New Mexico after crossing border, seeking medical care, Border Patrol says
COLLUSION CONFUSION: President Trump’s personal attorney, Rudolph Giuliani, claimed Wednesday night that he “never said there was no collusion” between members of President Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and Russian officials — but he did say that Trump himself never colluded with Russian officials … The former New York City mayor also said on CNN’s “Cuomo Prime Time” that “if the collusion happened, it happened a long time ago. It’s either provable or it’s not. It is not provable because it never happened … I’m telling you there’s no chance it happened.” Trump previously denied any member of his campaign conspired with Russian officials. In May 2017, Trump flatly stated: “There is no collusion, certainly myself and my campaign.”
MUELLER TEAM MEMBERS HAD DIRT ON DOSSIER: Details about Justice Department official Bruce Ohr’s meetings with the author of the salacious anti-Trump dossier were shared by Ohr with his expansive circle of contacts inside the department — including senior FBI leadership and officials now assigned to Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation, Fox News’ Catherine Herridge has learned … Ohr gave a closed-door transcribed interview last August sharing details of his 2016 meetings with British ex-spy Christopher Steele, who authored the dossier later used to secure a surveillance warrant for a Trump campaign aide.
In a series of questions about his meetings with Steele — including one on July 30, 2016 — and about with whom he shared the information, Fox News has confirmed the Ohr transcript stated: “Andy McCabe, yes and met with him and Lisa Page and provided information to him. I subsequently met with Lisa Page, Peter Strzok, and eventually (an FBI agent). And I also provided this information to people in the criminal division specifically Bruce Swartz, Zainab Ahmad, Andrew Weissmann.”
THE SOUNDBITE
GILLETTE FEELS RAZOR BURN OVER ‘TOXIC MASCULINITY’ – “Any time you take one group and blame them for a problem, there’s an issue. I wouldn’t let my kids watch that commercial.” – Tyrus, on “The Story,” sounding off on a controversial Gillette ad that targets men, “toxic masculinity” and sexual harassment. WATCH
TODAY’S MUST-READS
Ocasio-Cortez vows to ‘run train’ on progressive agenda in bizarre turn of phrase.
Tammy Bruce: It’s time to stand up and stop this pathological frenzy to marginalize boys and men.
Tom Basile: Newsom, Cuomo coasting toward socialism in California and New York – Our formula for greatness is under siege.
MINDING YOUR BUSINESS
Vanguard founder John Bogle dead at 89.
Gasparino: Trump’s attorney general nominee Barr may target Big Tech.
IRS waives penalty for some Americans who underpaid taxes.
Sears employees upset over Lampert’s bid win.
Kia, Hyundai recalling 168,000 vehicles for fire risks.
STAY TUNED
On FOX News:
Fox & Friends, 6 a.m. ET: Special guests include: Tom Homan, former acting director of ICE; Lawrence Jones, editor-in-chief of Campusreform.org, reacts to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez hosting social media session for Democrats; Dr. Nicole Saphier answers viewers’ medical questions; music trivia with Fox News Radio host Tom Shillue; country music star Lee Greenwood performs “God Bless the USA.”
America’s Newsroom, 9 a.m. ET: Michael Mukasey, former U.S. attorney general.
Your World with Neil Cavuto, 4 p.m. ET: Special guests include: U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky.
The Story with Martha MacCallum, 7 p.m. ET: Mark Esper, U.S. secretary of the Army.
On Fox Business:
Mornings with Maria, 6 a.m. ET: Special guests include: U.S. Sen. Rand Paul, R- Ky.; Nicholas Johnston, editor-in-chief of Axios; Def Leppard drummer Rick Allen; U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis.
Varney & Co., 9 a.m. ET: Guglielmo Picchi, Italian deputy minister of foreign affairs.
Making Money with Charles Payne, 2 p.m. ET: R “Ray” Wang, principal analyst, founder, and chairman of Constellation Research, Inc.
Countdown to the Closing Bell with Liz Claman, 3 p.m. ET: Robert Shiller, Sterling professor of economics at Yale University.
On Fox News Radio:
The Fox News Rundown podcast: Former U.S. Rep. John Delaney, D-Md., became the first Democrat to launch his 2020 presidential campaign against President Trump when he announced he was running back in July 2017. Delaney joins the podcast to explain his platform. FOX News’ Marta Dhanis goes inside the dramatic testimony in the trial of accused Mexican drug lord Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Plus, commentary by Peggy Grande, former executive assistant to President Ronald Reagan.
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The Brian Kilmeade Show, 9 a.m. ET: The suicide blast in Syria that left U.S. service members dead, the latest in the shutdown and its impact on President Trump’s upcoming State of the Union address will be among the topics of debate with Jonathan Swan, Axios political reporter, U.S. Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis. and Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill.; Byron York, chief political correspondent for the Washington Examiner, gives the latest on the investigation of former FBI lawyer James Baker for alleged media leaks.
Benson & Harf, 6 p.m. ET: Special guests will include: U.S. Sen. Ben Sasse, R-Neb.
#TheFlashback
1998: The Drudge Report says Newsweek magazine killed a story about an affair between President Bill Clinton and an unidentified White House intern, the same day Clinton gave a deposition in Paula Jones’ sexual harassment lawsuit against him in which he denied having had a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky.
1984: The U.S. Supreme Court, in Sony Corp. of America v. Universal City Studios, Inc., rules 5-4 that the use of home video cassette recorders to tape television programs for private viewing does not violate federal copyright laws.
1929: Popeye the Sailor makes his debut in the “Thimble Theatre” comic strip.
Fox News First is compiled by Fox News’ Bryan Robinson. Thank you for joining us! Have a good day! We’ll see you in your inbox first thing Friday morning.
