1600 Daily The White House • December 9, 2019 4 Facts House Democrats Wish They Could Change

The White House • December 9, 2019 4 facts House Democrats wish they could change  No matter what House Democrats may claim—and no matter how many times they try to change their story—they can’t run away from the facts. Chalk up today as yet another lost day for Congress, as Democrat leaders scramble to justify why they’ve all but scrapped any legislative priorities for the year. But no matter how hard they try to spin their narrative to the media, change their argument, or implement a rigged process, at least one thing has been consistent throughout these impeachment hearings. The facts haven’t changed. And that’s bad news for the do-nothing obstructionists: There is no evidence of wrongdoing by the President. Despite weeks of hearings, Democrats have not produced a single piece of evidence showing that President Trump committed any criminal, impeachable offense whatsoever.   Ukraine has said there was no pressure. President Zelensky and other Ukrainian officials have explained repeatedly that they never felt pushed.   Lethal aid to Ukraine wouldn’t even exist without President Trump. For all the Democrats’ posturing about national security and aid, it was President Trump who made the decision to provide Ukraine with lethal aid. The Obama Administration had rejected doing so for years.   This is an unfair, unprecedented impeachment stunt. House Democrats have continually broken with precedent and implemented an unfair “investigation” in a desperate attempt to ram impeachment through Congress. Of course, Democrats have changed their story so many times when it comes to what they are actually accusing President Trump of, it’s hard to keep up. As a result, American families are simply left scratching their heads, asking, “What was this all for?” Imagine all that could have been accomplished had House Democrats worked this hard on things that actually matter to American citizens. In addition to the soaring Trump Economy—which is lowering unemployment and raising wages across the income spectrum—by now your medicine prices could be even lower, your border a little more secure, and the infrastructure in your state a little stronger and safer. Sadly, we’ll never know. JUST IN: President Trump weighs in on the Justice Dept. Inspector General report. WATCH: First Lady visits Children’s National Hospital First Lady Melania Trump spread some holiday cheer on Friday, visiting patients, family members, and medical staff at Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. This nearly 70-year tradition dates back to Elizabeth “Bess” Truman. During this year’s visit, the First Lady stopped by the hospital’s short-stay and surgical units, then made her way to a playroom where she participated in a Christmas craft-making project. Next came a Christmas book-reading for children at the hospital. First Lady Melania Trump Makes Annual Holiday Visit to Children's Hospital Photo of the Day Official White House Photo by Andrea Hanks First Lady Melania Trump greets 11 year-old patient Declan McCahan before reading to patients and families during a Christmas visit to Children’s National Hospital in Washington, D.C. | December 6, 2019

Statement From The White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham

Statement From The White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham

“The shocking report from the DOJ Inspector General shows an out-of-control FBI under President Obama and former Director Jim Comey. The report makes clear that the phony Steele Dossier was “central and essential” for the FBI to secure wiretaps from the FISA Court to spy on the Trump campaign. But the FBI repeatedly lied to the FISA Court to make Steele seem credible and to hide information showing that the Dossier was false. The Dossier was bought and paid for by Hillary Clinton and the Democratic National Committee – but that fact was hidden from the FISA Court. Astoundingly, when evidence was repeatedly uncovered showing no wrongdoing by candidate Trump, that also was hidden from the FISA Court. On top of all that, one FBI lawyer altered an email in an effort to continue and extend the wiretapping – and he has been referred for criminal prosecution. All of this shows a repeated effort to mislead the FISA Court long after the FBI was aware the “Dossier” was false, phony and could not be used justify spying on the Trump Campaign. The American people should be outraged and terrified by this abuse of power. This should never happen to another presidential candidate or any American ever again.” Stephanie Grisham

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2019

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts   Today, President Donald J. Trump announced his intent to nominate the following individuals to key positions in his Administration: J. Brett Blanton of Virginia, to be the Architect of the Capitol. Mr. Blanton is currently the Deputy Vice President for Engineering at the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.  He leads all planning, design, construction, environmental planning, building permitting, and code enforcement for all real property controlled by the Airports Authority in support of the 50 million passengers who travel through Reagan National and Dulles International Airports.  Mr. Blanton retired from the United States Navy in 2015, following 22 years of service. While in the Navy Civil Engineer Corps, he oversaw some of the largest infrastructure projects undertaken by the Department of the Navy.  He is a 1993 graduate of the United States Naval Academy and has a M.S. in Ocean Engineering from Virginia Tech.  Brett is a registered Professional Engineer and was awarded the Bronze Star with Combat “V” for valor while serving in Baghdad, Iraq. Jennifer Yue Barber of Kentucky, to be Representative of the United States of America on the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, with the rank of Ambassador, and Alternate Representative of the United States of America to the Sessions of the General Assembly of the United Nations. Ms. Barber is a member of the law firm Frost Brown Todd LLC focusing on State and local tax, economic incentives, and government affairs.  She was appointed by the Governor of Kentucky to serve on the University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees.  She is also a member of the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce Tax Working Group and Litigation Committee and a member of the American Bar Association and Kentucky Bar Association, where she leads and serves on multiple committees.  She is also a member of the local advisory board for United States Bank, the Nation’s fifth largest commercial bank.  She served on the Kentucky State Fair Board, which has over $450 million in annual economic impact to Kentucky.  Ms. Barber earned her B.S. from the University of Kentucky and her J.D. from the University of Kentucky College of Law.  She clerked in the Office of the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Kentucky.  She is fluent in Chinese (Cantonese). Ramsey Coats Day of Virginia, to be an Assistant Administrator (Bureau for Africa) of the United States Agency for International Development, and to serve concurrently as a Member of the Board of Directors of the African Development Foundation. Mr. Day has served at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) since January 2018. Before joining USAID, Mr. Day was a Senior Director at the International Republican Institute (IRI) and the IRI Country Director in Amman, Jordan, from 2014 to 2017.He has held numerous positions within the international development community in the United States and overseas, including Country Representative for USAID in Montenegro and Senior Advisor for the USAID Europe and Eurasia Bureau.  Mr. Day earned his B.A. from the University of Mississippi and a Master in Public Administration (MPA) from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government. Brandon Lipps of Texas, to be the Under Secretary for Food, Nutrition, and Consumer Services, Department of Agriculture. Mr. Lipps served as Chief of Staff for the Office of the Chancellor at the Texas Tech University System, comprising a flagship institution, a regional university, and two health related institutions serving 53,000 students and its more than 20,000 employees worldwide. Previously, Lipps served as Counsel and Senior Professional Staff to the United States House Committee on Agriculture, including during formulation and passage of the 2014 Farm Bill.  He also served as Legislative Aide and Rural District Director for a former Texas State Senator and Associate at the Lubbock law firm of Crenshaw, Dupree, & Milam. Lipps hails from Woodson, Texas. He earned a Bachelor’s degree in agricultural economics from Texas Tech University and a law degree from Texas Tech University School of Law.

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2019

NOMINATIONS SENT TO THE SENATE:      J. Brett Blanton, of Virginia, to be Architect of the Capitol for the term of ten years, vice Stephen T. Ayers.      Finch Fulton, of Alabama, to be an Assistant Secretary of Transportation, vice Carlos A. Monje, Jr.      James E. McPherson, of Virginia, to be Under Secretary of the Army, vice Ryan McCarthy, resigned.

Review of Four FISA Applications and Other Aspects of the FBI's Crossfire Hurricane Investigation

DOJ FISA Abuse Report LINK

West Wing Reads ‘No Wonder Democrats Are Doing Their Best to Ensure That All the Headlines Are About Impeachment’

‘No Wonder Democrats Are Doing Their Best to Ensure That All the Headlines Are About Impeachment’ “‘Stellar.’ ‘Blowout.’ ‘Blockbuster.’ That’s how even left-leaning analysts described Friday’s stunning jobs report. The US economy continues to steam ahead under President Trump, despite a global slowdown — with big gains for Main Street, not just Wall Street,” the New York Post editorial board writes. “The gains are broad and deep. Minorities continue to see record or near-record low unemployment rates . . . And recent research from Bloomberg News shows that the Trump-era recovery has most benefited those in the lowest 40 percent of incomes.” No wonder Democrats are so desperate to change the narrative, the editors write. Click here to read more. “As Adam Schiff’s kangaroo court has unfolded, with Republicans barred from presenting defense witnesses or exculpatory materials and with much of the proceedings held in secret, it’s becoming clearer that the Republicans’ charge of a ‘show trial’ is gaining merit,” Robert Knight writes in The Washington Times. Years ago, Democrats warned Americans about the dangers of snooping tactics. “That was then. Today, House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff not only employs the power of the surveillance state to smear his colleagues and press his political agenda, he has set a number of dangerous precedents by ‘unmasking’ his political rivals,” David Harsanyi writes in the New York Post. “Fighting leukemia from her bed at Children’s National Hospital, Caoilinn McLane, then 15, met the first lady in 2017.” On Friday, they saw each other again—“when McLane was given the honor of introducing Mrs. Trump when she returned to the hospital to continue the tradition of first ladies reading to patients at holiday time,” Darlene Superville reports for The Associated Press. “Congress struck a tentative bipartisan agreement that would authorize 12 weeks of paid parental leave for all federal workers, in a potentially historic deal negotiated with the White House.” White House Legislative Affairs Director Eric Ueland said that Ivanka Trump played a key role in making it happen, Lindsay Wise and Michael Bender report in The Wall Street Journal.

Statement from the Press Secretary

Office of the Press Secretary FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE December 9, 2019

Statement from the Press Secretary President Donald J. Trump called on Congress in May to end surprise medical billing and delivered his principles to Capitol Hill. The Administration applauds the bipartisan efforts of House and Senate members since then to move toward ending an unfair practice that causes confusion and concern for millions of Americans. This compromise reflects the input of doctors and hospitals and is the result of months of delicate work to reach a deal among congressional members and the White House that protects patients. Americans should not be surprised with huge medical bills when they are most vulnerable. We are hopeful Congress will focus on this important issue and act this year and send legislation to the President to sign into law.