Trump answers rebuke of border order with a veto

By JILL COLVIN and ZEKE MILLER Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — Unbowed by a congressional rebuke, President Donald Trump issued the first veto of his presidency on Friday in a demonstration that he is not through fighting for his signature campaign promise, which stands largely unfulfilled 18 months before voters decide whether to grant him another term.
Trump rejected an effort by Congress to block the emergency declaration he’d used to circumvent lawmakers as he tried to shake loose funds for his long-promised wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. The monthslong confrontation now moves to the courts, but not before marking a new era of divided government in Washington and Republicans’ increasing independence from the White House.
“Congress has the freedom to pass this resolution,” Trump said, “and I have the duty to veto it.”
A dozen defecting Republicans joined Senate Democrats in approving the joint resolution on Thursday as both parties strained to exert their power in new ways. It is unlikely that Congress will have the two-thirds majority required to override Trump’s veto, though House Democrats will try nonetheless on March 26.
Despite the reproach, Trump seized the opportunity to publicly rebuff Congress and show his commitment to the border wall. In embracing the opportunity to deploy the constitutional power of the veto for the first time, he treated the occasion with all the traditional pomp of a bill-signing.
Trump was surrounded in the Oval Office by supporters, including law enforcement officials and the parents of children killed by people in the country illegally, who offered profuse thanks and frequent applause. Trump dramatically signed his veto message and then held the document up for the cameras to capture.
Trump wants to use the emergency order to divert billions of federal dollars earmarked for defense spending toward the southern border wall. It still faces several legal challenges from Democratic state attorneys general and environmental groups who argue the emergency declaration was unconstitutional.
Those cases could prevent Trump from diverting extra money to barrier construction for months or longer. American Civil Liberties Union, which filed one of the challenges, said the veto is meaningless, like the declaration in the first place.
“Congress has rejected the president’s declaration, and now the courts will be the ultimate arbiter of its legality. We look forward to seeing him in court and to the shellacking that he will receive at the hands of an independent judiciary,” said Executive Director Anthony Romero.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called Trump’s veto a “lawless power grab” and railed that, even after both chambers tried to stop him, Trump “has chosen to continue to defy the Constitution, the Congress and the will of the American people.”
Trump, however, insisted the situation on the southern border is “a tremendous national emergency,” adding, “our immigration system is stretched beyond the breaking point.”
Many lawmakers said Thursday’s vote was not necessarily a rejection of the president or the wall, but protections against future presidents — namely a Democrat who might want to declare an emergency on climate change, gun control or any number of other issues.
It was the first direct challenge to the 1976 National Emergencies Act, just as a Wednesday vote on Yemen was the first time Congress invoked the decades-old War Powers Act to try to rein in a president. That resolution seeking to end U.S. backing for the Saudi Arabian-led coalition fighting in Yemen was approved in the aftermath of the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul and is expected to be the subject of Trump’s second veto.
Despite the embarrassing defections of the 12 GOP senators, Trump’s grip on the party remains strong and the White House made it clear that Republicans resisting Trump could face political consequences. Ahead of the voting, Trump framed the issue as with-him-or-against-him on border security, a powerful argument with many.
But Friday, Trump said he had sympathy for the Republicans who voted against him and emphasized that he never truly twisted the arms of lawmakers, because he knew there were not enough votes to override the veto.
“Look, they were doing what they have to do,” Trump said, insisting he “put no pressure” on lawmakers to vote against the resolution because he realized that the measure was likely to pass.
Still, a White House official said Trump won’t forget when senators who opposed him want him to attend fundraisers or provide other help. The official was not authorized to speak publicly on internal deliberations so spoke on condition of anonymity.
Speaking in the Oval Office, Trump painted his usual portrait of a lawless and violent border. He cited “thousands and thousands” of gang arrests and claimed many of the asylum seekers released into the U.S. were “stone-cold killers,” ignoring data that shows immigrants are less likely to commit crime. He noted, correctly, a spike in the number of people coming to the border to claim asylum.
Trump initiated the showdown months ago when he all but dared Congress not to give him the $5.7 billion he was demanding to build the U.S.-Mexico wall, by threatening a federal government shutdown.
Congress declined and the result was the longest shutdown in U.S. history. Against the advice of GOP leaders, Trump invoked the national emergency declaration last month, allowing him to try to tap about $3.6 billion for the wall by shuffling money from military projects, and that drew outrage from many lawmakers. Trump had campaigned for president promising Mexico would pay for the wall.
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AP writers Alan Fram, Lisa Mascaro, Catherine Lucey and Colleen Long contributed.

An Aliquippa police officer is still recovering this morning after being hurt trying to perform a traffic stop. Beaver County Radio News Correspondent Sandy Giordano has the update…

A BEAVER FALLS WOMAN HAS BEEN INDICTED BY A FEDERAL GRAND JURY IN PITTSBURGH ON THEFT CHARGES. BEAVER COUNTY RADIO NEWS CORRESPONDENT SANDY GIORDANO HAS DETAILS. Click on ‘play’ to hear Sandy’s report…

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A spokesperson for The Moon Area School District said backpacks will not be allowed at the Moon Area Middle School today. The decision was made as a precaution following a threat that was deemed non-credible. The spokesperson said the district is working closely with police and they take any threat seriously. There will also be an enhanced police presence at the school today.

Fire crews and other emergency responders were on the scene of a tractor-trailer fire on the Pennsylvania Turnpike early this morning.The fire broke out in the westbound lanes near the 17.1 mile-marker in North Sewickley Township. No injuries were reported. There were restrictions in the right lane while crews worked to clean up the scene.

The Pittsburgh Department of Public Safety says there will be increased patrols at local mosques in response to the shootings in New Zealand. The shootings happened in Christchurch, New Zealand today. At least 49 people were killed and more were injured. One person has been arrested and charged with murder.

WEATHER FORECAST FOR FRIDAY, MARCH 15TH, 2019

 

TODAY – MOSLY SUNNY SKIES THIS MORNING WILL
BECOME OVERCAST DURING THE AFTERNOON.
HIGH – 54.

TONIGHT – CLOUDY SKIES THIS EVENING, FOLLOWED BY
PARTIAL CLEARING. LOW – 32.

SATURDAY – OVERCAST. HIGH NEAR 40.

SUNDAY – PARTLY SUNNY. HIGH – 41.

Tune into Beaver County Radio 1230 WBVP and 1460 WMBA Tuesday, March 19, 2019 at 9 A.M. for Tom Young from 1st Consultants Inc. in Beaver. Tom will be making his monthly appearance and the topic this month will be: “How to Make Money and How to Avoid Taxes “ with guest Kim Butler, Creator of the Prosperity Economics Movement.   Tune in and listen to  Tom and Kim!

There will be that and more during Tom’s appearance this Tuesday. You can participate in the show by calling 724-843-1888 or 724-774-1888. You can also ask your questions on Facebook Live.

Click Tom’s picture below at showtime of 9:10 a.m. to be directed to the WBVP and WMBA Facebook Page where Tom’s appearance will be on Facebook Live.

Click on the logo below to find out more about 1st Consultants Inc.

(Pittsburgh, Pa.) — Senators Lindsey M. Williams, Jay Costa, and Vincent J. Hughes, joined by local elected officials, Allegheny County Labor Council members, and a crowd of union workers, announced the introduction of the Workplace Freedom Act today at the Allegheny County Courthouse.

The Workplace Freedom Act legislation protects Pennsylvania workers by strengthening collective bargaining in two ways. First, it eliminates the requirement for a two-tiered election process by allowing for a simple card check where expressing majority support would be sufficient. Second, it requires access to certified unions to new employees so that union membership benefits can be clearly explained.

“I get really fired up when someone says ‘I’m not anti-union. I love those building trades. I just don’t like public sector unions,’” said Senator Williams. “But that isn’t how being pro-union works. First, an injury to one is an injury to all. Second, the statement that ‘I don’t like public sector unions’ vastly discounts the wide variety of public sector workers represented by unions, including our firefighters, 911 operators, police officers, Fish and Boat Commission officers, and even public works employees, electricians, and carpenters at government agencies across the Commonwealth.”

“Unions have long helped workers earn better wages, health care, safety and retirement benefits, which is why we want to ensure unions can continue to work for future members,” Sen. Hughes said. “Pennsylvania workers have seen their greatest gains through the negotiating power of the unions and will not tolerate further erosion of these critical institutions that put worker benefits first.”

“It’s time for elected officials to take a stand,” said Senator Costa. “Working families need elected leaders to stand up to attacks on union rights, and instead create more opportunities for Pennsylvanians to have the freedom to join and form unions. That’s why I’m signing on to the PA Workforce Freedom Act.”
Representative Dan Miller also spoke at the press conference, as well as SEIU members Caitlin Schroering, Pitt Graduate Student Organizing Committee and fourth year Ph.D. candidate; Nick Theis, UPMC Worker Organizing Committee and Medical Researcher at UPMC; Pam Johnston, SEIU 32BJ Executive Board Member and building cleaner at the University of Pittsburgh; and Wanda Smith, SEIU 668 Chapter Chair and supervisor at the Allegheny County Assistance Office.