Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 6, 2018)
5A THE DAILY ASTORIAN • THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2018 Trump fumes over op-ed; officials deny role By ZEKE MILLER, CATHERINE LUCEY and JONATHAN LEMIRE Associated Press WASHINGTON — Push- ing back against explosive reports his own administration is conspiring against him, Pres- ident Donald Trump lashed out against the anonymous senior official who wrote a New York Times opinion piece claiming to be part of a “resistance” work- ing “from within” to thwart his most dangerous impulses. Perhaps as striking as the essay was the recognition of the long list of administration offi- cials who plausibly could have been its author. Many have pri- vately shared some of the same concerns expressed about the president with colleagues, friends and reporters. Washington was consumed by a wild guessing game as to the identity of the writer, and swift denials of involvement in the op-ed came today from top administration officials, including from Vice President Mike Pence’s office, Secre- tary of State Mike Pompeo and Dan Coats, director of national intelligence, and other Cabinet members. Trump was furious, tweet- ing this morning that “The Deep State and the Left, and their vehicle, the Fake News Media, are going Crazy - & they don’t know what to do.” On Wednesday night, Trump tweeted a demand that if “the GUTLESS anonymous person does indeed exist, the Times must, for National Security pur- poses, turn him/her over to gov- ernment at once!” White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called on the “coward” who wrote the piece to “do the right thing and resign.” To some observers, the ulti- matum appeared to play into the very concerns about the president’s impulses raised by the essay’s author. Trump has demanded that aides identify the leaker, according to two people familiar with the matter, though it was unclear how they might go about doing so. In a “House of Cards”- style plot twist, Trump allies and political insiders scram- bled to unmask the writer. But the op-ed also brought to light questions that have been whis- pered in Washington for more than a year: Is Trump truly in charge? And could a divided executive branch pose a danger to the country? Former CIA Director John Brennan, a fierce Trump critic, called the op-ed “active insub- ordination ... born out of loyalty to the country.” “This is not sustainable to have an executive branch where individuals are not following the orders of the chief executive,” Brennan told NBC’s “Today” show. “I do think things will get worse before they get bet- ter. I don’t know how Donald Trump is going to react to this. A wounded lion is a very dan- gerous animal, and I think Don- ald Trump is wounded.” AP Photo/Susan Walsh President Donald Trump responds to a reporter’s question Wednesday. The anonymous author, claiming to be part of the “resis- tance” to Trump “working dili- gently from within” his admin- istration, said, “Many Trump appointees have vowed to do what we can to preserve our democratic institutions while thwarting Mr. Trump’s more misguided impulses until he is out of office.” “It may be cold comfort in this chaotic era, but Ameri- cans should know that there are adults in the room,” the author continued. “We fully recognize what is happening. And we are trying to do what’s right even when Donald Trump won’t.” Trump raged about the piece in the White House, call- ing around to confidants to vent about the disloyalty of the author and fuming that the so-called Deep State within the federal government had con- spired against him, accord- ing to a person familiar with the president’s views but not authorized to discuss them publicly. The text of the op-ed was pulled apart for clues: The writer is identified as an “administration official”; does that mean a person who works outside the White House? The references to Russia and the late Sen. John McCain — do they suggest someone working in national security? Does the writing style sound like some- one who worked at a think tank? In a tweet, the Times used the pronoun “he” to refer to the writer; does that rule out all women? The newspaper later said the tweet referring to “he” had been “drafted by someone who is not aware of the author’s identity, including the gender, so the use of ‘he’ was an error.” The Beltway guessing game seeped into the White House, as current and former staff- ers alike traded calls and texts trying to figure out who could have written the piece, some turning to reporters and ask- ing them for clues. For many in Trump’s orbit, it was stunning to realize just how many peo- ple could have been the op-ed’s author. And some of the most senior members of the Trump administration were forced to deny they were the author of the attack on their boss. Hotly debated on Twitter was the author’s use of the word “lodestar,” which pops up fre- quently in speeches by Pence. Could the anonymous figure be someone in Pence’s orbit? Oth- ers argued that the word “lode- star” could have been included to throw people off. In a rare step, Pence’s com- munications director Jarrod Agen tweeted early Thursday that “The Vice President puts his name on his Op-Eds. The @nytimes should be ashamed and so should the person who wrote the false, illogical, and gutless op-ed. Our office is above such amateur acts.” Pompeo, who was in India, denied writing the anony- mous opinion piece, saying, “It’s not mine.” He accused the media of trying to undermine the Trump administration and said he found that “incredibly disturbing.” Coats later issued his own denial, followed by Housing Secretary Ben Carson, Trea- sury Secretary Steve Mnuchin, budget director Mick Mul- vaney and others; and with sev- eral prominent administration members delivering on-the-re- cord denials, the focus could now fall on other senior aides to do the same, with questions raised about those who stay silent. WORLD IN BRIEF Associated Press Northern California fire triples in size, closes Interstate 5 REDDING, Calif. — An explosive wildfire that closed down dozens of miles of a major California freeway nearly tripled in size overnight, just weeks after a nearby blaze that left neighbor- hoods in ruins and killed eight people, officials said today. The fire that erupted Wednesday afternoon and devoured tim- ber and brush on both sides of Interstate 5 near the Oregon state line had expanded to 23 square miles today, prompting manda- tory evacuations, the U.S. Forest Service said. Authorities did not say how many people were affected by the evacuation order, but the fire is in a rural area with scattered homes. The blaze was human-caused, fire officials said, but they didn’t indicate whether it was arson or accident. Truckers abandoned their vehicles Wednesday as flames roared up hillsides. In a video, a passenger in a vehicle screams: “Oh my God, I want to go!” as trees burst into flames and sheets of fire roiled on the side of the roadway. About 17 big rigs were abandoned and at least four caught fire, said Lt. Cmdr. Kyle Foster of the California Highway Patrol. U.S. Forest Service workers helped the driver of one flaming truck to safety and other truckers, firefighters and others aided other drivers, he said. About 45 miles of I-5 were closed in both directions. The blaze also delayed Amtrak’s Coast Starlight train service between Sacramento and Oregon. 4 dead, including gunman, in Cincinnati bank shooting CINCINNATI — A gunman opened fire this morning in a building in the heart of Cincinnati in an attack that left him and three other people dead, police said. THE DAILY ASTORIAN T HURSDAY E VENING A (2) (-) (-) (6) (-) (8) (9) (10) (12) (13) (-) (20) (-) (29) (30) (31) (32) (34) (35) (36) (38) (39) (43) (44) (45) (46) (47) (48) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (56) (57) (58) (61) (63) (64) (65) (162) L KATU KOMO KING KOIN KIRO KGW KRCW KOPB KPTV KPDX KCPQ TBS KZJO ESPN ESPN2 NICK DISN FAM FMC LIFE ROOT FS1 SPIKE COM HIST A&E TLC DISC NGEO TNT AMC USA FOOD HGTV FX CNN FNC CNBC BRAV TCM SYFY RFD (2) (4) (5) (-) (7) (-) (3) (10) (12) (-) (13) (20) (22) (29) (30) (31) (32) (34) (35) (36) (38) (39) (43) (44) (45) (46) (47) (48) (49) (50) (51) (52) (53) (54) (56) (57) (58) (61) (63) (64) (65) (162) 6 The shooting sent people scrambling across the city’s Foun- tain Square amid cries of “shooter!” It happened at a 30-story building, home to the corporate head- quarters for regional banker Fifth Third Bancorp and other busi- nesses, including popular ice cream, pastry and sandwich shops. The bank building was locked down for most of the morning, and surrounding streets and sidewalks were closed off. Police Chief Eliot Isaac said the shooter opened fire at about 9:10 a.m. at the loading dock, then entered the bank’s lobby, where he exchanged gunfire with police. It’s unclear if the gun- man shot himself or was shot by officers. The gunman wasn’t identified immediately, and police didn’t comment on possible motive. One of the victims died at the scene. Two more died at Univer- sity of Cincinnati Medical Center, where one victim remained in critical condition and another listed as serious. Trump poised to tax an additional $200 billion in Chinese imports WASHINGTON — The Trump administration may be about to slap tariffs of up to 25 percent on an additional $200 billion in Chinese goods, escalating a confrontation between the world’s two biggest economies and likely squeezing U.S. companies that import everything from handbags to bicycle tires. The administration could decide to begin taxing the imports — equal to nearly 40 percent of all the goods China sold the United States last year — after a public comment period ends today. China said it is ready to impose retaliatory tariffs on $60 bil- lion worth of U.S. goods if that happens. The U.S. has already imposed tariffs on $50 billion in Chinese products, and Beijing has punched back with tariffs on $50 bil- lion in American goods. These U.S. goods include soybeans and beef — a direct shot at supporters of President Donald Trump in the U.S. farm belt. Trump initiated the trade war to punish Beijing for what it says are China’s predatory tactics to try to supplant U.S. tech- nological supremacy. Those tactics, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative has alleged, include stealing trade secrets through computer hacking and forcing U.S. companies to hand over tech- nology in exchange for access to the Chinese market. Many American companies that rely on targeted Chinese imports are bracing for the next round of tariffs to hit, with some wondering whether they can absorb the higher costs or instead will need to pass them along to their customers — or find alterna- tives suppliers outside China. US plans to sidestep limits on detaining immigrant children WASHINGTON — The Trump administration said today it plans to circumvent a longstanding court agreement that gov- erns how children are treated in immigration custody, in part to detain families longer as a way to deter migrants from crossing the Southwestern border illegally. The Homeland Security Department announced proposed regulations that would terminate the so-called Flores agreement that requires the government to keep children in the least-re- stricted setting and required their release generally after 20 days in detention. The 1997 case that prompted the agreement will almost cer- tainly land back in court. U.S. District Court Judge Dolly M. Gee rejected a request by administration lawyers this summer to allow for longer family detention. The agreement became an issue during a “zero-tolerance” pol- icy enforced at the border to criminally prosecute anyone caught crossing illegally. More than 2,900 children were separated from their parents, prompting international outrage and scathing criticism over what many said was inhumane treatment of migrants. Officials said children couldn’t be in criminal custody with their parents, and were limited in how long they could detain families because of the agreement. The rules proposed today would allow the government to hold families until their immigration cases are completed, a move that government officials contend makes cases go much faster than if families are released. SCHEDULE A - Charter Astoria/ Seaside - L - Charter Long Beach Evening listings THURSDAY S EPTEMBER 6 PM 6:30 7 PM 7:30 8 PM 8:30 9 PM 9:30 10 PM 10:30 11 PM 11:30 Jeopardy! Wheel of Fortu KATU News at 6 (N) Fortune Celebrity Family Feud Match Game (N) Take Two "It Takes a Thief" (N) KATU News (N) (:35) Jimmy Kimmel KOMO 4 News (N) Wheel of Fortune Jeopardy! Celebrity Family Feud Match Game (N) Take Two "It Takes a Thief" (N) KOMO 4 News (N) (:35) Jimmy Kimmel (5:30) NFL Football Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles Site: Lincoln Financial Field (L) Evening Local Lens NBC Preview Dateline KING 5 News (N) (:35) Tonight Show KOIN Local 6 (N) Evening News (N) Extra Ent. Tonight (N) Big Bang Theory Young Sheldon Big Brother (N) S.W.A.T. "Vendetta" News (N) (:35) Colbert KIRO 7 News (N) Evening News (N) KIRO 7 News (N) Ent. Tonight (N) Big Bang Theory Young Sheldon Big Brother (N) S.W.A.T. "Vendetta" KIRO News (N) (:35) Colbert (5:30) NFL Football Atlanta Falcons at Philadelphia Eagles Site: Lincoln Financial Field (L) Paid Program Paid Program Inside Edition Dateline NBC KGW News (N) (:35) Tonight Show Modern Family Modern Family The Goldbergs The Goldbergs Supernatural "Funeralia" Originals "We Have Not Long to Live" News at 10 (N) Friends Two and a Half Two and a Half Outside Business (N) PBS NewsHour (N) In Wilderness A man lives alone in the Alaskan wilderness. Oregon Revealed: The Explore the waters of Oregon. Survival Guide/ Pain 6 O'Clock News (N) Family Feud Family Feud MasterChef "Cooking With Heart" The Gifted "eXploited" 10 O'Clock News (N) News (N) Page Six TV Mike & Molly Mike & Molly Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory Prime News (N) Prime News (N) Family Guy American Dad! The Game The Game Modern Family Modern Family Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory MasterChef "Cooking With Heart" The Gifted "eXploited" Q13 NEWS AT 10 (N) News (N) The Simpsons Family Guy Family Guy Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Seinfeld Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory The Last O.G. The Joker's Wild Conan Friends Friends Mom Modern Family Mom Modern Family Q13 News at 9 (N) Big Bang Theory Big Bang Theory Two and a Half Two and a Half (4:00) ITF Tennis U.S. Open (L) SportsCenter (N) SportsCenter With Scott Van Pelt (N) SportsCenter (N) SportsCenter (N) (5:00) WNBA Basketball Playoffs (L) Drone Racing League (N) Drone Racing League (N) Nación ESPN (N) First Take The hottest topics in sports are debated. To Be Announced Friends (:35) Friends The Loud House The Loud House The Loud House The Loud House Double Dare Double Dare Bunk'd Bunk'd A Cinderella Story: If the Shoe Fits ('16) Sofia Carson. (:40) Raven's Home (:05) Stuck Middle Stuck in Middle Bunk'd Bunk'd Raven's Home Raven's Home Inside Out (2015, Animated) Amy Poehler, Bill Hader, Kaitlyn Dias. Forrest Gump (1994, Comedy/Drama) Sally Field, Gary Sinise, Tom Hanks. The 700 Club (:20) The Heat (2013, Comedy) Melissa McCarthy, Michael McDonald, Sandra Bullock. (:40) FXM Presents Commando ('85) Arnold Schwarzenegger. (:50) FXM Presents True Story ('15, Mystery) James Franco. Grey's Anatomy "Go Big or Go Home" Grey's A. "Ain't That a Kick in the Head" Bring It! Fan Chat (N) Bring It! "Clash of the Titans" (:05) Jordin Sparks: A Baby Story (P) (N) (:05) Bring It! "Clash of the Titans" In Depth (N) Press Pass H.S. Football Hockinson vs. Archbishop Murphy (L) Press Pass (N) Press Pass H.S. Football (5:00) NHRA Drag Racing U.S. Nationals MLB Whiparound (L) CFB: Inside Slant Skip and Shannon: Undisputed Opinions on the biggest sports topics of the day. Speak for Yourself The Breakfast Club (1985, Drama) Emilio Estevez, Molly Ringwald, Judd Nelson. Overboard ('87) Mom Mom Friends Friends Friends Friends (:15) The Office 1/2 (:50) The Office "Niagara" Pt. 2 of 2 (:25) The Office The Office The Office The Office The Office The Office The Office The Daily Show (N) The Office (5:30) Pawn Stars Pawn Stars Mountain "While the Going Is Good" Mountain Men "Block and Tackle" Mountain Men "Edge of the Earth" (N) (:05) Pickers "Eyes on the Prize" (:05) American Pickers "The Big Bet" The First 48 "1000 Cuts/ Draw" The First 48 "Killer Contact" The First 48: Inside the Tape (N) The First 48 "Standing Ground" (N) Nightwatch Nat. "The Sober Truth" (N) (:05) Nightwatch N "Ready for Anything" Unxpect "My Mom Doesn't Like You" Unxpect "Love Will Keep Us Together" Unexpected "It's All About Laura Now" Unexpected "Step Up and Be a Dad" Unxpect "My Mom Doesn't Like You" (5:00) 90 Day Fiancé "Seeds of Doubt" Naked and Afraid "Damned in Africa" Naked and Afraid "Paradise Lost" Naked and Afraid "Creepy Critters" Naked and Afraid "Terror in Tanzania" The Getaway (N) Tut's Treasures "Tales From the Tomb" Egypt Unwrapped Egypt "Alexander the Great's Lost Tomb" Egypt Unwrapped "The Real Cleopatra" Egypt Unwrapped Source Code ('11, Myst) Jake Gyllenhaal. NCIS: New O. "It Happened Last Night" NCIS: New Orleans "Master of Horror" Live Free or Die Hard (2007, Action) Justin Long, Timothy Olyphant, Bruce Willis. Under Siege (1992, Action) Tommy Lee Jones, Gary Busey, Steven Seagal. True Lies ('94) Jamie Lee Curtis. (:55) Rambo: First Blood ('82) Brian Dennehy, Sylvester Stallone. Law & Order: S.V.U. "Dolls" Law & Order: S.V.U. "Decline and Fall" Law & Order: S.V.U. "The Newsroom" Queen of the South "Justicia" (N) Shooter "Patron Saint" (N) The Sinner "Part VI" Chopped Chopped Chopped "Doughnut Dash" Bite Club (N) Beat Flay (N) Beat Bobby Flay Beat Bobby Flay Beat Bobby Flay Flip or Flop Flip or Flop Flip or Flop Flip or Flop Flip or Flop Flip or Flop Flip or Flop (N) Flip or Flop House Hunters (N) House Hunters (N) Rustic Rehab (N) House Hunters (5:00) Lucy ('14, Act) Scarlett Johansson. Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014, Action) Colin Firth, Samuel L. Jackson, Taron Egerton. Snowfall "Surrender" (N) Snowfall "Surrender" Cuomo Prime Time CNN Tonight With Don Lemon CNN Tonight With Don Lemon Anderson Cooper 360 Cuomo Prime Time CNN Tonight With Don Lemon Hannity The Ingraham Angle Fox News @ Night Tucker Carlson Tonight Hannity The Ingraham Angle Shark Tank Jay Leno's Garage (N) Leno Garage "Any Which Way But Gas" Jay Leno's Garage "Crime Fighters" Jay Leno "Limited Funds Unlimited Fun" Paid Program Paid Program Shahs of Sunset "Reunion Part Two" Shahs of Sunset "A Date with Destiney" Shahs "Javid Shah: Long Live the King" Shahs of Sunset (N) Below Deck "Definitely Not Prague" Watch What (N) Shahs of Sunset To Kill a Mockingbird (1962, Drama) Brock Peters, Robert Duvall, Gregory Peck. A Soldier's Story ('84) Denzel Washington, Howard E. Rollins Jr.. (5:00) A Raisin in the Sun ('61) Claudia McNeil. (5:30) Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End (2007, Adventure) Orlando Bloom, Keira Knightley, Johnny Depp. Annabelle (2014, Horror) Alfre Woodard, Eric Ladin, Annabelle Wallis. The Rite ('11, Drama) Colin O'Donoghue. SF Machinery Small Town Rural America 'Live' "UNMC" Steve Lantvit Rural Eve. News Grown GA Farm Monitor SF Machinery Small Town Time Life Library
