Rep. Chris Smith’s remarks on the Mueller Report

Congressman Chris Smith issued the following statement regarding the Mueller report:

“After almost two years of vigorous investigation, Special Counsel Robert Mueller—aided by 19 lawyers, about 40 FBI agents, intelligence analysts, forensic accountants and others—has found that there was no collusion whatsoever by President Trump (or anyone associated with his campaign) with the Russians to influence the 2016 election.  This vindication is good news for America, not so good for the credibility of those who insisted on an almost daily basis that there was ample evidence which demonstrated that the President was guilty of collusion. In the end, Mueller’s Report proves that the truth matters. False charges should have no place in American politics.”

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What Donald Trump and Abraham Lincoln Have in Common

By ROBERT KOFMAN

President Trump likes to compare himself to President Lincoln and indeed there are some similarities. Both won with less than a majority of the popular vote and took office in a deeply divided, polarized country with a substantial portion of the media engaging in virulent personal attacks on their character. They both expanded the President’s executive power to address what they saw as threats to homeland security and they devised new ways to communicate with the people.

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McConnell: Trump will keep government open, declare national emergency to build the wall

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said that President Donald Trump will sign legislation to fund the government that includes much less funding for a wall for the southern border than he wants and simultaneously declare a national emergency to empower him to secure the border without funding authorized by congress, according to a report at The Hill.

#BREAKING: Trump will declare national emergency to fund border wall https://t.co/2moePi7L4y pic.twitter.com/6jDhFKP0MN

— The Hill (@thehill) February 14, 2019

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Christie’s book is worth reading

LET ME FINISH: Trump, the Kushners, Bannon, New Jersey, and the power of in-your-face politics, former Governor Chris Christie’s memoir and plea for a political future is not likely to change any minds about him.  If you’re one of the 15% of New Jersey residents who admire Christie today as much as you did during the early aftermath of Superstorm Sandy, you will love the book and your admiration for Christie will grow.

If you believe that Christie knew about and was involved in the George Washington Bridge scandal known as Bridgegate and that he closed New Jersey’s beaches for all but his family on the July 4th weekend in 2017, his book will tell you why you’re wrong.  Christie is the victim of the two events that define his legacy so far; Bridgegate and Beachgate.

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Saving Lives: President Signs Two of Rep Smith’s Bills Into Law

Callista Gingrich, Ambassador to the Holy See, Rep Chris Smith and Vice President Mike Pence at the White House for the bill signing ceremony

President Donald Trump signed two bills crafted by Congressman Chris Smith into law on Tuesday: a five-year, $30 billion extension of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), and the Iraq and Syria Genocide Relief and Accountability Act, legislation to ensure ISIS genocide victims in Iraq and Syria receive humanitarian relief and hold the perpetrators accountable for their crimes.

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The Art of the Veto

By Robert Romano

By last count, Republicans lost at least 32 seats in the House in the midterm elections, and U.S. Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is once again poised to be elected House Speaker. This means all legislation will now have to be worked out between a Democratic House and a Republican Senate led by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.).

To navigate these new waters in 2019, President Donald Trump has signaled a willingness to negotiate but he must remember that his greatest leverage could come in the House minority if he wishes to plot a more conservative path.

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Trump-haters need to understand something…

By Joe Schilp

Trump-haters need to understand something… Growing up in New Jersey, I remember what New York City was like in the 70s and 80s. Rudy Giuliani went in there and cleaned it up and made it safe for everyone. Rudy was a brilliant politician, though I think when he was mayor he was on his third wife. But I didn’t support Giuliani for my father, I supported him for mayor because he got the job done.

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After horrible week of media coverage, Trump’s approval rating goes up

photo via Instagram

President Donald Trump has been almost universally criticized by the Washington political and punditry elites, on both the left and right, for his press conference with Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Yet his approval rating went up, in a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll released last night.

The four day nationwide survey of 900 registered started a day before the Trump/Putin summit. The pollsters reported that there was little difference in the results before and after the heads of state.

The 45% approval rating is the highest of Trump’s presidency.  It is up 1% from a June WSJ/NBC survey.

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Congressman Smith To Lead Dialogue With Russian Lawmakers

Congressman Chris Smith (R,NJ-4) is leading a congressional delegation in a bilateral meeting with Russian lawmakers, including  Pyotr Tolstoi, the Deputy Chairman of the Russian State Duma (parliament) during a four day conference which starts on Saturday, July 7, in Berlin.

The meeting is part of the 27th Annual Session of the OSCE (Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe) Parliamentary Assembly.

The bilateral meeting with Russian lawmakers comes nine days before President Donald J. Trump is set to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, Finland.

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Trump: US, allies attacking Syria to stop chemical weapons

The United States, France and Britain together launched military strikes in Syria to punish President Bashar Assad for a suspected chemical attack against civilians and to deter him from doing it again, President Donald Trump announced Friday. Explosions lit up the skies over Damascus, the Syrian capital, as Trump announced the airstrikes from the White House.… Read the rest of this entry »

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