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White House staffer’s Jan. 6 testimony drew blood, changed everything

Hearing number six of the Jan. 6 House Select Committee investigating the Capitol attack was decidedly damaging for the top two perpetrators of the failed effort to overturn the 2020 election — former president Donald Trump and his enabling chief of staff Mark Meadows. 

The former commander in chief and his chief of staff were appreciably wounded by detailed accounts from Meadows’s former close aide and star witness, Cassidy Hutchinson, a twenty-something whose testimonial polish belies her age and experience. And she has survived it favorably thus far, notwithstanding the oppressive discrediting campaign underway from Trump and MAGA thugs.

Her accounts have armed the committee — and the country — with a bright spotlight on the activities and utterances of those two central players on and around Jan. 6. As a true believer in Trump’s presidency and as a true White House insider, Hutchinson has drawn blood in seeking accountability for the two.

Her testimony revealed the nefarious deeds and possible motives of Trump, and the enabling and irresponsible reactions of Meadows. Both, she indicated, knew that Jan. 6 rally attendees were armed and potentially dangerous, yet Trump egged them on to march to the Capitol. Meadows did little if anything to impact the situation. Trump was indifferent — at best — to the harm facing Vice President Mike Pence from the rioters, according to her testimony. Meadows showed no countervailing initiative. 

Meadows, in fact, lived up to his caricature as a wet noodle following release of his book last year when Trump decried it as “fake news,” and Meadows promptly agreed. Meadows was so inept that he couldn’t even get the presidential pardon that Hutchinson said he wanted.

By the end of Hutchinson’s testimony, she had exposed many holes in the Trump camp’s flanks that the committee and others can aggressively exploit in future proceedings. With intermission upon us in the committee’s hearings, Trump is flailing, and Meadows is probably starting to think about immunity for his testimony. 

The whole purpose of the committee having Hutchinson testify when she did, I am convinced, was to coerce cooperation from a semi-hostile Meadows and a reluctant former White House counsel Pat Cipollone.

Cipollone, Hutchinson testified, was trying to keep Trump out of harm’s way, criminally, at every turn — especially if Trump had gone to the Capitol. The portrait she painted was of Cipollone hosing down every Trump co-conspirator, including Trump, with a fire extinguisher. Never mind about the old adage of just follow the money to uncover the crime. In this case, just follow Cipollone — and the Department of Justice will have a roadmap to criminal exposure of Trump’s co-conspirators.

And now the committee has subpoenaed Cipollone, for obvious reasons.

Hutchinson’s testimony begs for a response from Cipollone: From the moment she concluded her account, the spotlight immediately shifted to him in expectation of a requisite response. He now has no choice but to negotiate a suitable option to answer questions for the committee and the country.

During the committee’s third hearing earlier this month, testimony established that — at least in the Trump campaign’s response to losing the election — there were two opposing camps: “Team Normal” and “Team Crazy.” But in fact, it seems for each nefarious scheme to overturn the election — the John Eastman scheme to bully Pence into stopping the electoral count; the Rudy Giuliani scheme to get alternate slates of electors in swing states; the Jeffrey Clark scheme to legitimize election fraud claims through DOJ — there was an equal and opposite team: Each scheme had its own version of each team.  For example, in the DOJ scheme, “Team Crazy” reportedly included Clark and Rep. Scott Perry (R-Pa.),   while “Team Normal” reportedly were the DOJ top brass. 

Simply put, “Team Normal” — in all cases — were always the adults in the room. “Team Crazy” were always the grifters. Put another way: “Team Crazy” were the arsonists, “Team Normal” the firemen.

The only person trying to put out all of the fires was apparently Pat Cipollone.

He had the broadest possible view of the entire enterprise, from the 30,000-foot level as well as the ground floor. 

That’s why he’s being subpoenaed, and that’s why it’s imperative that he testify.

Thus far, this select committee has been living up to its billing to “blow the roof off the House,” provided one views it as a video playing in slow motion. It’s hard to tell how far along the video is right now, but it’s moving in the right direction. 

Who’s getting a front-row seat to that video is DOJ — and they’re squirming.

Officials there reportedly felt blindsided by Hutchinson’s testimony, feeling slighted for not getting advance copies of her depositions and videos. It’s clear that DOJ has underestimated the committee’s ability to move the narrative in a compelling way. They are now hat-in-hand to the committee.

That development leaves the committee in the enviable position of not having to make a criminal referral at the end of its work. The more information the committee gets and reveals, the less reason there is for a criminal referral. Let the information speak for itself. DOJ is clearly listening — intently. For the committee to send a referral now is like sending a tweet in ALL CAPS. Chill.

What the committee could do that would be much more effective and righteous is bring its full weight to bear against those who reportedly intimidated Cassidy Hutchinson prior to her testifying — and to protect her and others who came forward and were intimidated. That’s the committee’s obligation and responsibility. 

Hutchinson especially — after all, she drew heart’s blood for accountability.

Kris Kolesnik is a 34-year veteran of federal government oversight. He spent 19 years as senior counselor and director of investigations for Sen. Charles Grassley (R-Iowa). Kolesnik then became executive director of the National Whistleblower Center. Finally, he spent 10 years working with the Department of the Interior’s Office of Inspector General as the associate inspector general for external affairs.

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Biden says federal law enforcement will assist with hunt for July 4 shooter

President Biden pledged federal assistance in capturing the shooter who opened fire at a Fourth of July parade in a suburb of Chicago on Monday, killing at least six people. 

Biden said in a statement that he has spoken to Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) and Highland Park Mayor Nancy Rotering (D), offering the “full support” of the federal government to the community. 

“[First lady] Jill [Biden] and I are shocked by the senseless gun violence that has yet again brought grief to an American community on this Independence Day,” Biden said. “As always, we are grateful for the first responders and law enforcement on the scene.” 

“I also surged Federal law enforcement to assist in the urgent search for the shooter, who remains at large at this time,” he said, adding that local residents “should follow guidance from leadership on the ground.”

Illinois lawmakers described the shooting, which also injured at least 24 people, as “terrifying” in statements on Monday. Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), whose district includes Highland Park, said he is monitoring the situation closely and in contact with the mayor. 

Biden said there is still much work to do on gun violence despite the bipartisan reform legislation he signed last month. 

A group of senators concentrated their efforts on reaching an agreement on combatting the violence in the aftermath of shootings at a supermarket in Buffalo, N.Y., and at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas, in May. The package includes enhanced background checks for potential buyers under the age of 21, increased funding for mental health and cracking down on illegal gun trafficking. 

Biden said the legislation includes actions that will “save lives.” 

“But there is much more work to do, and I’m not going to give up fighting the epidemic of gun violence,” he said.

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Brittney Griner to Biden: 'I'm terrified I might be here forever'

WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been held in Russia since February, urged President Biden in a letter delivered to the White House on Monday not to forget about her and other Americans detained abroad.

“…[A]s I sit here in a Russian prison, alone with my thoughts and without the protection of my wife, family, friends, Olympic jersey, or any accomplishments, I’m terrified I might be here forever,” Griner wrote to Biden in excerpts of the letter shared by Wasserman, a talent agency that includes her management team. 

Griner, who has been detained in Russia for more than four months over allegations that hashish oil was found in her luggage, said she missed her family and teammates. 

Her trial began on Friday.

“I realize you are dealing with so much, but please don’t forget about me and the other American Detainees. Please do all you can to bring us home. I voted for the first time in 2020 and I voted for you. I believe in you. I still have so much good to do with my freedom that you can help restore,” she wrote. 

“I miss my wife! I miss my family! I miss my teammates! It kills me to know they are suffering so much right now. I am grateful for whatever you can do at this moment to get me home.” 

Griner’s team, the Phoenix Mercury, and her wife have called on the United States to do more to get her out of Russia. The State Department in early May said it considered her status in Russia as wrongfully detained, and Biden officials have called her release a “top priority.”

“[The case] has the fullest attention of the president and every senior member of his national security and diplomatic team, and we are actively working to find a resolution to this case and will continue to do so without rest until we get Brittney safely home,” national security adviser Jake Sullivan said last week.

Griner’s detainment also came amid the backdrop of Russia’s ongoing invasion in Ukraine, which has soured relations between Moscow and much of the world. 

The Hill has reached out to the White House for further comment. 

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Ukraine, Zelensky wish US a happy July 4th, release video of military band playing 'Star-Spangled Banner'

Ukrainian officials including President Volodymyr Zelensky wished the U.S. a happy Independence Day on Monday as the nation fights for its own independence against the ongoing Russian invasion.

“I appreciate the leadership assistance of the United States in Ukraine’s defending of common values — freedom, democracy and independence,” Zelensky tweeted, wishing Americans and President Biden a happy July 4th.

The U.S. has made supporting Ukraine a cornerstone of its foreign policy since Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24. Washington has committed $6.9 billion in security assistance since Russia’s invasion began, uniting Western nations against the move and bringing tensions with Moscow to a boiling point not seen since the Cold War. 

“Happy 4th or July to all our American friends and thanks for standing with us in the darkest hour. Together, we will prevail,” the Ukraine government’s official Twitter account said.

The Ukrainian military orchestra on Monday released a video of the group performing the U.S. national anthem, sung in English, in honor of the holiday.

“Dear American friends, we appreciate all the support we receive from the United States, and today we sincerely wish you happy Independence Day,” an unnamed uniformed military official said in the video following the group’s performance.

The gesture was one of many from the Ukrainian military. 

“On behalf of the Armed Forces of Ukraine and on my own behalf, I convey my heartfelt wishes to the American people on the anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence,” Valerii Zaluzhnyi, the commander-in-chief of Ukraine’s armed forces, wrote in a Facebook post.

“I wish you every success in your future endeavors, prosperity, much happiness and robust health,” he continued.

The general staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine also marked July 4 in a post.

“Happy 4th or July to all our American friends and thanks for standing with us in the darkest hour,” the Ukrainian government’s official account tweeted on Monday. “Together, we will prevail.”

Source: TEST FEED1

Rising threats spark US scramble for cyber workers

The federal government and private sector are facing increasing pressure to fill key cyber roles as high-profile attacks and international threats rattle various U.S. sectors.

Workforce shortages have been a long-running issue in cyber, but they have taken on renewed importance amid rising Russian threats stemming from the war in Ukraine.

“It’s an issue that the government faces as well as the private sector, state and local communities,” Iranga Kahangama, a cyber official at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), said at a House hearing this week.

Kahangama said the shortage has been a top priority for his agency, which conducted a 60-day hiring sprint last summer to hire cybersecurity professionals. Out of 500 job offers DHS sent out, the department was able to hire nearly 300 new cyber workers.

“It was the largest single hiring event we’ve had so far,” Kahangama told lawmakers on a House Homeland Security subcommittee on intelligence and counterterrorism. 

The focus on labor shortages comes as the U.S. has been on high alert recently, with intelligence officials warning about possible Russian cyberattacks targeting key government institutions, elections and critical infrastructure, including the energy and finance sectors. 

Executives in the private sector are also feeling the pressure to hire highly skilled workers to combat increasing threats from ransomware and other online attacks.

“There absolutely is a shortage for cybersecurity labor across all industries,” said Greg Valentine, a senior vice president at the cybersecurity firm Industrial Defender. 

The cyber executive said he’s seen a spike in demand for cyber workers, which he mainly attributes to recent events such as the war in Ukraine, the 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack and the 2020 SolarWinds hack.

Valentine said whenever there is a security breach that becomes public, executives at companies tend to panic and scramble to get resources and hire more cybersecurity professionals to ensure that their businesses are secure. 

He added that it’s not necessarily the breach itself that motivates executives to invest more in cybersecurity, but more the publicity surrounding the hack that pushes industry leaders to take action.

As far as alleviating the current labor shortage — which is caused by demand and growth in cybersecurity outpacing the supply of workers — Valentine warned it will take time.

“It’s not an overnight process,” he said.

Experts who spoke to The Hill said one way to increase the supply of cyber workers is to incentivize students to choose that career path and for the education system to offer more cybersecurity courses and tech-related programs at colleges and universities. 

Reed Loden, vice president of security at tech company Teleport, said schools should offer more specialized cyber programs, including boot camps and internships specifically tailored to the field. 

Aside from education, Loden said more effort should be placed on recruiting, training and retaining young talent — though he acknowledged that many, including himself, are focused more on getting seasoned workers in a highly competitive market.

“Good talent is already taken,” Loden said 

“I would love to be able to hire junior security engineers and mentor them,” he added, “but because I have urgent needs, it’s hard to do right now.”

The labor shortage has encouraged government and the private sector to collaborate more, including on sharing critical information to combat growing cyber threats.

In the past year, the federal government has introduced several key initiatives that encourage public-private partnerships in cyberspace. 

For instance, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), a sub-division of DHS, launched the Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative in August 2021 in an effort to defend the U.S. against cyberattacks.

CISA has partnered with several companies in the private sector to push forward the effort, which includes implementing nationwide cyber defense strategies, sharing information and mitigating the risks of cyberattacks.

Even the White House has pushed for such partnership. Last spring, President Biden signed an executive order aimed to strengthen and secure federal government networks and critical infrastructure against cyber threats. 

The order introduced several key initiatives including facilitating threat information sharing between the government and the private sector.

“Because there’s such a shortage of talent, we need to be working together to defend our networks and systems,” Loden said. 

Source: TEST FEED1

Meat industry consolidation creates a costly cookout

Jack Payne, opinion contributor

Consumers will pay 17 percent more — or about $10 — for their Fourth of July cookouts this year, according to a marketbasket survey completed by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

The largest year-to-year price increase is for the ground beef Americans will use to shape their hamburger patties. The survey found that the retail price for two pounds of ground beef is currently at a staggering $11.12, up 36 percent from last year.

Ongoing supply chain disruptions, the war in Ukraine, and inflation were all cited in the survey as drivers of the rising costs, but there’s another factor to consider: corporate consolidation.

Today, the “Big Four” meatpacking corporations — Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef Packing — control around 85 percent of U.S. steer and heifer slaughter, more than twice the market share that spurred Congress to enact antitrust legislation in 1921. A White House memo published in December 2021 stated that these companies have enjoyed an increase in their net margins of over 300 percent since before the pandemic. This cash surplus has allowed them to announce over a billion dollars in new dividends and stock buybacks, on top of the more than $3 billion they paid out to shareholders in the past two years.

While multinational meatpackers marinate in their record earnings, Americans get burnt. In an oligopoly like we have today, companies have little incentive to compete for either consumer market share or for the livestock they need for their finished product. This means that producers get paid less, and consumers have to pay more — all while corporate shareholders reap the benefits.

On the first business day of 2022, President Joe Biden announced his administration’s Action Plan for a Fairer, More Competitive, and More Resilient Meat and Poultry Supply Chain. It outlined four core strategies to create an industry that delivers “better earnings for producers and more choices and affordable prices for consumers.”

One of those strategies is to work to increase transparency and true price discovery in the cattle market. Two bills currently introduced in the House and Senate seek to accomplish that goal: the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act of 2022, and the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act of 2022.

Led by Chairwoman Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.), the Senate Agriculture Committee recently advanced both bills nearly unanimously with bipartisan support. They now await approval by the full Senate.

Let’s be clear. Producer-led organizations — like the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association and the National Farmers Union, along with state cattlemen groups such as the Iowa Cattlemen’s Association, Nebraska Cattlemen, the Independent Cattlemen’s Association of Texas, and others — support these bills. Packer-allied groups — like the North American Meat Institute and others — are opposed to these bills.

This Independence Day, let’s turn up the heat on corporate consolidation. It’s time to pass the Meat and Poultry Special Investigator Act and the Cattle Price Discovery and Transparency Act.

Jack Payne currently serves as the regional director for California and Nevada at the U.S. Cattlemen’s Association. He owns and operates Nevada Livestock Marketing in Fallon, Nevada.

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Fireworks incident leaves 11-year-old Indiana boy dead: police

A July 4 weekend fireworks incident left an 11-year-old boy from Indiana dead, officials said on Monday.

The boy has been identified as Mount Vernon resident Camrynn Ray McMichael, Indiana State Police said in a statement. 

Officials responded to a call they received about the situation just before 10:00 p.m. local time on Sunday, but the child succumbed to his injuries while en route to a local hospital.

“An autopsy is scheduled for tomorrow,” Indiana State Police said, noting the investigation was ongoing.  “This incident is being investigated by the Indiana State Police, Mt. Vernon Police Department, and the Posey County Coroner.”

The Mount Vernon Police Department confirmed the boy’s death in their own statement on Facebook, noting it happened within the city’s limits. 

The mother of the boy called the incident a “tragic freak accident” in an interview with FOX59.

“He died being a boy and playing with fireworks. A tragic freak accident, seriously. Fireworks are no joke and when you think it won’t be yours, in the blink of an eye it is,” she told the news outlet. 

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Michigan police apologize, will conduct review after images of Black men used for target practice

A police chief in Michigan has apologized after photos revealed his department was using targets with images of Black men for shooting practice. 

Jeff King, the chief of the Farmington Hills Police Department, said at a city council meeting late last month that the department is conducting a legal review of the matter.

King said he takes responsibility for how the training was conducted and apologized to the community, the department and the city council. He said one of the biggest focuses for training is exposure to people based on certain situations and not what they look like. 

“We have a diverse community,” he said. “Our community, as well as our department is diverse, inclusive, and that doesn’t stop at our training.” 

He said he will share the findings of the review “as soon as possible.” 

Attorney Dionne Webster-Cox said in a Facebook post last month that a family reported photos of Black men “riddled” with bullet holes in target practice to her law office following a Boy Scouts trip to the police department. 

She said the family asked her to speak on their behalf and to share the photos they took. 

“These organizations and municipalities must practice radical honesty in acknowledging their negative biases and find ways to change. Otherwise, you will have even bigger discrimination cases and more lawsuits against the city of Farmington Hills, its school districts, and the police department,” Webster-Cox said. 

The incident comes amid heightened focus on relations between law enforcement and communities of color. The city of Akron, Ohio, was in a state of emergency on Monday after police released video of officers shooting 25-year-old Jayland Walker, who was Black, scores of times following a traffic stop.

King said “nothing hurts me more” than when the Farmington Hills community itself is hurting. 

“I can’t overlook this, but I promise you this. This will make us stronger, this will make us better, this will make us more transparent, and this community overall will come out better for this,” he said. 

He said the targets that the departments use are consistent with the Michigan Commission on Law Enforcement Standards. He said the images in the practice area are meant to reflect a combination of threats and non-threats. 

King said a “threat assessment target” is for determining if a threat exists, while a “silhouette target” is only for target acquisition. He said targets are a mix of genders and races and hold a range of different threatening and nonthreatening items. 

He said 85 percent of the targets are Caucasian and 15 percent are Black. 

“Having a mix of these non-threat and threat targets in an active training situation is the preferred method to train officers and prepare them to make a split-second decision when it comes to a lifesaving, life-taking or nonthreat situation,” King said. 

He said any future visits by members of the public to the department will include a full explanation of the background of the targets, and the department apologized to the Boy Scouts group for not fully explaining them.

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Illinois lawmakers, officials call July 4 mass shooting ‘absolutely terrifying’

Illinois lawmakers and leaders reacted with horror and sorrow on Monday after a mass shooting in the Chicago suburb of Highland Park left at least six people dead.

“Today a shooter struck in Highland Park during the Independence Day parade. My campaign team and I were gathering at the start of the parade when shooting started. My team and I are safe and secure. We are monitoring the situation closely and in touch with the Mayor,” Rep. Brad Schneider (D-Ill.), whose district includes Highland Park, tweeted.

“Hearing of loss of life and others injured. My condolences to the family and loved ones; my prayers for the injured and for my community; and my commitment to do everything I can to make our children, our towns, our nation safer. Enough is enough!” he said in a follow-up tweet.

Rep. Jan Schakowsky (D-Ill.), whose district borders Schneider’s, tweeted she had been on her way to a parade in Skokie when she heard about the shooting and was monitoring the situation.

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker (D) also said his team was monitoring the situation. 

“State police are on the scene and we have made all state resources available to the community. We will continue working with local officials to help those affected,” he tweeted.

The Highland Park shooting, which saw at least 24 people wounded, struck in Independence Day parade. The gunman was not immediately apprehended.

Nearby municipalities canceled their own Fourth of July events out of caution. 

“Absolutely terrifying. Families from all over seek out this time-honored tradition on Fourth of July—and today, many found themselves running for their lives. Every community deserves to be safe from senseless gun violence,” Sen. Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.) tweeted.

“To face senseless gun violence while out celebrating Independence Day is nothing short of horrific. The nation’s prayers are with Highland Park today. My office is closely monitoring the situation and will stay in contact with local leaders and law enforcement,” Sen. Dick Durbin (Ill.), the No. 2 Senate Democrat, tweeted.

The development comes against the backdrop of recently signed bipartisan gun safety legislation that came in the wake of several high-profile shootings, including in Buffalo, N.Y., and Uvalde, Texas. 

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