The Morning Briefing: Peter Strzok Has Left the Building and Much, Much More

Good Wednesday morning.

Here is what’s on the president’s agenda today:

The president meets with members of Congress
President Trump has lunch with the vice president and the secretary of state
The president participates in a roundtable discussion on protecting American workers in Duluth, Minnesota
President Trump hosts the Make America Great Again Rally in Duluth, Minnesota

FBI employee and anti-Trump activist Peter Strzok escorted from FBI HQ

Peter Strzok, suspected co-conspirator and noted participant in a mysterious meeting in “Andy’s office,” was escorted out of the FBI building yesterday.

CONFIRMED: Peter Strzok — who's been the subject of a daylong congressional hearing about FBI bias — was escorted from FBI headquarters. pic.twitter.com/2GHpZnUqLQ

— Kyle Cheney (@kyledcheney) June 19, 2018

Trump and his allies have long been calling for Strzok’s ouster from the bureau, but the calls intensified following the release of a brutal report last week from inspector general Michael Horowitz.

Among other things, Horowitz found that Strzok and Page may have had a willingness to take official action to prevent Trump from winning the 2016 presidential election.

Strzok’s conduct was also the subject of harsh criticism from Republican lawmakers when Horowitz testified before the House Judiciary and Oversight and Government Reform committees on Tuesday.

The inspector general also located a text message exchange between Strzok and his lover lawyer Lisa Page that expressed Strzok’s assurance “they” would stop Trump from becoming president. All in a day’s work I guess.

Why was Strzok removed from the building? “News of Strzok’s removal came after Justice Department Inspector General Michael Horowitz confirmed during a Congressional hearing earlier Tuesday that his office was looking into whether Strzok’s anti-Trump bias played a role in the launch of the bureau’s Russia probe.” Strzok is still on the payroll, reports Fox News.

Manafort in ‘solitary confinement’ to avoid attack by someone intent on ‘street cred,’ Trump ex-lawyer says

DOJ Inspector General reveals his office is investigating James Comey

Trump’s personal attorney is ‘willing to give info’ about the President

FBI may have modified witness reports, misled DOJ watchdog with ‘false information,’ GOP Rep says Key takeaway from that: “In a dramatic moment, Meadows then directly asked Horowitz whether two anonymous FBI employees identified as making anti-Trump statements in the IG’s report were named Kevin Clinesmith and Sally Moyer.”

Trump’s new campaign manager: It’s time to fire Sessions and end Russiagate

Border horrors and cruelties continue to dominate news headlines

It’s important to remember what is actually happening at the border since the media/Democrats/spineless GOPers are distorting the situation for clicks and political gain. Migrants and their children (assuming the kids are really their children) who illegally cross into the United States are being arrested and their children are held separately from their parents as their criminal prosecution proceeds. Full stop. People who arrive at ports of entry and claim asylum are not separated from their children. Full stop. Just like Americans, you don’t get to take your children with you in the lockup while you wait for your case to proceed.

The media/Democrats/spineless GOPers are wailing and lamenting about the humanity of it all and are blaming the administration for enforcing the U.S. borders and they are not blaming the migrants who are putting their children at risk while they illegally transgress our borders. According to reports that may or may not be true, a ten-year-old Mexican child with Down’s syndrome has been separated from her mother at the border. WHAT KIND OF PARENT BRINGS THEIR DOWN SYNDROME CHILD AS THEY ILLEGALLY CROSS INTO THE US TO LIVE ILLEGALLY IN THE SHADOWS???

But of course, there is no spotlight on the complete lack of responsibility of such parents.

New York is suing Trump admin over constitutional rights of families separated at the border

Republican Maryland governor recalls National Guard resources from border over family separations

Fox’s Ingraham sees no advertiser boycott despite outrage over child migrant comment

List of celebrities upset over U.S. policy of separating families at border grows

Hollywood producers speak out against Fox over immigration stance

Seth MacFarlane donates $2.5M to NPR in response to Tucker Carlson attacks on media

Trump administration giving nonprofit nearly $460M to house migrant kids

George Takei: Trump border policy worse than Japanese internment camps

Silicon Valley slams Trump’s border policy, calls separating migrant families ‘cruel’

Sessions Faces Possible Expulsion From Methodist Church for Alleged ‘Child Abuse’ Based on Family Separations

U.S. ditches UN Human Rights Council

The U.S. announced yesterday that it will be leaving the United Nations Human Rights Council. The Council’s sole purpose is to attack Israel as far as I can tell. U.S. Ambassador to the UN Nikki Haley made the announcement with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo by her side.

“Human rights abusers continue to serve on, and be elected to, the council,” said Haley, listing U.S. grievances with the body. “The world’s most inhumane regimes continue to escape its scrutiny, and the council continues politicizing scapegoating of countries with positive human rights records in an attempt to distract from the abusers in its ranks.”

“For too long,” Haley said, “the Human Rights Council has been a protector of human rights abusers, and a cesspool of political bias.” Amen.

VP Mike Pence tweeted out his support for the decision: “Today the US took a stand against some of the world’s worst human rights violators by withdrawing from the United Nations Human Rights Council. By elevating and protecting human rights violators and engaging in smear campaigns against democratic nations, the UNHRC makes a mockery of itself, its members, and the mission it was founded on. For years, the UNHRC has engaged in ever more virulent anti-American, and anti-Israel invective and the days of U.S. participation are over.”

“The Secretary-General would have much preferred for the United States to remain in the Human Rights Council,” Stéphane Dujarric, the spokesman for UN Secretary-General António Guterres, said. “The UN’s Human Rights architecture plays a very important role in the promotion and protection of human rights worldwide.”

Not really. Bye, Eurotrash.

Historical picture of the day:

Sandy Koufax, Los Angeles Dodgers left-handed pitcher, takes a wide stance as he throws a pitch toward the plate at Wrigley Field in Chicago, Ill., June 20, 1961. Koufax struck out 14 batters and allowed two hits in beating the Chicago Cubs, 3-0. (AP Photo)

Other morsels:

Starbucks sinks after announcing a weaker-than-expected sales forecast and plans to close over 100 stores next year

Charleston city council adopts resolution apologizing for slavery

This is why taxpayers have to foot the bill for security ‘Fascist Pig!’ — Chanting Socialists Chase DHS Secretary Nielsen Out Of Mexican Restaurant

Stay classy Congressional intern shouts ‘F–k you, Mr. President!’ at Trump

Canada’s Senate legalizes recreational marijuana

Unplug it once you get to your hotel room: Amazon has developed a new Alexa for hotels; Marriott and others are testing it out

Texas billboard tells liberals to keep driving until they leave the state

Russia criticizes US pullout from UN Human Rights Council

Dozens of groups considering lawsuits against the SPLC in wake of settlement

New Health Insurance Rules Expected To Benefit Small Businesses

Merkel Touts Feminism While Germany Defends Its Migrant Rapists