Private prison company hires former Jeff Session aides to lobby in D.C.
GEO Group, the Boca Raton-based private prison corporation, recently hired three lobbying firms in Washington D.C. POLITICO Influence reports that this month, GEO brought on David Olander of Capitol Counsel for real estate investment trust tax issues; David Stewart and Ryan Robichaux of Bradley Arant Boult Cummings — former aides to Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions — to advocate on federal government use of contract correctional facilities; and the Scrivner Leon Group’s Michael Scrivner and Peter Leon for privately operated correctional facilities. GEO previously retained Leo Aguirre and Da Vinci Group’s Mark Smith. According to the GEO website, the company operations include the management and/or ownership of 104 correctional, detention, and community re-entry facilities with approximately 87,000 beds worldwide. In the U.S., GEO maintains 64 facilities, with 75,152 beds. In August, the Justice Department announced it will end the use of private prisons, which have lately come under fire for poor conditions and business practices.
Jeff Sessions ‘crystal clear’ sexual assault unacceptable, seeks retraction from Weekly Standard
Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions is calling for a retraction from conservative news outlet the Weekly Standard saying the publication “misrepresented” his views in an article published early Monday morning. Following Sunday night’s presidential debate, the junior senator was in the spin room with the Weekly Standard and was asked about Donald Trump’s lewd 2005 comments that were released Friday, in which the Republican presidential nominee said he could grab women by the genitals with impunity because he is famous. When asked whether grabbing someone’s genitals without consent constitutes sexual assault, Sessions hesitated to respond amid the chaos of the room. “This was very improper language, and he’s acknowledged that,” Sessions said in the Weekly Standard interview. When further prodded as to whether he would characterize that behavior as sexual assault if it took place, Sessions responded, “I don’t characterize that as sexual assault. I think that’s a stretch.” Asked to elaborate, Sessions responded, “It’s not clear that he — how that would occur.” Following publication, Sessions found himself the target of public scrutiny for what he believes to be a “completely inaccurate” characterization of his comments. “The Weekly Standard’s characterization of comments I made following Sunday’s Presidential debate is completely inaccurate,” Sessions told Alabama Today. “My hesitation was based solely on confusion of the contents of the 2005 tape and the hypothetical posed by the reporter, which was asked in a chaotic post-debate environment. I regret that it resulted in an inaccurate article that misrepresented my views. Of course it is crystal clear that assault is unacceptable. I would never intentionally suggest otherwise.” In controversial tape referenced by Sessions, Trump says: “I’ve got to use some Tic Tacs, just in case I start kissing her. You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait. And when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything. Grab them by the p—y. You can do anything. The video’s release has created a fallout of Republican support across the country including Gov. Robert Bentley along with Alabama 1st District U.S. Congressman Bradley Byrne and Alabama 2nd District U.S. Congresswoman Martha Roby. Trump later apologized for the comments, which he described during Sunday night’s debate as locker-room banter. This article has been updated since it’s original publication. [Oct 10, 2016 at 11:45 p.m. CT]
Jeff Sessions, Donald Trump issue stern warning to foreign nationals violating U.S. law
Jeff Sessions, as a surrogate for Donald Trump, has been a vocal supporter for the Republican presidential nominee’s stance on immigration. The Alabama senator also has taken a hard-line stance against foreign nationals who violate U.S. law, offering a firm warning to countries who refuse to take back undocumented immigrants. One such country, The Gambia — officially known as the Islamic Republic of the Gambia — has resisted taking back its nationals, which, according to Sessions, comes at the expense of American taxpayers, with few repercussions by the United States. The Gambia is a small country in West Africa surrounded by Senegal with a small strip accessing the Atlantic Ocean. Previously, Sessions announced Trump was seriously considering a plan to require immigrants to “self-deport” before they can reapply to lawfully return to the U.S. in a campaign email Thursday, Sessions further clarified Trump’s position on “repatriating” those immigration law violators, as well as consequences for countries from which they came. In the statement, Sessions blamed much of this on the “weakness” of the Obama administration, including Trump’s Democratic opponent, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The text of Sessions’ statement: “This past weekend, following intense pressure by several committees in Congress — and the promises of Donald Trump to correct this situation — the Departments of State and Homeland Security have finally taken modest steps against one small offending nation, The Gambia, to take back its nationals who have violated our laws. But other nations have created far larger problems, at great expense to the American taxpayers, and little or no action has been taken against them. “These minor actions against such a small nation will only result in dozens of other countries continuing to disregard their legal obligations to take back their nationals, because of the weakness they have seen in the State Department under the leadership of former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, and now under John Kerry. And it further highlights the longstanding failure of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of State to protect the United States from dangerous criminal aliens. “For years, Congress and the American people have rejected the premise that a foreign country can simply refuse to take its people back when we try to deport them from the United States. Yet there are currently dozens of foreign countries that refuse to do so, and/or delay for so long that federal law enforcement officers are forced — as a result of a Supreme Court decision — to release criminals back onto the streets of our communities. “Repatriating immigration law violators is an essential part of any lawful immigration system. Home countries must take back their deported nationals. That is why American law has long given the secretary of state the duty and power to deny future visas to any non-cooperating country — an effective tool to achieve compliance if properly used. A tool that the Obama administration failed to use during Hillary Clinton’s tenure as secretary of state, despite widespread knowledge about these practices. “The willful failure of the Department of State and the Department of Homeland Security to take the simple and effective steps necessary to protect the safety of the American people and the integrity of the immigration system has long been an outrage and a scandal. “Meaningful change can only come through strong leadership and a commitment to firmly and consistently act in the national interest. Hillary Clinton’s record demonstrates that she will not provide that change. “When Donald Trump becomes president, countries that refuse to take back their nationals will face swift, meaningful consequences. The integrity of our immigration system and the safety of our communities demand no less.”
Jeff Sessions says Bush family should ‘remember the loyalty’ and support Donald Trump
Alabama U.S. Senator Jeff Sessions is not happy with former President George H.W. Bush‘s decision to support Hillary Clinton for president over Republican nominee Donald Trump, and he’s letting everyone know. In an interview with the DC-based Washington Examiner, Sessions went on record saying the Bush family “should remember the loyalty they were given by millions of Americans” as he expressed his frustration with the senior Bush’s decision. “I think they’re not thinking clearly enough about this,” Sessions told the Examiner. “They’re not … appreciating half the American people, virtually, that have been supportive of Republicans. A lot of them preferred somebody other than Bush candidates, but they rallied around them when it came to Nov. 1 So I would hope that we see more rallying.” Sessions was the first senator to back Trump’s White House bid in February this year. The outspoken Alabamian also pointed out “millions of Americans, including this one, worked their hearts out for the Bushes in 1988, 1992, 2000, and 2004. And it wasn’t Bill Clinton that helped the Bushes get elected. It was the same voters, in large part, that elected Ronald Reagan and stand to elect Donald Trump.” Session did clarify that he’s not heard the endorsement from H.W. himself but rather from Democrat Kathleen Hartington Kennedy Townsend. Townsend, a former Maryland Lt. Gov. is daughter of the late Robert F. Kennedy. “Well, you never know,” Sessions elaborated. “That’s just a Democrat reporting what Mr. Bush said. I haven’t heard him say anything.”
Personnel note: Former Jeff Sessions spox Jack Bonnikson moves to Mississippi Power
Jack Bonnikson, former media relations strategist for Southern Company, is taking a new role as a communication manager for Mississippi Power, a subsidiary of the Atlanta-based energy provider. Bonnikson previously served as press secretary for Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions from 2013-2014. Based in Gulfport, Mississippi Power services cities, towns and municipalities in 23 counties of southeastern Mississippi. Founded in 1738 as the Mississippi Power Company, the utility was acquired by Southern Company in 1949 and shortened its name to Mississippi Power in 1976. Southern Company — with subsidiaries Alabama Power, Georgia Power, Gulf Power, and Mississippi Power — services 120,000 square miles and nearly 9 million customers in nine states, making it one of the largest energy providers in the United States. Bonnikson has also worked with Washington, D.C.-based Public Opinion Strategies as a project director, as well as with The Wickers Group in San Francisco. He is a graduate of Xavier University, and has earned an MBA from the University of Georgia, Terry College of Business.
Personnel note: Donald Trump hires former Sessions staffer Jeff Wood as energy policy adviser
Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump tapped Jeff Wood, partner at Balch & Bingham law firm and former legal counsel for Alabama U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, to advise him on energy policy. Wood was a legal counsel for Sessions from 2011 to 2014, where he focused on energy and environmental issues, before later becoming a partner at Balch & Bingham where counsels businesses, associations, and other clients primarily in the environmental, natural resources, and energy contexts. Wood began his legal career as an associate with Balch & Bingham’s Environmental and Natural Resources Section before joining a large, privately held corporation where he rose to the position of assistant general counsel and managed litigation in federal and state courts across the country. During his time with Sessions — whose influence within the Trump campaign explains Wood’s hire — he also served as the Republican staff director for the Senate Subcommittee on Clean Air & Nuclear Safety in the 113th Congress and the Republican staff director for the Senate Subcommittee on Water & Wildlife in the 112th Congress. In those capacities, Wood interacted regularly with senior officials at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Department of the Interior (including the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park Service, and Bureau of Reclamation), Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA), U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Department of Transportation, General Services Administration (GSA), and other federal agencies and entities subject to the oversight jurisdiction of the Senate Committee on Environment and Public Works. According to POLITICO, which first reported of Wood’s hiring, it’s unclear exactly when he began working for the campaign.
Alabama’s Jeff Sessions snags No. 2 spot on 2016’s POLITICO 50 List
POLITICO Magazine Monday revealed its 2016 Politico 50 list, comprised of “thinkers, doers and visionaries transforming American politics in 2016.” As the magazine puts it, “in the midst of an often-bizarre and sometimes downright depressing election, this list represents something altogether surprising: a collection of people who, no matter their widely divergent views, offer powerful examples of how and why ideas continue to make a difference in politics and policy.” Snagging the No. 2 spot for 2016, this year’s list recognizes Alabama’s own U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions, along with former Sessions staffer Stephen Miller, as “Trump’s policy whisperers.” Sessions, a a 69-year-old Republican senator from Hybart, is best known for his ultra-conservative policies on immigration and was the first U.S. Senator to endorse Donald Trump. Long before he donned a “Make America Great Again” hat at a February rally in Alabama, Sessions advocated for some of the same outsider views that Trump’s candidacy has turned into the new normal in the GOP. Throughout this election cycle, Sessions and Trump have become kindred political spirits, drawn together by a shared belief that some of their Republican Party leaders are selling out their own voters on immigration, as well as on trade.
Jeff Sessions echoes Donald Trump call for special prosecutor to investigate Clinton Foundation
Alabama Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions added his voice to the call for a special prosecutor to investigate a “pay-to-play” policy by the foundation linked to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. Sessions is echoing the call made by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump, who called for the Justice Department to launch an “expedited investigation” into the Clinton Foundation, after new allegations emerged that the group pushed for special access to then-Secretary of State Clinton. “The fundamental thing is you cannot be Secretary of State of the United States of America and use that position to extort or seek contributions to your private foundation,” Sessions said in an interview with CNN. “That is a fundamental violation of law and that does appear to have happened.” Trump, at a campaign rally Monday night in Akron, Ohio, said the Clintons “made the State Department into the same kind of ‘pay-to-play’ operation as the Arkansas government” — paying the Clinton Foundation “huge sums of money and throw in big speaking fees” to get “to play with the State Department.” When asked to give examples of how Hillary Clinton extorted money, Sessions said that it was in the way individuals thought they could gain access to the State Department by way of payments to the foundation. “Why are these people giving money to the foundation,” Sessions asked. “Why are these people in countries that are very poor giving millions of dollars — even hundreds of millions of dollars — to a foundation that doesn’t benefit them? “They’re doing it to gain access,” he added. “And you cannot pay for access.” Sessions said the evidence, which came to light in a new series of emails located on a private server used by Hillary Clinton during her time at the State Department, warrants further study and that FBI Director James Comey had not completed a full investigation. “There is a cloud over this,” Sessions said, “just because he might conclude that there’s not a chargeable offense does not indicate there’s no wrongdoing.” Fox News reports on newly emerged documents showing a senior executive at the Clinton Foundation left nearly 150 telephone messages over a two-year period to top Hillary Clinton aides at the State Department.
Donald Trump goes on tear against media, not Hillary Clinton
Donald Trump‘s campaign on Sunday went on a new tear against the media, blaming the “disgusting” press for a week of distractions at a time when Republicans have urged him — again — to focus on Democratic rival Hillary Clinton. Trump will get another chance to reset his campaign on Monday when he is expected to lay out his plan for defeating what running mate Mike Pence on Sunday called, “radical Islamic terrorism” with “real specifics” on how to make the United States safer. But Trump set up that address with extensive new complaints about the latest disastrous week of coverage and reports of campaign chaos. Not to blame, Trump suggested, were his own remarks that gun rights supporters could “do something” if Hillary Clinton becomes president and appoints liberal judges, or his repeated insistence on the falsehood that President Barack “Obama founded ISIS.” “If the disgusting and corrupt media covered me honestly and didn’t put false meaning into the words I say, I would be beating Hillary by 20 percent,” he tweeted before noon. That tweet was followed by: “My rallies are not covered properly by the media. They never discuss the real message and never show crowd size or enthusiasm.” His anti-media tweet storm topped a half-dozen posts by midafternoon. It was the latest in a series of implicit acknowledgments by the Republican presidential nominee that he is not winning and in fact could be headed for a big loss to Clinton on Election Day in less than three months. Signs were popping up across the political landscape that Trump’s year-plus flirtation with presidential politics was in danger of not advancing much further. Gaffe-by-gaffe, additional Republicans have come forward to say they’re not supporting his bid, with Carlos Gutierrez, secretary of commerce under President George W. Bush, announcing his support for Clinton on Sunday. Meanwhile, GOP leaders in Washington and in the most competitive states have begun openly contemplating turning their backs on their party’s presidential nominee and putting their money and effort instead behind the party’s House and Senate candidates. Frustratingly for Republicans, Trump’s missteps have overshadowed difficult news for Clinton: The new release of 44 previously-unreleased email exchanges Clinton had while at the State Department. They became public on Tuesday and showed her interacting with lobbyists, political and Clinton Foundation donors and business interests while serving as secretary of state. The New York Times on Sunday cataloged a culture of crisis inside the Trump campaign. That set off Trump on a Twitter rant Sunday morning. He called the report “fiction” and reiterated that he is not about to change what he sees as a winning campaign formula. “I am who I am,” he tweeted. Given that, Trump’s allies set out Sunday to bat down bad publicity and warn people not to write Trump off. Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala., warned that the “campaign is not over” and described Trump as still being in transition from the bulldog who beat 16 rivals in the GOP primary to a general election candidate who communicates differently to a wider electorate what he wants to do differently than Clinton. “He’s got to wrestle in his own heart, how does he communicate who he is, what he believes, the change he thinks he can bring to America, why what he’s doing is fulfilling the desires of the American people,” Sessions said on ABC’s “This Week.” Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort criticized the news media for not focusing on what otherwise would have been a substantive week of dueling economic speeches from Trump and Clinton. He said Trump is continuing to raise millions of dollars while traveling to key battleground states — Ohio, Pennsylvania and Florida — and remains personally “very connected” to the operations of his campaign. “You could have covered what he was saying, or you could try and take an aside and take the Clinton narrative and play it out. And you chose to do that instead,” Manafort said on CNN. Pence said on “Fox News Sunday” that he remains proud to be Trump’s running mate and advised: “Stay tuned, it’s very early in this campaign. This coming Monday, you’re going to see a vision for confronting radical Islamic terrorism.” Republished with permission of The Associated Press.
Jeff Sessions at the GOP Convention: ‘Donald Trump will build the wall’
Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions took center stage Monday night at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland where he delivered a speech on a topic near and dear to his heart: immigration. As the first U.S. senator to endorse Donald Trump‘s candidacy for president, Sessions was handsomely rewarded with the prime-time speaking slot during the convention’s opening night. “The fact is, we don’t have enough jobs for the people who are here,” Sessions said during his eight-minute speech. “Doesn’t this help to explain why our wages have fallen and why we have the lowest percentage of Americans actually holding a job in 40 years? Our duty as elected officials is to get our people jobs first.” Sessions explained the influx of immigrants has led to lower wages, fewer jobs and a higher risk of terrorism here at home. He said to remedy that, presumptive Republican presidential nominee would “build the wall” with Mexico. “That is why we need Donald Trump,” Sessions said. “Donald Trump is the leader that will bring change. He has the strength, courage, and will to get it done.” The Alabama delegation, situated front and center directly to the left of the Quicken Loans Arena convention stage, appeared to approve of what their junior senator was saying in his speech as they cheered wildly throughout its delivery. Watch Sessions’ speech below: Read Sessions’ full speech below, as prepared for delivery: “Thank you good friends. Speaking from this podium today is a long way from the rafter seats my wife and I had as college students in Miami in 1972. “Our voters spoke clearly on two critical issues in our primaries: trade and immigration. They affirmed Donald Trump and his positions. “They oppose Obamatrade. They demand a lawful system of immigration that protects their safety and their financial well-being. “Average Americans have been the first to know something is wrong with this economy. “Our middle class is steadily declining, with our African-American and Hispanic communities being hurt the most. But, the Washington establishment, the media, and big corporations have been in denial. “Fellow Republicans, we must understand that the incomes of middle class Americans today are $4,186 per year less than in 1999. “This is an economic disaster. We are on the wrong track and the people know it. “Yet, Hillary Clinton‘s plan is more of the same: more government, more taxes, more regulation, more immigration, and more debt. “She has been a champion of globalist trade agreements. But the facts are in. They have not worked for our people. When those agreements were signed, Presidents Clinton and Obama promised our dangerous trade deficits with China and Korea would be reduced. But, the deficit with China has increased five-fold and the deficit with Korea doubled. These are job-killing numbers. Worst of all, they are now pushing the disastrous 5,554-page Obamatrade — the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement. “This election has also been about immigration. For 30 years, our good people have rightly pleaded for an end to the lawlessness, and for sound immigration policies that are fair and advance the national interest. “To this legitimate plea, our elites have responded with disdain, dismissal, and scorn. “But is there anyone in America that does not understand that when we bring in more workers than we have jobs for that job prospects and wages will fall? Top economists and the Congressional Budget Office have told us that. Is it too much to ask that we slow down and protect our national security and jobs? “Let’s consider the facts. We lawfully admit 1.1 million permanent residents annually, more than any other country. In addition, we have 700,000 foreign guest workers taking jobs. “The majority of these are not seasonal or agricultural. There are about 350,000 people who succeed in crossing our borders illegally each year, and almost 500,000 more unlawfully overstay their visas. These are extreme numbers. But the only solution from Obama and Hillary Clinton is to capitulate to the lawlessness and give amnesty and citizenship to all. “Understand this. From 2000 to 2014, while our existing population increased by millions, the number of jobs held by Americans actually declined. “Amazingly, all the net job growth during that period went to immigrants. Combine that with the reality of efficient businesses, robots, and slow growth. “The fact is, we don’t have enough jobs for the people who are here. Doesn’t this help to explain why our wages have fallen and why we have the lowest percentage of Americans actually holding a job in 40 years? Our duty as elected officials is to get our people jobs first. “It cannot be our policy to have workers from abroad take jobs while we provide support payments for unemployed Americans. “Bad trade deals close factories, and end high-paying jobs. Excess immigration floods the labor market, reducing jobs and wages. “Improper vetting places our nation at risk of terrorism. Remember, the president has the clear power to “suspend” immigration to protect America. “Americans want help now. This election will make it happen. “That is why we need Donald Trump. “Donald Trump is the leader that will bring change. “He has the strength, courage, and will to get it done. He is attracting more and more Independents and Democrats to our movement. “Donald Trump will kill Obamatrade. “Donald Trump will build the wall. “DONALD TRUMP WILL MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Former rivals, military leaders, actors to take stage at RNC
Former presidential candidates Ted Cruz, Chris Christie, Scott Walker and Marco Rubio — the latter by video link — are among those set to speak at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Military leaders, members of Congress, actors, faith leaders and family members of presumptive presidential nominee Donald Trump are also set to speak in what the Republican National Committee calls “an unconventional lineup” that will challenge the status quo and press for Trump’s agenda. Speaker highlights at the four-day convention, which begins Monday at the Quicken Loans Arena. MONDAY Theme: Make America Safe Again Headliners: Trump’s wife, Melania; Lt. Gen. (ret.) Michael Flynn, U.S. Army; Sen. Joni Ernst, R-Iowa; and Rep. Ryan Zinke, R-Mont. Others: Willie Robertson, star of “Duck Dynasty”; former Texas Gov. Rick Perry; Marcus Luttrell, retired U.S. Navy SEAL; Scott Baio, actor; Pat Smith, mother of Sean Smith, killed in the 2012 attacks in Benghazi, Libya; Mark “Oz” Geist, member of a security team that fought in Benghazi; John Tiegen, member of Benghazi security team and co-author of the book “13 Hours,” an account of the attacks; Kent Terry and Kelly Terry-Willis, siblings of Brian Terry, a Border Patrol agent whose shooting death revealed the botched “Fast and Furious” gun-smuggling operation; Antonio Sabato Jr., actor; Mary Ann Mendoza, Sabine Durden and Jamiel Shaw, immigration reform advocates; Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas; David Clarke, sheriff of Milwaukee County, Wis.; Rep. Sean Duffy, R-Wis.; Rachel Campos-Duffy, LIBRE Initiative for Hispanic economic empowerment; Darryl Glenn, Senate candidate in Colorado; Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark.; Karen Vaughn, mother of a U.S. Navy SEAL killed in Afghanistan; Sen. Jeff Sessions, R-Ala.; former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani; and Jason Beardsley of Concerned Veterans for America. ___ TUESDAY Theme: Make America Work Again Headliners: Tiffany Trump, candidate’s daughter; Kerry Woolard, general manager, Trump Winery in Virginia; Donald Trump Jr.; Sen. Shelley Moore Capito, R-W.Va.; former GOP presidential candidate Ben Carson; and actress Kimberlin Brown. Others: Sharon Day, co-chairwoman of Republican National Committee; Dana White, president, Ultimate Fighting Championship; Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson; Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge; former U.S. Attorney General Michael Mukasey; Andy Wist, founder of Standard Waterproofing Co.; Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis.; Chris Cox, executive director, NRA Institute for Legislative Action; golfer Natalie Gulbis; Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.; House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis.; House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif.; New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. ___ WEDNESDAY Theme: Make America First Again Headliners: Former presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio; Eric Trump, son of the candidate; former House Speaker Newt Gingrich; and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, Trump’s pick to be vice president. Others: radio host Laura Ingraham; Phil Ruffin, businessman with interests in real estate, lodging, manufacturing and energy; Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi; retired astronaut Eileen Collins; Michelle Van Etten, small business owner; Kentucky state Sen. Ralph Alvarado Jr.; Darrell Scott, senior pastor and co-founder of New Spirit Revival Center Ministries, Cleveland; Harold Hamm, oil executive; Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker; Lynne Patton, vice president, Eric Trump Foundation; Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla. (by video); Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas; Callista Gingrich, wife of Newt Gingrich. ___ THURSDAY Theme: Make America One Again Headliners: Peter Thiel, co-founder PayPal; Tom Barrack, CEO of Colony Capital; Ivanka Trump, daughter of the candidate; and Donald Trump, GOP nominee for president. Others: Brock Mealer, motivational speaker; Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn.; Oklahoma Gov. Mary Fallin; Dr. Lisa Shin, owner of Los Alamos Family Eyecare in New Mexico; RNC Chairman Reince Priebus; Jerry Falwell Jr., president of Liberty University and evangelical leader. Republished with permission of the Associated Press.
Personnel note:
Wednesday, U.S. Sen. Jeff Sessions‘ Communications Advisor Garrett Murch announced his departure from the office to join the news website LifeZette. “After five tremendously rewarding years working as communications advisor to America’s senator, the great Jeff Sessions of Alabama, I want to let you know I have accepted a position with Laura Ingraham’s LifeZette, where on Monday I will begin as senior editor,” Murch said in an email and posted on Facebook Wednesday. Murch, who brings with him more than a decade of political, policy, and editorial experience, will join LifeZette’s political leadership team and work to expand the reach and influence of the outlet’s political coverage, commentary, and analysis. “It’s hardly surprising I developed a strong relationship with Laura and her team during my years working proudly for America’s greatest senator, Jeff Sessions,” Murch said. “Their shared attributes of intelligence, commitment, and integrity cannot be topped — at least in DC — so it is only natural I would be drawn to them both, as so many are.” LifeZette founder and Editor-in-Chief Laura Ingraham hailed the addition of Murch as a crucial step forward in the site’s expansion. “We are always seeking the smartest, most insightful, most courageous thinkers on politics and the culture as we build out our operation.” Ingraham noted. “Garrett Murch checks every box— and then some.”
