#WHCInsider

Behind the scenes of one of the most powerful clubs in America.

Scaramucci Expected To Be Named White House Communications Director

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SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci speaks at the 2016 SkyBridge Alternatives “SALT” Conference at the Bellagio Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

Multiple news agencies are reporting Friday morning that President Donald Trump has selected his close friend and ally, Wall Street financier Anthony Scaramucci, to be the new White House communications director.

The director position has been vacant since May, when Mike Dubke resigned after only three months on the job. Since then, press secretary Sean Spicer has assumed most of the responsibilities of this position. NBC News and Axios both report that sources say Spicer is expected to stay on as press secretary.

Scaramucci is a former Goldman Sachs banker and was a member of Trump’s transition team. He is a major Republican donor, having held fundraisers for Scott Walker and Jeb Bush during the 2016 presidential primary, and supported Trump in the general election last year. Known as “Mooch” to his friends, he is a regular guest on Fox News and longtime friend of Sean Hannity.

83 Year Old Sen. Chuck Grassley Takes on Bloomberg TV’s Cirilli in Push-Up Contest

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

On Monday, Senator Chuck Grassley challenged the media in his own unique fashion – a push-up contest.

The 83 year old from Iowa matched Bloomberg TV’s chief Washington correspondent Kevin Cirilli in a feat of strength, keeping up with the much-younger journalist’s 25 push-ups.

“Iron senator! That was impressive… that was very impressive.” Cirilli applauded.

Grassley remains extremely active, such as regularly waking at 4 AM for a three mile run.  In February, a high school student in St. Ansgar, Iowa, challenged Grassley to a push-up contest.  The senator won.

ABC’s Jonathan Karl Elected as White House Correspondents Association President for 2019-2020 Term

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Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

The White House Correspondents Association announced Jonathan Karl of ABC News has been elected president of the organization for 2019-2020.

Currently chief White House correspondent for ABC News, Karl has also covered Congress and the Pentagon in his career. He began working for ABC in 2003 reporting from the State Department.

Karl received 104 votes out of 265 cast in the election for leadership of the White House Correspondents Association. Dallas Morning News’ Todd Gillman came in second with 87 votes.

In addition to being chosen as president of the organization, Karl was also appointed to a three-year term as an at-large board of directors member. Gillman was also named to the board as newspaper representative. Additionally, the New York Times’ Doug Mills was chosen to fill the photography seat on the board.

Russian Government-Sponsored Sputnik Radio Begins Broadcasting in DC Area

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

Russian state-funded news outlet Sputnik Radio has begun broadcasting in the Washington, DC area, in an effort to reach more Americans with its “alternative news” programs.  Starting in 2014, the channel had only been available online to listeners in the United States.

According to the station website, “Sputnik points the way to a multipolar world that respects every country’s national interests, culture, history and traditions. The agency is uniquely positioned as a provider of alternative news content.”

The radio station claims while they promote alternative viewpoints from those outside the mainstream media and are also funded by the Russian government, they are not biased in favor of the Kremlin.

“People heard a lot about us. Unfortunately, they could not really listen to us. And people who were reporting about us quite often wouldn’t even bother to listen to us and present how they see us, present what we do, accurately,” said Mindia Gavasheli, Sputnik DC bureau’s editor-in-chief.

The station began broadcasting on July 1 from studios three blocks from the White House on K Street.   Sputnik Radio has a staff of approximately 40 employees, and broadcasts in English. The Washington, DC metro area is the outlet’s only terrestrial radio station in the United States.  They broadcast at 105.5 FM.

The channel was previously owned by WAMU and followed a bluegrass country music format.

White House Correspondents Association Weighs Membership Rule Change

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

The White House Correspondents Association is considering a proposed change to its bylaws, requiring “regular members” of the organization to be credentialed through or work for an organization recognized by the Congressional Standing Committee.

Organization president and Reuters White House correspondent Jeff Mason suggested the reason for the change is that the Congressional Standing Committee is the “gold standard” for credentialing in the nation’s capital.

The White House Correspondents Association does not issue credentials itself. The mission of the organization is to advocate for freedom of the press, access to the White House and provides scholarships for exceptional journalism students.

Six journalists are circulating a letter opposing the rules change, including liberal commentator Bill Press, longtime independent correspondent Connie Lawn, and reporters for Newsmax, Circa and The Daily Signal. Charlie Spiering, White House correspondent for Breitbart, wrote in the letter that:

“The WHCA Board has in most cases done a great job in advocating for journalists’ access, and showing respect to all members. The proposed bylaws change regarding membership is an unfortunate exception. That’s because the bylaws change would mean some members and hard pass holders who regularly cover the White House will not have full participation in the organization that is supposed to represent them regarding access among other things.”

Breitbart was denied congressional press passes earlier this year, meaning reporters for the conservative news outlet would be eligible for associate membership, but not full membership in the White House Correspondents Association. The Congressional Standing Committee rejected Breitbart’s press passes over concerns about its ties to the Mercer family, who are Republican benefactors, and to the Government Accountability Institute, a nonprofit co-founded by former Breitbart chairman and White House strategist Steve Bannon.

Members of the White House Correspondents Association have until Friday to vote on the change to bylaws.

High School Journalist Lands Interview with Defense Secretary James Mattis

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Mercer Island High School. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

Teddy Fischer, a student at Mercer Island High School in Washington state about to enter his junior year, snagged an exclusive 45-minute phone interview during the Memorial Day weekend with Defense Secretary James Mattis.

Having discovered a photo published by the Washington Post where the cabinet official’s phone number was visible, Fischer sent Mattis a text message.

“I never really thought it would work,” Fischer told Seattle’s KING5.  After sending a message to the number he found stating he was a student working for his school newspaper and a native of Washington state, the defense secretary called back and agreed to a phone interview.  Secretary Mattis is also from Washington state.

After preparing with his teacher and editor on questions, Fischer conducted an insightful, thorough discussion with Mattis, covering topics such as national politics, foreign policy, and issues facing teenagers today.  Fischer also said he learned an important lesson beyond public affairs.

“It never hurts to ask anybody anything,” he said.  “Even if they seem like they’re a distant figure, even if they seem like a powerful figure.  There’s a human side to politics and people are much more approachable than you think.”

White House Asked White House Correspondents’ Association to Publicly Rebuke Reporter

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James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. Photo courtesy White House.

White House Correspondents’ Association president Jeff Mason said the White House had requested the association to criticize a specific article and publicly rebuke a particular journalist. Mason made his remarks during a town hall-style meeting where members asked questions of the association board.

“The White House has come to ask me specifically, asking me to intervene or criticize a news organization or a reporter… to release a statement criticizing a reporter’s story. We’ve made clear that’s not our role,” Mason said, without clarifying on when the White House made this request or which article or journalist was involved.

In a follow up after the meeting, Mason elaborated that he thought the White House considered it a role of the association to publicly reprimand its members to hold them accountable.

“I think it’s a reflection of frustration they have with the media and they’ve used the relationship with the board sometimes to take that out, just as we have raised our concern and frustrations with them. Part of that relationship has been drawing boundaries on what we do and don’t do,” Mason stated.

He said the association immediately declined the White House’s request when they asked him to release a statement on the matter.

Megyn Kelly to Host New NBC News Show in September

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NBC International Information Bureau. Photo courtesy Jeff Maurone via Flickr.

Megyn Kelly will host a new hour-long morning segment starting September 25, broadcast in front of a live studio audience, NBC News has confirmed.

Compared to other morning news programs taking place primarily on a set with no substantial live viewership, NBC News is hoping Kelly’s upcoming program and its unique format will add a fresh perspective to the network’s array of news shows.

Today show senior producer Jackie Levin has been named executive producer of this hour-long live segment.  Levin has been called

“…one of the most talented and hardest-working producers in television news.  Her intimate knowledge of the brand will be invaluable as we launch Megyn’s show under the Today umbrella,” NBC News president Noah Oppenheim wrote in an email to staffers.

The show will be sandwiched between portions of the Today show, and premiers during NBC’s launch of its prime time schedule this fall.

Maine Governor Paul LePage Admits He Lies to Media

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Ogunquit, Maine.  Photo courtesy Pixabay.

Paul LePage, conservative Republican governor of Maine first elected in 2010, has always had a confrontational relationship with many in his state, including the media.

Recently, LePage lashed out when stories emerged in state papers and online that he was planning to take a vacation during a recent state budget impasse.  The governor characterized the state media as “vile,” “useless” and “inaccurate” in reporting the story.

State media reported the governor’s plans based off sources throughout state government, including Republican Senate President Michael Thibodeau and Sen. Roger Katz, whom both said on the record that LePage told them he was planning to leave the state.

LePage replied through a spokesman the story was “fake news.”

In an interview with WGAN-AM Thursday, LePage stated:

“I just love to sit in my office and make up ways so they’ll write these stupid stories, because they are just so stupid.  It’s awful.”

LePage later repeated his disdain for the press, saying “the sooner the print press goes away, the better society will be.”

New York’s top city specialist, NYU Professor Mitchell Moss says NYC in Terrible Trouble

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Mitchell Moss with Chris Taylor and MSNBC’s Stephanie Ruhle at the Businessweek relaunch. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

Recently, CBS New York published an analysis of the troubles facing New York City and its deteriorating infrastructure. Mitchell Moss, who runs NYU’s Rudin Center for Transportation Policy, was featured in this story, addressing the untenable predicament facing the Big Apple.

Currently, fewer than half of NJ TRANSIT trains during the morning commute arrive on time. Delays on the New York subway are up more than 150 percent in less than five years. And data shows streets in New York City are overcrowded and congested, where traffic crawls along during rush hour at an average of 8 MPH.

“We are now seriously at risk,” Moss told CBS News.

“This is a city and a region that is driven by productivity and work, not by taking it easy. It’s not Portland, where the debate is whether to get coffee with almond milk or soy milk. It’s not Seattle, where you debate whether to get your high in the morning or the evening. And it’s not San Francisco, where the debate is whether or not I should even go to work that day,” he continued. “This is a work-oriented culture. We need the subway and we need the commuter systems working.”

Asked if Governor Cuomo’s plans to spend an additional $1 billion in the Capital Plan would help the situation, Moss concluded that “there’s been a gross exaggeration that more money will do the job.”

Until a solid plan is implemented to revive New York City’s traffic congestion and infrastructure issues, city residents, workers and visitors will face difficult problems on a near-daily basis getting to destinations throughout the city.