The federal bribery and corruption trial of Democrat Senator Bob Menendez will continue after a federal judge refused to support a defense motion for acquittal.
WASHINGTON – A federal judge ruled Monday that the case against Sen. Bob Menendez would move ahead after defense attorneys made the case for acquittal, reports NJ Advance Media.

Defense attorneys argued that the charges went against a recent Supreme Court decision that limited the scope of bribery charges in a federal court. They said the actions Mr. Menendez, New Jersey Democrat, and Mr. Melgen are accused of doing were not included in the scope as defined by the Court and should not be allowed in this case, according to the report.

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President Trump delivers considerable remarks prior to the beginning of a Cabinet Meeting in the White House.

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11:42 A.M. EDT – THE PRESIDENT: Okay, thank you very much. And today, we’re here to discuss at the Cabinet meeting critical domestic policy issues. I’d like to basically provide you with an update as to how we’re doing for the American people, and we’re doing a lot of great things.
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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Sarah H Sanders Twitter @SHSanders45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.
For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Against growing immigration policy backlash, early results in the Austria election show the center-right People’s Party (OVP), led by Sebastian Kurz, winning with around 31 percent of the vote.  The second place party, Freedom Party (FPO), with around 27% is even more euro-skeptic and nationalistic minded.  The Social Democrat Party, the former lead party, has dropped to third place with around 26%.

(Via Express UK) The People’s Party (OVP) got 30.2 per cent of the vote, according to exit polls from Austrian news channel ORF.
Mr Kurz’s party is tough on migration, easy on taxes and widely Eurosceptic after rebranding itself over the last few months to propel its popularity in the wealthy Alpine nation.
He is expected to form a coalition with the right-wing populist Freedom party (FPO), who got 26.8 per cent of the vote, according to the latest projections.
Speaking after 85 per cent of the votes were counted, he told his cheering supporters: “Today we have won a huge mandate to change this country, and I promise you I will work with all my energy for change.

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Like her mother Gloria Allred, attorney and media personality Lisa Bloom has created her controversial personal brand image as an advocate for women who have been victimized.
However, against increasing numbers of women sharing stories about their sexual harassment by Bloom’s former client Harvey Weinstein, actress Rose McGowan is claiming that Weinstein lawyer and Lisa Bloom’s co-counsel, Charles Harder, tried to pay her $6 million hush money to actually support McGowan’s abuser.

(Via Daily Mail)  Harvey Weinstein accuser Rose McGowan claims attorney Lisa Bloom offered her $6 million to publicly support the disgraced media mogul who she says raped her.

In an emotional statement posted to what appears to be her private Facebook account, the former Charmed star accused celebrity attorney Lisa Bloom of approaching her literary agent to try and influence McGowan to publicly support Weinstein.

Bloom had represented Weinstein before resigning on October 7 after the scandal broke.

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  UPDATE:  No decision reached. Jury breaks until tomorrow.  Generally this does not bode well for prosecution.  Possible OJ-type verdict becomes more likely.

Jury breaking for the night. No verdict. #JessicaChambers resumes at 9am @LocalMemphis

— Tish Clark (@tishclarktv1234) October 16, 2017

The closing arguments in the case against Quinton Tellis have concluded.  Tellis is accused of capital murder in the burning death of 19-year-old Jessica Lane Chambers. Prosecutors believe that Tellis had sex with Chambers before he set her and her car on fire and left her to die the night of Dec. 6, 2014, in Courtland Mississippi.  Chambers died hours later in a hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

The jury is now in deliberations.  Local reporter Therese Apel shares the timeline from yesterday’s phone forensics as delivered to the jury by prosecutors.
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Secretary of Treasury Steven Mnuchin appears on Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo to discuss the ongoing tax reform initiative.

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Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu appears with Mari Bartiromo to discuss the Iranian nuclear agreement and specifically President Trump’s call for revised security terms.
For those who travel through the deep geopolitical grass, this interview is particularly important as Netanyahu outlines the ‘why now’ aspect.  Note specifically how the Prime Minister frames the economic leverage strategy we have discussed –Backstory Here– and how the regional allies President Trump has assembled are all in concert with the larger objectives.  It’s actually a little surprising to see Netanyahu ‘out’ the Big picture.

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In the background, and as a direct counter to how President Trump is using the Trump Doctrine of economic leverage, you will note that China, Russia, Iran and other state adversaries are creating a financial network to avoid their exposure to U.S. trade currency leverage.  Their strategic action is what’s driving up the value of crypto-currencies like Bitcoin as tools to avoid Trump’s leverage and Secretary Mnuchin’s aligned economic policy influence.
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Secretary of State Rex Tillerson appears on CBS Face The Nation with John Dickerson to discuss the Iran Nuclear Deal (JCPOA).  The ideology of Dickerson puts him in a defensive posture on behalf of Iran.  Meanwhile T-Rex talks common sense.
The interview also encompasses the strategy to denuclearize North Korea and China’s role therein.  The value in this interview comes toward the latter half where the relationship of Secretary Tillerson and President Trump is discussed and how the interplay is part of the larger strategic objectives.  “It’s a strategy we’re not going to share with anyone, as the president has said”… etc.

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