September, 2019

FDA is not ‘banning’ flavors, as has been described in some news reports. Rather, FDA intends to enforce existing law that limits the marketing of such products. This policy would not mean that flavored e-cigarettes could never be marketed. If a company can show through an application to FDA that a specific product meets the standard set forth by Congress, then the FDA would authorize that [Electronic Nicotine Delivery System] product for sale.

Republican Mike Murphy: “One Republican senator told me if it was a secret vote, 30 Republican senators would vote to impeach Trump.” pic.twitter.com/DeV6Qu9HTU

— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) September 25, 2019

The Senate on Wednesday voted for a second time to block President Trump’s border emergency declaration, with Republicans once again joining their Democratic colleagues in rebuking the president’s order.

Citing their concerns over the expansion of presidential powers, 11 Republicans joined Democrats in voting for the resolution to put a stop to the emergency declaration from Trump. The resolution passed in a simple 54-41 vote, but it is not a veto-proof majority.

Treaty between the United States of America and Ukraine on mutual legal assistance in criminal matters with annex, signed at kiev on july 22, 1998, and with an exchange of notes signed on september 30, 1999...

Earlier this year, Attorney General William P. Barr tapped Mr. Durham, the top federal prosecutor in Connecticut, to review how the FBI began its investigation into Mr. Trump’s presidential campaign and whether the agency improperly spied on key campaign figures. Mr. Durham’s probe has now cast a spotlight on the Ukraine, a Justice Department spokeswoman said... Ms. Kupec said Ukrainians who are not government officials have already volunteered information as part of the probe. She also said that Mr. Barr has not yet contacted the Ukrainian government over the investigation.

2)As to call transcript itself: Trump’s actual “favor” is that Ukraine look backward, to what happened in the 2016 election. This is a legitimate ask, since election meddling looks to have come from both Russia and Ukraine.

— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) September 25, 2019

4)It is actually Zelensky who brings up Rudy Giuliani—saying they can’t wait to “meet him.” And it is Zelensky who references “that investigation,” as he goes on to promise that “all investigations will be done openly and candidly.”

— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) September 25, 2019

6)Trump's several references to Giuliani are mostly to say what a great guy he is. He says he will have Giuliani and AG Barr call. He asks Zelensky to speak/work with both.

— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) September 25, 2019

8)Meanwhile, the IG back in August referred this to DOJ as potential violation of campaign finance law, based on whistleblower complaint. Criminal Division evaluated and determined no violation: “All relevant components of the Department agreed with this legal conclusion.”

— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) September 25, 2019

10)Media got all this so wrong. And Democrats look all the more partisan and radical to have moved toward impeachment.

— Kimberley Strassel (@KimStrassel) September 25, 2019

According to a new national survey from Quinnipiac University polling out this morning, Massachusetts senator Elizabeth Warren is two points ahead of former vice president Joe Biden in the Democratic presidential primary.

The poll shows Warren with 27 percent support among Democratic voters and independent voters who lean Democratic, while Biden is at 25 percent. Farther behind are Vermont senator Bernie Sanders (16 percent); South Bend, Ind., mayor Pete Buttigieg (7 percent); and California senator Kamala Harris (3 percent).

Elon Musk's tunnel project at the Las Vegas Convention Center just went from WTF to OMFG. (via @JamesInLasVegas) @elonmusk @boringcompany pic.twitter.com/qTqgDZN8J3

— Vital Vegas (@VitalVegas) September 18, 2019

Images that have emerged of the startup’s activities reveal that The Boring Company has started shipping parts of a tunnel boring machine to Las Vegas, with a TBM cutter head and mixing chamber recently arriving at the location.

Initial pictures of The Boring Company’s activities were shared on Twitter last week, courtesy of @JamesInLasVegas. The photos depicted heavy machinery surrounding the tunneling startup’s dig site, including several cranes and what appeared to be a pile driver. An image of a tunnel boring machine’s cutter head was also posted...

The owner of Tinder and OkCupid is being sued by U.S. regulator for seeking to draw in potential subscribers with emails from fake users expressing interest in pairing up. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission on Wednesday alleged that Match Group Inc (MTCH.O) knowingly sent automated advertisements via Match.com with expressions of interest from accounts which it knew were likely fake. The emails in question, which did not include user pictures, told recipients that a particular profile had expressed interest in them and gave them a link to click to see details, leading to a subscription page.

Barbie manufacturer Mattel wants to make the next big thing in children’s toys, and it has an idea that combines progressive gender politics with shattering beauty standards: gender-neutral dolls. It’s brilliant, if your goal is to turn absurdity into cash.

Not to be outperformed by the gender-gap-crushing Ms. Monopoly or even Barbie’s “inspiring women” collection, Mattel has introduced a line of gender-neutral dolls, with generic features and interchangeable hair and clothes, so kids can swap the doll’s appearance from male to female to both depending on their moods.

The first stage of the deal will open markets up to $7 billion in U.S. products, he says. Trump says the document the leaders signed outlined "the significant steps we're taking toward a fair and reciprocal trade agreement."

Among other things, the transcript shows Trump discussing former Vice President Joe Biden and his son Hunter.

Here's the 'pressure' Trump put on Zelensky:

"The other thing, There's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution so if you can look into it... It sounds horrible to me."

He's pressing for the origins of the deep state coup against him. Also, not only did he not promise aid, but they talked about buying things FROM US!

...if we are concerned about U.S. officials inappropriately threatening aid to Ukraine, then there are others who have some explaining to do. It got almost no attention, but in May, CNN reported that Sens. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.), Richard J. Durbin (D-Ill.) and Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) wrote a letter to Ukraine’s prosecutor general, Yuriy Lutsenko, expressing concern at the closing of four investigations they said were critical to the Mueller probe. In the letter, they implied that their support for U.S. assistance to Ukraine was at stake. Describing themselves as “strong advocates for a robust and close relationship with Ukraine,” the Democratic senators declared, “We have supported [the] capacity-building process and are disappointed that some in Kyiv appear to have cast aside these [democratic] principles to avoid the ire of President Trump,” before demanding Lutsenko “reverse course and halt any efforts to impede cooperation with this important investigation.”

Buyers are inquiring at firms including U.S-based Smithfield. Volumes aren’t finalized, though could be about 100,000 tons...

“If the sanctions are ended and there is a return to the (nuclear) accord, there is room for giving reassurances toward breaking the deadlock and the President (Hassan Rouhani) has even a proposal for small changes in the accord,” an Iranian government spokesman, Ali Rabiei, said on state TV Tuesday...

The order includes the spacecraft to be used in the next U.S. moon-landing mission, scheduled for 2024, and in the preparation flights to the moon under the Artemis program, NASA said. “This contract clearly shows NASA’s commitment not only to Orion, but also to Artemis and its bold goal of sending humans to the Moon in the next five years,” said Rick Ambrose, executive vice president of Lockheed Martin Space. “We are equally committed to Orion and Artemis and producing these vehicles with a focus on cost, schedule and mission success.”...

Third-party keyboards can either run as standalone, or with “full access” they can talk to other apps or get internet access for additional features, like spell check. But “full access” also allows the keyboard maker to capture to its servers keystroke data or anything you type — like emails, messages or passwords.

This bug, however, may allow third-party keyboards to gain full access permissions — even if it was not approved...