The campaign of Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump has accepted the resignation of its volunteer chair in a blue-collar Ohio county after the woman made a series of remarks disparaging blacks.
Mahoning County volunteer Kathy Miller told The Guardian newspaper in an article and video posted Thursday that she didn’t believe there was “any racism until (President Barack) Obama got elected.”
She also described the Black Lives Matter movement as “a stupid waste of time” and said blacks who haven’t succeeded have only themselves to blame.
Trump Ohio director Bob Paduchik says Miller has resigned. He called the remarks inappropriate and said volunteers don’t speak for the campaign.
Mexican president says Trump visit led to aide’s resignation
Mexican President Enrique Pena Nieto says he accepted the resignation of his Treasury secretary because the official had suffered a big blow to his reputation due to Donald Trump’s visit to the country.
Pena Nieto said Thursday in an interview with Teleformula that it was his decision to meet with the Republican presidential candidate, but he acknowledged that then-Treasury Secretary Luis Videgaray played an important role.
He said that “without doubt” Videgaray was involved in arranging the Aug. 31 visit and “this blow led me to make the decision and accept his resignation.”
Pena Nieto was widely criticized in Mexico for not confronting Trump more directly on his disparaging remarks about Mexico and migrants, or on the candidate’s promise to build a border wall and make Mexico pay for it.
House Speaker Ryan won’t comment on Trump’s ‘stop and frisk’ support
House Speaker Paul Ryan is refusing to weigh in on Donald Trump’s embrace of the “stop and frisk” policing tactic.
The Wisconsin Republican said Thursday that he hasn’t given it enough thought to comment.
Trump asserted earlier Thursday that Chicago needs stop and frisk to bring crime under control.
A federal judge has ruled New York City had used the practice unconstitutional because of its overwhelming impact on minority residents.
Ryan said he doesn’t know enough about the tactic to comment about its constitutionality or efficacy.
Ryan has deflected questions on other Trump proposals too by saying he doesn’t know enough to comment.
Trump says drugs play key role in Charlotte protests
Donald Trump says that drugs are playing a major role in the protests rocking Charlotte following a police shooting.
Speaking at an energy conference in Pittsburgh, the Republican nominee for president said: “if you’re not aware, drugs are a very, very big factor in what you’re watching on television.”
Trump did not elaborate. There is no evidence that drugs have anything to do with the rioting.
The comment appeared to be an aside after Trump called for a “national anti-crime agenda” to make cities safe and “to dismantle the international cartels, gangs and criminal syndicates.”
Trump vowed “to stop the drugs from flowing into our county and poisoning our youth and many other people.”
Trump wants to accelerate domestic energy exploration
Donald Trump is calling for a dramatic expansion in domestic energy exploration, combined with a dramatic scale-back of regulations meant to protect the environment and public land.
The Republican presidential nominee was speaking Thursday at the Shale Insight conference in Pittsburgh.
He said that as president, he would open federal lands and off-shore areas for energy exploration.
He also wants to eliminate regulations intended to protect America’s fresh water and limit carbon emissions from power plants.
Trump has advocated an “America first” energy policy.
He is contrasting that with Democratic rival Hillary Clinton, who has advocated a move away from dirty fossil fuels.
“It’s war,” he says.
Comedian asks Clinton if she thinks she should ‘be more racist’
Hillary Clinton is taking tough questions on power ties, pant suits and the Scott Baio vote on the online comedy program “Between Two Ferns.”
The five-minute interview with comedian Zack Galifianakis appeared on the Funny or Die website Thursday. Among Galifianakis’ questions was whether she ever watched Donald Trump and thought “I should be more racist.” Clinton just shook her head, smiling.
At one point Clinton said jokingly “I really regret doing this.”
The two riffed about what Trump should wear to the first debate. Clinton said: “I assume he’ll wear that red power tie.” Galifianakis replied: “Or maybe a white power tie.”
President Barack Obama appeared on “Between Two Ferns” in 2014 as he was trying to encourage young people to sign up for the Affordable Care Act.
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