WGSO Radio

Community Voice of the Crescent City

Current track

Title

Artist

CALL IN (504) 556-9696

CALL IN (504) 556-9696


Ringside Politics – January 15, 2021

Written by on January 15, 2021

Welcome to another edition of Ringside Politics with Jeff Crouere

Today’s Hot Topics:

1) Donald Trump borrowed hundreds of millions of dollars against his properties before he took office, but experts say the 45th president of the U.S likely faces a harder time getting a loan as he resumes private life after Jan. 20, following last week’s riot at the Capitol in Washington.

In Trump’s final days in office, parts of the business, financial, political and sport’s world moved to cut ties with president after he egged on a mob of his supporters looking to thwart the peaceful change of power in Washington.

PGA of America over the weekend said it would cancel its agreement to hold the 2022 PGA Championship at Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, a suburb of New York City, citing a risk to the PGA’s brand.

2) The F.B.I. on Wednesday urged police chiefs across the country to be on high alert for extremist activity and to share intelligence on any threats they encounter, as the U.S. government issued a dire intelligence bulletin warning of potential violence ahead of the inauguration.

In the call with police chiefs, Christopher Wray, the F.B.I. director, and Kenneth Cuccinelli, the acting deputy secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, warned about potential attacks on state capitols, federal buildings, the homes of congressional members and businesses, according to one of the chiefs on the call. The officials failed to identify any specific threats, participants said, but called on law enforcement officers across the country to watch for signs of trouble, no matter how small.

3) The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is threatening to withhold campaign funds from politicians who railed against approval of Joe Biden’s election victory, but it wouldn’t identify which ones, nor did it call for the ouster of President Donald Trump after last week’s insurrection at the Capitol.

The chamber, among the most powerful business groups in Washington, on Tuesday echoed much of corporate America, which has started to reject the violence and false claims of election fraud put forth by Trump and his allies.

Yet many business leaders have been cautious in their rebukes to not fully alienate Trump’s supporters, even though the president and other Republican leaders inspired the mob that invaded the building and killed a police officer. Four others, including one of the rioters who was shot by authorities, also died.

4) With the House planning to impeach President Donald Trump for a second time and corporate America distancing itself in the wake of the deadly Capitol insurrection, the Trump brand is taking a beating in the waning days of his presidency.

Even as pressure mounts to remove the president’s name from his signature property in Chicago, the Trump International Hotel & Tower, the brand may be hard to shed, potentially looming over the city for years to come.

Northwest Side Ald. Gilbert Villegas, 36th, Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s City Council floor leader, on Tuesday said he plans to introduce an ordinance this month to remove the sign from the property at 401 N. Wabash Ave., as the list of companies formally breaking ties with Trump and his Republican supporters in Congress grows.

Today’s Guests:

1) MICHAEL BETRUS, AUTHOR OF COVID-19, LOCKDOWNS ON TRIAL – Skypes into the first hour to give us an update on the COVID-19 situation during the pandemic.

2) Chris Holton, VP of Outreach, Center for Security Policy – calls in to give his weekly update

3) Clay Cangelosi, WGSO Talk Show Host of Liberty or Lockdown – joins the show to talk about the events of the this year leading up to the inauguration.

4) Donna Carol Voss, Ringside Allstar – calls in to discuss the events of the week and opine with callers.