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When Donald Trump announced a new ban on transgender members in the U.S. military Wednesday, he claimed in the first of three tweets that hed [consulted] with my generals and military experts before making the decision. According to the general response from Defense Department officials and Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain, however, they had no idea the presidents ban was coming. A new report by The Daily Beast instead hints that the so-called generals and military experts behind the new policy were actually Vice President Mike Pence and Chief Strategist Steve Bannon.

Per The Daily Beast, White House sources claim Pence has been pushing hard for this kind of policy shift in the military for some time. So too, unsurprisingly, has former Breitbart executive turned Trump campaign chairman Steve Bannon, who now serves on the White House staff. Whats more, another source indicated that the transgender ban would do well with his base, especially leaders of Christian far-right groups and socially-conservative voters. Considering Trumps recent campaign rally in Ohio (and others prior, though following his November election victory), this doesnt seem all that surprising.

It sure as hell surprised officials at the Pentagon, the Defense Department and the Senate Armed Services Committee, all of whom are typically informed of major policy shifts in advance. According to the Wall Street Journal, one official said Trumps Wednesday morning tweets [were] the first we heard about it. Though thats not to say they didnt know the White House was considering it, as Defense Secretary Jim Mattis asked the administration for six months to study the possible effects of transgender military enlistment back in June. Even so, as one official explained it to the New York Times, Mattis request didnt hinge on an eventual ban, but merely time to finesse the situation.

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Report: Mike Pence Is The Driving Force Behind Trump's Transgender Ban For The US Military - UPROXX

When asked about Attorney General Jeff Sessions' future, Vice President Mike Pence echoed remarks by President Donald Trump, who said Tuesday that time will tell what will happen with the attorney general. | Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images

Vice President Mike Pence on Wednesday said he stood behind President Donald Trumps "candid remarks on Attorney General Jeff Sessions, while stressing that he and the president appreciate his good work at the Justice Department.

Pence praised the president for what he said was speaking openly to the American public, during an interview on Fox News.

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The vice president said that Trump's string of criticisms aimed at Sessions are not evidence that the attorney general's work at the Department of Justice is unappreciated.

One of the great things about this president is you always know where you stand, Pence told Fox News during an interview airing Wednesday night. He speaks candidly, he speaks openly, he's expressed his disappointment [in Sessions].

Pence added: But that doesn't mean that we don't recognize the good work the Justice Department has been doing under the attorney general's leadership.

The vice president pointed to Sessions' work on combating gang violence and illegal immigration, as well as his efforts to stop cities from operating as safe havens for undocumented immigrants, as examples of successes.

When asked about Sessions' future, Pence echoed remarks by Trump, who said Tuesday that time will tell what will happen with the attorney general.

We will see what happens in the future, but at least the American people know and every member of the cabinet can know that you will always know where you stand with President Trump, Pence said.

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Pence stands behind 'candid' Trump remarks on Sessions - Politico

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11:35 AM PT -- A Notre Dame school official tells TMZ the university was aware of the walk-out, and even helped them out a bit for minimal distractions. Students asked ND heads a few days before graduation which exit they should take to cause the least amount of attention. ND didn't fight the protest. We're also told about 99% of the class stayed and received Pence warmly, which they consider a success.Mike Pence learned the true meaning of the phrase "Fighting Irish" when a couple dozen grads removed themselves from the ceremony during the Veep's commencement speech.

Pence was asked by Notre Dame to deliver the speech Sunday at its graduation, but the moment he stepped up to the lectern ... at least 20 students got up headed toward the back.

It was a planned protest against the Trump administration ... point made.

It's kind of a big deal. ND is a Catholic school ... and Pence is famously Christian. Also, the university is in Indiana ... where he served as governor before being tapped as Trump's VP.

Pence carried on like nothing happened. He fired up the audience and even got some cheers.

Excerpt from:
Mike Pence Makes Notre Dame Graduates Walk Out on His ...

Rep. Steny Hoyer wrongly claimed that Vice President Mike Pence used a private server when he was governor of Indiana. Pence did use a personal AOL account for some government business, but he did not have a private server.

Hoyer, the House Democratic whip, brought up the vice presidents past email practices in a July 25 interview on CNNs New Day.

The Maryland Democratwas askedabout President Donald Trumps tweet early that morning criticizing Attorney General Jeff Sessions for taking a VERY weak position on Hillary Clinton crimes. Trump referenced Clintons use of a private server and private email account to conduct business while she was secretary of state under President Barack Obama.

Trumps tweet is also problematic.

For starters, Sessions cannot take any position on an investigation concerning the presidential campaign.As a former adviser to the Trump campaign, the attorney general hasrecusedhimself from any existing or future investigations of any matters related in any way to the campaigns for President of the United States. (Trumps mention of the DNC server is a reference to theRussian governments hacking of the Democratic National Committee computer systems. Former FBI Director James Comey has testified that his agency asked DNC officials for access to the partys servers after they were hacked, but the DNC refused the requests. There is no evidence that Clinton committed any crimes regarding the security breach of the DNC servers, and any campaign-related investigation would be covered by Sessions recusal.)

We also note that the FBI did investigateClintons email use, and the FBI director at the time recommended that no charges be brought against her or her aides a recommendation that was accepted by then-U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

CNNs Chris Cuomo asked Hoyer about the presidents criticism of his own attorney general. Hoyer dismissedit as a distraction. But in doing so, he got the facts wrong.

Hoyer, July 25: Well, you know, theres no smoke there, frankly, and this business about the use of the private server. Pence used a private server when he was governor of Indiana. I just think, frankly, all of that is distractions.

As the Indianapolis Star revealed in March, Pence routinely used a personal AOL account to conduct government business. The paper obtained nearly 30 such emails through a public records request, and an official with the vice presidents office told the paper that those were a small fraction of state-business messages associated with the AOL account.

But, contrary to Hoyers statement, Pence did not have a private server, nor did he use his personal email account exclusively for government business, as Clinton did. Pence also used a state government account.

There are other significant differences between the email practices of the two public officials.

The state of Indiana does not prohibit the use of personal email for government business as long as the emails are preserved, and the former governor took steps before he left office to preserve them, the Star story said. Pences office said his campaign hired outside counsel as he was departing as governor to review his AOL emails and transfer any involving public business to the state, the paper wrote.

In Clintons case, the State Departments inspector general said the department has had policies dating to 2005 that require normal day-to-day operations to be conducted on government servers. While occasional use of personal email for State business is permitted, Clinton should have turned over all work-related emails before she left office and did not until 21 months later.

Also, the IG said department policies adopted in 2007 requiredthat non-department servers used to process or store department information meet the same security controls as the departments systems and be registered with the department. Clinton did not adhere to either policy, according to an IG report issued May 26, 2016. (For more, see our story IG Report on Clintons Emails.)

Hoyer is entitled to his opinion about Trumps tweet, but in defending Clinton, he gets the facts wrong about Pences use of personal email for government business.

Share the Facts

2017-07-26 15:53:24 UTC

7

1

11

FactCheck.org Rating:

False

Claimed Vice President Mike Pence used a private server when he was governor of Indiana for government business.

Rep. Steny Hoyer

Maryland Democrat

CNNs New Day

Tuesday, July 25, 2017

2017-07-25

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Hoyer Revisits Mike Pence's Emails - FactCheck.org

For the fourth time in just six months, the vice president swooped in to cast a tie-breaking vote, ending the 50-50 deadlock with the 51st vote to advance the bill.

"The Senate being equally divided, the vice president votes in the affirmative and the motion is agreed to," Pence said from the presiding officer's chair on the floor.

That vote puts Pence on a historically record-setting pace for breaking ties all the way back to John Adams in 1789, according to data from the US Senate Historical Office.

Pence is on track to average 7.9 tie-breaking votes per year, topping Chester Arthur's current highest pace of 5.5 votes per year. Almost two in three vice presidents in American history cast one tie-breaking vote or fewer per year in office.

Tuesday's vote marked the fourth time Pence has cast a tie-breaking vote so far.

He pushed through a plan to allow states to block funding for Planned Parenthood, casting a tie-breaking vote on a procedural motion and then a second tie-breaking vote later that day on the actual legislation.

He also cast the deciding vote in the nomination of Betsy DeVos to be secretary of education.

One main reason the Senate is finding itself deadlocked so often is because of its slim 52 Republican-seat majority and divided GOP caucus.

Pence is currently tied for 17th place all-time in total deadlock-resolving votes. John Calhoun holds the top spot with 31 tie-breaking votes during his time as vice president, from 1825 to 1832. John Adams cast 29 deciding votes as vice president in the late 1700s.

More recently, Al Gore cast four tie-breaking votes, Dick Cheney cast eight and Joe Biden cast zero during his eight years as vice president.

The Constitution provides that the vice president also serve as the president of the Senate, who has the power to cast a vote only if the Senate is equally divided.

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Mike Pence is breaking ties in the Senate at a record-setting pace - CNN International