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A4 U.S. NEWS
Friday 21 September 2018
Trump blasts GOP spending plan that lacks money for wall

By MATTHEW DALY nal aide, who was not au-
Associated Press thorized to speak publicly
WASHINGTON (AP) — Rais- and asked not to be iden-
ing the specter of a gov- tified, dismissed Trump's
ernment shutdown in just tweet as "just saber-rattling"
10 days, President Donald and said it would not derail
Trump complained Thurs- efforts to avert a govern-
day that a spending plan ment shutdown at the start
pushed by congressional of the new budget year
Republicans is "ridiculous" Oct. 1. "We believe we are
because it does not in- still on track with respect to
clude funding for a border the president signing both
wall with Mexico. appropriations conference
Trump tweeted that he reports" that fund a range
wants to know "where is of agencies and keep the
the money for Border Se- government open through
curity and the WALL in this Dec. 7, the aide said.
ridiculous Spending Bill." He While Trump vented on
added that "REPUBLICANS Twitter, he privately as-
MUST FINALLY GET TOUGH" sured aides Thursday that
against Democrats he said he would sign the spending
are obstructing law en- bill, said an administration
forcement and border se- official who was not autho-
curity. rized to speak publicly and
Trump's outburst could sought anonymity.
complicate efforts by GOP In this Nov. 15, 2016, photo provided by Kenneth Madsen, stadium lights atop tall poles oversee Indeed, despite Trump's
leaders to avert a partial a pedestrian barrier stretching for miles along a section of the border wall between Douglas, Ari- frustration, his tweet hints
government shutdown at zona, and Agua Prieta, in the Mexican state of Sonora. he will eventually sign the
the end of September and Associated Press stopgap bill by asking
put off a potentially messy where money for the wall
fight over border fund- Mexico border, although While Congress has made including funding for bor- will come from "after the
ing until after the midterm separate spending bills progress on spending bills, der security and the wall," Midterms?"
elections in November. being considered in the GOP leaders decided to Perdue wrote in the Wash- A bill being considered in
The Senate on Tuesday ap- House and Senate provide roll their unfinished work ington Examiner. the Senate allocates $1.6
proved a bill that funds the funding for the wall. GOP into a package tied to de- Perdue was one of seven billion for Trump's wall next
military and some civilian leaders have said they pre- fense funding and "call it a senators who opposed the year, far short of the $5 bil-
agencies for the next year fer to resolve the issue after day until December," Per- stopgap bill approved by lion that Trump is seeking. A
and provides a short-term the Nov. 6 elections. due said. the Senate. The House is bill approved by a House
fix to keep the government Trump cited an opinion col- "This a total sleight of hand. expected to approve the committee includes $5 bil-
open through Dec. 7. umn by Sen. David Perdue, It is caving to Senate Dem- bill next week, days ahead lion for physical barriers
The stopgap bill would not R-Ga., blaming Democrats ocrats who are doing ev- of a Sept. 30 deadline for a and associated technol-
address Trump's long-prom- for the failure to fund the erything they can to derail government shutdown. ogy along the U.S. southern
ised wall along the U.S.- wall. President Trump's agenda, A Republican congressio- border.q

Kavanaugh accuser may testify after all -- under right terms

By ALAN FRAM and LISA The positive tone of the whether women alleging
MASCARO lawyer's email revived the abuse are taken seriously
WASHINGTON (AP) — possibility that the panel by men and how both po-
Christine Blasey Ford may would hold an electrifying litical parties address such
personally testify against campaign-season hearing claims with the advent of
Supreme Court nominee at which both Ford and the #MeToo movement —
Brett Kavanaugh after all, President Donald Trump's a theme that could echo
her attorney said Thursday, Supreme Court nominee in this November's elections
breathing new life into the could give their versions for control of Congress.
prospect of a dramatic of what did or didn't hap- In one obstacle that must
Senate showdown next pen at a party in the 1980s. be overcome, Katz's email
week over Ford's accusa- Kavanaugh, now a judge said a hearing Monday
tion that he assaulted her on the powerful District of is "not possible" and that
when both were in high Columbia Circuit Court of scheduling it that day "is
school. Appeals, has repeatedly arbitrary in any event." Ju-
Ford will tell her story to denied her allegation. diciary Chairman Chuck
the Judiciary Committee, The accusation has jarred Grassley, R-Iowa, has
whose senators will vote on the 53-year-old conserva- scheduled the hearing for
Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y., with Sen. Mazie Hirono, D-Hawaii, Kavanaugh's confirmation tive jurist's prospects for win- that morning, and he and
left, joined by former students from Holton Arms School, speaks — but only if agreement ning confirmation, which Senate Majority Leader
to reporters in support of professor Christine Blasey Ford, who can be reached on "terms until Ford's emergence last Mitch McConnell, R-Ky.,
is accusing Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh of a de- that are fair and which en- week had seemed all but have indicated it would
cades-old sexual attack, during a news conference on Capitol
Hill in Washington, Thursday, Sept. 20, 2018. sure her safety," the attor- certain. It has also bloomed be Ford's only chance to
Associated Press ney said. into a broader clash over make her case. q