Tag Archives: Mike Pence

Oh.

Earlier…

This afternoon.

US President Donald Trump says his vice-president, Mike Pence, has the power to reject the formal confirmation of Joe Biden as the next president.

Via USA Today…

Pence’s constitutional role of presiding over the Senate includes the obligation of declaring during a joint session of Congress Wednesday that President-elect Joe Biden received more Electoral College votes than Trump.

It will be the biggest break with Trump yet for the ever-loyal Pence.

Trump, who continues to arguethat he won the election, has urged Pence to unilaterally reject state-certified results that show that Biden won the Electoral College, 306-232.

Trump has asserted Pence has the option of blocking Congress from formally accepting the results. However, Pence has informed the president that he intends to carry out his constitutional role and that he does not believe the law gives him the authority to do otherwise

Mike Pence faces biggest loyalty test in announcing Trump’s loss during a special session of Congress (USAToday)

Getty

Meanwhile…

On Saturday.

Vice-president of the US Mike Pence, on his way to the US, posed for photographs with US soldiers at Shannon Airport where they made a refuelling stop before their onward journey to Iraq.

Meanwhile…

In Baghdad, Iraq last Friday…

The New York Times reported…

Throngs of Iraqis gathered on the streets of the capital, Baghdad, on Friday to protest the United States military presence at the behest of a leading populist cleric and armed forces with ties to Iran.

The demonstration came three weeks after the United States launched a drone strike in capital that killed the Iranian commander Maj. Gen. Qassim Suleimani and a prominent member of the Iraqi government, Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, with close ties to the Popular Mobilization Forces, some of whom are close to Iran.

Days later, at the urging of the Iraqi prime minister, the Parliament endorsed a measure demanding the expulsion of foreign forces from Iraq, which in the minds of most Iraqis meant American troops.

The protest on Friday was the first designed specifically to denounce the American presence in Iraq since the parliamentary measure.

Protesters Mass in Baghdad, Demanding U.S. Leave Iraq (New York Times)

Tens of Thousands of Iraqis mass in Baghdad to Demand Expulsion of US Troops, Hang Trump in Effigy (Juan Cole, Informed Comment)

Rockets ‘hit US embassy’ in Iraq capital amid anti-gov’t protests (Aljazeera)

This morning/afternoon.

Phoenix Park, Dublin

Vice President of the United States of America, Mike Pence and his wife Karen meets Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his partner Matthew Barrett (right) at Farmleigh House where they will have lunch.

Earlier: And Add The Halfpence To The Pence

Sam Boal/RollingNews


Update:

Ah.

This afternoon.

Farmleigh House, Phoenix Park, Dublin.

Sam Boal/RollingNews

Mike Pence Goes 3 Hours Out Of His Way To Stay At Trump’s Irish Golf Resort (Huffington Post)

Meanwhile…

Lisa O’Carroll, of The Guardian, tweetz:

US ambassador to Irl Edward Crawford and Irish Ambassador to US Dan Mulhall Look on as Pence and Higgins sign book in SILENCE. If it wasn’t for the sound of photographers you’d have heard a pin drop.

Earlier…

US Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen Pence arriving at Dublin Airport.

Via Dublin Airport

Earlier: A Thousand Welcomes

Tonight.

Shannon Airport, County Clare

US Vice president Mike Pence with Tániste and Minister for Foreign Affairs Simon Coveney at the start of a short Irish visit. Mr Pence is staying at the Trump Doonbeg and will visit Leinster House tomorrow.

Earlier: Bring Your Handbag

Meanwhile…

Tomorrow

Leinster House, Kildare Street, Dublin 2

To coincide with US Vice President’ Mike Pence’s visit to Ireland (which begins this evening)

Via Amnesty International Ireland:

Amnesty, with other NGOs and activist groups, are holding a ‘Disco outside the Dáil’ to celebrate all those who are being targeted by the Trump/ Pence administration’s policies.

Trump and Pence have spear-headed policies that target refugees and migrants, women, LGBTI people, amongst so many others, as well as pushing climate change denial and dangerous rhetoric against journalists and anyone who opposes them.

Tomorrow, 1-3pm.

No jeans or trainers.

All welcome.

Amnesty Ireland International

Taoiseach Leo Varadkar and his partner Dr Matt Barrett (right) with US Vice President Mike Pence and his sister Anne Pence in Washington in March

US Vice President Mike Pence is expected to visit Ireland for two days from Friday, September 6.

Suzanne Lynch, in The Irish Times, reports:

It is envisaged that Mr Pence’s visit will begin in Dublin, and he is expected to meet Taoiseach Leo Varadkar in Farmleigh in the Phoenix Park.

A courtesy call with President Michael D Higgins is also under consideration. Mr Pence is expected to then fly to Shannon later that day…

…It is expected that the vice president will instead base himself in the Co Clare area. Mr Pence’s ancestors on his mother’s side hailed from Doonbeg, Co Clare, the same village where US president Donald Trump has a golf course. It is not clear if Mr Pence will stay at the Trump property while in the area.

Preparations intensify for Mike Pence’s visit to Ireland next month (Suzanne Lynch, The Irish Times)

Gulp.

It’s probably nothing.

Trust the plan

Save yourselves, for pity’s sake.

More as we get it.