Saturday, December 28, 2019

Trump in Palm Beach: Mar-a-Lago’s SCIF, JFK’s bunker and keeping national security secure - News - The Palm Beach Post - West Palm Beach, FL

Trump in Palm Beach: Mar-a-Lago's SCIF, JFK's bunker and keeping national security secure - News - The Palm Beach Post - West Palm Beach, FL



Trump in Palm Beach: Mar-a-Lago's SCIF, JFK's bunker and keeping national security secure

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, (sitting down facing camera), is surrounded by aids after he and President Donald Trump, right, (blocked from view), were notified of a missile launch by North Korea during their visit to The Mar-a-Lago Club Saturday February 11, 2017, in Palm Beach. (Shannon Donnelly / Daily News / The Palm Beach Post)

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Posted Nov 5, 2019 at 6:28 AM

The recent "storming" of a Capitol Hill hearing where sensitive information was to be presented raised awareness of secure rooms used by federal officials. There's such a SCIF at Mar-a-Lago.

The recent "storming" of a Capitol Hill hearing where sensitive information was to be presented raised awareness of secure rooms used by federal officials to safeguard national security information and discussions.

On October 24, Republican members of Congress entered and disrupted a Ukraine hearing being in a Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility, or SCIF, in the Capitol. What raised eyebrows, if not rung alarm bells, is that many of the congressmen brought their iPhones with them, which is against the rules.

That's because photographing or video in SCIFs is prohibited so as not to giveaway information about what makes SCIFs so secure.

>>READ: Chaotic scene as Republicans disrupt impeachment deposition

But, it turns out, SCIFs are not just found in the nation's capital.

There is a SCIF at Mar-a-Lago, which is used when President Donald Trump is in town.

Ironically, the existence of the SCIF at the president's private club in Palm Beach was first revealed in a White House press briefing on February 14, 2017, to rebut criticism Trump himself had put sensitive discussions at risk.

That was days after Trump held an impromptu security gathering in a Mar-a-Lago dining area with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and their aides moments after a North Korea missile test.

>>READ: Yujing Zhang trial: Last witness says Chinese woman offered ticket to event with Clintons

But during a press briefing three days later, former White House press secretary Sean Spicer downplayed the discussion, and said Trump had been briefed in a secure area before dinner.

"The president was briefed in a SCIF ahead of dinner," Spicer said. "He went with his national security team. They briefed him on the situation in North Korea."

Spicer said people wrongly jumped to "nefarious conclusions" about the famous photo of Trump, Abe and their aides huddled around a table with Mar-a-Lago members and guests seated nearby.

>>RELATED: Peanut Island's JFK bunker restoration push begins

"At that time, apparently there was a photo taken, which everyone jumped to nefarious conclusions about what may or may not be discussed," Spicer told the media that day. "There was simply a discussion about press logistics, where to host the event. And then after the dinner, the president went back into the SCIF to get a further update from his team. So I'm not really sure where people jumped to conclusions. There is a SCIF there. It was utilized on two occasions that evening to convey to the president by his national security team the situation in North Korea."

Mar-a-Lago security came under intense scrutiny this year after a Chinese woman was arrested and charged with lying in order to gain entry to the club.

In September, Yujing Zhang was found guilty of lying to a federal agent and gaining access to a restricted building. She faces a maximum of six years in prison when she is sentenced on November 22.

The Zhang trial did little to answer why the 33-year-old self-described business consultant attempted to enter Mar-a-Lago, an incident that initially sparked suspicion and speculation of espionage.

That a president who spends a lot of time in Palm Beach has access to a secure room is not ahistorical. In 1961, a secure bunker on Peanut Island that served as a shelter and command post became operational for President John F. Kennedy.

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Elyssa Durant

Sunday, December 8, 2019

Fwd: Stormy Sunday

DailyDDoSe: Stormy Sunday
For Immediate Release, March 25, 2018
Trump has left Palm Beach for Washington managing to avoid massive protests and demonstrations in Washington, Florida, and took back roads home from Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach Saturday, March 24, 2018 to avoid protestors outside of Mar-A-Lago.
Trump stayed silent on Gun Violence, the NRA, School Shootings, avoided mass protests across the state, country and world to avoid protestors gathering worldwide standing in solidarity against gun violence.
Trump left Palm Beach International Airport for Washington moments ago leaving Melania and Barron behind in Palm Beach, Florida.
This leaves most of Palm Beach, Singer Island, A1A, Southern Bridge and Southern Boulevard and parts of West Palm Beach inaccessible and at high risk for terrorism including my home.
Palm Beach has requested additional funding from Homeland Security who works in coordination with Palm Beach Sheriff, Secret Service, Palm Beach Police, the United States Coast Guard, requesting be designated as a High Risk Critical Asset for Terrorism (including my own street) leaving much of Palm Beach and Singer Island streets, air traffic and local businesses inaccessible until further notice.
This will cost our city MILLIONS for in unreimbursed Security costs and my neighbors and I get to pick up the cost.
#MarchForOurLives
#NeverAgain
Thousands rally for gun reform across from Mar-a-Lago
POTUS in town with family
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. —
 
Thousands in West Palm Beach took to the streets for a 'March For Our Lives' rally.
"I'm a grandma and I would hate to see that my grandchild is dropped off at school and I pick up a body at the end of the day. I think that we need to have sensible gun laws," said Amelia Rose, a grandmother of four.
"Everybody has their rights. There second amendment rights, but it's to the point, where you know we're scared to be at our schools. We're scared to go to church. We're scared to do so many things outside and it affects everybody, " said Keyanna Diaz, a sophomore at G-Star School of the Arts.
President Donald Trump may have not been in Washington, D.C., but he still felt the impacts in West Palm Beach.
Many demonstrators gathered at Dreher Park near I-95, afterwards picketed down Southern Boulevard chanting and wearing t-shirts until they reached the foot of the Flagler Bridge.
As a result, Trump's motorcade was forced to take another route home, when leaving Trump International Golf Club.
His supporters stood by at the rally held in opposition.
Deputies with the Palm Beach County Sheriffs Office closed off the entrance to bridge, but stood by to keep the peace.
"I'm not against guns or gun ownership but we have to regulate it. Gun control to a lot of people, a lot of people misinterpret it thst were going to take away our guns. I just don't view it that way," said Steven Lee.
President Donald Trump is expected to depart Sunday evening without First Lady Melania, ABC News reports.
This news comes as 60-minutes on CBS is set to air an interview with Stormy Daniels, a porn star, who claims she had an affair with Trump while Melania was pregnant with their son Barron.
Elyssa D. Durant ©️ 2018
Research & Policy Analyst
Columbia University, New York


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