Isis never m met oknowown e womn who haveccused him. We will talk witjejessicleededs abououwhat hapned to h h when she sat next to donald trump in firstlass on a plane. Then republicansnn congrs say they he reached dl on finalax leglation tt gives masse cutto major corpations in thee rhest ericans,ncludi president trumand his owfamily pr. Trump a tax cs will eak dn and ty will bak down fast,ll forms o gornmentnd all fms of government barriers, and breathed new life into the american economy. In the code into yemen. There are signs of blockade of the ports by saudi Led Military Coalition has not eased to allow millions to reach items to reach millions. E will speak with iona craig all of that and more, coming up. Welcome to democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Republicans in congress say theyve reached a deal on final tax legislation that would slash 1. 5 billion in taxes with major corporations and the richest americans, including President Trump and his own family, reaping the most dramatic benefits. Decreaselation would taxes for wealthy business owners. Protest took place throughout capitol hill wednesday. The move clears away way for final vote next week. Well have more on the tax plan after headlines. In alabama, Republican Senate candidate roy moore has refused to concede in the special election, despite the fact that Democrat Doug Jones beat moore on tuesday. This is roy moore speaking wednesday night. The struggleeed in to preserve our republic, our civilization, and our religion and to set free a suffering humanity. The battle rages on. In this race, were not received the final count to include military and provisional ballots. This has been a very close race, and we are waiting certification by the secretary of state. Amy during his speech wednesday, moore expressed his support for President Trump and painted an apocalyptic picture of american society. Abortion, sodomy, and materialism have taken the place of life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. We have murdered over 60 million of our unborn chchildren. We redefined marriage and destroyed the babasis of family. Which is the Building Block of our coununtry. We have even begugun to recognie the right of a man to claim to be a woman and vice versa. Immorality sweeps ovover our la. Amy even president t trump, who supported the e accused child molester, has acknowledged roy moore lost the senate race. Three women have accused Music Industry mogul Russell Simmons of rape. Simmons is the cofounder of the hugely influential label def jam recordings and a major figure in the music, entertainment, media, and fashion industries. Drew dixon, a former executive for def jam recordings, told the New York Times simmons repeatedly sexually harassed her and then raped her in 1995. A singer, tina baker, said simmons raped her in the early 1990s, derailing her career. Music journalist toni sallie also says simmons raped her in the late 1980s. Simmons denies the accusations. Pbs has suspended awardwinning journalist and talkshow host tavis smiley amidst accusations smiley had sexual relationships with multiple subordinates and that he created a workplace that was verbally abusive and threatening. Multiple women said they were concerned their job security was linked to the status of a sexual relationship with smiley. Smiley has denied the accusations. Awardwinning mexicanamerican actress salma hayek has written a seararing opeed for the New York Times in w which she detas how she suffered years of Sexual Harassment and abuse by Harvey Weinstein. In the piece headlined Harvey Weinstein is my monster, too, hayek details how weinstein relentlessly pursued her sexually, bullied her, and verbally abused her when she rejected his advances, retaliated against her professionally, and even threatened to kill her. Salma hayek writes in his eyes, i was not an artist. I wasnt even a person. I was a thing not a nobody, but a body. In kentucky, republican state representative dan johnson was found dead from an apparent suicide only two days after the Kentucky Center for investigative reporting published an expose about him molesting a 17yearold girl who was a member of his church. According to the expose, in 2013 johnson woke up his daughters friend while the girls were having a sleepover and then sexually assaulted the teenager, touching her breasts and forcing his fingers into her vagina. The girl wrote to johnson in a facebook message after the attack what you did was beyond mean, it was evil. Kentucky state representative dan johnsons body was found wednesday with a single gunshot to his head. New york state Governor Andrew Cuomo has unveiled new legislation aimed at making it illegal for people convicted of Domestic Violence to own a gun in new york state. In announcing the legislation, Governor Cuomo called 2017 the year of reckoning, when both the tragedy of Mass Shootings and cultural and institutional harassment of women became impossible to ignore. The chairman of the Senate Judiciary committee, iowa senator chuck grassley, said President Trumps lifetime judicial nominee jeff mateer will not be appointed for a lifetime federal judgeship. Mateer is a lawyer for the state of texas and a rightwing religious extremist who has called transgender children evidence of satans plan. Senator grassley also said a second trump judicial nominee, brett talley, will also not be confirmed. Talley is a blogger who has never argued a case in federal court in his life. He was rated unanimously unqualified for the post by the american bar association. In washington, d. C. , a superior court judge has thrown out the felony charge of inciting a riot for six people who are arrested for protesting during President Trumps inauguration. The six are the first of more than 150 people slated to go on on trial over the protests. The each have faced up to 60 years in prison. In greece, a nationwide 24 hour general strike has crippled key industries, including transportation, education, health care, and shipping. The workers are protesting against a new government proposal to limit peoples ability to strike, as well as against years of austerity measures. This is christina skaloubati, president of the federation of women of greece. These measures after medically affected the lives of women because they make parttime work, laura minimum wages a permanent thing, which means women cannot support their families and such wages. Amy in yemen, the u. S. Babacked Saudiled Coalition has bombed a houthi military police camp, killing at least 30 people, most of whom were imprisoned inside the camp. One official said at least 35 bodies had been recovered from the blast site so far. Well have more on the ongoing u. S. Backed saudiled war r in yemen later in the broadcast. We will be speaking with journalist iona craig. Back in the United States, disney is buying a major part of 20 for century fox for 52. 4 billion. The messenger would consolidate two of the biggest players and hollywood and would reshape the media and entertainment industries. In texas, immigration officials have detained an Award Winning mexican journalist Emilio Gutierrez soto and his son in. Gutierrez first sought asylum in the United States in 2008 after receiving Death Threats for reportrting on alleged corruptin in the mexican military. He was detained last week after his asylum appeal was denied. He now faces deportation back to mexico, one of the most dangerous countries in the world for journalists. This is gutierrez speaking by phone through a translator from the forprofit west Texas Detention Center in Sierra Blanca during an event monday night at the National Press club in washington, d. C. Please, please do not forget us. Publish thet to pain, terrifying situation i am in any terrifying manner in which journalists have to work in mexico. Amy thats mexican journalist Emilio Gutierrez soto speaking from detention, addressing an audience at the National Press clclub in washington, d. C. In london, survivors of the deadly Grenfell Tower fire in at st. Pauls cathedral for a memorial service, along with british Prime Minister theresa may, labor leader jeremy corbyn, and the royal family. The fire killed 71 people when it swept through a poorly built Public Housing tower. It was the worst fire in britain since world war ii. And haitis beloveved folk singr and troubadour emmanueuel mann charlemagne has died in a miami beach hospital at the age of 69. Through his music, charlemagne helped inspire a generation of haitians to rebel against longtime dictator francois duvalier. He was often called the haitian bob marley. He briefly served as mayor of Port Au Prince in the 1990s. Is haitis beloved folk s singer emmanuel manno charlemont who died at the age of 69. And those are some of the headlines. This is democracy now , democracynow. Org, the war and peace report. Im amy goodman. Nermeen and im nermeen shaikh. Welcome to all of our listeners and viewers from around the country and around the world. Republicans encumbers it ever reached a deal on final tax legislation that would cut taxes for wealthy americans and lower the tax rate for corporations. The move clears the way for final vote next week. In the tax plan agreed on by the house and the senate, the Corporate Tax rate would be reduced to 21 from the current 35 . Middle and lowincome families would receive smaller, temporary, tax cuts. President trump touted the bill at the white house on wednesday. Pres. Trump tax cuts will break down and they will break it down fast. All forms of government and all forms of government barriers and breathe new life into the american economy. They will unleash the american worker. They will tear down the restraints on discovery, innovation, and creation. And they will restore the hopes entrance of the american family. Millions of middleclass families will win under our plan. We will have very little democrat support, probably none. That is purely for political reasons. They like it alive and they cant say it. Some they went to come together and do bipartisan and hopefully it can happen soon. Republicans say they have enough votes to pass the measure and send it to trump by the end of the year, offering him first major legislative victory. Meanwhile, vermont senator Bernie Sanders on wednesday congratulated republicans for being honest that the gop tax bill was written for wealthy campaign contributors. This legislation that will have a major impact on our economy has not t had one public hearing. Sot hearing from economist governors,s, the businesss committed, ordinarary americicas to what the impact of this legislation will be. This is legislation written for wewealthy campaign conontributos and i want to congratulate some of my republican colleagues for being honest about that. Ift they said publicly is they dont pass this bill, their wealthy friends. Contributing. I appreciate that t honesty. Amy democrats are demanding that a final vote be delayed until newly elected alabama senator doug jones is seated. Protests took place throughout capitol hill on wednesday. Members of the center for popular democracy demonstrated outside the office of republican senator Susan Collins of maine until they were granted a meeting to discuss their concerns the bill would repeal the Affordable Care act requirement that most americans have Health Insurance or pay a penalty. For more, were joinened in rochesteter, new york, b by davd cay johnston, pulitzer prizewinning investigative specializes in taxes and the economy. Now he is founder and editor of dcreport. Org. Johnstons biography of donald trump is titled the making of donald trump. His forthcoming book is its worse than you think and will be out in january. David cay johnston, is this tax bill worse than most people think . Explain what it is you understand that the house and senate have agreed on. This is a fantastically wonderful tax bill if you are a billionaire, hedge fund manager, or one of the 143 americans whose job last year paid over 100 million. You are going to just enjoy this bill to the hilt. On the other hand, the republicans have managed with this bill to do what i would have thought was impossible. They are about to enact a tax cut that is wildly unpopular. Shows majority of americans oppose it because they understand this is a tax bill of, by, and for the political donor class. And it clearly reveals something you have heard me say before about the real republican agenda. That the republicans believe that americas pressing them overwhelming, economic problem is the rich dont have nearly enough. And they have got to get more to the rich. So heres how they are doing it. Theyre going to cut the Corporate Tax rate from 35 to 21 . Theyre going to lower the top toginal tax rate from 39 37 . If you make 100 million the year, if you are one of those 143 highestpaid americans, youre about to get a 2 million annual tax cut. And there when a raise taxes on many families, particularly, in the high tax days like new york, new jersey, connecticut, california which just happened to be the state that also paid a higher wages in this country. That the republicans could pass a bill that will be unpopular with the majority of americans is just astonishing, but it lolooks like they are about to o that. Nermeen david, could you talk about whether trump and members of his cabinet are likely to benefit from this bill . And if there are any republicans who have voted against it . Personallynald trump is one of the biggest beneficiaries of this bill. He owns over 500 enterprises. In his tax rate, assuming he is really paying taxes and we dont know because he is the only president ial candidate or president since the late 1970s who has not shown us his tax returns he is likely to see his tax rate fall by somewhere between 30 to 50 . So he is a huge beneficiary, despite all of his claims i will pay more. It is just not true. Other members of his cabinet like multimillionaires wilbur ross and betsy devos are going theire enormously on investments. At the same time, it will create a lot more work for lawyers. Any businesses, because of the new partnership rules, are going to split themselves into two parts or three. That will require a lot of legal and accounting work to reorganize these businesses. It will make them less efficient, but it will save them taxes. The way to think about this bill is, this is a Shopping List for the clients of Goldman Sachs. Donald trump ran for president saying he was going to drain the swamp in washington. What he has really done is turn it into a paradise for Goldman Sachs and its clients. Amy this is senatator Bernie Sanders speaking about the impact of the republican tax bill. After he raised the deficit by 1. 4 trtrillion by giving hue tax part to the wealthy and large corporations, youre g g to c come back and yourere goio cucut versusecurity, medicare, and medicaid, and education and the needs of working families. What kind of decency is there when we have legislation that gives massive tax breaks to billionaires and then comes back and wants to cut Social Security, medicare, medicaid . This bill must not be passed. Amy what about Social Security . How does this bill relate to that . Remember that donald trump ran for office saying, unlike the republicans overall, i will not have any cuts to Social Security or medicare. We are about to see that promise go down the tubes, too. Theyre going to borrow 1. 5 trillion dollars, given to the wealthiest people in the country, then theyre going to come back and say, there is no money. We have to make other cuts. Orrin hatch has already done this. He was one of the original sponsors of the childrens Health Insurance program that covers about 9 million kids. And what did he say the other day . Well, there is no money. We have money for billionaires and people in the trunk cabinet, money for the president of the United States, but there is no money to take care of children who need health care. And pretty sosoon, they will coe for your Social Security. Amy what about the graduate students . To say the least come over the last week, they have been extremely active walking out on campuses across the country. Talk about, in fact, what they are now calling a great victory. At d. C. Report, i described education provisions in this bill as the idiots the tax act. What were doing to give the iseady rich more cash today starting our future. We are taking away the we were, i havent seen the latest version of the bill, nobody has. The 250 item for teachers to buy supplies. And were going to tax graduate students on their tuition waivers. We have not seen the final version of the bill, so we dont know of theres a victory there or not or whether it is a seeming victory. Remember, we have had a number of tax bills pas