https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/rankings?fbclid=IwAR0Q7c0lWef6ToVywzB10Y5ZrWLOgMfTB6NY1JFH3un7hweEOKgcF1e6dhU
"Some states shine in health care. Some soar in education. Some excel in both – or in much more. The Best States ranking of U.S. states draws on thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health care and education, the metrics take into account a state’s economy, its roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure, its public safety, the fiscal stability of state government, and the opportunity it affords its residents."
Saturday, May 18, 2019
The President*'s Lawyers Will Say Anything to Stop the Public Getting a Look at His Financial Records
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a27471341/donald-trump-lawyers-congress-subpoena-law-enforcement-watergate/?fbclid=IwAR3ysvVD927Wkahqj1GxT-I5gKLLGJYGoBlHcbkFvuN2brTyWcVM_BF4P9M
"This would seem to imply there are ghastly things to be found around Trump, Inc."
"This would seem to imply there are ghastly things to be found around Trump, Inc."
The Senate Will Not Vote on Any Election Security Bills, GOP Senator Says
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/05/the-senate-will-not-vote-on-any-election-security-bills-gop-senator-says/?fbclid=IwAR0BV0qvI7vgCCoSqt7teCtnkq_3VZiG0lQAnShBZ9DyBgaMAFPuWjmNTv8
"The Senate will not vote on any legislation to protect US elections from foreign interference, a Republican committee chair said, despite the consensus of the intelligence community that Russia will once again seek to hack election systems and manipulate American voters in 2020. The reason, said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Wednesday, is that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has decided not to bring any election security bills to the floor for a vote. Blunt’s remark occurred during a hearing of the Rules and Administration Committee, which has oversight of election administration. When Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) asked Blunt, the chairman, whether he was planning mark-ups of any of the several election security bills pending before the committee, Blunt responded that it would be fruitless to advance legislation that McConnell would not allow to come up for a vote."
"The Senate will not vote on any legislation to protect US elections from foreign interference, a Republican committee chair said, despite the consensus of the intelligence community that Russia will once again seek to hack election systems and manipulate American voters in 2020. The reason, said Sen. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.) on Wednesday, is that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has decided not to bring any election security bills to the floor for a vote. Blunt’s remark occurred during a hearing of the Rules and Administration Committee, which has oversight of election administration. When Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.) asked Blunt, the chairman, whether he was planning mark-ups of any of the several election security bills pending before the committee, Blunt responded that it would be fruitless to advance legislation that McConnell would not allow to come up for a vote."
Trump’s not claiming executive power. He’s going for divine right.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/trumps-not-claiming-executive-power-hes-going-for-divine-right/2019/05/14/c439cff8-7687-11e9-b3f5-5673edf2d127_story.html?fbclid=IwAR30OBVrt5hx_ccMgeu4004FsNVFcenCZiGEVjY1tHyVdAk8deWxhEnP6D4&utm_term=.127ecf6f30f0
"In 1787, the framers gave us a president, not a king. On Tuesday, lawyers for President Trump gave a dissenting opinion. In the first of many courtroom showdowns between Trump’s executive branch and the legislative branch, Trump’s lawyer William Consovoy argued to U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta that Congress has no authority to pry into Trump’s finances. That was expected. Unexpected was Consovoy’s broader argument: that Congress has essentially no authority to investigate any president for anything."
"In 1787, the framers gave us a president, not a king. On Tuesday, lawyers for President Trump gave a dissenting opinion. In the first of many courtroom showdowns between Trump’s executive branch and the legislative branch, Trump’s lawyer William Consovoy argued to U.S. District Court Judge Amit Mehta that Congress has no authority to pry into Trump’s finances. That was expected. Unexpected was Consovoy’s broader argument: that Congress has essentially no authority to investigate any president for anything."
Trump to Congress: It’s None of Your Business if I Break the Law
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trump-to-congress-its-none-of-your-business-if-i-break-the-law?ref=scroll&fbclid=IwAR2Qoi08bbZRCxKW3XgcqVf3M5h87aIQ9RP-QbkUBo8XknWiuy7CKpgVH7M
"Trump lawyers are arguing he’s an emperor, above the law, even as he calls on the Department of Justice to prosecute his political enemies."
"Trump lawyers are arguing he’s an emperor, above the law, even as he calls on the Department of Justice to prosecute his political enemies."
The White House takes another step toward putting Trump beyond accountability
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/15/white-house-takes-another-step-towards-putting-trump-beyond-accountability/?fbclid=IwAR1RyE3PRoLFQPuZ0GKlInweCAtfmzwJG9HbyMjfmCV9wLGXSfQZHSBtQ1c&utm_term=.82e3fca2544b
"As a Congressional Research Service report explains, one of the core functions of congressional oversight in the separation-of-powers scheme is to scrutinize the executive branch’s implementation of executive power as delegated by Congress. That’s exactly what the Judiciary Committee is doing. What’s more, as Jonathan Chait notes, the claim that Congress cannot legitimately look into such questions -- when placed alongside DOJ’s policy against indicting sitting presidents, and Barr’s declaration that presidents can close down DOJ investigations into himself for any reason whatsoever -- in effect places Trump above accountability and the law. Add to that Trump’s broader defiance of any and all oversight -- the administration’s breaking of the law in refusing to turn over Trump’s tax returns, and Trump’s vow to fight “all” subpoenas -- and the effort to place Trump beyond accountability becomes even more sweeping."
"As a Congressional Research Service report explains, one of the core functions of congressional oversight in the separation-of-powers scheme is to scrutinize the executive branch’s implementation of executive power as delegated by Congress. That’s exactly what the Judiciary Committee is doing. What’s more, as Jonathan Chait notes, the claim that Congress cannot legitimately look into such questions -- when placed alongside DOJ’s policy against indicting sitting presidents, and Barr’s declaration that presidents can close down DOJ investigations into himself for any reason whatsoever -- in effect places Trump above accountability and the law. Add to that Trump’s broader defiance of any and all oversight -- the administration’s breaking of the law in refusing to turn over Trump’s tax returns, and Trump’s vow to fight “all” subpoenas -- and the effort to place Trump beyond accountability becomes even more sweeping."
Trump lawyers take fight against oversight to ‘astonishing’ lengths
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-lawyers-take-fight-against-oversight-astonishing-lengths?fbclid=IwAR2O3ssZAU6tfqmea7ddBF7ZNFyl-qLTrmghOQC4ZtBqnYafYxCDVn565Ws
"The Republican’s lawyers went to court and argued, in all seriousness, that Congress has no legitimate authority to scrutinize presidential corruption – period, full stop."
"The Republican’s lawyers went to court and argued, in all seriousness, that Congress has no legitimate authority to scrutinize presidential corruption – period, full stop."
Voters should see Trump’s contemptuous conduct for what it is: evidence of guilt
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/15/voters-should-see-trumps-contemptuous-conduct-what-it-is-evidence-guilt/?fbclid=IwAR1u7BV6bGM8U9SpKXfB3z5df2eVk-WALMzSwnG6CBJ_3ZoIIHOhyKDIfzk&utm_term=.27a92507757e
"The notion that Congress does not have the right to investigate matters plainly within its purview — and which are essential to determining whether impeachment hearings will be appropriate — flies in the face of the Constitution and our system of checks and balances. Even lawyer John Yoo, who has an expansive view of executive power, says such blanket rejection of Congress’s role is “unprecedented.” Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti tells me, “The House has full power of impeachment under the Constitution and (Trump’s staffers] are withholding evidence of criminal wrongdoing by the president. If they can get away with doing that, the president — now and in the future — can break the law without fear of consequences.” Likewise, constitutional scholar Laurence H. Tribe explains, “The White House Counsel is now taking the same astonishing position that Trump’s personal attorney took with Judge [Amit] Mehta yesterday — the position that the federal judge presiding over that subpoena hearing rightly found unbelievable and is bound to reject.” Tribe notes, “As a strictly legal matter, the position is one the US Supreme Court decisively repudiated decades ago: it’s the position that the only permissible role of congressional investigations is to help in enacting legislation. If that were the law, then Congress could do nothing at all to oversee how well or badly — including how honesty or corruptly — its laws are being enforced and administered, to ferret out waste, fraud, and abuse by federal agencies or in the executive office of the president.” He concludes: “The administration’s argument comes down to Louis XIV’s ‘L’etat, c’est moi!’ ” Second, making bogus, unsubstantiated arguments to Congress violates the code of ethics that all lawyers, especially prosecutors, must follow."
"The notion that Congress does not have the right to investigate matters plainly within its purview — and which are essential to determining whether impeachment hearings will be appropriate — flies in the face of the Constitution and our system of checks and balances. Even lawyer John Yoo, who has an expansive view of executive power, says such blanket rejection of Congress’s role is “unprecedented.” Former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti tells me, “The House has full power of impeachment under the Constitution and (Trump’s staffers] are withholding evidence of criminal wrongdoing by the president. If they can get away with doing that, the president — now and in the future — can break the law without fear of consequences.” Likewise, constitutional scholar Laurence H. Tribe explains, “The White House Counsel is now taking the same astonishing position that Trump’s personal attorney took with Judge [Amit] Mehta yesterday — the position that the federal judge presiding over that subpoena hearing rightly found unbelievable and is bound to reject.” Tribe notes, “As a strictly legal matter, the position is one the US Supreme Court decisively repudiated decades ago: it’s the position that the only permissible role of congressional investigations is to help in enacting legislation. If that were the law, then Congress could do nothing at all to oversee how well or badly — including how honesty or corruptly — its laws are being enforced and administered, to ferret out waste, fraud, and abuse by federal agencies or in the executive office of the president.” He concludes: “The administration’s argument comes down to Louis XIV’s ‘L’etat, c’est moi!’ ” Second, making bogus, unsubstantiated arguments to Congress violates the code of ethics that all lawyers, especially prosecutors, must follow."
Despite heavy opposition Trump administration opens up Minnesota wilderness area to copper mining
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/05/15/trump-administration-opens-up-minnesota-wilderness-area-to-copper-mining.html?fbclid=IwAR3UxownVnuIlgXsBquwPIpgq9ZwxNaD-B1LF4PHM7GGeFhyzZqA2wPAclI
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday renewed two long-mothballed leases near the Boundary Waters Wilderness area in Minnesota, a key step in opening up the popular wilderness and recreation area to copper mining despite heavy opposition from local and national conservation groups."
"WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Interior Department on Wednesday renewed two long-mothballed leases near the Boundary Waters Wilderness area in Minnesota, a key step in opening up the popular wilderness and recreation area to copper mining despite heavy opposition from local and national conservation groups."
Trump’s speech on energy policy goes off the rails
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-speech-energy-policy-goes-the-rails?fbclid=IwAR2OG-dzfFBS_3A_QnePVjlzCJupNutjq0JN0P0S8nE-r9Uj0fbUjlcZdNk
"Trump peddled discredited nonsense about energy policy during a speech devoted to energy policy. Is it any wonder substantive debates with this White House are so difficult? Postscript: The last time Trump shared his thoughts on wind turbines, he suggested they cause cancer. I suppose we should be thankful he showed some restraint yesterday?"
"Trump peddled discredited nonsense about energy policy during a speech devoted to energy policy. Is it any wonder substantive debates with this White House are so difficult? Postscript: The last time Trump shared his thoughts on wind turbines, he suggested they cause cancer. I suppose we should be thankful he showed some restraint yesterday?"
Bureau Of Land Management Scrubs Stewardship Language From News Releases
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/blm-news-releases-stewardship-languaged_n_5cdb8196e4b0437438c39e09?guccounter=1&fbclid=IwAR0z4RgO-G6tzRS-H3weKAq6f-Kz3_avJtfDLvpvex9ZFSspTL6O9P-I52c
"Aaron Weiss, media director at Colorado-based conservation group Center for Western Priorities, called the change “a perfect representation” of how Trump and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt view America’s public lands. “In their world, our lands are only here for exploitation and financial gain, not protection and preservation,” Weiss told HuffPost. “Bernhardt’s clients profit; our kids and grandkids pay the price.” Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist with a slew of potential conflicts of interest, served as Interior’s deputy secretary before being confirmed to the top post last month. He replaced former secretary Ryan Zinke, who stepped down in January amid mounting ethics scandals. Together, Zinke and Bernhardt gutted numerous Obama-era policies aimed at tackling climate change and have worked to boost fossil fuel and mineral production on federal lands. They also led the largest reduction of national monuments in American history, carving a collective 2 million acres from a pair of protected sites in Utah, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments ― a move that opened the door for oil, mining and other development. The Trump administration has on numerous occasions come under fire for scrubbing climate change language from agency websites. And, in its quest for so-called energy dominance, the Interior Department has prioritized development over conservation, at times celebrating its role in governing the exploitation of natural resources from public lands."
"Aaron Weiss, media director at Colorado-based conservation group Center for Western Priorities, called the change “a perfect representation” of how Trump and Interior Secretary David Bernhardt view America’s public lands. “In their world, our lands are only here for exploitation and financial gain, not protection and preservation,” Weiss told HuffPost. “Bernhardt’s clients profit; our kids and grandkids pay the price.” Bernhardt, a former oil and gas lobbyist with a slew of potential conflicts of interest, served as Interior’s deputy secretary before being confirmed to the top post last month. He replaced former secretary Ryan Zinke, who stepped down in January amid mounting ethics scandals. Together, Zinke and Bernhardt gutted numerous Obama-era policies aimed at tackling climate change and have worked to boost fossil fuel and mineral production on federal lands. They also led the largest reduction of national monuments in American history, carving a collective 2 million acres from a pair of protected sites in Utah, Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante national monuments ― a move that opened the door for oil, mining and other development. The Trump administration has on numerous occasions come under fire for scrubbing climate change language from agency websites. And, in its quest for so-called energy dominance, the Interior Department has prioritized development over conservation, at times celebrating its role in governing the exploitation of natural resources from public lands."
Senate refuses to consider bills protecting elections from foreign interference
https://thinkprogress.org/senate-wont-consider-legislation-protect-elections-interference-dc608486a9f6/?fbclid=IwAR1sLH6PvaYk8FBDyXDDCQn76gvRKxICAgHN1Re_djn-aOxRCoccNLOJAN0
"The second sentence of the Mueller report states clearly that “the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion.” The Senate, however, doesn’t plan to do anything about it. According to Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), election security legislation is not on the agenda. “At this point I don’t see any likelihood that those bills would get to the floor if we mark them up,” Blunt said in a Senate Rules Committee meeting Wednesday. “I think the majority leader is of the view that this debate reaches no conclusion. And frankly, I think the extreme nature of H.R. 1 from the House makes it even less likely we are going to have that debate.” H.R. 1, known as the “For the People Act,” is a massive election reform bill that House Democrats passed earlier this year. Republican lawmakers and their conservative supporters have opposed the legislation, in part because it would add a lot of transparency to campaign funding, and in part because its crackdowns on voter suppression and partisan gerrymandering would dismantle the unfair advantages Republicans hold in many parts of the country. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has insisted that he won’t even allow a vote on the bill in the Senate, describing it as a “radical, half-baked socialist proposal.” But McConnell isn’t allowing votes on any legislation."
"The second sentence of the Mueller report states clearly that “the Russian government interfered in the 2016 presidential election in sweeping and systematic fashion.” The Senate, however, doesn’t plan to do anything about it. According to Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO), election security legislation is not on the agenda. “At this point I don’t see any likelihood that those bills would get to the floor if we mark them up,” Blunt said in a Senate Rules Committee meeting Wednesday. “I think the majority leader is of the view that this debate reaches no conclusion. And frankly, I think the extreme nature of H.R. 1 from the House makes it even less likely we are going to have that debate.” H.R. 1, known as the “For the People Act,” is a massive election reform bill that House Democrats passed earlier this year. Republican lawmakers and their conservative supporters have opposed the legislation, in part because it would add a lot of transparency to campaign funding, and in part because its crackdowns on voter suppression and partisan gerrymandering would dismantle the unfair advantages Republicans hold in many parts of the country. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) has insisted that he won’t even allow a vote on the bill in the Senate, describing it as a “radical, half-baked socialist proposal.” But McConnell isn’t allowing votes on any legislation."
The U.S. Constitution Demands the House Undertake a Trump Impeachment Inquiry
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/05/15/us-constitution-demands-house-undertake-trump-impeachment-inquiry?fbclid=IwAR0Pqx-tRZRTnjUnqjQdU9yZ-v0-MezGL6Zwll-VInfMcjbS2SIa-odm08Y
"Every child in America is supposed to learn about the Constitution’s basic principles of separation of powers, and checks and balances. But these days, every child and every adult in America is learning from Donald Trump that these principles are bunk. By issuing a blanket refusal to respond to any congressional subpoena, Trump is saying Congress has no constitutional authority to oversee the executive branch. He’s telling America that Congress is a subordinate branch of government rather than a co-equal branch. Forget separation of powers."
"Every child in America is supposed to learn about the Constitution’s basic principles of separation of powers, and checks and balances. But these days, every child and every adult in America is learning from Donald Trump that these principles are bunk. By issuing a blanket refusal to respond to any congressional subpoena, Trump is saying Congress has no constitutional authority to oversee the executive branch. He’s telling America that Congress is a subordinate branch of government rather than a co-equal branch. Forget separation of powers."
The Nixon Impeachment—a Blueprint for Today
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/05/nixon-impeachment-model-donald-trump.html?fbclid=IwAR1U3lN6jjE7YaILU5XjCpG1NSdLs6MqT40BEM5XVJa7J_toV4UTAeD5DsU
"Donald Trump’s misdeeds, at least as spelled out in the Mueller report, appear to replicate some of Nixon’s worst acts. For example, Trump and his attorneys apparently dangled pardons before several witnesses to keep them from cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller. One witness stated that Trump called the director of national intelligence asking for his help in shutting down the Russia investigation. And Trump fired the FBI director and tried to remove Mueller to impede that investigation, too. It all began with Russia’s breaking into the Democratic National Committee electronically and using the information to help Trump in the presidential election (with outreach to the Trump campaign)—paralleling the burglary of the DNC headquarters by Nixon campaign operatives in connection with the 1972 presidential campaign. Covering up election tampering is bad enough, but it’s much worse when the tampering involves connivance with a foreign power—even though the degree of that connivance has been obscured by the Trump cover-up itself. Ironically, long after the Nixon presidency ended, we learned that Nixon had conspired with a foreign power, in this case South Vietnam, to scuttle Vietnam peace talks in order to help his election prospects. Had we known this at the time, Nixon’s treason-like conduct would have figured prominently in the articles of impeachment."
"Donald Trump’s misdeeds, at least as spelled out in the Mueller report, appear to replicate some of Nixon’s worst acts. For example, Trump and his attorneys apparently dangled pardons before several witnesses to keep them from cooperating with special counsel Robert Mueller. One witness stated that Trump called the director of national intelligence asking for his help in shutting down the Russia investigation. And Trump fired the FBI director and tried to remove Mueller to impede that investigation, too. It all began with Russia’s breaking into the Democratic National Committee electronically and using the information to help Trump in the presidential election (with outreach to the Trump campaign)—paralleling the burglary of the DNC headquarters by Nixon campaign operatives in connection with the 1972 presidential campaign. Covering up election tampering is bad enough, but it’s much worse when the tampering involves connivance with a foreign power—even though the degree of that connivance has been obscured by the Trump cover-up itself. Ironically, long after the Nixon presidency ended, we learned that Nixon had conspired with a foreign power, in this case South Vietnam, to scuttle Vietnam peace talks in order to help his election prospects. Had we known this at the time, Nixon’s treason-like conduct would have figured prominently in the articles of impeachment."
Team Trump pushes to make president immune from scrutiny
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/team-trump-pushes-make-president-immune-scrutiny?fbclid=IwAR0KY49tdyU2t7XqDO5TpdIvNITpg7TWS8KhJHDuZrFOIfwLYepOkLNXeZQ
"Between Attorney General Bill Barr, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, and the president’s private attorneys, we’re supposed to believe that Donald Trump can’t be charged with a crime, can’t be investigated by Congress, and has the authority to end any investigation of which he disapproves. This president, in other words, should effectively be seen as immune from scrutiny."
"Between Attorney General Bill Barr, White House counsel Pat Cipollone, and the president’s private attorneys, we’re supposed to believe that Donald Trump can’t be charged with a crime, can’t be investigated by Congress, and has the authority to end any investigation of which he disapproves. This president, in other words, should effectively be seen as immune from scrutiny."
Trump Trade War Just Raised Taxes On Consumers By Tens Of Billions of Dollars
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-tariff-taxes_n_5cd5c12ae4b054da4e891e11?fbclid=IwAR2r9fvaCS8gda6fziHOYuDxrGd3B9OZI2xZ9m7tsKLTA8uIl9zjvyURSX0
"The president keeps falsely claiming that China is paying his higher tariffs, but economists point out that Americans, not China, pay those costs."
"The president keeps falsely claiming that China is paying his higher tariffs, but economists point out that Americans, not China, pay those costs."
Decade in the Red: Trump Tax Figures Show Over $1 Billion in Business Losses
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/05/07/us/politics/donald-trump-taxes.html?fbclid=IwAR0OQ6uCiUx899Rz43oxZpJAhI_yMLgHcbCtLgerUnFZntLM2UyQXIlM8MM
"In fact, year after year, Mr. Trump appears to have lost more money than nearly any other individual American taxpayer, The Times found when it compared his results with detailed information the I.R.S. compiles on an annual sampling of high-income earners. His core business losses in 1990 and 1991 — more than $250 million each year — were more than double those of the nearest taxpayers in the I.R.S. information for those years."
"In fact, year after year, Mr. Trump appears to have lost more money than nearly any other individual American taxpayer, The Times found when it compared his results with detailed information the I.R.S. compiles on an annual sampling of high-income earners. His core business losses in 1990 and 1991 — more than $250 million each year — were more than double those of the nearest taxpayers in the I.R.S. information for those years."
Even GOP Voters Are Applauding AOC and Sanders for Taking on Lenders
https://truthout.org/articles/even-gop-voters-are-applauding-aoc-and-sanders-for-taking-on-lenders/
"At the moment, the most predatory of lenders understand that the Trump administration has their back. But as an array of consumer protection measures start being voted on in the House, and as more states begin passing caps on payday lending and pushing other regulatory measures, a new politics is taking shape around consumer rights. As with so much else, Trump’s regressive politics on consumer protections are spawning a furious backlash."
"At the moment, the most predatory of lenders understand that the Trump administration has their back. But as an array of consumer protection measures start being voted on in the House, and as more states begin passing caps on payday lending and pushing other regulatory measures, a new politics is taking shape around consumer rights. As with so much else, Trump’s regressive politics on consumer protections are spawning a furious backlash."
Thinning Five Times Faster Than Just Two Decades Ago, Study Shows Antarctic Ice Melting at Terrifying Rate
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/16/thinning-five-times-faster-just-two-decades-ago-study-shows-antarctic-ice-melting?fbclid=IwAR2JYypK7kXnnTVOP3bfqJPjOKwiln08iw0WMcqL5WagSVsIXZQHZt7Jm6g
"Some areas, researchers at Leeds University in the U.K. reported, are now about 328 feet (100 meters) thinner than they were less than three decades ago—putting the planet in danger of a major sea level rise which could wipe out coastal cities. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, also detailed how scientists are accustomed to observing such changes in glaciers over geological time periods—not portions of people's lifetimes."
"Some areas, researchers at Leeds University in the U.K. reported, are now about 328 feet (100 meters) thinner than they were less than three decades ago—putting the planet in danger of a major sea level rise which could wipe out coastal cities. The study, published in Geophysical Research Letters, also detailed how scientists are accustomed to observing such changes in glaciers over geological time periods—not portions of people's lifetimes."
415: The Most Dangerous Number
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/climate-change-mauna-loa-carbon-dioxide-measurement-834627/?fbclid=IwAR0Bi27XourATdqzJhcHaJf-7X4xmSlUTrzyjlO4YYS-mXYSM2LVK3_H4GM
"Last week, an exquisitely sensitive instrument located in a metal shack on the top of Mauna Loa, a 13,679-foot-high volcano in Hawaii, recorded a terrifying human achievement: Thanks to our ever-increasing addiction to burning fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has risen to 415 parts per million. This is the highest level it has been since human beings have lived on Earth. And it is further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on."
"Last week, an exquisitely sensitive instrument located in a metal shack on the top of Mauna Loa, a 13,679-foot-high volcano in Hawaii, recorded a terrifying human achievement: Thanks to our ever-increasing addiction to burning fossil fuels, the level of carbon dioxide in the Earth’s atmosphere has risen to 415 parts per million. This is the highest level it has been since human beings have lived on Earth. And it is further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on."
415 ppm: We Are all Part of Exxon’s Unchartered Climate Experiment Now
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/05/16/415-ppm-we-are-all-part-exxons-unchartered-climate-experiment-now?fbclid=IwAR2KvhPZZbt2g_ubigceLNT7Qqqt5rz9bQfA46vlZqQtydviaPG3248TZCA
"We are all now a living experiment. Never before in human history have carbon dioxide levels reached 415 parts per million. These levels were last seen maybe some 2.5-5 million years ago, during the Pliocene, but then the earth was much warmer than it is today and it was way before us. Back then, there was no Greenland and trees grew near the South Pole. Sea levels were much, much higher. Maybe 25 metres higher. 415 ppm is a grim number. It signals we are in deep, deep trouble. And in the words of Rolling Stone magazine: “Further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on.” To show you how much we are changing the climate: Every year another 2-3 ppm of carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Before the industrial revolution it was 280 ppm. And now it is 415 ppm. We could have stopped the relentless rise of carbon dioxide, but we did not. In part the reason collectively we have failed to do so is the power of the oil companies and one of the most sophisticated public relations exercises ever undertaken to deny and obfuscate the truth."
"We are all now a living experiment. Never before in human history have carbon dioxide levels reached 415 parts per million. These levels were last seen maybe some 2.5-5 million years ago, during the Pliocene, but then the earth was much warmer than it is today and it was way before us. Back then, there was no Greenland and trees grew near the South Pole. Sea levels were much, much higher. Maybe 25 metres higher. 415 ppm is a grim number. It signals we are in deep, deep trouble. And in the words of Rolling Stone magazine: “Further evidence (as if further evidence were needed) of just how hell-bent we are on cooking the planet we live on.” To show you how much we are changing the climate: Every year another 2-3 ppm of carbon dioxide enters the atmosphere. Before the industrial revolution it was 280 ppm. And now it is 415 ppm. We could have stopped the relentless rise of carbon dioxide, but we did not. In part the reason collectively we have failed to do so is the power of the oil companies and one of the most sophisticated public relations exercises ever undertaken to deny and obfuscate the truth."
'Spoiler: Because Australia Has Universal Healthcare': Watch Ocasio-Cortez Ask Pharma CEO Why HIV Drug Costs $8 Overseas But $1,780 in the US
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/05/16/spoiler-because-australia-has-universal-healthcare-watch-ocasio-cortez-ask-pharma?fbclid=IwAR1JLwsjE6n0T_wHIqvySNxEHWktk9AdV4tIcg0jjYOcBXKNn0UHf-SKedw
"During a House hearing on Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked the CEO of one of America's largest pharmaceutical companies a simple but crucial question: Why does a life-saving HIV drug that costs $8 a month in Australia have a $2,000 price tag in the U.S.? Gilead chief executive Daniel O'Day declined to comment on the low price of Truvada for PrEP in Australia, but said the reason the cost is close to $2,000—"the current list price is $1,780," he said—in the United States is because the drug has "patent protection." As the Washington Post reported in March, the development of Truvada as a treatment for HIV was "almost fully funded by U.S. taxpayers." The U.S. government patented the treatment in 2015, according to the Post, but has "opted not to file an infringement suit to enforce" the patent even as Gilead—which argues the government patent is invalid—rakes in billions of dollars in profits from Truvada. Ocasio-Cortez highlighted these facts during the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on Thursday."
"During a House hearing on Thursday, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez asked the CEO of one of America's largest pharmaceutical companies a simple but crucial question: Why does a life-saving HIV drug that costs $8 a month in Australia have a $2,000 price tag in the U.S.? Gilead chief executive Daniel O'Day declined to comment on the low price of Truvada for PrEP in Australia, but said the reason the cost is close to $2,000—"the current list price is $1,780," he said—in the United States is because the drug has "patent protection." As the Washington Post reported in March, the development of Truvada as a treatment for HIV was "almost fully funded by U.S. taxpayers." The U.S. government patented the treatment in 2015, according to the Post, but has "opted not to file an infringement suit to enforce" the patent even as Gilead—which argues the government patent is invalid—rakes in billions of dollars in profits from Truvada. Ocasio-Cortez highlighted these facts during the House Oversight and Reform Committee hearing on Thursday."
Exxon predicted in 1982 exactly how high global carbon emissions would be today
https://thinkprogress.org/exxon-predicted-high-carbon-emissions-954e514b0aa9/?fbclid=IwAR3q4c0YTHGerV6GESxGCkwBWBx4gPb6jOKyIHAx0A5YhY6VS-Tu6DVmUAo
"Never before in human history has there been so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The last time scientists believe it may have been this high was 2.5 to 5 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch, when sea levels were 25 meters higher than today and global temperatures were warmer by 2-3 degrees Celsius. Unlike back then, however, the record carbon dioxide emissions being recorded now are the result of humans burning fossil fuels, which releases harmful heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere. And scientists at Exxon predicted this decades ago. According to an internal 1982 document from Exxon Research and Engineering Company — obtained by InsideClimate News as part of its 2015 investigation into what Exxon knew about the impact of fossil fuels on climate change — the company was modeling out the concentration of carbon emissions several years into the future. According to a graph displaying the “growth of atmospheric CO2 and average global temperature increase” over time, the company expected that, by 2020, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would reach roughly 400 to 420 ppm. This month’s measurement of 415 ppm is right within the expected curve Exxon projected under its “21st Century Study-High Growth scenario"."
"Never before in human history has there been so much carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. The last time scientists believe it may have been this high was 2.5 to 5 million years ago during the Pliocene epoch, when sea levels were 25 meters higher than today and global temperatures were warmer by 2-3 degrees Celsius. Unlike back then, however, the record carbon dioxide emissions being recorded now are the result of humans burning fossil fuels, which releases harmful heat-trapping pollution into the atmosphere. And scientists at Exxon predicted this decades ago. According to an internal 1982 document from Exxon Research and Engineering Company — obtained by InsideClimate News as part of its 2015 investigation into what Exxon knew about the impact of fossil fuels on climate change — the company was modeling out the concentration of carbon emissions several years into the future. According to a graph displaying the “growth of atmospheric CO2 and average global temperature increase” over time, the company expected that, by 2020, carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would reach roughly 400 to 420 ppm. This month’s measurement of 415 ppm is right within the expected curve Exxon projected under its “21st Century Study-High Growth scenario"."
Trump’s Prodigious Lying Threatens Our Democracy
https://www.thenation.com/article/trump-lies-eric-alterman/?fbclid=IwAR1PuM--4p0TALNaAgEGxNoJkpOFtERWAoiUY9po9VBs-YvuYQdc02h-iRA
"Even after 10,000 falsehoods, many in the media find themselves unable to call a president who lies a liar."
"Even after 10,000 falsehoods, many in the media find themselves unable to call a president who lies a liar."
WATCH As Congressman Bawls In Emotional Defense Of Corporate Profits
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/05/watch-congressman-bawls-emotional-defense?fbclid=IwAR1QQ37_T1eyKkfYhORg5GhlclvrhpDQ0sr6sDU0ltIDrt1hNVtrmCtvp68
"When Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) questioned the obscene amount of money a giant pharmaceutical company was making yesterday in a congressional hearing it all proved just too much for Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) to stand. He lit into a fiery and emotional defense of price-gouging the American public, the likes of which not often seen except in dystopian novels."
"When Rep. Katie Hill (D-CA) questioned the obscene amount of money a giant pharmaceutical company was making yesterday in a congressional hearing it all proved just too much for Rep. Chip Roy (R-TX) to stand. He lit into a fiery and emotional defense of price-gouging the American public, the likes of which not often seen except in dystopian novels."
Monday, May 13, 2019
Trump’s Most Blatant Lie Is His Lie About Tariffs
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-blatant-lies-tariffs-834548/
"The president has repeatedly claimed China pays his import tariffs. It’s actually Americans who foot the bill"
"The president has repeatedly claimed China pays his import tariffs. It’s actually Americans who foot the bill"
Trump’s explanation of the trade fight with China is wrong in a remarkable number of ways
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/05/10/trumps-explanation-trade-fight-with-china-is-wrong-remarkable-number-ways/?fbclid=IwAR02oXYiq9bIcPZEpZecY0i87Fxlsk-p2kOThHxT94A7TCu2XbaGeCNRQis&utm_term=.4044656cda6d
"A 25 percent tariff on $575 billion would yield about $144 billion, for what it’s worth. But again: This is not money being paid by China. Some of the tariff fees will be paid by the Chinese manufacturers in an effort to keep costs down, sure. Some will be paid by businesses. But much will be paid by consumers. It’s that $767 tax — a $62.5 billion tax increase nationally. Trump’s worried about farmers because much of what the United States exports to China is agricultural. China’s retaliatory tariff on soybeans dramatically reduced exports to that country, the world’s largest consumer of the crop. Farmers, of course, often live in rural red states that are key to Trump’s base of political support. The government has already moved to bolster farmers with financial support to offset the damage done by the trade war. What Trump’s claiming here, though, is that he’ll take money paid by China in the form of tariffs to buy the farmers’ goods and ship them to other countries — leaving lots of money left over for other funding needs. But we can translate his argument in a less flattering way: Trump is taxing American consumers and using some of that money to buy agricultural products to protect part of his political base from his trade war."
"A 25 percent tariff on $575 billion would yield about $144 billion, for what it’s worth. But again: This is not money being paid by China. Some of the tariff fees will be paid by the Chinese manufacturers in an effort to keep costs down, sure. Some will be paid by businesses. But much will be paid by consumers. It’s that $767 tax — a $62.5 billion tax increase nationally. Trump’s worried about farmers because much of what the United States exports to China is agricultural. China’s retaliatory tariff on soybeans dramatically reduced exports to that country, the world’s largest consumer of the crop. Farmers, of course, often live in rural red states that are key to Trump’s base of political support. The government has already moved to bolster farmers with financial support to offset the damage done by the trade war. What Trump’s claiming here, though, is that he’ll take money paid by China in the form of tariffs to buy the farmers’ goods and ship them to other countries — leaving lots of money left over for other funding needs. But we can translate his argument in a less flattering way: Trump is taxing American consumers and using some of that money to buy agricultural products to protect part of his political base from his trade war."
Trump’s confusion over trade policy reaches an unsettling new level
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-confusion-over-trade-policy-reaches-unsettling-new-level?fbclid=IwAR3Y8-L84HGeOiGotWh-7Z3YWJppdsKzBbHrhWC8wTT5Y6EPhzKxl_hON4g
"Donald Trump recently boasted, in reference to trade policy, “I understand that issue better than anybody.” He later added, “I know every ingredient. I know every stat. I know it better than anybody knows it.” I realize that the president has a bizarre habit of assuming that he’s an expert in every subject, but his insistence that he’s a world-class authority on trade policy is hopelessly bonkers. Trump started the week with new trade threats directed at China, predicated on the false idea Beijing has been pouring money into the U.S. treasury thanks to his tariff policy. The Republican added soon after that tariffs are contributing to stronger domestic economic growth, which isn’t even close to being true. At his campaign rally in Florida, Trump continued to get the details of his own trade agenda wrong, and at a White House event yesterday, he argued with great confidence that Americans aren’t paying more as a result of his tariffs, which is the exact opposite of the truth."
"Donald Trump recently boasted, in reference to trade policy, “I understand that issue better than anybody.” He later added, “I know every ingredient. I know every stat. I know it better than anybody knows it.” I realize that the president has a bizarre habit of assuming that he’s an expert in every subject, but his insistence that he’s a world-class authority on trade policy is hopelessly bonkers. Trump started the week with new trade threats directed at China, predicated on the false idea Beijing has been pouring money into the U.S. treasury thanks to his tariff policy. The Republican added soon after that tariffs are contributing to stronger domestic economic growth, which isn’t even close to being true. At his campaign rally in Florida, Trump continued to get the details of his own trade agenda wrong, and at a White House event yesterday, he argued with great confidence that Americans aren’t paying more as a result of his tariffs, which is the exact opposite of the truth."
Trump Seeks New $15 Billion Subsidy To Protect Farmers From His Own Trade War
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-trade-war-15-billion-farm-subsidy_n_5cd89043e4b054da4e8b5593?fbclid=IwAR21MP8ZP89so2qXOll1VhAUSLtJAf8o5RzY0x8Rtm9w94LTv94df9YPBjs
"President Donald Trump is seeking an additional $15 billion in U.S. subsidies in an effort to protect farmers from the devastating impact of his trade war with China. That’s on top of $12 billion already earmarked for the farmers to help them weather the fallout. That would be an additional bill for U.S. taxpayers already shouldering the cost of increased tariffs in the form of higher costs for products and parts from China."
"President Donald Trump is seeking an additional $15 billion in U.S. subsidies in an effort to protect farmers from the devastating impact of his trade war with China. That’s on top of $12 billion already earmarked for the farmers to help them weather the fallout. That would be an additional bill for U.S. taxpayers already shouldering the cost of increased tariffs in the form of higher costs for products and parts from China."
Trump's Most Nakedly Corrupt Tweet Yet
Trump's Most Nakedly Corrupt Tweet Yet:
"the corrupt backstory is what’s important here. Trump’s lobbyist and business cronies can call him up and get perks whenever they want, as evidenced by this episode. That’s debilitating to the country and should be understood in the light of day. It’s an appropriate area for oversight."
"the corrupt backstory is what’s important here. Trump’s lobbyist and business cronies can call him up and get perks whenever they want, as evidenced by this episode. That’s debilitating to the country and should be understood in the light of day. It’s an appropriate area for oversight."
Over 40 states are suing generic drug companies for alleged conspiracy to hike prices
https://thinkprogress.org/states-are-suing-generic-drug-manufacturers-for-alleged-conspiracy-to-inflate-prices-9ecb18dbffc8/?fbclid=IwAR3gtKx-bcZmfthQRA9ER1jsZG6KsMJNPO7MKyA1xxsLMHGdvoap47oEgKI
"According to the lawsuit filed in Connecticut on Friday by 43 states and Puerto Rico, evidence shows these drug manufacturers embarked upon “one of the most egregious and damaging price-fixing conspiracies in the history of the United States.” Investigators allege that the companies worked together to artificially inflate and manipulate prices for over 100 different types of generic drugs — including diabetes, cancer, and arthritis treatments. The lawsuit implicates 20 firms and names 15 individual senior executives that oversee sales, marketing, and pricing. According to investigators, the drugs named in the suit account for billions of dollars of sales in the United States — a country which already has some of the highest drug prices in the world, especially compared to those where the government regulates or negotiates prices of new drugs."
"According to the lawsuit filed in Connecticut on Friday by 43 states and Puerto Rico, evidence shows these drug manufacturers embarked upon “one of the most egregious and damaging price-fixing conspiracies in the history of the United States.” Investigators allege that the companies worked together to artificially inflate and manipulate prices for over 100 different types of generic drugs — including diabetes, cancer, and arthritis treatments. The lawsuit implicates 20 firms and names 15 individual senior executives that oversee sales, marketing, and pricing. According to investigators, the drugs named in the suit account for billions of dollars of sales in the United States — a country which already has some of the highest drug prices in the world, especially compared to those where the government regulates or negotiates prices of new drugs."
Sunday, May 12, 2019
President Trump has made more than 10,000 false or misleading claims
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/04/29/president-trump-has-made-more-than-false-or-misleading-claims/?fbclid=IwAR1jw91tJ5VM2AXfb31OI935KoOVFn3gzJtG6jkdV81CWKv7hgXKvpZNKrg&utm_term=.07b3f0c36ebc
"As of April 27, including the president’s rally in Green Bay, Wis., the tally in our database stands at 10,111 claims in 828 days."
"As of April 27, including the president’s rally in Green Bay, Wis., the tally in our database stands at 10,111 claims in 828 days."
As election threats mount, Trump flaunts weakness toward Putin
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/election-threats-mount-trump-flaunts-weakness-toward-putin?fbclid=IwAR3ixklswiaHZ8n3Up2qSaRdafqo8poEIp_vWDzhjF6toD00Ws3J1OR6kMg
"For the record, it’s worth taking a moment to acknowledge the fact that Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin about the Mueller investigation, but Trump refused to speak with Mueller about the Mueller investigation."
"For the record, it’s worth taking a moment to acknowledge the fact that Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin about the Mueller investigation, but Trump refused to speak with Mueller about the Mueller investigation."
Trump’s New Favorite Network Embraces Russian Propaganda
https://www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-new-favorite-network-oann-embraces-russian-propaganda?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR0hCV68H7bJ8zOY0YlJST5dEBjeT_FVcuy8uTaUAG78_8j6DrhRWLDfomo
"One America News Network has no qualms with playing the mouthpiece for Kremlin-hatched conspiracy theories. And one of its most loyal viewers lives in the White House"
"One America News Network has no qualms with playing the mouthpiece for Kremlin-hatched conspiracy theories. And one of its most loyal viewers lives in the White House"
Trump Gave Putin ‘Green Light’ to Meddle in 2020 Election, Ex-FBI Boss Says
https://www.thedailybeast.com/ex-fbi-official-trump-gave-putin-green-light-to-meddle-in-2020-election?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR39KvZ70xy0bPw4Q5HdsHE3ZmYq8c5plaHlbacUUGPSU1_CzpRK6iFihyQ
"The former FBI official pointed out that Trump should have told Putin that the Mueller Report contained “troubling information” about Russia’s attempts to “mess with our democracy” and that he’d receive the “wrath” of American sanctions if it happened again. Wallace went on to ask about Trump discussing the Mueller Report’s conclusions with Putin, wondering what he thought about a president “talking to a U.S. adversary who attacked our democracy and they’re sharing some sort of commonality about its result?” After stating that Trump is once again mixing up collusion with criminal conspiracy and that Mueller didn’t actually look at the matter of collusion, Figliuzzi said the president was welcoming further meddling by the Russians. “With regard to continued relations and cozying up to Putin, Putin has the green light now,” he declared before referencing former Trump attorney Michael Cohen describing Trump as having a mob boss mentality."
"The former FBI official pointed out that Trump should have told Putin that the Mueller Report contained “troubling information” about Russia’s attempts to “mess with our democracy” and that he’d receive the “wrath” of American sanctions if it happened again. Wallace went on to ask about Trump discussing the Mueller Report’s conclusions with Putin, wondering what he thought about a president “talking to a U.S. adversary who attacked our democracy and they’re sharing some sort of commonality about its result?” After stating that Trump is once again mixing up collusion with criminal conspiracy and that Mueller didn’t actually look at the matter of collusion, Figliuzzi said the president was welcoming further meddling by the Russians. “With regard to continued relations and cozying up to Putin, Putin has the green light now,” he declared before referencing former Trump attorney Michael Cohen describing Trump as having a mob boss mentality."
Trump’s claim that the Mueller report is protected by executive privilege is hot garbage
https://thinkprogress.org/trumps-claim-mueller-report-protected-executive-privilege-c0fb9c533851/?fbclid=IwAR3M4KZG33_ZceAS9J8vM3t81Xw2HGRkFa_lLnHW37OS-5Iq5qS647ny7gI
"The White House on Wednesday invoked executive privilege over the Mueller report in an attempt to block Congress from seeing the full contents of the document."
"The White House on Wednesday invoked executive privilege over the Mueller report in an attempt to block Congress from seeing the full contents of the document."
Trump Trade War Just Raised Taxes On Consumers By Tens Of Billions of Dollars
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-tariff-taxes_n_5cd5c12ae4b054da4e891e11?fbclid=IwAR093WoAzMSGxaPa6ICdhbjJB_aBjyjDo3_9visFTKQerzmfxVeaQi3tDV8
"The president keeps falsely claiming that China is paying his higher tariffs, but economists point out that Americans, not China, pay those costs."
"The president keeps falsely claiming that China is paying his higher tariffs, but economists point out that Americans, not China, pay those costs."
Russia's lasting grip on Christian conservatives
https://www.salon.com/2019/05/04/russias-lasting-grip-on-christian-conservatives_partner/?fbclid=IwAR0I_VxT2RzZrg-5wJA35RqOvq6nIBOErpmzF_brhR7ByTjYF8qE5XD67IE
"Despite being sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury and the European Union for crimes in Ukraine, the same Russians under investigation for meeting with National Rifle Association (NRA) members are using Christian fundamentalist groups as a conduit to influence lawmakers. Russians continue to skirt around sanctions by penetrating American churches and “family values” nonprofit organizations, and by manipulating IRS 501(c) loopholes, which do not require these groups to disclose their donations. This is similar to the way members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle infiltrated the NRA. Recently disclosed documents reveal that, over the last decade, at least $50 million has been dumped into fascist European fundamentalist groups. The list of donors includes former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon; Trump legal advisor, who converted from Judaism to become a Christian televangelist, Jay Sekulow; US Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos; and DeVos’s brother, former Blackwater mercenary founder turned Virginia cattle rancher, Erik Prince."
"Despite being sanctioned by the US Department of Treasury and the European Union for crimes in Ukraine, the same Russians under investigation for meeting with National Rifle Association (NRA) members are using Christian fundamentalist groups as a conduit to influence lawmakers. Russians continue to skirt around sanctions by penetrating American churches and “family values” nonprofit organizations, and by manipulating IRS 501(c) loopholes, which do not require these groups to disclose their donations. This is similar to the way members of Vladimir Putin’s inner circle infiltrated the NRA. Recently disclosed documents reveal that, over the last decade, at least $50 million has been dumped into fascist European fundamentalist groups. The list of donors includes former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon; Trump legal advisor, who converted from Judaism to become a Christian televangelist, Jay Sekulow; US Department of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos; and DeVos’s brother, former Blackwater mercenary founder turned Virginia cattle rancher, Erik Prince."
It’s time to start impeachment hearings. Today.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/05/06/its-time-start-impeachment-hearings-today/?fbclid=IwAR2Tcx3wYbbk_XXv7v3J8KgcdeGQxQqHTa5sk9JRZwSq5WMSJ8JWlSMOc0Q&utm_term=.6cee42ab11f1
"If Donald Trump weren’t president, he’d probably be in jail. That’s the view of a bipartisan group of hundreds of former federal prosecutors, who have signed an open letter stating that Trump’s conduct would warrant criminal obstruction of justice charges if he lived anywhere except in the White House."
"If Donald Trump weren’t president, he’d probably be in jail. That’s the view of a bipartisan group of hundreds of former federal prosecutors, who have signed an open letter stating that Trump’s conduct would warrant criminal obstruction of justice charges if he lived anywhere except in the White House."
Donald Trump has now said more than 10,000 untrue things as president. And that's not the big story.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/29/politics/donald-trump-lies-washington-post/index.html?fbclid=IwAR3LsX-gXrpK1_iDLTMnO1pUyY7f47cfqc7V0m-9FTkoq5nktdZpSjiOrzM
"In a three-day period, the President said or tweeted 171 untruths. That's an average of 57 untruths a day. It's hard to do that even if you are trying. Over the last seven months, again according to Fact Checker calculations, Trump is not telling the truth at a rate THREE times higher than he did in his first 600 days in office -- and even then he was averaging eight false or misleading statements a day. What's clear here is that as Trump's presidency rolls along, he retreats more and more into a world of his own creation, a world that is increasingly devoid of any objectively accepted facts."
"In a three-day period, the President said or tweeted 171 untruths. That's an average of 57 untruths a day. It's hard to do that even if you are trying. Over the last seven months, again according to Fact Checker calculations, Trump is not telling the truth at a rate THREE times higher than he did in his first 600 days in office -- and even then he was averaging eight false or misleading statements a day. What's clear here is that as Trump's presidency rolls along, he retreats more and more into a world of his own creation, a world that is increasingly devoid of any objectively accepted facts."
In William Barr, Donald Trump Has Finally Found His Roy Cohn
https://www.thenation.com/article/mueller-report-william-barr-trump-russia/?fbclid=IwAR2hbYQ3cfxY6crsyzJmnrL6EgJJL3f8IamHzfyIO4XXmQFeP9ZJRZu3J0w
"With the release of the redacted but still damning Mueller report, Attorney General William Barr will go down in history for his attempts to shield a corrupt president."
"With the release of the redacted but still damning Mueller report, Attorney General William Barr will go down in history for his attempts to shield a corrupt president."
VOICES: Tennessee governor and Volkswagen give middle finger to workers
https://www.facingsouth.org/2019/05/voices-tennessee-governor-and-volkswagen-give-middle-finger-workers?fbclid=IwAR3gMCCHWlAFWM3PKoKWiUr7rHAOZvx0CXcxFgZLC6nMukIWttHTtU4GsEg
"In an extraordinary act of coercion, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee led an anti-union meeting on Monday at Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant, where last month workers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for an election to join the United Auto Workers. All of the plant's day shift employees were required to attend, but the broader public was shut out. No other politicians were invited, and journalists were not allowed in the building. Audio of the meeting, obtained by Labor Notes, reveals the most powerful politician in the state throwing his support behind Volkswagen management and against the plant's workers."
"In an extraordinary act of coercion, Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee led an anti-union meeting on Monday at Chattanooga's Volkswagen plant, where last month workers petitioned the National Labor Relations Board for an election to join the United Auto Workers. All of the plant's day shift employees were required to attend, but the broader public was shut out. No other politicians were invited, and journalists were not allowed in the building. Audio of the meeting, obtained by Labor Notes, reveals the most powerful politician in the state throwing his support behind Volkswagen management and against the plant's workers."
Saturday, May 11, 2019
Mueller Spent Years Collecting Evidence. Barr Is Pretending It’s Not There.
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/05/william-barr-testimony-ignores-mueller-evidence.html?fbclid=IwAR2yICLOsd6q_NIKEuio9qgXDZrFqKXi6tAXCMcQyRPLxa1W5Qxx7-UC7EA
"Barr seems to be blatantly demonstrating that he never intended to consider Mueller’s evidence—the underlying interviews, memos, and accounts that the special counsel’s office painstakingly compiled over years—in his effort to assess the obstruction of justice charges."
"Barr seems to be blatantly demonstrating that he never intended to consider Mueller’s evidence—the underlying interviews, memos, and accounts that the special counsel’s office painstakingly compiled over years—in his effort to assess the obstruction of justice charges."
Barr Rigged Trump’s Acquittal
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/05/barr-mueller-report-hearing-rigged-trump-prosecution.html?fbclid=IwAR2Wx7W03m7jrSRjC30cT9YkzD655a5-yEeIrl-roKjoKRe8a3ktMqiRSz0
"Together, Barr’s four rules make an obstruction of justice case impossible. The president could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue, fire the FBI director, fire a special counsel, threaten witnesses, and instruct subordinates to lie, and he wouldn’t lose the support of his attorney general. That’s why Trump hired Barr in the first place. And that’s why Mueller’s investigation shouldn’t end with Barr’s refusal to prosecute the president. We can’t let a lawyer acquit his own client."
"Together, Barr’s four rules make an obstruction of justice case impossible. The president could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue, fire the FBI director, fire a special counsel, threaten witnesses, and instruct subordinates to lie, and he wouldn’t lose the support of his attorney general. That’s why Trump hired Barr in the first place. And that’s why Mueller’s investigation shouldn’t end with Barr’s refusal to prosecute the president. We can’t let a lawyer acquit his own client."
Thursday, May 9, 2019
Trump claimed he couldn’t ‘remember’ at least 30 times when answering Mueller team’s questions
https://thinkprogress.org/mueller-report-trump-failed-to-cooperate-99d62aa5f4d4/?fbclid=IwAR3oDdCFRtCXOP5MQL1UyyGGpjaa8r7tkz9FOKIcViDo9feEGJbQJLZBui4
"The special counsel’s report on election meddling found President Donald Trump provided insufficient answers to their written questions and refused to sit for an interview with investigators, effectively refusing to fully cooperate with the investigation."
"The special counsel’s report on election meddling found President Donald Trump provided insufficient answers to their written questions and refused to sit for an interview with investigators, effectively refusing to fully cooperate with the investigation."
Prosecutors: Trump would’ve been charged if he weren’t president
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/prosecutors-trump-wouldve-been-charged-if-he-werent-president?fbclid=IwAR1yOuwT1PrRzRQnvvH4Lqc128I5uCaiSC_eB4giDs-VLURxqgaq0kcNRCk
"When this joint letter was first released, it was signed by more than 300 veterans of the Justice Department. The total then topped 400. Then 500. Then 600. As of this very moment, there are 634 former federal prosecutors who’ve signed on to the document – and there’s every reason to believe that number will grow as today progresses. Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general, told MSNBC’s Ari Melber yesterday, “I’ve never seen anything quite like it…. [I]f this were anyone else but a sitting president, this person would be labeled a felon and staring down the barrel of a federal indictment.” All of which tells us a few things. First, when Trump says he’s been fully exonerated, his claims aren’t just wrong, they’re ridiculous. Second, there are 634 new reasons to question Attorney General Bill Barr’s judgment, competence, professionalism, and independence. Third, the statute of limitations on Trump’s alleged crimes won’t expire for a few years, so if these hundreds of prosecutors are correct in their legal analysis, and the president loses his re-election bid next year, the possibility of a Trump criminal indictment is very real. (If, however, Trump wins a second term, the statute of limitations would expire.) And finally, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the courage of those who signed their name to the joint statement. Each of these prosecutors must realize they’re taking a political risk – especially those who served in Republican administrations – but they signed it anyway."
"When this joint letter was first released, it was signed by more than 300 veterans of the Justice Department. The total then topped 400. Then 500. Then 600. As of this very moment, there are 634 former federal prosecutors who’ve signed on to the document – and there’s every reason to believe that number will grow as today progresses. Neal Katyal, the former acting solicitor general, told MSNBC’s Ari Melber yesterday, “I’ve never seen anything quite like it…. [I]f this were anyone else but a sitting president, this person would be labeled a felon and staring down the barrel of a federal indictment.” All of which tells us a few things. First, when Trump says he’s been fully exonerated, his claims aren’t just wrong, they’re ridiculous. Second, there are 634 new reasons to question Attorney General Bill Barr’s judgment, competence, professionalism, and independence. Third, the statute of limitations on Trump’s alleged crimes won’t expire for a few years, so if these hundreds of prosecutors are correct in their legal analysis, and the president loses his re-election bid next year, the possibility of a Trump criminal indictment is very real. (If, however, Trump wins a second term, the statute of limitations would expire.) And finally, it’s worth pausing to appreciate the courage of those who signed their name to the joint statement. Each of these prosecutors must realize they’re taking a political risk – especially those who served in Republican administrations – but they signed it anyway."
If Trump Weren’t President, He Would Already Be Charged
https://www.thedailybeast.com/if-trump-werent-president-he-would-already-be-charged?ref=scroll&fbclid=IwAR2GF15gB1Li_uAbdmpG4qsqgszXwLdsv5fgA-9YLSRx9o_bx6kz5M-b2ds
"Right now the only thing standing between Trump and a federal courtroom is the office of the presidency."
"Right now the only thing standing between Trump and a federal courtroom is the office of the presidency."
Bill Barr’s Big Deception
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/bill-barr-mueller-report-press-conference/?fbclid=IwAR3mxFDiYdKTeVrkRSZk6cL7ivYEDQotSdoH0PTby8xSHhNEOuxRU6w0am8
"Moreover, Barr’s spin hid the basic foundation of the Trump-Russia scandal. Barr pointed out that the Russian government “sought to interfere in our election process.” That is, Putin’s attack was no hoax. Yet Trump and his crew, during the campaign and afterward, repeatedly denied that any such attack was underway or had occurred. Famously—or infamously—Trump at a press conference with Vladimir Putin in July 2018 said he saw no reason not to believe Putin’s denials. During the election, when it mattered the most, Trump and his folks kept saying there was no Russian assault. They echoed Putin’s disinformation: Moscow is doing nothing. That provided cover for the Kremlin and helped it get away with this operation. And at the same time, they were enthusiastically interacting secretly with Russians. Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner met with a Russian emissary whom they were told would give them dirt on Clinton. Foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos through much of the summer of 2016, was trying to set up an “off the record” connection between the campaign and Putin’s office. All of that might well have been regarded as encouragement by Moscow. (So might have Manafort’s direct collusion with Russian nationals.) None of these facts are disputed."
"Moreover, Barr’s spin hid the basic foundation of the Trump-Russia scandal. Barr pointed out that the Russian government “sought to interfere in our election process.” That is, Putin’s attack was no hoax. Yet Trump and his crew, during the campaign and afterward, repeatedly denied that any such attack was underway or had occurred. Famously—or infamously—Trump at a press conference with Vladimir Putin in July 2018 said he saw no reason not to believe Putin’s denials. During the election, when it mattered the most, Trump and his folks kept saying there was no Russian assault. They echoed Putin’s disinformation: Moscow is doing nothing. That provided cover for the Kremlin and helped it get away with this operation. And at the same time, they were enthusiastically interacting secretly with Russians. Donald Trump Jr., Paul Manafort, and Jared Kushner met with a Russian emissary whom they were told would give them dirt on Clinton. Foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos through much of the summer of 2016, was trying to set up an “off the record” connection between the campaign and Putin’s office. All of that might well have been regarded as encouragement by Moscow. (So might have Manafort’s direct collusion with Russian nationals.) None of these facts are disputed."
Humans Are Speeding Extinction and Altering the Natural World at an ‘Unprecedented’ Pace
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/05/06/climate/biodiversity-extinction-united-nations.html?fbclid=IwAR0i6WMT_nJw7ZnQyuxdkKmNIsNch_kANu3ux00VZIDIUg-m7kWqxyl9xrI
"The 1,500-page report, compiled by hundreds of international experts and based on thousands of scientific studies, is the most exhaustive look yet at the decline in biodiversity across the globe and the dangers that creates for human civilization. A summary of its findings, which was approved by representatives from the United States and 131 other countries, was released Monday in Paris. The full report is set to be published this year."
"The 1,500-page report, compiled by hundreds of international experts and based on thousands of scientific studies, is the most exhaustive look yet at the decline in biodiversity across the globe and the dangers that creates for human civilization. A summary of its findings, which was approved by representatives from the United States and 131 other countries, was released Monday in Paris. The full report is set to be published this year."
Bill Barr takes a Sharpie to history: It won't be enough to cover up Trump's crimes
https://www.salon.com/2019/04/20/bill-barr-takes-a-sharpie-to-history-it-wont-be-enough-to-cover-up-trumps-crimes/?fbclid=IwAR2F2CNI-vDG_L_bTW-4pHCV-FdIYGs1QrGC1o9gJHXxcGZl141dtXmZRY4
"If the Mueller report does nothing else, it puts to rest the “Russia hoax,” and Trump’s insistence that he accepts Vladimir Putin’s denials that Russia had anything to do with the election of 2016. The Russians helped Trump get elected, and he accepted their help. In the very next paragraph, Mueller cites the reason for the investigation of the Trump campaign, going straight to the man who was first informed by the Russian government that they sought to assist the Trump campaign in the 2016 election. “[George] Papadopoulos had suggested to a representative of that foreign government that the Trump Campaign had received indications from the Russian government that it could assist the Campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. That information prompted the FBI on July 31, 2016, to open an investigation into whether individuals associated with the Trump Campaign were coordinating with the Russian government in its interference activities.” The FBI investigation that began in July of 2016 led directly to Mueller’s investigation and the heavily redacted report released on Thursday. If there is one conclusion you can draw from Mueller’s report it is this: it was all about Russia. It was a “wildly successful Russian influence operation from start to finish,” former FBI counterintelligence agent Clint Watts told NBC on Thursday morning. If Trump campaign officials did not seek out the help of the Russians in 2016, they certainly accepted it, according to the Mueller report, which cites dozens of contacts between members of the Trump campaign and Russians during the campaign. At no point did anyone connected with the campaign contact law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and report these contacts."
"If the Mueller report does nothing else, it puts to rest the “Russia hoax,” and Trump’s insistence that he accepts Vladimir Putin’s denials that Russia had anything to do with the election of 2016. The Russians helped Trump get elected, and he accepted their help. In the very next paragraph, Mueller cites the reason for the investigation of the Trump campaign, going straight to the man who was first informed by the Russian government that they sought to assist the Trump campaign in the 2016 election. “[George] Papadopoulos had suggested to a representative of that foreign government that the Trump Campaign had received indications from the Russian government that it could assist the Campaign through the anonymous release of information damaging to Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton. That information prompted the FBI on July 31, 2016, to open an investigation into whether individuals associated with the Trump Campaign were coordinating with the Russian government in its interference activities.” The FBI investigation that began in July of 2016 led directly to Mueller’s investigation and the heavily redacted report released on Thursday. If there is one conclusion you can draw from Mueller’s report it is this: it was all about Russia. It was a “wildly successful Russian influence operation from start to finish,” former FBI counterintelligence agent Clint Watts told NBC on Thursday morning. If Trump campaign officials did not seek out the help of the Russians in 2016, they certainly accepted it, according to the Mueller report, which cites dozens of contacts between members of the Trump campaign and Russians during the campaign. At no point did anyone connected with the campaign contact law enforcement agencies such as the FBI and report these contacts."
The Mueller report is definitive: Russia meddled in the election to help Trump win
https://thinkprogress.org/the-mueller-report-is-definitive-russia-meddled-in-the-election-to-help-trump-win-a554ec6a3f4a/?fbclid=IwAR23zPULuXgEWDU11L3M8fs7IgY1iTi-1sw6XyNDLW3JyE8zVDO5X161hI4
"The 448-page report clears up any doubt that Russian efforts had one goal in mind: electing Trump."
"The 448-page report clears up any doubt that Russian efforts had one goal in mind: electing Trump."
Barr’s oddest falsehood: Trump ‘fully cooperated’ with Mueller
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/barrs-oddest-falsehood-trump-fully-cooperated-mueller?fbclid=IwAR1ApBp9AVzZsr1u-p1QzcGD3RWs8lGluaPwMpawKJutFGwpvVIeIGYeuvo
"It’s an odd argument because it’s so plainly and demonstrably false. For one thing, the Mueller report documents, in striking detail, the many instances in which the president took steps to obstruct the investigation – even meeting the statutory threshold for criminal obstruction of justice. Not to put too fine a point on this, one can interfere with an investigation or one can cooperate with an investigation, but to do both is an impossibility. But that’s not the only the problem. We also know that the president refused to sit down with investigators, and when he agreed to answer written questions, Trump’s answers were deemed “inadequate” – and in some cases, “incomplete or imprecise”– by Mueller and his team. This isn’t “full cooperation.” It’s the opposite."
"It’s an odd argument because it’s so plainly and demonstrably false. For one thing, the Mueller report documents, in striking detail, the many instances in which the president took steps to obstruct the investigation – even meeting the statutory threshold for criminal obstruction of justice. Not to put too fine a point on this, one can interfere with an investigation or one can cooperate with an investigation, but to do both is an impossibility. But that’s not the only the problem. We also know that the president refused to sit down with investigators, and when he agreed to answer written questions, Trump’s answers were deemed “inadequate” – and in some cases, “incomplete or imprecise”– by Mueller and his team. This isn’t “full cooperation.” It’s the opposite."
William Barr Keeps Lying About Mueller, and People Keep Trusting Him Anyway
http://nymag.com/article/2019/05/barr-lying-mueller-report-trump-russia.html?fbclid=IwAR3gP7Q1LPrmQsyi7BUTOfDw54oPjM6pLp5ApwT1RAj2xdiezvHJWYHi73U
"At worst, Barr perjured himself. At best, he deliberately withheld information in order to give a misleading response."
"At worst, Barr perjured himself. At best, he deliberately withheld information in order to give a misleading response."
Surely It's a Coincidence That a Firm Tied to a Russian Oligarch Is Pouring Millions Into Kentucky
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a27259438/oleg-deripaska-kentucky-aluminum-mitch-mcconnell-rand-paul/?fbclid=IwAR1ibddMTfPySAOkmdEf2xgTFaUP-PVMcTwQyV99v-pO--k1p8TDppag2ws
"It seems that Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was hot to build a new aluminum milling plant, but that the proposed location was not suitable for such a large operation. The cost of finding a new location drained the project's funds. And along came the Volga Bagmen to the rescue. Enter Rusal, a Russian aluminum company that until just three months ago was barred from doing business in the United States in part because of its ties to Deripaska. The Trump administration lifted the sanctions in January after Deripaska agreed to reduce his ownership stake in the Moscow-based company, the world’s second-largest aluminum manufacturer, from 70% to less than 45%. But there was Kentucky-specific help needed, too. And that came only after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed that decision despite large numbers of Republicans and Democrats who objected to allowing Rusal and its parent company En+ Group into the United States. The House voted to keep the sanctions 362-53, but the Senate fell three votes short of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster. McConnell, along with Sen. Rand Paul, voted against the resolution. Two of the three votes needed to maintain the sanctions against goons like Deripaska came from senators representing a state into which his company was pumping money he'd obtained god knows where or how, and one of whom is the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate into whose PAC Deripaska's partner dumped $3.5 million between 2015 and 2017. Oddly, one of the stories that has sunk like a stone over the past few years is the story of how much Russian ratfcking money went into Republican campaigns generally over the past few cycles. Again, nobody knows what the ultimate sources of this money may be, but since Russia is a thoroughgoing thieves' paradise, anybody's guess is as good as anybody else's. But only a fool believes in accidents any more."
"It seems that Kentucky Governor Matt Bevin was hot to build a new aluminum milling plant, but that the proposed location was not suitable for such a large operation. The cost of finding a new location drained the project's funds. And along came the Volga Bagmen to the rescue. Enter Rusal, a Russian aluminum company that until just three months ago was barred from doing business in the United States in part because of its ties to Deripaska. The Trump administration lifted the sanctions in January after Deripaska agreed to reduce his ownership stake in the Moscow-based company, the world’s second-largest aluminum manufacturer, from 70% to less than 45%. But there was Kentucky-specific help needed, too. And that came only after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell backed that decision despite large numbers of Republicans and Democrats who objected to allowing Rusal and its parent company En+ Group into the United States. The House voted to keep the sanctions 362-53, but the Senate fell three votes short of the 60 votes needed to end a filibuster. McConnell, along with Sen. Rand Paul, voted against the resolution. Two of the three votes needed to maintain the sanctions against goons like Deripaska came from senators representing a state into which his company was pumping money he'd obtained god knows where or how, and one of whom is the Majority Leader of the U.S. Senate into whose PAC Deripaska's partner dumped $3.5 million between 2015 and 2017. Oddly, one of the stories that has sunk like a stone over the past few years is the story of how much Russian ratfcking money went into Republican campaigns generally over the past few cycles. Again, nobody knows what the ultimate sources of this money may be, but since Russia is a thoroughgoing thieves' paradise, anybody's guess is as good as anybody else's. But only a fool believes in accidents any more."
Something is really rotten in the state of Kentucky, and it's coming from Russia
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/24/1852770/-Something-is-really-rotten-in-the-state-of-Kentucky-and-it-s-coming-from-Russia?fbclid=IwAR2pfHRcZqxMa6eX735lQQofv-5zJ2XcOZ2crGHil-ilkBf3TXZVSwpTtNE
"The opinion editors back home in Kentucky are not really thrilled with the idea of the Russians getting an economic hold on the state. Not just the Russians, but the Russian mob. At the Louisville Courier Journal, Joseph Gerth is not too excited at the prospect that "by the middle of the year, we'll be in business with Oleg Deripaska, a buddy of Vladimir Putin." Kentucky is looking for $200 million from the Russian to invest in a $1.7 billion aluminum plant there. He goes on to describe Deripaska's "deep ties to Russian organized crime," and the allegations of Deripaska's violent, ruthless, criminal past in Russia. Gerth's angle is Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's support for this project—the state has already spent $15 million in the Braidy Industries aluminum plant, and how important getting this big project going for Bevin's re-election, as "there has been an air of suspicion surrounding the Braidy project as it has dragged on." It took the intervention of two other powerful Kentucky politicians to make it happen—Sens. Rand Paul and, most importantly, Mitch McConnell. Those two were among the three votes in the Senate that helped Donald Trump lift sanctions against Rusal, the aluminum company that will invest in the state which is partially owned by Deripaska. Or, as far as we know, "officially" partially owned. Things are fluid in Russian corporate structure. And you all remember Deripaska—he's good buddies and a former employer of Donald Trump's first campaign manager, Paul Manafort. The Trump/Manafort/Russia and specifically Deripaska (friend of Putin!) connection is deep and complicated and at the heart of the NO COLLUSION collusion that helped land Trump in the White House. Once again, all of this brings up one key question: how deep into Russia is McConnell? What does he owe Putin? He helped Russia get Trump into the White House by refusing to let the American government notify the public about and help states arm against Russian incursion in the 2016 election."
"The opinion editors back home in Kentucky are not really thrilled with the idea of the Russians getting an economic hold on the state. Not just the Russians, but the Russian mob. At the Louisville Courier Journal, Joseph Gerth is not too excited at the prospect that "by the middle of the year, we'll be in business with Oleg Deripaska, a buddy of Vladimir Putin." Kentucky is looking for $200 million from the Russian to invest in a $1.7 billion aluminum plant there. He goes on to describe Deripaska's "deep ties to Russian organized crime," and the allegations of Deripaska's violent, ruthless, criminal past in Russia. Gerth's angle is Republican Gov. Matt Bevin's support for this project—the state has already spent $15 million in the Braidy Industries aluminum plant, and how important getting this big project going for Bevin's re-election, as "there has been an air of suspicion surrounding the Braidy project as it has dragged on." It took the intervention of two other powerful Kentucky politicians to make it happen—Sens. Rand Paul and, most importantly, Mitch McConnell. Those two were among the three votes in the Senate that helped Donald Trump lift sanctions against Rusal, the aluminum company that will invest in the state which is partially owned by Deripaska. Or, as far as we know, "officially" partially owned. Things are fluid in Russian corporate structure. And you all remember Deripaska—he's good buddies and a former employer of Donald Trump's first campaign manager, Paul Manafort. The Trump/Manafort/Russia and specifically Deripaska (friend of Putin!) connection is deep and complicated and at the heart of the NO COLLUSION collusion that helped land Trump in the White House. Once again, all of this brings up one key question: how deep into Russia is McConnell? What does he owe Putin? He helped Russia get Trump into the White House by refusing to let the American government notify the public about and help states arm against Russian incursion in the 2016 election."
Government Memo: Maria Butina Claimed Influence Over Trump Cabinet Pick
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/butina-influence-secretary-state-sentencing-memo-825666/?fbclid=IwAR3qu9dEKqdAgSzvILqbr8OrqSh3gBiPJstGc-rUyjZ__NK8bLNfl6G8lnA
"In the case of Maria Butina — the Russian national who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for attempting to create a backchannel between Moscow and the Trump administration using the NRA as a conduit — the U.S. government is asking for a prison sentence of 18 months, followed by Butina’s immediate deportation. The government’s sentencing memo, filed Friday in federal court, offers striking details to support the claim that Butina was not just a naive and ambitious student looking to build up a professional network in Washington, D.C. It outlines, for example, a May 2015 meeting between Butina and then-Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak in which Butina reported on her progress making inroads with a GOP presidential campaign. (At the time, according to her social media posts, Butina had been interested in the campaign of Scott Walker, then Wisconsin governor.) The government asserts that Butina “acted at the direction and control” of a “Russian Official,” previously identified as Alexander Torshin. Butina, the memo states, was “fully aware that he reported to the rest of the Russian government and her actions were ultimately for the benefit of the foreign government.” According to the memo, Butina even “voiced worry that others in the Russian government would steal the initiative” to establish a backchannel out from under her. Perhaps most disturbing, the memo highlights Butina’s claim that she was using her contacts within Trump World in late 2016 to help vet the new administration’s choice for secretary of state. The memo states that Butina “provided the Russian Official with the name of an individual she claimed was being considered for secretary of state” on November 11th, 2016. “She asked the Russian Official to seek the input of the Russian government on the name she provided and told him, ‘our opinion will be taken into consideration’ in the United States.’” The memo offers no further detail on the substance of this explosive claim."
"In the case of Maria Butina — the Russian national who pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for attempting to create a backchannel between Moscow and the Trump administration using the NRA as a conduit — the U.S. government is asking for a prison sentence of 18 months, followed by Butina’s immediate deportation. The government’s sentencing memo, filed Friday in federal court, offers striking details to support the claim that Butina was not just a naive and ambitious student looking to build up a professional network in Washington, D.C. It outlines, for example, a May 2015 meeting between Butina and then-Russian Ambassador Sergei Kislyak in which Butina reported on her progress making inroads with a GOP presidential campaign. (At the time, according to her social media posts, Butina had been interested in the campaign of Scott Walker, then Wisconsin governor.) The government asserts that Butina “acted at the direction and control” of a “Russian Official,” previously identified as Alexander Torshin. Butina, the memo states, was “fully aware that he reported to the rest of the Russian government and her actions were ultimately for the benefit of the foreign government.” According to the memo, Butina even “voiced worry that others in the Russian government would steal the initiative” to establish a backchannel out from under her. Perhaps most disturbing, the memo highlights Butina’s claim that she was using her contacts within Trump World in late 2016 to help vet the new administration’s choice for secretary of state. The memo states that Butina “provided the Russian Official with the name of an individual she claimed was being considered for secretary of state” on November 11th, 2016. “She asked the Russian Official to seek the input of the Russian government on the name she provided and told him, ‘our opinion will be taken into consideration’ in the United States.’” The memo offers no further detail on the substance of this explosive claim."
Trump Campaign Was Deeply Co-opted By Russian Influence Operation
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/trump-campaign-was-deeply-co-opted-by-russian-influence-operation?fbclid=IwAR3bFBOd3a-EvWZlA6L-2gb869hJBbJF5GxksokA0qnAOSqtzHYh8GCwYtI
"The report details how over several months in the summer of 2016, different Russian intelligence operatives were able to alternately use the operation as an instrument for its own ends, receive inside information on the inner workings of the Trump campaign, and meet with its top officials. Mueller documents numerous covert and overt attempts by people and organizations associated with the Russian government and Russian intelligence to influence the campaign. In some cases, campaign officials did not know that they were interacting with Russian spies and were being used an instrument of the influence operation. At other times, Mueller says that campaign officials knew who they were dealing with and were “receptive to the offer” of assistance."
"The report details how over several months in the summer of 2016, different Russian intelligence operatives were able to alternately use the operation as an instrument for its own ends, receive inside information on the inner workings of the Trump campaign, and meet with its top officials. Mueller documents numerous covert and overt attempts by people and organizations associated with the Russian government and Russian intelligence to influence the campaign. In some cases, campaign officials did not know that they were interacting with Russian spies and were being used an instrument of the influence operation. At other times, Mueller says that campaign officials knew who they were dealing with and were “receptive to the offer” of assistance."
Mueller Redactions Raise Questions About Stone, Trump, and the “No Collusion” Claim
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/mueller-redactions-raise-questions-about-stone-trump-and-the-no-collusion-claim/?fbclid=IwAR20d6UBEIH2_3C4XwV8EFGS1QFDW01Lt7xatBX3iZKbedFl_U_tIuyXy-s
"The report shows the many ways Trump has lied about his team’s contacts with Russia and about Vladimir Putin’s attack on the 2016 election—an attacked aimed at helping Trump win the presidency. Trump lied to the public when he said as a candidate that he had nothing to do with Russia, though he had been privately negotiating to develop a major tower project in Moscow."
"The report shows the many ways Trump has lied about his team’s contacts with Russia and about Vladimir Putin’s attack on the 2016 election—an attacked aimed at helping Trump win the presidency. Trump lied to the public when he said as a candidate that he had nothing to do with Russia, though he had been privately negotiating to develop a major tower project in Moscow."
Wednesday, May 8, 2019
Mueller Report Blows Up Barr’s ‘No Collusion=No Obstruction’ Canard
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/mueller-report-blows-up-barrs-no-collusionno-obstruction-canard?fbclid=IwAR0qAHXKNnK5pSgxzXu2oNyUbEPRzUNN_vpYBdcSkI2fprIMYU_VrHXKskU
"According to Mueller’s report, the perceived criminal liabilities of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting — where his inner circle met with Kremlin-tied individuals — also may have motivated some of Trump’s allegedly obstructive conduct. Mueller raised that concern specifically when discussing Trump attempts in the summer of 2017 to convince Attorney General Jeff Sessions to unrecuse himself from the Russian probe and his efforts to install a new attorney general who could oversee the probe. Mueller pointed to the public release of the emails disclosing the Trump Tower meeting that directly preceded many of Trump’s actions and how it was “evident that the investigation into the campaign now included the President’s son, son-in-law, and former campaign manager.” Mueller specifically cited comments Trump made about wanting an attorney general like Eric Holder or Bobby Kennedy, who, in his mind, took greater lengths than Sessions to protect their presidents. “A reasonable inference from those statements and the President’s actions is that the President believed that an unrecused Attorney General would play a protective role and could shield the President from the ongoing Russia investigation,” Mueller said. Finally, there was Trump’s desire to protect himself from the obstruction inquiry that may have motivated him to further meddle in it, Mueller said. Trump ramped up his efforts to fire the special counsel after the first public reports of an obstruction inquiry, Mueller noted, and that fear also may have driven his request that Sessions publicly announce that he was narrowing the probe to only future election interference."
"According to Mueller’s report, the perceived criminal liabilities of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting — where his inner circle met with Kremlin-tied individuals — also may have motivated some of Trump’s allegedly obstructive conduct. Mueller raised that concern specifically when discussing Trump attempts in the summer of 2017 to convince Attorney General Jeff Sessions to unrecuse himself from the Russian probe and his efforts to install a new attorney general who could oversee the probe. Mueller pointed to the public release of the emails disclosing the Trump Tower meeting that directly preceded many of Trump’s actions and how it was “evident that the investigation into the campaign now included the President’s son, son-in-law, and former campaign manager.” Mueller specifically cited comments Trump made about wanting an attorney general like Eric Holder or Bobby Kennedy, who, in his mind, took greater lengths than Sessions to protect their presidents. “A reasonable inference from those statements and the President’s actions is that the President believed that an unrecused Attorney General would play a protective role and could shield the President from the ongoing Russia investigation,” Mueller said. Finally, there was Trump’s desire to protect himself from the obstruction inquiry that may have motivated him to further meddle in it, Mueller said. Trump ramped up his efforts to fire the special counsel after the first public reports of an obstruction inquiry, Mueller noted, and that fear also may have driven his request that Sessions publicly announce that he was narrowing the probe to only future election interference."
The Mueller Report Is an Impeachment Referral
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/mueller-report-impeachment-referral/587509/?fbclid=IwAR1gWTL1RTDsSWjZG4uzGg-QL_ahde2PR4m8waCrWPtOLoMbhj9kY30h_mA
"But its most important implication can be summarized in a single sentence: There is sufficient evidence that President Donald Trump obstructed justice to merit impeachment hearings. A basic principle lies at the heart of the American criminal-justice system: The accused is entitled to a fair defense and a chance to clear his name. Every American is entitled to this protection, from the humblest citizen all the way up to the chief executive. And that, Mueller explained in his report, is why criminal allegations against a sitting president should be considered by Congress and not the Justice Department. The Mueller report, in short, is an impeachment referral."
"But its most important implication can be summarized in a single sentence: There is sufficient evidence that President Donald Trump obstructed justice to merit impeachment hearings. A basic principle lies at the heart of the American criminal-justice system: The accused is entitled to a fair defense and a chance to clear his name. Every American is entitled to this protection, from the humblest citizen all the way up to the chief executive. And that, Mueller explained in his report, is why criminal allegations against a sitting president should be considered by Congress and not the Justice Department. The Mueller report, in short, is an impeachment referral."
Trump thinks the Supreme Court can save him from impeachment (it can’t)
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-thinks-the-supreme-court-can-save-him-impeachment-it-cant?fbclid=IwAR16uu9TQYdG-v6tj2q65KxzMdWhhjn0P4D1ylYU6OArMAnbrIHmMCIVMaA
"Trump could “head to the U.S. Supreme Court,” but there’s literally nothing justices could do for him, even if they wanted to. The judiciary has no authority to help or hinder the impeachment proceedings. The president doesn’t know that, and while that’s embarrassing, he nevertheless seems eager to let everyone know just how confused he is. In the process, Trump is also offering a peek into his perspective on problem-solving. When he finds himself in a jam, the president seems to instinctively look for a fixer: Trump has spent his tenure assuming that everyone from his attorney general to his congressional allies to his White House counsel can simply make his problems go away for him. As of this morning, the president seems to think the Supreme Court can even rescue him from the threat of impeachment. It cannot."
"Trump could “head to the U.S. Supreme Court,” but there’s literally nothing justices could do for him, even if they wanted to. The judiciary has no authority to help or hinder the impeachment proceedings. The president doesn’t know that, and while that’s embarrassing, he nevertheless seems eager to let everyone know just how confused he is. In the process, Trump is also offering a peek into his perspective on problem-solving. When he finds himself in a jam, the president seems to instinctively look for a fixer: Trump has spent his tenure assuming that everyone from his attorney general to his congressional allies to his White House counsel can simply make his problems go away for him. As of this morning, the president seems to think the Supreme Court can even rescue him from the threat of impeachment. It cannot."
The Mueller Report Is a Challenge to Congress: Save the Republic. Impeach the President.
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a27198446/mueller-report-congress-impeachment/?fbclid=IwAR1Mb0brKHiqG21ExastcR4Fsr1m8ZsyQlV12pBg5nAiZc8p_L1Sezmck0c
"The results are in the report released by Robert Mueller and his investigators on Thursday. It is a document that shows clearly that every guardian of the republic—especially including the people themselves—surrendered it to an international criminal cabal without firing hardly a shot. Also in that report is a challenge: there is one last chance to avert the threat, and it lies with the United States Congress, and with the people who elected its members. Mueller has dropped it all in the country's lap. He did what he could. Subpoena them all. Put them under oath and on television. Begin impeachment inquiries on Monday. (You can have the weekend. I'm generous.) Fumigate the entire government because, what we have now, and what Mueller illustrated, is the political equivalent of a plague cell."
"The results are in the report released by Robert Mueller and his investigators on Thursday. It is a document that shows clearly that every guardian of the republic—especially including the people themselves—surrendered it to an international criminal cabal without firing hardly a shot. Also in that report is a challenge: there is one last chance to avert the threat, and it lies with the United States Congress, and with the people who elected its members. Mueller has dropped it all in the country's lap. He did what he could. Subpoena them all. Put them under oath and on television. Begin impeachment inquiries on Monday. (You can have the weekend. I'm generous.) Fumigate the entire government because, what we have now, and what Mueller illustrated, is the political equivalent of a plague cell."
Without Impeachment, We’re Lowering Standards for All Future Presidents
https://truthout.org/articles/without-impeachment-were-lowering-standards-for-all-future-presidents/
"Once in office, Donald Trump serially obstructed justice by interfering with the Mueller investigation and demanding that his attorneys and advisers lie about his conduct and manufacture evidence to obscure his conduct. His attempted disruption of the investigation into then-national security adviser Michael Flynn; the firing of then-FBI director James Comey; his efforts to fire Robert Mueller and derail the investigation; his insistence that then-White House counsel Don McGahn lie about the efforts to remove or disrupt Mueller; and his efforts to disrupt the gathering of testimony from former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen individually and collectively blow right past the constitutional standard of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” These were deeply damaging bold-face crimes committed in the presence of testifying witnesses. Trump can be prosecuted, impeached or both for committing them even if no underlying crime was established in the report. “You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime to lose your job in this constitutional republic if the Senate determines that your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role,” said none other than Senator Lindsey Graham in 1999, “because impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office"."
"Once in office, Donald Trump serially obstructed justice by interfering with the Mueller investigation and demanding that his attorneys and advisers lie about his conduct and manufacture evidence to obscure his conduct. His attempted disruption of the investigation into then-national security adviser Michael Flynn; the firing of then-FBI director James Comey; his efforts to fire Robert Mueller and derail the investigation; his insistence that then-White House counsel Don McGahn lie about the efforts to remove or disrupt Mueller; and his efforts to disrupt the gathering of testimony from former campaign chairman Paul Manafort and former Trump attorney Michael Cohen individually and collectively blow right past the constitutional standard of “high crimes and misdemeanors.” These were deeply damaging bold-face crimes committed in the presence of testifying witnesses. Trump can be prosecuted, impeached or both for committing them even if no underlying crime was established in the report. “You don’t even have to be convicted of a crime to lose your job in this constitutional republic if the Senate determines that your conduct as a public official is clearly out of bounds in your role,” said none other than Senator Lindsey Graham in 1999, “because impeachment is not about punishment. Impeachment is about cleansing the office. Impeachment is about restoring honor and integrity to the office"."
Roadmap for impeachment: Mueller's purpose is clear
https://www.salon.com/2019/04/19/muellers-report-has-a-clear-purpose-its-a-roadmap-for-impeachment/?fbclid=IwAR3_mb-VU5_ZNN9kt8NwSeGJCtZ_0Kj2xjr3EbCS7BpQXuTc4wks208ctVU
"This dry recitation of the facts in Mueller's report , as dramatic as they are, was never meant to be the last word. It is an impeachment referral, and Democrats must take it up and do what the Constitution requires. If it fails, so be it. But at least the people will know that some leaders are willing to stand up in public and do the right thing. After reading page after page showing Trump and his lackeys refusing to ever do that, even once, it's pretty clear that's not an issue the Republican Party can ever run on again."
"This dry recitation of the facts in Mueller's report , as dramatic as they are, was never meant to be the last word. It is an impeachment referral, and Democrats must take it up and do what the Constitution requires. If it fails, so be it. But at least the people will know that some leaders are willing to stand up in public and do the right thing. After reading page after page showing Trump and his lackeys refusing to ever do that, even once, it's pretty clear that's not an issue the Republican Party can ever run on again."
Trump Says He’d Turn to Supreme Court to Block Impeachment. That’s Not How It Works.
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/trump-impeachment-supreme-court/?fbclid=IwAR36uHiamYRQ_ohSJFSf9Wk98VL6KDzYZ95j0fDax02eLKLAOmrFh8nhjhQ
"Contrary to Trump’s thinking, Congress does indeed have the power to begin impeachment proceedings. Moreover, the Supreme Court would not be able to block Congress from the process, as legal experts quickly noted."
"Contrary to Trump’s thinking, Congress does indeed have the power to begin impeachment proceedings. Moreover, the Supreme Court would not be able to block Congress from the process, as legal experts quickly noted."
No More Excuses. Donald Trump Must Be Impeached.
https://truthout.org/articles/no-more-excuses-donald-trump-must-be-impeached/
"Over the course of more than 400 scalding pages, the Mueller report details the parallel and often cooperative course traveled by Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the sophisticated Russian operation devoted to his victory. Mueller’s report also lays out the myriad ways Trump obstructed justice through his ham-fisted attempts to either take over the investigation or obliterate it entirely. There is but one conclusion to reach after reading this exhaustively prepared report: Donald Trump must be impeached. There is no more time for vacillation, and no room for doubt. The report is divided into two distinct hemispheres: Volume I deals with the Russian attack on the 2016 presidential election and the question of Trump campaign participation in that attack, and Volume II deals with the manner in which Donald Trump actively obstructed the investigation into Russian election meddling. Many of the report’s details have been in the public sphere for months and even years. Having it all in one place, however, gives the document the depth and gravity of gruesome history. There are also plenty of new and alarming surprises. It is atomically detailed and deeply sourced, ultimately conservative in its conclusions regarding the law but profoundly damning nonetheless. Donald Trump was right to fear its release"
"Over the course of more than 400 scalding pages, the Mueller report details the parallel and often cooperative course traveled by Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and the sophisticated Russian operation devoted to his victory. Mueller’s report also lays out the myriad ways Trump obstructed justice through his ham-fisted attempts to either take over the investigation or obliterate it entirely. There is but one conclusion to reach after reading this exhaustively prepared report: Donald Trump must be impeached. There is no more time for vacillation, and no room for doubt. The report is divided into two distinct hemispheres: Volume I deals with the Russian attack on the 2016 presidential election and the question of Trump campaign participation in that attack, and Volume II deals with the manner in which Donald Trump actively obstructed the investigation into Russian election meddling. Many of the report’s details have been in the public sphere for months and even years. Having it all in one place, however, gives the document the depth and gravity of gruesome history. There are also plenty of new and alarming surprises. It is atomically detailed and deeply sourced, ultimately conservative in its conclusions regarding the law but profoundly damning nonetheless. Donald Trump was right to fear its release"
William Barr Thinks Donald Trump Is Above the Law
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/05/william-barr-donald-trump-media-defense-obstruction-of-justice.html?fbclid=IwAR0dK74qs44Jy1_1Txc9RJN2WSk_oD5mYI2nebzfYWILP3-XjvlHyFl0rpw
"for the attorney general to expressly adopt the view that the president can’t obstruct justice if he’s doing it because the press is annoying him is an appalling next step in the descent into establishing an imperial presidency, unchecked by either Congress or a free media."
"for the attorney general to expressly adopt the view that the president can’t obstruct justice if he’s doing it because the press is annoying him is an appalling next step in the descent into establishing an imperial presidency, unchecked by either Congress or a free media."
Mueller’s Damning Portrait of Trump
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/04/muellers-damning-portrait-of-trump/587521/?fbclid=IwAR2mUtogV4Gor5ZlfyttEjyNnYzGZqKBGdi4qZR9dw9lslR-pqtbzzAq_B0
"The president lies wantonly and profligately—to the press, to his aides, and above all to the public. He tries to interfere in investigations. He acts as if he has something to hide. He reacts petulantly to being told no, and repeatedly pressures staffers even after being rejected. Those words are not taken from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, but they might as well be. Over 448 pages, the report sketches a portrait of the president as chronically dishonest and unfit for office. Then it fills the portrait in, with painstaking and meticulously footnoted cross-hatching and shading."
"The president lies wantonly and profligately—to the press, to his aides, and above all to the public. He tries to interfere in investigations. He acts as if he has something to hide. He reacts petulantly to being told no, and repeatedly pressures staffers even after being rejected. Those words are not taken from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report, but they might as well be. Over 448 pages, the report sketches a portrait of the president as chronically dishonest and unfit for office. Then it fills the portrait in, with painstaking and meticulously footnoted cross-hatching and shading."
The Time for Impeachment Is Here
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-impeachment-time-congress-824886/?fbclid=IwAR0k2k6MXYxDk_q4cCBcYamhrdpvSBmm-zxaCAqRTIfiv3YtDG1ZcYAAEoQ
"Amid the black lines of its redactions, Mueller’s report details how a hostile foreign nation successfully used the current President of the United States as a vessel to achieve its aims of undermining American democracy, deploying its information warfare and illegal interference schemes to help him get where he is now. In the second volume of his 448-page report, Mueller details at least 10 instances of the president’s obstruction of justice, including Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey and his frequent, colicky outbursts about the Special Counsel’s investigation. It all illustrated that Barr plainly lied when he cleared Trump of any such behavior."
"Amid the black lines of its redactions, Mueller’s report details how a hostile foreign nation successfully used the current President of the United States as a vessel to achieve its aims of undermining American democracy, deploying its information warfare and illegal interference schemes to help him get where he is now. In the second volume of his 448-page report, Mueller details at least 10 instances of the president’s obstruction of justice, including Trump’s firing of FBI director James Comey and his frequent, colicky outbursts about the Special Counsel’s investigation. It all illustrated that Barr plainly lied when he cleared Trump of any such behavior."
Former Trump Transition Official Calls For Impeachment: ‘This Is Serious Stuff’
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/jw-verret-impeach-trump_n_5cc03f8fe4b01b6b3efaad54?fbclid=IwAR1byaVkqHLKVdYsSf98dGNDAGBk5VTWRX-hl76UXQHibcKTb9Z6RScKA_s
"J.W. Verret, a George Mason University law professor who served on President Donald Trump’s transition team, is calling on Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. “This is serious stuff,” Verret told CNN’s Don Lemon in an interview Tuesday. “The Mueller report I think is something you can’t look away from. I mean you have to admit it: The emperor has no clothes.” Verret, a lifelong Republican, was deputy director of economic policy on Trump’s presidential transition team beginning in August 2016. He quit after just two months, he wrote in an op-ed published Tuesday in The Atlantic, citing concerns over Trump’s views on immigration, financial regulation and Russia. Over time, his view of Trump evolved from distasteful to disastrous. “The Mueller report was that tipping point for me,” Verret wrote, “and it should be for Republican and independent voters, and for Republicans in Congress"."
"J.W. Verret, a George Mason University law professor who served on President Donald Trump’s transition team, is calling on Congress to initiate impeachment proceedings in the wake of special counsel Robert Mueller’s report. “This is serious stuff,” Verret told CNN’s Don Lemon in an interview Tuesday. “The Mueller report I think is something you can’t look away from. I mean you have to admit it: The emperor has no clothes.” Verret, a lifelong Republican, was deputy director of economic policy on Trump’s presidential transition team beginning in August 2016. He quit after just two months, he wrote in an op-ed published Tuesday in The Atlantic, citing concerns over Trump’s views on immigration, financial regulation and Russia. Over time, his view of Trump evolved from distasteful to disastrous. “The Mueller report was that tipping point for me,” Verret wrote, “and it should be for Republican and independent voters, and for Republicans in Congress"."
Congress Should Impeach William Barr
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/04/impeach-attorney-general-william-barr.html?fbclid=IwAR23taqTHMYkmK7fwtbHkeC6B7V4Xm4VGrpOUUAZhJ6KLIDuO-j7Bmln_L0
"There is no department in government in which mere norms, not laws, are all that stand between democracy as we know it and a banana republic. Barr has revealed his complete unfitness for this awesome task. Nearly two more years of this Trumpian henchman wielding power over federal law enforcement is more weight than the rickety Constitution can bear."
"There is no department in government in which mere norms, not laws, are all that stand between democracy as we know it and a banana republic. Barr has revealed his complete unfitness for this awesome task. Nearly two more years of this Trumpian henchman wielding power over federal law enforcement is more weight than the rickety Constitution can bear."
Mueller's report: A profile of a president willing to sell out his country
https://www.salon.com/2019/04/22/muellers-report-a-profile-of-a-president-willing-to-sell-out-his-country/?fbclid=IwAR0-uma5lZOy4HJiagOHmqzLnopB5s7gg_73moariHfxCgv1YO96kGswSP8
"The case Mueller lays out for obstruction and possibly impeachment is compelling. It paints the portrait of a rogue president so desperate to avoid the probing eye of investigation, in some cases for concerns outside of the Russian matter, that he flails about and often breaks the law. In one instance, Trump raged over the perceived weakness of his former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, rambling at length about past attorneys general he believed were loyal to their presidents and protected them from prosecution, saying he needed an AG willing to break the law and inform him of investigations. Overall, what was found within the report is a damning incrimination of a president willing to sell out his country, turn his back on duty and loyalty, and win at all costs, even if that meant cooperating with a foreign power in undermining free and fair elections. What’s more, it tells the tale of a man so unfit for office that those around him are constantly betraying his orders in an attempt to avoid their own prosecution. Despite William Barr’s irresponsible spinning, this is the story of a prosecutor communicating to the American people and their representatives that the evidence is clear and critical. There are elements of both sections, conspiracy and obstruction, where Mueller was stymied by either eyewitnesses stonewalling or ongoing investigations yet to yield information, but Congress should act on this investigation and launch their own inquiries, more than likely opening the door to impeachment."
"The case Mueller lays out for obstruction and possibly impeachment is compelling. It paints the portrait of a rogue president so desperate to avoid the probing eye of investigation, in some cases for concerns outside of the Russian matter, that he flails about and often breaks the law. In one instance, Trump raged over the perceived weakness of his former Attorney General Jeff Sessions, rambling at length about past attorneys general he believed were loyal to their presidents and protected them from prosecution, saying he needed an AG willing to break the law and inform him of investigations. Overall, what was found within the report is a damning incrimination of a president willing to sell out his country, turn his back on duty and loyalty, and win at all costs, even if that meant cooperating with a foreign power in undermining free and fair elections. What’s more, it tells the tale of a man so unfit for office that those around him are constantly betraying his orders in an attempt to avoid their own prosecution. Despite William Barr’s irresponsible spinning, this is the story of a prosecutor communicating to the American people and their representatives that the evidence is clear and critical. There are elements of both sections, conspiracy and obstruction, where Mueller was stymied by either eyewitnesses stonewalling or ongoing investigations yet to yield information, but Congress should act on this investigation and launch their own inquiries, more than likely opening the door to impeachment."
William Barr Has Failed America
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/04/william-barr-robert-mueller-report-address.html?fbclid=IwAR1I4I4GHRASAhKnvg4WkarJNO0B9BMvNUnq71MVVdZNwa5hlsn08xod7Uw
"The attorney general did what Trump hired him to do. In the process, he has disgraced his office in ways we are only beginning to understand. Barr joined the DOJ too late to quash the investigation. But he is doing his best to shield the Trump from its findings. Thursday morning will be remembered as one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the Department of Justice."
"The attorney general did what Trump hired him to do. In the process, he has disgraced his office in ways we are only beginning to understand. Barr joined the DOJ too late to quash the investigation. But he is doing his best to shield the Trump from its findings. Thursday morning will be remembered as one of the most shameful chapters in the history of the Department of Justice."
The Mueller Report: A Detailed Account of Trump’s Lies and Misconduct
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/04/mueller-report-donald-trump-russia-lies/?fbclid=IwAR3WFlbTTQpP68MMIG4CHxNN848I268QMpU9SCfvZRKVZxlwHS1udz12PVg
"The long-awaited report by special counsel Robert Mueller confirms what we already knew: that Donald Trump and his campaign privately interacted with Russia while Putin’s regime was preparing—and then carrying out—an attack on the 2016 US presidential election; that Russia’s goal (as early as the start of 2016) was to help Trump become president; that Trump and his campaign had good reason to believe Putin’s regime was behind the ongoing assault (but kept insisting Moscow was doing nothing); and that Trump and folks in his orbit have lied about much of this. The basics of the Trump-Russia scandal were well established long before Mueller concluded his investigation, because so much of it had taken place in public view—Trump repeatedly echoing Russia’s false claims of innocence, for example. Other elements had been exposed by media reports—including Trump’s pursuit of a secret Moscow project while he was running for president, as well as the June 2016 Trump tower meeting, during which top Trump aides gathered to participate in what they were told was a Moscow plot to help Trump get elected. Numerous lies had already been exposed, including Trump saying he had nothing to do with Russia, and he and Donald Trump Jr. claiming that the Trump tower meeting had only been about adoption policy. Yet the Mueller report—while, as expected, not revealing any further criminality beyond the indictments already brought during the investigation—reinforces the case that much wrongdoing occurred on the part of Trump and his crew."
"The long-awaited report by special counsel Robert Mueller confirms what we already knew: that Donald Trump and his campaign privately interacted with Russia while Putin’s regime was preparing—and then carrying out—an attack on the 2016 US presidential election; that Russia’s goal (as early as the start of 2016) was to help Trump become president; that Trump and his campaign had good reason to believe Putin’s regime was behind the ongoing assault (but kept insisting Moscow was doing nothing); and that Trump and folks in his orbit have lied about much of this. The basics of the Trump-Russia scandal were well established long before Mueller concluded his investigation, because so much of it had taken place in public view—Trump repeatedly echoing Russia’s false claims of innocence, for example. Other elements had been exposed by media reports—including Trump’s pursuit of a secret Moscow project while he was running for president, as well as the June 2016 Trump tower meeting, during which top Trump aides gathered to participate in what they were told was a Moscow plot to help Trump get elected. Numerous lies had already been exposed, including Trump saying he had nothing to do with Russia, and he and Donald Trump Jr. claiming that the Trump tower meeting had only been about adoption policy. Yet the Mueller report—while, as expected, not revealing any further criminality beyond the indictments already brought during the investigation—reinforces the case that much wrongdoing occurred on the part of Trump and his crew."
Mueller's actual report revealed Barr to be a lying, scheming Trump shill
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/4/19/1851631/-Mueller-s-actual-report-revealed-Barr-to-be-a-lying-scheming-Trump-shill?fbclid=IwAR0GbJNFmfv5fOELgtXQJG5HwLnkEc2M4z79SUZzqpdHebhFxoYF0_xMIhg
"Let’s just say, Barr’s account didn’t fare well. Actually, Barr’s account was a cover up, full stop. In fact, Barr has proven to be a lying, scheming shill for Donald Trump. He proved that through his press conference before the release and he proved that through the way he manipulated Mueller’s words to give them different meaning. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison of three of Barr’s excerpts to Mueller’s actual report, counting down to the most egregious of them all."
"Let’s just say, Barr’s account didn’t fare well. Actually, Barr’s account was a cover up, full stop. In fact, Barr has proven to be a lying, scheming shill for Donald Trump. He proved that through his press conference before the release and he proved that through the way he manipulated Mueller’s words to give them different meaning. Let’s do a side-by-side comparison of three of Barr’s excerpts to Mueller’s actual report, counting down to the most egregious of them all."
Barr: It's Not a Crime” for Trump to Demand Staffers Lie to Investigators
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/05/barr-not-a-crime-for-trump-to-demand-staffers-lie-to-investigators?fbclid=IwAR1cJ8FwSm50PaYPjYuX5GQwnuIxGj4uad2xqPLNWW552qk-zPwXrM2R2fU
"Those fears were not at all dispelled when Barr declined to prosecute Trump for obstruction, despite the 10 incidents laid out by Robert Mueller in which the president tried to do just that, or when he claimed that Trump couldn’t have had corrupt intent, when Mueller actually found numerous compromising episodes involving Russia and the Trump campaign that the president would have preferred to keep hidden. In case there was any remaining doubt that William Barr sees his job as protecting Donald Trump, his testimony before the Senate Judiciary committee on Wednesday—the first of two days of public hearings on Capitol Hill—made perfectly clear where the attorney general’s allegiance lies. Even in a case where Trump literally instructed a White House lawyer to lie on the record (obstruction) to hide the fact that he tried to fire the man investigating him (obstruction)."
"Those fears were not at all dispelled when Barr declined to prosecute Trump for obstruction, despite the 10 incidents laid out by Robert Mueller in which the president tried to do just that, or when he claimed that Trump couldn’t have had corrupt intent, when Mueller actually found numerous compromising episodes involving Russia and the Trump campaign that the president would have preferred to keep hidden. In case there was any remaining doubt that William Barr sees his job as protecting Donald Trump, his testimony before the Senate Judiciary committee on Wednesday—the first of two days of public hearings on Capitol Hill—made perfectly clear where the attorney general’s allegiance lies. Even in a case where Trump literally instructed a White House lawyer to lie on the record (obstruction) to hide the fact that he tried to fire the man investigating him (obstruction)."
Monday, May 6, 2019
Trump Lies Again About ‘China Paying Tariffs’ To The U.S. Treasury
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-lies-china-paying-tariffs-to-usa_n_5ccf8704e4b0e4d757347bda
"In fact, American consumers absorb the cost of tariffs on imported Chinese goods by paying higher prices for the products. The added costs are essentially a regressive tax on consumers because they’re not linked to income levels."
"In fact, American consumers absorb the cost of tariffs on imported Chinese goods by paying higher prices for the products. The added costs are essentially a regressive tax on consumers because they’re not linked to income levels."
Shocking New Report On Loss Of Nature Paints A Terrifying Picture For The Future Of Humanity
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/biodiversity-report-ipbes-nature-crisis_n_5ccee4e1e4b0e4d757341215
"The conclusions of the greatest-ever stock-taking of the living world, published on Monday, show that ecosystems and wild populations are shrinking, deteriorating or vanishing completely, and up to 1 million species of land and marine life could be made extinct by humans’ actions if present trends continue. Food, pollination, clean water and a stable climate all depend on a thriving plant and animal population. But forests and wetlands are being erased worldwide and oceans are under growing stress, says the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the United Nations’ expert nature panel, in the landmark global assessment report. The three-year study, compiled by nearly 500 scientists, analyzed around 15,000 academic studies that focused on everything from plankton and fish to bees, coral, forests, frogs and insects, as well as drawing on indigenous knowledge. If we continue to pollute the planet and waste natural resources as we have been doing, it won’t just affect people’s quality of life but will lead to a further deterioration of earth’s planetary systems, said the IPBES scientists."
"The conclusions of the greatest-ever stock-taking of the living world, published on Monday, show that ecosystems and wild populations are shrinking, deteriorating or vanishing completely, and up to 1 million species of land and marine life could be made extinct by humans’ actions if present trends continue. Food, pollination, clean water and a stable climate all depend on a thriving plant and animal population. But forests and wetlands are being erased worldwide and oceans are under growing stress, says the Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), the United Nations’ expert nature panel, in the landmark global assessment report. The three-year study, compiled by nearly 500 scientists, analyzed around 15,000 academic studies that focused on everything from plankton and fish to bees, coral, forests, frogs and insects, as well as drawing on indigenous knowledge. If we continue to pollute the planet and waste natural resources as we have been doing, it won’t just affect people’s quality of life but will lead to a further deterioration of earth’s planetary systems, said the IPBES scientists."
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