https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/mitch-mcconnell-is-a-russian-asset/2019/07/26/02cf3510-afbc-11e9-a0c9-6d2d7818f3da_story.html?fbclid=IwAR2BbZgXGSOdqu9vbPFtP1SOS1katcgVFm-5klIC30g3eZW9cFo34Is3NjY&utm_term=.87d950e124d4
"Russia attacked our country in 2016. It is attacking us today. Its attacks will intensify in 2020. Yet each time we try to raise our defenses to repel the attack, McConnell, the Senate majority leader, blocks us from defending ourselves. Let’s call this what it is: unpatriotic. The Kentucky Republican is, arguably more than any other American, doing Russian President Vladimir Putin’s bidding. Robert Mueller sat before Congress this week warning that the Russia threat “deserves the attention of every American.” He said “the Russian government’s efforts to interfere in our election is among the most serious” challenges to American democracy he has ever seen. “They are doing it as we sit here, and they expect to do it during the next campaign,” he warned, adding that “much more needs to be done in order to protect against these intrusions, not just by the Russians but others as well.” Not three hours after Mueller finished testifying, Mark Warner (D-Va.), vice chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, went to the Senate floor to request unanimous consent to pass legislation requiring presidential campaigns to report to the FBI any offers of assistance from agents of foreign governments. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith (R-Miss.) was there to represent her leader’s interests. “I object,” she said. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) attempted to move a bill that would require campaigns to report to the FBI contributions by foreign nationals. “I object,” said Hyde-Smith. Sen. Ron Wyden (D-Ore.) tried to force action on bipartisan legislation, written with Sen. Tom Cotton (R-Ark.) and supported by Sens. Mike Rounds (R-S.D.) and Bill Cassidy (R-La.), protecting lawmakers from foreign cyberattacks. “The majority leader, our colleague from Kentucky, must stop blocking this common-sense legislation and allow this body to better defend itself against foreign hackers,” he said. “I object,” repeated Hyde-Smith."
Sunday, July 28, 2019
Mueller made one thing clear: Republicans are a national security threat
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/26/mueller-made-one-thing-clear-republicans-are-a-national-security-threat/?fbclid=IwAR2gq3YrdMeerBRH4KYyIkOAtg171yzGuPWpUCkyIeEYDVFKG7LjNksBcv8
"How did Republicans react to Robert Mueller's testimony? By lying, deflecting and blocking election security bills"
"How did Republicans react to Robert Mueller's testimony? By lying, deflecting and blocking election security bills"
Why McConnell sees election-security safeguards as ‘partisan’
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/why-mcconnell-sees-election-security-safeguards-partisan?fbclid=IwAR1602VPrSff8kESgbjzjZyy1zHgkSvn_VJj_Th41-pjP4xXhxvttK_VZY0
"The Washington Post’s Paul Waldman pulled back the curtain on the Republicans’ motivations. The legislation to which McConnell refers, the one that passed the House, is pretty straightforward. It requires voter-verifiable paper ballots and voting machines that don’t connect directly to the Internet, so that recounts can be done accurately and there’s less vulnerability to hacking. It gives states money to secure their systems. It instructs the Election Assistance Commission to do a study to determine optimal ballot designs to minimize voter confusion and errors. You wouldn’t think there’s anything there that would particularly advantage one party over another. But that’s only if you didn’t know how voting really works in this country. When we’ve reached the point at which Republicans see safeguards protecting the integrity of elections as helping Democrats to an unacceptable degree, something has gone horribly awry."
"The Washington Post’s Paul Waldman pulled back the curtain on the Republicans’ motivations. The legislation to which McConnell refers, the one that passed the House, is pretty straightforward. It requires voter-verifiable paper ballots and voting machines that don’t connect directly to the Internet, so that recounts can be done accurately and there’s less vulnerability to hacking. It gives states money to secure their systems. It instructs the Election Assistance Commission to do a study to determine optimal ballot designs to minimize voter confusion and errors. You wouldn’t think there’s anything there that would particularly advantage one party over another. But that’s only if you didn’t know how voting really works in this country. When we’ve reached the point at which Republicans see safeguards protecting the integrity of elections as helping Democrats to an unacceptable degree, something has gone horribly awry."
We're Supposed to Believe the Russians Hacked Into Voting Systems But Did Nothing Once They Got There?
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a28517486/russia-hack-election-systems-all-50-states/?fbclid=IwAR0IWEh0drJ3RhSbhL_sIwZl7HHe25xDOHYV_9GbToD546J8KQg_IIu-_zs
"From The New York Times: The Senate Intelligence Committee concluded Thursday that election systems in all 50 states were targeted by Russia in 2016, largely undetected by the states and federal officials at the time, but at the demand of American intelligence agencies the committee was forced to redact its findings so heavily that key lessons for the 2020 election are blacked out. Wonderful. While details of many of the hackings directed by Russian intelligence, particularly in Illinois and Arizona, are well known, the committee’s report describes a Russian intelligence effort more far-reaching than the federal government has previously acknowledged. It concluded that while there is no evidence that any votes were changed in actual voting machines, “Russian cyberactors were in a position to delete or change voter data” in the Illinois voter database. The committee found no evidence that they did so. While the report is not directly critical of either American intelligence agencies or the states, it described what amounted to a cascading intelligence failure, in which the scope of the Russian effort was underestimated, warnings to the states were too muted, and state officials either underreacted or, in some cases, resisted federal efforts to offer help. Remember when we were all told that it was only a couple of precincts, then a couple of cities, then a couple of states? Remember when it was just data? Now, as far as we can read between the blacked-out lines, we are being asked to believe that the Russian ratfckers could have deleted "voter data," that they "were in a position" to jack around with it, but, having achieved this monumental intelligence triumph, they didn't do anything with it? Does that dog even look like it's hunting any more?"
"From The New York Times: The Senate Intelligence Committee concluded Thursday that election systems in all 50 states were targeted by Russia in 2016, largely undetected by the states and federal officials at the time, but at the demand of American intelligence agencies the committee was forced to redact its findings so heavily that key lessons for the 2020 election are blacked out. Wonderful. While details of many of the hackings directed by Russian intelligence, particularly in Illinois and Arizona, are well known, the committee’s report describes a Russian intelligence effort more far-reaching than the federal government has previously acknowledged. It concluded that while there is no evidence that any votes were changed in actual voting machines, “Russian cyberactors were in a position to delete or change voter data” in the Illinois voter database. The committee found no evidence that they did so. While the report is not directly critical of either American intelligence agencies or the states, it described what amounted to a cascading intelligence failure, in which the scope of the Russian effort was underestimated, warnings to the states were too muted, and state officials either underreacted or, in some cases, resisted federal efforts to offer help. Remember when we were all told that it was only a couple of precincts, then a couple of cities, then a couple of states? Remember when it was just data? Now, as far as we can read between the blacked-out lines, we are being asked to believe that the Russian ratfckers could have deleted "voter data," that they "were in a position" to jack around with it, but, having achieved this monumental intelligence triumph, they didn't do anything with it? Does that dog even look like it's hunting any more?"
Mueller untangles the Russia web: Trump's not the only Republican to welcome election meddling
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/26/mueller-untangles-the-russia-web-trumps-not-the-only-politician-to-welcome-election-meddling/?fbclid=IwAR1GCoHZZCdiPS-MGihpogAHLXiQ9JPLHvSLdIOZYSoL3sIkpLgao1jzBGE
"Immediately after the hearing Republicans blocked two bipartisan election security bills that would require campaigns to alert the FBI and Federal Election Commission about foreign offers of assistance. On Thursday, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell blocked two more, one to require a paper ballot back-up and the other to fund the Election Assistance Commission saying that Democrats wanted to give themselves a "political benefit" which is actually true. They would like the benefit of free and fair elections. At this point, it is impossible to ignore the fact that Donald Trump isn't the only politician willing to accept foreign interference in our elections. The entire Republican Party now welcomes it as well."
"Immediately after the hearing Republicans blocked two bipartisan election security bills that would require campaigns to alert the FBI and Federal Election Commission about foreign offers of assistance. On Thursday, Senate Majority leader Mitch McConnell blocked two more, one to require a paper ballot back-up and the other to fund the Election Assistance Commission saying that Democrats wanted to give themselves a "political benefit" which is actually true. They would like the benefit of free and fair elections. At this point, it is impossible to ignore the fact that Donald Trump isn't the only politician willing to accept foreign interference in our elections. The entire Republican Party now welcomes it as well."
Malcolm Nance Warns Mitch McConnell Is Trying To End Free And Fair Elections In America
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/07/27/nance-warns-mitch-mcconnell-free-fair-elections.html?fbclid=IwAR0mjOqPEq7kCqzs7FWhtPxWd4accHfNrfAhCF09niTFfmVMFiyD86IogB4
"Nance said: You can actually see the political machinations, where one person and a cabal of others are deciding whether American elections from now on or even before will be free and fair. This is not just voter suppression. We may have a circumstance where the electoral process is directly attacked, where foreign actors, whether it is North Korean intelligence, which has very robust cyber warfare capability and it’s in their interest to keep Donald Trump in office, the Chinese or again, Vladimir Putin and his entire Russian organ. The Republican Party defends them. They do not stand for the Constitution of the United States. If they attack this election, it may be the last free and fair election that we go into, which may come out with a corrupt result, which could fracture this nation."
"Nance said: You can actually see the political machinations, where one person and a cabal of others are deciding whether American elections from now on or even before will be free and fair. This is not just voter suppression. We may have a circumstance where the electoral process is directly attacked, where foreign actors, whether it is North Korean intelligence, which has very robust cyber warfare capability and it’s in their interest to keep Donald Trump in office, the Chinese or again, Vladimir Putin and his entire Russian organ. The Republican Party defends them. They do not stand for the Constitution of the United States. If they attack this election, it may be the last free and fair election that we go into, which may come out with a corrupt result, which could fracture this nation."
Russian Twitter trolls stoke anti-immigrant lies ahead of Canadian election
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/28/russian-twitter-trolls-stoke-anti-immigrant-lies-ahead-of-canadian-election_partner/?fbclid=IwAR0HaUmXsxumtksUcXQ-9VhzIDPgI_nBOFiEmY0ASeyZ52raunonbu6F6sE
"The same Russian online troll farm that meddled in the U.S. presidential election has also taken swipes at Canada."
"The same Russian online troll farm that meddled in the U.S. presidential election has also taken swipes at Canada."
Friday, July 26, 2019
Republicans Are Doing a Good Job Blocking Efforts to Fight Russian Meddling in 2020
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/republicans-block-action-to-fight-russian-election-meddling-863864/?fbclid=IwAR1dUbW8r7TpiZAJEKTZp26S8EtQwZBs9m46eqzprwYSBEWNdfBvNERaL9k
"Former special counsel Robert Mueller issued several reminders during his testimony before Congress on Wednesday. Russia wanted to put in Trump in the White House in 2016, he said, which we already knew. We also knew that Trump’s campaign welcomed this help, that Trump made concerted efforts to impede the investigation into the matter, and that, three years later, Russia is still working to interfere in American elections. As Mueller put it Wednesday, it’s happening “as we sit here.” On Thursday, we learned something new: Russia’s interference in the 2016 election involved efforts to hack into the election systems of all 50 states, not just 21, as had previously been reported. The revelation came in the first volume of a heavily redacted bipartisan report released by the Senate Intelligence Committee, which notes that the attempts to hack state election systems went mostly unnoticed by U.S. officials. The committee found no evidence that any votes were changed or that voting machines were manipulated, but wrote that the extent of Russia’s activity against state election infrastructure was “unprecedented.” The report warns that many of the vulnerabilities that left American election systems open to exploitation in 2016 have not been addressed, and that more must be done to safeguard these systems ahead of the 2020 elections. FBI Director Christopher Wray agreed while speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security earlier on Thursday. “We know our adversaries are relentless,” he said. “So are we.” Not so relentless are Republicans in the Senate, who blocked two election security bills and another cybersecurity measure just hours after Mueller’s testimony concluded on Wednesday. The former former bills would require campaigns to notify the FBI and the Federal Election Commission if a foreign entity offered election assistance. In 2016, the Trump campaign did not alert authorities of such offers."
"Former special counsel Robert Mueller issued several reminders during his testimony before Congress on Wednesday. Russia wanted to put in Trump in the White House in 2016, he said, which we already knew. We also knew that Trump’s campaign welcomed this help, that Trump made concerted efforts to impede the investigation into the matter, and that, three years later, Russia is still working to interfere in American elections. As Mueller put it Wednesday, it’s happening “as we sit here.” On Thursday, we learned something new: Russia’s interference in the 2016 election involved efforts to hack into the election systems of all 50 states, not just 21, as had previously been reported. The revelation came in the first volume of a heavily redacted bipartisan report released by the Senate Intelligence Committee, which notes that the attempts to hack state election systems went mostly unnoticed by U.S. officials. The committee found no evidence that any votes were changed or that voting machines were manipulated, but wrote that the extent of Russia’s activity against state election infrastructure was “unprecedented.” The report warns that many of the vulnerabilities that left American election systems open to exploitation in 2016 have not been addressed, and that more must be done to safeguard these systems ahead of the 2020 elections. FBI Director Christopher Wray agreed while speaking at the International Conference on Cyber Security earlier on Thursday. “We know our adversaries are relentless,” he said. “So are we.” Not so relentless are Republicans in the Senate, who blocked two election security bills and another cybersecurity measure just hours after Mueller’s testimony concluded on Wednesday. The former former bills would require campaigns to notify the FBI and the Federal Election Commission if a foreign entity offered election assistance. In 2016, the Trump campaign did not alert authorities of such offers."
Thursday, July 25, 2019
Trump pretends Mueller didn’t say he could face post-presidency charges
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-pretends-mueller-didnt-say-he-could-face-post-presidency-charges?fbclid=IwAR2Mvm5MHfFxZOJK-BFDAEz_-bv79n9n0bphmIzAYNqKPKfYQkqNR_LVS3U
"Trump has been implicated in a variety of alleged crimes, though he’ll apparently be shielded from prosecution so long as he’s in office. If he were to lose in 2020, however, that shield would disappear, and the prospect of an indictment would become quite real. Indeed, by most accounts, the only way for Trump to even try to ensure he faces no criminal liability is for him to remain president for another four years."
"Trump has been implicated in a variety of alleged crimes, though he’ll apparently be shielded from prosecution so long as he’s in office. If he were to lose in 2020, however, that shield would disappear, and the prospect of an indictment would become quite real. Indeed, by most accounts, the only way for Trump to even try to ensure he faces no criminal liability is for him to remain president for another four years."
Mitch McConnell is right. Secure, open elections would elect more Democrats.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2019/07/25/mitch-mcconnell-is-right-secure-open-elections-would-elect-more-democrats/?fbclid=IwAR0CxOieLFVa3GsApDjTBigqCERxbC4hBrYxU-tfrlj-DI9HoouDsfY0Joc&utm_term=.4bbc6c1f79fb
"The legislation to which McConnell refers, the one that passed the House, is pretty straightforward. It requires voter-verifiable paper ballots and voting machines that don’t connect directly to the internet, so that recounts can be done accurately and there’s less vulnerability to hacking. It gives states money to secure their systems. It instructs the Election Assistance Commission to do a study to determine optimal ballot designs to minimize voter confusion and errors. You wouldn’t think there’s anything there that would particularly advantage one party over another. But that’s only if you didn’t know how voting really works in this country. That’s because so much of what plagues our election system works to the advantage of the GOP, in part because their voters tend to be older and wealthier, and in part because of all the effort Republicans have put into erecting obstacles in the path of Democratic-leaning constituencies attempting to vote, not to mention the gerrymandering that makes Republican votes worth more and the electoral college that does the same. And of course, let’s not forget that the leader of the Republican Party said publicly that if a foreign power offered him help in his reelection bid, he’d accept it. Republicans just aren’t willing to impede the progress of any thumb on its way to the electoral scale, especially if the thumb belongs to Vladimir Putin."
"The legislation to which McConnell refers, the one that passed the House, is pretty straightforward. It requires voter-verifiable paper ballots and voting machines that don’t connect directly to the internet, so that recounts can be done accurately and there’s less vulnerability to hacking. It gives states money to secure their systems. It instructs the Election Assistance Commission to do a study to determine optimal ballot designs to minimize voter confusion and errors. You wouldn’t think there’s anything there that would particularly advantage one party over another. But that’s only if you didn’t know how voting really works in this country. That’s because so much of what plagues our election system works to the advantage of the GOP, in part because their voters tend to be older and wealthier, and in part because of all the effort Republicans have put into erecting obstacles in the path of Democratic-leaning constituencies attempting to vote, not to mention the gerrymandering that makes Republican votes worth more and the electoral college that does the same. And of course, let’s not forget that the leader of the Republican Party said publicly that if a foreign power offered him help in his reelection bid, he’d accept it. Republicans just aren’t willing to impede the progress of any thumb on its way to the electoral scale, especially if the thumb belongs to Vladimir Putin."
Even now, GOP stands in the way of new election-security safeguards
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/even-now-gop-stands-the-way-new-election-security-safeguards?fbclid=IwAR395KhkoWbGIm9MMX1JsIOBtfdm88YR8hEaDOoEfyCSS0yi75p0jxeFfM8
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has rejected calls to even allow the upper chamber to vote on the legislation. It was against this backdrop that Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, went to the Senate floor yesterday, seeking unanimous support for a related bill, called the “Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act” (or FIRE Act), which would require campaigns to report attempts at foreign elections interference to the FBI and the FEC. Republicans have blocked this proposal before, and yesterday, they did it again. The context is extraordinary. Not only have lawmakers heard unambiguous warnings from the likes of Coats, Wray, and Mueller, but they also heard Donald Trump tell a national television audience last month that he’d welcome foreign interference in his re-election campaign, laws and patriotic norms be damned."
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has rejected calls to even allow the upper chamber to vote on the legislation. It was against this backdrop that Sen. Mark Warner (D-Va.), the vice chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, went to the Senate floor yesterday, seeking unanimous support for a related bill, called the “Foreign Influence Reporting in Elections Act” (or FIRE Act), which would require campaigns to report attempts at foreign elections interference to the FBI and the FEC. Republicans have blocked this proposal before, and yesterday, they did it again. The context is extraordinary. Not only have lawmakers heard unambiguous warnings from the likes of Coats, Wray, and Mueller, but they also heard Donald Trump tell a national television audience last month that he’d welcome foreign interference in his re-election campaign, laws and patriotic norms be damned."
Trump is Not Alone: Russian Influence Runs Deep
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/7/25/1874298/-Trump-is-Not-Alone-Russian-Influence-Runs-Deep?utm_campaign=trending&fbclid=IwAR3thFqr0TciPPwlVXRxMbsGeuQwlwwAaGNd8DQC3J2IWf1dDHyWOk3P6gE
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has ties to RuSal Russian oil oligarch Oleg Daripaska. He also is tight with Len Blatatnik, whose Access Industries dropped on McConnell SuperPAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, run by his former Chief of Staff, a whopping $3,500,000, including $2,500,000 in 2016, and $1,000,000 in 2017. Mike Pence has been getting money out of the Russians, by way of their money laundering operations through Russian religious organizations that run money to American right-wing evangelical religious groups, The Economist noted in 2017."
"Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has ties to RuSal Russian oil oligarch Oleg Daripaska. He also is tight with Len Blatatnik, whose Access Industries dropped on McConnell SuperPAC, the Senate Leadership Fund, run by his former Chief of Staff, a whopping $3,500,000, including $2,500,000 in 2016, and $1,000,000 in 2017. Mike Pence has been getting money out of the Russians, by way of their money laundering operations through Russian religious organizations that run money to American right-wing evangelical religious groups, The Economist noted in 2017."
Lock Him Up? Mueller’s Testimony Emphasizes the Seriousness of Trump’s Alleged Crimes
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-prison-after-office-mueller-863027/?fbclid=IwAR0FntpURRdX_cL_DP1HDIrILHv32nkwr2mvgzkcpdKf-MYisUaMUv8qgaQ
"Mueller’s testimony Wednesday made clear that — absent the unique complications presented by wrongdoing committed by sitting president — America would be weighing whether or not to, well, Lock Him Up. For Trump, the threat of prosecution upon his return to civilian life ratchets up the stakes of the 2020 campaign. The statute of limitation on obstruction of justice charges, as Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) made plain in the day’s second Mueller hearing, is only five years. That means if Trump were to secure a second term, his eight years in office, under the protection of the OLC memo, would place him beyond the reach of the law."
"Mueller’s testimony Wednesday made clear that — absent the unique complications presented by wrongdoing committed by sitting president — America would be weighing whether or not to, well, Lock Him Up. For Trump, the threat of prosecution upon his return to civilian life ratchets up the stakes of the 2020 campaign. The statute of limitation on obstruction of justice charges, as Rep. Mike Quigley (D-IL) made plain in the day’s second Mueller hearing, is only five years. That means if Trump were to secure a second term, his eight years in office, under the protection of the OLC memo, would place him beyond the reach of the law."
Wednesday, July 24, 2019
House Intelligence Chairman Blasts Trump’s “Disloyalty to Country”
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/house-intelligence-chairman-blasts-trumps-disloyalty-to-country/?fbclid=IwAR00rhFUSgR0UAAD2swxWc6_m3jWwKj_MthLaavYlxuZ-6gB95WipvAxEdA
"House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) offered a striking review of President Donald Trump at the hearing with Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday, accusing him of “something worse” than criminality: “Disloyalty to country.” “Your investigation determined that the Trump campaign—including Trump himself—knew that a foreign power was intervening in our election and welcomed it, built Russian meddling into their strategy, and used it,” Schiff said in his opening statement in the second of two hearings where the former special counsel appeared."
"House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) offered a striking review of President Donald Trump at the hearing with Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Wednesday, accusing him of “something worse” than criminality: “Disloyalty to country.” “Your investigation determined that the Trump campaign—including Trump himself—knew that a foreign power was intervening in our election and welcomed it, built Russian meddling into their strategy, and used it,” Schiff said in his opening statement in the second of two hearings where the former special counsel appeared."
New York congressman gets to the heart of why Trump’s refusal to testify mattered
https://thinkprogress.org/new-york-congressman-gets-to-the-heart-of-why-trumps-refusal-to-testify-mattered-d962b396f958/?fbclid=IwAR3iavImKpxSI19suBACUenOcEmfWIcC9yXCEVeaosGEJ5Kp8HEf7-FZ1RM
"Mueller’s final report, made public in April, detailed at least 10 instances of possible obstruction involving Trump as well as numerous ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the president has claimed repeatedly that he cooperated with Mueller throughout the investigation and did not impede his work, Mueller himself has said this is untrue. In addition to his multiple attempts to oust Mueller from his role as special counsel, Trump also stonewalled Mueller’s team repeatedly refusing to be interviewed and opting instead to answer a series of written questions. Those responses, Mueller noted in his report, were mostly “inadequate.” “The written responses, we informed counsel, ‘demonstrate the inadequacy of the written format, as we have had no opportunity to ask followup questions that would ensure complete answers and potentially refresh your client ‘s recollection or clarify the extent or nature of his lack of recollection’,” Mueller wrote in an appendix. He noted that Trump had “stated on more than 30 occasions that he does not “recall” or “remember” or have an “independent recollection”‘ of information called for by the questions.” In his testimony Wednesday, Mueller reiterated this point, saying that Trump’s written responses were “not as useful as the interview would be.” Pressed further by Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), Mueller also agreed that Trump’s answers had been unhelpful because they were not always “truthful"."
"Mueller’s final report, made public in April, detailed at least 10 instances of possible obstruction involving Trump as well as numerous ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Though the president has claimed repeatedly that he cooperated with Mueller throughout the investigation and did not impede his work, Mueller himself has said this is untrue. In addition to his multiple attempts to oust Mueller from his role as special counsel, Trump also stonewalled Mueller’s team repeatedly refusing to be interviewed and opting instead to answer a series of written questions. Those responses, Mueller noted in his report, were mostly “inadequate.” “The written responses, we informed counsel, ‘demonstrate the inadequacy of the written format, as we have had no opportunity to ask followup questions that would ensure complete answers and potentially refresh your client ‘s recollection or clarify the extent or nature of his lack of recollection’,” Mueller wrote in an appendix. He noted that Trump had “stated on more than 30 occasions that he does not “recall” or “remember” or have an “independent recollection”‘ of information called for by the questions.” In his testimony Wednesday, Mueller reiterated this point, saying that Trump’s written responses were “not as useful as the interview would be.” Pressed further by Rep. Val Demings (D-FL), Mueller also agreed that Trump’s answers had been unhelpful because they were not always “truthful"."
In testimony, Mueller discredits key Trump talking points
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/testimony-mueller-discredits-key-trump-talking-points?fbclid=IwAR3hS4dTnTtVPE2SPq5qSzoyJu46d2pP9rOL-qrFlcLQ7y_H-5x_lCIlLjw
"For good measure, Mueller made clear, in case there were any lingering doubts, that Russia targeted American elections because it wanted the Republican ticket to win."
"For good measure, Mueller made clear, in case there were any lingering doubts, that Russia targeted American elections because it wanted the Republican ticket to win."
Mueller Has Provided Congress With Everything It Needs to Impeach Trump
https://www.thenation.com/article/mueller-report-trump-testimony-impeachment/?fbclid=IwAR12dZXUAHGbGidG1_RKN1fy4zIXHz9QL-cXg2O0O84MfGB-fF7qGXf-9V8
"Nadler elicited responses from the special counsel that can and should figure in articles of impeachment that would target Trump’s lawless acts but that would echo those approved by a previous Judiciary Committee that targeted former President Richard Nixon. To wit: NADLER: Director Mueller, the president has repeatedly claimed your report found there was no obstruction and completely and totally exonerated him. That is not what your report said, is it? MUELLER: Correct, not what the report said. NADLER: You wrote: “If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are not able to reach that judgment.” Does that say there was no obstruction? MUELLER: No. Nadler pursued the matter further, asking, “Can you explain what that finding means so the American people can understand?” Mueller replied, “The finding indicates that the president was not exonerated for the act he allegedly committed.” That may not have been a revelation for Americans who read the Mueller report. But it was a conclusion that was so jarring, when stated by a veteran investigator and prosecutor, that Nadler sought a final confirmation of the special counsel’s determination. “In fact,” said Nadler, “you were talking about incidents in which the president sought to use this official power outside of usual channels to exert undue influence over your investigations. Is that right?” “Correct,” replied Mueller."
"Nadler elicited responses from the special counsel that can and should figure in articles of impeachment that would target Trump’s lawless acts but that would echo those approved by a previous Judiciary Committee that targeted former President Richard Nixon. To wit: NADLER: Director Mueller, the president has repeatedly claimed your report found there was no obstruction and completely and totally exonerated him. That is not what your report said, is it? MUELLER: Correct, not what the report said. NADLER: You wrote: “If we had confidence after a thorough investigation of the facts that the president clearly did not commit obstruction of justice, we would so state. Based on the facts and the applicable legal standards, we are not able to reach that judgment.” Does that say there was no obstruction? MUELLER: No. Nadler pursued the matter further, asking, “Can you explain what that finding means so the American people can understand?” Mueller replied, “The finding indicates that the president was not exonerated for the act he allegedly committed.” That may not have been a revelation for Americans who read the Mueller report. But it was a conclusion that was so jarring, when stated by a veteran investigator and prosecutor, that Nadler sought a final confirmation of the special counsel’s determination. “In fact,” said Nadler, “you were talking about incidents in which the president sought to use this official power outside of usual channels to exert undue influence over your investigations. Is that right?” “Correct,” replied Mueller."
Trump Moves To Preempt NY State Tax Return Request
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/trump-tax-return-new-york-state-emergency-stop?fbclid=IwAR0ZrusUq1Y-C6PddbA4QXb5TRgv2QIAWk4GIIxugSRlIWrDo4oxdiiZzcY
"In the President’s latest attempt to throw everything against the wall and see what sticks in his war against Congressional oversight of any form, President Trump is seeking an emergency, immediate court order from a D.C. federal judge to prevent Congress from obtaining his tax information, according to a Wednesday court filing."
"In the President’s latest attempt to throw everything against the wall and see what sticks in his war against Congressional oversight of any form, President Trump is seeking an emergency, immediate court order from a D.C. federal judge to prevent Congress from obtaining his tax information, according to a Wednesday court filing."
Adam Schiff Used Mueller to Paint a Damning Portrait of Trump’s Russia Connections
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/watch-adam-schiff-robert-mueller-testimony-863098/?fbclid=IwAR0YKSyLuqXpDWbFb_aRI2WJMbKd9MJFPG3SH8OIw6hap31mx-T1Dg7PJ6Y
"Here’s a list of statements Mueller affirmed as accurate: Russia engaged in a sweeping and systematic effort to influence the 2016 election. Russia reached out to the Trump campaign as they were trying to accomplish this. The Trump campaign welcomed help from Russia. Donald Trump Jr. said the campaign would “love” dirt on Hillary Clinton provided by Russia. Trump called on Russia to hack Clinton’s emails. Trump praised Russia’s release of the Democratic emails hacked by WikiLeaks. Trump’s campaign based a messaging strategy around the hacked materials. Members of the Trump campaign were trying to enrich themselves personally during the campaign and transition. Paul Manafort was trying to achieve debt forgiveness from a Russia oligarch. Michael Flynn was trying to make money from Turkey. Trump was trying to make money from a Trump Tower in Moscow. Numerous Trump associates lied about this, including Flynn, Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Cohen, and George Papadopolous. Manafort encouraged others to lie. Mueller’s investigation was not a “witch hunt,” as Trump has claimed. Russian interference was not a “hoax,” as Trump has claimed. Russia wanted Trump to win the election. Russia informed Trump campaign officials of this intention. Russia committed federal crimes in order to help Trump win. The Trump campaign lied to cover up their dealings with Russia during the campaign."
"Here’s a list of statements Mueller affirmed as accurate: Russia engaged in a sweeping and systematic effort to influence the 2016 election. Russia reached out to the Trump campaign as they were trying to accomplish this. The Trump campaign welcomed help from Russia. Donald Trump Jr. said the campaign would “love” dirt on Hillary Clinton provided by Russia. Trump called on Russia to hack Clinton’s emails. Trump praised Russia’s release of the Democratic emails hacked by WikiLeaks. Trump’s campaign based a messaging strategy around the hacked materials. Members of the Trump campaign were trying to enrich themselves personally during the campaign and transition. Paul Manafort was trying to achieve debt forgiveness from a Russia oligarch. Michael Flynn was trying to make money from Turkey. Trump was trying to make money from a Trump Tower in Moscow. Numerous Trump associates lied about this, including Flynn, Manafort, Rick Gates, Michael Cohen, and George Papadopolous. Manafort encouraged others to lie. Mueller’s investigation was not a “witch hunt,” as Trump has claimed. Russian interference was not a “hoax,” as Trump has claimed. Russia wanted Trump to win the election. Russia informed Trump campaign officials of this intention. Russia committed federal crimes in order to help Trump win. The Trump campaign lied to cover up their dealings with Russia during the campaign."
Mueller Tells Congress: FBI ‘Currently’ Looking Into Issues of Trump Team Blackmail
https://www.thedailybeast.com/mueller-tells-congress-fbi-currently-looking-into-issues-of-trump-blackmail?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR3cRArR78iqz1NnvpKd-9EmJsZR7OMUf1rR0AB6thDkM_1qSTLXCXnG8zQ
"The Illinois lawmaker then noted that Mueller had charged former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn with making false statements about his conversations with Russian officials. “Since it was outside the purview of your investigation, your report did not address how Flynn’s false statements could pose a national security risk, because the Russians knew the falsity of those statements, right?” Krishnamoorthi wondered. “I cannot get into that, mainly because there are many elements that the FBI are looking into different aspects of that issue,” Mueller said in response. “Currently?” Krishnamoorthi quizzically replied. “Currently,” the one-time FBI chief confirmed."
"The Illinois lawmaker then noted that Mueller had charged former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn with making false statements about his conversations with Russian officials. “Since it was outside the purview of your investigation, your report did not address how Flynn’s false statements could pose a national security risk, because the Russians knew the falsity of those statements, right?” Krishnamoorthi wondered. “I cannot get into that, mainly because there are many elements that the FBI are looking into different aspects of that issue,” Mueller said in response. “Currently?” Krishnamoorthi quizzically replied. “Currently,” the one-time FBI chief confirmed."
6 reasons why Robert Mueller’s testimony was devastating for President Trump
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/24/6-reasons-why-robert-muellers-testimony-was-devastating-for-president-trump_partner/?fbclid=IwAR3n3MFLGN7o3sW1OPNl8LPc_g22sG581q-jmIBEKrGIvQIyLHpQYHZIx6k
"He refuted Trump’s claims about exoneration — and confirmed he'd likely have been charged if he weren't president"
"He refuted Trump’s claims about exoneration — and confirmed he'd likely have been charged if he weren't president"
READ: Adam Schiff’s Devastating Indictment Of Trump’s ‘Disloyalty To Country’
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/read-adam-schiffs-devastating-indictment-of-trumps-disloyalty-to-country?fbclid=IwAR0SuhCj-5yi2YPnX_BYeJWloPx063Nl3zGGh2JxIPdKxcZfIC20HknTCkE
"This also a story about money, about greed and corruption, about the leadership of a campaign willing to compromise the nation’s interest not only to win, but to make money at the same time. About a campaign chairman indebted to pro-Russian interests who tried to use his position to clear his debts and make millions. About a national security advisor using his position to make money from still other foreign interests. And about a candidate trying to make more money than all of them, through a real estate project that to him, was worth a fortune, hundreds of millions of dollars, and the realization of a lifelong ambition – a Trump Tower in the heart of Moscow. A candidate who, in fact, viewed his whole campaign as the greatest infomercial in history. Donald Trump and his senior staff were not alone in their desire to use the election to make money. For Russia, too, there was a powerful financial motive. Putin wanted relief from U.S. economic sanctions imposed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and over human rights violations. The secret Trump Tower meeting between the Russians and senior campaign officials was about sanctions. The secret conversations between Flynn and the Russian ambassador were about sanctions. Trump and his team wanted more money for themselves, and the Russians wanted more money for themselves, and for their oligarchs. But the story doesn’t end here either. For your report also tells a story about lies. Lots of lies. Lies about a gleaming tower in Moscow and lies about talks with the Kremlin. Lies about the firing of FBI Director James Comey, and lies about efforts to fire you, Mr. Mueller, and lies to cover it up. Lies about secret negotiations with the Russians over sanctions and lies about Wikileaks. Lies about polling data and lies about hush money payments. Lies about meetings in the Seychelles to set up secret back channels, and lies about a secret meeting in New York Trump Tower. Lies to the FBI, lies to your staff, and lies to our Committee."
"This also a story about money, about greed and corruption, about the leadership of a campaign willing to compromise the nation’s interest not only to win, but to make money at the same time. About a campaign chairman indebted to pro-Russian interests who tried to use his position to clear his debts and make millions. About a national security advisor using his position to make money from still other foreign interests. And about a candidate trying to make more money than all of them, through a real estate project that to him, was worth a fortune, hundreds of millions of dollars, and the realization of a lifelong ambition – a Trump Tower in the heart of Moscow. A candidate who, in fact, viewed his whole campaign as the greatest infomercial in history. Donald Trump and his senior staff were not alone in their desire to use the election to make money. For Russia, too, there was a powerful financial motive. Putin wanted relief from U.S. economic sanctions imposed in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and over human rights violations. The secret Trump Tower meeting between the Russians and senior campaign officials was about sanctions. The secret conversations between Flynn and the Russian ambassador were about sanctions. Trump and his team wanted more money for themselves, and the Russians wanted more money for themselves, and for their oligarchs. But the story doesn’t end here either. For your report also tells a story about lies. Lots of lies. Lies about a gleaming tower in Moscow and lies about talks with the Kremlin. Lies about the firing of FBI Director James Comey, and lies about efforts to fire you, Mr. Mueller, and lies to cover it up. Lies about secret negotiations with the Russians over sanctions and lies about Wikileaks. Lies about polling data and lies about hush money payments. Lies about meetings in the Seychelles to set up secret back channels, and lies about a secret meeting in New York Trump Tower. Lies to the FBI, lies to your staff, and lies to our Committee."
Mueller Reminds the Public: Trump Betrayed the United States
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/mueller-reminds-the-public-trump-betrayed-the-united-states/?fbclid=IwAR3Obvz2fy2VMwQktz0TcQz60-ksbUm5R-UkrfgqGVtDipb6s801xpRRqdE
"In his opening statement, Mueller emphasized the key finding from his report: “The Russian government interfered in our election in sweeping and systematic fashion.” And during the questioning, Mueller repeated the conclusion previously reached by the US intelligence community that Russia conducted this covert operation to help Trump get elected. “Did your investigation find that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from one of the candidates winning?” Mueller was asked by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). He replied with one word: “Yes.” Lofgren followed up: “And which candidate would that be?” Mueller responded, “Well, it would be Trump.” So Russia attacked an American election to help Trump. And what did Trump do? “The Trump campaign wasn’t exactly reluctant to take Russian help,” Lofgren remarked to Mueller. “You wrote it expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, isn’t that correct.” Mueller answered with another brief sentence: “That’s correct.” That is, Trump sought to exploit a foreign adversary’s clandestine assault. And as Mueller noted in his report, during the campaign Trump dismissed the notion that Russia was intervening in the election, and after he was elected he continued to deny “that Russia aided his election.” For a moment, put aside the question of collusion. (Despite Trump’s insistence that Mueller found no collusion, Mueller testified that “we did not address collusion,” but rather the issue of criminal conspiracy.) And consider the story so far: Russia attacked, and Trump denied the attack happened—which provided cover for Moscow—yet attempted to benefit from it. This is a profound act of betrayal. It is the essence of the scandal: A presidential candidate aiding and abetting an assault on the United States. And Trump’s denials of the Russian operation during the campaign and his public statement asking Russian hackers to target Hillary Clinton could certainly have been read by Moscow as encouragement."
"In his opening statement, Mueller emphasized the key finding from his report: “The Russian government interfered in our election in sweeping and systematic fashion.” And during the questioning, Mueller repeated the conclusion previously reached by the US intelligence community that Russia conducted this covert operation to help Trump get elected. “Did your investigation find that the Russian government perceived it would benefit from one of the candidates winning?” Mueller was asked by Rep. Zoe Lofgren (D-Calif.). He replied with one word: “Yes.” Lofgren followed up: “And which candidate would that be?” Mueller responded, “Well, it would be Trump.” So Russia attacked an American election to help Trump. And what did Trump do? “The Trump campaign wasn’t exactly reluctant to take Russian help,” Lofgren remarked to Mueller. “You wrote it expected it would benefit electorally from information stolen and released through Russian efforts, isn’t that correct.” Mueller answered with another brief sentence: “That’s correct.” That is, Trump sought to exploit a foreign adversary’s clandestine assault. And as Mueller noted in his report, during the campaign Trump dismissed the notion that Russia was intervening in the election, and after he was elected he continued to deny “that Russia aided his election.” For a moment, put aside the question of collusion. (Despite Trump’s insistence that Mueller found no collusion, Mueller testified that “we did not address collusion,” but rather the issue of criminal conspiracy.) And consider the story so far: Russia attacked, and Trump denied the attack happened—which provided cover for Moscow—yet attempted to benefit from it. This is a profound act of betrayal. It is the essence of the scandal: A presidential candidate aiding and abetting an assault on the United States. And Trump’s denials of the Russian operation during the campaign and his public statement asking Russian hackers to target Hillary Clinton could certainly have been read by Moscow as encouragement."
Three Ways Mueller Says Trump Is Lying
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/three-ways-mueller-says-trump-lying/594631/?fbclid=IwAR3MkwMmMg9E0l4yVfxgeTU2ETjYhfmCJzCcRVVRoqb94U8ZjVgMnF0Yp1g
"Despite what Trump has repeatedly said, the report does not exonerate him. And while Mueller has been forced into semantic linguistics to avoid saying what is clear, his report laid out in great detail multiple examples where Trump met the three-prong test for obstruction of justice. But Mueller said in his report, and again today, that he had decided at the outset of his investigation that he would not bring charges against Trump regardless of evidence, because of Justice Department guidance that says a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime."
"Despite what Trump has repeatedly said, the report does not exonerate him. And while Mueller has been forced into semantic linguistics to avoid saying what is clear, his report laid out in great detail multiple examples where Trump met the three-prong test for obstruction of justice. But Mueller said in his report, and again today, that he had decided at the outset of his investigation that he would not bring charges against Trump regardless of evidence, because of Justice Department guidance that says a sitting president cannot be charged with a crime."
The President* Is a Crook and Everyone in Congress Knows It
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a28496494/robert-mueller-testify-donald-trump-crook/?fbclid=IwAR1dzAzaGE-bQhaB6UeazfVIQDJmPD7qhDomHR5uLaEKwhqyZnPtSOh9wXs
"In the first of his two appearances before congressional committees on Wednesday, former special counsel Robert Mueller testified that a) he didn't indict the president* on obstruction at least partly due to that godawful Office of Legal Counsel opinion that a sitting president cannot be indicted, an opinion that should be burned and have its ashes scattered on Sam Ervin's grave; b) that a president*—like, say, this one—can be indicted once he leaves office, thereby implying that there is something there for which he could be indicted; c) that his report did not exonerate the president*; d) that there was a concerted effort on behalf of the White House to hamstring his investigation into the Russian ratfcking of the 2016 presidential election; and e) that Russia definitively wanted the president* to become the president*. And, remarkably, two of these statements came as answers to Republican senators."
"In the first of his two appearances before congressional committees on Wednesday, former special counsel Robert Mueller testified that a) he didn't indict the president* on obstruction at least partly due to that godawful Office of Legal Counsel opinion that a sitting president cannot be indicted, an opinion that should be burned and have its ashes scattered on Sam Ervin's grave; b) that a president*—like, say, this one—can be indicted once he leaves office, thereby implying that there is something there for which he could be indicted; c) that his report did not exonerate the president*; d) that there was a concerted effort on behalf of the White House to hamstring his investigation into the Russian ratfcking of the 2016 presidential election; and e) that Russia definitively wanted the president* to become the president*. And, remarkably, two of these statements came as answers to Republican senators."
From Jeffrey Epstein to Donald Trump, Deutsche Bank Protected Wealthy Clients
https://www.thedailybeast.com/from-jeffrey-epstein-to-donald-trump-deutsche-bank-protected-wealthy-clients?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR2onxs1I76jLgZLu_Lm3D6BmxZsnecnYuBi0pr5g-XZAjq4jjAY_QuNci4
"This wasn’t the first time Deutsche Bank management overruled their frontline anti-money laundering (AML) personnel. The New York Times reported that AML specialists employed at Deutsche Bank identified multiple suspicious financial transactions during 2016 and 2017 entered into by entities connected to Donald Trump and Jared Kushner, and that they reported these transactions to management for the purpose of filing Suspicious Activity Reports with FinCEN. According to five sources, the Times reported, management declined to process and forward the prepared SARs to the Treasury Department as part of the bank’s anti-money laundering protocol. This was an AML protocol mandated by the authorities after substantive fines (almost $1 billion) were imposed on Deutsche for their ineffective compliance efforts relative to the so-called “mirror trades,” which laundered $10 billion out of Russia."
"This wasn’t the first time Deutsche Bank management overruled their frontline anti-money laundering (AML) personnel. The New York Times reported that AML specialists employed at Deutsche Bank identified multiple suspicious financial transactions during 2016 and 2017 entered into by entities connected to Donald Trump and Jared Kushner, and that they reported these transactions to management for the purpose of filing Suspicious Activity Reports with FinCEN. According to five sources, the Times reported, management declined to process and forward the prepared SARs to the Treasury Department as part of the bank’s anti-money laundering protocol. This was an AML protocol mandated by the authorities after substantive fines (almost $1 billion) were imposed on Deutsche for their ineffective compliance efforts relative to the so-called “mirror trades,” which laundered $10 billion out of Russia."
Robert Mueller Says Trump Is Lying About His Report
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/robert-mueller-says-trump-is-lying-about-his-report/?fbclid=IwAR2FacbAb0DV7734hLs6rJRn3Nvvt2qmiCRCVwOINSUnzSzCm-2cBzeR0bg
"Mueller has said this before, both in his report and in a brief public statement in May. But his clear and succinct responses Wednesday represented another blow to the president’s chief talking point when it comes to the scandal—that the absence of criminal charges in the Mueller report amounted to total exoneration. As Mueller has noted, longstanding Justice Department guidelines protect the president from being indicted on federal charges."
"Mueller has said this before, both in his report and in a brief public statement in May. But his clear and succinct responses Wednesday represented another blow to the president’s chief talking point when it comes to the scandal—that the absence of criminal charges in the Mueller report amounted to total exoneration. As Mueller has noted, longstanding Justice Department guidelines protect the president from being indicted on federal charges."
Ahead of Mueller Testimony, Trump Says Constitution Gives Him “the Right to Do Whatever I Want as President”
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/07/trump-mueller-constitution-obstruction-article-2-executive-authority.html?fbclid=IwAR0apNAhALC-CDRbYxmSjKh74yOS3RVnT0X9-zDKu0LxmxsUz6vDhB6PPx0
"Article II of the Constitution grants the president executive authority and outlines certain congressional powers, but stops well short of, you know, empowering the president to do whatever he or she wants. Obviously. That’s not how laws work or how constitutions work, but it is how Trump thinks and talks. The problem is when the thinking and talking makes its way into doing."
"Article II of the Constitution grants the president executive authority and outlines certain congressional powers, but stops well short of, you know, empowering the president to do whatever he or she wants. Obviously. That’s not how laws work or how constitutions work, but it is how Trump thinks and talks. The problem is when the thinking and talking makes its way into doing."
Trump: India Asked Me to Mediate Kashmir Conflict. India: No, We Didn’t.
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/trump-india-wants-me-to-mediate-kashmir-india-no-we-dont.html?fbclid=IwAR0jhBU8P3wXfqBUQu7fvJdc18txw9HHnpRasK8ee3WCiygdNB-i6yBT5e8
"President Trump today announced, in a meeting with Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi had invited him to mediate the subject. India heatedly denied having extended such an offer, having long maintained that it will not accept outside mediation. With Khan beside him, Trump shared his alleged private conversation with Modi. “He actually said, ‘Would you like to be a mediator or arbiter?’ I said, ‘Where?’ He said, ‘Kashmir.’ Because this has been going on for many, many years. I was surprised at how long. It’s been going on a long —” Khan gently reminded him, “Seventy years.” So according to Trump, Modi offered to have Trump be a mediator for India’s conflict with Pakistan despite both India’s longstanding opposition to such a negotiation and Trump’s obvious unfamiliarity with the issue. Indeed, according to the president’s own account, he had no idea how long the conflict had even been going on. But maybe Modi decided that what he needed to settle his highly delicate, decades-long, blood-soaked international rivalry was the intervention of an erratic narcissist who probably couldn’t locate the disputed territory on a map."
"President Trump today announced, in a meeting with Pakistani prime minister Imran Khan, that Indian prime minister Narendra Modi had invited him to mediate the subject. India heatedly denied having extended such an offer, having long maintained that it will not accept outside mediation. With Khan beside him, Trump shared his alleged private conversation with Modi. “He actually said, ‘Would you like to be a mediator or arbiter?’ I said, ‘Where?’ He said, ‘Kashmir.’ Because this has been going on for many, many years. I was surprised at how long. It’s been going on a long —” Khan gently reminded him, “Seventy years.” So according to Trump, Modi offered to have Trump be a mediator for India’s conflict with Pakistan despite both India’s longstanding opposition to such a negotiation and Trump’s obvious unfamiliarity with the issue. Indeed, according to the president’s own account, he had no idea how long the conflict had even been going on. But maybe Modi decided that what he needed to settle his highly delicate, decades-long, blood-soaked international rivalry was the intervention of an erratic narcissist who probably couldn’t locate the disputed territory on a map."
FBI Director Wray: Russia intent on interfering with U.S. elections
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-security/fbi-director-wray-russia-intent-on-interfering-with-u-s-elections-idUSKCN1UI1XW?fbclid=IwAR2BRfZyWG2YlMUzvw-m-E4mcdFJmIJNdtV5BX9qTYcTPAU2ZlfK-B-o-kk
"Mueller’s investigation disclosed an elaborate campaign of hacking and propaganda during the 2016 presidential race and resulted in indictments that charged 25 Russian individuals and three Russian companies. The United States has imposed election-related sanctions on Russian oligarchs and military intelligence officials and there is a push for legislation threatening tougher sanctions in the U.S. Congress. The Russia investigation cast a shadow over Trump’s White House tenure and the president has repeatedly downplayed the Kremlin’s role in trying to help him win. At last year’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, he sided with Moscow over U.S. intelligence agencies. In his most recent meeting with the Russian leader, in June, Trump appeared to make light of the issue, wagging his finger at the laughing Russian leader as he said, “Don’t meddle in the election, please"."
"Mueller’s investigation disclosed an elaborate campaign of hacking and propaganda during the 2016 presidential race and resulted in indictments that charged 25 Russian individuals and three Russian companies. The United States has imposed election-related sanctions on Russian oligarchs and military intelligence officials and there is a push for legislation threatening tougher sanctions in the U.S. Congress. The Russia investigation cast a shadow over Trump’s White House tenure and the president has repeatedly downplayed the Kremlin’s role in trying to help him win. At last year’s summit with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Helsinki, he sided with Moscow over U.S. intelligence agencies. In his most recent meeting with the Russian leader, in June, Trump appeared to make light of the issue, wagging his finger at the laughing Russian leader as he said, “Don’t meddle in the election, please"."
READ: House Emoluments Probe Heats Up With Demand For Mar-a-Lago Docs
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/read-house-emoluments-probe-heats-up-with-demand-for-mar-a-lago-docs?fbclid=IwAR1poTmFENtJ1ARxwiddE2YwVhrQqKjV8J-iFOch9D06PZ07VdfLHewq_yM
"Committee Chair Eliot Engel (D-NY) asked the State Department to provide the panel with correspondence with Trump-owned entities, billing records and invoices, reimbursement forms, and records relating to whether a “dedicated Department credit card” has been used at any Trump-owned entity. “I am concerned over multiple reports that the State Department has been spending tens of thousands of U.S. taxpayer dollars that end up in the pocket of President Trump, in possible violation of the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution,” the letter reads. The domestic emoluments clause forbids the president from receiving additional compensation from the state or federal government beyond the salary set by Congress."
"Committee Chair Eliot Engel (D-NY) asked the State Department to provide the panel with correspondence with Trump-owned entities, billing records and invoices, reimbursement forms, and records relating to whether a “dedicated Department credit card” has been used at any Trump-owned entity. “I am concerned over multiple reports that the State Department has been spending tens of thousands of U.S. taxpayer dollars that end up in the pocket of President Trump, in possible violation of the Domestic Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution,” the letter reads. The domestic emoluments clause forbids the president from receiving additional compensation from the state or federal government beyond the salary set by Congress."
Republicans Embrace Fake News to Cover for Trump
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/07/republicans-lies-trump-racist-attacks-squad.html?fbclid=IwAR0IQCU_eiqY_QAYjel5r1lxnwHqQFedlLfcEnDrvov9Iv7WJrXQlR9B-PQ
"There’s nothing new about Trump telling lies. What’s new is the boldness with which the rest of Trump’s party is embracing his practice of complete fabrication."
"There’s nothing new about Trump telling lies. What’s new is the boldness with which the rest of Trump’s party is embracing his practice of complete fabrication."
Trump gives up the game, claims the Constitution allows him to do whatever he wants
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-believes-the-constitution-gives-him-the-right-to-do-whatever-i-want-as-president-4018da3ed988/?fbclid=IwAR1oidWWAnoYyYWQibYFK4o2A9WVtMthnXuswd_EWtJFiUF9xAHmqb6rf0s
"In recent months, the president has ramped up his rhetoric on the topic, signaling both his misunderstanding of the executive powers outlined in the Constitution as well as his intent to abuse them."
"In recent months, the president has ramped up his rhetoric on the topic, signaling both his misunderstanding of the executive powers outlined in the Constitution as well as his intent to abuse them."
Trump’s Day With Young Republicans Was Full Of Racism And Lies
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-racism-turning-point-usa-speech-ilhan-omar_n_5d3743a0e4b004b6adb6eac9?fbclid=IwAR2Yy3EV8qMnX8NzNAEqbsqGNLVofYrnRdXlhkGJkzqhlSDTTYiiW453e08
"With each lie and smear came hoots, hollers and several standing ovations from the young audience."
"With each lie and smear came hoots, hollers and several standing ovations from the young audience."
Trump Escalates the Fight Over His Tax Returns With a New Lawsuit
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/trump-escalates-the-fight-over-his-tax-returns-with-a-new-lawsuit/?fbclid=IwAR1WxG0LwuhLem4qkE5EOYdDxWNQO_aPflGuBQvzvS1y7cfjuWC4XgSqsRg
"Trump’s lawsuit is a preemptive strike, asking a judge to halt any attempt to turn over his tax returns to congressional Democrats."
"Trump’s lawsuit is a preemptive strike, asking a judge to halt any attempt to turn over his tax returns to congressional Democrats."
Russia Is Still Trying To Meddle In U.S. Elections, FBI Chief Warns
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/russia-election-meddling-fbi-christopher-wray_n_5d37d465e4b020cd994b57c2
"Russia is still trying to interfere in American politics and the 2020 presidential election despite sanctions and other U.S. efforts to combat such threats, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned lawmakers on Tuesday. “The Russians are absolutely intent on trying to interfere with our elections,” Wray said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing."
"Russia is still trying to interfere in American politics and the 2020 presidential election despite sanctions and other U.S. efforts to combat such threats, FBI Director Christopher Wray warned lawmakers on Tuesday. “The Russians are absolutely intent on trying to interfere with our elections,” Wray said during a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing."
15 States Have Already Taken Steps to Make the Electoral College Obsolete
https://truthout.org/articles/15-states-have-already-taken-steps-to-make-the-electoral-college-obsolete/
"Last week, presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders touted his support for abolishing the Electoral College, telling a town hall hosted by the League of United Latin American Citizens that, “It is hard to defend a system in which we have a president who lost the popular vote by 3 million votes.” His call comes as recent polling data shows most Americans support replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote system. According to a survey published last July by the Public Religion Research Institute, Americans would prefer that presidential elections were decided by the national popular vote as opposed to the Electoral College by “roughly a two-to-one margin.” Now, a growing movement is gaining momentum among state legislatures to make this a reality by adopting a measure that would award Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote."
"Last week, presidential candidate Sen. Bernie Sanders touted his support for abolishing the Electoral College, telling a town hall hosted by the League of United Latin American Citizens that, “It is hard to defend a system in which we have a president who lost the popular vote by 3 million votes.” His call comes as recent polling data shows most Americans support replacing the Electoral College with a national popular vote system. According to a survey published last July by the Public Religion Research Institute, Americans would prefer that presidential elections were decided by the national popular vote as opposed to the Electoral College by “roughly a two-to-one margin.” Now, a growing movement is gaining momentum among state legislatures to make this a reality by adopting a measure that would award Electoral College votes to the winner of the national popular vote."
Man In Charlottesville Car Attack Gets Life Sentence Plus 419 Years
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fields-sentence-charlottesville-rally_n_5d2cbce0e4b08938b09917fe?fbclid=IwAR2c1JeVsypYA-djyX0RB9Nth4alTA7v_iEoRpcthfcRS5ptzm7S6C5-XwQ
"An avowed white supremacist was sentenced to life plus 419 years on federal hate crime charges Monday for deliberately driving his car into anti-racism protesters during a white nationalist rally in Virginia. James Alex Fields Jr., 22, received the sentence for killing one person and injuring dozens during the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017. Last month, Fields received a life sentence on 29 federal hate crime charges."
"An avowed white supremacist was sentenced to life plus 419 years on federal hate crime charges Monday for deliberately driving his car into anti-racism protesters during a white nationalist rally in Virginia. James Alex Fields Jr., 22, received the sentence for killing one person and injuring dozens during the “Unite the Right” rally in Charlottesville on Aug. 12, 2017. Last month, Fields received a life sentence on 29 federal hate crime charges."
Trump Goes All In on Racism
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2019/07/racism-campaign-strategy/593962/?fbclid=IwAR2J417lm4LhJmOF-1feJgdkER_7DWEpKYTm-_2K_3_sK8UC7mHfmq47Be4
"Trump, ever the master of projection, is at it again here. If one wants to see what happens when a political party unites around foul language and racist hatred spewed from the mouth of an unpopular and unrepresentative politician, the Republican Party serves that purpose too."
"Trump, ever the master of projection, is at it again here. If one wants to see what happens when a political party unites around foul language and racist hatred spewed from the mouth of an unpopular and unrepresentative politician, the Republican Party serves that purpose too."
Trump believes white nationalism is a winning strategy — because Fox News tells him so
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/16/trump-believes-white-nationalism-is-a-winning-strategy-because-fox-news-tells-him-so/?fbclid=IwAR2FDhT-kT6f300sPPD3tf5aVIHUhrPnX9_ocpB6u0yCQMcVPk0yrjSQ6KU
"For years now, Fox News has been mainstreaming arguments that used to be the province of fringe websites run by neo-Nazis and other groups who believe the U.S. is meant to be a country of white people and for white people — perhaps with others permitted in small numbers of they stay quiet and keep to themselves. Trump was a major factor in the early rumblings of white nationalism on the network, which gave him considerable airtime during his reality TV days to air conspiracy theories about Barack Obama's birth certificate. Such "birther" theories rested fairly obviously, in the first place, on the belief that black people cannot be "real" Americans. Since Trump was elected, the Fox News programming that promotes white nationalist ideas has slowly grown both in airtime and in severity."
"For years now, Fox News has been mainstreaming arguments that used to be the province of fringe websites run by neo-Nazis and other groups who believe the U.S. is meant to be a country of white people and for white people — perhaps with others permitted in small numbers of they stay quiet and keep to themselves. Trump was a major factor in the early rumblings of white nationalism on the network, which gave him considerable airtime during his reality TV days to air conspiracy theories about Barack Obama's birth certificate. Such "birther" theories rested fairly obviously, in the first place, on the belief that black people cannot be "real" Americans. Since Trump was elected, the Fox News programming that promotes white nationalist ideas has slowly grown both in airtime and in severity."
New Video of Trump and Epstein Partying and Leering at Women Emerges
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/trump-epstein-partying-mar-a-lago/?fbclid=IwAR3DypH8IhoTZUGGoY2epeos-c5keIpKIIiANi6OwvthSnS3Bnktj1fcrFk
"The video’s emergence comes as more women come forward to allege that Epstein sexually abused them. In recent days, prosecutors have also revealed that several suspicious items, including a fake passport with a Saudi address and Epstein’s photo and “piles of cash,” were uncovered in Epstein’s Manhattan home."
"The video’s emergence comes as more women come forward to allege that Epstein sexually abused them. In recent days, prosecutors have also revealed that several suspicious items, including a fake passport with a Saudi address and Epstein’s photo and “piles of cash,” were uncovered in Epstein’s Manhattan home."
Big Sir: Trump’s Most Frequent Dishonesty Tell
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/sir-trump-dishonesty-fact-check?fbclid=IwAR2j0i-IJHTta7g1hhtimxjx3FVpVzV0XEosC2NX23lX93Bxl4GtKqxjghE
"if Trump’s anecdotes include someone calling him “sir,” they are almost guaranteed to be at least somewhat false. Trump has invoked the title while spinning mistruths about everything from healthcare to veterans to farming"
"if Trump’s anecdotes include someone calling him “sir,” they are almost guaranteed to be at least somewhat false. Trump has invoked the title while spinning mistruths about everything from healthcare to veterans to farming"
The President vs. The Patriots
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/trump-racism-patriotism-betrayal-859631/?fbclid=IwAR1PGvqq24CBo-wGyGF2q6kcFewwod7pHk3jTOqGnGarFIwBA-vaHvmpxhc
"Trump would have us believe that we demonstrate love of country by attempting to shame four Congresswomen who have a voice and use it to call out human rights abuses committed on our soil by our government, to say nothing of calling out those crimes against humanity before its deliberative bodies."
"Trump would have us believe that we demonstrate love of country by attempting to shame four Congresswomen who have a voice and use it to call out human rights abuses committed on our soil by our government, to say nothing of calling out those crimes against humanity before its deliberative bodies."
"White Identity Politics" and white backlash: How we wound up with a racist in the White House
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/17/author-of-white-identity-politics-we-really-need-to-start-worrying-as-a-country/?fbclid=IwAR1kdpRAtatyjro97A7LfUGH7aKqSLo7wGghgLR5fy4h6J4dIPy39MGBFfA
"Today's Republican Party is the largest, most powerful and most dangerous white racist organization in the United States -- if not the world."
"Today's Republican Party is the largest, most powerful and most dangerous white racist organization in the United States -- if not the world."
With a straight face, GOP leader says party was ‘respectful’ of Obama
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/straight-face-gop-leader-says-party-was-respectful-obama?fbclid=IwAR1ZY2diHxk91fut3BpeZlsytxO9BcZI-qzD_bUyu3Q0ygEE_W_oKSBnmOA
"In case there were any doubts, Scalise did not appear to be kidding. Which is a shame because it suggests the Republican congressman – the #2 member of the House GOP leadership – genuinely believes that he and his party were nothing but responsible and measured when expressing their disagreements with Barack Obama during his presidency. Republicans, in Scalise’s mind, set a high bar when it came to political decorum. Obama could take comfort in knowing that his GOP opponents took great care to treat him and his office with respect and decency. Please. I know better than to try to summarize an eight-year period in which Republicans disrespected the Obama presidency on a nearly daily basis, but one need not have an encyclopedic memory to recall incidents that disprove Scalise’s bizarre boast. Remember the time a House Republican heckled Obama during a speech to a joint session? How about the years in which GOP officials tolerated – and at times, perpetuated – the racist birther conspiracy theory? Or incidents such as Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) vowing to send the Democratic president “home to Kenya or wherever it is”? Or maybe the point at which 44 Senate Republicans demonstrated their “respect” for the office of the presidency by writing a letter to Iran, telling our enemy not to trust Obama or his word? To bolster his point, Scalise added, “If [Obama] asked [Republicans] to go meet with him at the White House, we went.” That wasn’t true, either. If GOP lawmakers want to defend Trump, fine. If they’re eager to attack Democrats who dare to criticize Trump, that’s OK, too. But if we’re going to look back at the Republican campaign against the Obama presidency, perhaps we can put down the rose-colored glasses?"
"In case there were any doubts, Scalise did not appear to be kidding. Which is a shame because it suggests the Republican congressman – the #2 member of the House GOP leadership – genuinely believes that he and his party were nothing but responsible and measured when expressing their disagreements with Barack Obama during his presidency. Republicans, in Scalise’s mind, set a high bar when it came to political decorum. Obama could take comfort in knowing that his GOP opponents took great care to treat him and his office with respect and decency. Please. I know better than to try to summarize an eight-year period in which Republicans disrespected the Obama presidency on a nearly daily basis, but one need not have an encyclopedic memory to recall incidents that disprove Scalise’s bizarre boast. Remember the time a House Republican heckled Obama during a speech to a joint session? How about the years in which GOP officials tolerated – and at times, perpetuated – the racist birther conspiracy theory? Or incidents such as Rep. Mark Meadows (R-N.C.) vowing to send the Democratic president “home to Kenya or wherever it is”? Or maybe the point at which 44 Senate Republicans demonstrated their “respect” for the office of the presidency by writing a letter to Iran, telling our enemy not to trust Obama or his word? To bolster his point, Scalise added, “If [Obama] asked [Republicans] to go meet with him at the White House, we went.” That wasn’t true, either. If GOP lawmakers want to defend Trump, fine. If they’re eager to attack Democrats who dare to criticize Trump, that’s OK, too. But if we’re going to look back at the Republican campaign against the Obama presidency, perhaps we can put down the rose-colored glasses?"
Liz Cheney goes all-in on Trump's racism: Meet the future of the Republican Party
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/17/liz-cheney-goes-all-in-on-trumps-racism-meet-the-future-of-the-republican-party/?fbclid=IwAR1vGQDjcCtd-pSWDXSvvpwQd8DfPELCu7jNMTkxvABnAf7LWmK93UGPyDc
"Cheney is clever. She let Trump do the dirty work of saying out loud what the base wants to hear. Then she piled on with a long laundry list of lies, tying a fantasy Democratic ideology to Trump's racist, Islamophobic, misogynist commentary without ever having to say the words herself. She has a talent for going for the jugular in a more traditional way that might just reassure any wavering GOP female voters that she represents a return to the old-fashioned Republican insults they know and love — racist dog-whistles and red-baiting. At the moment, there's a lot of speculation that Cheney will run for the Wyoming U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Mike Enzi. Polls show she would win the primary against another woman who has already announced, which means she would almost certainly win the seat in one of the reddest of red states. It's also true she's on the leadership fast track in the Republican House caucus, and may stay put there, believing that's her best springboard to higher office. Whatever she chooses, she will be a powerful force in Republican politics. Liz Cheney is almost certainly thinking about running for president, as is Nikki Haley. But at this point in the GOP's evolution, only one of them will be seen by most Trump-crazed Republican voters as a leader they can trust. It won't be the woman of color whose parents came to America to start a new life. It's the white woman who's an authoritarian nationalist with a Republican establishment pedigree a mile long, who eagerly marches in lockstep with the president. Now that's a woman Trump voters can sincerely admire."
"Cheney is clever. She let Trump do the dirty work of saying out loud what the base wants to hear. Then she piled on with a long laundry list of lies, tying a fantasy Democratic ideology to Trump's racist, Islamophobic, misogynist commentary without ever having to say the words herself. She has a talent for going for the jugular in a more traditional way that might just reassure any wavering GOP female voters that she represents a return to the old-fashioned Republican insults they know and love — racist dog-whistles and red-baiting. At the moment, there's a lot of speculation that Cheney will run for the Wyoming U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Republican Sen. Mike Enzi. Polls show she would win the primary against another woman who has already announced, which means she would almost certainly win the seat in one of the reddest of red states. It's also true she's on the leadership fast track in the Republican House caucus, and may stay put there, believing that's her best springboard to higher office. Whatever she chooses, she will be a powerful force in Republican politics. Liz Cheney is almost certainly thinking about running for president, as is Nikki Haley. But at this point in the GOP's evolution, only one of them will be seen by most Trump-crazed Republican voters as a leader they can trust. It won't be the woman of color whose parents came to America to start a new life. It's the white woman who's an authoritarian nationalist with a Republican establishment pedigree a mile long, who eagerly marches in lockstep with the president. Now that's a woman Trump voters can sincerely admire."
Mitch McConnell's big donors are Wall Street firms — and only 9% of his funds comes from Kentucky
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/17/mitch-mcconnells-big-donors-are-wall-street-firms-and-only-9-of-his-funds-comes-from-kentucky/?fbclid=IwAR1IbK_nZL5CMN6og83nUdeorWBgzp0QG2LFc_ub3sWCCMydsWobP9_tOTM
"Vast majority of McConnell's campaign funds come from big-dollar, out-of-state donors, many in the financial sector"
"Vast majority of McConnell's campaign funds come from big-dollar, out-of-state donors, many in the financial sector"
It Will Not End With 'Send Her Back'
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a28433271/trump-rally-send-her-back-ilhan-omar/?fbclid=IwAR1OraRcy5nSz0uh0_Xz0YEVkTiwl0xiQSU2sFFXOcKOxYXgd2T26B89lMk
"Unfortunately, this is not how the movie ends. The documentaries—assuming we make it that far—may not begin with footage of Donald Trump's rally in North Carolina Wednesday night. It will certainly feature that moment, perhaps as an inflection point in this ongoing national disaster. But it will not be the last scene. History tells us that it never ends with rally crowds, whipped into a frenzy by a racist authoritarian leader, chanting for racial and religious minorities to be stripped of their citizenship and removed from the country. The hatred and the paranoia is coming to a boil now. We have reached a dark place, but we are headed for the truly deep and dark. Even if we make it out the other side, we may not recognize this country by the time we do."
"Unfortunately, this is not how the movie ends. The documentaries—assuming we make it that far—may not begin with footage of Donald Trump's rally in North Carolina Wednesday night. It will certainly feature that moment, perhaps as an inflection point in this ongoing national disaster. But it will not be the last scene. History tells us that it never ends with rally crowds, whipped into a frenzy by a racist authoritarian leader, chanting for racial and religious minorities to be stripped of their citizenship and removed from the country. The hatred and the paranoia is coming to a boil now. We have reached a dark place, but we are headed for the truly deep and dark. Even if we make it out the other side, we may not recognize this country by the time we do."
A Fascist Trump Rally In Greenville
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/fascist-trump-rally-greenville-ilhan-omar-send-her-back_n_5d30529fe4b0419fd328b270?fbclid=IwAR39g-AwNy2IMg_pLFgyrM_eQK0XAH92rXIMbdRqQfAXclpWtlbjx6v6Hzg
"Telling people of color to “go back” where they came from is a foundational white nationalist insult in American history. (When nine black teenagers integrated a school in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, a mob of a thousand white people heckled them with screams of “Go back to Africa.”)"
"Telling people of color to “go back” where they came from is a foundational white nationalist insult in American history. (When nine black teenagers integrated a school in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1957, a mob of a thousand white people heckled them with screams of “Go back to Africa.”)"
Donald Trump’s Politics of Hate Began With a “Cynical and Evil” GOP Memo
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/donald-trumps-politics-of-hate-began-with-a-cynical-and-evil-gop-memo/?fbclid=IwAR0_tjxvEFSKt1grhle5yeRFxyK0mDyAMI03AhZEw3indINK8XAtd539hB0
"Decades before Gingrich was a Trump-adoring Fox News bloviator, he was speaker of the House. And before that he was a bomb-thrower. In fact, he became speaker partly because he weaponized hate. Elected in 1978, Gingrich was a back-bencher in the House of Representatives when the Republicans appeared to be in a permanent minority. His strategy was to blow up his own party so he could take control and lead it to the majority—and one of his big ideas was that the GOP, in order to succeed, had to create more division within the national discourse. He established a political action committee called GOPAC to help Republican candidates across the country become more effective campaigners. And in 1990, the group distributed to GOP contenders a pamphlet called “Language: A Key Mechanism of Control,” which encouraged the candidates to “speak like Newt”—that is, to rely upon sharp and divisive rhetoric. It presented a list of 30 “optimistic positive” words to use, including “freedom,” “truth,” and “family.” It also provided a list of “contrasting” words: “crisis,” “decay,” and “red tape.” And this second list recommended going to extremes. Republican candidates, it noted, should call Democrats “shallow,” “radical,” “incompetent,” “pathetic,” “sick,” “bizarre,” and “traitors.” Gingrich’s group was urging GOPers to engage in all-out rhetorical war, going beyond arguing over policies to engaging in the politics of personal destruction. Which was one of Gingrich’s own favorite tools. (The good Newt loved to talk about policy; the bad Newt embraced and relished hostile name-calling and discordant combat.) And the nastiness paid off. The belligerent Gingrich led his Republicans to the majority in the House in 1994. The morning after Trump’s North Carolina rally, I called Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster and consultant who worked with Gingrich in the 1990s, and asked him about this memo. He called it “stupid-assed,” adding, “It’s the most destructive political memo written in modern politics"."
"Decades before Gingrich was a Trump-adoring Fox News bloviator, he was speaker of the House. And before that he was a bomb-thrower. In fact, he became speaker partly because he weaponized hate. Elected in 1978, Gingrich was a back-bencher in the House of Representatives when the Republicans appeared to be in a permanent minority. His strategy was to blow up his own party so he could take control and lead it to the majority—and one of his big ideas was that the GOP, in order to succeed, had to create more division within the national discourse. He established a political action committee called GOPAC to help Republican candidates across the country become more effective campaigners. And in 1990, the group distributed to GOP contenders a pamphlet called “Language: A Key Mechanism of Control,” which encouraged the candidates to “speak like Newt”—that is, to rely upon sharp and divisive rhetoric. It presented a list of 30 “optimistic positive” words to use, including “freedom,” “truth,” and “family.” It also provided a list of “contrasting” words: “crisis,” “decay,” and “red tape.” And this second list recommended going to extremes. Republican candidates, it noted, should call Democrats “shallow,” “radical,” “incompetent,” “pathetic,” “sick,” “bizarre,” and “traitors.” Gingrich’s group was urging GOPers to engage in all-out rhetorical war, going beyond arguing over policies to engaging in the politics of personal destruction. Which was one of Gingrich’s own favorite tools. (The good Newt loved to talk about policy; the bad Newt embraced and relished hostile name-calling and discordant combat.) And the nastiness paid off. The belligerent Gingrich led his Republicans to the majority in the House in 1994. The morning after Trump’s North Carolina rally, I called Frank Luntz, a Republican pollster and consultant who worked with Gingrich in the 1990s, and asked him about this memo. He called it “stupid-assed,” adding, “It’s the most destructive political memo written in modern politics"."
Ocasio-Cortez Confronts Acting DHS Chief Over Secret Facebook Group For Border Agents
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/ocasio-cortez-dhs-kevin-mcaleenan_n_5d315ecfe4b020cd99415156?fbclid=IwAR04V9G8oy33_zHoIkCtn7WaIhvxsRhhpFk1OG0IIx3VdWW9fo9v1cO-weM
"During her questioning, she asked if the acting secretary had seen photoshopped images of herself shared in the group, and asked if any members of Border Patrol affiliated with them were still responsible for working with migrant women and children. “Did you see the images of officers circulating photoshopped images of my violent rape?” the lawmaker asked. “Do you think that the policy of child separation could have contributed to a dehumanizing culture within CBP that contributes and kind of spills over into other areas of conduct?” McAleenan replied that he had, but demurred about any potential Border Patrol officers that had been reprimanded to for their involvement, saying simply that some had been placed on “administrative duties"."
"During her questioning, she asked if the acting secretary had seen photoshopped images of herself shared in the group, and asked if any members of Border Patrol affiliated with them were still responsible for working with migrant women and children. “Did you see the images of officers circulating photoshopped images of my violent rape?” the lawmaker asked. “Do you think that the policy of child separation could have contributed to a dehumanizing culture within CBP that contributes and kind of spills over into other areas of conduct?” McAleenan replied that he had, but demurred about any potential Border Patrol officers that had been reprimanded to for their involvement, saying simply that some had been placed on “administrative duties"."
Trump Is the Most Unpatriotic Presidential Candidate in American History
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/07/trump-most-unpatriotic-candidate-in-american-history.html?fbclid=IwAR2RpP_fgfKiqO_28TPoCvtDykeOwfURuwS9ZLYbRmBeOOqS1Gdy8w0QsrY
"At minimum, Trump attempted to cooperate with the criminal intervention of a hostile foreign power in an American election (by, among other things, instructing Michael Flynn to obtain emails he believed Russia had stolen and going on camera to ask Russia to release them). While this was going on, he was secretly negotiating for a payoff worth several hundred million dollars from this same hostile power during the election. The term “treason” is overused — it is a crime reserved for times of war — but cooperating with an adversary in pursuit of financial and political gain is definitely not the act of a patriot. That a man who has expressed contempt for American governing ideals and has cooperated with its enemies while chasing secret payoffs from them can win the presidency is outrageous. That such a man can then run for reelection by accusing his opponents of lacking patriotism positively boggles the mind. Trump has to be the most unpatriotic major-party presidential candidate in American history."
"At minimum, Trump attempted to cooperate with the criminal intervention of a hostile foreign power in an American election (by, among other things, instructing Michael Flynn to obtain emails he believed Russia had stolen and going on camera to ask Russia to release them). While this was going on, he was secretly negotiating for a payoff worth several hundred million dollars from this same hostile power during the election. The term “treason” is overused — it is a crime reserved for times of war — but cooperating with an adversary in pursuit of financial and political gain is definitely not the act of a patriot. That a man who has expressed contempt for American governing ideals and has cooperated with its enemies while chasing secret payoffs from them can win the presidency is outrageous. That such a man can then run for reelection by accusing his opponents of lacking patriotism positively boggles the mind. Trump has to be the most unpatriotic major-party presidential candidate in American history."
Can Trump’s Hard-Core Fans Be Deradicalized?
https://www.thedailybeast.com/can-trumps-hard-core-fans-be-deradicalized?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR0B7pITYZE5F9g7LOE9VxZBJ2hCXhrrpKORSUFoaEumg4JRxvZjvF9l4nE
"Trump’s rhetoric has already inspired violent attacks. During a March 2016 rally, Trump asked fans to eject protesters, calling on them to “get ‘em out of here.” Matt Heimbach, a neo-Nazi who was later instrumental in 2017’s deadly white supremacist rally in Charlotteville, complied, assaulting a black protester. In October, a Florida man sent 16 pipe bombs to politicians, news outlets, and public figures who have been critical of Trump. The bomber had attended Trump rallies and described them as “like a new found drug.” Trump’s election has coincided with a marked spike in hate crimes, and a rise in overt white supremacist action. Trump’s attacks on the four congresswomen are an extension of the racist appeals he made to voters during his first campaign."
"Trump’s rhetoric has already inspired violent attacks. During a March 2016 rally, Trump asked fans to eject protesters, calling on them to “get ‘em out of here.” Matt Heimbach, a neo-Nazi who was later instrumental in 2017’s deadly white supremacist rally in Charlotteville, complied, assaulting a black protester. In October, a Florida man sent 16 pipe bombs to politicians, news outlets, and public figures who have been critical of Trump. The bomber had attended Trump rallies and described them as “like a new found drug.” Trump’s election has coincided with a marked spike in hate crimes, and a rise in overt white supremacist action. Trump’s attacks on the four congresswomen are an extension of the racist appeals he made to voters during his first campaign."
Border Patrol Agents Have a Secret Facebook Group, Where Racism and Sexism Prevail
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/07/border-patrol-agents-secret-facebook-alexandria-ocasio-cortez/?fbclid=IwAR0o_wPL5i_8sg8IiBAOoy8-nUmZ2pYlV4rvsslDAUIfIcykQ2A_SJHpD6Q
"Amid a national discussion about the inhumane treatment of migrants at the US–Mexico border, the Facebook page provides insight into the mindset of those who are employed to secure the border. The page shows “a pervasive culture of cruelty aimed at immigrants within CBP,” Daniel Martinez, a sociologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson told ProPublica."
"Amid a national discussion about the inhumane treatment of migrants at the US–Mexico border, the Facebook page provides insight into the mindset of those who are employed to secure the border. The page shows “a pervasive culture of cruelty aimed at immigrants within CBP,” Daniel Martinez, a sociologist at the University of Arizona in Tucson told ProPublica."
Inside the Secret Border Patrol Facebook Group Where Agents Joke About Migrant Deaths and Post Sexist Memes
https://www.propublica.org/article/secret-border-patrol-facebook-group-agents-joke-about-migrant-deaths-post-sexist-memes?fbclid=IwAR0Ted1Ul5U5h-Be0nQ3gAiHq9K0hcordMmx5pSWMRNZtBa6l58lESBNceY
"The Border Patrol Facebook group is the most recent example of some law enforcement personnel behaving badly in public and private digital spaces. An investigation by Reveal uncovered hundreds of active-duty and retired law enforcement officers who moved in extremist Facebook circles, including white supremacist and anti-government groups. A team of researchers calling themselves the Plain View Project recently released a hefty database of offensive Facebook posts made by current and ex-law enforcement officers. And in early 2018, federal investigators found a raft of disturbing and racist text messages sent by Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona after searching the phone of Matthew Bowen, an agent charged with running down a Guatemalan migrant with a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The texts, which were revealed in a court filing in federal court in Tucson, described migrants as “guats,” “wild ass sh*tbags,” “beaners” and “subhuman.” The messages included repeated discussions about burning the migrants up. Several of the postings reviewed by ProPublica refer to the planned visit by members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, including Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Veronica Escobar, to a troubled Border Patrol facility outside of El Paso. Agents at the compound in Clint, Texas, have been accused of holding children in neglectful, inhumane conditions. Members of the Border Patrol Facebook group were not enthused about the tour, noting that Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from Queens, had compared Border Patrol facilities to Nazi concentration camps. Escobar is a freshman Democrat representing El Paso. One member encouraged Border Patrol agents to hurl a “burrito at these bitches.” Another, apparently a patrol supervisor, wrote, “F**k the hoes.” “There should be no photo ops for these scum buckets,” posted a third member. Perhaps the most disturbing posts target Ocasio-Cortez. One includes a photo illustration of her engaged in oral sex at an immigrant detention center."
"The Border Patrol Facebook group is the most recent example of some law enforcement personnel behaving badly in public and private digital spaces. An investigation by Reveal uncovered hundreds of active-duty and retired law enforcement officers who moved in extremist Facebook circles, including white supremacist and anti-government groups. A team of researchers calling themselves the Plain View Project recently released a hefty database of offensive Facebook posts made by current and ex-law enforcement officers. And in early 2018, federal investigators found a raft of disturbing and racist text messages sent by Border Patrol agents in southern Arizona after searching the phone of Matthew Bowen, an agent charged with running down a Guatemalan migrant with a Ford F-150 pickup truck. The texts, which were revealed in a court filing in federal court in Tucson, described migrants as “guats,” “wild ass sh*tbags,” “beaners” and “subhuman.” The messages included repeated discussions about burning the migrants up. Several of the postings reviewed by ProPublica refer to the planned visit by members of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus, including Ocasio-Cortez and Rep. Veronica Escobar, to a troubled Border Patrol facility outside of El Paso. Agents at the compound in Clint, Texas, have been accused of holding children in neglectful, inhumane conditions. Members of the Border Patrol Facebook group were not enthused about the tour, noting that Ocasio-Cortez, a Democrat from Queens, had compared Border Patrol facilities to Nazi concentration camps. Escobar is a freshman Democrat representing El Paso. One member encouraged Border Patrol agents to hurl a “burrito at these bitches.” Another, apparently a patrol supervisor, wrote, “F**k the hoes.” “There should be no photo ops for these scum buckets,” posted a third member. Perhaps the most disturbing posts target Ocasio-Cortez. One includes a photo illustration of her engaged in oral sex at an immigrant detention center."
Donald Trump’s long history of racism, from the 1970s to 2019
https://www.vox.com/2016/7/25/12270880/donald-trump-racist-racism-history?fbclid=IwAR2j3y7FWdmCfiwCayx2T68QOvOUEmRb-T3YuzKlhbeUvyefN8sDXQxFbSU
"This is nothing new for Trump. In fact, the very first time that Trump appeared in the pages of the New York Times, back in the 1970s, was when the US Department of Justice sued him for racial discrimination. Since then, he has repeatedly appeared in newspaper pages across the world as he inspired more similar controversies. This long history is important. It would be one thing if Trump simply misspoke one or two times. But when you take all of Trump’s actions and comments together, a clear pattern emerges — one that suggests that bigotry is not just political opportunism on Trump’s part but a real element of Trump’s personality, character, and career."
"This is nothing new for Trump. In fact, the very first time that Trump appeared in the pages of the New York Times, back in the 1970s, was when the US Department of Justice sued him for racial discrimination. Since then, he has repeatedly appeared in newspaper pages across the world as he inspired more similar controversies. This long history is important. It would be one thing if Trump simply misspoke one or two times. But when you take all of Trump’s actions and comments together, a clear pattern emerges — one that suggests that bigotry is not just political opportunism on Trump’s part but a real element of Trump’s personality, character, and career."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez grills DHS on "10,000 officers in a violent, racist group sharing rape memes"
https://www.newsweek.com/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-grills-kevin-mcaleenan-border-patrol-1450149?fbclid=IwAR2J2WwTSP-S4_CJvzZ3LsNP5-M6L1iCwd-mLJ-K5XFocjA699ueswG8emQ
"New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez confronted acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan on Thursday over the "dehumanizing culture" she said appeared to be pervasive within Border Patrol. Her comments came after a secret "violent, racist" Facebook group sharing rape memes of members of Congress came to light. The exchange unfolded during a congressional hearing on Thursday, in which McAleenan sought to assure lawmakers that his department was carrying out an "aggressive" investigation into the secret Facebook group. More than 9,000 current and former Border Patrol agents were reported to be a part of the group, according to ProPublica. In addition to featuring derogatory posts about members of Congress, including Ocasio-Cortez, the group also joked about the deaths of migrants at the border. "Did you see the posts mocking migrant children's deaths?" Ocasio-Cortez asked McAleenan during the hearing. "I did," he responded. "Did you see the posts planning physical harm to myself and Congresswoman Escobar?" "Yes and I directed an investigation within minutes of reading the article," he responded. "Did you see the images of officers circulating photoshopped images of my violent rape?" she asked. "Yes, I did," McAleenan confirmed."
"New York Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez confronted acting Homeland Security Secretary Kevin McAleenan on Thursday over the "dehumanizing culture" she said appeared to be pervasive within Border Patrol. Her comments came after a secret "violent, racist" Facebook group sharing rape memes of members of Congress came to light. The exchange unfolded during a congressional hearing on Thursday, in which McAleenan sought to assure lawmakers that his department was carrying out an "aggressive" investigation into the secret Facebook group. More than 9,000 current and former Border Patrol agents were reported to be a part of the group, according to ProPublica. In addition to featuring derogatory posts about members of Congress, including Ocasio-Cortez, the group also joked about the deaths of migrants at the border. "Did you see the posts mocking migrant children's deaths?" Ocasio-Cortez asked McAleenan during the hearing. "I did," he responded. "Did you see the posts planning physical harm to myself and Congresswoman Escobar?" "Yes and I directed an investigation within minutes of reading the article," he responded. "Did you see the images of officers circulating photoshopped images of my violent rape?" she asked. "Yes, I did," McAleenan confirmed."
Trump’s Race-Baiting Evokes Nuremberg Rallies
https://truthout.org/articles/trumps-race-baiting-evokes-nuremberg-rallies/
"William Shirer, the great chronicler of the Third Reich, wrote in his diaries about the Nuremberg Rallies, “You have to go through one of these to understand Hitler’s hold on the people, to feel the dynamic in the movement he’s unleashed and the sheer, disciplined strength the Germans possess. And now — as Hitler told the correspondents yesterday in explaining his technique — the half-million men who’ve been here during the week will go back to their towns and villages and preach the new gospel with new fanaticism.” It happened there. Trump’s words, and the sullen, opportunistic silence of virtually the entire GOP political leadership, make it more likely it could happen here. The most powerful man on Earth is now using his platform to unreservedly preach the gutter politics of the purge, of the pogrom, of the race war. We cannot let Trump and his supporters enact his fascistic gospel. We cannot let history repeat itself."
"William Shirer, the great chronicler of the Third Reich, wrote in his diaries about the Nuremberg Rallies, “You have to go through one of these to understand Hitler’s hold on the people, to feel the dynamic in the movement he’s unleashed and the sheer, disciplined strength the Germans possess. And now — as Hitler told the correspondents yesterday in explaining his technique — the half-million men who’ve been here during the week will go back to their towns and villages and preach the new gospel with new fanaticism.” It happened there. Trump’s words, and the sullen, opportunistic silence of virtually the entire GOP political leadership, make it more likely it could happen here. The most powerful man on Earth is now using his platform to unreservedly preach the gutter politics of the purge, of the pogrom, of the race war. We cannot let Trump and his supporters enact his fascistic gospel. We cannot let history repeat itself."
Media expert: How Tucker Carlson and Fox News have mainstreamed "unfettered white nationalism"
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/18/media-expert-how-tucker-carlson-and-fox-news-have-mainstreamed-unfettered-white-nationalism/?fbclid=IwAR3AB1BY4PgidExqec2yaokSKQNZPf6As-vKfOqMVN7yrCYbeM01bZ1ErD8
"Fox News is both a mouthpiece for President Trump and a mechanism for implanting ideas and voices in Trump's head. Trump then repeats these ideas and parrots the voices, sometimes word for word, believing they are his own. Donald Trump has now told more than 10,000 public lies since 2016. Communications scholars and other social scientists have shown that Fox News lies to its audience so often that a person who watches no TV news at all would know more about factual current events than a regular Fox viewer. Fox News traffics in white racial resentment, white identity politics, overt racism, white victimology, nativism, xenophobia and misogyny, as well as bigotry and fear-mongering against Muslims and other out-groups. Donald Trump does the same things. Donald Trump is an authoritarian with no respect for the rule of law and democracy. He has used scripted violence and stochastic terrorism to target his political enemies, with the most recent example being his attacks on the four nonwhite Democratic congresswomen he recently told to leave America unless they are willing to comply with his racially authoritarian regime."
"Fox News is both a mouthpiece for President Trump and a mechanism for implanting ideas and voices in Trump's head. Trump then repeats these ideas and parrots the voices, sometimes word for word, believing they are his own. Donald Trump has now told more than 10,000 public lies since 2016. Communications scholars and other social scientists have shown that Fox News lies to its audience so often that a person who watches no TV news at all would know more about factual current events than a regular Fox viewer. Fox News traffics in white racial resentment, white identity politics, overt racism, white victimology, nativism, xenophobia and misogyny, as well as bigotry and fear-mongering against Muslims and other out-groups. Donald Trump does the same things. Donald Trump is an authoritarian with no respect for the rule of law and democracy. He has used scripted violence and stochastic terrorism to target his political enemies, with the most recent example being his attacks on the four nonwhite Democratic congresswomen he recently told to leave America unless they are willing to comply with his racially authoritarian regime."
Racism, Inc.: How Donald Trump profits from xenophobia
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/21/racism-inc-how-donald-trump-profits-from-xenophobia/?fbclid=IwAR0wGgjupwGGd0JWjrwxUA5f1K93yDtWrdmvMlcx-pFtCycI0Z5zd_BV7AU
"The blatant racism of a number of Trump supporters has been an uncomfortable truth, but, again, these facts have been open and present for years now. Each time Trump has the gall to voice his racism publicly it only stokes and energizes the racist segments of society that support him."
"The blatant racism of a number of Trump supporters has been an uncomfortable truth, but, again, these facts have been open and present for years now. Each time Trump has the gall to voice his racism publicly it only stokes and energizes the racist segments of society that support him."
Angela Merkel Rips Right-Wing Extremism On Anniversary Of Hitler Assassination Attempt
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/angela-merkel-hitler-assassination-attempt-right-wing_n_5d33b0c5e4b020cd99446d9b?fbclid=IwAR1LDzO5v0YltktOz176S61a6Y2cibeKs6AWAbQbyIqUjqegFR7Ngnz06oA
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel used the anniversary of a celebrated assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler to lash right-wing extremism on Saturday."
"German Chancellor Angela Merkel used the anniversary of a celebrated assassination attempt on Adolf Hitler to lash right-wing extremism on Saturday."
Trump Promised Worldwide Respect for America, You Know What Happened Next
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/trump-worldwide-respect-for-america-861637/?fbclid=IwAR1ORV2ZwqV1r3lDfq-2fPZSlbn8-7I4BKOde-zVOGvp_1815ta7VdyleyM
"As a citizen and then a candidate, Trump’s oft-repeated line: “The world is laughing at us,” has come to fruition"
"As a citizen and then a candidate, Trump’s oft-repeated line: “The world is laughing at us,” has come to fruition"
Understanding our bully-in-chief: Donald Trump's "antisocial personality disorder" fits a pattern
https://www.salon.com/2019/07/22/understanding-our-bully-in-chief-donald-trumps-antisocial-personality-disorder-fits-a-pattern/?fbclid=IwAR1X3JQhpzWqZBDhQTNFJdrXvzEFGDPtjeqluHbDM7nb27Ot3F14S4T6UjU
"The generic predicament of racism is nothing new — particularly for the Republican Party. (See “The Long Southern Strategy.” Salon author interview here.) What is new is Trump’s malignant psychology, a character disorder shared by dozens of destructive autocratic leaders whose patterns of murderous rule Burkle described in a 2015 paper, “Antisocial Personality Disorder and Pathological Narcissism in Prolonged Conflicts and Wars,” drawing on decades of experience as a world leader in emergency public health crises such as war and conflict, as well as his background in psychiatry and pediatrics. A recent follow-up paper (“Character Disorders,” for short), focused on the negative impact autocratic leaders have on health security, human rights and humanitarian care. Burkle cites examples like Idi Amin in Uganda, Slobodan Milosevic in the former Yugoslavia, Kim Jong-un in North Korea, Moammar Gadhafi in Libya and Omar al-Bashir in Sudan, who “have emerged first as saviors and then as despots, or as common criminals claiming to be patriots.” Amin and Milosevic are particularly apt figures to compare with Trump, given their roles in fomenting genocidal ethnic strife in Uganda and Bosnia respectively. Once in power, such a leader “thrives on continuing conflict and never seeks peace,” Burkle wrote — as a predictable description of all autocratic leaders. Characteristically they befriend and admire other autocratic leaders who have more power than themselves. Burkle reminds us that Hitler modeled himself after Mussolini and that Hitler and Stalin allied in the invasion of Poland. Before World War II started, these leaders, along with Japanese officials, met to divide up the world. But when one has power the other desires, conflict can result — as it did in Hitler’s eventual invasion of Russia. “These autocrats are simply an adolescent bully in an adult’s body,” Burkle told me in early June, I’d written a two-part story [here and here] about Trump’s lies and his threat to democracy."
"The generic predicament of racism is nothing new — particularly for the Republican Party. (See “The Long Southern Strategy.” Salon author interview here.) What is new is Trump’s malignant psychology, a character disorder shared by dozens of destructive autocratic leaders whose patterns of murderous rule Burkle described in a 2015 paper, “Antisocial Personality Disorder and Pathological Narcissism in Prolonged Conflicts and Wars,” drawing on decades of experience as a world leader in emergency public health crises such as war and conflict, as well as his background in psychiatry and pediatrics. A recent follow-up paper (“Character Disorders,” for short), focused on the negative impact autocratic leaders have on health security, human rights and humanitarian care. Burkle cites examples like Idi Amin in Uganda, Slobodan Milosevic in the former Yugoslavia, Kim Jong-un in North Korea, Moammar Gadhafi in Libya and Omar al-Bashir in Sudan, who “have emerged first as saviors and then as despots, or as common criminals claiming to be patriots.” Amin and Milosevic are particularly apt figures to compare with Trump, given their roles in fomenting genocidal ethnic strife in Uganda and Bosnia respectively. Once in power, such a leader “thrives on continuing conflict and never seeks peace,” Burkle wrote — as a predictable description of all autocratic leaders. Characteristically they befriend and admire other autocratic leaders who have more power than themselves. Burkle reminds us that Hitler modeled himself after Mussolini and that Hitler and Stalin allied in the invasion of Poland. Before World War II started, these leaders, along with Japanese officials, met to divide up the world. But when one has power the other desires, conflict can result — as it did in Hitler’s eventual invasion of Russia. “These autocrats are simply an adolescent bully in an adult’s body,” Burkle told me in early June, I’d written a two-part story [here and here] about Trump’s lies and his threat to democracy."
Lawyers For Trump ‘Super Fan’ Cesar Sayoc Say Trump’s Rhetoric Inspired Terrorist Plot On Democrats
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/cesar-sayoc-trump-bombing_n_5d3635b1e4b004b6adb48758?fbclid=IwAR2eA9uEMk3bOLX8DkOB2m9dLft33swpw6qIIrgadEgmcv73yf-yS45KrEQ
"Sayoc, his lawyers wrote, “began watching Fox News religiously at the gym, planning his morning workout to coincide with Fox and Friends and his evenings to dovetail with Hannity.” With his use of steroids, they said, he became paranoid and delusional about the false news stories that clogged his social media feeds. “Because of his cognitive limitations and mental illness, he believed outlandish reports in the news and on social media, which increasingly made him unhinged. He became obsessed with ‘attacks’ from those he perceived as Trump’s enemies. He believed stories shared on Facebook that Trump supporters were being beaten in the streets. He came to believe that he was being personally targeted for supporting Trump: Mr. Sayoc thought that anti-Trump forces were trying to hurt him and they were to blame when his van was vandalized,” they wrote. “A rational observer may have brushed off Trump’s tweets as hyperbole, but Mr. Sayoc took them to heart,” according to Sayoc’s attorneys."
"Sayoc, his lawyers wrote, “began watching Fox News religiously at the gym, planning his morning workout to coincide with Fox and Friends and his evenings to dovetail with Hannity.” With his use of steroids, they said, he became paranoid and delusional about the false news stories that clogged his social media feeds. “Because of his cognitive limitations and mental illness, he believed outlandish reports in the news and on social media, which increasingly made him unhinged. He became obsessed with ‘attacks’ from those he perceived as Trump’s enemies. He believed stories shared on Facebook that Trump supporters were being beaten in the streets. He came to believe that he was being personally targeted for supporting Trump: Mr. Sayoc thought that anti-Trump forces were trying to hurt him and they were to blame when his van was vandalized,” they wrote. “A rational observer may have brushed off Trump’s tweets as hyperbole, but Mr. Sayoc took them to heart,” according to Sayoc’s attorneys."
As Ilhan Omar Said, Trump Is a Fascist — and His Rallies Prove It
https://truthout.org/articles/as-ilhan-omar-said-trump-is-a-fascist-and-his-rallies-prove-it/
"It is both strange and disconcerting that almost none of the mainstream reporting on Trump’s rally examined its clear similarities with staged rallies in Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. Much like Nazi rallies, Trump’s rallies seek to turn politics into a grandiose theater of nativism, while presenting the head of state as a kind of demigod. In addition, there is the preaching of hate, which functions as a kind of quasi-religious experience used to trade off and amplify mass anger largely directed at those considered the enemies of the state — in this case women of color who are criminalized by virtue of their political beliefs, race and ethnicity. Seizing upon the potentially violent energy of his followers, Trump transforms their heightened anxieties and collective fears into a mass disdain for Muslims, immigrants, Black people and others. Trump’s manipulation of the crowds at his rallies brings to mind French reactionary theorist Gustave Le Bon’s depiction of crowds as governed by “impulsiveness, irritability, incapacity to reason, the absence of judgment and of the critical spirit [and] the exaggeration of the sentiments” — a depiction that Hitler read and was inspired by. Such expressions of hate and racial cleansing are about more than the privileging of fear and emotion over reason. They also constitute an updated version of a mob frenzy that encourages its participants to take pleasure in demonizing others. This “politics of the spectacle” reinforces the social emptiness at the heart of neoliberal societies, filling it with fear, illusion and endless nativist and racist rants while offering the immediate gratification of misdirected pleasure. Trump’s spectacles of fear and racism portray politics as pure theater mediated through the elemental forces of hatred, bigotry and the triumph of power."
"It is both strange and disconcerting that almost none of the mainstream reporting on Trump’s rally examined its clear similarities with staged rallies in Nazi Germany and fascist Italy. Much like Nazi rallies, Trump’s rallies seek to turn politics into a grandiose theater of nativism, while presenting the head of state as a kind of demigod. In addition, there is the preaching of hate, which functions as a kind of quasi-religious experience used to trade off and amplify mass anger largely directed at those considered the enemies of the state — in this case women of color who are criminalized by virtue of their political beliefs, race and ethnicity. Seizing upon the potentially violent energy of his followers, Trump transforms their heightened anxieties and collective fears into a mass disdain for Muslims, immigrants, Black people and others. Trump’s manipulation of the crowds at his rallies brings to mind French reactionary theorist Gustave Le Bon’s depiction of crowds as governed by “impulsiveness, irritability, incapacity to reason, the absence of judgment and of the critical spirit [and] the exaggeration of the sentiments” — a depiction that Hitler read and was inspired by. Such expressions of hate and racial cleansing are about more than the privileging of fear and emotion over reason. They also constitute an updated version of a mob frenzy that encourages its participants to take pleasure in demonizing others. This “politics of the spectacle” reinforces the social emptiness at the heart of neoliberal societies, filling it with fear, illusion and endless nativist and racist rants while offering the immediate gratification of misdirected pleasure. Trump’s spectacles of fear and racism portray politics as pure theater mediated through the elemental forces of hatred, bigotry and the triumph of power."
Wray: ‘Majority’ Of Domestic Terror Arrests This Year Motivated By White Supremacy
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/domestic-terror-white-supremacy-chris-wray?fbclid=IwAR2kyoIkVee7L3y1EZNIHsmLGK46RxBYNP4HvwNEAEcPGJJErzNZlJNRvAg
"FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers on Tuesday that the majority of the arrests his team has made this year related to domestic terrorism have been motivated by white supremacist ideology."
"FBI Director Christopher Wray told lawmakers on Tuesday that the majority of the arrests his team has made this year related to domestic terrorism have been motivated by white supremacist ideology."
How (Actual) Fake News Is the (Actual) Enemy of the People
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-louisiana-police-death-threat-fake-news-862260/?fbclid=IwAR2kwjcUAY7zwRFMgmSgjKM0hO5nPfuonBrKFyPYaPdhM3aKCBjzGFljXwA
"Though the president’s definition of fake news is anything that paints him in an unflattering light, actual fake news reports — intentional falsehoods and other inventions disguised as reporting — are resulting in threats to the American people. In the wake of his attacks last week against Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), a police officer from Grenta, Louisiana, wrote on Facebook that Ocasio-Cortez needs to be shot. He was responding to a web item claiming Ocasio-Cortez said “we pay soldiers too much,” in reference to the budget. (Ocasio-Cortez said no such thing. The site responsible repeatedly publishes unsupported or outright false stories, sometimes as news reports and sometimes under the guise of “satire.”) But Charlie Rispoli, who had served on the Grenta police force for 14 years, cited the cite when he suggested shooting Ocasio-Cortez: “This vile idiot needs a round……..and I don’t mean the kind she used to serve,” he wrote. (Nola.com obtained a screenshot of Rispoli’s post.) On Monday, Rispoli was fired, along Angelo Varisco, another officer who liked the post. “This incident, we feel, has been an embarrassment to our department,” Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson said at a news conference. “These officers have certainly acted in a manner which was unprofessional, alluding to a violent act to be conducted against a sitting U.S. congressman, a member of our government. We’re not going to tolerate that.” Earlier on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez referenced the threat in calling out the president for inciting violence. “This is Trump’s goal when he uses targeted language & threatens elected officials who don’t agree w/ his political agenda,” she tweeted. “It’s authoritarian behavior. The President is sowing violence. He’s creating an environment where people can get hurt & he claims plausible deniability"."
"Though the president’s definition of fake news is anything that paints him in an unflattering light, actual fake news reports — intentional falsehoods and other inventions disguised as reporting — are resulting in threats to the American people. In the wake of his attacks last week against Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.), and Ayanna Pressley (D-Mass.), a police officer from Grenta, Louisiana, wrote on Facebook that Ocasio-Cortez needs to be shot. He was responding to a web item claiming Ocasio-Cortez said “we pay soldiers too much,” in reference to the budget. (Ocasio-Cortez said no such thing. The site responsible repeatedly publishes unsupported or outright false stories, sometimes as news reports and sometimes under the guise of “satire.”) But Charlie Rispoli, who had served on the Grenta police force for 14 years, cited the cite when he suggested shooting Ocasio-Cortez: “This vile idiot needs a round……..and I don’t mean the kind she used to serve,” he wrote. (Nola.com obtained a screenshot of Rispoli’s post.) On Monday, Rispoli was fired, along Angelo Varisco, another officer who liked the post. “This incident, we feel, has been an embarrassment to our department,” Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson said at a news conference. “These officers have certainly acted in a manner which was unprofessional, alluding to a violent act to be conducted against a sitting U.S. congressman, a member of our government. We’re not going to tolerate that.” Earlier on Monday, Ocasio-Cortez referenced the threat in calling out the president for inciting violence. “This is Trump’s goal when he uses targeted language & threatens elected officials who don’t agree w/ his political agenda,” she tweeted. “It’s authoritarian behavior. The President is sowing violence. He’s creating an environment where people can get hurt & he claims plausible deniability"."
Cesar Sayoc was radicalized by Trump and Fox News, his lawyers claim
https://thinkprogress.org/lawyers-attempted-bomber-cesar-sayoc-radicalized-by-trump-fox-news-b649f86f6ee2/?fbclid=IwAR3Qc2nFKbMMS0MM3NuhHVKKFl6yhTXzhpSS6y9OlQLtDEicILx6dZNorTY
"This is not the first time that the president’s name has come up in a far-right terror investigation. In November 2018, lawyers for a trio of militia members accused of planning to bomb an apartment complex popular with Muslims in Kansas asked the judge to take into account Trump’s rhetoric at the time, which they said was encouraging violence."
"This is not the first time that the president’s name has come up in a far-right terror investigation. In November 2018, lawyers for a trio of militia members accused of planning to bomb an apartment complex popular with Muslims in Kansas asked the judge to take into account Trump’s rhetoric at the time, which they said was encouraging violence."
Wray says FBI has recorded about 100 domestic terrorism arrests in fiscal 2019 and many investigations involve white supremacy
https://www.washingtonpost.com/national-security/wray-says-fbi-has-recorded-about-100-domestic-terrorism-arrests-in-fiscal-2019-and-most-investigations-involve-white-supremacy/2019/07/23/600d49a6-aca1-11e9-bc5c-e73b603e7f38_story.html?fbclid=IwAR3S1Wi_RAwa80wbgWvUgi-zXr7GShPZv7MDxqKzuv1i6ZP32Ihyy-AlWvA&utm_term=.d0874305c146
"FBI Director Christopher A. Wray told lawmakers Tuesday that the bureau has recorded about 100 arrests of domestic terrorism suspects in the past nine months and that most investigations of that kind involve some form of white supremacy."
"FBI Director Christopher A. Wray told lawmakers Tuesday that the bureau has recorded about 100 arrests of domestic terrorism suspects in the past nine months and that most investigations of that kind involve some form of white supremacy."
YouTube’s Plan To Rein In Conspiracy Theories Is Failing
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/youtube-conspiracy-theories_n_5d320f69e4b004b6adafbb99?fbclid=IwAR1K2deSW6_MjsNEaiAO_dnW_L0kNXIHtC7a51o7bjZwFKEx5qC6SG773Nw
"Six months ago, under tremendous public pressure, YouTube announced that it would tweak its algorithm to recommend fewer videos “that could misinform users in harmful ways.” It was a major step for a company that has spent years driving people toward increasingly sensationalist content — including dangerous disinformation — that would keep viewers glued to their screens for as long as possible to maximize advertising revenue. The announcement in late January triggered panic within YouTube’s sprawling network of conspiracy theorists. The host of JustInformed Talk, a channel with nearly a quarter-million subscribers that spreads QAnon theories and baseless claims about Democratic politicians, warned in a February video that the new measure was sure to “instantly destroy” the ability of pages like his to get traffic."
"Six months ago, under tremendous public pressure, YouTube announced that it would tweak its algorithm to recommend fewer videos “that could misinform users in harmful ways.” It was a major step for a company that has spent years driving people toward increasingly sensationalist content — including dangerous disinformation — that would keep viewers glued to their screens for as long as possible to maximize advertising revenue. The announcement in late January triggered panic within YouTube’s sprawling network of conspiracy theorists. The host of JustInformed Talk, a channel with nearly a quarter-million subscribers that spreads QAnon theories and baseless claims about Democratic politicians, warned in a February video that the new measure was sure to “instantly destroy” the ability of pages like his to get traffic."
Sentencing memo provides a revealing glimpse inside a neo-Nazi street-brawling gang
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/7/23/1873810/-Sentencing-memo-provides-a-revealing-glimpse-inside-a-neo-Nazi-street-brawling-gang?fbclid=IwAR2YEAYvnZazqlKwQaKmKy6inu8MRc4q68RsbK-8W9MoS9hPZ6lSnqE-H-s
"Late last week, the Justice Department released the sentencing memorandum for the three young fascists from the neo-Nazi Rise Above Movement who traveled from California to Charlottesville, Virginia, on the weekend of the Unite the Right rally of Aug. 12, 2017, as the culmination of which a young white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing a young woman named Heather Heyer and maiming 19 other people. The document offers some searing insights into the nature of these groups, and the kind of violence these new young radicals intend to inflict."
"Late last week, the Justice Department released the sentencing memorandum for the three young fascists from the neo-Nazi Rise Above Movement who traveled from California to Charlottesville, Virginia, on the weekend of the Unite the Right rally of Aug. 12, 2017, as the culmination of which a young white supremacist drove his car into a crowd of counterprotesters, killing a young woman named Heather Heyer and maiming 19 other people. The document offers some searing insights into the nature of these groups, and the kind of violence these new young radicals intend to inflict."
Monday, July 22, 2019
Trump talked about Mueller’s testimony for around 90 seconds. He packed in 6 lies.
https://www.vox.com/2019/7/22/20704273/trump-mueller-testimony-watch-a-little-bit-lies?fbclid=IwAR1NVnmraXPGBrhkyhGv95N6gDFyTR9yjuMH9bWTKVhU0rUFLWlCm2u7vPE
"in the span of just over one minute of talking, Trump told at least six demonstrable lies about Mueller and his investigation. The blizzard of falsehoods suggests that Trump anticipates Mueller’s testimony and its aftermath won’t be good for him, so he’s doing his best to do some preemptive gaslighting."
"in the span of just over one minute of talking, Trump told at least six demonstrable lies about Mueller and his investigation. The blizzard of falsehoods suggests that Trump anticipates Mueller’s testimony and its aftermath won’t be good for him, so he’s doing his best to do some preemptive gaslighting."
It’s Time for a Special Counsel to Investigate William Barr for Perjury
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/07/special-counsel-investiate-attorney-general-william-barr-perjury.html?fbclid=IwAR3UTapxupimXtaVV_8JEDbbk1VJnpQLgPbNoumFwcGf5nARcyuciZMDQx8
"Based on the available public record about the Russia investigation, it’s clear that the attorney general has repeatedly deceived Congress in a manner that appears to have crossed the line established by federal criminal law."
"Based on the available public record about the Russia investigation, it’s clear that the attorney general has repeatedly deceived Congress in a manner that appears to have crossed the line established by federal criminal law."
Trump’s EPA clears pesticide tied to children’s health problems
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-epa-clears-pesticide-tied-childrens-health-problems?fbclid=IwAR1mRjHMwlv74_B-xEnhLzEk9Lsbi6oKSc82W50CeyE03iJHlLPwyq1dHgI
"This week, as the New York Times reported, we learned about Team Trump doing another potentially dangerous favor for the chemical industry. The Trump administration took a major step to weaken the regulation of toxic chemicals on Thursday when the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would not ban a widely used pesticide that its own experts have linked to serious health problems in children. The decision by Andrew R. Wheeler, the E.P.A. administrator, represents a victory for the chemical industry and for farmers who have lobbied to continue using the substance, chlorpyrifos, arguing it is necessary to protect crops. Let’s circle back to our earlier coverage because it’s worth appreciating how we arrived at this point. The Obama administration originally proposed banning the pesticide’s use on food in October 2015. A risk assessment memo issued by nine EPA scientists concluded. “There is a breadth of information available on the potential adverse neuro-developmental effects in infants and children as a result of prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos.” By all appearances, this wasn’t an especially tough call. There was, after all, “extensive scientific evidence” that even tiny levels of exposure to this pesticide “can harm babies’ brains.” And then Donald Trump took office. Just two months into the new Republican administration, officials reversed course, putting the federal ban on hold. This, not surprisingly, sparked a series of legal challenges, and as the Times’ article noted, “Those lawsuits culminated in April when a federal appeals court ordered the E.P.A. to issue a final ruling on whether to ban chlorpyrifos by this month.” That final ruling from the EPA came yesterday. The administration sided with the chemical industry."
"This week, as the New York Times reported, we learned about Team Trump doing another potentially dangerous favor for the chemical industry. The Trump administration took a major step to weaken the regulation of toxic chemicals on Thursday when the Environmental Protection Agency announced that it would not ban a widely used pesticide that its own experts have linked to serious health problems in children. The decision by Andrew R. Wheeler, the E.P.A. administrator, represents a victory for the chemical industry and for farmers who have lobbied to continue using the substance, chlorpyrifos, arguing it is necessary to protect crops. Let’s circle back to our earlier coverage because it’s worth appreciating how we arrived at this point. The Obama administration originally proposed banning the pesticide’s use on food in October 2015. A risk assessment memo issued by nine EPA scientists concluded. “There is a breadth of information available on the potential adverse neuro-developmental effects in infants and children as a result of prenatal exposure to chlorpyrifos.” By all appearances, this wasn’t an especially tough call. There was, after all, “extensive scientific evidence” that even tiny levels of exposure to this pesticide “can harm babies’ brains.” And then Donald Trump took office. Just two months into the new Republican administration, officials reversed course, putting the federal ban on hold. This, not surprisingly, sparked a series of legal challenges, and as the Times’ article noted, “Those lawsuits culminated in April when a federal appeals court ordered the E.P.A. to issue a final ruling on whether to ban chlorpyrifos by this month.” That final ruling from the EPA came yesterday. The administration sided with the chemical industry."
83 Environmental Rules Being Rolled Back Under Trump
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/climate/trump-environment-rollbacks.html?fbclid=IwAR2yhjy1wOaNgnomfXymQpUY29UZGrzLzkl97jjLtwrjbfq_KONh17hMaLM
"All told, the Trump administration’s environmental rollbacks could significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions and lead to thousands of extra deaths from poor air quality every year, according to a recent report prepared by New York University Law School's State Energy and Environmental Impact Center. Here are the details for each of the policies targeted by the administration so far."
"All told, the Trump administration’s environmental rollbacks could significantly increase greenhouse gas emissions and lead to thousands of extra deaths from poor air quality every year, according to a recent report prepared by New York University Law School's State Energy and Environmental Impact Center. Here are the details for each of the policies targeted by the administration so far."
USDA Under Trump Hides Studies Proving Effects of Climate Change: Report
https://www.thedailybeast.com/usda-under-trump-hides-studies-proving-effects-of-climate-change-politico?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR1ZdL0z4iH3nQzmVUZsFDKmjJ3Zg6IqbKoWra3ggu3lwaHXEDXHit3sglw
"The Trump administration has refused to publicize dozens of studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that conclude climate change is having negative effects on everything from rice production to allergies, a Politico investigation revealed."
"The Trump administration has refused to publicize dozens of studies conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture that conclude climate change is having negative effects on everything from rice production to allergies, a Politico investigation revealed."
'Corruption in Plain Sight': Jared Kushner Firm Took in $90 Million From Unnamed Foreign Entities Since 2017
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/06/10/corruption-plain-sight-jared-kushner-firm-took-90-million-unnamed-foreign-entities?fbclid=IwAR0Axdn43KwM4PJak7MV8pyG11YqkWSk9UPkoFxQAgERzQs59xsg0qBEwag
"The latest scandal from the President Donald Trump administration involves secretive foreign investments in a company in which the president's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner has a stake."
"The latest scandal from the President Donald Trump administration involves secretive foreign investments in a company in which the president's son-in-law and advisor Jared Kushner has a stake."
Prosecutors say Republican congressman embezzled campaign funds to pay for extramarital affairs
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/6/25/1867208/-Prosecutors-say-Republican-congressman-embezzled-campaign-funds-to-pay-for-extramarital-affairs?fbclid=IwAR3JV_iVcsww4rRr2tWeXj-wLISfyMDHWpvpf9ffPZIYs2R5_LmLT5mwMR0
"In the case they made in Hunter’s trial today, Hunter has been a serial adulterer, carrying on affairs with at least three lobbyists, a staff member from his office, and an official from the Republican National Committee. Prosecutors laid out evidence Hunter used campaign funds to finance all the affairs—dinners, ski trips, alcohol, Uber service to and from his meet-ups with other women."
"In the case they made in Hunter’s trial today, Hunter has been a serial adulterer, carrying on affairs with at least three lobbyists, a staff member from his office, and an official from the Republican National Committee. Prosecutors laid out evidence Hunter used campaign funds to finance all the affairs—dinners, ski trips, alcohol, Uber service to and from his meet-ups with other women."
Duncan Hunter Junior - The Apple Doesn't Fall Far
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/6/25/1867181/-Duncan-Hunter-Junior-The-Apple-Doesn-t-Fall-Far?utm_campaign=recent&fbclid=IwAR2DoWeK10JKcCqXDgpN5bEm-FRxK3Fly54SZK5zFGZBtKMTTqUaL2-HgEA
"The Justice Department has released some additional details regarding its criminal complaint against Congressman Duncan Hunter Jr. (CA-50). These new details help flesh out Hunters use of campaign funds in support of at least five extra-marital affairs that he was conducting while doing the people’s business in Washington. In the filing, prosecutors detail numerous instances in which Hunter allegedly used campaign cash to fund his affairs. In one episode in 2010, Hunter allegedly took a lobbyist on a "double date” road trip to Virginia Beach with a fellow congressman and then charged his campaign for the hotel room and bar tab. In another incident in 2015, Hunter allegedly took a House leadership aide out for cocktails and then took an Uber back to his office after they spent the night together. Both expenses were charged to his campaign account, prosecutors say. And Hunter also allegedly became intimately involved with a woman who worked in his congressional office in 2015, regularly paying for their dates with campaign funds. Hunter initially blamed his wife for his family’s use of over $250,000 in campaign funds for a variety of personal expenses, but she has changed her plea to guilty and is cooperating with prosecutors. Aside from Hunter’s original statement blaming her for all the misappropriations, I suspect that the fact that he was using some of the stolen funds to pay for his affairs possible influence her decision. Young Duncan may have developed his interest in stealing from others from his father, Duncan Hunter Senior, who in 2007 was named by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) as one of the most corrupt members of congress."
"The Justice Department has released some additional details regarding its criminal complaint against Congressman Duncan Hunter Jr. (CA-50). These new details help flesh out Hunters use of campaign funds in support of at least five extra-marital affairs that he was conducting while doing the people’s business in Washington. In the filing, prosecutors detail numerous instances in which Hunter allegedly used campaign cash to fund his affairs. In one episode in 2010, Hunter allegedly took a lobbyist on a "double date” road trip to Virginia Beach with a fellow congressman and then charged his campaign for the hotel room and bar tab. In another incident in 2015, Hunter allegedly took a House leadership aide out for cocktails and then took an Uber back to his office after they spent the night together. Both expenses were charged to his campaign account, prosecutors say. And Hunter also allegedly became intimately involved with a woman who worked in his congressional office in 2015, regularly paying for their dates with campaign funds. Hunter initially blamed his wife for his family’s use of over $250,000 in campaign funds for a variety of personal expenses, but she has changed her plea to guilty and is cooperating with prosecutors. Aside from Hunter’s original statement blaming her for all the misappropriations, I suspect that the fact that he was using some of the stolen funds to pay for his affairs possible influence her decision. Young Duncan may have developed his interest in stealing from others from his father, Duncan Hunter Senior, who in 2007 was named by Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington (CREW) as one of the most corrupt members of congress."
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