Monday, April 30, 2018
Sell Off Public Resources, Live Large on the Public Dime
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a19849658/pruitt-zinke-environment-public-spending/
"There's something of a dark irony in turning the Interior Department into an open sewer of greed and corruption. It is consistent with the entire administration*, which is run at the top by a conspicuous glutton. There are seven deadly sins. Gluttony is one of them. I’d say we have a clean sweep, probably the only clean thing involved in this whole mess."
"There's something of a dark irony in turning the Interior Department into an open sewer of greed and corruption. It is consistent with the entire administration*, which is run at the top by a conspicuous glutton. There are seven deadly sins. Gluttony is one of them. I’d say we have a clean sweep, probably the only clean thing involved in this whole mess."
Trump’s Lawyer Forgets to Pretend He’s Innocent, Also Compares Him to Mobster
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/04/trumps-lawyer-cohen-forgets-to-pretend-trump-is-innocent.html
"One of the ways in which the scandals around President Trump have come to resemble a mob movie, other than the nature of the crimes themselves, is that nobody involved is putting up much of a pretense that Trump is innocent."
"One of the ways in which the scandals around President Trump have come to resemble a mob movie, other than the nature of the crimes themselves, is that nobody involved is putting up much of a pretense that Trump is innocent."
While China Picks Winners, Trump Picks Losers
While China Picks Winners, Trump Picks Losers:
"Republicans who for years have voted against subsidies for solar and wind power—arguing that the “free market” should decide our energy future—are now eager to have government subsidize coal. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency is also scrapping rules for disposing coal ash, giving coal producers another big helping hand. As if this weren’t enough, a former coal lobbyist has just become No. 2 at the EPA. If Scott Pruitt leaves (a growing possibility), the coal lobbyist will be in charge. Meanwhile, Trump is imposing a 30 percent tariff on solar panels from China, thereby boosting their cost to American homeowners and utilities. The Trumpsters say this is because China is subsidizing solar. To Trump and his merry band of climate-change deniers, boosting coal is fine. Helping solar is an unwarranted interference in the free market. As with so much else, Trump is determined to Take America Backwards Again. Until about a decade ago, the United States was the world leader in solar energy. Federal tax credits along with state renewable electricity standards helped fuel the boom. Then China decided to boost its own solar industry. State-controlled banks lent Chinese solar companies tens of billions of dollars at low interest rates. Chinese firms now produce three-quarters of the world’s solar panels. China’s success in solar has inspired China’s new high-tech industrial policy—a $300 billion plan to boost China’s position in other cutting-edge industries, called “Made in China 2025.” Besides subsidizing these industries, China is also telling foreign (usually American) companies seeking to sell in China that they must make their gadgets in China. As a practical matter, this often means American firms must disclose and share their technology with Chinese firms. “We have a tremendous intellectual property theft situation going on,” said Trump, just before upping the ante and threatening China with $100 billion in tariffs."
"Republicans who for years have voted against subsidies for solar and wind power—arguing that the “free market” should decide our energy future—are now eager to have government subsidize coal. Trump’s Environmental Protection Agency is also scrapping rules for disposing coal ash, giving coal producers another big helping hand. As if this weren’t enough, a former coal lobbyist has just become No. 2 at the EPA. If Scott Pruitt leaves (a growing possibility), the coal lobbyist will be in charge. Meanwhile, Trump is imposing a 30 percent tariff on solar panels from China, thereby boosting their cost to American homeowners and utilities. The Trumpsters say this is because China is subsidizing solar. To Trump and his merry band of climate-change deniers, boosting coal is fine. Helping solar is an unwarranted interference in the free market. As with so much else, Trump is determined to Take America Backwards Again. Until about a decade ago, the United States was the world leader in solar energy. Federal tax credits along with state renewable electricity standards helped fuel the boom. Then China decided to boost its own solar industry. State-controlled banks lent Chinese solar companies tens of billions of dollars at low interest rates. Chinese firms now produce three-quarters of the world’s solar panels. China’s success in solar has inspired China’s new high-tech industrial policy—a $300 billion plan to boost China’s position in other cutting-edge industries, called “Made in China 2025.” Besides subsidizing these industries, China is also telling foreign (usually American) companies seeking to sell in China that they must make their gadgets in China. As a practical matter, this often means American firms must disclose and share their technology with Chinese firms. “We have a tremendous intellectual property theft situation going on,” said Trump, just before upping the ante and threatening China with $100 billion in tariffs."
Manafort was under investigation because Mueller suspected he was Trump's back channel to Russia
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/19/1758452/-Manafort-was-under-investigation-because-Mueller-suspected-he-was-Trump-s-back-channel-to-Russia
"Previously, the special counsel had clarified that Paul Manafort’s connections to Russia weren’t just historical, but active during the Trump campaign. During Kilimnik’s time working for Manafort in Kiev, he had served as a liaison for Manafort to the Russian aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, with whom Manafort had done business. Emails previously described to The Post show that Manafort asked Kilimnik during the campaign to offer Deripaska “private briefings” about Trump’s effort. According to the filings, “Person A,” who is assumed to be Kilimnik, had multiple communications with Manafort and his partner Rick Gates during the campaign. These communications were not about events in Ukraine several years ago. They were about what Manafort was doing at the time. They were about the Trump campaign. Manafort’s role in the campaign wasn’t as coffee boy, and he wasn’t a distant adviser that Trump can easily disown. Paul Manafort was Donald Trump’s campaign manager for a critical part of the campaign. He was actively exchanging information with Russian officials"
"Previously, the special counsel had clarified that Paul Manafort’s connections to Russia weren’t just historical, but active during the Trump campaign. During Kilimnik’s time working for Manafort in Kiev, he had served as a liaison for Manafort to the Russian aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska, with whom Manafort had done business. Emails previously described to The Post show that Manafort asked Kilimnik during the campaign to offer Deripaska “private briefings” about Trump’s effort. According to the filings, “Person A,” who is assumed to be Kilimnik, had multiple communications with Manafort and his partner Rick Gates during the campaign. These communications were not about events in Ukraine several years ago. They were about what Manafort was doing at the time. They were about the Trump campaign. Manafort’s role in the campaign wasn’t as coffee boy, and he wasn’t a distant adviser that Trump can easily disown. Paul Manafort was Donald Trump’s campaign manager for a critical part of the campaign. He was actively exchanging information with Russian officials"
Trump Justice Department Confirms That Mueller Suspects Paul Manafort of Colluding with Russia @alternet
Trump Justice Department Confirms That Mueller Suspects Paul Manafort of Colluding with Russia @alternet:
"According to Bloomberg, U.S. prosecutors made the allegation while defending special counsel Robert Mueller’s decision to indict Manafort on charges of money laundering and acting as an agent of a foreign government."
"According to Bloomberg, U.S. prosecutors made the allegation while defending special counsel Robert Mueller’s decision to indict Manafort on charges of money laundering and acting as an agent of a foreign government."
If the Water Is Rising, Donald Trump Will Throw You Overboard
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/a19860416/trump-michael-cohen-associates-nobodies/
"the loopholes Trump spends his life squeezing through aren't big enough to bring anyone with him. An old friend becomes a needy acquaintance; a campaign chairman becomes someone you got from the temp agency; a national security adviser becomes a "volunteer." Anything to keep The Boss' head above water—and the water is rising. When the FBI raided Michael Cohen's home, offices, and hotel room last week, seizing computers and documents, it was widely perceived as a turning point in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Donald Trump and his associates. Cohen was Trump's longtime fixer, and is intimately acquainted with whatever President Business Deals was up to abroad before he reached the White House. It also emerged that Cohen has been under investigation for months, and the feds may have been wiretapping him and reading his email during that period. Trump reacted with volcanic anger. Friends and associates of both men sounded the alarm, with many suggesting Cohen may flip on Trump. Cohen is usually described as Trump's personal lawyer, or his fixer, or his "consigliere" of sorts. For some time, Trump has referred to Cohen as "my lawyer." But all that came to an end this week—at least if the words of White House aides are anything to go on. Now Cohen is just some guy, one of "many" lawyers? Wasn't he the avvocato di tutti avvocati just last week? It's almost like the White House is trying to pretend a close associate of Trump is a nobody that he's never met just as soon as he gets in trouble. And it's not the first time."
"the loopholes Trump spends his life squeezing through aren't big enough to bring anyone with him. An old friend becomes a needy acquaintance; a campaign chairman becomes someone you got from the temp agency; a national security adviser becomes a "volunteer." Anything to keep The Boss' head above water—and the water is rising. When the FBI raided Michael Cohen's home, offices, and hotel room last week, seizing computers and documents, it was widely perceived as a turning point in Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Donald Trump and his associates. Cohen was Trump's longtime fixer, and is intimately acquainted with whatever President Business Deals was up to abroad before he reached the White House. It also emerged that Cohen has been under investigation for months, and the feds may have been wiretapping him and reading his email during that period. Trump reacted with volcanic anger. Friends and associates of both men sounded the alarm, with many suggesting Cohen may flip on Trump. Cohen is usually described as Trump's personal lawyer, or his fixer, or his "consigliere" of sorts. For some time, Trump has referred to Cohen as "my lawyer." But all that came to an end this week—at least if the words of White House aides are anything to go on. Now Cohen is just some guy, one of "many" lawyers? Wasn't he the avvocato di tutti avvocati just last week? It's almost like the White House is trying to pretend a close associate of Trump is a nobody that he's never met just as soon as he gets in trouble. And it's not the first time."
Comey Memos: Clear Proof Trump Repeatedly Lied About His Trip To Moscow
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/comey-memos-clear-proof-trump-repeatedly-lied-about-his-trip-to-moscow
"Trump was so adamant about denying the prostitute story that he poured on extra lies (not spending the night) to make his denial more plausible. But in any court, this lie would be entered as evidence of his lack of credibility on the main point. There’s zero question he lied about this repeatedly and to multiple people. You can be the judge of why."
"Trump was so adamant about denying the prostitute story that he poured on extra lies (not spending the night) to make his denial more plausible. But in any court, this lie would be entered as evidence of his lack of credibility on the main point. There’s zero question he lied about this repeatedly and to multiple people. You can be the judge of why."
Trump Fundraiser Offered Russian Gas Company Plan to Get Sanctions Lifted for $26 Million
https://theintercept.com/2018/04/20/elliott-broidy-trump-russia-sanctions/
"SHORTLY AFTER PRESIDENT Donald Trump was inaugurated last year, top Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy offered Russian gas giant Novatek a $26 million lobbying plan aimed at removing the company from a U.S. sanctions list, according to documents obtained by The Intercept. Broidy is a Trump associate who was deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee until he resigned last week amid reports that he had agreed to pay $1.6 million to a former Playboy model with whom he had an affair. But in February 2017, when he laid out his lobbying proposal for Novatek, he was acting as a well-connected businessman and longtime Republican donor in a bid to help the Russian company avoid sanctions imposed by the Obama administration. The 2014 sanctions were aimed at punishing Russia for annexing Crimea and supporting pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. In February 2017, Broidy sent a draft of the plan by email to attorney Andrei Baev, then a Moscow- and London-based lawyer who represented major Russian energy companies for the firm Chadbourne & Parke LLP. Baev had already been communicating with Novatek about finding a way to lift U.S. sanctions. Broidy proposed arranging meetings with key White House and congressional leaders and generating op-eds and other articles favorable to the Russian company, along with a full suite of lobbying activities to be undertaken by consultants brought on board. Yet even as he offered those services, Broidy was adamant that his company, Fieldcrest Advisors LLC, would not perform lobbying services but would hire others to do it. He suggested that parties to the deal sign a sweeping non-disclosure agreement that would shield their work from public scrutiny."
"SHORTLY AFTER PRESIDENT Donald Trump was inaugurated last year, top Republican fundraiser Elliott Broidy offered Russian gas giant Novatek a $26 million lobbying plan aimed at removing the company from a U.S. sanctions list, according to documents obtained by The Intercept. Broidy is a Trump associate who was deputy finance chair of the Republican National Committee until he resigned last week amid reports that he had agreed to pay $1.6 million to a former Playboy model with whom he had an affair. But in February 2017, when he laid out his lobbying proposal for Novatek, he was acting as a well-connected businessman and longtime Republican donor in a bid to help the Russian company avoid sanctions imposed by the Obama administration. The 2014 sanctions were aimed at punishing Russia for annexing Crimea and supporting pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine. In February 2017, Broidy sent a draft of the plan by email to attorney Andrei Baev, then a Moscow- and London-based lawyer who represented major Russian energy companies for the firm Chadbourne & Parke LLP. Baev had already been communicating with Novatek about finding a way to lift U.S. sanctions. Broidy proposed arranging meetings with key White House and congressional leaders and generating op-eds and other articles favorable to the Russian company, along with a full suite of lobbying activities to be undertaken by consultants brought on board. Yet even as he offered those services, Broidy was adamant that his company, Fieldcrest Advisors LLC, would not perform lobbying services but would hire others to do it. He suggested that parties to the deal sign a sweeping non-disclosure agreement that would shield their work from public scrutiny."
The Head of the Deutsche Bank Division That Loaned Trump $364 Million Just Got a Big Promotion
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2018/04/the-head-of-the-deutsche-bank-division-that-loaned-trump-364-million-just-got-a-big-promotion/
"He’s worked in a number of roles at the bank, but what’s significant about his resume is the job he held prior to his promotion: He oversaw the firm’s private bank, the division that caters to high-net-worth clients and has loaned Trump’s company hundreds of millions of dollars over the years, when few lenders (including Deutsche Bank’s own commercial lending arm) would do business with the bankruptcy-prone businessman. According to Trump’s financial disclosures, he has loans with the bank totaling as much as $364 million. Sewing, who has worked for the German bank since 1989, was tapped in 2015 to run the firm’s retail and private banking divisions. During his tenure, the private bank made a $170 million loan to the Trump Organization to finance its new Washington, DC, hotel—one of at least four loans it has made to Trump and his businesses over the years. (The private bank also loaned money to a failed business venture that Donald Trump Jr. was involved in.) It was also during Sewing’s stint running the private bank that the company began to grapple with some of the sticky issues that arise when you hold hundreds of millions in debt belonging to the president of the United States. Trump made a personal guarantee on some of his loans, meaning that in the event of a default by the Trump Organization, he would be personally responsible for some of the money owed to the bank. In late 2016 and early 2017, Deutsche Bank’s private banking division reportedly attempted to restructure Trump’s various debts in an effort to remove his guarantees from the agreements, since the prospect of having a sitting president on the hook for tens of millions of dollars seemed problematic. But the effort to renegotiate the loans foundered. “Discussions about the loans have moved from the bank’s lending experts, who were trying to strip out the personal recourse, to more senior managers, who are assessing the political ramifications of any restructuring,” reported Bloomberg last March."
"He’s worked in a number of roles at the bank, but what’s significant about his resume is the job he held prior to his promotion: He oversaw the firm’s private bank, the division that caters to high-net-worth clients and has loaned Trump’s company hundreds of millions of dollars over the years, when few lenders (including Deutsche Bank’s own commercial lending arm) would do business with the bankruptcy-prone businessman. According to Trump’s financial disclosures, he has loans with the bank totaling as much as $364 million. Sewing, who has worked for the German bank since 1989, was tapped in 2015 to run the firm’s retail and private banking divisions. During his tenure, the private bank made a $170 million loan to the Trump Organization to finance its new Washington, DC, hotel—one of at least four loans it has made to Trump and his businesses over the years. (The private bank also loaned money to a failed business venture that Donald Trump Jr. was involved in.) It was also during Sewing’s stint running the private bank that the company began to grapple with some of the sticky issues that arise when you hold hundreds of millions in debt belonging to the president of the United States. Trump made a personal guarantee on some of his loans, meaning that in the event of a default by the Trump Organization, he would be personally responsible for some of the money owed to the bank. In late 2016 and early 2017, Deutsche Bank’s private banking division reportedly attempted to restructure Trump’s various debts in an effort to remove his guarantees from the agreements, since the prospect of having a sitting president on the hook for tens of millions of dollars seemed problematic. But the effort to renegotiate the loans foundered. “Discussions about the loans have moved from the bank’s lending experts, who were trying to strip out the personal recourse, to more senior managers, who are assessing the political ramifications of any restructuring,” reported Bloomberg last March."
Coincidence theory of Trump and Russia: A conspiracy of dunces
https://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2018/02/27/russia-investigation-if-you-dont-see-conspiracy-its-because-you-dont-want-jason-sattler-column/373938002/
"Call it collusion. Call it a collaboration. Or, even better, call it a “conspiracy against the United States” — since that’s probably what the indictments will keep calling it."
"Call it collusion. Call it a collaboration. Or, even better, call it a “conspiracy against the United States” — since that’s probably what the indictments will keep calling it."
Opinion: I Have Absolutely No Doubt That Donald Trump’s a Criminal
https://forwardprogressives.com/opinion-i-have-absolutely-no-doubt-that-donald-trumps-a-criminal/
"Nothing about his behavior tells me we’re dealing with someone who’s innocent. You don’t need to be a psychologist or expert in law enforcement to conclude that innocent people don’t typically behave how Trump does — guilty people do. Not only does Trump frequently try to slander those investigating him, usually claiming some sort of “conspiracy by law enforcement” to get him (which is about as close to cliché mob boss-type behavior as you can get), but his erratic behavior and non-stop lies aren’t something you’d expect from an innocent person. After all, why try to discredit those investigating you unless you’re trying to create doubt that the evidence you’re terrified they might find against you is legitimate? Criminals fear investigations — innocent people typically don’t. When a lawyer defends someone who’s almost certainly guilty, their job isn’t to prove innocence, because they can’t. Their job is to create enough “reasonable doubt” in the prosecution’s case that their absolutely guilty client goes free. That’s what Trump and his defenders are trying to do — create enough doubt in the credibility, character, and agenda of Robert Mueller and the FBI. If you listen to what they’re saying, they’re not trying to prove his innocence. They’re not even really trying to counter anything Mueller’s team is finding. All they’re doing is trying to slander those investigating Trump to manufacture doubt in the credibility of the investigation, that way whatever evidence might be used against this “president” to prove what many of us believe is true — that he’s a criminal — won’t be believed by tens of millions of people who’ve bought into this nonsense about a “witch hunt” and “deep state” conspiracies. I’ve always said that an easy way to guess how factual something is about Trump is to simply sit back and watch how aggressively he responds. The more unhinged his response, especially on Twitter, typically the closer to the truth whatever he’s attacking is. It’s been shown time after time after time again."
"Nothing about his behavior tells me we’re dealing with someone who’s innocent. You don’t need to be a psychologist or expert in law enforcement to conclude that innocent people don’t typically behave how Trump does — guilty people do. Not only does Trump frequently try to slander those investigating him, usually claiming some sort of “conspiracy by law enforcement” to get him (which is about as close to cliché mob boss-type behavior as you can get), but his erratic behavior and non-stop lies aren’t something you’d expect from an innocent person. After all, why try to discredit those investigating you unless you’re trying to create doubt that the evidence you’re terrified they might find against you is legitimate? Criminals fear investigations — innocent people typically don’t. When a lawyer defends someone who’s almost certainly guilty, their job isn’t to prove innocence, because they can’t. Their job is to create enough “reasonable doubt” in the prosecution’s case that their absolutely guilty client goes free. That’s what Trump and his defenders are trying to do — create enough doubt in the credibility, character, and agenda of Robert Mueller and the FBI. If you listen to what they’re saying, they’re not trying to prove his innocence. They’re not even really trying to counter anything Mueller’s team is finding. All they’re doing is trying to slander those investigating Trump to manufacture doubt in the credibility of the investigation, that way whatever evidence might be used against this “president” to prove what many of us believe is true — that he’s a criminal — won’t be believed by tens of millions of people who’ve bought into this nonsense about a “witch hunt” and “deep state” conspiracies. I’ve always said that an easy way to guess how factual something is about Trump is to simply sit back and watch how aggressively he responds. The more unhinged his response, especially on Twitter, typically the closer to the truth whatever he’s attacking is. It’s been shown time after time after time again."
Raid on Paul Manafort's home looked for evidence on Trump Tower meeting, new Mueller document shows
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/24/1759522/-New-filing-from-Robert-Mueller-shows-raid-on-Paul-Manafort-was-partially-about-Trump-Tower-meeting
"The mention of the Trump Tower meeting is particularly interesting. Recent court documents concerning Manafort, Gates and convicted Dutch attorney Alex van Der Swaan have indicated that Manafort was regularly communicating with at least one Russian operative during the time he was working for the Trump campaign. Based on this latest filing, it appears Mueller also suspected that Manafort might have done more at that Trump Tower meeting than just “play with his phone.” Testimony of those present at the Trump Tower meeting—including Manafort, Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr.—has changed almost every time the afternoon meeting is discussed."
"The mention of the Trump Tower meeting is particularly interesting. Recent court documents concerning Manafort, Gates and convicted Dutch attorney Alex van Der Swaan have indicated that Manafort was regularly communicating with at least one Russian operative during the time he was working for the Trump campaign. Based on this latest filing, it appears Mueller also suspected that Manafort might have done more at that Trump Tower meeting than just “play with his phone.” Testimony of those present at the Trump Tower meeting—including Manafort, Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr.—has changed almost every time the afternoon meeting is discussed."
Trump’s History of Lying: From John Barron to @RealDonaldTrump
https://www.newyorker.com/news/our-columnists/trumps-history-of-lying-from-john-barron-to-realdonaldtrump
"Another lesson that Trump seems to have learned early is that, if you are going to make things up, there’s no point underdoing it. When he was running for President, he claimed to be worth more than ten billion dollars, even though most independent analysts reckoned the true figure was less than half that. “Trump has latched onto such fanciful figures not simply because he’s insecure about his wealth but because he knows that pretending he has that kind of money keeps him in the media’s eye and keeps potential business partners interested in him,” Timothy L. O’Brien, the author of a critical 2005 biography of Trump, noted at Bloomberg View on Monday. “It’s all part of the long con.” A long con, indeed. And a tactic that Trump continues to use. In the past few days alone, the President has claimed that North Korea has already “agreed to denuclearization.” (It hasn’t). He has described his Mar-a-Lago resort as “the Southern White House.” (It’s a Trump enterprise, not a public building.) And he’s said that his poll numbers are the highest ever. (The latest Gallup survey puts his job approval at just thirty-eight per cent.) About the only difference, these days, is that when Trump has a self-serving whopper to spread around, he goes on Twitter and attaches his own name to it. In the age of @realDonaldTrump, there is no longer any need for John Barron."
"Another lesson that Trump seems to have learned early is that, if you are going to make things up, there’s no point underdoing it. When he was running for President, he claimed to be worth more than ten billion dollars, even though most independent analysts reckoned the true figure was less than half that. “Trump has latched onto such fanciful figures not simply because he’s insecure about his wealth but because he knows that pretending he has that kind of money keeps him in the media’s eye and keeps potential business partners interested in him,” Timothy L. O’Brien, the author of a critical 2005 biography of Trump, noted at Bloomberg View on Monday. “It’s all part of the long con.” A long con, indeed. And a tactic that Trump continues to use. In the past few days alone, the President has claimed that North Korea has already “agreed to denuclearization.” (It hasn’t). He has described his Mar-a-Lago resort as “the Southern White House.” (It’s a Trump enterprise, not a public building.) And he’s said that his poll numbers are the highest ever. (The latest Gallup survey puts his job approval at just thirty-eight per cent.) About the only difference, these days, is that when Trump has a self-serving whopper to spread around, he goes on Twitter and attaches his own name to it. In the age of @realDonaldTrump, there is no longer any need for John Barron."
Examining the Kochtopus
Examining the Kochtopus:
"From their early involvement in The John Birch Society (daddy Fred Koch being an early member), they continued their rightward march, and by the 1970s, both had plunged into the abyss of a laissez-fairyland plutocracy. With the fervor of religious cultists, they've devoted themselves to the cause of "liberty" — by which they mean the government's only proper role is keeping the avaricious pursuits of the wealthy owner class free from any interference by you, me and the democratic "us." They believe that We The People can neither tax the riches of the owner class nor set rules on how it treats workers, consumers, nature ... and society as a whole. Even more shocking than their arrogance is just how far they've come and are willing to go with this scheme. For nearly 40 years, they and their uber-rich allies have been battering the legal structures and mechanisms that give ordinary people some chance to control their own destinies. Among the brothers' goals are the following: — Kill all restrictions on political spending by corporations and the rich. — Suppress the voting rights of students, people of color, the elderly and others who tend to oppose Republican policies and candidates. — Massacre labor unions. — Eliminate the right of consumers, workers and others to sue corporations, forcing them instead into corporate-controlled arbitration. — Rip to shreds the social safety net including food stamps, jobless benefits, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. — Ax regulations that protect people and our environment from corporate abuse. — "Preempt" the right of local people to pass laws that corporations oppose. — Subvert democracy through gerrymandering. — Pack courts with pro-corporate judges. The effect of these and hundreds of other national, state and local attacks is that the wealthy few are now grabbing evermore societal wealth and power, shattering America's commitment to the Common Good."
"From their early involvement in The John Birch Society (daddy Fred Koch being an early member), they continued their rightward march, and by the 1970s, both had plunged into the abyss of a laissez-fairyland plutocracy. With the fervor of religious cultists, they've devoted themselves to the cause of "liberty" — by which they mean the government's only proper role is keeping the avaricious pursuits of the wealthy owner class free from any interference by you, me and the democratic "us." They believe that We The People can neither tax the riches of the owner class nor set rules on how it treats workers, consumers, nature ... and society as a whole. Even more shocking than their arrogance is just how far they've come and are willing to go with this scheme. For nearly 40 years, they and their uber-rich allies have been battering the legal structures and mechanisms that give ordinary people some chance to control their own destinies. Among the brothers' goals are the following: — Kill all restrictions on political spending by corporations and the rich. — Suppress the voting rights of students, people of color, the elderly and others who tend to oppose Republican policies and candidates. — Massacre labor unions. — Eliminate the right of consumers, workers and others to sue corporations, forcing them instead into corporate-controlled arbitration. — Rip to shreds the social safety net including food stamps, jobless benefits, Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid. — Ax regulations that protect people and our environment from corporate abuse. — "Preempt" the right of local people to pass laws that corporations oppose. — Subvert democracy through gerrymandering. — Pack courts with pro-corporate judges. The effect of these and hundreds of other national, state and local attacks is that the wealthy few are now grabbing evermore societal wealth and power, shattering America's commitment to the Common Good."
Manafort and Gates were already interviewed by the FBI before they were hired by Trump campaign
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/24/1759629/-Manafort-and-Gates-were-already-interviewed-by-the-FBI-before-they-were-hired-by-Trump-campaign
"Before he came on board as first an adviser, then the chairman of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Paul Manafort had at least two meetings with the FBI. The documents filed late Monday by prosecutors in the office of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, show that the FBI had interviewed Manafort in March 2013 and again in July 2014. Manafort’s deputy, Rick Gates, who also held a top role with Trump’s campaign, was interviewed by the FBI in July 2014, the documents show. They weren’t alone. The FBI had also interviewed Carter Page, who was a known recruitment target for Russia and the world’s least-stealthy would-be double agent. Former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page bragged that he was an adviser to the Kremlin in a letter obtained by TIME that raises new questions about the extent of Page’s contacts with the Russian government over the years. Manafort, Gates, and Page were already on the FBI’s radar well before they were on Trump’s payroll. And it’s not as if the Moscow connection of any of the three was hidden. Manafort played up his Russian connections and the work he had done in Ukraine as the highlight of his consulting work. And still both Donald Trump — and the RNC — hired Paul Manafort."
"Before he came on board as first an adviser, then the chairman of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, Paul Manafort had at least two meetings with the FBI. The documents filed late Monday by prosecutors in the office of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III, who is investigating Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential campaign, show that the FBI had interviewed Manafort in March 2013 and again in July 2014. Manafort’s deputy, Rick Gates, who also held a top role with Trump’s campaign, was interviewed by the FBI in July 2014, the documents show. They weren’t alone. The FBI had also interviewed Carter Page, who was a known recruitment target for Russia and the world’s least-stealthy would-be double agent. Former Trump campaign adviser Carter Page bragged that he was an adviser to the Kremlin in a letter obtained by TIME that raises new questions about the extent of Page’s contacts with the Russian government over the years. Manafort, Gates, and Page were already on the FBI’s radar well before they were on Trump’s payroll. And it’s not as if the Moscow connection of any of the three was hidden. Manafort played up his Russian connections and the work he had done in Ukraine as the highlight of his consulting work. And still both Donald Trump — and the RNC — hired Paul Manafort."
Confirmation of Latest Right-Wing Judge for Lifetime Post 'Should Send Shockwaves Across the Nation'
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/04/25/confirmation-latest-right-wing-judge-lifetime-post-should-send-shockwaves-across
"Duncan's background had sparked outrage from numerous members of Congress and civil liberties groups who said his record on issues from marriage equality to women's health to "his stalwart support of legislative efforts to curb the right of people of color to exercise the right to vote" bode ill for the notion of equal justice under the law."
"Duncan's background had sparked outrage from numerous members of Congress and civil liberties groups who said his record on issues from marriage equality to women's health to "his stalwart support of legislative efforts to curb the right of people of color to exercise the right to vote" bode ill for the notion of equal justice under the law."
Lawmakers seek investigation into Scott Pruitt’s friend with no toxic site cleanup experience
https://thinkprogress.org/lawmakers-want-inquiry-into-scott-pruitt-superfund-adviser-345dbffd4ea4/
"Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt selected an old friend to oversee the nation’s toxic waste cleanup program. The friend, Albert Kelly, had no experience in environmental regulation, although he had invested in fossil fuel companies responsible for toxic waste that led to the designation of official Superfund sites. Two lawmakers are now calling on the EPA’s internal watchdog to investigate why Pruitt’s friend was hired to serve as his top adviser for the agency’s Superfund program. They want to find out if Kelly — a former banker who was banned from the profession — was properly vetted before getting appointed to his high-level position and whether Kelly has violated federal rules since joining the EPA."
"Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt selected an old friend to oversee the nation’s toxic waste cleanup program. The friend, Albert Kelly, had no experience in environmental regulation, although he had invested in fossil fuel companies responsible for toxic waste that led to the designation of official Superfund sites. Two lawmakers are now calling on the EPA’s internal watchdog to investigate why Pruitt’s friend was hired to serve as his top adviser for the agency’s Superfund program. They want to find out if Kelly — a former banker who was banned from the profession — was properly vetted before getting appointed to his high-level position and whether Kelly has violated federal rules since joining the EPA."
Yes, We Are Witnessing a Plutocratic Coup
Yes, We Are Witnessing a Plutocratic Coup:
"One coup that most of us haven't heard of is The Wall Street Putsch of 1933. The financial establishment — along with its media and political henchmen — rushed out to bury the story and protect the gentlemen of Wall Street implicated in the part. It's a heck of a story about capitalist skullduggery by a few Lords of Wealth trying to overthrow the government and enthrone a fascist regime friendly to them. In 1933, the Great Depression was in full force, spreading mass unemployment, waves of bankruptcies and abject poverty. The people's boiling political anger was scaring the aloof denizens of Wall Street, as more and more people joined in open rebellion against all things the plutocrats considered sacrosanct: unfettered capitalism. The year before, Franklin D. Roosevelt had scored a landslide presidential victory over Wall Street's man, then-President Herbert Hoover, by promising a New Deal for millions of Americans impoverished by the Depression. To the bankers' horror, the new president's government policies and programs to help people get back on their feet included new taxes on wealth. Such Wall Street multimillionaires as Grayson M-P. Murphy (banker and Anaconda Copper Mining Co. head) and Robert Sterling Clark (heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune) were enraged by FDR's moves. "Class war," they wailed, claiming that their "liberty" to grab as much wealth as possible was being shackled. Calling Roosevelt a traitor to his class, these men implemented a plan to oust him by enlisting a private military force made up of thousands of destitute World War I vets who were protesting the failure to receive promised federal bonus payments."
"One coup that most of us haven't heard of is The Wall Street Putsch of 1933. The financial establishment — along with its media and political henchmen — rushed out to bury the story and protect the gentlemen of Wall Street implicated in the part. It's a heck of a story about capitalist skullduggery by a few Lords of Wealth trying to overthrow the government and enthrone a fascist regime friendly to them. In 1933, the Great Depression was in full force, spreading mass unemployment, waves of bankruptcies and abject poverty. The people's boiling political anger was scaring the aloof denizens of Wall Street, as more and more people joined in open rebellion against all things the plutocrats considered sacrosanct: unfettered capitalism. The year before, Franklin D. Roosevelt had scored a landslide presidential victory over Wall Street's man, then-President Herbert Hoover, by promising a New Deal for millions of Americans impoverished by the Depression. To the bankers' horror, the new president's government policies and programs to help people get back on their feet included new taxes on wealth. Such Wall Street multimillionaires as Grayson M-P. Murphy (banker and Anaconda Copper Mining Co. head) and Robert Sterling Clark (heir to the Singer sewing machine fortune) were enraged by FDR's moves. "Class war," they wailed, claiming that their "liberty" to grab as much wealth as possible was being shackled. Calling Roosevelt a traitor to his class, these men implemented a plan to oust him by enlisting a private military force made up of thousands of destitute World War I vets who were protesting the failure to receive promised federal bonus payments."
Opponents decry Scott Pruitt’s plan to roll back groundwater protections at coal ash sites
https://thinkprogress.org/scott-pruitt-sides-with-coal-ash-utilities-16fb6702c930/
"Residents have not been clamoring for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to weaken the nation’s coal ash waste rules. No local communities have stood up and said they want less protection from coal ash. And yet Pruitt — at the behest of coal-fired power plant owners — proposed changes in early March to an Obama-era rule that would allow power plant owners to avoid cleaning up their coal ash deposit sites that were found to be leaking and contaminating groundwater."
"Residents have not been clamoring for Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt to weaken the nation’s coal ash waste rules. No local communities have stood up and said they want less protection from coal ash. And yet Pruitt — at the behest of coal-fired power plant owners — proposed changes in early March to an Obama-era rule that would allow power plant owners to avoid cleaning up their coal ash deposit sites that were found to be leaking and contaminating groundwater."
Sunday, April 29, 2018
As Attorney General of Oklahoma, Scott Pruitt Was a Big Spender in a Small State
https://theintercept.com/2018/04/12/scott-pruitt-spending-oklahoma-attorney-general/
"With fewer than 4 million people living in Oklahoma, Pruitt’s 2014 expenditures amounted to more than $14 per state resident. The 2014 budget for the Oklahoma attorney general’s office, which totaled $55.7 million, was more than double the $23.6 million spent that year by the attorney general of Arkansas, a neighboring state with a similar population. (In 2015, Pruitt’s office spent a total of $48.6 million.) Pruitt’s administrative costs for 2014 came in more than $10 million over the budgeted amount for administrative expenses that year and $16 million over what his office spent in the same category the following year. The Intercept contacted the attorney general’s office and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, neither of which could clarify exactly what fell under the category of administrative expenses. “I do not know if we drill down to that level of detail in the budget system,” said Shelley Zumwalt, a public affairs director. A small part of the increased spending may be due to higher rents. Pruitt moved the Tulsa branch of the attorney general’s offices from a less expensive office building on the outskirts of the city into the Bank of America Tower downtown. The new office was more than twice the size of the old one and more expensive per-square-foot, so annual rental expenses quadrupled from $34,950 to $142,408, according to a 2014 lease. And while much of the rest of Oklahoma’s state government was growing smaller, Pruitt, an advocate of small government, added 58 staff members to his own agency, according to the Associated Press. By December 2016, the state attorney general’s office had 207 employees, up from 149 in 2011, when he assumed the position. Spending on personnel shot up from about $14 million to $19 million between 2008 and 2015, according to the audits. Pruitt also upgraded the office’s vehicles."
"With fewer than 4 million people living in Oklahoma, Pruitt’s 2014 expenditures amounted to more than $14 per state resident. The 2014 budget for the Oklahoma attorney general’s office, which totaled $55.7 million, was more than double the $23.6 million spent that year by the attorney general of Arkansas, a neighboring state with a similar population. (In 2015, Pruitt’s office spent a total of $48.6 million.) Pruitt’s administrative costs for 2014 came in more than $10 million over the budgeted amount for administrative expenses that year and $16 million over what his office spent in the same category the following year. The Intercept contacted the attorney general’s office and the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, neither of which could clarify exactly what fell under the category of administrative expenses. “I do not know if we drill down to that level of detail in the budget system,” said Shelley Zumwalt, a public affairs director. A small part of the increased spending may be due to higher rents. Pruitt moved the Tulsa branch of the attorney general’s offices from a less expensive office building on the outskirts of the city into the Bank of America Tower downtown. The new office was more than twice the size of the old one and more expensive per-square-foot, so annual rental expenses quadrupled from $34,950 to $142,408, according to a 2014 lease. And while much of the rest of Oklahoma’s state government was growing smaller, Pruitt, an advocate of small government, added 58 staff members to his own agency, according to the Associated Press. By December 2016, the state attorney general’s office had 207 employees, up from 149 in 2011, when he assumed the position. Spending on personnel shot up from about $14 million to $19 million between 2008 and 2015, according to the audits. Pruitt also upgraded the office’s vehicles."
EPA plans to end California’s fuel economy waiver despite Pruitt’s claims to the contrary
https://thinkprogress.org/epa-end-california-waiver-freeze-fuel-economy-standards-2020-ea5ac66b8fed/
"Just one day after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the agency did not have plans “at present” to target California’s special fuel economy waiver, the Trump administration announced that it would be putting a six-year hold on Obama-era standards for fuel efficiency, starting in 2020, while at the same time revoking California’s waiver to set its own standards. The move undercuts the Obama administration’s attempt to reign in carbon emissions from the transportation sector, and tees up a fight between the federal government and a state that has challenged Trump’s deregulatory agenda at nearly every turn. According to the Los Angeles Times, the EPA plans to submit a draft for fuel economy targets to the White House within the next few days. Pruitt had previously announced that the agency was reconsidering the Obama administration’s fuel economy standards, which dictate how much a car can emit."
"Just one day after Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Scott Pruitt told lawmakers on Capitol Hill that the agency did not have plans “at present” to target California’s special fuel economy waiver, the Trump administration announced that it would be putting a six-year hold on Obama-era standards for fuel efficiency, starting in 2020, while at the same time revoking California’s waiver to set its own standards. The move undercuts the Obama administration’s attempt to reign in carbon emissions from the transportation sector, and tees up a fight between the federal government and a state that has challenged Trump’s deregulatory agenda at nearly every turn. According to the Los Angeles Times, the EPA plans to submit a draft for fuel economy targets to the White House within the next few days. Pruitt had previously announced that the agency was reconsidering the Obama administration’s fuel economy standards, which dictate how much a car can emit."
Trump’s three magical words: ‘People don’t realize’
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trumps-three-magical-words-people-dont-realize
"In nearly every instance, when Trump says, “People don’t realize” – or its rhetorical cousin, “A lot of people don’t know that” – what he means is, “I recently learned some new detail, and since I wasn’t aware of it, I’m going to assume most people didn’t know it, either.” There are exceptions. Sometimes, for example, he’ll use the phrase to bolster a detail that’s false, but which he wants to be true. As a candidate, he insisted that “nobody knows” that the murder rate is at 45-year high. Of course, in reality, “nobody knows” that because it’s not true. Trump also believes that “a lot of people don’t know” that U.S. taxes are the highest in the world, which would be fascinating, if his point weren’t completely wrong. Other times, the president is more philosophical. “People don’t realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why?” he asked a year ago this week. But more often than not, he assumes Americans simply aren’t aware of fairly common details. Last summer, for example, Trump declared, “France is America’s first and oldest ally. A lot of people don’t know that.” Before that, he said, in reference to Abraham Lincoln, “Most people don’t even know he was a Republican. Right? Does anyone know? A lot of people don’t know that"."
"In nearly every instance, when Trump says, “People don’t realize” – or its rhetorical cousin, “A lot of people don’t know that” – what he means is, “I recently learned some new detail, and since I wasn’t aware of it, I’m going to assume most people didn’t know it, either.” There are exceptions. Sometimes, for example, he’ll use the phrase to bolster a detail that’s false, but which he wants to be true. As a candidate, he insisted that “nobody knows” that the murder rate is at 45-year high. Of course, in reality, “nobody knows” that because it’s not true. Trump also believes that “a lot of people don’t know” that U.S. taxes are the highest in the world, which would be fascinating, if his point weren’t completely wrong. Other times, the president is more philosophical. “People don’t realize, you know, the Civil War, if you think about it, why?” he asked a year ago this week. But more often than not, he assumes Americans simply aren’t aware of fairly common details. Last summer, for example, Trump declared, “France is America’s first and oldest ally. A lot of people don’t know that.” Before that, he said, in reference to Abraham Lincoln, “Most people don’t even know he was a Republican. Right? Does anyone know? A lot of people don’t know that"."
The End of Republican Accountability
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/features/scott-pruitt-scandals-w519532
"For Republican politicians, accountability has lost all meaning. In recent months, America has seen GOP leaders, appointees and candidates violate the public trust – and in several cases, likely the law – with zero accountability within the White House or the party."
"For Republican politicians, accountability has lost all meaning. In recent months, America has seen GOP leaders, appointees and candidates violate the public trust – and in several cases, likely the law – with zero accountability within the White House or the party."
80 percent of economic gains from Trump tax plan will end up going to foreigners, CBO Says
http://www.newsweek.com/republican-tax-plan-donald-trump-cbo-884129
"President Donald Trump touted the economic growth triggered by his tax cuts in a speech Thursday afternoon, pointing out the projected growth of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next 10 years had increased because of the plan. But 80 percent of the economic growth generated by the Republican tax cuts will eventually go abroad and benefit foreigners, according to a new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The report found significant differences between projected GDP, which measures the level of production in the U.S., and gross national product, which measures the income earned by all Americans. If the economic impact from GDP is higher than GNP, the difference between the two is income generated in the United States but going to foreigners. According to the CBO, on average 34 percent of income from the economic activity driven by the tax cuts is flowing out of the country, and in 2028, when the full effects of the tax cuts are in place, that number will increase to 80 percent. “We heard statement after statement about how this tax plan would be great for American workers but the analysis is clear,” Senator Chris Van Hollen told Newsweek. “When this thing kicks in, 80 cents of every dollar [gained from the tax plan] will go to foreigners and not American workers. That’s a stunning number.” Nearly one-third of the U.S. stock market is owned by foreign investors, which means they’re benefiting from the $238 billion increase in stock buyback authorizations since the tax law passed. An analysis of Fortune 500 companies found that corporations have spent 37 times more on stock buybacks than on American workers’ bonuses and wages. “Republicans had fair warning that a huge chunk of this economic boost would flow to foreigners,” said Van Hollen. “The bottom line is that foreigners own a large chunk of U.S. corporations and will get a big windfall"."
"President Donald Trump touted the economic growth triggered by his tax cuts in a speech Thursday afternoon, pointing out the projected growth of gross domestic product (GDP) over the next 10 years had increased because of the plan. But 80 percent of the economic growth generated by the Republican tax cuts will eventually go abroad and benefit foreigners, according to a new report by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The report found significant differences between projected GDP, which measures the level of production in the U.S., and gross national product, which measures the income earned by all Americans. If the economic impact from GDP is higher than GNP, the difference between the two is income generated in the United States but going to foreigners. According to the CBO, on average 34 percent of income from the economic activity driven by the tax cuts is flowing out of the country, and in 2028, when the full effects of the tax cuts are in place, that number will increase to 80 percent. “We heard statement after statement about how this tax plan would be great for American workers but the analysis is clear,” Senator Chris Van Hollen told Newsweek. “When this thing kicks in, 80 cents of every dollar [gained from the tax plan] will go to foreigners and not American workers. That’s a stunning number.” Nearly one-third of the U.S. stock market is owned by foreign investors, which means they’re benefiting from the $238 billion increase in stock buyback authorizations since the tax law passed. An analysis of Fortune 500 companies found that corporations have spent 37 times more on stock buybacks than on American workers’ bonuses and wages. “Republicans had fair warning that a huge chunk of this economic boost would flow to foreigners,” said Van Hollen. “The bottom line is that foreigners own a large chunk of U.S. corporations and will get a big windfall"."
David Jolly Explains Mueller's Brilliant End-Run Around Trump
David Jolly Explains Mueller's Brilliant End-Run Around Trump:
"Enjoy these pearls of wisdom: "Mueller and Rosenstein pulled the greatest end-run around Donald Trump, and no one saw it coming, and it's this: by referring this matter to the Southern District of New York, it ensures that this legal exposure and culpability between Trump and Cohen survives the dismissal of Mueller and survives the dismissal of Rosenstein. "And why that matters is that an impeachable event does not arise out of an investigation by the Special Counsel....[T]he Mueller probe can be shut down because Trump and Cohen are now involved in this legal exposure in New York. If Trump is found to be legally culpable, that can still be an impeachable matter for the U.S. Congress"."
"Enjoy these pearls of wisdom: "Mueller and Rosenstein pulled the greatest end-run around Donald Trump, and no one saw it coming, and it's this: by referring this matter to the Southern District of New York, it ensures that this legal exposure and culpability between Trump and Cohen survives the dismissal of Mueller and survives the dismissal of Rosenstein. "And why that matters is that an impeachable event does not arise out of an investigation by the Special Counsel....[T]he Mueller probe can be shut down because Trump and Cohen are now involved in this legal exposure in New York. If Trump is found to be legally culpable, that can still be an impeachable matter for the U.S. Congress"."
A Key Trump-Russia Intermediary Has Been Missing for Months, as the Case for Collusion Grows Stronger
https://theintercept.com/2018/04/12/trump-russia-intermediary-joseph-mifsud-missing-case-for-collusion/
"The Papadopoulos-Mifsud connection is now Exhibit A in the argument that Trump or those close to him colluded with Moscow to gain the White House."
"The Papadopoulos-Mifsud connection is now Exhibit A in the argument that Trump or those close to him colluded with Moscow to gain the White House."
A Brief History of Michael Cohen's Criminal Ties
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/news/michael-cohens-ties-to-russia-crime-and-trump-w518941
"From the Russian mob to money launderers, Trump's personal attorney has long been a subject of interest to federal investigators"
"From the Russian mob to money launderers, Trump's personal attorney has long been a subject of interest to federal investigators"
Trump Accidentally Confesses To Obstruction Of Justice On Twitter
https://thedailybanter.com/2018/04/trump-accidentally-confesses-to-obstruction-of-justice/
"Trump appears to believe that by virtue of him saying or believing something, it makes it so. In his mind, firing James Comey to prevent him investigating him over his connections to Russia wasn't obstruction of justice, but merely 'fighting back'. The distinction may have no legal basis, but then Trump isn't bothered about inconvenient technicalities. Unfortunately for him, the law isn't applied subjectively -- just because you don't think you did something wrong, doesn't mean you didn't. And as the Mueller investigation gets ever closer to Trump and his inner circle, he will find this out the hard way."
"Trump appears to believe that by virtue of him saying or believing something, it makes it so. In his mind, firing James Comey to prevent him investigating him over his connections to Russia wasn't obstruction of justice, but merely 'fighting back'. The distinction may have no legal basis, but then Trump isn't bothered about inconvenient technicalities. Unfortunately for him, the law isn't applied subjectively -- just because you don't think you did something wrong, doesn't mean you didn't. And as the Mueller investigation gets ever closer to Trump and his inner circle, he will find this out the hard way."
10 Facts that Indicate Robert Mueller’s Investigation Isn’t a ‘Witch Hunt’ Against Trump
https://forwardprogressives.com/10-facts-that-indicate-robert-muellers-investigation-isnt-a-witch-hunt-against-trump/
"When it comes to Donald Trump and the people supporting him, facts and reality don’t really matter. These are folks who literally seem to think that pesky things like “reality” and “facts” are whatever they want to be real — actual reality and facts be damned. You don’t need to go any further than Trump’s rhetoric concerning Robert Mueller’s investigation into his campaign for a perfect example of what I mean. From the very beginning, Trump’s claimed that this is all some sort of a “witch hunt” against him. This “president” and his supporters have pushed conspiracies alleging some sort of “deep state” working against him, sometimes even saying that Democrats were using all of this as an excuse for losing an election. Unfortunately for Trump and his supporters, actual facts and reality don’t support their absurd nonsense."
"When it comes to Donald Trump and the people supporting him, facts and reality don’t really matter. These are folks who literally seem to think that pesky things like “reality” and “facts” are whatever they want to be real — actual reality and facts be damned. You don’t need to go any further than Trump’s rhetoric concerning Robert Mueller’s investigation into his campaign for a perfect example of what I mean. From the very beginning, Trump’s claimed that this is all some sort of a “witch hunt” against him. This “president” and his supporters have pushed conspiracies alleging some sort of “deep state” working against him, sometimes even saying that Democrats were using all of this as an excuse for losing an election. Unfortunately for Trump and his supporters, actual facts and reality don’t support their absurd nonsense."
Every criticism of the Republican tax plan is proving true
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/every-criticism-the-republican-tax-plan-proving-true
"During the abbreviated debate over the Republican tax plan, Democrats said the corporate beneficiaries of the tax breaks would use their windfalls on priorities such as stock buybacks. We now know, of course, that this prediction turned out to be true. Critics of the GOP plan also said it included all kinds of sloppy and consequential errors that would need fixes, which is also happening. Dems also warned that Republican leaders would use the impact of the tax cuts as a pretext to go after social-insurance programs – sometimes called “entitlements” – such as Social Security. That, too, is coming true. And, of course, progressive opponents of the GOP tax breaks said the proposal would do real harm to the nation’s finances, and wouldn’t come close to paying for themselves. We can now add this to the list of things Dems got right and Republicans got wrong."
"During the abbreviated debate over the Republican tax plan, Democrats said the corporate beneficiaries of the tax breaks would use their windfalls on priorities such as stock buybacks. We now know, of course, that this prediction turned out to be true. Critics of the GOP plan also said it included all kinds of sloppy and consequential errors that would need fixes, which is also happening. Dems also warned that Republican leaders would use the impact of the tax cuts as a pretext to go after social-insurance programs – sometimes called “entitlements” – such as Social Security. That, too, is coming true. And, of course, progressive opponents of the GOP tax breaks said the proposal would do real harm to the nation’s finances, and wouldn’t come close to paying for themselves. We can now add this to the list of things Dems got right and Republicans got wrong."
With 'Merger From Hell' Reportedly Approved by DOJ, Warnings of Agrichemical Chokehold on Food System
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/04/09/merger-hell-reportedly-approved-doj-warnings-agrichemical-chokehold-food-system
"Watchdog groups sounded alarms on Monday after the Wall Street Journal reported that the proposed mega-merger of Bayer and Monsanto has cleared its final regulatory hurdle in the United States."
"Watchdog groups sounded alarms on Monday after the Wall Street Journal reported that the proposed mega-merger of Bayer and Monsanto has cleared its final regulatory hurdle in the United States."
Scott Pruitt's lie about pay raises unravels, emails reveal he was behind scheme all along
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/9/1755690/-Scott-Pruitt-s-lie-about-pay-raises-unravels-emails-reveal-he-was-behind-scheme-all-along
"Pruitt sought massive raises for two of his favorite aides who came with him from Oklahoma. Those raises were large enough that they required approval from the White House. He was turned down. Undaunted, Pruitt determined that he could tap into money that was intended for consultants on the Clean Water Act and instead funnel it to his friends. He ordered it done. When he was caught, he took the standard Donald Trump method to handle it: bald-faced lies."
"Pruitt sought massive raises for two of his favorite aides who came with him from Oklahoma. Those raises were large enough that they required approval from the White House. He was turned down. Undaunted, Pruitt determined that he could tap into money that was intended for consultants on the Clean Water Act and instead funnel it to his friends. He ordered it done. When he was caught, he took the standard Donald Trump method to handle it: bald-faced lies."
Rick Scott wants to take his bad ideas to Washington
https://thinkprogress.org/what-did-rick-scott-accomplish-as-florida-governor-db01f503e098/
"Rick Scott is just plain shady Rick Scott has been making suspicious business deals even before he was a politician. In 1997, Scott oversaw one of the largest Medicare frauds in United States history. He resigned as the CEO of health care giant Columbia/HCA amid an FBI investigation into the company’s fraudulent billing practices which resulted in the company being charged with 14 felonies and paying $1.7 billion in criminal and civil fines for Medicare fraud. According to investigators, Scott and other company executives violated federal law by offering financial incentives to doctors in exchange for patient referrals. Some Columbia/HCA employees claimed they were fired, punished, or forced to delete records for raising their concerns about the company’s practices with supervisors. Scott claims he was never charged with a crime and never interviewed by the FBI. As governor, Rick Scott spent $700,000 in taxpayer funds to settle seven public records lawsuits alleging he and a number of his staff violated state laws by creating email accounts to shield communications from state public records laws. Scott met with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in the days leading up to the announcement that Florida would be “off the table” for offshore drilling after it was previously announced the state would be subject to offshore drilling. Records obtained by Politico reaffirm the perception at the time that “the Trump administration’s decision to reverse course and remove Florida from the list was carefully choreographed to give Scott a political win.” He continuously struggled with how to disclose his wealth and conflicts of interest while in office. In short, he’ll fit right in in Washington, D.C."
"Rick Scott is just plain shady Rick Scott has been making suspicious business deals even before he was a politician. In 1997, Scott oversaw one of the largest Medicare frauds in United States history. He resigned as the CEO of health care giant Columbia/HCA amid an FBI investigation into the company’s fraudulent billing practices which resulted in the company being charged with 14 felonies and paying $1.7 billion in criminal and civil fines for Medicare fraud. According to investigators, Scott and other company executives violated federal law by offering financial incentives to doctors in exchange for patient referrals. Some Columbia/HCA employees claimed they were fired, punished, or forced to delete records for raising their concerns about the company’s practices with supervisors. Scott claims he was never charged with a crime and never interviewed by the FBI. As governor, Rick Scott spent $700,000 in taxpayer funds to settle seven public records lawsuits alleging he and a number of his staff violated state laws by creating email accounts to shield communications from state public records laws. Scott met with Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke in the days leading up to the announcement that Florida would be “off the table” for offshore drilling after it was previously announced the state would be subject to offshore drilling. Records obtained by Politico reaffirm the perception at the time that “the Trump administration’s decision to reverse course and remove Florida from the list was carefully choreographed to give Scott a political win.” He continuously struggled with how to disclose his wealth and conflicts of interest while in office. In short, he’ll fit right in in Washington, D.C."
Turns out Trump associate's meeting with a Russian at a remote oceanic island *wasn't* coincidence
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/6/1754956/-Turns-out-a-Trump-associate-meeting-with-a-Russian-at-a-remote-oceanic-island-wasn-t-coincidence
"Remember when brother of Betsy Devos and Trump associate Erik Prince tried to sell his meeting with a Putin associate in the Seychelles as some kind of chance run in at the Safeway down the street? Yeah, well, ABC News has a different rendering of what Robert Mueller found out during seven different interviews with cooperating witness and UAE adviser George Nader, who helped broker Prince's meeting with Russian investment fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev."
"Remember when brother of Betsy Devos and Trump associate Erik Prince tried to sell his meeting with a Putin associate in the Seychelles as some kind of chance run in at the Safeway down the street? Yeah, well, ABC News has a different rendering of what Robert Mueller found out during seven different interviews with cooperating witness and UAE adviser George Nader, who helped broker Prince's meeting with Russian investment fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev."
Arizona Republicans fight to protect dark-money donors from voters
https://www.salon.com/2018/04/05/arizona-republicans-fight-to-protect-dark-money-donors-from-voters/
"Republicans legislators in state capitals have embraced pre-emption laws, preventing city governments from enacting all kinds of things: Protecting their residents from discrimination, for instance, or increasing the minimum wage. Now Republicans in the Arizona state legislature are using that power to protect the flow of dark money — cash spent on campaigns from secret donors — into state and local elections. It turns out some powerful national interests are involved in making sure that local communities don't know who is spending money to influence their elections."
"Republicans legislators in state capitals have embraced pre-emption laws, preventing city governments from enacting all kinds of things: Protecting their residents from discrimination, for instance, or increasing the minimum wage. Now Republicans in the Arizona state legislature are using that power to protect the flow of dark money — cash spent on campaigns from secret donors — into state and local elections. It turns out some powerful national interests are involved in making sure that local communities don't know who is spending money to influence their elections."
At a private luncheon, Senator Heller says low turnout is key to re-election, promised ACA repeal
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/5/1754685/-At-a-private-luncheon-Senator-Heller-says-low-turnout-is-key-to-re-election-promised-ACA-repeal
"Senator Dean Heller has been avoiding constituents and his staff tossed out a woman battling Stage 4 cancer when she dared to ask about his stance on the Affordable Care Act, but he sure had a lot to say on the subject at a mysteriously closed-to-the-press luncheon where he was collecting checks and making promises. The Las Vegas Review-Journal was able to get audio of Heller’s speech to the Nevada Republican Men’s Club and his comments were surprising, especially his strategy for winning in November: “We now have less than 60,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans. Let me be more clear. If we can get that number below 50,000, I can’t lose,” Heller said Tuesday in Las Vegas, according to audio obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I can’t lose. Because the ratio of voter turnout in a non-presidential year — we’re in a non-presidential year — the tendency of Republicans to vote is higher than the other party.” A sitting U.S. senator is hoping people don’t participate in democracy. How can you represent a state where you are trying to discourage the majority from turning out for an election? Based on current trends in special elections, Heller’s strategy is going to be a loser. Bigly. And what about the Affordable Care Act? Senator Heller hemmed and hawed over the last year, pretending he was giving it serious consideration, but when asked about it by his fellow Republicans, he said they absolutely will repeal it if Republicans hold the majority."
"Senator Dean Heller has been avoiding constituents and his staff tossed out a woman battling Stage 4 cancer when she dared to ask about his stance on the Affordable Care Act, but he sure had a lot to say on the subject at a mysteriously closed-to-the-press luncheon where he was collecting checks and making promises. The Las Vegas Review-Journal was able to get audio of Heller’s speech to the Nevada Republican Men’s Club and his comments were surprising, especially his strategy for winning in November: “We now have less than 60,000 more registered Democrats than Republicans. Let me be more clear. If we can get that number below 50,000, I can’t lose,” Heller said Tuesday in Las Vegas, according to audio obtained by the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I can’t lose. Because the ratio of voter turnout in a non-presidential year — we’re in a non-presidential year — the tendency of Republicans to vote is higher than the other party.” A sitting U.S. senator is hoping people don’t participate in democracy. How can you represent a state where you are trying to discourage the majority from turning out for an election? Based on current trends in special elections, Heller’s strategy is going to be a loser. Bigly. And what about the Affordable Care Act? Senator Heller hemmed and hawed over the last year, pretending he was giving it serious consideration, but when asked about it by his fellow Republicans, he said they absolutely will repeal it if Republicans hold the majority."
Trump Interior Department Issues 'Death Sentence to Nearly 300 Threatened Species'
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/04/04/trump-interior-department-issues-death-sentence-nearly-300-threatened-species
"In a "disgraceful" move that conservationists warn will amount to "a death sentence to nearly 300 threatened species," the Trump administration is attempting to kill a portion of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Interior Department on Monday submitted a proposal to rescind the section of the law that extends all protections afforded to endangered species to those that are classified as threatened. Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity, says the Trump administration's new proposal, in enacted, "could be the end for iconic wildlife like the northern spotted owl and southern sea otter." In addition to granting "crucial protections" to theatened species, the 1978 "blanket" 4(d) rule—which the administration is trying to rescind—and enables (pdf) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to increase or decrease certain protections based on the needs of individual species."
"In a "disgraceful" move that conservationists warn will amount to "a death sentence to nearly 300 threatened species," the Trump administration is attempting to kill a portion of the Endangered Species Act (ESA). The Interior Department on Monday submitted a proposal to rescind the section of the law that extends all protections afforded to endangered species to those that are classified as threatened. Noah Greenwald, endangered species director at the Center for Biological Diversity, says the Trump administration's new proposal, in enacted, "could be the end for iconic wildlife like the northern spotted owl and southern sea otter." In addition to granting "crucial protections" to theatened species, the 1978 "blanket" 4(d) rule—which the administration is trying to rescind—and enables (pdf) the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) to increase or decrease certain protections based on the needs of individual species."
Trump claims his favorite conspiracy theory is ‘not a conspiracy theory
https://thinkprogress.org/trump-claims-millions-and-millions-of-people-vote-illegally-california-632b6c4e2c12/
"The conspiracy theory doesn’t withstand the least bit of scrutiny."
"The conspiracy theory doesn’t withstand the least bit of scrutiny."
Scott Pruitt’s ethics scandal hasn’t stopped him from rolling back environmental protections
https://thinkprogress.org/scott-pruitts-ethics-scandal-environmental-rollbacks-continue-51b720d36f2c/
"Despite news that Pruitt had gone around the White House to approve raises for two political appointees, using a little-known provision in the Safe Water Drinking Act that allows the EPA administrator to unilaterally hire up to 30 employees to the agency, Pruitt continued to push ahead with his deregulatory agenda this week. On Wednesday, The Hill reported that Pruitt released a memo delegating himself more authority over issues related to the Clean Water Act."
"Despite news that Pruitt had gone around the White House to approve raises for two political appointees, using a little-known provision in the Safe Water Drinking Act that allows the EPA administrator to unilaterally hire up to 30 employees to the agency, Pruitt continued to push ahead with his deregulatory agenda this week. On Wednesday, The Hill reported that Pruitt released a memo delegating himself more authority over issues related to the Clean Water Act."
Memo reveals that investigation into Manafort is a fraction of Mueller's additional authority
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/3/1754052/-Memo-reveals-that-investigation-into-Manfort-is-a-fraction-of-Mueller-s-additional-authority
"instructions that expand the investigation into Manafort to include his attempts to collude with the Russian government in the 2016 election, and his efforts to support pro-Russian forces in Ukraine."
"instructions that expand the investigation into Manafort to include his attempts to collude with the Russian government in the 2016 election, and his efforts to support pro-Russian forces in Ukraine."
FDR warned us about charlatans like Paul Ryan, and told us exactly how they'd attack Social Security
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/3/1754064/-FDR-warned-us-about-charlatans-like-Paul-Ryan-and-told-us-exactly-how-they-d-attack-Social-Security
"Republicans passed a tax-scam bill last year which creates a $1.3 Trillion deficit in order to give their mega-donors and favored special interests special benefits. As a reward for their most loyal employee, the Koch brothers deposited $500,000 into Paul Ryan’s JFC right after the bill passed. Weeks after taking $1.3 Trillion from ordinary Americans and handing it to his billionaire paymasters, Ryan was “concerned” about the national debt and deficit again. Naturally, he believes this will require “reforms” to Social Security and Medicare, programs that benefit ordinary Americans. And by ordinary, I mean those of us who cannot deposit $500k in his campaign account."
"Republicans passed a tax-scam bill last year which creates a $1.3 Trillion deficit in order to give their mega-donors and favored special interests special benefits. As a reward for their most loyal employee, the Koch brothers deposited $500,000 into Paul Ryan’s JFC right after the bill passed. Weeks after taking $1.3 Trillion from ordinary Americans and handing it to his billionaire paymasters, Ryan was “concerned” about the national debt and deficit again. Naturally, he believes this will require “reforms” to Social Security and Medicare, programs that benefit ordinary Americans. And by ordinary, I mean those of us who cannot deposit $500k in his campaign account."
Rosenstein specifically told Mueller to look into Manafort, gave investigation additional authority
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/4/3/1754042/-Rosenstein-specifically-told-Mueller-to-look-into-Manafort-gave-investigation-additional-authority
"Court filings have revealed that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has even broader authority than the already extensive power granted by Rod Rosenstein to investigate the Trump campaign “and any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.” In an August 2, 2017 memo, Rosenstein gave the special counsel authority to investigate Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for his efforts in the Ukraine, and his ongoing outreach to Russia."
"Court filings have revealed that Special Counsel Robert Mueller has even broader authority than the already extensive power granted by Rod Rosenstein to investigate the Trump campaign “and any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation.” In an August 2, 2017 memo, Rosenstein gave the special counsel authority to investigate Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort for his efforts in the Ukraine, and his ongoing outreach to Russia."
Sinclair's Propaganda Bomb Is What Media Critics Have Warned About Since Reagan
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a19660484/trump-sinclair-propaganda/
"As more than a few people have pointed out, this is a stunning example of what happens in a deregulated media market, something that media critics have been warning us about ever since the Reagan Administration went to town on the FCC. What some people seem to have forgotten is that Sinclair has been up to this monkey mischief for quite some time now, even before it commanded its local stations to carry the frothing nonsense of stubbly Trumper Boris Epshteyn."
"As more than a few people have pointed out, this is a stunning example of what happens in a deregulated media market, something that media critics have been warning us about ever since the Reagan Administration went to town on the FCC. What some people seem to have forgotten is that Sinclair has been up to this monkey mischief for quite some time now, even before it commanded its local stations to carry the frothing nonsense of stubbly Trumper Boris Epshteyn."
Trump complains there isn't money for fixing schools. Can you guess what the problem here is?
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/30/1753234/-Trump-complains-there-isn-t-money-for-fixing-schools-Can-you-guess-what-the-problem-here-is
"Trump’s budget cut education funding. Trump’s infrastructure plan doesn't include money for repairing or building schools."
"Trump’s budget cut education funding. Trump’s infrastructure plan doesn't include money for repairing or building schools."
Trump prepares to turn the US into a dumping ground for dirty, inefficient vehicles
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/30/1753246/-Trump-prepares-to-turn-the-US-into-a-dumping-ground-for-dirty-inefficient-vehicles
"It’s not difficult to guess the results of creating “relaxed” standards for emissions and fuel economy in the United States while the rest of the world, plus California, keeps moving ahead. We don’t really have to guess, because we’ve been there before. For decades, Republican lawmakers like Missouri’s Roy Blunt fought to keep fuel economy standards low and emission standards lax. That allowed US automakers to build vehicles more cheaply, without investing in either the research or retooling needed to generate more and cleaner miles. It also had a immediate result on vehicles in the US market — the US became a dumping ground for older engines. Even if consumers wanted something better, they found that European and Asian manufacturers often sold more efficient cars in other markets, and vehicles a generation or more behind in the US."
"It’s not difficult to guess the results of creating “relaxed” standards for emissions and fuel economy in the United States while the rest of the world, plus California, keeps moving ahead. We don’t really have to guess, because we’ve been there before. For decades, Republican lawmakers like Missouri’s Roy Blunt fought to keep fuel economy standards low and emission standards lax. That allowed US automakers to build vehicles more cheaply, without investing in either the research or retooling needed to generate more and cleaner miles. It also had a immediate result on vehicles in the US market — the US became a dumping ground for older engines. Even if consumers wanted something better, they found that European and Asian manufacturers often sold more efficient cars in other markets, and vehicles a generation or more behind in the US."
FBI isn't done nabbing Trump advisors at airports: Nigel Farage associate brought in at Logan
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2018/3/30/1753226/-FBI-isn-t-done-nabbing-Trump-advisors-at-airports-Nigel-Farage-associate-brought-in-at-Logan
"Malloch, who now lives in London and often appears in the UK press as a Trump surrogate, was visiting the US on Wednesday when the FBI intercepted him at Boston’s Logan Airport."
"Malloch, who now lives in London and often appears in the UK press as a Trump surrogate, was visiting the US on Wednesday when the FBI intercepted him at Boston’s Logan Airport."
Alleging 'Very Serious' Violations, Groups File Complaint Against John Bolton Super PAC Over Ties to Cambridge Analytica
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/30/alleging-very-serious-violations-groups-file-complaint-against-john-bolton-super-pac
"With John Bolton set to officially become President Donald Trump's national security adviser in just over a week, two government watchdog groups filed a criminal complaint late Thursday demanding an investigation into whether Bolton's super PAC wittingly conspired with the scandal-ridden British data firm Cambridge Analytica to commit "very serious" violations of U.S. election laws."
"With John Bolton set to officially become President Donald Trump's national security adviser in just over a week, two government watchdog groups filed a criminal complaint late Thursday demanding an investigation into whether Bolton's super PAC wittingly conspired with the scandal-ridden British data firm Cambridge Analytica to commit "very serious" violations of U.S. election laws."
Report: Mueller Investigating 2016 Republican Convention In Russia Probe
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/mueller-russia-probe-investigating-2016-cleveland-republican-convention
"Sessions’ meetings with Kislyak have created problems for him before, after he initially failed to disclose them when asked by former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) if he was aware of any contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the attorney general’s January 2017 confirmation hearing. The revelation of those meetings by the Washington Post a couple months later forced Sessions to recuse himself from the Russia probe, leading to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein taking over the investigation and appointing Mueller as special prosecutor."
"Sessions’ meetings with Kislyak have created problems for him before, after he initially failed to disclose them when asked by former Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) if he was aware of any contacts between the Trump campaign and Russian officials during the attorney general’s January 2017 confirmation hearing. The revelation of those meetings by the Washington Post a couple months later forced Sessions to recuse himself from the Russia probe, leading to Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein taking over the investigation and appointing Mueller as special prosecutor."
Michael Cohen’s lawyer gets laughed at by studio audience during disastrous NBC interview
https://thinkprogress.org/studio-audience-erupts-in-laughter-at-michael-cohens-lawyer-during-disastrous-nbc-interview-0c785aabdc17/
"President Donald Trump’s legal problems are such that his longtime attorney, Michael Cohen, has had to hire an attorney, David Schwartz, to represent him. Over the last couple of days, Schwartz has made numerous media appearances to defend Cohen and, ultimately, Trump. It is not going well."
"President Donald Trump’s legal problems are such that his longtime attorney, Michael Cohen, has had to hire an attorney, David Schwartz, to represent him. Over the last couple of days, Schwartz has made numerous media appearances to defend Cohen and, ultimately, Trump. It is not going well."
After Public Outcry, White House Ethics Office Probes Suspicious Loans to Kushner Companies
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/03/27/after-public-outcry-white-house-ethics-office-probes-suspicious-loans-kushner
"The probe comes in response to ethics concerned raised by journalists, lawmakers, and watchdog groups, after the New York Times reported late last month that Kushner Companies received more than half a billion dollars in loans after Kushner met with two financial executives to discuss official White House business—and, a few days later, The Intercept reported that a month after the firm failed to secure an investment from the Qatari government, Kushner advised Trump to provide essential support for Saudi Arabia and the UAE's bockade of Qatar. The letter (pdf) was written by acting director of the Office of Government Ethics David Apol and addressed to Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), a member of the House Oversight Committee who started asking questions after the Times report about Kushner Companies receiving a $184 million loan from Apollo Global Management and a $325 million loan from Citigroup. Jared Kushner stepped down from managing the company to join his father-in-law's administration, but he remains a part owner. Apol's letter acknowledges that even the discussion of private business during Kushner's meetings with the financial executives could be cause for concern, but "more importantly, if there was a connection between the potential loan and an official act, it could raise an issue under 18 U.S.C. § 201 (bribery and illegal gratuities)." It also notes Krishnamoorthi's proposition that Kushner's actions could "constitute a breach of his ethical obligations to the American people"."
"The probe comes in response to ethics concerned raised by journalists, lawmakers, and watchdog groups, after the New York Times reported late last month that Kushner Companies received more than half a billion dollars in loans after Kushner met with two financial executives to discuss official White House business—and, a few days later, The Intercept reported that a month after the firm failed to secure an investment from the Qatari government, Kushner advised Trump to provide essential support for Saudi Arabia and the UAE's bockade of Qatar. The letter (pdf) was written by acting director of the Office of Government Ethics David Apol and addressed to Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Ill.), a member of the House Oversight Committee who started asking questions after the Times report about Kushner Companies receiving a $184 million loan from Apollo Global Management and a $325 million loan from Citigroup. Jared Kushner stepped down from managing the company to join his father-in-law's administration, but he remains a part owner. Apol's letter acknowledges that even the discussion of private business during Kushner's meetings with the financial executives could be cause for concern, but "more importantly, if there was a connection between the potential loan and an official act, it could raise an issue under 18 U.S.C. § 201 (bribery and illegal gratuities)." It also notes Krishnamoorthi's proposition that Kushner's actions could "constitute a breach of his ethical obligations to the American people"."
Photos from the March for Our Lives
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2018/03/photos-from-the-march-for-our-lives/556454/
"images from rallies overseas and across the United States."
"images from rallies overseas and across the United States."
McConnell Fast-Tracks Approval of Trump's Federal Judges
McConnell Fast-Tracks Approval of Trump's Federal Judges:
"Expect more such bigots on the federal bench. They are being placed there to represent the extreme right wing. Amid all the focus on Trump and Congress, be wary of the subversion of our judicial branch of government. It is happening at an accelerated pace and does not appear likely to stop in the near future."
"Expect more such bigots on the federal bench. They are being placed there to represent the extreme right wing. Amid all the focus on Trump and Congress, be wary of the subversion of our judicial branch of government. It is happening at an accelerated pace and does not appear likely to stop in the near future."
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