Thursday, June 20, 2019

Marco Rubio’s humiliating transformation into a Trump fan-boy is complete, @MaxBoot writes


BREAKING: Federal prosecutors say Roger Stone has violated his gag order, citing his recent social media posts and file motion to Judge Jackson requesting an immediate hearing.


Opinion: This is what happens when you have an unfit commander in chief


Wow. Hicks was accompanied by 6 lawyers to her House Judiciary Committee testimony: 2 private attorneys, 3 White House lawyers, and 1 from DOJ. The lawyers objected to questions more than 150 times on the basis of “absolute immunity.” Full transcript:


Pelosi first wants to see how Mexico enforces the landmark law it passed in late April. Dems and labor unions expressed concern that Mexico overpromised and doesn't have the resources to deliver on its promised labor changes required under the new pact


“What’s really going on here,” says @StevenLHall1, “looks a little like a modern-day version of what Lenin was doing in 1918. Find tough people, and have them make examples of those on the enemies list.”


Pelosi met with Canadian PM Justin Trudeau on Capitol Hill after his White House meeting with President Trump. The two are discussing global security and trade, and this comes one day after Mexico became the first of the three nations to pass the USMCA


Speaker Nancy Pelosi: Pres. Trump's comments "have given a green light to the Russians to continue" to interfere in U.S. elections. "It's really quite stunning."


The US claims the drone Iran shot down in the Strait of Hormuz was over international waters; Iran says the drone was flying over its territory. Here is one possible explanation for how the same fact pattern could fit both interpretations


This might be a good time for a reminder that Trump’s business partner in Azerbaijan reportedly laundered millions to Iran. Rudy Giuliani represented the gold trader Reza Zarrab, who perpetrated the biggest money laundering scheme to Iran in U.S. history.


Emotional vulnerability that is at the source of male gun ownership explored in new documentary


NEW: Reps. Sean Casten and Nydia Velasquez have come out in favor of an impeachment inquiry. Casten is the third Democrat from a swing district to support impeachment.


Saudi Arabia violently represses dissent, executed and dismembered a journalist, and is using American weaponry to slaughter civilians in Yemen. We should hold the Saudis accountable, not arm them.


Are we going to bomb Iran? TUNE IN TO NEXT WEEK'S EPISODE TO FIND OUT!


Heavy metal lighter cover and Impeachment Papers. Let’s set the House on fire.


We all feel the same way Justin does, right?


Someone needs to tell him he doesn’t get to keep the plane


Other conditions in these camps that the Justice Department attorney defended in this video: * sleep deprivation * exposure to cold temperatures * not providing toothbrushes Watch the DOJ do this at length starting around minute 27 of this video.


Senate votes to block weapons sales to Saudi Arabia


Deputy Speaker Matthew Hill (in the running for House speaker) has owned a Christian magic supply business for 2 years, but has never registered it with state or local officials. He wouldn't say whether he has paid taxes on it.


Just wait till you see the mess president trump is going to leave.


We're one step closer to impeachment hearings! With @RepCasten (who represents a swing district), a total of 72 House members now support an impeachment inquiry against Trump. That's 71 Democrats and one Republican.


In case it wasn’t clear before, this is exactly why Mitch McConnell blew up Senate rules and is rushing the confirmation of dozens of right-wing judges who want nothing more than to slash access to reproductive health care.


Breaking News: The Senate voted to block weapons sales to Saudi Arabia, a bipartisan rebuke of President Trump that he’s likely to sidestep with a veto


I often talk about the moral hazards of mechanized warfare but let me just say -- the point of the drones that do things like unmanned surveillance is that when they get shot down, we don't have to go to war over them.


this is nuts


Alito, who provides the crucial fifth vote to reject nondelegation challenge today, indicates that SCOTUS will revive nondelegation doctrine soon. Will be a huge blow to the administrative state, environmental & labor regs, etc


Marc Jacobs refuses to dress Melania Trump: "I have no interest in dressing a glorified escort who steals speeches and has bad taste in men."


Adtech industry operating illegally, rules UK regulator


An InfoWars host with a VERIFIED @Twitter account **advocated LYNCHING Obama** on his show yesterday: "He belongs in jail. He belongs in Guantanamo Bay. I mean look—I'm not saying this should happen—but @BarackObama, find the tallest tree and a rope.”


PELOSI: Top House leaders (including appropriate committees) have a briefing at 11a on Iran. She calls the situation “dangerous”.


Hope Hicks told House panel Trump is serious about foreign help in elections


The S&P 500 is getting close to 3,000. The index first closed above 300 on March 23, 1987. That was just before the crash. The index (when it was the S&P 90) first closed above 30 on August 16, 1929. That was just before the crash. Have a great day!


As the war threats grow louder, it's worth keeping in mind Putin holds significant sway over both Iran and Trump. This looks like a Putin strategy we've seen before (North Korea, Venezuela): holding sway over both sides in a conflict to influence the outcome


We have neither a secretary nor a deputy secretary of defense. The secretary of the Army, who has very little background in strategyis now the acting secretary. And just for good measure, the secretary of the Air Force post is also vacant. It gets worse.


It's not just that don't want you to call them concentration camps. It's that they want to destroy your capacity to care.


Supreme Court rules Christian cross on government land does not violate separation of church and state


Trumpists Claim Dictator Who Sexually Tortured Women With Live Rats 'Did Nothing Wrong'


“Regardless of the president’s involvement, there can be no debate that Russia did, in fact, breach election systems in this country in 2016, and can be expected to do so again if nothing is done to prevent it.”


Trump desperately wants a war with Iran to protect him from impeachment. Impeach him now, before he starts one.


JUST IN: In first reaction to Iran shooting down US drone, President Trump tweets that "Iran made a very big mistake!"


U.S. leading indicators flat in May, point to slower economy


This makes me so damn mad. Maybe instead of trying to get us into another war, my opponent Tom Cotton should focus on the health of the people of Arkansas. This is not a game.


After much thought and careful deliberation, I support opening an impeachment inquiry into the President of the United States. Read my full statement:


Marco Rubio was quick to defend her. Nothing to do with her husband’s donation to his authorized campaign committee


Wow. What a tremendous lie. @SteveScalise is either ignorant about a major scandal or purposefully misleading citizens about a Russian attack on the United States. He should be asked if he has even read the report.


Census Case Could Cement John Roberts’ Legacy of Upholding White Power


I missed this at the time, but, as someone who's written extensively about how the Russian Mafia laundered $$ thru Trump real estate, I find it extraordinary that FINCEN(Financial Crimes Enforcement Network) brought on Mary Daly who just happens to be Wm Barr's dtr.


Almost forgot about this, but yesterday, Matt Gaetz burst into the Speaker’s Lobby all upset and demanded to know which reporter is asking all his colleagues if they hate him.



I believe Donald Trump doesn't intend to start a war with Iran. President Bolton, though...


“His two top advisers” — Bolton and Pompeo — “are ready to start shooting and we in the department don’t have leadership.”


The Children America Throws Away


"There was nothing in the U.N. report that Trump did not know long ago from U.S. intelligence agencies that had access to the same recordings and transcripts. And it’s clear Trump won’t do a damn thing about it"


While daddy keeps little kids in cages.


This is the aftermath of the Trump rally in Orlando. Symbolic.


“He’s engaging in a number of very strange economic throwbacks here, especially this version of mercantilism that is a throwback not just to the 1900s but to the 1700s.” My latest on Trump’s strange economic brew.


“He’s basically destroying the whole apparatus that we built up in the post-war period and that has served our interests very well,”


Trump has implemented punishing sanctions that have cut Iran’s oil exports by more than half. The Iranian government considers this an act of “economic war,” and it has responded like most nations under attack – not by surrendering but by hitting back.


What did Trump think would happen when he pulled out of the nuclear deal? Or did he think at all? Most analysts warned that it would increase the risk of Iran restarting its nuclear program and of war breaking out—and it has.


Want to see how disinformation could play out in 2020? Just look overseas.


The NRA’s divorce with its longtime advertising agency took another ugly turn when the firm warned it could shut down NRATV within days, unless the group posts a $3 million letter of credit


Colonel Marvel. Reporting for duty


By creating a crisis with the West, Putin has put Russia's long-term international standing at risk


A man accused of saying he would shoot and kill as many gays as possible at the St. Louis Pride parade has been charged with making a terrorist threat.


Felix Sater, the Russian-born real estate developer, is set to testify Friday before the House Intelligence Committee about working on the proposed Trump Tower Moscow project during the 2016 election, WaPo reports. The hearing will be behind closed doors.


By replacing the Clean Power Plan, @realDonaldTrump’s EPA is delivering yet another handout to polluters at the expense of Americans’ health and environment. Just remember, Americans can see what’s happening to our climate. They see the harm climate change already does.


Average workers didn’t just get nothing from the Trump tax cut, they got poorer.


Last night Trump unveiled his fresh new platform for 2020


Trump admin tells incredulous appeals court panel that judge erred by insisting that 'safe and sanitary' conditions for detained immigrant children means they must have access to soap.


Oh, BTW, Maria Butina came to the wedding


Click to copyhttps://apnews.com/c595b9e6ccb84b969d59c5b270f58cce RELATED TOPICS Shootings Wisconsin General News AP Top News Conspiracy U.S. News Lawsuits Newtown parents score a win in growing fight against hoaxers


"The investigation includes a review of Deutsche Bank’s handling of so-called suspicious activity reports that its employees prepared about possibly problematic transactions, including some linked to President Trump’s son-in-law... Jared Kushner..."


Why do people risk their reputations to protect Trump? (Yes, it's a rhetorical question, but at some point, there needs to be a public answer)


More than 18 years ago, after 9/11, Congress passed an authorization for use of force. Today, the House passed an amendment by @RepBarbaraLee that would finally sunset it. We have a lot of work left to do, but this is a step towards Congress reclaiming its constitutional role.


Malaysia PM rejects evidence Russia was behind MH17 shootdown—and denies Moscow’s controversial palm-oil purchases have anything to do with it


Saudi agents hoped to kidnap Khashoggi and bring him to face MBS personally, the UN found. When he didn't cooperate, they killed him.


"I’ve heard and studied the Laffer Curve for many years in the Wharton School of Finance," @realDonaldTrump (@Wharton '68) said today at the White House as he honored Art Laffer, who famously drew the curve on a napkin... in 1974


Months after Khashoggi was killed by MBS’ goons, @CIA sent warnings to 3 Khashoggi friends about new threats from Saudi Arabia & @guardian can now reveal it has been warned that its journalists have been targeted by Al-Qahtani, who oversaw Jamal’s murder.


As it was reported that Kushner shared classified information with MbS


New filing in In re Request to Make Public List of Matters Related to Special Counsel Investigation: Order on Motion for Miscellaneous Relief PACER Docket


The story is connected to @chrizap tweet. Apparently Facebook wants access to Australian's photo drivers license's & /or passports as part of their new crypto currency. Naturally enough, alarm bells are going off with regulators


Hillary Clinton hit back in amusing style after President Donald Trump repeatedly ranted about her during his 2020 reelection campaign launch.


"As the killers waited for [Jamal Kashoggi], the Saudi autopsy specialist reassured them that dismembering the body would “be easy.” ... Then, as the minutes passed, a Saudi intelligence officer asked whether the “sacrificial animal” had finally arrived."


U.S. official confirms a military drone was shot down by Iran, but disputes that it was over Iranian airspace at the time


That drone was sent in to be shot down. The ill-advised move is by US.


"Psychologically, it’s not enough to love Trump—you’ve also got to hate and fear his enemies. It’s not enough for Trump to receive adulation, he can’t just be doing well—he has to be thriving while simultaneously overcoming the most vicious opposition"


Former Cambridge Analytica CEO cancels ad conference interview after protest


"But they entered the counry illegally."


Trump is a national security threat. We need to reaffirm our support to our allies.


Pelosi this morning said that the House should not open an inquiry into the President “unless you’re ready to impeach.” She said the Senate would need to understand that senators either “honor their oath of office to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States”


Please read this piece. "Washington" defenders of POTUS try to laugh this off -- but this is universe that believes only POTUS will champion their views. Conspiracists of all lanes, Nazis, fascists... They may be the fringe of America, but a central platform of the campaign.


Jerry Falwell Jr will swear he was only trying to get The Pool Boy to have sex with his wife to spice up HER life. HE was grooming The Pool Boy for HER. Jerry Jr will admit HE wanted to WATCH The Pool Boy have sex with his wife at HER request. He'll say watching wasn't gay at all


NEWS: Felix Sater’s House Intel interview was moved from public to private bc the subject matter is sensitive, including Sater’s work as an undercover asset for the Defense Intelligence Agency on Russia issues.


Russia interfered in the 2016 election and that threat remains for 2020. There is no reason for Senate Republicans to continue blocking election security legislation, including our bill to require hand marked paper ballots. We need to get this done now.


These are features of Douchenfuhrer Stephen Miller's program, not bugs.


Horns are growing on young people’s skulls. Phone use is to blame, research suggests.


For those keeping count, @janschakowsky brings the total number of House members who support an impeachment inquiry against Trump to at least 71. That includes 70 Democrats and one Republican.


Exclusive: Federal prosecutors and the @FBI are criminally investigating @DeutscheBank for money-laundering lapses, including its handling of suspicious activity reports related to Jared Kushner’s company.


Let’s be clear: there’s no new info operationally linking Iran to Al Qaeda. It’s simply an effort by Team Trump (like Bush pre-2003) to establish a legal predicate to launch a war with Iran without the informed consent of the American people or Congress.


.@maddow was on fire tonight. Watch her segment on Andrea Thompson, Paul Erickson, Maria Butina and their shared secret, now revealed: ‘It’s just insane’


hese are bots. Hi @parscale on to you this time around.


A powerful piece by the fiancé of murdered journalist #Khashoggi, who says America hasn’t done enough to bring his killers to justice. “Washington has chosen not to use its strong ties and leverage with Riyadh to get the Saudis to reveal the truth...”


Question: did he just unmask anyone not previously made public? Cc @RepAdamSchiff


There will never be a day in court but it's important to bring this Kremlin atrocity on the record. This could (and should) have been done years ago, with USG's lead. Intel's never been lacking about #MH17


A.G. Sulzberger, the publisher of The New York Times, has hit back at President Donald Trump’s ramping up of his rhetoric against the newspaper in a blistering opinion piece for The Wall Street Journal.


A federal judge has set up a potential new block to the Trump admin's plans to add a citizenship question to the census. The judge said the plaintiffs' request for a reconsideration in light of files from Thomas Hofeller "raises a substantial issue."


Chuck Todd wants to make himself look good by making both sides look equally bad, so he hits strong democrats harder than he hits weak republicans. Bias for the sake of appearing unbiased. Worse, he thinks politics is just a fun game, even when lives are on the line. Fire him



I'm old enough to remember this well. Why are the rules different for Trump?


Marianne Williamson leans in to vaccine skepticism in NH: “To me, it’s no different than the abortion debate. The US government doesn't tell any citizen, in my book, what they have to do with their body or their child.” + added vaccine mandates are too “draconian” & “Orwellian”


This should also be a huge deal. Hacking, spying and intimidation is an attack on journalism ---> Guardian told it was target of Saudi hacking unit after Khashoggi killing


Rent on our first Mitch billboard is due! Support or shop


Russian military aircraft breaches Japan’s airspace for the first time in nearly four years


One person has only one question to Putin: "When will you leave?"


Vladimir Putin's TV call-in show risks becoming a demonstration of simmering public discontent with the government


Jared Kushner gave the Saudi crown prince advice on how to weather backlash after Khashoggi’s murder. Jared Kushner likely broke federal records law during a meeting with the Saudi crown prince


That seems pretty close to Iranian border.


In Russia, a series of surprise court decisions raises the question: What’s Putin’s game? Has the Kremlin just been seeking to curb social tension ahead of today's call-in performance?


The U.S. Senate to vote on legislation seeking to block President Donald Trump’s plan to complete $8 billion in arms sales to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates


Campaigners win legal challenge over UK government's decision to allow arms sales to Saudi Arabia at Court of Appeal


Everything we know about the U.S. spy drone shot down by Iran's Revolutionary Guard


Trump gives Presidential Medal of Freedom, nation's highest civilian honor, to tax-cut champion Arthur Laffer


NEW: Political fundraisers at a hotel the president still owns and profits from, headlined by his son, who promised to stay out of politics to avoid conflicts of interest between his dad’s administration and the business he refused to divest from


Key detail in the UN Khashoggi report: Saudi hit team discussed dismembering him before he arrived at the Istanbul consulate on Oct. 2. Proves Saudi version of accidental death is a lie.


How cut-rate SoBe hostel launched Jerry Falwell Jr. ‘pool boy’ saga, naked picture hunt


Congressional leaders and the Trump administration left a critical meeting on Wednesday still with no budget agreement


People who spend more time outdoors lead more fulfilling lives, new research shows


Days after POLITICO’s @Gardner_LM revealed the frequency of Kelly Craft's travel outside of Canada, Mendendez discloses the ambassador was absent from her post for more than 300 days during her tenure in Ottawa


Claiming “executive privilege” to hide even the *physical location* of Hope Hicks’ former office in the White House?!? Gimme a break. Like the 13th chime of a clock: makes you doubt everything that came before. Trump’s strategy has to be: Delay the inevitable judicial loss.


Perspective: "Never again" means nothing if Holocaust analogies are always off limits


Breaking: US officials confirm that a MQ-4C Triton high-altitude drone was shot down by an Iranian surface-to-air missile this evening while operating within international airspace over the Strait of Hormuz.


Three more U.S. senators received a classified Pentagon briefing on Wednesday about a series of reported encounters by the Navy with unidentified aircraft


Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards claimed to have shot down an "intruding American spy drone" after it entered Iranian airspace, according to state media


Trump officials are legally obligated to nurture migrant children, not harm their chance for healthy development. Congress must hold them accountable.


Doctor pushes back on state insistence on unnecessary pelvic exam


Missouri abortion clinic stands up to state's 'unethical' demands


Trump involves Hope Hicks in House investigation stall tactics


Four with Russian intel ties charged in downing of flight MH17


Pence NSA kept Butina tie secret at Senate confirmation: WaPo


BREAKING: I’m very pleased to announce we’ve reached a unanimous consent agreement that provides votes on our 22 joint resolutions of disapproval to block the Trump Admin’s proposed arms sales to #SaudiArabia and the #UnitedArabEmirates