Tuesday, November 5, 2019

My comments on "Ratf*cker" Stone, WikiLeaks and Russian intelligence, IHO Rog's long-awaited trial getting underway today with "food poisoning." Enjoy!


Trump confidant Roger Stone can’t stop claiming he was poisoned by polonium


Citrus County, Florida commissioners reject a request from the local library to subscribe to the New York Times. “Fake news! I agree with President Trump.”


This is a reckless abdication of US leadership. Despite our country's standing as the second-highest emitter of greenhouse gases, the President is leading our nation down a path that will make it the only country in the world to reject the Paris Agreement.


Per @kpolantz, "Gordon Sondland said he worked with Rudy Giuliani and others to prompt Ukraine to make a public announcement about its investigation — and that any announcement would need to be on TV so President Trump would see it." Tucker Carlson's show was brought up.


Sondland admits to speaking with Rick Perry before his deposition to "refresh" his memory on certain things, and consulting his lawyer before doing so. This is the kind of communication between witnesses that Democrats said they were trying to avoid with closed-door depositions.


JUST IN: Sondland gave a new four-page sworn statement to Congress this week saying he now remembers telling a top Zelenskiy aide Ukraine wouldn't get its $$ until it committed to investigation


From Sondland's additional testimony this week: "Ambassador Volker, Secretary Perry, and I understood that satisfying Mr. Giuliani was a condition for scheduling the White House visit, which we all strongly believed to be in the mutual interest of the United States and Ukraine."


Trump’s allies have recently begun to embrace a new defense: that Trump might have sought a quid pro quo, but that doing so is neither improper nor impeachable. Sondland, a Trump appointee, testified that he thought it might be illegal.


WOW: Kurt Volker TEXTED to a top Ukrainian official the script they wanted Zelensky to read to announce the Burisma (i.e. Biden)/2016 election investigaitons.


House Democrats release Volker and Sondland transcripts. This has links to the transcripts.


Space under the bus is at a premium, but Sondland found a little room for Mike Pounce. President Pelosi, anyone?


Wow: Ukraine envoy Volcker recounted Oval Office meeting where Trump accused Ukraine of 2016 election interference: “They tried to take me down,” he recalled Trump saying. The Ukraine conspiracy theory, exculpating Russia, pervades this whole story.


Bill Taylor in a text to Volker in May: “I’m really struggling with the decision whether to go [to Ukraine]. Can anyone hope to succeed with the Giuliani-Biden issue swirling for the next 18 months? Can [Pompeo] offer any reassurance on this issue” Taylor became amb a month later


BREAKING: Top diplomat revises his earlier testimony, says U.S. aid to Ukraine was tied to public pledge of anti-corruption


Memory is a funny thing, Gordon Sondland version


This is no small edit! Sondland has just blown Trump’s story apart, leaving mere shreds of orange skin and slimy fat


This is so wrong. The CNO needs to speak out


The scene outside the WH...


Breaking via NYT: Gordon Sondland, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, acknowledged delivering a quid pro quo message to Ukraine in a substantial update to his initial account


Veteran prosecutors see a clear strategy in how Adam Schiff and his colleagues are approaching impeachment: Keep it simple, stupid


GOP senator Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) refuses to say if she'd accept foreign election assistance for her campaign. Who is ready to vote her out in 2020?


ABC News anchor caught on mic saying network quashed Jeffrey Epstein story


Joaquin Castro calls for investigation into whether Jared Kushner shared intelligence that led to Khashoggi killing


I would consider buying one of these tees if y’all would iron it first ... how much in rubles, #MoscowMitch?


Good piece by @gregolear summing up Rand Paul’s sketchy journey from Trump foe to Putin darling. I also think #RedPaul is a nice moniker to go with #MoscowMitch


Senate Republican Rand Paul is a leader in in the Grand Old Putin Party. His former advisor Dimitri Simes is living in exile in Moscow after helping Maria Butina from his think tank. I agree with @funder, he should resign


Good morning from the federal courthouse in DC, where it’s Day One of the Roger Stone trial. Here’s the defendant entering the building accompanied by his legal team and family to chants of “Roger Stone did nothing wrong!”


Polls have been open since 7am. It's 8:35am and we are unable to vote because the new machine won't work. Totally unacceptable!!!


Breaking via WaPo: More than a decade ago, Trump made phone calls from his cellphone to Summer Zervos, a former candidate on 'The Apprentice', around the same time that Zervos says Trump sexually assaulted her, according to phone records made public.


Until Facebook takes responsibility for damaging democracies by letting propaganda run amok, we need to counter the Trump operation where it lives.


You want purloined Top Secret KGB files on espionage tradecraft? Click, my friends


BREAKING: Thanks to @RedistrictFdn "more than 100,000 computer documents generated by a recently deceased Republican redistricting guru that address political work in several states are no longer under the court’s confidentiality order."


BREAKING: Thanks to @RedistrictFdn "more than 100,000 computer documents generated by a recently deceased Republican redistricting guru that address political work in several states are no longer under the court’s confidentiality order."


For over a year, I resisted calls for an impeachment inquiry, knowing it is a remedy with serious consequences for the country. But the evidence we've uncovered of the president's abuse of power has made that inquiry a necessity. We will do our duty.


Judge delays Nunes suit after McClatchy lawyer’s home heavily damaged in wildfire


New: Andrii Telizhenko, the source for the Ukraine Collusion allegations, tells me he met Rep. Nunes earlier this year and they discussed Ukrainian politics and Russian propaganda


Mike Pence knew


@RepAdamSchiff: "This is about more than just one call...to benefit @realDonaldTrump’s personal and political interests, not the national interest. Trump betrayed America. Soon the public will hear from patriots who defended it."🇺🇸


John McCain on @RandPaul: "The Senator from Kentucky is now working for Vladimir Putin."


So far, in jury selection at Roger Stone's trial: an observer had a seizure, Stone anxiously retreated to a bathroom for 30 minutes, Milo Yiannopoulos is there, the only juror questioned so far's husband works in DOJ's Nat'l Security Div & she ran OMB comms. It's Day 1, y'all.


Rand Paul before he was on Putin’s payroll: His neighbor didn’t hit him hard enough.


The Roger Stone trial could offer juicy tidbits about the Trump campaign, showcase a parade of colorful Trumpworld figures and even feature a conspiracy linked to the Ukraine scandal


Inbox: Today, Chairs Schiff, Engel, and Maloney have sent a letter asking Acting White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney to appear at a deposition on November 9, 2019, as part of the House of Representatives' impeachment inquiry of President Donald J. Trump.


Update: Roger Stone has asked to be excused early due to food poisoning. Judge Jackson said she’ll grant that request. Jury selection will carry on without him.


WEAK POTUS. #PresidentFUBAR struts and preens like a cartoon strongman, but most voters have figured out that he's actually weak and indecisive. In a recent Post-ABC News poll on whether Trump is a strong leader, only 44% said yes; 54% said no. WEAKLING.


Kentucky’s $1.5 Billion Information Highway to Nowhere

ICYMI. 

Amb Sondland confirmed the quid pro quo in testimony, said it was clear the Trump-Zelensky meeting was conditioned on announcing investigations into 2016 and the Bidens. Wow.


The UK has a massive Russian interference problem and Boris Johnson is trying to cover it up.


"Outside Trump’s hate rally in Kentucky tonight: Large protest against Trump and what he stands for."


Trump & Giuliani ran a nefarious scheme that undermined US foreign policy & threatened the safety of a sitting US ambassador, for his own political gain.


SCOOP - this was just sent to my inbox “Igor Fruman Investigated in Racketeering/Civil RICO Prosecution for Role in Mortgage Fraud & Identity Theft Ring” Sure seems Fruman might have some serious (civil) issues coming his way.


Farm bankruptcies are up 24% this year as farmers grapple with the effects of Trump’s trade war and the devastating weather challenges caused by global warming. Nearly 40% of U.S. farm income will be provided by government insurance and taxpayer subsidies.


Trump Promises That He Will Always Protect ‘Pre-Existing Physicians’


Official working on impeachment inquiry says that, as of tonight, Bolton is “expected” to testify on Thursday. Don’t know if they know something we don’t.


This foreign meat company got U.S. tax money. Now it wants to conquer America.


Trump adviser Erik Prince reportedly in talks to buy Ukrainian aerospace firm that U.S. wants to keep from China


Mitch McConnell Received Donations from Voting Machine Lobbyists Before Blocking Election Security Bills


Trade war continues to take its toll. Last month, Deere laid off 163 workers in Iowa and Illinois. Now, 120 workers in Texas lose their jobs at Caterpillar due to tariffs.


Former federal prosecutors say Trump’s quid pro quo with Ukraine also amounts to extortion, as defined by the Hobbs Act.


FACT CHECK: Congress, not the President, is responsible for the defense appropriations bills which bring significant numbers of jobs to Virginia.


More transcripts from closed-door testimony comes today, and here's what to expect


Polls are open in Virginia with narrow Republican majorities in the state legislature at stake. Control of the House was literally decided in 2017 by pulling a name out of a bowl, so every vote matters!


Moscow is plunging deeper into a war of armed drones in a strategic hot spot rich with oil, teeming with migrants and riddled with extremists.


Heading to the polls: Tuesday is election day in 58 cities and towns in Massachusetts.


Analysis: Republicans echo Trump conspiracy theories in impeachment inquiry interviews


VOTE TODAY! It’s #ElectionDay this Tuesday in: Kentucky Mississippi New Jersey Virginia Dozens of cities across the country Remind a friend to make their plan to vote


Former federal prosecutors say Trump’s quid pro quo with Ukraine was extortion, but he is unlikely to face charges for it. https://t.co/Il6MkvP28Q via @HuffPostPol He's been in da family/mafia for his entire life. Of course he uses extortion to get what he wants!! DUH.


"Israel is girding for the worst and acting on the assumption that fighting could break out at any time," writes former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren. But what will the United States do if conflict comes?


NEW: Before his claims of corruption, Trump tried to build a resort in Ukraine


Here's the Roger Stone juror questionnaire just filed in the case. It includes a list of names of witnesses or people likely to be mentioned at the trial, including Hillary Clinton and President Trump. Link here


McKinley explained his resignation from the State Dept as a result of 1) Pompeo et al not supporting Foreign Service employees caught up in the impeachment proceedings, and 2) Administration's utilization of ambassadors to advance the President's domestic political purposes.


Why does Sean Hannity show up in: the Gates interview notes, the Cohen interview notes, the Yovanovitch transcript, the Roger Stone indictment, the Mueller Report, the Cohen sentencing memo, etc? Does that guy have a lawyer? Like, one who is not in jail?


Republicans buying up 11,000 phone calls to at least three dozen democratic Congress-members to subvert public opinion and protect Trump. Resorting to outright deceit is a sign of desperate measures


So is the plan to keep going to sporting events in hopes of finally finding a crowd that won’t boo him?


Strange detail in this story: it discusses an email that documents Trump signed off on Parnas & Fruman's original choice of lawyer, John Dowd who had represented the President. Why would you sign off on a lawyer for two men you claim you don't know?


NEW: Rep. Adam Schiff says the White House officials who have "defied congressional subpoenas and refused to appear" for depositions will "further add to the body of evidence on a potential obstruction of Congress charge against the president."


A corrupt abuser of power, Trump is also an easy mark for the likes of Putin, Erdogan, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and any dictator smart enough to exploit Trump’s sick blend of cowardice, self-doubt, ignorance, bravado, cruelty, paranoia, and greed


Source for ‘Ukraine Collusion’ Allegations Met Devin Nunes

Russia attacked Ukraine 20 times yesterday, November 4. The Russians are shelling more and using heavy artillery more often since Zelenskyy surrendered Ukraine's defensive positions at Zolote. Russia's bombardment near Novotoshkivske forced schoolchildren to go to bomb shelters.


A Milwaukee man was left with second-degree burns after someone threw battery acid in his face and accused him of being in the country illegally.


RNC funded roughly 11,000 automated calls to jam up House Democrats' phone lines amid impeachment battle: Report


The Kremlin says time is running out to negotiate a fresh strategic nuclear weapons deal with the U.S.


“Kremlin resorts to prisoner swaps and coercion to keep potential cyber operatives out of U.S. hands, experts say”


Written answers are exactly what Trump gave to Mueller. Now they’re “not acceptable!"


About 200 Russian fighters have arrived in Libya in the last 6 weeks, part of a broad campaign by the Kremlin to reassert its influence across the Middle East and Africa


Notable that McKinley was under oath and Pompeo was not. Who do you believe?


Key races to watch today in Kentucky, Mississippi and Virginia


NEW: Jennifer Williams, special adviser to Pence, is now scheduled to testify on Thursday and is expected to offer first insight into what Pence knew about Trump’s hold on Ukrainian funds as well as attempts to pressure Ukraine into investigating Biden.


The Supreme Court should not take up Trump’s tax-return case - The Washington Post


This is a savage move. One of Tom Steyer's campaign aides — who was previously the voter file manager at the S.C. Democratic Party — stole Kamala Harris’ SC 2020 volunteer data..


A corrupt abuser of power, Trump is also an easy mark for the likes of Putin, Erdogan, Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, and any dictator smart enough to exploit Trump’s sick blend of cowardice, self-doubt, ignorance, bravado, cruelty, paranoia, and greed


Judges not buying DOJ rule barring indictment of a president


Trump will restore convicted SEAL Edward Gallagher’s pay grade to chief petty officer, overriding a decision last week by the Navy’s top admiral, which clears the way for other convicted and charged officers to avoid military prosecutions and punishments.


Trump’s defenders need to stop pretending impeachment is a criminal trial


VOTE TODAY! Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Virginia and states across the country...


As Rand Paul is publicly demanding that the media print the whistleblower's name, let's all remember which side his bread is buttered on.


Trump rejects Native American Heritage Month, proclaims November “National American History and Founders Month.”


Ukraine aimed to please Trump in earlier dealings for aid


The World Hates Donald Trump and He's Bringing the U.S. Down With Him | World Report


Previous Trump, Ukraine transactions mirrored later quid pro quo


The president's son goes to a foreign country to launch a new project that'll make money for the president and the daughter of their business partner gets named to a gov't position that could make decisions affecting it and somehow this isn't a huge story?


Transcripts of EU Amb Sondland & fmr Ukraine envoy Volker to be released today



So they thought the arena would be packed and set up a watch party outside just to end up with a half-empty arena and an empty parking lot with carts.. Would say the wheels are coming off but ...


Rand Paul Nearly Outs The Ukraine Whistleblower And Violates The Law At Trump Rally


When facing a news deluge, take one story at a time


"A member of Congress who calls for the identity of any lawful whistleblower to be publicly revealed against their wishes disgraces the office they hold and betrays the interests of the Constitution and the American people"


Yovanovich should sue Fox News, Hannity, Joe DiGenova, Rudy Giuliani and John Solomon.


Amb. Yovanovitch said she felt threatened by Trump's comment to Zelensky that "she's going to go through some things."


The Trump administration is relying on the slower pace of the court system to stymie the impeachment inquiry.


If the president is re-elected, we will leave the Paris Climate Accords the day after the election next year. Just in case you needed the election to be any more high-stakes.


Many diplomats now contend that Mr. Pompeo has done more damage to the 75,000-person agency than even his predecessor Rex Tillerson ...no question, not even close


‘Seven whistleblowers’ And a story that — if true — could be deadly for Jared Kushner


Huh. Hannity peddled fake Ukraine conspiracies. The Ambassador was told to check with Hannity. Trying to move aside the Russia+Trump evidenced-based conclusions in favor of fake Hillary-Ukraine lies.


How CNN got the secret Mueller interview documents


Trump bragging about killing is ghoulish


tfw your brain short circuits


Trump makes up the word "authoritatian"


TRUMP: "What's happened to SF & what's happened to so many other places run by the radical left Democrats, it's unbelievable. You take a look at LA - it looks like a 3rd World city...there's been no place in the country that's gone down like the area that Nancy Pelosi represents"


At his rally in Lexington, Kentucky, Trump promises catastrophic economic consequences if he doesn't win next year


Trump deadpans about shredding the Constitution and serving as much as 21 more years in office. Do you still think he's kidding?


Rand Paul in 2016 acknowledged Russian interference in the US election to help Donald Trump but thought it "naive" and "partisan hysteria" for Americans to object to Russian interference


Some US troops guarding oil fields in Syria are reportedly still waiting for military orders — including when and how they could attack the enemy


I believe the adviser, who had no motive to lie. Pompeo is lying


Indicted Giuliani associate will testify for impeachment inquiry


Televangelist And White House Staffer, Paula White

We are paying her!

If Sen. @RandPaul releases the whistleblower's name, who is protected BY LAW, then @SpeakerPelosi & @SenSchumer ought to immediately file charges against Paul and haul the Senator off to prison until he posts a very large bail and can be tried, convicted and returned to prison.


60 Minutes obtained private messages between Maria Butina and Alexander Torshin. She asks permission to share a selfie with Donald Trump Jr., says "our opinion" will be taken into account to decide the SecState, and affirms the "incognito" nature of her influence campaign.


Media: Jim @Acosta to @wolfblitzer: "@realDonaldTrump slammed the suggestion that the #whistleblower could respond to written questions ... But he's forgetting ... his own legal team was just fine with written questions when he was answering them in the #Russia investigation."