Sunday, November 17, 2019

Prince Andrew has created a PR crisis for Buckingham Palace


“Sandy testified that he’d never in his career seen a political OMB official assume control of a portfolio in such a fashion... undermining Mick Mulvaney’s assertion that the Ukraine aid was frozen in a routine manner that happened ‘all the time’.”


Pelosi on Face the Nation: “I think the American people have had a good week. I think truth has had a good week. I think patriotism has had a good week. And I think the Constitution has has a good week. I don't think the president has had a good week.”


“The Ukrainians were flummoxed by Pence’s evasion. ‘You’re the only country providing us military assistance,’ one of Zelensky’s aides told him. ‘You’re punishing us’.”


NEW: Emails have surfaced that show Sondland kept Trump officials appraised of his efforts to get Ukraine to launch the investigation Trump wanted. With many more set to testify this week, you can read more about this and check out what to expect here:


The president is now attacking another impeachment witness. Jennifer Williams, an aide to VP Pence, said she felt the Trump-Zelensky call was "unusual and inappropriate" and that it "shed some light on possible other motivations behind a security assistance hold."


“Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Sunday left open the possibility that Democrats’ impeachment inquiry will continue into next year...”


“Zelensky’s chief of staff was warned through backchannel communications that Giuliani, who was growing frustrated with a perceived lack cooperation from Kyiv, would oppose even a call with Trump, according to Taylor and a person familiar with the message”


“Sondland texted on WhatsApp with Yermak throughout the trip, and communicated with other Ukrainian officials over the app in the preceding and subsequent months. Most of those messages haven’t been made public or handed over to the impeachment inquiry.”


At what point do Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson, Jeanine Pirro, and Laura Ingraham go from being considered as “allies” of Trump to being considered as criminal co-conspirators of Trump? I call for House Dems to address their intent to mislead the American public. RT if you agree.


Mystery continues: CNN: Typically, Walter Reed's medical staff would get a general notice about a "VIP" visit to the medical center ahead of a presidential visit. That did not happen this time, indicating the visit was a non-routine visit and scheduled last minute.


What would you know about conservatism, jackboot?


GOP Ron Johnson was exposed during public impeachment hearings—he was in on the call🤦‍♀️ He’s complaining #Whistleblower sources “exposed things that didn't need to be exposed—him! “Hearings should’ve been behind closed doors!” *He spent July 4th in Russia🇷🇺


On "Meet the Press," Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) says the whistleblower's sources "exposed things that didn't need to be exposed." "This would have been far better off if we would have just taken care of this behind the scenes," Johnson says.


Nancy Pelosi said on CBS News' "Face the Nation" on Sunday that it's a "waste of time" to discuss what Republicans say about impeachment because "they are in denial about what has happened in the country."


The “cash” is compliments of American taxpayers. It’s called a bailout. President Trump raises consumer prices with tariffs (taxes on Americans), hurts American farmers, and then takes money from taxpayers to aid the farmers he hurt.


Here’s our “Rep Jim Jordan Hid OSU Sex Abuse” banner.



Join the billboard campaign! Ban Assault Weapons, Moscow Mitch, Graham, Gardner, Impeachment, more!

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The White House has called a "lid" for the day just after 9am which means no planned events or departures from the White House grounds for the president are expected.


#HongKong: Dramatic scene of students bombarding an armoured police vehicle with molotov cocktails, as it tried to break into the Polytechnic University


“As Taylor, Sondland, Volker and Perry spoke by phone to prepare for a conference call with Zelensky, Sondland ordered State Dept support staff off the line, saying he ‘wanted to make sure no one was transcribing’ what they were about to say”


The Chinese and #HongKong governments must immediately deescalate the situation and exercise restraint at #PolyU. More violence & bloodshed will only make things worse. The world is watching.


Fascinating interview on CNN with Hong Kong firefighters/paramedics who have joined the protests & are speaking out against near total power of police. "People don't trust the government, we don't trust the police, there's no way back." This is the frontline of what comes next.


Dozens of senior officials were either aware of or involved in the Ukraine scheme and failed to expose or stop it. How a lone CIA analyst, alarmed by Trump’s shadow foreign policy, drafted an unprecedented document that triggered an impeachment inquiry.


Sondland was texting back and forth on WhatsApp with Andriy Yermak throughout the trip, and had been communicating with other Ukrainian officials over the app in the preceding and subsequent months. Most of those messages haven’t been made public or handed over to investigators


Hey #BillBarr of the @TheJusticeDept: -Dems have won most of the court cases against the @realDonaldTrump Administration -Many of the President's Men are felons -You are flaunting Congressional subpoenas So take your false revisionist history & shove it


Bolton and Trump Met Privately Over Withheld Aid, White House Official Testified


Sondland tells Morrison and others he’s acting at behest of Trump. Meantime, Sondland relays to Ukrainian officials aid is tied to announcement of Biden probe. Morrison: Sondland "at least related to me that the President was giving him instruction."


Fox News Sunday anchor Chris Wallace repeatedly confronted House Minority Whip Steve Scalise over his characterization of last week’s impeachment testimony, accusing the congressman of “very badly” misrepresenting the witnesses’ positions


Citizens United opened the door to a flood of unlimited spending by dark money groups in our elections. Overturning it is the first step to fixing corruption in Washington.


“Generally phone calls are admissible when the witness can identify the person on the line.” Anyone else want to help us check #GrandstandingGreen’s work? Not that he cares about accuracy.


"The armed forces of the United States do their outmost to fight lawfully and humanely not only because it is the right thing to do. They do their utmost because it is also the smart thing to do,"


Ukraine scandal is a microcosm of what we already know: Trump’s presidency is a failure. “...It would be myopic to consider the Ukraine allegations in a vacuum, as if this was an isolated example of his unfitness for office.”


Rep. Jim Jordan's Democratic challenger attacks him in 'Handmaid's Tale'-inspired ad Janet Garrett is targeting the conservative Ohio congressman over his votes on women's issues and his response to abuse at Ohio State.


The oil and gas industry supports the cap-and-trade program because it “figured out how to game the system.” The industry got almost everything it wanted, Dean Florez of @AirResources said, leaving it “offset happy and surplus rich.”


NEW: With new revelations on links between Parnas, Firtash, and Trump continuing to spill out, @michaeldweiss and I looked through all of the post-Soviet mobsters and mafiosi who kept popping up in Trump’s orbit throughout the years:


Yovanovitch “was one of the brave people who has spent her career working hard to fight gangsters overseas in post-Soviet space,” says one former official—“never imagining, I’m sure, that she might find herself working for gangsters here in America”


Kurds watch their homes burn from afar as picture of 'ethnic cleansing' emerges


This destroys the “Sondland went rogue” defense


Trump leaving for unscheduled visit to Walter Reed. Nothing adds up but more White House lies


It's called "riding the tiger," from Churchill. "Dictators ride to and fro on tigers from which they dare not dismount."


MSM, Say his name when talking about this whole Trump/Giuliani extortion racket. He financed it. He stood to gain millions from the Naftogaz board changes. He got himself a face to face with the DOJ to argue against his extradtion. He works for the Russian mob. Dmytro Firtash


On our Commentary Page this morning:We’re psychologists: This Pa. House bill mandating the burial of fetal remains is emotionally damaging to women


Of course Russia helped the Brexit vote, and of course the Brexiteers want to bury that truth.


UK government will publish Russia report after election


Reminder that Kellyanne Conway’s 50+ Hatch Act violations on twitter violate the company’s Terms of Service, and her account could be suspended.


Speaker Pelosi: "The whistleblower is there to speak truth to power and have protection for doing that ... I will defend the rights of the whistleblower vehemently."


The Donald J Trump for President campaign is running TV ads saying that a coup against POTUS is underway, led by the lawyer of the whistleblower. We're sooooooooo far down the rabbithole.


Lev Parnas, who has agreed to comply with investigators, is claiming that he personally offered a quid pro quo to the incoming government in Kiev at Giuliani's direction


Morrison corroborates others who said Ukraine was told military aid was conditioned on announcing investigations Trump wanted. Bolton told Morrison to tell the lawyers. Williams learned that Trump told Pence not to attend Zelensky’s inauguration.


Must have missed the part of the Constitution where it says it’s OK for the president to commit crimes if the stock market reaches a certain level


Rudy Giuliani Is Now the Subject of Three Separate Investigations: Report


Rep. Steve Cohen says the fact Pres. Trump would have his call with Sondland on an unsecured line in a public place demonstrates "he’s not only lawless, he’s reckless."


These Kurdish women fought on the frontlines against ISIS. Now they’re the No. 1 target in Syria


Not Boring!


Saturday special: House Intel releasing two transcripts this afternoon: Tim Morrison and Jennifer Williams. Both were on the July call between Trump and Zelensky


Here’s the exact quote from Morrison:


Morrison says placing transcript in classified server was “mistake:” “John (Eisenberg) related that he did not ask for it to be put on there, but that the Executive Secretariat staff misunderstood his recommendation for how to restrict access,” yet it stays there thru mid-Sept


Q: Did anybody think US Amb to EU Gordon Sondland was adding value here? Morrison replies: "Gordon did."


Has anyone asked how John Cardillo became a business partner with Lev Parnas in Fraud Guarantee? How did Cardillo & Giuliani meet? How long has Cardillo known Stone? How do all these relationships interact?


Barr is talking nonsense. It’s a very big executive branch. No one is “drowning.” Instead, Trumpsters are categorically refusing to answer our letters, respond to questions for the record, or comply with subpoenas from Congress. It’s a policy of “no.”


"But Yovanovitch’s testimony, Trump’s tweet, and Stone’s conviction look like a turning point," writes @mattklewis. "You can probably add witness intimidation to the number of impeachment counts Trump will be facing."


Six associates of President Trump have been convicted of crimes since he took office, all stemming from former special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation. Here is a complete list.


“Pence told Zelensky the US fully supports Ukraine, but he wanted an update on corruption reform efforts “that he could then convey back to the president.” Pence also wanted to “hear if there was more that European countries could do to support Ukraine.”


"Many Americans are counting on journalism to help lead our country out of an age of democratic erosion and fake news. Journalists only can succeed in that mission if they avoid becoming unwitting accomplices of disinformation themselves."


UK police said they are assessing two allegations of electoral fraud, following accusations the Conservative party offered key Brexit Party members seats in the House of Lords if they do not stand in December’s general election


‘Absolutely no mercy’: Leaked files show China’s mass detentions in officials’ own words


The Latest: Hong Kong police officer struck in the lower leg by an arrow during a faceoff with protesters outside Hong Kong Polytechnic University.


Trump's impeachment saga stems from a political hit job gone bad


From The Post's Editorial Board: In Saudi Arabia, Twitter becomes more useful to the repressors than the repressed


Completing “portions” of a physical, prepping a medical resignation, same difference, right?


She's an aide to Pence. Surely she would have filled Pence in on Trump's demands, esp since Pence met personally with Zelensky 5 weeks later. Morrison stated that Z opened the mtg by asking Pence abt the aid and Pence told Z that Ukraine needed to "do more to fight corruption."


This does not add up; the White House Medical Unit has very comprehensive facilities at the White House complex that could easily accommodate most of what is needed in an annual physical. As a fmr USSS Agent assigned POTUS, I have never seen the annual formality occur in stages.


So that’s a yes - @RealOmarNavarro admits he was the backchannel between Roger Stone/team and Trump’s legal team. One can only imagine the mutual amounts of stupid and criminal messages they passed each other


It’s now indisputable that Sondland was executing a bribery scheme directly to the Ukrainians, telling people in real time it came from Trump. If he was lying or preposterously extorting Ukraine on his own, why does he still have a job? He serves at the pleasure of the president.


When they tell you what they want, listen.


Trump when he was leaving for Walter Reed today. Why the running?


Bill Barr Is Just Like, Really Sick Of You People Being So Mean To Poor Donald Trump, OK?


It’s not just that the Attorney General of the United States said these things; it’s that his audience at the @FedSoc convention gave him a standing ovation for doing so.https://t.co/3HrUMpIhar The executive power passages were deeply hypocritical; this is downright offensive.


Twitter’s new political ad policy will also limit microtargeting, a move designed to get users out of “siloed” conversations


Barr: Liberals don’t respect the law. Trump: Watch me pardon this asshole who shot an unarmed teenaged girl in the stomach.


JENNIFER WILLIAMS' handwritten notes reflect that Zelensky mentioned 'Burisma' on the July 25 call, and she doesn't know why it's not in the White House summary. Q: So you wouldn’t have written that down if it hadn't come up during the call. Is that right? WILLIAMS: Correct.


House Democrats object to giving Trump notice before seeking NY tax returns


Denver Post: Radio host Craig Silverman cut off mid-show for criticizing President Trump


When a county refuses to update its voting machines... “Dauphin County is standing it's ground when it comes to voter machine reform here in the commonwealth.”


Trump's "perfect call" yielded a perfect cartoon.


“The United States may soon find itself in the uncomfortable position of having a Supreme Court whose ideological majority is at odds, on a number of key issues, with well more than half the country.”


Lev Parnas, who has agreed to comply with investigators, is claiming that he personally offered a quid pro quo to the incoming government in Kiev at Giuliani's direction


Fox's digital story about John Bel Edwards' win in Louisiana: "The result will come as a major disappointment to President Trump, who was eager to see Rispone regain the Louisiana governorship for the GOP..."


Over $200,000 came in today through more than 8,500 donations. This swell of organic support comes from individual donors in all 50 states. I am proud to have you on this journey with me. We are going to flip this seat because of your help. From the bottom of my heart thank you.


Remember when Trump tried to hold the next G-7 summit at his struggling Doral golf resort? He claimed it was because it's what the Secret Service wanted. Last night we got documents showing that wasn't true


What exactly is being done to get to the bottom of Elaine Chao's reported conflicts of interest? We requested records


The Alleged Russian Mobsters in Trump World’s Orbit: A Dirty Dozen


Fundraising letter from @FLOTUS That signature looks famil...WAIT A MINUTE.


“If Trump directed Rudy’s activities, then he’s criminally responsible for them”


Morrison corroborates others who said Ukraine was told military aid was conditioned on announcing investigations Trump wanted. Bolton told Morrison to tell the lawyers. Williams learned that Trump told Pence not to attend Zelensky’s inauguration.


Like I keep saying, at some point this isn't about politics; when you're saying a lazy old man whose day is mostly golfing and rage-tweeting is almost "superhuman," you're in North Korean territory and there shouldn't be enough money in the world to make you say stuff like that.


Pence aide testified that Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine were 'inappropriate'


Chairman Schiff: "There is a reason [Trump] pressed the President of Ukraine to interfere in our election on July 25th, and that is because he listened to the testimony of Robert Mueller on July 24th and concluded, wrongly, that he is above the law."


After listening to the Trump-Zelensky call from the Situation Room, JENNIFER WILLIAMS felt it was "unusual and inappropriate" and that it "shed some light on possible other motivations behind a security assistance hold."


Unless the healthiest man alive is shifting to fiscal year reporting, two medicals in the same year ain’t annual, it’s biannual.


BREAKING: The United States and South Korea announced on Sunday they will postpone military drills scheduled for later this month in an effort to bolster a stalled peace push with North Korea. Defense Secretary Esper says not a "concession"


Schiff: "The most profound threat to democracy today is not from Russia ... The most grave threat to the life and health of our democracy comes from within, from a president without ethical compass. Without an understanding of or devotion to our Constitution."


His excuse to resign as the evidence piles up. Get his compassion pardon.


Another win for Putin. Germany Removes Legal Hurdle For Russia's Nord Stream 2 Pipeline Project: It will increase Europe's dependence on Russian energy, boost the Kremlin's coffers for military adventures, and hurt Ukraine.


Why did Supreme Court Justice Kennedy retire? What role did his son’s job at Deutsche Bank play? Who paid off Brett Kavanaugh’s $92,000 country club fees & his $200,000 credit card debt + his $1.2 million mortgage?


BREAKING: A top White House national security aide told impeachment investigators that EU Ambassador Gordon Sondland claimed to be acting on Trump’s orders, and was regularly in touch with him


Trump had visited Louisiana three times in five weeks to support Republican challenger Eddie Rispone in the runoff and still, Democrat John Bel Edwards won in a state that Trump carried in 2016 by nearly 20 percentage points.


Sondland used WhatsApp to communicate with Ukraine — and won’t turn over the messages: report


Turkey launches ‘massive attacks’ on the Kurds — US military are ‘sickened’ by Trump’s betrayal: report


Good evidence Trump tried to use his office to steer business to himself. I’m sure all the Republicans concerned about the Bidens will be very upset about this.


BREAKING: Another Foreign Service Officer testified about the Trump Ukraine conspiracy, and the story is getting *worse*, if you can believe it.


Massive attacks underway against the kurds in northern syria. No ceasefire. Total nonsenses there is. US military officials tell me they are ashamed, “sickened.” It’s cold now outside. What about the families, and kids, out of their homes?


Mark Sandy, OMB official with knowledge of delay in Ukraine military aid, testifies decision was highly irregular.


Mark Sandy has left the Capitol after nearly six hours of closed-door testimony.


Trump’s corrupted foreign policy: Coddle the dictator, abuse the ally


In an unannounced visit, Trump is getting the first part of his physical exam today per @PressSec: “Anticipating a very busy 2020, the President is taking advantage of a free weekend here in Washington, D.C., to begin portions of his routine annual physical exam at Walter Reed.”


Breaking - Russia may have had an impact on the result of the Brexit referendum, according to a secret intelligence report suppressed by Downing Street. See Sunday Times tomorrow


BREAKING: Louisiana’s John Bel Edwards stuns GOP, wins reelection to a second term as the Deep South’s only Democratic governor.


This is very mysterious today. President Trump’s trip to Walter Reed National Medical Center was previously unscheduled, a source familiar with the matter told CNN. The visit was not on the Saturday public schedule. It was also not on the internal schedule.


Breaking: following a Democratic win for Governor in Kentucky, Democrats have won the Louisiana Governors race.