Tuesday, February 11, 2020

Flynn and Stone sentencings have gone haywire since DC US Attorney Jessie Liu was replaced an aide to AG Bill Barr. Liu was slated for a Treasury job instead. White House has now withdrawn that nomination. Axios:"This was 'the president's call'."


It’s important to know why @realDonaldTrump wants to protect Roger Stone. Stone tried to be a conduit between Trump and WikiLeaks when it was part of the Russian operation attacking the US. And Trump apparently lied to Mueller about Stone. Read this.


Jim Jordan’s name comes up during Statehouse testimony on OSU abuse victims bill!


At trial, we held up these redacted emails and asked Senators if they wanted to know what Trump was hiding. They didn’t. Now we know why: They confirm OMB misled Congress about DOD’s objections to the illegal hold on Ukraine aid. The truth will come out.


As a prosecutor, I’m always concerned when the political rat gets into the prosecutorial independence granary, and a particularly fat rat appears to have just gotten in. Who’s minding the store at DOJ?? Oh, yeah, right..


“He can have him, and his brother, too.” The President talking about two men who wear the cloth of our country and who have vowed to give their life in defense of the Constitution and the nation.


POTUS's national security adviser now trying to convince us there was no retaliation, just that most of the NSC staff is being fired, I guess in reverse alphabetical order


AG Barr needs to reply — pronto. Nothing shields an abusive and corrupt Attorney General from impeachment by the House. And no Attorney General has ever been more deserving of such condemnation.


This is not just rhetorical. DOJ and the Attorney General need to explain this, immediately, and offer documentary proof to back it up


To the career men and women of DOJ, you are both the backbone and the heart of the Department. Your noble dedication to the rule of law is the foundation of our republic.— Sally Yates


Asked about Roger Stone, Trump says he has an “absolute right” to tell the Justice Department what to do


Russian pundits and experts concur that the Trump presidency is currently transitioning into the realm of authoritarian, clan-like regimes: “They keep telling us that it is impossible in the United States, but now we’ll find out for ourselves.”


BREAKING: with all 4 career prosecutors out, we have reached a critical point. Someone is obstructing justice.


Mary McCord, a former acting assistant AG for the DOJ's National Security Division: "There is no way you can come away from this with anything other than an impression that Justice is taking its orders from the president and pandering to the president."


BREAKING: The DoJ is in the late stages of deciding whether to charge Trump ally Erik Prince in an investigation into whether he lied to Congress in its Russia probe and violated U.S. export laws, @WSJ reports, citing a person familiar


Tonight I’ve written to William Barr demanding answers on DOJ’s move to seek lighter sentencing for trump’s felon friend Roger Stone. With four prosecutors now quitting this is a full-frontal assault on the rule of law and bears more than a faint whiff of banana republicanism.


Dear @60Minutes, Your sole job in life is to get Jonathan Kravis, Michael Marando, Aaron Zelinsky & Adam C. Jed on @60Minutes this Sunday to tell the full story of why they resigned from the Justice Department today in protest of the Barr/Trump interference! Sincerely, America


National security adviser Robert O’Brien is speaking now at the Atlantic Council. Hints at more cuts to NSC coming this week. “The streamlining and rightsizing is concluding,” he says, notes that number of policy staff will be cut down further “by the end of this week.”


The withdrawals and resignations of the four prosecutors in the Stone case are a sign that there are still men and women of integrity in our government. William Barr is the most corrupt Attorney General in American history by an order of magnitude.


"There is a cancer in the White House, and it has spread to the Justice Department." - Asha Rangapp


This obstruction of justice by Attorney General Barr should result in his impeachment and removal. All 4 federal prosecutors quit Stone case after DOJ overrules prosecutors on sentencing request


Exactly. Except now it's four prosecutors, not three. Also, the US Attorney in that office was replaced a week ago with an aide from AG William Barr's office.


The DOJ has filed an amended sentencing memo for Roger Stone, completely reversing the previous position after Trump tweet-disparaged it, that requests "a sentence of incarceration far less than 87 to 108 months imprisonment," citing it is "reasonable under the circumstances."


On the same day: - Two prosecutors have resigned from the DOJ to protest the administration’s intervention to lighten the sentence of one of Trump’s accomplices - The Senate GOP blocked votes on three bills to secure our elections The rule of law & our democracy are in crisis.


Trump does NOT have "the absolute right" to tell DOJ what to do. I wrote this about the Mueller Report, but it applies here: Ensuring the proper administration of justice is squarely in Congress' realm, and they need to investigate this


This means all the prosecutors on the case have quit


Schumer calls for IG probe into DOJ overruling prosecutors to give Roger Stone lighter sentence. Nadler says his panel will “get to the bottom” of it. Schiff says Trump administration represents “the gravest threat” to rule of law “in a generation.” McConnell declines to comment


NBC News: All four prosecutors have now asked the judge to leave the Roger Stone case. Michael Marando joins Aaron Zelinsky, Jonathan Kravis, and Adam Jed in leaving the case after the Justice Department publicly rebuked the their recommended sentence of 7-9 years.

Holy Fuckin Crap

MARANDO OUT


This is the fourth of four.


Vindmans, Stone are just the beginning. Trump knows he owns Republicans in Congress, except one. He knows Barr is a willing accomplice & he could shoot someone on 5th Ave & Fox News & his base wouldn’t blink. Trump doesn’t just think he’s above The Law. He thinks he is The Law.


Trump would have claimed the sentence was from an "Obama judge" anyway, and the sentence has always been up to the judge. By withdrawing the previous recommendation, Trump and Barr have been hoist with their own petard. Judge Jackson is going to be livid.


Exclusive: New Unredacted Emails Show How Deeply OMB Misled Congress on Ukraine


Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. said the Stone move amounted to "obstruction of justice.” "We are seeing a full-frontal assault on the rule of law in America," Pascrell said. "Direct political interference in our justice system is a hallmark of a banana republic."


What the fuck happened to all of those Republicans who said were constitutionalists?


I think that Bloomberg should purchase all of Trump’s debts and then call the loans. Take everything.


By recommending a reduction in Roger Stone’s sentence, President Trump is corrupting the Department of Justice to benefit himself and his friends. Prosecutorial independence is a pillar of a rule of law society. Congress must now do all it can to ensure that pillar still stands.


ROMNEY undecided on controversial Fed nominee Judy Shelton, colleague @NOgnanovich scoops. Calls her record, which includes calling for return to gold standard, "not terribly encouraging"


And Trump wants to spend 20% more on nuclear weapons than he did last year while pursuing nuclear policies that are making Americans less safe. He also wants to slash funds for diplomacy by 22%. The President says he opposes stupid endless wars. His budget says otherwise.


NEW: @RepJerryNadler sent a letter to AG Barr to demand answers after @LindseyGrahamSC and Barr admit that Rudy Giuliani is sending information concerning Ukraine to the Department of Justice through a special intake process.


AG Barr needs to reply — pronto. Nothing shields an abusive and corrupt Attorney General from impeachment by the House. And no Attorney General has ever been more deserving of such condemnation.


JEEEEZUS. What the fuck is happening?


You are watching Bill Barr overreach. This guy is about to get impeached


Three prosecutors quit in one afternoon and @JerryNadler just announced House Judiciary will be investigating Bill Barr You can smell the stench of fear from New York


I can't believe I have to say this, but the President of the United States has no business interfering in the criminal trial of his own campaign adviser. The Justice Department owes the court and the American people an explanation of exactly what is happening here.


Trump says the military should look at disciplinary action against Lt. Col. Vindman, who gave testimony in impeachment hearings about the president


New: Another prosecutor in Roger Stone's case has withdrawn after DOJ said it was reconsidering its sentencing recommendation. Jonathan Kravis "has resigned as an Assistant United States Attorney and therefore no longer represents the government in this case."


I taught Kravis Criminal Law at @YaleLawSch almost 2 decades ago. One of the best students I ever had. Glad to see he has a conscience to match his intellect.


A President who intervenes in the criminal justice system to help his allies, while punishing people like Lt. Col. Vindman for telling the truth, represents a real danger and the Committee will get to the bottom of this.


And John Crabb, the acting chief of the DC US Attorney's Office criminal division, enters his appearance in the case.


BREAKING third one


basically can't overmphasize the impact of the resignations of Kravis and Zelinsky. this is the worst crisis for DOJ easily since Mitchell if not before.


Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. said the Stone move amounted to "obstruction of justice.” "We are seeing a full-frontal assault on the rule of law in America," Pascrell said. "Direct political interference in our justice system is a hallmark of a banana republic."


And now prosecutor Adam Jed is out as well. The fire alarm is well and truly pulled here.


I have yet to see an amended sentencing memo from DOJ re: Stone. Until I see such a thing,it’s all nonsense & gaslighting. Regardless, Judge ABJ can ignore any sentencing memo, amended or otherwise,made by the Def or DOJ & order what she believes is a just & reasonable sentence.


It appears that the President and the Attorney General have overruled career prosecutors in order to help Roger Stone, who lied under oath on the President’s behalf


Breaking News: A key prosecutor in the Roger Stone case resigned and another withdrew after U.S. Justice Department officials intervened to ask for a more lenient sentence


Zelinsky's resignation as Special AUSA in DC came at a weird moment -- after Main Justice promised to override the recommendation he made, and as everyone is frantically refreshing Pacer to see the new rec


Trump publicly raged against the proposed prison sentence for longtime adviser Roger Stone. And now prosecutors may change their recommendation.


If he did not resign, he would have to stand up in court and explain to the judge why the government's position on Roger Stone's sentencing changed one day later. As a lawyer, he would have an ethical duty to do so truthfully, both in writing and orally.


Roger Stone faces 7 felony convictions for interfering in a congressional investigation, violating a judge's gag order, lying under oath, forging documents, & more. Are we back to abusing the office of the president so soon, @realdonaldtrump? You really have learned nothing.


Schumer calls for IG probe into DOJ overruling prosecutors to give Roger Stone lighter sentence. Nadler says his panel will “get to the bottom” of it. Schiff says Trump administration represents “the gravest threat” to rule of law “in a generation.” McConnell declines to comment


Where's Mueller these days?


And now Jonathan Kravis has quit entirely


Even if the methods are new, sowing the seeds of doubt, division, and discord to turn Americans against each other is an old trick. The antidote is citizenship: to get engaged, organized, mobilized, and to vote - on every level, in every election. — Barack Obama


DOJ's sentencing recommendation in a high profile case like Stone's would surely be discussed internally well before the recommendation was made public, which makes today's reversal even more bizarre. It's not like the recommendation was made by a prosecutor acting alone.


DEPORTED TO THEIR DEATHS: Majority of Tracked Migrants Sent Back to El Salvador by the U.S. Were Killed


BREAKING Second prosecutor in Stone cases, Jonathan Kravis, announces in court filing he has resigned as assistant U.S. attorney.


So much winning. This is how Duterte repays Trump for ignoring his human rights violations.


BREAKING Second prosecutor in Stone cases, Jonathan Kravis, announces in court filing he has resigned as assistant U.S. attorney.


It is my honor to write this piece with @MaxRose4NY. As a former soldier and F.B.I. agent, we both risked our lives to fight Al Qaeda. But the enemy we currently face is not a jihadist threat. It’s white supremacists — in the United States and overseas


Aaron Zelinsky, a Mueller prosecutor who served as a Special Assistant U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, said he would be quitting the Roger Stone case and resigning from his role in D.C. “effective immediately”


I don’t like the comment about an “Obama appointee” bc that makes the sentencing sound partisan which plays into the MAGA narrative. It isn’t. It’s about justice derived from a guilty verdict by a jury of Stone’s peers and nothing else.


DOJ's top spokesperson is on the record saying the decision to override the sentencing recommendations was made last night, before Trump's tweet


Analysis: The Justice Department makes yet another suspiciously pro-Trump move in Russia probe


McConnell’s “I don’t have an opinion on that” is an opinion on that. “I don’t have an opinion on a fundamental break with the rule of law” IS an opinion on the break with the rule of law.


Breaking via Axios: Top Mueller prosecutor Aaron Zelinsky filed a notice withdrawing from the Roger Stone case on Tuesday afternoon. The filing notes that Zelinsky has resigned from the Justice Department "effective immediately."h



Breaking News: In a highly unusual intervention, top Justice Department officials are intervening to seek a shorter sentence for President Trump's former adviser and longtime friend Roger Stone, after the president called prosecutors' recommendation unfair


It appears that the President and the Attorney General have overruled career prosecutors in order to help Roger Stone, who lied under oath on the President’s behalf.


No, everything is fine. Don’t worry, it’s just the Department of Justice is being run as the Trump family law firm.


When it comes to #Coronavirus, we need facts—not flattery.


The 2020 primary elections are ongoing And foreign entities—Putin, China, and more—are implementing schemes to interfere Senate Democrats are taking to the floor today to demand election security legislation Will Senate Republicans do what’s necessary to protect our elections?


The merger of T-Mobile & Sprint will create another telecoms behemoth in an already dangerously consolidated market. Our federal antitrust enforcers should’ve vigorously fought to protect consumers from rising costs & declining service that will result from this dangerous deal.


This op-ed touts @NotreDame football in defending Bill Barr's attack on "secularists" before a room full of lawyers at @NDLaw. When such unconstitutional conduct goes unanswered it's no surprise that $500K of our tax money is paid to "Hookers for Jesus."


Former NY congressman Chris Collins was sentenced Friday to 26 mos for an illegal stock tip that he gave his son from the White House lawn about a biopharmaceutical company’s failed drug trial. He was the first member of Congress to endorse Trump’s first bid for the presidency.


NEW: Federal prosecutors in Manhattan and the FBI have announced the arrest and indictment of Larry Ray. Ray, a former federal informant and associate of Bernie Kerik, has been hit with charges tied to a cult Ray allegedly led at Sarah Lawrence college.


Dear @JusticeOIG, There is something deeply wrong with Bill Barr. Please investigate him. We all can see it.


Journalists. Please ask Administration officials to explain their policies. Can they articulate any form of a coherent strategy vis-a-vis Syria, Russia, North Korea, China, Iran, Iraq, Africa, NATO....?


**LIVE EVENT** There will be a press conference today at 11:00 a.m. to announce the indictment of Lawrence Ray for sex trafficking, extortion, forced labor, and other offenses. This event will be livestreamed at


One of Lt. Col. Vindman's former commanders, retired US Army Brig. Gen. Peter Zwack: "I would trust Alex with my life," Zwack said. "We really had to be reliable. We had to be accurate. We had to be diplomats. And Alex was good at all of it."


#Deplorable behavior from the #Impeachedforever


Trump is abandoning America’s seniors and people with disabilities by cutting over $1.4 trillion from Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid and is leaving thousands of families hungry by gutting ~$200 billion from SNAP. The #TrumpBudget is a disaster. — Nancy Pelosi


My new favorite self own, surpassing even Jr's. He literally doesn't understand satire.


The first #US evacuee from #China known to be infected with the #Wuhan #coronavirus was mistakenly released from a #SanDiego hospital after an initial test found the person had not been infected, local health officials said Monday.#California


Socialism for the wealthy is the cornerstone of fascism.


Results coming in Monday indicated that Sinn Féin had collected 24.5 percent of the all-important first preference votes, putting it well ahead of its mainstream rivals


Coronavirus emergency 'holds a very grave threat' for world: WHO


Kathy Sullivan and Ron Abramson: The case for Elizabeth Warren


Watch how quickly Trump loses interest in corruption in Ukraine if Biden finishes 5th in New Hampshire


DC prosecutors should pursue Prince's lying to Congress as aggressively as they did with Stone.


Exclusive: The awarding of over $1 million total to Hookers for Jesus in Nevada and the Lincoln Tubman Foundation in South Carolina, triggered a whistleblower complaint filed by the Justice Department’s employee union to the department’s Inspector General


"Hookers for Jesus?" This is what Trump has done to both "Christianity" and the "Department of Justice."


Former U.S. attorney Joe diGenova claims the White House has identified and will terminate the senior official behind an ‘anonymous’ New York Times op-ed and book that claim there is a ‘resistance’ within the Trump administration


Opinion: "Parasite's" Oscars success was also a victory for democracy


Health officials in Hong Kong have confirmed seven additional cases of the coronavirus, bringing the city-wide total to 49


Why should we elect a woman as president? I'll just leave this here.


NEW: Former Ohio State wrestlers call for investigation into university's ties to Jeffrey Epstein


I don’t even know what to say anymore. Native American burial sites in Arizona have been blown up by construction crews building the US-Mexico border wall, according to lawmakers and tribal leaders


The cruel #TrumpBudget cuts billions in healthcare and other essentials for us regular Americans. Meanwhile, Trump spends $130,000,000 GOLFING at his own resorts with our tax dollars. Money that goes directly into the pocket of...Trump. Kleptocracy. TRUMP FIRST, AMERICA LAST.


A key ally of Erdogan says Turkey's president needs to review ties with Russia after Moscow-backed Syrian troops killed at least 12 Turkish soldiers this month


Andriy Yermak, a former top aide to #Ukraine's President Zelensky, has been appointed as the head of presidential office. Yermak succeeds Andriy Bohdan, who was fired by Zelensky on the same day.


“Corrupting an election to keep oneself in office is perhaps the most abusive and destructive violation of one’s oath of office that I can imagine.”


‘Being poor is not a character flaw.’ — Rep. Ayanna Pressley attacked the Trump admin for making it harder for families with children to get food stamps


HB1426 from @pwcdanica has passed the House of Delegates. This bill will help any public school student who doesn't have the money to pay for a meal, or owes money, to get a meal via the National School Lunch Program and the School Breakfast Program.


Chinese farmers told to wear face masks, wash hands, and not miss the spring planting season


U.S. district judge expected to rule in favor of allowing Sprint and T-Mobile to merge over the objections of a group of state attorneys general


Just spoke to a longtime Bernie supporter who is voting for @amyklobuchar. He shares all of Sanders' policy views—voted for him in 2016--but thinks they're too far out for Bernie to win. So he wants a progressive moderate who has more energy than Biden--and that's Amy


This company claims to have scraped more than 3 billion photos from platforms like Facebook and Instagram. It retains those photos even if you delete them. It says it's saving kids and solving crimes, but so far, it's gotten more concern than acclaim.


New: ProPublica wants to hear about problems accessing care for Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes, and the consequences. Share your story with us


Stars and Stripes' mission is not to communicate the DoD or command message, but to be an independent, First Amendment publication that serves the troops -- especially deployed troops. So 'we communicate' misses the mission.


Why is Trump scared of CA? -$21.5 billion surplus -Record low unemployment -Creating 1 in 7 US jobs Meanwhile Trump: -DOUBLED the deficit -Created over $3 TRILLION new debt We’re the progressive answer to his regressive policies. It’s driving him MAD.


With attention focused on impeachment & primaries, Trump is implementing an array of bad policies from cutting food stamps/school lunches to destroying sacred Native American sites to ramming thru judges. Also further politicizing DOJ. Multi-focus more important now than ever.


Something tells me a 78 year old woman who was running for president and had just had a heart attack would be held to a different standard. Call me crazy.....


A president who boasts of grabbing women by the genitalia, who is defended by @AlanDersh mired in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal, and Attorney General Bill Barr who hands out federal money to “Hookers for Jesus.” Anyone tired of the Country being run by a bunch of dirty old men?


THIS is why guns do not belong on school grounds. When a 17-year-old tried to leave school for a dentist appointment, an armed deputy at a Florida high school accused him of truancy and threatened to shoot him.


ICYMI. Personally, I hope Judge Sullivan (who's fed up w/Flynn) voids Flynn's entire plea deal so the DOJ can charge him and his son with everything they have on them both. Including the kidnap plot with the Turkish cleric in the US. That plea deal was always BS.


DOJ says ex-Trump adviser Roger Stone should go to prison in part as "a reminder that our democratic processes can function only if those called to testify tell the truth."


Does anyone believe one word this man says??


North Korea illegally exported millions of tons of commodities like coal last year to enhance its ballistic missiles and nuclear weapons programs, according to a confidential UN report.


Subpoena ALL relevant witnesses. Every single one. Litigate every single one. Meanwhile, hold public oversight hearings right up until the election. Keep it ENTIRELY in the House. The people's House.


Donald Trump will say over and over that the economy is on the ballot this year. It is. But America’s character is on the ballot too. And despite what Trump says, we don’t have to choose one or the other. We can be a good country with a good economy.


President Trump's proposed budget includes deep cuts to health care and safety net programs


Donald Trump is proposing cuts to Medicaid, Obamacare, and food assistance — while protecting giant tax giveaways to corporations and the super-wealthy. He has once again proved how morally unfit he is to lead our country.


Jared Kushner and Crimestress Ivanka sell their WH positions and have made over $200M. William Barr’s son-in-law “works” in the WH and his daughter is in the Treasury. Giuliani’s son makes $97K a year as WH sports liaison with no experience. It’s never been about Hunter Biden.


Warren urges putting party first: ‘We gotta beat Donald Trump’


Warren doesn't rule out supporting other candidates' tax plans


Klobuchar on Trump’s budget cuts: ‘This president lacks empathy’


Sen. Amy Klobuchar's Last Word to NH Voters: ‘You have a home with me’


Leaving almost $1 Million in unpaid bills in his wake after Trump hosts his racist rallies, States w/ Blue Governors & AG’s should come together & ban Trump rallies in their states til Trump pays his old debts. Maybe then other cities/States will join.


China denies engaging in cyber theft following U.S. indictments on Equifax case


The first mountain lion has been killed under a new law in California


There is nothing normal about the Attorney General creating a special “intake process in the field” for info relating to claims advancing a White House political narrative — particularly for someone reportedly under criminal investigation


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