Saturday, June 20, 2020

Tulsa looks to be another example of Trump OVER-promising and UNDER-delivering. The first example from the DJT years dates back to January 20, 2017...


Chairman Nadler: "The House Judiciary Committee will immediately open an investigation into this incident, as part of our broader investigation into Barr's unacceptable politicization of the Department of Justice."


Secret Service has moved crowd back from the overflow stage so it can be broken down.


Biden officially forms transition team


What empty seats? This@is fake news


Told that there's a been a mass text to Tulsa ticket holders begging people to come to the arena. "There's still room!"


One of my friends was delighted to receive a safe voter kit this weekend from @KimOlsonTx What a great idea, and nice to see thoughtful leadership like this!


Campaign confirms the outdoor remarks have been cancelled. Statement per pooler @jdawsey1


A fuller view of stadium as program begins


EXCLUSIVE: John Bolton tells Martha Raddatz that Pres. Trump told Turkish Pres. Erdogan he would intervene in a Southern District of New York investigation of a state-owned Turkish bank: "It did feel like obstruction of justice to me."


Lower-than-expected turnout so far - and a change of plans for Trump and Pence


Apparently we’ve run out of Kremlin-backed *ssholes here in America and are desperate to import them from abroad.


Joni Ernst and Donald Trump could both be in trouble in Iowa


Cancelled the overflow space. Brad? — Mika Brzezinski


US Department of Homeland Security says Nigel Farage was allowed to board flight as it was in "the national interest". He was initially denied boarding.


Hey @parscale, Where the fuck are all the people you promised?


Armed members of the far right wing extremist movement “boogaloo boys” have arrived here in #Tulsa -


"Someone should investigate Barr's autocratic takeover of the DOJ," say the leaders of the only body in the United States of America empowered to investigate Barr's autocratic takeover of DOJ. Nothing happens. "Oh well," say the leaders. "Be sure to vote in November!"


Berman’s new statement:


If you heard that a foreign demagogue was purging senior law enforcement officers, prosecuters, inspectors general and honest civil servants while threatening military leaders who resist deploying against the people, you’d conclude that he was trying to install a dictatorship.


We need to know why Trump and Barr wanted Berman out so badly. Congress must immediately investigate Berman's firing. We cannot stand idly by as this administration continues to use the Justice Department to do Trump's political bidding.


We can’t bear the truth of covid-19, so we’ve just decided to forget


The mypillow guy isn’t afraid of a little deadly pandemic that strikes men harder than women. After all science is for libs.


The Trump Baby Blimp is in Tulsa


Contort with snarling anger. Nonsense and conspiracy theories will pass his lips. He will seek to divide us, inflame tensions and spread the chaos he has brought to our country. More than 120,000 dead Americans will be looking down on this tonight. A hundred thousand more


A man has been arrested in connection with a stabbing incident in Reading, England, that left multiple people injured, police say


Trump on Barr's claim Trump fired Geoff Berman: "That's really up to him. I'm not involved"


Barr says Trump has now fired Berman. This, Barr says, is authorized by 241(c). Notably, however, Barr has shifted, and is allowing the Deputy US Attorney to serve as the Acting US Attorney — and not, as per last night’s release, the NJ US Attorney.


Trump + Barr are preparing both to suppress pro-Biden votes AND to treat any Biden win that might make it past their suppression efforts as illegitimate. The threat to constitutional democracy couldn’t be clearer. Every public official and every citizen must be on high alert


A reminder: SDNY successfully prosecuted Michael Cohen, who went to prison, and has been investigating Rudy Giuliani.


Trump finally learned the talking point (“I’m not involved with DOJ”) for the one occasion when he was supposed to say the opposite


NEW: U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman is formally fired, "Because you have declared that you have no intention of resigning, I have asked the President to remove you as of today, and he has done so", says Attorney General William Barr.


Trump on firing Berman, “I’m not involved.”


Having difficulty dismembering the body.....


Press release by Barr announces that Berman stepping down at SDNY. Berman says he is NOT stepping down and cites rules. Barr says - you HAVE to step down now because Trump himself has fired you. Trump says "I am NOT involved at all." What does a migraine feel like?


You know why Trump said that? Because he’s afraid. Because he knows @SDNYnews have cases on his kids and his business. Because Barr testified he told Trump “the name of one of the cases” passed on by Mueller Barr just lied twice.


JUST IN: Attorney General Bill Barr said that President Trump has fired Geoffrey Berman, the powerful US attorney for the Southern District of New York who has investigated a number of associates of the President.


"Somebody has to do this."


Chaos Erupts at SDNY as ‘Two Popes’ Duel for Legal Supremacy


BREAKING: A woman entered the rally area wearing an “I can’t breathe” shirt. She says she had a ticket but was asked to leave. Police dragged her out and arrested her for trespassing after she sat down and refused to leave.


Tulsa County, Oklahoma, reported a new record of daily coronavirus infections today, just hours before President Trump will hold a campaign rally in Tulsa.


Investigations that the SDNY is handling that potentially implicate Trump and/or Barr 1. Rudy Giuliani and Lev Parnas 2. Jeffrey Epstein and Prince Andrew 3. Deutsche Bank 4. Turkey 5. Inauguration 6. Russia


The president is out here retweeting anti-trans bigotry, anti-Semitic dogwhistles, and unvarnished misogyny from “the platform for the alt-right”


If it’s true that Barr offered Berman a promotion yesterday (albeit a desk job at mother Justice) they are going to have a hard time claiming they are firing him for malfeasance or cause.


NEWS: Six staffers working on the Trump Tulsa rally have tested positive for coronavirus. A campaign statement says "quarantine procedures were immediately implemented. No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today’s rally."


Same.— The Lincoln Project


Someone put it out yesterday the governor Abbet in Texas has now allowed carnivals to reopen in the wake of COVID. Do you know when I think of hygenic conditions, the first thing that comes to mind is “carnivals.”


This is an odd statement since “obviously” you sent your DOJ in yesterday to argue vociferously that the judge should stop the book. They lost. Bigly.


She HAS TICKETS to the trump event. They're arresting her now.


This is Rosie Matlock from Oklahoma. She's been waiting in line for four days to see Donald Trump tonight... sleeping in a chair and even on the concrete sidewalk. #TrumpTulsaRally


These people are not well.


Hundreds of people already, very close together - and I only see ONE mask.


If you think what Donald Trump has done to this country is bad, what until you find out what he has done to little girls. There’s a reason Barr is doing all he can to destroy evidence related to Jeffrey Epstein.


Is Trump threatening to kill John Bolton here?


It’s a virtual cornucopia of stupid


1. Newsflash: You lost the case 2. You just threatened, on @twitter, to kill a political opponent


Kentucky: We will be there......@WCKitchen we will provide food relief and water, and folding chairs for people that needs them....and restrooms....#FoodForDemocracy


This is a naked abuse of power. I’ve already called for AG William Barr to resign & for Congress to impeach him. Congress should pass my bill now to defund Barr’s authority to interfere with matters related to Trump, his family, & his campaign


Can't help but wonder that if former Miami U.S. Attorney Alex Acosta had done something like this whether Jeffrey Epstein would be in federal prison. This takes guts.


Mueller’s team contemplated whether Trump had lied to them, newly disclosed sections of report show


"We had a friend who died from COVID and his son was on a ventilator" was not enough to convince this man that COVID is a real enough threat not to go to a rally with 20k people without wearing a mask or practicing social distancing.


Jay Clayton can allow himself to be used in the brazen Trump-Barr scheme to interfere in investigations by the U.S. Attorney for SDNY, or he can stand up to this corruption, withdraw his name from consideration, and save his own reputation from overnight ruin.


On the gullibility and cynicism of John Bolton


BREAKING: Judge denies Trump admin’s attempt to stop John Bolton’s tell-all book


Folks, as a former US Atty myself, I know you just don’t fire a USA just to make room for someone else. Could Berman be on to something? Trump administration in standoff with Manhattan U.S. attorney who investigated the president’s associates


Vegas Sees Record Coronavirus Infections Two Weeks After Casinos Reopen


House Dems inviting Berman to testify is fine. But the guy they really need to hear from is William Barr. Subpoena, give him one day, and if he refuses, go right to court. Game time is over @RepJerryNadler.


Imagine having a platform like @joerogan and using it to make fun of people wearing masks, elevating sexual assault and getting people to say racist stuff.


There is an SDNY Grand Jury investigating Rudy & assoc that conceivably could implicate Barr himself. This could be the tie to why Benczkowski just resigned from the DOJ- as he would be a fact witness against Barr. The strength of Berman’s response says he has something on Barr

!!!!

Impeach Bill Barr. Pass it on. — The Lincoln Project


Trump has always been able to nominate a US Atty, who must be Senate confirmed. So the only difference between today and yesterday is today all of America knows that Bill Barr is afraid of @SDNYnews’s prosecutions.


I hope Berman and the SDNY are gathering up all the ammunition, loading the canons and start firing out what ever they have on Monday morning before the investigatory & evidentiary trail gets suppressed.


Trump stacks US media agency with loyalists led by Bannon acolyte


Trump threatens valuable tool for spreading American ideals


Trump firings at US Global Media risk damaging high standards


U.S. Attorney who oversaw key investigations related to Trump is resigning, says AG Barr


America is right to expect the worst of Bill Barr, who has repeatedly interfered in criminal investigations on Trump’s behalf. We have a hearing on this topic on Wednesday. We welcome Mr. Berman’s testimony and will invite him to testify.


Chairman Nadler: "We welcome Mr. Berman's testimony and will invite him to testify."


WTF — the only prosecutor in America who had the balls (and conscience) to hold #JeffreyEpstein accountable is gone? Did he get too close to the truth?


The president's personal attorney, who occasionally pretends to be the nation's Attorney General, fired Berman to protect his client. Impeach Bill Barr.


Make no mistake, this is a dangerous attempt at a power grab by Bill Barr.


when you attempt a Friday Night Massscre you better not miss


Trump's caused a lot of damage in the last 3.5 years, but the bludgeoning of the rule of law to cover up his crimes has bothered me more than anything. Please @JoeBiden, pick @RepAdamSchiff to be your Attorney General. He'll clean up this mess.


Berman may have just flipped the Senate. Will Mitch risk losing the Senate by trying to force Rep Senators to confirm someone clearly being chosen to protect Rudy andTrump?


This #SaturdayNightMassacre will pit Trump and Barr against the federal court that appointed Berman to serve as US Atty for SDNY “until a successor is confirmed.” Barr’s hamhanded lie that Berman had “stepped down” won’t do the trick.


... and probably 50 other dark secrets and compromising relationships we don’t know about. It’s an awful strange miracle he’s trundled along this far.


Given the constitutional issues related to firing Berman, maybe Barr knew this ultimately wouldn’t work but meant it’s effect to taint as retribution any indictments/prosecutions coming out of the SDNY concerning Trump family/associates. #Berman


Reuters: POWER OF INTERPRETATION OF HONG KONG SECURITY LAW BELONGS TO CHINESE PARLIAMENT'S TOP DECISION-MAKING BODY -XINHUA


Reuters: NATIONAL SECURITY ACTIVITIES IN HONG KONG WILL RESPECT AND PROTECT HUMAN RIGHTS IN HONG KONG, INCLUDING RIGHTS SUCH AS FREEDOM OF SPEECH, ASSEMBLY, DEMONSTRATION - XINHUA


JUST IN: China’s top legislative body released new details of national security legislation to be imposed on Hong Kong

Never give up, Stay strong. 

“Berman as of Friday was still reportedly overseeing a criminal investigation into Trump's personal lawyer, Rudy Giuliani.”


The comments underneath this story are about what you’d expect — entitled fans willing to sacrifice the health of players so they can be entertained. Disgusting.


Powerful US attorney who investigated Trump associates refuses to step down after Barr tries to push him out !


Holy shit. This was tweeted from SDNY's official account. It's going to be a very interesting weekend.


Analysis: Phillies’ coronavirus outbreak is a reminder the virus has the final say on the 2020 season


In countries keeping the coronavirus at bay, experts watch US case numbers with alarm


It's more than two decades old, but this story on the 1921 race riot in Tulsa remains absolutely chilling. At the time, a few of the witnesses were still alive.


Take a look at the front page of today's Wall Street Journal


In case you were wondering why Trump wants to get rid of Geoffrey Berman, the U.S. Attorney in Manhattan, consider this your explainer. Hint: It has to do with Trump's personal interests, like everything else Trump cares about as President.


Why does a president get rid of his own hand-picked US Attorney in SDNY on a Friday night, less than 5 months before the election?


Trump to nominate SEC head Jay Clayton as US attorney for SDNY In Nov 2019 Reuters reported Clayton's SEC has been giving corporations a helping hand & weakening investor safeguards & rights Imagine how Clayton will oversee criminal cases in the financial capital of the world


Wow! This reeks of putting the fix in to protect Donald, Rudy and the kids! But SDNY line attorneys will not go away silently if this is happening!


"While the use of the term boogaloo started as a joke, the call for a second civil war has become a social media-fueled rallying cry for an eclectic group of far right extremists, some of whom have committed acts of violence."


This isn’t a small consideration. Urgent questions for right now, tonight: Who is securing the office; Is anyone preserving Berman’s access to the office, and those of his deputies; Are federal marshals on site? Is Berman locked out?


Trump keeps firing the people investigating him because he is guilty


A reminder that on Wednesday, @HouseJudiciary @RepJerryNadler will be having a hearing with 2 DOJ whistleblowers to "describe the unprecedented politicization of the Department under @realDonaldTrump and Attorney General William Barr"... this hearing needs to be covered LIVE!


Congress/Nadler has to subpoena Barr right away and move promptly for contempt when he doesn’t show


Wow, not only is US Attorney for SDNY Geoffrey Berman not resigning, he went out of his way to say that SDNY’s investigations and important cases will continue unimpeded. Was Bill Barr of @TheJusticeDept trying to obstruct an investigation or case by attempting to fire him?


And. Jeffrey. Epstein. Accomplices


President Trump has shown himself more interested in squeezing Seoul for money to pay for keeping American troops in South Korea than in standing up to increasingly aggressive North Korean efforts at instilling fear in the South


I'm concerned about the sudden replacement of the United States Attorney in New York’s Southern District. The new United States Attorney must be independent and uphold the rule of law, regardless of politics. — NY AG James


Given a year to reflect on this, we should (still) #ImpeachBarr — Rep. Eric Swalwell


At this point, the way you can tell when U.S. attorneys are getting near to discovering major crimes is when Bill Barr fires them.


BIG THREAD from Asha Rangappa - Bully Barr, how do you obstruct justice? Let us count the ways:


Yes, the Attorney General is a liar — Preet Bharara


Berman's Response


WASHINGTON (AP) — Justice Department says Geoffrey Berman, US attorney in NYC who oversaw investigations of Trump allies, is resigning.