Are Congressional Republicans Growing A Pair?

Ken AshfordIraq, Syria, Trump & Administration, War on Terrorism/TortureLeave a Comment

The Hill: Frustrated Republicans say it’s time for the Senate to reclaim more power over foreign policy and are planning to move a measure Thursday that would be a stunning rebuke to a president of their own party.  GOP lawmakers are deeply concerned over President Trump’s reluctance to listen to his senior military and intelligence advisers, fearing it could erode national … Read More

Don Jr Didn’t Talk To Dad Before The Trump Tower Meeting

Ken AshfordL'Affaire Russe, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

Breaking on CNN: Senate investigators have obtained new information showing Donald Trump Jr.’s mysterious phone calls ahead of the 2016 Trump Tower meeting were not with his father, three sources with knowledge of the matter told CNN. Records provided to the Senate Intelligence Committee show the calls were between Trump Jr. and two of his business associates, the sources said, … Read More

Document Dump: The Dems Opening Offer In The Border Wall Negotiations

Ken AshfordImmigration and Xenophobia, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

Some interesting tidbits: Democrats have offered $500 million “to address humanitarian concerns at the border, including medical care, more efficient transportation, food and other consumables, and to support at least one prototype temporary holding facility (72 hours or less) with better conditions and services for migrants.” (Trump doesn’t want this, but it’ll give a lie to his supposed concern if … Read More

The Three Mass Shootings You Barely Hear About

Ken AshfordCrime, Gun ControlLeave a Comment

In the span of only a few days last week, three shooters killed a total of 14 people in three separate mass shootings in Florida, Georgia, and Louisiana — but you might not have heard about these incidents at all if you watched cable news. The shootings were barely discussed on the major cable networks, and the minimal coverage quickly … Read More

Cost Of The Government Shutdown: $3 Billion

Ken AshfordEconomy & Jobs & Deficit, Gubmint Shutdown, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

The U.S. economy will likely never recover $3 billion lost during the five-week partial government shutdown, according to a report released by the Congressional Budget Office on Monday. The 35-day shutdown ― the longest such closure in U.S. history ― reportedly reduced GDP in the fourth quarter of 2018 by $3 billion and an additional estimated $8 billion in the … Read More

Spoiler Alert: Will Howard Schultz Mean A Trump Re-Election?

Ken AshfordElection 2020Leave a Comment

Man, we really need to reform how elections are done. And stop having billionaires step in and think they can run America because they are billionaires. I am, of course, referring to Howard Schultz, former CEO of Starbucks. Schultz initially contemplated entering the Democratic primary, correctly calculated that he stood no chance of success that way, and then incorrectly decided … Read More

Weekly List 115

Ken AshfordWeekly ListLeave a Comment

his is the longest and perhaps most perilous week for Trump so far. Not only did House Speaker Nancy Pelosi outmaneuver him in the government shutdown, but by week’s end she was publicly questioning if Trump is beholden to Russian President Vladimir Putin, and if his campaign coordinated efforts to subvert the 2016 U.S. election. Meanwhile, House committees, now chaired … Read More

Breaking: Trump To Speak On Shutdown; Will He Invoke A National Emergency?

Ken AshfordBreaking News, Gubmint Shutdown, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

The White House is now making plans for an afternoon event today, where President Trump is poised to make an announcement about the border and the government shutdown, per @jeffzeleny @kaitlancollins. Invoking national emergency has been on the table — Manu Raju (@mkraju) January 25, 2019 People I’ve been talking to this morning are convinced, following the arrest of Roger … Read More

Breaking — Day 35 Of Government Shutdown Brings Stoppage of Flights Into LaGuardia

Ken AshfordBreaking News, Gubmint ShutdownLeave a Comment

NBC New York reports: A ground stop has been ordered at LaGuardia airport due to staffing related issues, the Federal Aviation Administration said Friday. The stop was ordered shortly before 10 a.m. Some arriving flights are also being delayed. The government shutdown has entered its 35th day, the longest federal shutdown over. CNN reports that Newark and Philadelphia are also affected. … Read More

Boom: Stone Indicted, Arrested

Ken AshfordCrime, L'Affaire Russe, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

AP: Roger Stone, a confidant of President Donald Trump, was arrested in the special counsel’s Russia investigation in a pre-dawn raid at his Florida home on Friday and was charged with lying to Congress and obstructing the probe. The seven-count indictment against Stone, a self-proclaimed “dirty trickster,” is the first criminal case in months from special counsel Robert Mueller. It provides … Read More

Pelosi Wins SOTU War

Ken AshfordCongress, Democrats, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

Donald Trump blinked. There’s simply no other way to interpret this tweet sent at 11:12 p.m. Eastern time Wednesday night: As the Shutdown was going on, Nancy Pelosi asked me to give the State of the Union Address. I agreed. She then changed her mind because of the Shutdown, suggesting a later date. This is her prerogative – I will do the … Read More

Breaking: Witness Tampering Successful

Ken AshfordCourts/Law, L'Affaire Russe, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

pic.twitter.com/YGSjuaXenv — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 23, 2019 Recall that the president told @JudgeJeanine last weekend that media and prosecutors ought to be looking into Cohen's family, suggesting a look at private citizens. One in a series of suggestions that Cohen family be pursued that POTUS has made. — Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 23, 2019 Reporting by @KatyTurNBC just on … Read More