As of 12:30 pm: US cases are 14,322 (with 210 deaths). That’s quite a leap over yesterday’s 9,000 or so, but we are testing more. NC has 123 cases, zero deaths. Five cases in my county. Dow is down 200 points. Again, seems to be veering from huge changes. The biggest development — GOP scandal: Senator Richard M. Burr sold … Read More
Document Dump: Senate Intel Committee Report On Russian Interference
Key part in recommendations:
House To Send Articles Of Impeachment To Senate Tomorrow
Some voices in the punditocracy have insisted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) “lost” in finally agreeing to send the articles of impeachment against President Trump to the Senate. Pelosi has responded that the delay resulted in a bunch of information coming to light, former national security adviser John Bolton’s announcement that he would testify if subpoenaed and the shoring up of public support for witnesses. … Read More
Senate Gets Briefed By White House On Rationale For Soleimani Attack
Well, the Democratic response is predictable…. Sen. Murphy: "I was deeply surprised at the lack of information presented by the administration regarding a specific imminent threat … I was, I think, both surprised and saddened to not have that information before us. I think it is likely because it doesn't exist." Via ABC pic.twitter.com/rnoEG1ZYc5 — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) January 8, … Read More
Will The Impeachment Trial Be Rigged?
It looks like McConnell, who already said he is coordinating with the White House, is prepared to make the Senate trial of President Trump move straight to a vote to acquit. Mitch McConnell: Everything I do during this, I’m coordinating with White House Counsel. There will be no difference between the President’s position and our position as to how to … Read More
House Impeachment Hearings Over: What Now?
I join everybody else in believing that President Trump will be impeached by the House. Sadly, I think two or three Democrats will not join the rest of the party, but I doubt there will be any Republican defectors, and the GOP will make mincemeat of that. In the Senate, I had hoped there would be signs of adulthood, but … Read More
Breaking: Gaetz And Other Republicans Perform Desperate Stunt [And Other Impeachment news]
About two dozen House Republicans, chanting “Let us in! Let us in!” tried to storm the secure room where a Defense Department official arrived this morning to testify in the impeachment inquiry, refusing to leave even after they were turned back by Representative Adam B. Schiff, Democrat of California and the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee that was leading … Read More
Document Dump: Senate Report On Russian Interference In 2016 Election
The Senate Intelligence Committee’s report on Russian ratfucking in the 2016 election was released today and it didn’t tell us much we didn’t already know, or hadn’t already intuited, but it told us a lot more about what we already knew or already had intuited. What is significant, of course, is that this comes from the Republican-majority Senate. From the report itself: … Read More
Document Dump: Graham In Bed With Mother Russia?
The media has not picked up on this, but it goes a long way to explaining Lindsay Graham, who once said that if Trump is elected, it will be the end of democracy. Now, he is hardcore Trump. Is this why?
In Other News…
The Senate has voted 54-41 to terminate President Trump’s declaration of a national emergency at the southern border and to stop the diversion of military funds to pay for a wall along the border.
What’s This? No Seriously, What’s This?
This is a confusing and bizarre story but I think it may be one of those escalations that could wind up being an important moment. Talking Points Memo lays out the story: What’s there to hide? That’s what a congressional panel investigating a potentially urgent whistleblower complaint from the intelligence community wants to know. On Friday, House Intelligence Committee chair … Read More
House Judiciary To Focus On Hush Money To Porn Star Scandal
I’ve always thought that the Stormy Daniels scandal was much worse for Trump than L’Affaire Russe, if only because it doesn’t involve dark unknowable Russians AND the White House cannot hide everything in executive privilege. It seems others agree: House Democrats plan to shift their focus this fall to President Trump’s alleged role in the hush money scheme that led … Read More
Majority of House Dems Are Now On The Record As Favoring Impeachment
That’s the headline. Despite conventional wisdom that Mueller’s House testimony was a bomb, the momentum for impeachment keeps on growing: The impeachment dam has broken. More than half of House Democrats say they would vote to launch impeachment proceedings against President Donald Trump, a crucial threshold that backers said will require Speaker Nancy Pelosi to reconsider her steadfast opposition. Though … Read More
Yeah, Let’s Do This.
Language from the suit makes clear that impeachment under consideration. “Articles of impeachment are under consideration as part of the Committee’s investigation, although no final determination has been made.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 26, 2019 Pelosi has signed off on this language, Dems say — Manu Raju (@mkraju) July 26, 2019 Just asked Nadler if what they’re doing now … Read More
Mitch McConnell Block Bills To Ensure Election Security
Election security is national security. Right now, election security is all done at the state and local level, and many districts and states simply do not have the money or technology to stop hackers. This not only includes Russia, but China, Iran, and even domestic ne’er-do-wells. AP: Robert Mueller warned that Russian interference is still happening “as we sit here.” … Read More