Within Treason: Tell Me Lies (The Impeachment Inquiry, Part 20)

Link to previous thread for reference:

Pompy has a lisp, too. Which becomth more pronounthed when he'th lying.

I think he's a closet case. Which is why he doesn't mind being away from home most of the year.

Pompeo is evil

Let's check in with Betsy DeVos

All is well!

It was reported that Lindsey Graham declared "act of war" by Iran in his rant shown on Hannity last night. Why is anyone still listening to him anymore on anything?

Pelosi still holds the cards.

Moscow Mitch would be happy not to have to deal with a Senate trial, witnesses, etc. But, IMPOTUS is [italic] desperate [/italic] for vindication. (The only impeached President never to be acquitted). Moscow M has to make him happy. Needs tRumps help in Kentucky.

Neither can do anything till Pelosi relents.

TYT:

Mitch McConnell Just Killed Trump's Impeachment

^ Worthless unless Pelosi relents . . . ^

The Damage Report:

Trump's Iran Decision STUNS Top Officials

Thanks for starting a new thread.

They can do nothing until Pelosi sends the Articles of Impeachment forward to the Senate which is why they keep posturing and ranting. Nancy is playing them just like she did Trump. Let them keep revealing what they are in this moment she has gifted them, this space they must fill.

Change the rules? We can see you. Keep defending the indefensible as more proof is revealed? We can see you.

The GOP moderates, especially. I look forward to the Maine election. Stupid bitch brings up a southern rebel to bolster her chances and learns that the boys in the woods of Maine are still a thing. They have not forgotten their role on Little Round Top.

TYT:

Nikki Haley: Democrats Mourning Soleimani’s Death

Where is FCI? I miss his insights.

Anyway, no surprise, Collins and Murkowski caved. Eyeroll.

I love how the Republicunts think they speak for us. More fascist technique to create 'otherism' and then go from there. Fuck off, Nikki, Javanka and the whole goddamned bloodthirsty lot of you.

USA Today:

Trump aides to brief Congress on Iran as Tehran retaliates over killing of Gen. Qasem Soleimani

Does Esper where a wig?

I think he doesn't wear a wig, but colors that crap. It's opaque.

Link to Trump's address thread.....

Newsweek:

Pressure Mounts for Pelosi to Release Impeachment Articles as Democrats Signal Readiness to Proceed With Trial

Why is Pelosi caving?

Pelosi IS NOT caving....the rhetoric you hear is from the right trying to pressure her into acting so they can continue the coverup. SHE WILL NOT BUDGE. Good for her...make them squirm.

Fuck are you spewing about R21? Put down your pipe, you’ve had enough.

I love that they're desperate to spin this into her being pressured. That woman thrives under pressure.

Trump sounded incredibly out of breath at the beginning of his speech. Don’t think it’s ever been that bad.

Trump was late because they were still editing his speech at the last minute. He was supposed to take questions afterward, but walked out instead. What a useless pile of shit.

He needed to get back to his Adderall McGriddle

“Will not be toleridad”

WSJ:

Trump Doesn't Signal Further Military Strikes After Iran's Attack

"Anyway, no surprise, Collins and Murkowski caved. Eyeroll."

Maine, don't let us down. Vote Dem in 2020!!!!

Just a reminder that Trump is a decades-long prescription pill addict, who can no longer control his bowels and has to wear diapers because he fouls himself.

Reuters:

Trump administration casts doubt on women's rights amendment push

I hate Republicans with the heat of a thousand suns. If only I could do something with that hate. What a shame.

Pelosi needs to re-open House impeachment preceedings, do an addendum to the Articles (or add an entirely new Article) that includes testimonies of Bolton, Mulvaney, etc., as subpoenas go through the courts successfully. Get those documents and testimonies on record. It will take months, but let Moscow Mitch, Leningrad Lindsey and Bone Spurs stew. Afterwards, then send to Senate.

The Hill:

Trump rips Obama's Iran policy in address to nation

Reuters:

Western intelligence agencies see no signs Ukraine airliner was shot down - Canadian source

NBC:

Some Democratic senators say it's time for Pelosi to submit Trump impeachment articles

USA Today:

Republicans stand with Trump after Iran remarks while Democrats blame tensions on Soleimani killing

Reuters:

U.S. Senate's McConnell: won't haggle with House over impeachment trial plan

Why doesn’t someone ask McTurtle why he was discharged from the military over charges of sodomy? Just throw it out there during a presser. Why are they all such spineless pussies?

AP:

AP FACT CHECK: Trump minimizes IS risk, distorts Iran payout

CNN:

FBI, Homeland Security warn of Iranian terror and cyber threat in new intelligence bulletin

And now the Iranians will be left in peace to develop nuclear weapons.

AFP:

Two rockets hit Iraqi capital's Green Zone: security sources

Here we go, Trump playing games, trying to get elected. Will he trick people again?

Just as North Korea is left to develop their Nuclear Weapons.

Yep R46 ,,,and Iran and N Korea benefit, These repugs are sickening! And Mueller did nothing.

Reuters:

Three Katyusha rockets fall inside Baghdad's Green Zone: police sources

Washington Post:

Hill Democrats, Republicans remain at odds after national security officials make their case for Iran strike

Marco Rubio tweet:

Natl Security officials gave a compelling briefing to Senators just now. They answered every important question. Anyone who walks out & says they aren’t convinced action against #Soleimani was justified is either never going to be convinced or just oppose everything Trump does.

Meanwhile, CBS' Ed Keefe reports that Republican Senators (and usually reliable Trump toadies) emerged from the all-senators briefing "to say they now support a Democratic plan for a new War Powers Resolution. Lee called the briefing “insulting” and worst he’s had from military officials in his 9 years here."

I'm concerned about the judgement of a Secretary of Defense who goes out in public with a toupee like that.

Fixing post above with the names of the Republican Senators objecting to today's briefing from the WH:

Meanwhile, CBS' Ed Keefe reports that Republican Senators (and usually reliable Trump toadies) [bold]Mike Lee and Rand Paul[/bold] emerged from the all-senators briefing "to say they now support a Democratic plan for a new War Powers Resolution. Lee called the briefing “insulting” and worst he’s had from military officials in his 9 years here."

Too late, quislings.

Right now, Dems are very content with internal polling. The GOP has to cheat to win the House, Senate and Prez in 2020 the numbers are not anywhere near where any reasonable person thinks they can be successful.

House Dems are holding firm. They know they are the only left standing between rule of law and our Constitution in shreds. House Dems feel good right now despite GOP corruption at truly breathtaking levels.

As I told you all here- Haley is looking more and more likely as the replacement VP. Pence is in hot water, tainted, and the evangelicals will stick with him no matter what. Pres Bone Spurs does not really like her much, though.

McConnell is playing hardball with his moderates (are they really moderates in the GOP? No). None of them will split from him. He holds all the powers of immense corruption and can dish out goodies or pain.

McTurtle is more irritating, disgusting, and damaging to the country, than DJT it that is even possible.

McConnell tries to destroy our Democracy every day and he has been doing that for years.

That’s very heartening news, r54. And there should be no doubt in anyone’s mind that the polling you’re referring to is highly accurate, and way more accurate than the polls we are seeing published in newspapers, etc.

R28 - 😂

R30 - Gaping Cunts... the lot of them.

R51- 😂

Murkowski is the one that is disheartening. She really seems reasonable ( I said seems). The GOP turned their backs on her years ago and she had to scrape out an independent win. Yes, she would be replaced with someone worse but she needs to stand up when it matters but I assume she realizes she would be the only one, be bullied beyond belief and lose.

Romney has once again lost his balls. He is useless. As is the all bluster all fluff Sassy pants.

Any Republican that deviates from the pro-Trump script just a little on a matter, gets viciously attacked on Fox.

The right-wing anti-gay organizations are still at it. Here's a radio host resorting to smearing.

[quote]The American Family Association radio host smears gay service members to claim “homosexuals do not belong in the United States military"

Those people are demons.

I’m amending my post from the previous thread which read; “All trump supporters and enablers must die; to: All Republicans and or non-Democrats must die.

All Of Them Demons

The Hill:

Grassley says he wants to rein in Trump tariff powers

Washington Post:

‘Launch, launch, launch’: Inside the Trump administration as the Iranian missiles began to fall

ALL of this is showing that the pathetic bitch Trumpy Bear is taking orders from his boyfriend Putin. EVERYTHING he does plays right into Putin's best interest. Literally everything. More obvious it can not be.

The crazies have flooded this forum lately. Wow. Some think little ol DL is a non issue for right wing propaganda but we have been flooded many times before with their insanity in high numbers.

It's way past time for some of Donnie's bullshit to backfire on him...

If Obama would have not retaliated for one of our bases being bombed the right would be calling him weak and a pussy just like they did when he pulled us out of Syria. PBS does "worse" and suddenly the right are all doves.

Please stop posting links to Breitbart and media matters, etc. you’re simply spreading misinformation when you do this. If you’re a Russian troll or Trumptard, you know this and you know exactly what you’re doing. Data lounge doesn’t bother to refuse links to these crazy right wing sources. Again Muriel has no interest in shutting it down. Make of that what you will.

Can we never listen to any conservative ever again? Has any ideology ever been this consistently wrong over centuries and over all continents?

Since when is Media Matters right wing? They monitor right-wing media.

[quote]U.S. Senate's McConnell: won't haggle with House over impeachment trial plan

Only 51 votes are needed for witnesses. If Justice Robert's agrees, the pro-witness vote only 4 or 5 Republicans. That's why McConnell won't haggle now over that issue. Regardless, McConnell already has the vote to acquit Trump. 67 votes needed for removal.

Iran has a cautious, conservative leadership. They aren't going to try for an inside straight. I would love a scenario where the Iranians destroy a Trump property and Trump launches a disproportionate response. That would get everyone thinking about impeachment much differently. Each petty and cowardly in their own way. Like - what if there's an attack on the Kentucky Derby and voters blame us? Even Putin might think - hey that nitwit can vaporize Moscow during an attack of diarrhea.

How is it that Pompeo, Mnuchin, and Sondland, all have these smug shit-eating grins all time? They seem utterly unable to appear serious, sombre, or solemn, no matter the gravity of the situation. I find this quite disturbing. It only adds to their image as comic book villains.

R77, add Jabba the Barr to that list. God, they sure are hideous to look at - I suppose that sometimes ugly can be both inside and out. As they all are obviously getting sweaty bags of Putin money - I'm sure that the glee comes from their payoffs although being traitors does make them sociopaths.

Nancy is already trying the impeachment in the court of public opinion.

[quote]Since when is Media Matters right wing? They monitor right-wing media.

Indeed. Glad you made the point.

Why would Iran signal to the US that they were about to drop bombs on an Iraqi base? I really don't get the game they're playing. Any ideas? To save face at home? It's not like the Iranian public will get the truth.

R73, are you an idiot? Media Matters is a Democratic-leaning watchdog of right-wing media. They are the good guys.

I used to know many of their employees and was even invited to their Christmas party at Comet Ping Pong Pizza one year which was owned at the time by the husband of MM founder, David Brock.

[quote]Comet Ping Pong Pizza

Is that the one with the Clinton pedo ring in the basement?

Yes, R83, that’s the one — even though the Comet Ping Pong building does not have a basement.

R81, I assume that they want Trump to think that this issue of revenge has been ended on a pleasant note, so that he will go back to forgetting that Iran ever existed. This will allow them to work on their bomb, and get up to other mischief, in peace.

[quote]even though the Comet Ping Pong building does not have a basement.

As if that would stop the evil Clinton pedo ring

In a tweet this morning, Trump asks Americans how their "409K'S" are doing.

In his next tweet, he takes credit for the record drop in U.S. cancer deaths announced yesterday.

[quote]In his next tweet, he takes credit for the record drop in U.S. cancer deaths announced yesterday.

He's certainly done all he can to assist that drop with his public commitment to healthy eating. Oh, wait…

R81, They Gave Trump an EASY OUT so they could A) Have more time to formulate a long-term strategy of revenge and 2) Not get their Asses blown off the face of the Map in case Trump was cornered into a major escalation. It's a win-win for both sides. For the time being.

Bloomberg:

Pelosi Says She’ll Likely Send Articles Soon: Impeachment Update

Putin intervened with Iran to modify their response. The people of Iran demanded a response to the assassination. They got one. No Americans died. And the guy who was assassinated was becoming too powerful, and too unmanageable. At the same time, there were factions inside Iran fighting one another. Putin got the people of Iran to unite to face their common enemy, he got rid of a problematic leader who had outlived his usefulness, (take note, Donald) and he got the Iraqis to order the United States to GTFO of Iraq. It's a win win for Putin who wants absolute control in the Middle East. Thanks to Donnie he is almost reaching his goal. Oh, nd Iran has resumed the nuclear weapons development. Trump has no idea how humiliating this is for him, and how weak and stupid he looks in front of the world. There will be more attacks on American interests in t3eh Middle East. Trump gets advice and confides in Putin and to a lesser extent collaborates with the Saudis and MBS. and they sit there laughing their asses off at him.

ABC:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announces vote to limit Trump's war powers against Iran

I am currently in DC for work and the rep for a federal military agency said in his/her presentation this morning that there was a new secretary of Defence and in all of his/her experience there had never been such a strong focus on military readiness research and that readiness research needed to move at the speed of research, not appropriations. Now generally speeding research up is a good thing and kind of the reason I am here in DC, but I also learned that another federal agency (not military) has been ordered to hold awards for double the days they had been required to in the past so this isn’t cross departmental or even cross topic.

Also as a side not it was sad when they asked if anyone from USDA was here to talk. And there wasn’t because they are all in Kansas City.

NBC:

Amid GOP pushback, Pence says sharing intel with Congress could 'compromise' sources

Better to share it with Russia R94!

Washington Post:

Rep. Stefanik tweets altered photo of Pelosi in GOP fundraising appeal

CNN: Rep. Adam Smith walks back call for Pelosi to send impeachment articles to Senate

Iran may have been paid a little money.........I said earlier that Iran is going to be like a thief in the night when it strikes and we probably won't be able to prove it is them. psychics say they are going to hit a Trump property..

Someone's orange spackle missed their blue-tinged lower eye bags this morning

R99 just saw this. He looks like shit.

ABC:

Trump administration moves to change landmark environmental law

The Hill:

Trump signals White House would try to restrict Bolton testimony

^

"I'd have to ask the lawyers because we do have to - to me, for the future - we have to protect presidential privilege," he continued. "When we start allowing national security advisers to just go up and say whatever they want to say, we can't do that."

"So we have to protect presidential privilege. For me, but for future presidents," he added. "People can't go up and say whatever my thoughts are, whatever your thoughts are about us, countries' views. You don't want that to be out."

ABC:

Pentagon's Esper warned lawmakers against debating war powers: Sources

Politico:

As Trump careens from crisis to crisis, his campaign is forced to follow

NYT:

Pelosi, Under Pressure to Send Impeachment to Senate, Declines Again

The only pressure is coming from the right...they dont like being stopped in their tracks when attempting to perpetrate a hoax on the American people.

R91 knows what’s up. Nailed it.

Damn, he looks even worse than usual at r99. Can anyone recommend a concealer brand?

The Hill:

McCarthy suggests Pelosi is 'lying to the American public' about strength of war powers resolution

FWIW, I've been calling that goddamned useless Rob Portman's office every day this week demanding he hear evidence at the Senate trial.

Today I got a human and I told her I demand that spineless fool hear the evidence in the Senate trial.

Her reply, "I don't know where you're getting that he (Portman) doesn't want to hear the evidence."

So I told her, "well, if turtle has the votes to acquit without hearing any evidence, I know spineless is supporting this crap. If I pulled this stunt on jury duty, I'd get kicked off the jury."

She said it's not true that Portman doesn't want to hear evidence.

She's probably lying but that just makes me even more determined to protest, keep calling and sending postcards. Pressure.

That’s so funny, r111. I’ve been calling Portman all week, too. Let’s keep the pressure up!!!

R91 is the headline here.

But I don’t think he’s being played so much as compensated in some way. He doesn’t mind “losing” as long as the check clears.

He doesn't realize he's being played.Putin uses carrots, yes, but he also uses sticks. Remember Helsinki!!!!!

WSJ:

Iranian General Lays Out Aim to Expel U.S. From Mideast

Reuters:

McConnell says U.S. Senate to move forward unless House sends impeachment articles

^

"There's real business for the American people that the United States Senate needs to complete. If the speaker continues to refuse to take her own accusations to trial, the Senate will move forward next week with the business of our people," McConnell said on the Senate floor.

I agree, Putin guides Trump in all his decisions and that is why his actiins are always bad for America. Putin really hates America and so does Mitch McConnell.

McConnell is bluffing to save face with Trump. Any action from the Senate would be a death knell for Republicans.

I wouldn't say Putin "hates" us as much as he resents us. Putin's more goal oriented. Ever since the Soviet Union broke up, when he was a lowly former KGB/FSB agent and deputy mayor of Moscow (? not sure it was Moscow, may have been St. Petersburg) anyway he was in charge of awarding contracts and he made a lot of his buddies rich, but he also saw the potential with the newly available gas, oil, coal, aluminum, and other minerals. He aligned himself with organized crime figures and over time assembled his "army" of former KGB agents and mercenaries, and eventually got to a place where Boris Yeltsin made Vlad his #2 guy. Then poor Yeltsin died and the rest, as they say is history. Bottom line is the oil gas and other minerals are not sustainable, the economy suffers. Russia's economy is the size of italy's!!!) He needs to monopolize energy resources and valuable minerals all over the world. He wants the Middle East, he is after South America, especially Venezuela, and he'd love to reach for Africa, but China is blocking him there and in Southeast Asia. The Tpp, Pan-pacific trade agreement Obama was crafting would have kept us in the game, but Trump tore that u0p too. For Putin.

Why isn’t this the narrative in the mainstream news? Isn’t it a little late in the game to just cover the proxy’s?

They need to just spell it out, already.

Long live project Lincoln!

CBS:

Trump claims Iranian general was plotting to "blow up our embassy"

That fat orange cunt lies as easily as he breathes. Or wheezes. Or whatever Donna was doing during that press conference yesterday.

That Project Lincoln ad needs to be broadcasted far and wide, 24/7!

China has quite a grip on Brazil, R120, which is why Bolsinaro was not in the least annoyed with Iran cancelling their corn contract because he publicly sucked up to Blump. They want a railroad from the West into Brazil, and are intent on getting it.

DOJ re: Hillz/Uranium One stuff: We got nothin'

Just you wait R127 this next investigation will totally bring her down!!

Lol, someone needs to go back through hannitys segments over the last 5 years and demand he show us the “indictments” and “arrests” that have been “just around the corner” and have been about to happen “anyday now”.

And then blast it around social media. People need to see this shit.

No indictments were even coming and the more you shame his pathetic viewers, the harder it is for them to hide behind “any day now.”

The WaPo is paywalled -

[quote]A Justice Department inquiry launched more than two years ago to mollify conservatives clamoring for more investigations of Hillary Clinton has effectively ended with no tangible results, and current and former law enforcement officials said they never expected the effort to produce much of anything.

[quote]John Huber, the U.S. attorney in Utah, was tapped in November 2017 by then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions to look into concerns raised by President Trump and his allies in Congress that the FBI had not fully pursued cases of possible corruption at the Clinton Foundation and during Clinton’s time as secretary of state, when the U.S. government decided not to block the sale of a company called Uranium One.

[quote]As a part of his review, Huber examined documents and conferred with federal law enforcement officials in Little Rock who were handling a meandering probe into the Clinton Foundation, people familiar with the matter said. Current and former officials said that Huber has largely finished and found nothing worth pursuing...

Blue bags under his eyes. When he goes to Mar-a-Lago, the pee pee girls need to be stopped being brought in.

Another tiresome, expensive, pointless investigation exonerates Hillary.

Is she the most investigated person in the history of the world?

La Senatrice has lost what was left of her mind if she thinks that Cheatolini’s speech was some sort of fine oratory. It was an incoherent mess that the Dotard slurred his way through.

Mz. Lindz is such a joke.

spend Spend SPEND!

I'm still wondering when the moment arrives where they can't put Shithead in front of a live camera. Cause it really feels like we're nearly there.

That presser yesterday was a shitshow, even by Trumpian standards.

Dump's slurring was at a new low. What a fucking mess..

[quote]That presser yesterday was a shitshow, even by Trumpian standards.

[quote]Dump's slurring was at a new low. What a fucking mess.

Millions in Iran scream 'Death to America', and he's been impeached. These are just today's ongoing leads in a lifelong charge-sheet. He claims to be running for another term.

A fit intelligent 73 year-old would feel the strain, who would not? Trump is very unfit and very stupid. The sane realistically fear another five years - but medically, this would seem improbable. There has to be a breaking point.

How in the HELL???? is that debt ever going to be paid off.

Wouldn’t the interest payments on that balloon out of control?

It really seems to me like America has been intentionally hollowed out and destroyed over the last 20 years. Doesn’t it seem all to perfect in hindsight? Like it was all a 20 year plan?

Well, here we are.

He's medicated to the point of la-la land and is reading a Stephen Miller speech from a teleprompter. Miller authors many of his tweets...the ones with improved spelling and word use.

Fox News is spreading false information at outrageous levels. The Murdochs facilitating ongoing damage to American democracy is disturbing.

Freedom of speech and the press is one thing. Cable TV companies hosting vile messaging and propaganda is another. Advertising sponsors also need to show responsibility. It's all about mega- money and control.

Money = Power

Brian Tyler Cohen:

Sarah Huckabee Sanders: nothing “dumber” than obeying the Constitution

This....

John Kerry Fact Checks Trump's Lies About The Iran Deal | The Last Word | MSNBC

Bloomberg:

Trump Mocks Democrats for Criticizing Soleimani Strike

WSJ: ""Mr. Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate."

But how dare those treasonous Democrats question whether there was a political motive to the killing!

Bullshit. He was walking the halls of Mar a Lago and telling the dumber son that he was planning a distraction from impeachment. It's a classic Republicunt move.

AP:

US announces new sanctions on Iran after missile strikes

Axios: Bloomberg is in the game to support the eventual Democratic nominee

r135, they have ways of stage managing these things. We now know Ronald Reagan was suffering from Alzheimers and was essentially a puppet operated by a backroom cabal, and I suspect George W. Bush was basically the same thing. Trump SEEMS more authentic because we're used to thinking of him as a reality star who is outrageously out of control. But all reports are that he's a stupid, ignorant, incapable man who's easily led by whoever's currently whispering in his ear.

CNN:

First on CNN: Russian warship 'aggressively approached' US destroyer in Arabian Sea

CNN:

These Democrats voted no on the War Powers resolution

Trump, Republicans, Fox commentators, etc., continue to say the U.S. "gave" billions to Iran as part of the nuclear deal during the Obama administration. That money was assets owned by Iran that were frozen in U.S. and related banks and other western financial institutions. Much of it Iran owed to other creditors.

Republicans, with the media seldom correcting them, still falsely mply to the public that this money was essentially random paid to Iran from the U. S. Treasury.

As it was, the U.S. team negotiated a substantial reduction in interest that would be paid on the lifted release of such funds.

CNBC:

Pelosi will send articles of impeachment to Senate next week

imply; ransom, not random

TYT:

Breaking Trump News 9AM 1/10/20 | President Trump News Today January 10, 2020

From FUX: WH press secretary turns tables on Stephen King, Don Winslow after authors' $200G 'strings attached' charity offer

White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham was ready with a reply Thursday after authors Stephen King and Don Winslow offered to donate a total of $200,000 to a children's charity if Grisham agreed to hold a press briefing, ending a drought of nearly 10 months.

"If you have $200,000 to play with," Grisham answered, via an interview with CNN, "why not just help children because it’s a good thing to do?

"Donations to charity should never come with strings attached," she added.

Winslow and King tweeted Thursday they would each kick in $100,000 to St. Jude's Children’s Hospital, in Grisham’s name, if she would hold a one-hour meeting in the White House briefing room.

“And all you have to do is YOUR DAMN JOB!” King scolded.

Winslow was quick to react after Grisham gave her answer.

“First, we both regularly donate to charity,” he tweeted. “Second, why do all Trump officials refuse to answer the most basic questions they are asked? Stop evading, Stephanie. Let's try again: Why have you not held any White House press briefings for over 300 days? What are you afraid of?”

Grisham took over as White House press secretary when Sarah Sanders departed in June -- but unlike Sanders, Grisham has not held any formal media briefings.

The administration has set a record for the longest period without a White House press briefing, which last occurred March 11 while Sanders was still in the position.

President Trump often holds informal press pools with reporters on the White House lawn. He also takes questions during other White House events.

In September, Grisham told Fox News the briefings had become “a lot of theater,” claiming that some reporters were trying to use them to “get famous.”

She added that President Trump is “his own best spokesperson.”

The Goddess of Luv is out of the race

Stephanie Grisham is afraid to field questions from reporters. She shouldn't be receiving any kind of paycheck from the government.

Sarah H. Sanders did briefings until her last several months on the job. She did spin, bragged, told a lot of untruthful information, responded in extremely partisan ways, and overall frustrating and irritating. But at least she tried. Grisham only runs to Fox before a friendly anchor to spew a pile of bullshit. I detest Kellyanne's tactics, but even she will sometimes face confrontation, and displays a bit of backbone, whereby Stephanie can't muster any. Worthless.

^I actually think Trump told her to not bother. He clearly despised those briefings and thought Huckabee was treated unfairly. He also enjoys it too much to spread the lies himself.

Susan Collins says she’s working with "small group" of Repug senators to allow witnesses at Senate impeachment trial.

STFU, Susie!

You're a lying cunt and no one believes you.

^^^She’s lying as usual.

Susan uses Janet Reno’s old stylist.

Brian Tyler Cohen:

Pelosi reveals in epic fashion when she'll send impeachment articles to Senate

I didn't see the presser. What was Trump doing besides slurring?

You just KNOW we’re gonna find out that Ghislaine Maxwell was on that Ukrainian jet that was shot down.

Grisham always looks drunk. Even without knowing she's a regular drunk driver.

She's a drunk driver?

I despise trump and hate mcconnell even more. I can't believe they brazenly lie and cheat in plain sight and it's so difficult to stop them. That America has fallen so low is shocking and I'm wondering if this is who we've always been.

That we started out with a segment of the population owning slaves, actually owning people as property to use and exploit, is bad enough. But many of us still feel it's just fine to use, abuse, and exploit people, the planet and the resources within without thought to the consequences attests to terrible flaws in human nature.

Trump and possible defense stock insider trading before the Iranian assassination:

We are tag-teaming that spineless coward, r112!

I called Portman's Cincinnati office today and spoke to a human and told her the same thing.

Portman's willingness to acquit without hearing witnesses or seeing documents would get anyone else kicked off a jury.

Again, I was told "where are you hearing (the spineless twat) senator doesn't want to hear from witnesses or see the evidence?"

My answer, "because Moscow Mitch says he has the votes to acquit without calling witnesses or seeing any evidence. And if that's true, then it's pretty obvious that Portman (the useless coward) is on board with this sham!"

The woman had no answer except to say that it's not true and she would take my comments down.

So I got bitchy and said, "ya know, if that coward would actually hold a town hall instead of cowering in his office, he could hear from us. He hasn't had a town hall in over four years!"

Speaking of looking like shit, La Sénatrice has been looking a blowsy, disheveled mess lately.

The Blump is now a recognized contagion, R172.

Does Mizz Lindsey drink to excess? He grew up in a bar like John Boehner, noted weepy drunk.

The Alchemist

Boehner is a pot selling mogul now, R174, and changed his ways. There is always hope.

Ye gods, the Senatrice looks worse than Tip O'Neill in R172!

That bloated traitor, O'Neill. Irish will tell you - never trust an O'Neill or a McCarthy. What a damned sell out that pig turned out to be while we all celebrated the bi-partisan love.

McCarthy....

it's in their blood, R179 - treachery and an avarice particular to elites

R171 Thanks for calling your senator repeatedly and not letting him get away with it. Hope you told them you will not vote for him again and tell everyone you know not to vote for him either.

It takes a special kind of stupid and incompetence to run a trillion dollar deficit when the economy and unemployment is where it is at. Hillary would have us at a surplus by now.

The GOP never disappoints in its truly terrible stewardship of the economy. But, it is all by design.

What? Matt Gaetz voted with the Dems on the War Powers Resolution. People on Fox are already calling him a Never Trumper and traitor. Guess he won't be invited to any football games now.

R183 - Purely political on Matt (Gag) Gaetz part. The bulk of that fug frat bro’s constituency (Florida panhandle), are military types. He’s still a perpetual asshole.

Every single time the media quotes Trump they should add: but then again, he lies constantly, so we can't assume any of that is true.

I once read that without the boneheaded wars Bush started and the boneheaded tax cuts passed by every GOP president since Reagan, not only would we have no deficit, we'd have paid off the entire national debt.

R186 Abso-fucking-lutely true. Every word. GOP has fucked us economically.

I honestly hope the next Democratic president, which god willing will happen this year, will announce they refuse to play this bullshit game where Republicans drive up the deficit whenever they get in and then howl and moan and shriek and cry about the deficit whenever a Democrat announces they are going to spend a little money to solve some massive problem.

r186....this article is from 2012....people have known this for decades, but the GOP control the narrative that they are the deficit hawks and the fiscally responsible party.

I think the Ukraine plane was an intentional distraction. Hell, Soleimani may have been coordinated with the Iranians. Trust none of these fuckers.

Miss Lindsey, have you ever watched lesbian porn?

r188, what you're describing is a classic Republican strategy called Two Santa Clauses.

Buried way Way down in a long Wall Street Journal account of WH events surrounding the Soleimani killing:

[quote] Mr. Trump, after the strike, told associates he was under pressure to deal with Gen. Soleimani from GOP senators he views as important supporters in his coming impeachment trial in the Senate, associates said.

R193, that’s just pathetic. Trump Is now at the mercy of the Republican Senators, and they are going to let him know it.

^^^ Fuck the WSJ. That should have been the fucking headline.

They had him by the balls, and this is what they choose?

Which republican senators ? Because the real question is who was pressuring them?

Killing that guy is not exactly a kitchen table issue. Who would have wanted that? More than anything else?

I don’t even know if I buy the reporting, but if true, what a bizarre issue to leverage, no?

What senators, r196?

How about those that are fully owned subsidiaries of Putin? We can name them.

Moscow Mitch Putin's bitch.

Leningrad Lindsey.

The blubbering fool from Wisconsin, Johnson. Also that moronic hick from Louisiana, Kennedy.

Those are the traitors I can think of off the top of my head. I'm sure there are others. Pretty much anyone sucking the NRA teat is one of Putin's bitches.

No one can be certain he's really dead. Maybe he just retired to Indonesia.

Pinocchio told Fox that 4 American embassies were in danger of being bombed. How many will it grow to by the end of the weekend?

Oops, forgot the link.

Wish we could turn the clock back to 2002 and just say no to going to Iraq. Just a bad, bad idea.

[quote]Every single time the media quotes Trump they should add: but then again, he lies constantly, so we can't assume any of that is true.

Really though this such a global given, it doesn't need saying. The only question now when forced to hear what IMPOTUS says is: what sort of lie is this one? A huge dangerous lie, a pointless egotistical lie, a lie based in sheer ignorance. So many shades of mendacity, it's exhausting. Liars know this, of course, and thrive on it. Until the blessed day they don't.

Bloomberg:

Impeachment Adds to a Long List of Trump’s Legal Headaches

WSJ:

Trump's New National Security Team Made Fast Work of Iran Strike

Look we can sit here and puzzle over the Republican members of Congress especially the Senate and speculate about what they could do or should do, or mock them for cowards, but we need to face reality. The reason they don't stop Trump is because they agree with him. Period. They aren't "afraid" of his voters. They agree with his voters. They may privately deplore his crude behavior, and cringe at his inartful ways of expressing himself. They may flinch at the dangerous impulses he indulges now and then, but taken as a whole they agree with him, and enjoy his ignorance of how government works because they can present "options" and he will buy in if they're framed the right way. The people who describe themselves as Republicans are extremists with a distorted view of government and the Presidency, and they have goals that have nothing to do with us. They don't care about us. Period. Do not expect them to change. We need to get them out, root and stem. They have taken a shell of a political party and wrapped themselves in it to seem normal, but they aren't. They're about as anti American as you can get.

Trump brags his Syria strategy was to "take the oil."

What an ass like Syria is a big oil producing country. It isn't

He says Syria, R207, but I believe he means the entire Middle East.

Cheap plentiful oil was one of the things they promised when we invaded Iraq in 2003.

Noticed this was on later:

Corrupt Crimes

NEW EPISODE

TODAY, 1:00 PM ON KTLA3 5.3, 30 MIN 2016 TV-PG

SEASON 2 • EPISODE 7 • ASSASSINATION OF ANNA • DOCUMENTARY / CRIME

A Russian journalist and human rights activist is killed on Vladimir Putin's birthday in an alleged contract killing...

Business Insider:

Trump goes on Twitter tear as Pelosi readies articles of impeachment

NYT:

Logjam Over Impeachment Trial Leaves Trump Prosecutors Little Time to Prepare

Sorry, r208, I get my towelhead countries mixed up sometimes

^

Mr. Sensenbrenner, who is not running for re-election after more than 40 years in the House, acknowledged that retirement absolved him of any concerns about being punished by voters as a consequence of his full-throated defense of Mr. Trump.

“I really can avoid people coming up to me back home, saying, ‘I’m never going to vote for you again, because you did this,’” he said.

Mr. Sensenbrenner’s perspective on the charges against Mr. Trump — he calls them “phony” — are the opposite of how he viewed those made against Mr. Clinton 21 years ago.

But the experience still feels familiar, he said.

“I’m going through the déjà vu period of my life,” he said as he left the House floor before the impeachment votes. “I never thought I would have to do this again.”

Washington Post:

Trump says Pelosi is worst House speaker in history. Twitter remembers Dennis Hastert.

Sensenbrenner has been a complete cunt for decades. Never has done or supported or called for anything that wasn't completely cunty, on the state or national level. It is inevitable that he is a total all in supporter of the most worthless cunt to ever pollute the White House.

AP - Analysis: Trump goes out of his way to take a bow, again

*

Trump tweeted: “U.S. Cancer Death Rate Lowest In Recorded History! A lot of good news coming out of this Administration."

While many presidents have acted as the cheerleader in chief for the good things that happened on their watch, the cancer tweet showed how the president has taken the art of self-marketing to a whole new level.

From foreign policy initiatives to the choice of music at White House events, from the prevalence of “Merry Christmas” greetings to the title of the new U.S.-Mexico-Canada trade deal (USMCA), Trump is happy to give himself a public pat on the back — repeatedly — for his great ideas.

As for cancer, the record drop occurred during Trump's first year in office and was part of a long-running drop that began nearly three decades ago as declining smoking rates and advances in treatment have led to falling rates of lung cancer illnesses and deaths.

But for the president, it was another message well received by his throngs of Twitter followers, with more than 161,000 people liking his tweet and another 25,000 retweeting it as of Friday.

It was all a bit much for Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida, a breast cancer survivor.

“Cancer rates dropped before you took office. Hopefully they keep dropping because Congress rejected your cruel research budgets, which sought billions in CUTS to @NIH and the National Cancer Institute. This is good news despite you — not because of you,” she tweeted.

*

Trump also extended credit-taking this past week to international affairs.

At a rally Thursday, Trump said he had a hand in the latest Nobel Peace Prize, which went to Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed.

“I made a deal, I saved a country,” Trump said without mentioning the country by name. “And I just heard the head of that country is now getting the Nobel Peace Prize for saving the country. ... Did I have something to do with it? Yeah. But that’s the way it is.”

Ahmed accepted the prize in December for making peace with longtime rival Eritrea and other reforms.

A senior Ethiopian official told The Associated Press the remarks referred to a different issue — preventing further tensions between Ethiopia and Egypt over a massive dam that Ethiopia is completing on the Nile river. Egypt says the dam threatens its water supply. Ethiopia says it’s needed for development.

The official asserted that Egypt’s president lobbied Trump over the disputed dam project, leading to the U.S. taking a role in the discussions. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media on the matter.

“President Trump really believes he avoided a war as such … but that was not the case,” the official said.

[quote]Sensenbrenner has been a complete cunt for decades. Never has done or supported or called for anything that wasn't completely cunty, on the state or national level. It is inevitable that he is a total all in supporter of the most worthless cunt to ever pollute the White House.

In one of the most dickish moves of all time, he killed the mics and turned the lights out on Democrats while they were debating the constitutionality of the Patriot Act in 2005.

When you have Puerto Ricans still voting GOP you know that party is a cult. PR's should be voting 99-1 against that party after the horrific response from the party to their hurricane disaster.

How has the American worker allowed business to completely over run them? It is 90% the GOP's fault.

The talking points for the next Dem Pres should be- I am fighting for American workers. You will naturally see business howling and fighting back hard. That is natural. Business is in it for the bottom line. They will always fight for that. That is natural. Workers need and must have a strong govt to fight for them. Only when you have a strong govt fighting for workers will conditions improve for them. The fight will always be brutal. However, with voters support, no party will side with business against workers and we can get back to a fair deal for all workers.

Everybody always falls for business talking points and side with them against their own self interest. Americans are fucking stubborn. Businesses thrived under much tougher regulations and taxation while the middle class thrived as well.

Note how quickly he threw his senator 'friends' under the bus. The Commander in Chief isn't to blame for the Iran fiasco, it's those mean Repuglican senators who are to blame. Master manipulator.

Most Puerto Ricans aren't Republican

Incredible news! Under my watch, we've gained almost 2 minutes of daylight each day in January! Projected to rise to 2 1/2 minutes in Febru... Febb... Febuary!! So much great news coming out of this Administration."

First order of business for a New Democratic President and Congress...DC and PR statehoods.

Statehood has ALWAYS been political.

4 Democratic Senators would maintain the shift in the Senate.

Let's play a game: Trump is being questioned about a specific topic. Below is his answer where I've hidden the topic: can you guess what he's talking about?

Of course no! Because he typically has no fucking idea what he's talking about and therefore always use the same generic answer whenever he's asked to be specific: "tremendous people", "working very hard", "we're the best", ...

Unfortunately, he almost always gets away with it.

Still wondering why the press won't discuss the previously-disclosed fact that Trrumpy laundered money for the Quds force through a condo in Azerbaijan?

It seems pretty fucking relevant.

r224 Yes and split California - two additional senate seats.

Disagree r224.

But on the other hand we should merge North and South Dakota.

yup, somebody has to break up all the big states. It would fuck things up, in a good way.

Nicolle....

Cheeto got somebody to help him tweet in Farsi to make it look like he supports anti-government demonstrators in Iran.

^ best response to that Dump tweet -

[quote]Your wall is a metaphor for your penis. Nobody wants to see it and you can't get it up.

I was wondering the same thing, R226.

He's finally talking about those infrastructure improvements he promised on the campaign trail. But experts say there's so much red tape involved with bulldozing their way across the U.S. that we won't see anything anytime soon. He just wanted some applause in Toledo, OH.

No golfing this weekend. Too wet on the east coast. And Mar-a-Lago would be bad optics after you just murdered a foreign General.

Hunkering-down with the lawyers instead? He'll be up Sunday to watch his minions lie for him on the morning news shows.

[quote]No golfing this weekend. Too wet on the east coast.

Instead, he'll be playing indoor putt-putt with Miss Lindsey.

CBS:

Defense chief "didn't see" specific evidence of Iranian threat to embassies

The Guardian:

Impeachment: Pelosi prepares to transmit articles as Trump fumes

AP:

President Trump's ex-private lawyer seeks cooperation credit

AP:

Against all evidence, debunked Ukraine theory endures

Senate Republicans are between a rock and a very hard place. If they acquit it's gonna piss of a lot of their constituency and even if they convict they might lose what little support they have left. It's gonna be fun to watch.

AM Joy is not attacking Trump, but Pete Buttigieg. She has Michael Harriot, of The Root, slamming Pete. Then she hosts three additional panelists attacking Pete. Guest calls South Bend the white South Africa. Reid mentions gay repeatedly. Pete offered a spokesperson which the program rejected.

Surprised MSNBC would host this hit segment to this level.. Even if one doesn't support Pete, it is blatantly obvious the goal is to destroy Pete's campaign using a narrative to black voters.

Adapting Fox News tactics is not admirable. Compared to Joy Reid, Laura Ingraham would come across as delivering fewer cheap shots. Not good. Reid needs to shut her mouth with the homophobic implications.

I'd like to see a little unity, myself, R244.

R239, That is kind of important. Don’t you want to share the article?

I'm so ready for the Dem nom. I hate the infighting during the primaries. We need to focus our anger on the real enemy.

Nobody really watches Joy so I am not concerned

You are lying about Joy. You are a Russian bot, just trying to split up democrats.

I watched JR this morning also....I had to turn it off...it was an obvious hit piece...

Defense Secretary Mark Esper said, “I didn’t see one with regard to four embassies,” when asked if there was specific evidence that showed Iran planned to attack four American embassies, as President Trump has claimed. Esper made the comment on CBS’s Face the Nation on Sunday. On Friday, Trump spoke to Fox News and used the claim of four US embassies being in peril as a motivating factor that led to the drone strike that killed Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

Were the embassys in peril or not?

Our side needs to stop saying the top candidates are all white and mostly male and that is bad. It is not the fault of the candidates or the Dem party. The VOTERS have placed these candidates in the top tier. BLACK VOTERS have placed these candidates in the top tier. Black voters are very important to our party but we can't force voters to place them in the top tier.

Except for Biden, the candidates and their surrogates have been unnecessarily nasty this time. Sanders vs Warren, Klob and Warren vs Pete, Harris vs Biden, Booker vs Biden, Castro vs Biden, Gabbard vs Harris.

Biden is the only one who seems dignified, presidential.

No, R254, that's not what I'm seeing. Again with the subtle divisiveness. I've seen a lot more unity this time.

[quote]Senate Republicans are between a rock and a very hard place. If they acquit it's gonna piss of a lot of their constituency...

Where are you getting that?

R253, let's not pretend that there's not an issue with racism and sexism in the Democratic party. It's not nearly as bad as the misogynistic Nazis that make up the Repug party but just sweeping it under the rug is not going to work, especially when the main constituencies of the Democratic party are, ya know, women and black people. We're getting a little sick of being dismissed all the fucking time. Men of all stripes not wanting to vote for a woman last time gave us Trump.

And, don't pretend that there aren't inherent money access differences between the white male candidates and everyone else. It's disingenuous to insulting. As much as I like Pete, a woman or black candidate with his exact background would be laughed at and then ignored.

I agree R253 the primaries decide it pretty fairly. The fact that Kamala didn't take off is really her own fault. She has it all but couldn't articulate her reason for running.

R256 All you listed is not the fault of the Dem party. At all including the money issue. Liberals and Dems did not bring up Citizens United. No one is fucking igorning or dismissing you or your people. So stop with that bullshit. Dems have been trying to change the game for a long time but have run into a buzz saw from the conservative side who have elevated monied interests to excessive power. But again, black voters have chosen Biden or other candidates over Kamala or Corey or Julien. Dems are not to blame for any of this. A true elite number of people even get to this level in the process. A minority representing 12% of the total population got there before a group representing 51% got there.

Amy gets blasted on the left for being (allegedly) a cunt or bitch yet if she were conservative that would be the exact quality that would get her the nom AND elected on the GOP side.

NYT:

Trump, Shifting Arguments, Urges Swift Dismissal of Impeachment Charges

Politico:

Pelosi defends impeachment delay, warns of Senate ’cover-up’

They will be voted upon. The impeachment has happened. The trial for removal is now in the Senate. Trump is trying to convince others that the stain of impeachment will not follow him in history. This is false.

He is, forever and for all time, impeached.

L.A. Times:

Ten years on, Citizens United ruling has changed U.S. politics — but not in the way many feared

AP:

Trump wants Pelosi, Schiff as impeachment witnesses

OP, please don’t post anymore pictures with ugly ogres. If I see another fat, disgusting deplorable mooching off the government I’m going to be sick.

Brian Tyler Cohen:

Chris Wallace CALLS OUT top Trump official for lying about Iran moves

Washington Post:

Killing of Soleimani reflects an aggressive national security team not inclined to curb Trump

Can we PLEASE get some context for the articles at r265, and r66.

One is behind a paywall and the other is on a sketchy YouTube channel.

Can you please make your point in plain English? What should we take away besides an obscure headline?

Blow it out your ass, r267. r266 ISN'T behind a paywall. I don't always have time to cut and paste and do your work for you. Click on the damn link and take the time to watch or read them.

Washington Post:

Trump attacks former DOJ official appointed to review the FBI’s proposed wiretap reforms

DJT is going to the Clemson-LSU fb game tonight. Massive free ad for him.

Miss Kennedy (LA) and Miss Lindzey (Clemson fan) have a friendly bet. LSU wins, Miss Lindzey receives some frilly lingerie from a News Orleans boutique. If Clemson wins, Miss Kennedy receives a lovely pottery plate Miss Lindzey had picked up.

OOH GWORL

Washington Post:

Pelosi says Trump ‘impeached for life’ despite McConnell’s ‘gamesmanship,’ ‘coverup’

NBC: Could Democrats be better off without impeachment witnesses?

"Given where things stand right now, there's only one smart solution: Get out of this as quickly as possible," said Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis, former chief of staff for Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

The tension lies not in the facts of the case but in the politics of convincing voters that Trump is unfit for the presidency before November's election. Democrats are certain that the president violated his duty to the country and equally sure that there's zero chance that the necessary two-thirds of the Senate — a share that would require 20 or more Republicans — will vote to remove him from office.

*

"Anyone who thinks Bolton's going to turn on Trump is on drugs," Kofinis said.

If Bolton obstructs, it will be seen. If Bolton lies, it will be called out and revealed. He won't testify because the Blump will claim Executive privilege.

Bolton has an unsympathetic personality. He comes across on TV in a very negative way. So if he testifies in public and he tries to obstruct or defend Trump, or to play word games to distance himself from the events in question, he will look very bad and it will make Trump look very bad...I know. ...but there is no bottom with this administration. If Bolton testifies against Trump and comes clean about what went on internally, it will be explosive and the media shitstorm will completely overshadow Bolton's unattractive qualities. Bolton will be ignored but his information will be saturating the media.

If Bolton's writing a book or making speeches about this affair, then Executive Privilege doesn't apply. And Bolton is no longer a part of this administration.

And now.....a bit o'Bridgegate.

USA Today: Supreme Court's war on prosecutors meets 'Bridgegate'

What's clearer is the court's impatience with federal and state prosecutors, even in cases of political corruption.

Four years ago, the court vacated the conviction of former Virginia governor Bob McDonnell, who had been sentenced to two years in prison for accepting luxury gifts and loans from a wealthy businessman in exchange for "official acts." The justices ruled unanimously that those acts were commonplace actions taken on behalf of constituents.

The ruling made it harder for prosecutors to use federal fraud statutes against public officials by characterizing what the justices called common favors as crimes. That could work against the Trump administration in the New Jersey case.

“A good number of the recent cases are examples of where prosecutors stretched the law," says Ellen Podgor, a white-collar crime research professor at Stetson University College of Law.

NYT:

Trump Sold Voters on Stopping ‘Endless Wars.’ What if a New One Starts?

Reuters:

Trump impeachment trial fight for Bolton testimony echoes Monica Lewinsky

[quote]...said Democratic strategist Chris Kofinis, former chief of staff for Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia.

r273, Joe Manchin is a Republican in all but name, and I would regard any advice from his ex-chief of staff as coming directly from McConnell & Co.

Politico: Trump attacks Bloomberg on health care with misleading claim

President Donald Trump on Monday complained about Michael Bloomberg’s historic levels of ad spending in the 2020 Democratic primary, accusing the former New York mayor of misrepresenting the Trump administration’s record on health care.

“Mini Mike Bloomberg is spending a lot of money on False Advertising,” Trump wrote in a morning tweet. “I was the person who saved Pre-Existing Conditions in your Healthcare, you have it now, while at the same time winning the fight to rid you of the expensive, unfair and very unpopular Individual Mandate.”

In another post, the president pledged that “if Republicans win in court and take back the House of Represenatives [sic], your healthcare, that I have now brought to the best place in many years, will become the best ever, by far. I will always protect your Pre-Existing Conditions, the Dems will not!”

Bloomberg, a billionaire businessman and philanthropist who is self-financing his White House bid, offered a terse reply online less than a half hour later, encouraging Trump to “@ us next time.”

What an outright fucking lie, re: pre-existing conditions. And to people who are sick. Is there no way to stop this shit? Media needs to post the truth right under the lie.

Shit just got real

I dont trust the Parnas situation...at all. They are too desperate to turn over evidence. I would feel differently if Parnas has been trying to cooperate in exchange for immunity or something. This on the other hands stinks to high heaven...like a set up.

Reuters - Trump: "Doesn't really matter" if there was an imminent threat from Soleimani

WASHINGTON, Jan 13 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump on Monday morning defended his decision to kill Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, contending Soleimani posed an impending threat to the United States but also saying that was not important given the military leader's history. "The Fake News Media and their Democrat Partners are working hard to determine whether or not the future attack by terrorist Soleimani was 'eminent' or not, & was my team in agreement." Trump wrote, presumably misspelling "imminent."

"The answer to both is a strong YES., but it doesn’t really matter because of his horrible past!" (Reporting by Lisa Lambert, Editing by Franklin Paul)

Two words : Eric Prince

Oh, so now they’re basically admitting that there was never an imminent threat and they made the whole thing up.

You could tell during that Laura Ingraham interview that Trump pulled the “four embassies” thing completely out of his ass. You can tell because he always ups the numbers beyond believability.

A link for r287.

[quote]President Donald Trump on Monday morning defended his decision to kill Iranian commander Qassem Soleimani, contending Soleimani posed an impending threat to the United States but also saying that was not important given the military leader's history.

Suddenly the impending threat to many embassies which was solemnly cited as a major reason for the assassination in its immediate aftermath is deemed 'not important.' So why use the claim in the first place? Obviously to bolster 'justification' for the killing. Because it was so dubious and dangerous.

The insolent casual arrogance is again breathtaking, making the sane world ever more asthmatic. This is absolutely what we all feared starting in November 2016, and here we are. Lying about the Inauguration crowds was the least of it.

[quote]Two words : Eric Prince

Two other words: Eric Trump

As Rubashov put it on the fifth day of imprisonment in Koestler's Darkness at Noon, "The revolutionary sells their soul to the devil, hoping for the absolution of history."

[quote]What an outright fucking lie, re: pre-existing conditions. And to people who are sick. Is there no way to stop this shit? Media needs to post the truth right under the lie.

The media hasn't done this since the day Trump rode down the Trump Tower escalator and launched his campaign, they're not going to start now.

I never ever thought when billionaires started buying media companies that it would come to this. Color me surprised.

And rethug voters are so goddamned stupid they believe this shit.

And so fucking racist that they would gladly give up health insurance just to try to remove "Obama care".

Fuck them, their hate, bigotry and endless ignorance.

Trump retweeted this image this morning. Republicans: "You have to understand, he's a different kind of president."

I've gone through and reported his tweets. Not just that one, R295, but also the picture of the dead body that he retweeted.

It's like he thinks he was elected to play on Twitter all day long.

[quote]"You have to understand, he's a different kind of president."

Defensive apology noted, but it's understood all too well.

Yahoo: Trump unleashes tweetstorm on Democrats over Iran strike

In a series of tweets and retweets riddled with typos and offensive images, President Trump lashed out Monday morning against criticism over the way he and his administration have handled the killing of a top Iranian general.

^

Appearing on Fox News, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham defended Trump’s retweet of Pelosi and Schumer in traditional Muslim attire.

“I think the president is making clear that the Democrats have been parroting Iranian talking points and almost taking the side of terrorists and those who were out to kill the Americans,” Grisham said. “I think the president was making the point that the Democrats seem to hate him so much that they’re willing to be on the side of countries and leadership of countries that want to kill Americans.”

Fuck trump and all the odious liars and cheats that surround him.

I try to stay away from too much news because I get so angry and upset but I get angry and upset anyway. This morning I was irked thinking about the scam of putting tariffs on other countries that have destroyed business here because tariffs end up being taxes on Americans. The average citizens pay for the tariffs while repukes cut taxes for billionaires. I recently read that the bailout for farmers has exceeded the funds allocated for the American Recovery Act except the auto industry paid back the bailout. Does anyone think the farmers pay back? No. The waste and deficits caused by the so-called fiscal conservatives is always greater than Democrat administrations.

The greedy hypocrisy of trump & co is blatant and astounding while the suckers who buy their shit turn away from the truth. Sure, buy some snake oil if you want it but most of us know better. The repukes are doing their best to rig the next election with the assistance of a whole lot of stupid Americans. It's an awful truth about this supposed "greatest country in the world." Too many of us are corrupt, bigoted, and stupid.

R300 that's intentional after years of underfunding/privatizing public education and crap like "No Child Left Behind" by Republicans. Dumb people are easier to control.

More fine people in Donald Trump's orbit:

George Nader, a wealthy Lebanese-American businessman with long-standing political influence in both Washington and the Middle East, admitted Monday to bringing a 14-year-old boy to the United States for sex and to possessing child pornography.

Nader helped set up a January 2017 meeting between Trump associate Erik Prince and a Russian official close to Russian President Vladi­mir Putin that was closely scrutinized by special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

Jesus.

Reuters:

U.S. House chairman 'frustrated' Pompeo refused to testify on Iran

Waiting for the other big shoe to drop that is unrelated to the Ukraine scandal... anyone have an idea what it is? Supposedly it will "rock the political world."

FCI, any clue?

Case in point, r301.....

Ring of Fire: Stunned Trump Supporter Can’t List ONE Good Thing Trump’s Done

I love how the media/"journalists" don't even question the stupid obviously untrue story that Trump has been planning the Soleimani killing for months. GMAFB. He doesn't even have the capacity to plan his drive-thru runs to KFC.

R308, I think the story isn’t that Trump planned anything—Pompeo and Bolton cooked it up, and got Trump to agree to kill Soleimani if an American was killed by Iran. He probably forgot about this promise, but Pompeo didn’t.

It wasnt Pompeo and Bolton...it was Eric Prince who was advising Trump...and the UAE at the same time. UAE wanted Solomanei dead.

Wasn't sure where to put this, but the headline made me smile. I hope it's all true and the desired result is achieved. Bye, bye, BiBi.

NBC: The Attorney General has formally declared the Pensacola Naval Air Station shooting attack an act of terrorism.

17 Saudi military airman training in the U.S. had some jihadi or anti-American content, Bill Barr says. A number were also in possession of child pornography.

Yet Saudi Arabia is still not on the travel ban list.

I don't understand why people can't tell when Trump is lying. Listen to the way he speaks about the threat. He uses that soft, innocent voice when he is outright lying. He used the same voice about Stormy and how he didn't know she was paid. He has used it a number of other times too. It's like that tone of voice helps him come up with a story

Trump is always lying. No need to try and analyze it. The fact is, he is very consistent and very predictable. And he always projects accusing others of what he has done, is doing or intends to do. I'm mystified as to why the Media can't figure that out.

We discussed the Bridgegate case before - if the Supreme Court overturns the Bridgegate convictions because of prosecutorial overreach, Fox will use the decision to show a pattern of a "crooked" Obama/Biden DOJ targeting popular Republicans with "witch hunts" to bring them down. Bridgegate is nothing like Ukraine-gate (testimony at trial actually exculpated Christie from doing any bridge plotting) but Bridgegate can be squished into the narrative that Trump's people want to sell. The Republican party will turn Christie into a martyr.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hannity calls for an investigation into the Bridgegate investigation - unless someone remembers that Jared Kushner was a BFF of David Wildstein, which could be... awkward.

R306 There is no way something like that would leak even to someone like my friend who is very well connected. I mean, she dated Garrett Haake! lol Oh and know Nancy very well having worked for our Congressman for over 10 years.

She has always said if they have something huge, it is financial. She says those she knows who are close to leadership say they have never seen them seem so confident. She clarified and said they've got the goods it is a matter of how, when, even if, they can get it out to the public.

316 is me, FCI.

^^^How they can get it to the public??? Seriously? Just call the fucking Washington Post, meet the reporter in a garage and hand over the documents!

Deep Throat

R318 There are legalities. And verification. They said they financial stuff is the biggest dirt but it is the most complicated to get it out. It is part of the reason Nancy, in particular, seems to frighten him the most. He knows she is the smartest foe he has. He seriously thinks he can somehow make deals with her to win her over from not exposing him.

The fact they haven't gotten this explosive, game changing information out is due to all the legal issues. For instance, and I am just throwing this out there as an example only, if a big bank is involved and wants to come out of this relatively unscathed there would be a lot of back room deals, discussions and what not in order to make it happen. Very time consuming stuff..........

Is it the GRU drop of Burisma crap?

Why hasn't the GRU dropped the RNC server info? They took it at the same time they hacked the DNC servers.

[quote]The Republican party will turn Christie into a martyr.

A large and incredibly jiggly martyr.

r322, then St. Chris will be the patron saint of GREASE FIRES!!!

Damn, talk about your DL Icons, r323!

I hope they honor him with a large mural R323. I see him in his Baseball Uniform (highlighting his tiny pinga) surrounded in flames.

I agree that Nancy has something major on Trump. It's all about timing and she knows this. Let this fake war crap blow over. Let him stumble through a SOTU address as only an impeached, senile barley literate stroke victim can.

Nancy may be the best person for this time in history to be where she is. She may be the best person, due to her many skills, intellect, heart, to be his foe. She is our Moscow Mitch but uses her powers for good and would never cheat, lie, and all the other things Moscow Mitch would do and does do.

I keep on hearing that McConnell is the best Senate Majority Leader strategist ever.

He isn't worthy to lick my balls.

McConnell is the equivalent of of an outhouse after a trump rally if only an outhouse could cheat and lie.

They need to get his tax returns and all the bank loans and evidence of fraud and money laundering. Clear evidence he broke the law. I have to believe once that is exposed, more Republicans would desert him.

Its because McConnell is in a position of power and feels invincible. Whos going to stop him ? Seriously. All it takes is 3 Republicans with some morals and ethics to side with the Democrats and McConnell can be ousted...but he has the GOP in line...lock, stock, and barrel. They occasionally speak out, but never follow through with action ...or else. Look at Justin Amash and how quickly they excommunicated him.

[quote]evidence of fraud and money laundering. Clear evidence he broke the law

Republicans desert him? They'd throw a parade. He'd be a hero. They all support him because they want to be him.

R331 is correct.

R331 He isn't doing this- the GOP power machine is. The donors and conservative media for starters. McConnell is the perfect no morals, all corrupt person for the job. He'll "go there" without a second thought. These people have known each other for so long. The conservative power machine is so vast and deep. The amount of corruption on the Right is staggering. For anyone to go against that is a huge ordeal. They risk friendships, lucrative careers like the enormous lobbying conservatives enjoy, access to power via conservative media and so much more. This is why republicans stay in line. They have almost nothing to gain. The GOP/conservative power machine can give you a great life or make your life a nightmare.

I apologize for being somewhat incoherent. I have a massive headache. I hope some of what I have said makes some sense. I am having trouble giving a cogent summary of why they are the way they are.

Yes, FCI, but what about guys like Lamar Alexander? He's old, retiring this year, and has nothing left to prove. And if enough people stand up to them and push back, they will lose.

You are perfectly coherent and lamentably correct, FCI.

Oh, it's ON: MSNBC reports that McConnell does not have the votes to dismiss the impeachment proceeding without a hearing, and that Schumer has the votes to have the Senate call witnesses.

Kevin Bishop, Lindsey's COS, tweets, and Lindsey retweets, that Lindsey was on the plane with DJT to New Orleans for the game.

Was there a way Spurs & Missy could have gotten together privately on the plane? You know, to discuss strategy.

Melania was there, but does she care?

R334 It is more complicated than that. On the surface, yes, why would Lamar stand for this. Never lose sight of the fact he is still a republican and that party has been corrupt and rotten for so long. Lamar has entanglements which run deep -personal, professional as does his friends and probably, family. One of the deepest entanglements they face is how the conservative machine takes care of extended family. You do something to run afoul of the party line you risk those family members losing their careers. It is the #1 way they keep them in line.

Maybe George has had practice saying this to Kellyanne.

Washington Post:

Trump planning to divert additional $7.2 billion in Pentagon funds for border wall

NYT:

Russians Hacked Ukrainian Gas Company at Center of Impeachment

Washington Post:

‘Four embassies’: The anatomy of Trump’s unfounded claim about Iran

^ Sorry....

Jesus. That man can not speak four sentences without telling a lie.

Well, FCI no change comes without sacrifice. We are going to have to dismantle their corrupt networks and if we can't, we can certainly weaken them, and make them less efficient. Sometimes it takes many blows to put a gaping hole in a wall, but once it happens the wall is no longer impregnable. We can make every "victory" of theirs very very costly. I just don't know how not to fight. At the end of my life, I need to know I did absolutely everything I could. Something's gotta give...

R346 And that is what it takes. We are doing that. I think it has become crystal clear just how far the GOP is willing to go for power and control. They have gone far beyond politics. When they are willing to win by damaging the Constitution, our institution and norms, to the degree they have, this is not normal. Challenging all of these things to a degree in a generation is normal. Looking to bulldoze them is not.

The Never Ters are proof. They have been shaken by their (sometimes former) party. I think they believed it was all a game until the true believers showed this was no game. They were willing to burn it all down to keep control. Their breaking from party norms, actively voting for the person running in the opposite party, even a former GOP President voting for Hillary, showed the cracks.

Their antics are out in the open now.

[quote]if a big bank is involved and wants to come out of this relatively unscathed there would be a lot of back room deals, discussions and what not in order to make it happen.

Because even Democrats are more invested in protecting corporate interests than in taking down the most corrupt president in history.

That's been quite evident, r348. But Democrats still impeached DJT,

I was under the impression tRump can't divert funds that have been congressionally allocated?

USA Today:

Pelosi to huddle with House Democrats on next steps in Trump impeachment as Senate awaits articles

FCI, I get it. Yes we're pushing back now that we have the House. And it's great. But we knew what the game plan was from Day 1. Many more of us know now, but those of us who are very active in politics, knew the election was stolen. Just like we knew Bush v. Gore was stolen. And no one was under any illusions about Trump after his dark "carnage" speech at the inauguration, after the raw, violent, speeches and behaviors we witnessed at his rallies leading up to the election.

The Muslim Ban, the children in cages, Charlottesville, by then, we all knew. And the violence we saw during his campaign rallies, that he encouraged, was live on TV, then played in a loop for days. But with bullies, the only way to deal is to push back. Hard. And no, we did not do all we could do. And we're still not doing it. Look at how the House dithered around when we asked for the tax returns. We actually gave him a deadline, but Mnuchin stalled. And we let him. I can think of at least four or five separate occasions when the House allowed the Executive branch to miss deadlines and deny access and we sat there with limp dicks.

There is so much we can do with collective action. But our members of Congress keep playing the game as if it is politics as usual instead of a bare knuckled fight. Politics is war. The Democrats needed to play hardball. I love Nancy. She is strategic. I wish we could clone her. And I also wish more members of Congress had her back. I know there are Red State Dems worried about losing their places in 2020. But if they're doing the grassroots work back in their districts, they ought to feel more secure about standing up.

NBC:

McConnell unlikely to pursue dismissal vote on impeachment articles

Hanging’s too good for McConnell.

Reuters: Judge rules Trump administration acting within authority in family separation at border

A federal judge has ruled that the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump is acting within its authority when it comes to separating families at the U.S.-Mexico border without any violation of the "rights to family integrity".

".... the Court finds Defendants are generally exercising their discretion to separate families at the border consistent with Plaintiffs' rights to family integrity and the Court's orders..", U.S. District Court Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego said in a 26-page decision.

In July, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) had claimed that the government was separating families, making exceptions to its pledge to end the practice.

In June 2018, Sabraw had ruled that U.S. immigration agents could no longer separate immigrant parents and children caught illegally crossing the border from Mexico, and must reunite those families that had been split up in custody.

Back then, the judge had granted ACLU a preliminary injunction in a lawsuit filed over the family separations.

The ruling on Monday added that the court should decline to "second-guess" determinations made by the government that they are exercising "discretion and judgment in a reasonable manner" in their actions.

The ACLU said in a statement it was considering its next move.

"The court strongly reaffirmed that the Trump administration bears the burden if it attempts to separate families based on an accusation that the adult is not the child's parent," ACLU attorney Lee Gelernt said.

"We are evaluating the decision to determine next steps on how to ensure that children are not separated from their parents based on minor infractions."

I have a better idea, r354.

AP:

Trump support for Iran protesters could fuel anti-US forces

At this point, if Nancy never has to send the articles to the House, why bother? They know the Rethugs are just going to claim him innocent, they've already said so. What's the point? Keep it in the House and let it loom over his fat, orange, head.

ABC:

Democrats poised to send articles of impeachment to Senate with vote Wednesday

Did somebody steal his orb?

Politico:

White House spokesman: Trump 'not afraid of a fight' in impeachment trial

Then release All the emails and stop cock-blocking the witnesses with 'executive privilege.'

Makes you look guilty to anyone who gives a shit about the truth.

R336 - “ Oh, it's ON: MSNBC reports that McConnell does not have the votes to dismiss the impeachment proceeding without a hearing, and that Schumer has the votes to have the Senate call witnesses.”

Oh please dear God, please! Let this fact stand unchanged... FULL STOP. Game on, let’s go!

Look at another asshole in Trump's orbit:

YES! Best news I've had all year, R363.

And exactly what the FUCK is going on with the tax returns these days?

^Waiting for the SC decision in March(?)

^Waiting for the SC decision in March(?)

So if the GOP is kept in line by mob-like threats against their families’ livelihoods, maybe we need to target their families more for public shaming. Turn over every rock. The Republicans do.

[quote]Oh, it's ON: MSNBC reports that McConnell does not have the votes to dismiss the impeachment proceeding without a hearing, and that Schumer has the votes to have the Senate call witnesses.

That must be why they're about to send them. I don't think she'd do this if there wasn't a plan in place.

Rudy's angling to be on Dump's defense team in the Senate trial.

Why isn’t Rudy indicted by now?

It’s also been leaked from the WH that Trump's lawyers want nothing to do with Rudy, since he may well be called as a witness by the Dems.

Hey, look at all these photos of Lev hanging out with Eric, Jared, Don Jr......

Do any of you DC queens have any dirt on lyin' Miss Gidley?

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ What in the ever loving fuck is wrong with that guy? No need for an answer, we all know…

Meanwhile, side note; he reminds me of an acquaintance of mine from my young adulthood, who had one of the biggest and nicest cocks I’ve ever seen. But I digress... Fuck him, and his man-baby leader.

Bloomberg:

Senate War Powers Resolution Has 51 Votes, Democrat Kaine Says

CNBC:

Elizabeth Warren calls for investigation into whether Trump Mar-a-Lago guests traded on advance knowledge of Soleimani killing

Washington Post:

Analysis: John Bolton’s testimony looks increasingly likely

Politico:

Dems plan to deploy video evidence for impeachment trial — if McConnell obliges

CNN:

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi announced plans for a vote on Wednesday to appoint managers for the impeachment trial of President Donald Trump in the Senate.

Read her statement below:

"In December, the House upheld its Constitutional duty to defend democracy For The People: passing two articles of impeachment against President Donald Trump — abuse of power and obstruction of Congress. I am proud of the moral courage of Members to honor the vision of our Founders for a Republic, the sacrifice of our men and women in uniform to defend it and the aspirations of our children to live freely within it.

"The Senate GOP Leader has signed on to a dismissal resolution. A dismissal is a cover-up. The American people will fully understand the Senate's move to begin the trial without witnesses and documents as a pure political cover-up. Leader McConnell and the President are afraid of more facts coming to light.

"The American people deserve the truth, and the Constitution demands a trial. The House will now proceed with a vote on transmitting the articles of impeachment and naming impeachment managers on Wednesday, January 15.

"The President and the Senators will be held accountable."

ooh Giuliani you in danger, gurl!

What this time, R382?

as a witness in the impeachment trial, Rose

Democratic investigators have obtained text messages showing a Lev Parnas associate had supposed insider knowledge that goons were tailing Marie Yovanovitch in Ukraine. If you didn't know better, you'd think someone wanted her dead.

Well, that perhaps explains the decision to kick the impeachment over to the Senate.

Remember when Trump said Yovanovitch was "going to be going through some stuff"? I think they were absolutely going to kill her, and I think the POTUS knew. Why any reporter is talking or tweeting about anything else right now I don't understand. This country is so fucked up.

R386 Which is probably why Nancy waited. She knew this was coming out. Notice the hissy fit MoscowMitch threw? He knew pressure would mount and perhaps a few would cave to the mounting evidence to allow witnesses.

What about Devin Nunes? Parnas promised us dirt on that cow suing bastard.

CBS:

Giuliani associate referenced "Biden case" in newly revealed notes

Get them, Nancy!!

NYAAAAAAAAAAAS MUTHA

Pelosi started with no leverage at all over how the Senate would conduct the trial. McConnell taunted her over that. So she held onto the articles--and she got the leverage she needed. Bolton handed it to her; Trump himself, through his continuing craziness, handed it to her. It's almost certain now that Mitch will have to agree to call witnesses.

Reuters:

Wisconsin court temporarily halts removal of more than 200,000 names from voter rolls

They're all criminals

HAHAHAHA

Fox is PANICKING TONIGHT. They're calling on McConnell to "stop the impeachment madness". They know the shit is hitting the fan with each passing day as more damning evidence comes out

I wanna see Hannity and Ingraham stroke out on air someday

How will Miss Lindsey defend this?

AH HAHAHAHA!!! The slime is coming out now! If we can only catch Lenengrad Lindsey, Moscow Mitch, and all the other compromised GOP senators (because there are PLENTY) we might just stand a chance at saving our country.

AH HAHAHAHA!!! The slime is coming out now! If we can only catch Lenengrad Lindsey, Moscow Mitch, and all the other compromised GOP senators (because there are PLENTY) we might just stand a chance at saving our country.

They all deserve jail. Or worse.

Dems need to go over voter rolls in certain states and dump all the old people off saying they think they're dead unless they can prove otherwise. Tired of the GOP always doing shit like this. Fire/Fire

Miss Lindzey is with Trump very frequently. She traveled to Louisiana with him last night. She's with him at the WH often when she isn't on Hannity and Fox. While Miss Lindzey is too old to be any kind of a pee pee girl, there's much fondness going on.

[quote]The slime is coming out now!

It usually does run down Melania's leg after entertaining a few paying customers.

Who is this Hyde guy? Wow, he's really stupid to think that WhatsApp messages can't be kept and he's talking about the possibility of the Ambassador being taken out??

R404, Hyde is a Republican donor and would-be politician who seems to know virtually everyone in this story so far, including -- wait for it -- Matt Gaetz and Jim Jordan.

I ventured on FB for the first time in ages. Literally, one of the first things that popped up was an image of Pres Bone Spurs at the football game. This woman, a teacher and very smart, declares how much she RESPECTS our president and first lady and was so glad at the RESPECT they received and the chants of USA USA. Then #winning. What followed was a stream of people saying they had goosebumps and how one man's boys stood silent as statues as their president took the field. This went on and on. So many saying they LOVE their president.

I was doubled over laughing. This, this is the man you are going to worship. This man of all people? You have to laugh. Fuck these idiots.

The irony is she went on a tangent about how the Astros are cheaters and cheaters never win.

Supposedly there was a ton of booing at the game, r406, but they were trying to drown it out. Can anyone confirm?

How can anyone have any respect for him? Listen to him talk for a few minutes and you know he is an idiot. An empty-headed, arrogant fool. I will never be able to understand this.

R408 Trump is being supported by a very popular and powerful propaganda network. No way would Trump have gotten where he is without Fox. Yes Russia helped with the disinformation but that disinformation circulated widely on Fox (and continues to) so it seems real to that base. Nixon probably would never have resigned and possibly not even impeached if the repubs in the 70s had Fox to spread lies and back them up like this

just like Trump used "The Apprentice" to create the illusion he was some very successful and intelligent rich businessman

[quote] R358: At this point, if Nancy never has to send the articles to the House, why bother? They know the Rethugs are just going to claim him innocent, they've already said so. What's the point? Keep it in the House and let it loom over his fat, orange, head.

We ant know what might turn up. And if nothing else turns up, it will drive home to the public to vote for Dem senators and executive In November. That’s a huge point.

Meanwhile, that Democratic Debate was a disaster. Is that really the best they can do??

Wow, that was really weak, R411. Is that really the best you can do??

What do you want? I'm tired. it's late.

And morbidly obese, Trumptard landscaper Robert Hyde is in the news yet again for all the wrong reasons... First he tweets something disgusting about our amazingly sharp and heroic Senator Kamala Harris and now he is yet another nail in Trumpy's coffin. I'm loving it.

Robert Hyde, the hire-a-hitman-on-behalf-of-Trump guy, was taken into custody at a Trump joint last year and then involuntarily confined to a mental hospital. He claimed he'd been set up, some emails put his life in jeopardy, and that people were trying to kill him.

I really can't believe the nerve of Flynn and his nutty Fox "News" lawyer. I hope the judge just finally has had enough of their shenanigans and gives him a longer jail sentence than the requested 6 months by the DOJ

Hyde's meltdown at R415 almost sounds like meth psychosis (although he'd have to be the fattest meth user in the universe).

Holy shit, that tweet at r415!!!! It's a fucking madhouse.

All the best people. Only the best people.

[quote]Hyde's meltdown at [R415] almost sounds like meth psychosis

Repugs will say Hyde is a nutcase who made the Yovanovitch stalking story up out of whole cloth.

Rick Wilson:

The Rudy letter, in my mind, justifies pulling the plug and not turning the articles over today.

This gun isn’t just smoking. It’s a white hot glowing key to this entire corrupt enterprise.

Moscow Mitch is launching an "unprecedented crackdown" on the Capitol press corps for the impeachment trial. Just one video camera and no still photographs or audio recording will be allowed to document the handing of the articles of impeachment over to the Senate. Reporters will not be allowed to "walk and talk" with Senators during the course of the trial. Reporters will have to go through a second security screening to enter the Senate chamber (after already being screened to enter the building), likely to discourage the reporting of breaking news.

It's almost as if Mitch wants to hide something.

[quote]It's almost as if Mitch wants to hide something.

Probably those wattles.

I'm a bit confused about the only one camera and no audio. Don't you need several cameras to focus on lawyers, witnesses, senators etc.? What does no audio mean? That journalists are not allowed to record anything on their devises or will there be no audio of the trial?

Can Dems still veto/appeal this? This sounds like a total cover up to hide the whole proceedings from the public? Can this legal?

Only one camera and no audio for the formal presentation of the articles of impeachment to the Senate. The trial will be televised -- but there will be roadblocks for reporters trying to get news to their editors (they can't bring electronic devices into the Senate chamber) and their access to Senators is practically cut off.

Close Adam; maybe it happened in the bushes near the third hole.

[quote]Repugs will say Hyde is a nutcase who made the Yovanovitch stalking story up out of whole cloth.

CNN's Kara Scannell:

Lev Parnas' lawyer @josephabondy on Robert Hyde: “We completely categorically deny that Lev was involved in any activities with Hyde to surveil the ambassador and try to harm the ambassador. We believe Mr Hyde’s activities to be a reflection on his dubious mental state."

A good sum up from yesterday by David Pakman...

Misspelled Trump Tweet Screed Suggests Brain Malfunction

[quote]Robert Hyde, the hire-a-hitman-on-behalf-of-Trump guy, was taken into custody at a Trump joint last year and then involuntarily confined to a mental hospital. He claimed he'd been set up, some emails put his life in jeopardy, and that people were trying to kill him.

And yet, a few months later, he was in the luxury suites with Trump at the World Series.

Curious, that.

Pelosi has named her impeachment managers:

Adam Schiff of California

Jerry Nadler of New York

Zoe Lofgren of California

Hakeem Jeffries of New York

Val Demings of Florida

Jason Crow of Colorado

Sylvia Garcia of Texas

They should have thrown Ilhan Omar in there, just to piss off the wingnut racists.

Reuters:

Schiff to lead prosecution of Trump in Senate impeachment

I'd like that, R431, but that group of Congresswomen is a big reason there's some doubt as to the motives of the Democrats. They should have kept their mouths shut re: impeachment.

That Pelosi was able to reign them in and give a Master's class in political patience is yet another reason I find the Speaker of the House one of the greatest political operatives in this country's history.

NYT:

Documents Provide New Details of Trump’s Pressure Campaign on Ukraine

USA Today:

Was former Ambassador Yovanovitch being watched in Ukraine? She wants that investigated following new evidence

Actually I agree with you r433. I like the Squad as backbenchers and as a counter to all the wingnuts and neonazis in Congress constantly pushing this country to the right. But when it comes to strategizing, I am so grateful that Nancy Pelosi is there and in charge.

Scary....

Shocking New Evidence Rocks Trump Impeachment Before Senate Trial | Rachel Maddow | MSNBC

I trust Nancy completely!! Thank goodness we are in her hands. Fuck rethugs! We should start the “i heard trump ordered a hit on the ambassador” chatter on twitter #MobBossTrump #HitManRudy

WTF!? MBS may have funneled $1 BILLION in CASH to BRIBE Dump for support.

We already have a ton of evidence and not one republican voted for impeachment. At this point, no shocking or new evidence will make any difference. I bet even having him on tape ordering a hit job on the ambassador wouldn't make a difference. The repugs would just come up with a new excuse. I wish I could fast forward to Nov and see if this horror show will be over soon.

And today Putin forced "the entire Russian government" to resign. Apparently because "not everything worked out."

The Guardian:

Russian PM and government quit as Putin proposes constitutional changes

Wow that now former russian PM looks like dead man walking.

DJT claimed last night he'll bring you Chinese made dishwashers that won't require using 7 or 8 cycles to removed hard stains

Has he ever loaded and unloaded a dishwasher?

AP:

Fever chart: Earth had its hottest decade on record in 2010s

Brian Tyler Cohen:

Trump's press secretary gives horrific defense of Trump’s anti-Muslim tweet

Among the details revealed in "A Very Stable Genius," a book out next week from WaPo's Philip Rucker and Carol Leonnig:

Trump was so eager to cross paths with Vlad Putin that he interrupted an interview with one of his secretary of state candidates to inquire about his pressing desire: “When can I meet Putin? Can I meet with him before the inaugural ceremony?"

He told then-Secretary of State Rex Tillerson: “It’s just so unfair that American companies aren’t allowed to pay bribes to get business overseas. We’re going to change that.”

Trump told Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, “It’s not like you’ve got China on your border.”

Chris Christie asked Trump how details of their meeting to discuss Christie possible becoming chief of staff leaked to the press, given that only Trump, Christie and Melania were in the room. "Oh, I did it," said Trump.

Anderson, last week....

Cooper calls out WH press secretary: Are you working against Trump?

NYT:

As Lead Impeachment Manager, Adam Schiff Brings Experience and Controversy

Live Coverage from CBS News

Yeah, yeah McCarthty....

R440, He could shoot an ambassador on Khreshchatyk street and he wouldn't lose a single vote.

I want Hakeem Jeffries deep inside me.

R453 = AOC

AP:

Pelosi names Schiff, Nadler as prosecutors for Trump trial

[quote] Chris Christie asked Trump how details of their meeting to discuss Christie possible becoming chief of staff leaked to the press, given that only Trump, Christie and Melania were in the room. "Oh, I did it," said Trump.

Did he use the alias "John Barron"?

Val demmings!

Hakeem Jeffries!

Dis gonna be goooooood!

Pelosi has given us a master class in political strategy. I bow down to her and give thanks that we are in her capable hands.

She will go down in history as one of the most effective speakers in modern history. Maybe ever.

And to think... there’s more Parnas material that has yet to surface. I’ve heard rumors in the twittersphere there are Skype videos with Rudy and Trump.

I'm just going to throw this in here....

Ring of Fire: Matt Gaetz Fights Republican Lawmaker Over DUIs And Sex Games

CNN's take.....

The entire Russian government is resigning

Putin is going down.

Soon. It's been a long time coming and his collapse will be spectacular.

Lindsey tweets. So Fox-y.

R471, I’m sure it will be spectacular, but will it be soon? The mass resignations, as I understand it, are meant to give Putin even more control over Russia.

[quote]The mass resignations, as I understand it, are meant to give Putin even more control over Russia.

Exactly. Putin won't step down voluntarily, and there's nobody there with sufficient power to take him down.

HuffPost:

Trump Team Predicts Slam Dunk Acquittal In Senate Impeachment Trial

Rachel Maddow will interview Lev Parnas on her show tonight.

Washington Post:

Federal judge temporarily halts Trump administration policy allowing local governments to block refugees

Reuters: Virginia vote sets up fight over women's rights constitutional amendment

*

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 (Reuters) - Legislators in Virginia on Wednesday backed a long-gestating amendment to the U.S. Constitution that would guarantee equal rights for women, setting up a fight over whether the deadline to finalize it has passed.

Backers say the vote by the Democratic-controlled state Senate and House of Delegates makes Virginia the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which under the Constitution is the required number of states required to ratify an amendment.

But opponents, including President Donald Trump's administration, say the deadline has long passed for the proposal, which the U.S. Congress kick-started in 1972. Conservative activists are opposed to it in part because they fear it could be used to bolster abortion rights.

The battle will play out in Congress and potentially in the courts.

L.A. Times:

New evidence against Trump is likely to emerge during Senate impeachment trial, Schiff says

Business Insider:

No tweeting: Senators have to keep quiet, stay off iPhones, and remain seated during Trump's impeachment trial

They're trying to suppress the testimony and information from becoming public. Good luck with that.

^Gezzz, then we will not get to see Miss Lindzey have a hissy-fit for the ages.

Ny'er Article on Barr

Shouldn’t we be having an Official Impeachment Watch thread? This is all so historic.

Pelosi looks pretty in pink today.

Total hag.

I'd say coral.

^^^Miss Lindz

Is that you, Eric Trump, at R477?

It’s actually happening! This is thrilling. McConnell is accepting the Articles of Impeachment very seriously.

The Hill: Pelosi accepts Collins's apology for saying Democrats are 'in love with terrorists'

*

"As I enter into the conversation, I want to thank the distinguished gentleman from Georgia for his apology for his ridiculous remarks about me and House Democrats," Pelosi said as she took to the floor to discuss impeachment. "Thank you, we accept your apology, Mr. Collins. Now I want to go to the purpose of why we are on the floor today."

Rick Wilson: Parnas document dump is a "fecal iceberg" for Trump.

Loved watching the ceremonial signing of the articles and delivering them to the Senate. I was only in middle school when we had the Clinton bs impeachment

I wonder if Trump will freak out again on twitter. The pomp and ceremony was tv gold. He cares about optics

btw this long walk from the House to Senate and back has to be the most exercise Nadler has gotten in 20 years. goddamn

can't wait for Rachel Maddow interviewing Lev Parnas tonight

Loved watching the ceremonial signing of the articles and delivering them to the Senate. I was only in middle school when we had the Clinton bs impeachment

I wonder if Trump will freak out again on twitter. The pomp and ceremony was tv gold. He cares about optics

btw this long walk from the House to Senate and back has to be the most exercise Nadler has gotten in 20 years. goddamn

can't wait for Rachel Maddow interviewing Lev Parnas tonight

Washington Post:

How Giuliani’s outreach to Ukrainian gas tycoon wanted in U.S. shows lengths he took in his hunt for material to bolster Trump

Lev Parnas will also be interviewed by Anderson Cooper tonight.

The Senate will receive them at noon tomorrow. They don’t start early, but this will go on for days, actually weeks.

Can the House managers include new information in their presentation to the Senators?

House managers can present whatever content they have available if they so choose.

Nancy fumbling around with the pens was lame. She even dropped one on the floor. at one point. And lots of stumbling and stammering in her speech too.

Meanwhile....

USA Today:

'OK, boomer': Chief Justice John Roberts asks if phrase counts as age discrimination

[quote]btw this long walk from the House to Senate and back has to be the most exercise Nadler has gotten in 20 years. goddamn

LOL, I like Nadler, but you stated what I was thinking. I kept hoping he was going to make it to the Senate Chamber door and back in OK fashion. Pleased he didn't show a physical problem.

Didn't Nads have bypass surgery?

Was Nadler the model for Mucus Man?

Any chance the news coming out now will snowball into something too big and too sleazy to ignore? The scandal keeps getting worse.

well I expect the Parnas interviews tonight will give us something. He seems desperate to cooperate so hopefully he won't give vague shifty answers a la Carter Page 2 years ago

Susan Collins is not concerned. CNN's Phil Mattingly:

Susan Collins throws cold water on new Lev Parnas evidence. “I wonder why the House did not put that into the record and it’s only now being revealed.” Told it was just turned over, she says: “well doesn’t that suggest that the House did an incomplete job then?”

That’s what I’m afraid of. A lot of stuff could get excluded because it was discovered after the articles were voted on. That doesn’t seem right, but it’s an argument they can make.

Washington Post:

Dangling disaster relief funds, White House to require Puerto Rico to implement reforms

OK Susie you go ahead and keep dismissing the gravity of this situation and your shaking, concern-trolling ass will be out of a seat come November

Parnas tells Rachel Maddow Trump was "aware of all my movements" and Trump lied about not knowing him.

I wonder how many caches of documents are out there just as damning as the Parnas document dump. I wonder how many other people out there know the truth, have material evidence of crimes against the Constitution, and are silent.

And WHY are they silent?

NBC:

Michael Flynn's move to withdraw guilty plea could backfire, experts say

it should backfire. His delay tactics have prevented him getting a sentence for over a year now. His Fox "News" nutty lawyer is clearly helping to buy time so he can get a pardon with as little jail time as possible.

I hope it just leads to a longer sentence

Maddow tweets:

Trump.

Pence.

Barr.

Perry.

Pompeo.

Bolton.

Nunes. Firtash?

More...

Lev Parnas interview, tonight, 9pm ET, MSNBC.

R507 i am CRACKLING with excitement! I hear Chris hays will be reading the interview on his show now.

*faints*

[quote] A lot of stuff could get excluded because it was discovered after the articles were voted on. That doesn’t seem right, but it’s an argument they can make.

Your inclinations are accurate. While criminal indictments must be as complete as necessary to apprise the accused of the charges against him, prosecutors at trial may still introduce evidence that was not included in the indictment, so long as the government abides by whatever discovery rules may be in effect. Even then, while there may be notice requirements to the defense, so long as the prosecutor complies with those rules, there would be no exclusion of relevant evidence simply because it wasn’t included in the indictment.

So Susan Collins’ argument is specious and ridiculous.

If only those would be a fair proceeding with reasonable rules.

[quote]...it should backfire. His delay tactics have prevented him getting a sentence for over a year now. His Fox "News" nutty lawyer is clearly helping to buy time so he can get a pardon with as little jail time as possible.

I want them to set his sentencing date for January 21, 2021.

The Judge does not have to allow Flynn to withdraw his plea...and odds are he wont. Just read the filing...its amateurish at best. Powell should be censured or disbarred for suck obvious incompetence.

Collins is a cunt

Maddow is about to air her interview with Parnas...she said some of his claims are shocking...

R514, I've read that she's getting a ton of money from Trump's campaign for her own re-election campaign. Essentially, Trump is buying her vote.

I thought Parnas was foreign,apparently i was wrong he speaks like a guy from queens.

Devin Nunes just can't remember what he talked about with Lev Parnas. Maybe he has early onset Alzheimer's

(Btw, Parnas has lived in the US from an early age, that's why he sounds like a guy from Queens)

After listening to Lev & Rachel, and his attorney sitting in, I can understand why, even if he is under indictment, he decided to make all this stuff available to Intel Committee, "rushing to get as much to them as we could for the Articles of Impeachment" because if the Senate Republicans successfully block evidence and testimony, at least Parmas has gone public with what he knows. Oh. And he called Trump a liar. LOLOLOL! Look. The Republicans in the Senate are marginalizing themselves. Everyone knows Trump is guilty and ought to be removed. The dots are being connected every day exposing McConnell, Nunes, McCarthy, and the rest. It is obvious to everyone they are corrupt. This interview, as well as other methods of releasing information, build a very convincing public case that Trump is guilty. The media talks about Russian interference openly now, too, where two years ago they were rather timid.

Rudy’s a drunk, lol.

I dont buy the story about Yovanovitchs safety....it was too specific to be some ramblings of a drunk.

Well, dear chickens, I predict the Lev is going to be spending the rest of his life on an army base.... and let's pray he doesn't get a visit from a Tom Hagen type like Frankie 5 Angels did.

Oh, look, Don Jr. is implicated, too!!!

Sounds like Pence, Barr, and Nunes and his staff were part of the inner circle.

there will be a part II tomorrow

talking more about Trump directly ordering Yovanovitch's firing

and getting into Rick Perry

Rachel is blowing this whole thing up in repuke's faces LOVE IT

btw #Maddow is top trending on twitter now so A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE GOING TO SEE THIS TONIGHT

repubs must be freaking out and it's glorious

Nunes doesn't know who Parnas is though. He had to ask his staff about these calls. You know he is a busy congressman (sueing fake cows and stuff) and gets so many calls from random people on his personal phone it is hard to remember all these shady characters doing corrupt stuff for the President of the United States. Nunes is completely innocent or why would a highly respected congressman sue CNN for $400m?

R520 Parnas was calling Hyde the drunk, not Giuliani

While Rachael is interviewing Parnas, Hannity is hosting Lindsey.

McCarthy at the Trump Hotel bar hanging out with Hyde and all other characters.

The Donald is surprisingly restrained these last couple of days. He's focussed on his China trade deal and only tweeted once. Thought he would be all over these Parnas stories and claim Yovanovic was such a loser not worthy of his attention or mob practices or something.

"I don't know her"

The silver lining, if there is one, is how Pres Bone Spurs has utterly destroyed the Bush and Reagan names. I see and have personally heard, so many deplorables saying "Fuck W and his dad. Fuck Reagan. They both sucked as presidents. If the Republicans turn on him, I will no longer vote for them. I really don't consider myself a republican. Maybe we can start a party dedicated to our guy and his principles."

I see this all the time. They worship Pres Bone Spurs like no one before. Of ALL people, he has gotten this weird band of conservatives to go completely nuts for him. He has awakened this very intense, cult like hypnotism.

The Guardian: Pen-t up anger: Republicans pounce on Pelosi over ceremonial writing tools

“The truth comes out. This isn’t ‘somber’ or ‘serious’ for @HouseDemocrats,” the House Republicans tweeted, referring to Democrats’ description of the impeachment process. “This has been partisan since day one.”

Individual Republicans piled on: “They claim it’s a somber, serious occasion they’re heartbroken over ... and then they pass out impeachment-signing pens with special cases. Folks. You can’t make it up,” wrote the North Carolina Republican representative Mark Meadows. The House Republican whip, Steve Scalise, called the moment “unbelievable”. And Stephanie Grisham, the White House press secretary, sarcastically suggested Pelosi “was so somber as she gave them away to people like prizes”.

R533 Yep, what is good for the goose...........

heh, good r533. Every Democrat should do everything they can possibly think of to piss off every Republican snowflake in the next few months. Just constantly fuck with them. In every possible way.

Shocker! Just a few days ago, Eric Trump was photographed with the guy he claims to barely know

We should all mail millions of dried up black Sharpies to every Repug in Washington.

Remember...Nunes accompanied Mike Flynn prior to the inauguration to the meeting where they discussed kidnapping and extradicting that Turkish Cleric we gave asylum to in PA. Nunes has been dirty A LONG TIME.

R538 Was Nunes ever clean?

I'm amazed how many photos this band of traitors take of themselves. Here are the criminals at a party, here they are in a bar.

Bunch of narcissistic crooks gleefully ripping off America and enjoying every minute.

it's true r540. For all their talk of elitists looking down on average Americans, nobody despises the average American more than this gang of whores and grifters. They see a country full of stupid marks and just assume they can do anything they want and totally get away with it. Hope they're wrong.

When? When will it be enough for some Repubs to cry, “Enough!”? Are they really ALL that corrupt? How much worse will it have to get?

Can anyone tell me who is a licensed attorney among the Senate Republicans?

Miss Lindsey is a licensed attorney

I believe that all the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee are lawyers, except for the Chair, Chuck Grassley.

Excuse me. FORMER Chair. Mz. Lindz is the current Chair.

Is there a list? A list that we can hold sworn attorneys to?

there are 16 current GOP Senators that are lawyers....including Mike Lee, Ted Cruz, Mitch McConnell, Marco Rubio, Tom Cotton

r547....scroll down and it lists their occupations in civilian life.

[quote]Was Nunes ever clean?

Why dose Nunes never get in trouble for what he has done? It's like yeah we know, but no one dose anything about it. I mean like a real investigation, sanction something more than there he goes again.

r548, and r549, having scrolled through the Republicans in r549 's post I have these listed as lawyers or having graduated law school.

1] Mitt Romney JD / MA (listed as Businessman)

2] Mike Lee

3] Ted Cruz

4] John Cornyn

5] Lamar Alexander

6] Lindsey Graham

7] Rob Portman

8] Josh Hawley

9] Roger Wicker

10] John Kennedy (Louisiana)

11] Mitch McConnell

12] Jerry Moran

13] Todd Young Listed as Marine Corps Officer, Professor, Consultant

14] Jim Risch Listed as Professor, Rancher, Nonprofit organization executive

15] Mike Crapo

16] Rick Scott

17] Marco Rubio

18] Cory Gardner

19] Tom Cotton

20] Dan Sullivan

21] Lisa Murkowski

22] Richard Shelby

[quote]Everyone knows Trump is guilty and ought to be removed.

Try telling that to the deplorables who post on my local news site's Facebook pages.

They are literally foaming at the mouth to protect Trump.

Those aren’t real Facebook pages.

Look more closely and don’t be such a gullible fool.

His support has evaporated in real life.

They are real. Some that post have mutual friends.

Not to be a concern troll but the rigging of November scares the fuck out of me.

These people believe Trump has a mandate. Earlier today, one posted that Trump is "the people's president" and when I pointed out he lost the popular (aka people's) vote they screamed illegals voted.

When I posted an online article that vote fraud was committed by the GOP chair of some state they refused to believe it.

Sorry, but I live in Richmond, VA and I have a bad feeling the Nazi Proud Boys and scumbag deplorables are going to cause another Charlottesville on Monday.

They are already threatening violence against "antifa" and Gov. Northam.

The interview with Rachel makes it all the more clear that multiple people in the Trump admin need to be impeached and jailed quite frankly. The problem is we have enough trouble getting the most obvious one, Trump, held accountable. I don't think the House would impeach Pence. Barr, Pompeo and others but all of them deserve it.

Wow, r469, that’s big news and I only heard it here.

Another problem is a couple states ratified it, then later rescinded their ratification; however, there is no provision in the Constitution that says that rescinding a ratification is legal and binding. So, a court would have to rule on that, too.

Let’s not pretend that Charleston was an American operation. That was ginned up by foreigners.

I can’t link at the moment but google that.

We don’t do that america and had not for 50 years before the attack started on our country.

The first thing we probably need to do R557 is stop pretending that these things happening are not America. It is. We just have to vigilant to not let that part of America overrun the rest of us.

We get nowhere good, by pretending the seeds aren't already embedded.

Go die, R557. You, and the rest of us, will be happier.

Even if our corrupt Reublican senators won't do anything about this and remove Trump from office, it gives me endless pleasure that world leaders like Merkel, Macron, Trudeau etc. see all the evidence and are made aware off again and again what a bunch of corrupt, lying individuals Trump, his administration, his family members and the Republican senators are. I hope they remember this when meeting him at summits, shaking his hand, negotiating with him or his minions and thinking about trade deals with these individuals. They probably knew about his shady character and dealings anyway, but now it is exposed in the open for everyone to see.

'Mother' weighs-in. with a delightful, smiling tweet.

'Mother' weighs-in. with a delightful, smiling tweet.

Devin Nunes claiming he didn't know or recognize Parnas name when he was asked about the call records several weeks ago. He and his aide met him in person at a Trump hotel according to Parnas. What is his explanation for that? He meets with thugs all the time? He is obviously lying to that Fox news host's face and she's not calling him out on it. These "news shows" are a total joke. Everyone can see he's lying and they just let him and give him airtime. He is a freaking congressman.

Devin Nunes claiming he didn't know or recognize Parnas name when he was asked about the call records several weeks ago. He and his aide met him in person at a Trump hotel according to Parnas. What is his explanation for that? He meets with thugs all the time? He is obviously lying to that Fox news host's face and she's not calling him out on it. These "news shows" are a total joke. Everyone can see he's lying and they just let him and give him airtime. He is a freaking congressman.

R540

Definitely calls for a veil, r562....

Not just America, r540, the entire....orb.

NYT:

Lev Parnas, Key Player in Ukraine Affair, Completes Break With Trump and Giuliani

Politico:

Republicans break with Robert Hyde, latest player in Ukraine drama

Every time some Republican claims he doesn't know the thugs they obviously met and worked with, a picture shows up. They are not very clever. Latest: Conway claimed on CNN she's never met Parnas....boom....picture of her with Parnas appears.

R562 my reply to Mother Pence’s tweet...

Mother, there’s a special place in the burning pits of hell for liars, hypocrites and false Christians like you and your husband. It gives me great pleasure to know that YOU one day will be spending eternity there, forever separated from Jesus. Amen.

Only the best people....

Raw Story: Here is the Republican operative that is the new poster boy for why Trump was impeached

TIME:

Donald Trump Is Promising ‘Big Action’ on School Prayer to Rally Evangelical Voters

CNN's Josh Campbell:

Police in Ukraine are investigating the possible surveillance of former US Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch, according to the Interior Ministry.

^^Not the investigation Trump wanted from Ukraine.

Politico:

Rand Paul threatens fellow Republicans with explosive witness votes

In response to Parnas’ interview, White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Thursday morning, “These allegations are being made by a man who is currently out on bail for federal crimes and is desperate to reduce his exposure to prison.”

“The facts haven’t changed — the president did nothing wrong and this impeachment, which was manufactured and carried out by the Democrats has been a sham from the start,” Grisham said.

Washington Post:

Analysis: 4 takeaways from the Lev Parnas interview and revelations

*

4. Nunes admits contact with Parnas — suddenly

When Rep. Devin Nunes’s (R-Calif.) phone number showed up in Parnas’s phone records, the top Republican on the House Intelligence Committee said he “didn’t really recall” speaking with Parnas.

Now he has recalled.

In a conspicuously timed disclosure shortly before Parnas’s interview aired, Nunes appeared on Fox News on Wednesday night and admitted to talking to Parnas, while maintaining he didn’t recognize the name at the time.

“It was very clear,” Nunes said. “I remember that call, which was very odd, random, talking about random things. And I said, ‘Great, just talk to my staff,’ and boom boom boom.”

Parnas, though, in keeping with what he said about Bolton, Pence and Barr, said there was more to it.

“He knew very well that he knew what was going on,” Parnas said. “He knew what’s happening. He knows who I am."

The Hill: Dem lawmaker says Nunes threatened to sue him over criticism

Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Calif.) said Wednesday that a lawyer for Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) threatened to sue him if he did not apologize for saying last month that the Republican conspired with an associate of Rudy Giuliani.

The Hill:

R.E.M. considering legal action against Trump for using their songs at rallies

ABC:

Senate set to accept impeachment articles. Here's what happens next.

Parnas was sooo plugged in to Trumpworld. CNN's Brian Stelter:

Newly released messages show Parnas texting with Joseph Ahearn of the pro-Trump America First Action PAC. In March 2019, when Ahearn asked "what should I send don to tweet," apparently meaning Donald Trump Jr., Parnas sent links from Hannity, Laura Ingraham, The Hill, The Daily Wire, and other outlets. "Have jr retweet it," Parnas said. On March 24, Parnas sent a link to a Daily Wire story titled "Calls Grow To Remove Obama's U.S. Ambassador To Ukraine," i.e. Marie Yovanovitch. "That's a good article," Ahearn replied two minutes later. Another ten minutes later, Jr. tweeted out the story.

Bloomberg:

Russia Moves Quickly to Make Putin’s New Vision a Reality

Crossing my fingers that another document dump is coming regarding bitches like Graham and McConnell.

Susan Collins - “I wonder why the House did not put that into the record and it’s only now being revealed,”

Gee Susan, maybe because the White House ignored legal subpoenas from congress for documents and testimony. When are people going to stop pretending she is a moderate on the fence? She needs to be called out for this bullshit game she is playing.

She is so full of shit her eyes are brown.

Washington Post:

Eyeing swift impeachment trial, Trump’s legal team aims to block witnesses and cast doubt on charges

Im from California, can we please take Nunes down? He comes from Fresno, which for those who dont know is in the middle of nowhere. It's not a place people go to visit, the place is full of rednecks. It's dead center between SF and LA in a hot dusty basin so that being the only stop with a small city is the only reason it survives. The down town is deserted, they are begging people to move there. Has a very high crime rate. To quote his boss, "place is a shit hole"

So coming from there, he thinks he's hot shit in Washington. The guy is a corrupt piece of shit. Why dose he always get a pass?

CNN/Anderson:

Lev Parnas describes multiple Ukraine quid pro quos

You can bet the Orange skidmark is planning something to throw the focus off the Parnas story. He wants all the attention all the time but not something that paints him in such a negative way.

Also, if he gets reelected (God forbid) he will go after any/everyone and create even more havoc. We are in for a bumpy ride for at least the next 10 months!

From the Twitter machine:

Conspiracy theorists: Look at all these dead people who knew people who knew the Clintons.

Same conspiracy theorists: It’s a random coincidence Trump worked with Parnas, Manafort, Cohen, and all these other criminals!

The White House violated federal law in its hold on security aid to Ukraine last year, according to a decision by a congressional watchdog released today.

The Government Accountability Office, a nonpartisan agency that reports to Congress, found the Trump administration violated a law that governs how the White House disburses money approved by Congress.

I'll bet Dump's "groom of the stool" can't keep up changing all those soiled depends! By the way, who fills that position these days? Is it Miz Lindsey...?!

Non-paywall, r591.....

Washington Post:

White House hold on Ukraine aid violated federal law, congressional watchdog says

Newsweek:

Robert Hyde Says He Was Only 'Playing' in Texts About Surveillance of Marie Yovanovitch

Is there a new Treason thread?

back to Flynn, I think he is withdrawing his guilty plea because he realized Trump is not handing out any pardons and probably won't be around much longer to do it anyway. Stone must be having a stoke

[quote]Robert Hyde Says He Was Only 'Playing' in Texts About Surveillance of Marie Yovanovitch

OK Channing

[quote]Robert Hyde Says He Was Only 'Playing' in Texts About Surveillance of Marie Yovanovitch

OK Channing

So says the hypocritical former House prosecutor in the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

Lindsey, please tweet about the 'depth' in which you know Me. Hyde.

So says the hypocritical former House prosecutor in the impeachment of Bill Clinton.

Lindsey, please tweet about the 'depth' in which you know Me. Hyde.

^Mr., not Me

r597....did anyone expect him to admit plotting against the Ambassador ?

Link to new thread....