User-Supported News Commentary Hosted by Craig Crawford
Trump’s Brain
Author: craigcrawford
Trail Mix Host. Lapsed journalist, author & retired pundit happily promoting nothing but the truth for Social Security checks.
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RIP Christine Keeler – she provided many wild thoughts to a young girl.
There should be a few people, who are not in the WH, looking for attorneys now that the search for Russian influence has moved to money laundering. NYC and FL probably needs a few more criminal lawyers.
“Judge Roy Moore has more honor and integrity in that pinkie finger than your entire family has in its whole DNA,” Bannon said in his 30-minute speech at Oak Hollow Farm. “You hid behind your religion. You went to France to be a missionary while guys were dying in rice paddies in Vietnam. Do not talk to me about honor and integrity,” he said, referencing Romney’s Mormon faith.
yeah, mitt, burn spurs more ‘merican manly excuse.
Awaiting the morning glory here…the days are getting shorter and that means donnie is wandering the WH in his bathrobe again, eating meatloaf sandwiches…mel is getting her beauty sleep. barron is running the country.
When I first saw the words ‘trump’s brain?’ My stomach turned. I thought his head must be filled with rotting maggots — aren’t there any decent maggots in there to stop the craze inside his skull? Nope, the dope continues.
Al Franken, stay in the senate…you can grab my old butt anytime you feel the perv need…just stay and fight the junta! We have moore coming to town to bolster the trumpence junta and tax cuts for the entire cabinet.
One final thought, the white shadow prez looks even ‘whiter’ these days…scared like a ghost as ayers has been interviewed by the Moscow Muellers team.
donnie starts a few wars today to take the eyes off of junior. flynn got to save his ‘junior’ last week, but trump’s sons who like their father did not serve in the military are in trouble, especially junior. This past summer, trump knew while in France holding hands with the macrons that the Mueller team was targeting junior. Junior to testify before intelligence committee this week.
Government shut-down on Friday to stop the investigations.
trump preparing for war as pentagon evaluates west coast missile system. putie is at war with the IOC and trump will rage on the korean pennisula during the games. trump cares about legacy and revenge, expect retaliation on putie’s behalf. Our prez has been compromised and is being blackmailed, IMHO. We are in a dangerous time as ‘trump’s brain’ has been cornered and hopefully, Mueller will be able to place those tiny hands into handcuffs.
The pushback by trump surrogates has been heavy these past few days…whining about the Mueller investigation cost, getting the books, money, interviews done before trump is removed from office. The repugs are circling the wagons, but they can’t stop the hellbound train.
Today is Finland’s 100th Birthday. It is Independence Day and the day we remember our family and Finn’s who fought to protect Finland. My great-grandmother was killed and many great-uncles wounded during the Winter War of 1939-1940 when the Soviet’s invaded Finland.https://twitter.com/FinnishWarPics/status/938375363444510722
sjwny, thanks for reminding us about the high point of the republican golden age. here’s history‘s account of their good work back then when the grand old party was grand:
The president and his fellow Republicans knew that the Emancipation Proclamation might be viewed as a temporary war measure and not outlaw slavery once the Civil War ended, so they focused on passing a constitutional amendment that would do so. The 13th Amendment was passed by the U.S. Senate (which was dominated by Republicans) on April 8, 1864. However, the amendment died in the U.S. House of Representatives as Democrats rallied in the name of states’ rights.
The presidential election of 1864 brought Lincoln back to the White Housealong withRepublican majorities in both legislative bodies. On January 31, 1865, the amendment passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 119 to 56, seven votes above the necessary two-thirds majority. Several Democrats abstained, but the 13th Amendment was sent to the states for ratification, which came on December 6, 1865. With the passage of the amendment, the “peculiar institution” that had indelibly shaped American history was eradicated.
so the enticing Deutsch Bank story we discussed yesterday is stuck in confirmation limbo with big media for the moment. Trump lawyer put out forceful denial, so CNN and others trying to confirm before running with it bigly. so far the bank itself is not confirming or denying. and of course Mueller’s office is stony silent.
“We have confirmed that the news reports that the Special Counsel had subpoenaed financial records relating to the president are false,” Sekulow told Reuters in a statement. “No subpoena has been issued or received. We have confirmed this with the bank and other sources.”
bb, for you, here’s the national song/hymn. imo much more interesting than the anthem maamme
Finlandia, Op. 26 is a symphonic poem by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The first version was written in 1899, and it was revised in 1900. The piece was composed for the Press Celebrations of 1899, a covert protest against increasing censorship from the Russian Empire, as the last of seven pieces, each performed as an accompaniment to a tableau depicting episodes from Finnish history. The premiere was on 2 July 1900 in Helsinki with the Helsinki Philharmonic Society conducted by Robert Kajanus. A typical performance takes anywhere from 7½ to 9 minutes. A recurrent joke within Finland at this time was the renaming of Finlandia at various musical concerts so as to avoid Russian censorship. Titles under which the piece masqueraded were numerous, a famously flippant example being Happy Feelings at the awakening of Finnish Spring.
craig, according to this guardian story yesterday, the news came from a german paper:
Donald Trump’s banking information has formally been turned over to Robert Mueller, the special prosecutor who is investigating whether the president’s campaign conspired with the Kremlin during the 2016 presidential election.
Deutsche Bank, the German bank that serves as Trump’s biggest lender, was forced to submit documents about its client relationship with the president and some of his family members, who are also Deutsche clients, after Mueller issued the bank with a subpoena for information, according to media reports. The news was first reported by Handelsblatt, the German newspaper.
The revelation makes it clear that Mueller and his team are investigating the president’s finances. Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushner, is also a client.
speaking of Trump accusers, PatD, while i’ve got no problem with Gloria Allred in general, she is such a lightning rod for attacks from the right, and i’m concerned she’s mishandling the Apprentice woman’s case in court yesterday for motion to dismiss on her defamation suit. For starters I don’t get why it wasn’t brought in federal court. Allred is relying on Paula Jones Supreme Court ruling that a sitting president can be sued in civil court for actions before his presidency BUT that was a federal case and SCOTUS pointedly left open the question about whether their decision applies in state court — which, of course, the Trump lawyers harped on to the NY state judge yesterday
but PatD the anonymous sourcing for the story — “sources familiar with the matter” — is so tenuous for such a serious matter I don’t blame CNN et al for holding off until they can get more. If it’s true, something or someone will get on the record to give it legs. These days big media has to be wary of “fake news” traps, people feeding them bogus stories so they can then be discredited for making up stuff.
Comments urging Al to stay put & that he can sexually harass/assault you are not helpful to anyone, and, quite disrespectful of anyone who was harassed/assaulted. It’s not something to be made light of. Sermon over.
On Allred, it might be for the same reason the NYDA is filing charges against various Trump entities in NY. Trump can pardon on a federal level in most cases, but can’t pardon on a state level.
back in February, the guardian had a lengthy story on trumps & deutsche bank. here are excerpts:
After Trump’s victory in the US election in November the bank “double-checked” its records, the source said. The bank has also fielded numerous media inquiries about recent Trump loans, which were viewed as unorthodox among some bankers familiar with the transactions.
Deutsche’s client relationship with Kushner was made public in a 2013 article in the New York Observer, which Kushner owned. Ivanka Trump, who formerly served as an executive in Trump’s real estate business, is also a client of Deutsche. She now works as an unofficial adviser in the White House.
Kushner’s mother, Seryl Stadtmauer, is also a client, according to a person familiar with the matter.
[….]
Sources in the banking world have expressed astonishment that Deutsche would continue lending to Trump in the wake of his $3bn 2008 lawsuit. Asked whether this was normal practice, one former Deutsche Bank employee, who worked for the bank in New York, said: “Are you kidding me?”
Another former CEO of a rival investment bank, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The idea that a bank would walk away from an enforcement lawsuit on a defaulted loan with a litigious borrower because they hired a banking team is preposterous.”
craig, what more can he say than this which was reported last month?
the hill:Schumer calls for ethics investigation after Franken allegations
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer(D-N.Y.) on Thursday called for an ethics investigation after a woman accused Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) of kissing and groping her without her consent in 2006.
“Sexual harassment is never acceptable and must not be tolerated,” Schumer said in a statement.
“I hope and expect that the Ethics Committee will fully investigate this troubling incident, as they should with any credible allegation of sexual harassment,” he said.
Schumer joins calls from several others — including Franken himself — who are calling for an ethics investigation into the allegations
that’s OK as generic CYA statements go, Pat, but think he should be asked what McConnell and Pelosi had to answer: Do you believe the women? Also, where is the ethics investigation? Committee hasn’t publicly said whether it’s begun, even though Mitch, Chuck and Al have called for it.
maybe they’re waiting for roy and do a double header. there also could be a long line ahead of al’s since it’s very unlikely he is the only groper (alleged that is) in that august body. fact is, probably hard to find more than a dozen who have never “asserted” their manly hood toward unwanting staffers.
I really don’t like Gillibrand and McCaskill coming out en mass against Franken unless they have personal info on anything in the last decade. They should certainly demand the ethics investigation should go forward. As a matter of practicality, go after all the marital cheaters. We can use the seats when half of congress is thrown out.
I wonder if this has been done in Franken’s case? From Senate rules: “Whenever the Committee receives a complaint, allegation, or information from virtually any source suggesting that a Senator or staffer may have violated rules within the Committee’s jurisdiction, the Committee will initiate a preliminary inquiry.”
In other words Schumer could do a lot more than “call” for an investigation, that has no legal significance. He could file or have someone file a complaint.
Schumer won’t CALL for an investigation. Why bother when the Democrats are willing to do his dirty work for him by tossing one of the strongest liberal voices in the Senate.
People originating complaints and/or allegations must be willing to publicly identify themselves, absent substantiated threats of physical retribution, so that the community can evaluate the relative credibility of the principals.
Victims of sexual predators in this new era must not allow themselves to withdraw in humiliation or shame, but to fight like hell in the venues that are available to them. Let’s discuss what these venues are and which are appropriate for punishment of the assholes among us.
So, the day Time comes out with its special issue, Trump decides to make the Jerusalem announcement. Think he would’ve done that if he’d been Cheeto-of-the-Year?
And those who can not speak out because their livelihoods depend on their hostile workplace? Not everyone has the means or support to speak out. But those who can speak out, those who have a large social platform, that may create enough change to shut down many workplace predators.
I remember when I was maybe six-y.o. the lady next door received a traffic ticket. My mom mentioned that she probably had a “blemish” on her license. A couple of days later the lady saw me examining her vehicle tags. When she asked me what I was doing, being perfectly honest, I told her I was looking for the blemishes that my mom said she might have.
Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person) of the Year,” like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!
Jamie, I hear ya and empathize re: Franken. But his goose is cooked and Schumer, as in Pelosi re: Conyers, is going to have to come to grips with it or fuel hypocrisy charges against Democrats. It might already be too late for that but better late than never. I’ve argued from day one Franken and Conyers are not worth sacrificing the high ground for supporting Trump/Moore accusers. Suburban women who could swing Congress to Democrats are so very much in play over this issue.
What’s gonna happen: 1. Franken will resign. 2. Conyers will retire. 3. Trump will stay. 4. Roy Moore will win. 5. Republicans will deem Democrats the party of sexual abusers. 6. Cultural discussion around sexism will stagnate & only to be used as a cudgel to force out Dems.
Dems loose more seats in 2018 and the repugs will never impeach trump while this sexual awakening goes back to sleep.
This does not excuse creeps, molesters, etc. It should make us more nuanced to the degrees of sexual predation, assault and crime. All children should be children off-limits to adults. Consenting adults are a different issues…and if Franken did grab my old ass? I would speak-up and make it known at the time. I have experienced assault, but I went for a cheap laugh…clinging to my humor and science. I think Franken is creepy, you tube is filled with vids of his old comedy with him grabbing his own junk…the right has hated him for his book on O’Reilly. The outing of sessions. So, I hate to lose him, but he is one of many sitting in Congress who need an ethics review. A child molester? A different story.
Meanwhile, the regression-du-jour continues while we get stuck in this Chinese finger trap.
I disagree BW. I think we learned in Virginia that pivotal white college educated voters, especially women in the suburbs, are ready to vote for Democrats. Zero tolerance on this subject will get their attention. Especially if they see a bigot like Moore in the Senate, and continue to be repulsed by Trump’s lunacy. This is a rare case of principles are pragmatic.
I hope you are correct, Craig and I hope we have the luxury of time to wait for the repugs to be routed-out. The numbers just seem so bad for the dems in a gerrymandered world. Will we want any of the land left on the moral high ground? What if putie changes votes again? So, many ways to lose.
BW, even in latest WAPO poll of Alabama 58% of college educated white women are against Moore (interestingly, that’s the same number for that demo that voted Democrat in Virginia gov race). This is a trend.
I’ve been reading a lot this morning about Democrats taking the “moral high ground.” Where is that? Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh? Where do we find the current GOP slime trail? Funny thing about high roads and low roads (cue Jamie) but in Scots lore, a Scot who dies away from the homeland takes the low road, or spiritual road, home (ghosts, I guess). The living are on the high road. What that tells me is that the GOP are brain-dead zombies who are going to eat the Democrats’ lunch (and brains) unless we vote them out to ensure a 2019 Trump impeachment (if he hasn’t imploded from mass quantities of junk food by then).
Democrats abandoning Franken, MSNBC tossing Sam Seder and Majority Report, the MET even entertaining jettisoning a Balthus? All while we have an egomaniacal Russian-mob guy who swallows TicTacs as prez? And his party isn’t calling for his resignation? They’re hoping for an Alabama judge who’s been judged not too great a judge not once but twice? (Not to mention that other thing.) We may well be on a Macbethy highway to hell.
Franken outright denied this latest allegation. That’s a first. I guess this Franken scandal will go down as a mystery until someone takes responsibility for it. I’m more than a trifle disgusted with about two dozen Democratic U.S. Senators today. And I’m positive that number will grow.
excerpt from nbcnews Whistleblower: Flynn told ex-partner Russia sanctions would be dumped
“Our Committee has credible allegations that President Trump’s National Security Advisor sought to manipulate the course of international nuclear policy for the financial gain of his former business partners,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) writes in a letter sent Wednesday to Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.).
The whistleblower first approached staff on the Oversight Committee in June just after Newsweek published an account of Flynn’s role in pursuing a joint U.S.-Russian plan to build nuclear power plants throughout the Arab world, to be financed by Saudi Arabia, according to the letter.
Copson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Flynn’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cummings writes that he is bringing forward his request now because Special Counsel Robert Mueller had asked him to delay acting on the information “until they completed certain investigative steps.”
But, according to Cummings, Mueller’s directive was dropped after Friday, when Flynn entered into a cooperation agreement with Mueller’s team by pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak during the presidential transition. One of those conversations between Flynn and the then-Russian ambassador was about U.S. sanctions the Obama administration imposed on Russia in response for Moscow’s interference in the presidential election.
craig, I agree with the tweeter called “the resistance” that bw reposted for us which I again repost for emphasis:
What’s gonna happen: 1. Franken will resign. 2. Conyers will retire. 3. Trump will stay. 4. Roy Moore will win. 5. Republicans will deem Democrats the party of sexual abusers. 6. Cultural discussion around sexism will stagnate & only to be used as a cudgel to force out Dems.
that’s exactly what’s gonna happen, is happening right now…. divide and conquer
Yep. The Dem women got stampeded into an unnecessary bandwagon for the witch hunt instead of waiting for the Ethics Hearing. I guess now they will go against any woman ever appearing in a fund raising photo op session because they might have to throw someone else out on his ear.
nope, Pat. Thanks to the leadership of Democrat women in the Senate the party is getting well positioned to attract suburban voters who can deliver Congress in 2018. Zero tolerance.
A whole lot of Democratic women are saying on Twitter some very nasty things about Democratic women behaving stupidly. At least I’m not alone in really hating brainless stampedes.
And for those worried about losing Franken, the Minnesota Governor who will appoint his successor is a lib Democrat. No one is indispensable when your party can replace you.
I heartily welcome anyone to write a post for tomorrow contrary to my obvious point of view on this. Otherwise I will probably write one you really won’t like.
craig, if you were he, wouldn’t you want to fulfill your term, perform as best you can your responsibilities and perhaps announcing to step down forthwith/retire immediately or promise not to run again depending on the ethics committee findings.
also, there could be a problem about timing, special elections, sufficient funding for the appointed replacement (pig in a poke) to run against norm coleman type again.
“Sexual harassment is never acceptable and must not be tolerated,” Schumer said in a statement.
“I hope and expect that the Ethics Committee will fully investigate this troubling incident, as they should with any credible allegation of sexual harassment,” he said.
Craig, how pervasive was sexual misconduct towards the pages during your term of service? If it was as bad as I think it may have been, did you discuss it with Pres Carter when you joined his team?
nary a whiff of that in my experience, Flatus, and I was in the first class that included female pages. The ugly stuff surfaced after my time, and was in the House, I was in the Senate, where our interactions with members where much more formal.
I was so disheartened the program had to be abolished in the House, as it was such a positive and life-changing experience for me and others I knew there. It remains intact in the Senate but my understanding is that it has become more of a patronage system for the children of donors instead of the merit-based appointments when I was there.
ah Flatus, now you’ve got me remembering page experiences, I have so many. Like when I overheard Strom Thurmond and Sen. Case of New Jersey at their desks when an Alaska senator few liked (forget his name) was typically bloviating in a lengthy floor speech. Thurmond: “How did we get Alaska?” Case: “From the Russians, I think.” Thurmond: “Reckon they’d want it back?”
Flatus, another Thurmond story for you: After he and Ted Kennedy had been fiercly ripping into each other about something in a Senate floor debate, Kennedy strode over as they were walking out, threw his arm around him and said, “Come on Strom, let’s go trade some judges.”
“I consider Senator Franken a dear friend and greatly respect his accomplishments, but he has a higher obligation to his constituents and the Senate, and he should step down immediately,” Schumer said in a statement.
No I’m not happy Pat, because this should have happened back when there was still a chance for Democrats to unequivocally own the high ground on zero tolerance. But at least there’s still some chance of a contrast against Republicans siding with sexual predators and show 2018 women voters who is really on their side.
Winning Congress is more important than saving Franken, especially considering that a Democrat governor will replace him.
1 If Governor Dayton selects Rep Rick Nolan to replace Al, he can pick Leah Phifer to fill Nolan’s seat. 2 Former Mpls Mayor R.T. Ryback has paid his dues, and is very popular with every constituency in the Party. 3 Perhaps Lt Gov Tina Smith would like the job (somehow I doubt it). Everyone likes her. 4 AG Lori Swanson would be great : young-ish, smart, energetic, unafraid of corporations, photogenic, Scandinavian, from a lower middle class family, and she sides with the unpretentious classes.
I don’t see Keith Ellison being able to retain the statewide Senate seat if he gets it, and the same goes for Nolan. However, the latter is an old man, is facing a strong primary challenge from young, energetic, photogenic frmr FBI agent Phifer. He ought to just be happy to go out being honored with a Senate seat.
To put a button on this the only truth about my old pal Leeann Tweeden’s Al Franken story was the picture. The rest was created by KABC colleague & fellow Trump supporter John Phillips & his bud Roger Stone who coached Leeann for weeks to take Al down. Mission accomplished.
I’ve gone to bat for Leeann 100 times this last month hoping she’d at least reveal her whole truth too but she ghosted me. I know every single detail of this political manipulation. KABC should lose their license. Promoting a fraud is a federal offense & FCC violation.twitter.com/nealpeterson13…
I’m disappointed with my friend Leeann Tweedon. Her partner at KABC John Phillips is a Roger Stone pal & they coached her for weeks to bring Al Franken down. I’d hoped she’d use her voice to speak out for all women again predators like Roy Moore & Donald Trump but she’s a birther
RIP Christine Keeler – she provided many wild thoughts to a young girl.
There should be a few people, who are not in the WH, looking for attorneys now that the search for Russian influence has moved to money laundering. NYC and FL probably needs a few more criminal lawyers.
speaking of he who is alleged to be trump’s brain:
Bannon rails against Romney in Alabama speech: ‘You hid behind your religion’ to avoid Vietnam:
“Judge Roy Moore has more honor and integrity in that pinkie finger than your entire family has in its whole DNA,” Bannon said in his 30-minute speech at Oak Hollow Farm. “You hid behind your religion. You went to France to be a missionary while guys were dying in rice paddies in Vietnam. Do not talk to me about honor and integrity,” he said, referencing Romney’s Mormon faith.
yeah, mitt, burn spurs more ‘merican manly excuse.
Awaiting the morning glory here…the days are getting shorter and that means donnie is wandering the WH in his bathrobe again, eating meatloaf sandwiches…mel is getting her beauty sleep. barron is running the country.
When I first saw the words ‘trump’s brain?’ My stomach turned. I thought his head must be filled with rotting maggots — aren’t there any decent maggots in there to stop the craze inside his skull? Nope, the dope continues.
Al Franken, stay in the senate…you can grab my old butt anytime you feel the perv need…just stay and fight the junta! We have moore coming to town to bolster the trumpence junta and tax cuts for the entire cabinet.
One final thought, the white shadow prez looks even ‘whiter’ these days…scared like a ghost as ayers has been interviewed by the Moscow Muellers team.
donnie starts a few wars today to take the eyes off of junior. flynn got to save his ‘junior’ last week, but trump’s sons who like their father did not serve in the military are in trouble, especially junior. This past summer, trump knew while in France holding hands with the macrons that the Mueller team was targeting junior. Junior to testify before intelligence committee this week.
Government shut-down on Friday to stop the investigations.
trump preparing for war as pentagon evaluates west coast missile system. putie is at war with the IOC and trump will rage on the korean pennisula during the games. trump cares about legacy and revenge, expect retaliation on putie’s behalf. Our prez has been compromised and is being blackmailed, IMHO. We are in a dangerous time as ‘trump’s brain’ has been cornered and hopefully, Mueller will be able to place those tiny hands into handcuffs.
The pushback by trump surrogates has been heavy these past few days…whining about the Mueller investigation cost, getting the books, money, interviews done before trump is removed from office. The repugs are circling the wagons, but they can’t stop the hellbound train.
On this date in 1865 the 13th Amendment was ratified.
Venturing a guess that this event fell less than a hundred years before most of the contributors to this blog were born. Perspective.
Today is Finland’s 100th Birthday. It is Independence Day and the day we remember our family and Finn’s who fought to protect Finland. My great-grandmother was killed and many great-uncles wounded during the Winter War of 1939-1940 when the Soviet’s invaded Finland.https://twitter.com/FinnishWarPics/status/938375363444510722
https://twitter.com/FinnishWarPics/status/938375363444510722
https:https://twitter.com/FinnishWarPics/status/938375363444510722//twitter.com/FinnishWarPics/status/938375363444510722
sjwny, thanks for reminding us about the high point of the republican golden age. here’s history‘s account of their good work back then when the grand old party was grand:
The president and his fellow Republicans knew that the Emancipation Proclamation might be viewed as a temporary war measure and not outlaw slavery once the Civil War ended, so they focused on passing a constitutional amendment that would do so. The 13th Amendment was passed by the U.S. Senate (which was dominated by Republicans) on April 8, 1864. However, the amendment died in the U.S. House of Representatives as Democrats rallied in the name of states’ rights.
The presidential election of 1864 brought Lincoln back to the White Housealong withRepublican majorities in both legislative bodies. On January 31, 1865, the amendment passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 119 to 56, seven votes above the necessary two-thirds majority. Several Democrats abstained, but the 13th Amendment was sent to the states for ratification, which came on December 6, 1865. With the passage of the amendment, the “peculiar institution” that had indelibly shaped American history was eradicated.
Happy 100th Birthday, Finland !
BW: “Government shut-down on Friday to stop the investigations.”
had not thought about that angle BW — if that’s a consequence then Trump really would welcome a shutdown
so the enticing Deutsch Bank story we discussed yesterday is stuck in confirmation limbo with big media for the moment. Trump lawyer put out forceful denial, so CNN and others trying to confirm before running with it bigly. so far the bank itself is not confirming or denying. and of course Mueller’s office is stony silent.
“We have confirmed that the news reports that the Special Counsel had subpoenaed financial records relating to the president are false,” Sekulow told Reuters in a statement. “No subpoena has been issued or received. We have confirmed this with the bank and other sources.”
bb, for you, here’s the national song/hymn. imo much more interesting than the anthem maamme
Finlandia, Op. 26 is a symphonic poem by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius. The first version was written in 1899, and it was revised in 1900. The piece was composed for the Press Celebrations of 1899, a covert protest against increasing censorship from the Russian Empire, as the last of seven pieces, each performed as an accompaniment to a tableau depicting episodes from Finnish history. The premiere was on 2 July 1900 in Helsinki with the Helsinki Philharmonic Society conducted by Robert Kajanus. A typical performance takes anywhere from 7½ to 9 minutes. A recurrent joke within Finland at this time was the renaming of Finlandia at various musical concerts so as to avoid Russian censorship. Titles under which the piece masqueraded were numerous, a famously flippant example being Happy Feelings at the awakening of Finnish Spring.
[continues]
cool, Time “Person” of the Year: the Weinstein accusers
craig, according to this guardian story yesterday, the news came from a german paper:
Donald Trump’s banking information has formally been turned over to Robert Mueller, the special prosecutor who is investigating whether the president’s campaign conspired with the Kremlin during the 2016 presidential election.
Deutsche Bank, the German bank that serves as Trump’s biggest lender, was forced to submit documents about its client relationship with the president and some of his family members, who are also Deutsche clients, after Mueller issued the bank with a subpoena for information, according to media reports. The news was first reported by Handelsblatt, the German newspaper.
The revelation makes it clear that Mueller and his team are investigating the president’s finances. Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser, Jared Kushner, is also a client.
[…continues…]
too bad they didn’t include some of trump’s accusers in the photo…. who knows, maybe they did, subliminally.
speaking of Trump accusers, PatD, while i’ve got no problem with Gloria Allred in general, she is such a lightning rod for attacks from the right, and i’m concerned she’s mishandling the Apprentice woman’s case in court yesterday for motion to dismiss on her defamation suit. For starters I don’t get why it wasn’t brought in federal court. Allred is relying on Paula Jones Supreme Court ruling that a sitting president can be sued in civil court for actions before his presidency BUT that was a federal case and SCOTUS pointedly left open the question about whether their decision applies in state court — which, of course, the Trump lawyers harped on to the NY state judge yesterday
but PatD the anonymous sourcing for the story — “sources familiar with the matter” — is so tenuous for such a serious matter I don’t blame CNN et al for holding off until they can get more. If it’s true, something or someone will get on the record to give it legs. These days big media has to be wary of “fake news” traps, people feeding them bogus stories so they can then be discredited for making up stuff.
and now we’re up to 7: Another woman says Franken tried to forcibly kiss her
“Silence Breakers” includes Trump accusers, right?
Reports say that Deutsche Bank gave Kushner a huge loan right before the election, and, that Kushner rubbed elbows with Russian friends-of-Putin.
Comments urging Al to stay put & that he can sexually harass/assault you are not helpful to anyone, and, quite disrespectful of anyone who was harassed/assaulted. It’s not something to be made light of. Sermon over.
Craig
On Allred, it might be for the same reason the NYDA is filing charges against various Trump entities in NY. Trump can pardon on a federal level in most cases, but can’t pardon on a state level.
I still don’t get how Schumer has gotten away with saying nothing about Franken, at least I haven’t found it
back in February, the guardian had a lengthy story on trumps & deutsche bank. here are excerpts:
After Trump’s victory in the US election in November the bank “double-checked” its records, the source said. The bank has also fielded numerous media inquiries about recent Trump loans, which were viewed as unorthodox among some bankers familiar with the transactions.
According to an analysis by Bloomberg, Trump now owes Deutsche around $300m. He has four large mortgages, all issued by Deutsche’s private bank. The loans are guaranteed against the president’s properties: a new deluxe hotel in Washington DC’s old Post Office building, just round the corner from the White House; his Chicago tower hotel; and the Trump National Doral Miami resort.
[…]
Deutsche’s client relationship with Kushner was made public in a 2013 article in the New York Observer, which Kushner owned. Ivanka Trump, who formerly served as an executive in Trump’s real estate business, is also a client of Deutsche. She now works as an unofficial adviser in the White House.
Kushner’s mother, Seryl Stadtmauer, is also a client, according to a person familiar with the matter.
[….]
Sources in the banking world have expressed astonishment that Deutsche would continue lending to Trump in the wake of his $3bn 2008 lawsuit. Asked whether this was normal practice, one former Deutsche Bank employee, who worked for the bank in New York, said: “Are you kidding me?”
Another former CEO of a rival investment bank, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The idea that a bank would walk away from an enforcement lawsuit on a defaulted loan with a litigious borrower because they hired a banking team is preposterous.”
craig, what more can he say than this which was reported last month?
the hill: Schumer calls for ethics investigation after Franken allegations
Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer(D-N.Y.) on Thursday called for an ethics investigation after a woman accused Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) of kissing and groping her without her consent in 2006.
“Sexual harassment is never acceptable and must not be tolerated,” Schumer said in a statement.
“I hope and expect that the Ethics Committee will fully investigate this troubling incident, as they should with any credible allegation of sexual harassment,” he said.
Schumer joins calls from several others — including Franken himself — who are calling for an ethics investigation into the allegations
this old carly tune may be trump’s new theme song
Let the river run
Let all the dreamers
Wake the nation
Come, the New Jerusalem
????? wisdom????? what’s that?
usatoday:
Pope Francis calls for ‘wisdom’ ahead of Trump’s Jerusalem speech
that’s OK as generic CYA statements go, Pat, but think he should be asked what McConnell and Pelosi had to answer: Do you believe the women? Also, where is the ethics investigation? Committee hasn’t publicly said whether it’s begun, even though Mitch, Chuck and Al have called for it.
maybe they’re waiting for roy and do a double header. there also could be a long line ahead of al’s since it’s very unlikely he is the only groper (alleged that is) in that august body. fact is, probably hard to find more than a dozen who have never “asserted” their manly hood toward unwanting staffers.
I really don’t like Gillibrand and McCaskill coming out en mass against Franken unless they have personal info on anything in the last decade. They should certainly demand the ethics investigation should go forward. As a matter of practicality, go after all the marital cheaters. We can use the seats when half of congress is thrown out.
I wonder if this has been done in Franken’s case? From Senate rules: “Whenever the Committee receives a complaint, allegation, or information from virtually any source suggesting that a Senator or staffer may have violated rules within the Committee’s jurisdiction, the Committee will initiate a preliminary inquiry.”
In other words Schumer could do a lot more than “call” for an investigation, that has no legal significance. He could file or have someone file a complaint.
If Roy Moore wins and Senate expels him couldn’t he just run again?
Loved this one from Twitter:
There is a God and she is very unhappy:
NBC news in LA is reporting that the wildfires are now burning down Rupert Murdoch’s house.
Dallas County Sherrif, Lupe Valdez, is running as a Dem candidate for Gov.
Schumer won’t CALL for an investigation. Why bother when the Democrats are willing to do his dirty work for him by tossing one of the strongest liberal voices in the Senate.
Oh, here we go. Donny’s Jerusalem presser/last-ditch effort to blow up the world of it will deflect negative attention from him.
Pence looks like he’s awaiting the Second Coming any minute.
People originating complaints and/or allegations must be willing to publicly identify themselves, absent substantiated threats of physical retribution, so that the community can evaluate the relative credibility of the principals.
Victims of sexual predators in this new era must not allow themselves to withdraw in humiliation or shame, but to fight like hell in the venues that are available to them. Let’s discuss what these venues are and which are appropriate for punishment of the assholes among us.
So, the day Time comes out with its special issue, Trump decides to make the Jerusalem announcement. Think he would’ve done that if he’d been Cheeto-of-the-Year?
Ha! Trump calling for the “voices of tolerance.”
The move and construction of a new embassy in Jerusalem sounds expensive…I know, Mexico will pay for it.
And those who can not speak out because their livelihoods depend on their hostile workplace? Not everyone has the means or support to speak out. But those who can speak out, those who have a large social platform, that may create enough change to shut down many workplace predators.
I remember when I was maybe six-y.o. the lady next door received a traffic ticket. My mom mentioned that she probably had a “blemish” on her license. A couple of days later the lady saw me examining her vehicle tags. When she asked me what I was doing, being perfectly honest, I told her I was looking for the blemishes that my mom said she might have.
From trump’s twitter about Time —
Time Magazine called to say that I was PROBABLY going to be named “Man (Person) of the Year,” like last year, but I would have to agree to an interview and a major photo shoot. I said probably is no good and took a pass. Thanks anyway!
(sorry could not take his twitter photo)
Speculation on twitter that trump suffered a mini-stroke at the end of his speech —
twitter
from 2015, VP and former Senator Joe Biden gets a bit too close —
From NPR
Jamie, I hear ya and empathize re: Franken. But his goose is cooked and Schumer, as in Pelosi re: Conyers, is going to have to come to grips with it or fuel hypocrisy charges against Democrats. It might already be too late for that but better late than never. I’ve argued from day one Franken and Conyers are not worth sacrificing the high ground for supporting Trump/Moore accusers. Suburban women who could swing Congress to Democrats are so very much in play over this issue.
From twitter —
What’s gonna happen: 1. Franken will resign. 2. Conyers will retire. 3. Trump will stay. 4. Roy Moore will win. 5. Republicans will deem Democrats the party of sexual abusers. 6. Cultural discussion around sexism will stagnate & only to be used as a cudgel to force out Dems.
Dems loose more seats in 2018 and the repugs will never impeach trump while this sexual awakening goes back to sleep.
This does not excuse creeps, molesters, etc. It should make us more nuanced to the degrees of sexual predation, assault and crime. All children should be children off-limits to adults. Consenting adults are a different issues…and if Franken did grab my old ass? I would speak-up and make it known at the time. I have experienced assault, but I went for a cheap laugh…clinging to my humor and science. I think Franken is creepy, you tube is filled with vids of his old comedy with him grabbing his own junk…the right has hated him for his book on O’Reilly. The outing of sessions. So, I hate to lose him, but he is one of many sitting in Congress who need an ethics review. A child molester? A different story.
Meanwhile, the regression-du-jour continues while we get stuck in this Chinese finger trap.
I disagree BW. I think we learned in Virginia that pivotal white college educated voters, especially women in the suburbs, are ready to vote for Democrats. Zero tolerance on this subject will get their attention. Especially if they see a bigot like Moore in the Senate, and continue to be repulsed by Trump’s lunacy. This is a rare case of principles are pragmatic.
I hope you are correct, Craig and I hope we have the luxury of time to wait for the repugs to be routed-out. The numbers just seem so bad for the dems in a gerrymandered world. Will we want any of the land left on the moral high ground? What if putie changes votes again? So, many ways to lose.
BW, even in latest WAPO poll of Alabama 58% of college educated white women are against Moore (interestingly, that’s the same number for that demo that voted Democrat in Virginia gov race). This is a trend.
On the subject of Trump’s brain …
I’ve been reading a lot this morning about Democrats taking the “moral high ground.” Where is that? Arthur’s Seat in Edinburgh? Where do we find the current GOP slime trail? Funny thing about high roads and low roads (cue Jamie) but in Scots lore, a Scot who dies away from the homeland takes the low road, or spiritual road, home (ghosts, I guess). The living are on the high road. What that tells me is that the GOP are brain-dead zombies who are going to eat the Democrats’ lunch (and brains) unless we vote them out to ensure a 2019 Trump impeachment (if he hasn’t imploded from mass quantities of junk food by then).
Democrats abandoning Franken, MSNBC tossing Sam Seder and Majority Report, the MET even entertaining jettisoning a Balthus? All while we have an egomaniacal Russian-mob guy who swallows TicTacs as prez? And his party isn’t calling for his resignation? They’re hoping for an Alabama judge who’s been judged not too great a judge not once but twice? (Not to mention that other thing.) We may well be on a Macbethy highway to hell.
Franken outright denied this latest allegation. That’s a first. I guess this Franken scandal will go down as a mystery until someone takes responsibility for it. I’m more than a trifle disgusted with about two dozen Democratic U.S. Senators today. And I’m positive that number will grow.
Anyway, when people aim their pitchforks at art, I get antsy: https://news.artnet.com/art-world/met-museum-responds-to-petition-calling-for-removal-of-balthus-painting-1169105
excerpt from nbcnews Whistleblower: Flynn told ex-partner Russia sanctions would be dumped
“Our Committee has credible allegations that President Trump’s National Security Advisor sought to manipulate the course of international nuclear policy for the financial gain of his former business partners,” Rep. Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) writes in a letter sent Wednesday to Committee Chairman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.).
The whistleblower first approached staff on the Oversight Committee in June just after Newsweek published an account of Flynn’s role in pursuing a joint U.S.-Russian plan to build nuclear power plants throughout the Arab world, to be financed by Saudi Arabia, according to the letter.
Copson did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Flynn’s attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Cummings writes that he is bringing forward his request now because Special Counsel Robert Mueller had asked him to delay acting on the information “until they completed certain investigative steps.”
But, according to Cummings, Mueller’s directive was dropped after Friday, when Flynn entered into a cooperation agreement with Mueller’s team by pleading guilty to lying to the FBI about his conversations with Russian ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak during the presidential transition. One of those conversations between Flynn and the then-Russian ambassador was about U.S. sanctions the Obama administration imposed on Russia in response for Moscow’s interference in the presidential election.
[….continues…]
Given Schumer’s silence today on Franken guess he’s now Minority Follower. His “leadership” seriously in question.
craig, I agree with the tweeter called “the resistance” that bw reposted for us which I again repost for emphasis:
What’s gonna happen: 1. Franken will resign. 2. Conyers will retire. 3. Trump will stay. 4. Roy Moore will win. 5. Republicans will deem Democrats the party of sexual abusers. 6. Cultural discussion around sexism will stagnate & only to be used as a cudgel to force out Dems.
that’s exactly what’s gonna happen, is happening right now…. divide and conquer
For the history buffs: Napoleon was the best general ever and the math proves it.
Patd
Yep. The Dem women got stampeded into an unnecessary bandwagon for the witch hunt instead of waiting for the Ethics Hearing. I guess now they will go against any woman ever appearing in a fund raising photo op session because they might have to throw someone else out on his ear.
nope, Pat. Thanks to the leadership of Democrat women in the Senate the party is getting well positioned to attract suburban voters who can deliver Congress in 2018. Zero tolerance.
Mr. DD
A whole lot of Democratic women are saying on Twitter some very nasty things about Democratic women behaving stupidly. At least I’m not alone in really hating brainless stampedes.
And for those worried about losing Franken, the Minnesota Governor who will appoint his successor is a lib Democrat. No one is indispensable when your party can replace you.
I heartily welcome anyone to write a post for tomorrow contrary to my obvious point of view on this. Otherwise I will probably write one you really won’t like.
It’s close of business and still nothing from Schumer on the overwhelming revolt of his caucus against Franken. Pitiful.
craig, if you were he, wouldn’t you want to fulfill your term, perform as best you can your responsibilities and perhaps announcing to step down forthwith/retire immediately or promise not to run again depending on the ethics committee findings.
also, there could be a problem about timing, special elections, sufficient funding for the appointed replacement (pig in a poke) to run against norm coleman type again.
Apparently Schumer doesn’t believe in Zero Tolerance, just Zero Comment.
well, trump’s done it again. while rome burns he plays his tweet fiddle. dangles distractions….. and the dems play in to his little hands.
PatD, thankfully I can’t imagine what a misogynist, sexual pig would want when most of your party colleagues want you out.
If Al did it, he gets same as the rest
so now it’s roy Moore and the pres
“Sexual harassment is never acceptable and must not be tolerated,” Schumer said in a statement.
“I hope and expect that the Ethics Committee will fully investigate this troubling incident, as they should with any credible allegation of sexual harassment,” he said.
I just do not get how Democrats doing the right thing plays into Trump’s hands. Precisely the opposite.
month-old empty rhetoric not leadership, Pat
FINALLY..Schumer adds to calls for Franken resignation https://t.co/A3LuPQjuUU
Craig, how pervasive was sexual misconduct towards the pages during your term of service? If it was as bad as I think it may have been, did you discuss it with Pres Carter when you joined his team?
nary a whiff of that in my experience, Flatus, and I was in the first class that included female pages. The ugly stuff surfaced after my time, and was in the House, I was in the Senate, where our interactions with members where much more formal.
Ah, that’s a relief
I was so disheartened the program had to be abolished in the House, as it was such a positive and life-changing experience for me and others I knew there. It remains intact in the Senate but my understanding is that it has become more of a patronage system for the children of donors instead of the merit-based appointments when I was there.
ah Flatus, now you’ve got me remembering page experiences, I have so many. Like when I overheard Strom Thurmond and Sen. Case of New Jersey at their desks when an Alaska senator few liked (forget his name) was typically bloviating in a lengthy floor speech. Thurmond: “How did we get Alaska?” Case: “From the Russians, I think.” Thurmond: “Reckon they’d want it back?”
Flatus, another Thurmond story for you: After he and Ted Kennedy had been fiercly ripping into each other about something in a Senate floor debate, Kennedy strode over as they were walking out, threw his arm around him and said, “Come on Strom, let’s go trade some judges.”
Democrat Franken to resign from U.S. Senate
“I consider Senator Franken a dear friend and greatly respect his accomplishments, but he has a higher obligation to his constituents and the Senate, and he should step down immediately,” Schumer said in a statement.
there, craig, you happy now? who’s next?
No I’m not happy Pat, because this should have happened back when there was still a chance for Democrats to unequivocally own the high ground on zero tolerance. But at least there’s still some chance of a contrast against Republicans siding with sexual predators and show 2018 women voters who is really on their side.
Winning Congress is more important than saving Franken, especially considering that a Democrat governor will replace him.
Yes, if only Franken were a Repug…he’d be safe as kittens.
It is too bad about Al. Do you think the gov would appoint Keith Ellison?
Keith could do, KGC
Testing Testing
Thanks Jamie for letting me know about the glitch. Our server IT folks got it fixed (I hope)
1 If Governor Dayton selects Rep Rick Nolan to replace Al, he can pick Leah Phifer to fill Nolan’s seat. 2 Former Mpls Mayor R.T. Ryback has paid his dues, and is very popular with every constituency in the Party. 3 Perhaps Lt Gov Tina Smith would like the job (somehow I doubt it). Everyone likes her. 4 AG Lori Swanson would be great : young-ish, smart, energetic, unafraid of corporations, photogenic, Scandinavian, from a lower middle class family, and she sides with the unpretentious classes.
I don’t see Keith Ellison being able to retain the statewide Senate seat if he gets it, and the same goes for Nolan. However, the latter is an old man, is facing a strong primary challenge from young, energetic, photogenic frmr FBI agent Phifer. He ought to just be happy to go out being honored with a Senate seat.
To put a button on this the only truth about my old pal Leeann Tweeden’s Al Franken story was the picture. The rest was created by KABC colleague & fellow Trump supporter John Phillips & his bud Roger Stone who coached Leeann for weeks to take Al down. Mission accomplished.
View details ·
Tom Arnold
@TomArnold
4h
I’ve gone to bat for Leeann 100 times this last month hoping she’d at least reveal her whole truth too but she ghosted me. I know every single detail of this political manipulation. KABC should lose their license. Promoting a fraud is a federal offense & FCC violation.twitter.com/nealpeterson13…
View details ·
I’m disappointed with my friend Leeann Tweedon. Her partner at KABC John Phillips is a Roger Stone pal & they coached her for weeks to bring Al Franken down. I’d hoped she’d use her voice to speak out for all women again predators like Roy Moore & Donald Trump but she’s a birther
—–Tom Arnold
A day that will live in infamy.
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