;)
September 14, 2022
Afternoon Update:
Christina Anderson & Isabella Kwai of the New York Times: "Sweden's right-wing parties combined to win a remarkable, if slim, election victory on Wednesday, buoyed by surging support for a far-right nationalist party, the Sweden Democrats, an electoral convulsion expected to shake national politics and likely end eight years of rule by the center-left. With over 99 percent of ballots counted, the Swedish Election Authority reported that the right-wing bloc had won 176 of the 349 seats in Parliament. The Swedish Social Democratic Party, the main party in the current governing coalition, grabbed the highest percentage votes as an individual party, but together with its allies, had secured 173 seats in Parliament, not enough to stay in power.... The new government is expected to be led by Ulf Kristersson, head of the Moderates, who would become prime minister in a minority administration."
Kylie Atlwood of CNN: "President Joe Biden plans to nominate Lynne Tracy, a career diplomat currently serving in Armenia, as the next US ambassador to Russia, according to three sources familiar with the matter. Tracy, who speaks Russian and was the No. 2 diplomat in Moscow from 2014 to 2017, would be the first female to serve in the role. She has been ambassador to Armenia since 2019."
Cindy Boren of the Washington Post: "Former Mississippi governor Phil Bryant helped Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre obtain welfare funds to help build a volleyball center at the University of Southern Mississippi, according to an investigative report by Mississippi Today.... The texts allegedly show Favre, New and Bryant conferring on how to divert at least $5 million for a volleyball stadium at Southern Miss, where Favre played college football and his daughter played volleyball at the time some texts were sent."
Katie Benner, et al., of the New York Times: John "Durham appears to be winding down his three-year inquiry without anything close to the [explosive] results [Donald] Trump was seeking. The grand jury that Mr. Durham has recently used to hear evidence has expired, and while he could convene another, there are currently no plans to do so, three people familiar with the matter said.... Over the course of his inquiry, Mr. Durham has developed cases against two people accused of lying to the F.B.I..., but he has not charged any conspiracy or put any high-level officials on trial.... After Mr. Durham's team completes its report [on the inquiry], it will be up to Attorney General Merrick B. Garland to decide whether to make its findings public.... Mr. Durham and his team used a grand jury in Washington to indict Michael Sussmann, a prominent cybersecurity lawyer with ties to Hillary Clinton's campaign.... Mr. Sussmann was acquitted.... A grand jury based in the Eastern District of Virginia last year indicted a Russia analyst who had worked with Christopher Steele.... The analyst, Igor Danchenko, who is accused of lying to federal investigators, goes on trial next month.... In the third case, Mr. Durham's team negotiated a plea deal with an F.B.I. lawyer..., [which] resulted in no prison time." See today's Comments below.
Massachusetts. McKenna Oxenden of the New York Times: "A package exploded inside a campus building at Northeastern University on Tuesday night, injuring an employee and spreading fear among Boston's many college campuses, the police said. Officers were called just after 7:15 p.m. to Holmes Hall at 39 Leon Street, which houses the writing center on the private university's campus, for a suspicious package that had detonated, the authorities said. A further search revealed a second package, which was rendered safe by the Boston Police Department's bomb squad." ~~~
~~~ Update. Local Boston TV news is reporting that the bomb may have been a hoax, perpetrated by the person who was injured.
New Hampshire Senate Race. Colby Itkowitz & DaveWeigel of the Washington Post: "Republican primary voters nominated Don Bolduc for the U.S. Senate in New Hampshire, selecting a far-right candidate over an establishment-backed rival to challenge Democratic Sen. Maggie Hassan in a key midterm battleground. Bolduc has echoed Donald Trump's false claims that the former president won the 2020 election; he has voiced openness to abolishing the FBI; and he has accused party leaders of 'rigging' a 2020 primary that he narrowly lost. The retired U.S. Army brigadier general defeated state Senate President Chuck Morse -- an outcome that was a blow to Gov. Chris Sununu (R) and an outside group with ties to Senate Republican leadership, which sought to elevate the state Senate president."
~~~~~~~~~~
Zach Montague of the New York Times: "On Tuesday evening, President Biden voted. The process involved a hasty announcement to the press, multiple motorcades and two jet flights. In a last-minute move that demonstrated how the presidency complicates even the most mundane of tasks, Mr. Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, flew home from the White House to Wilmington, Del., arriving at the polls less than an hour before voting in the state's primary contests ended at 8 p.m. About an hour after they landed, they climbed back aboard Air Force One and jetted back to Washington. The trip had not been on the president's publicly released schedule.... The one contested primary for a statewide office in Delaware on Tuesday was for state auditor -- a race in which Lydia York, a lawyer, defeated Kathleen K. McGuiness, the scandal-plagued incumbent." The AP's report is here.
Bret Stephens of the New York Times: "... the staggering gains Ukrainian forces have made against Russia are a victory for Joe Biden, too." MB: You could knock me over with a feather, Bret.
If we take back the House and Senate, I can assure you that we'll have a vote on our bill. -- Lindsey Graham on his proposed abortion-ban bill, Tuesday ~~~
~~~ Amy Wang & Caroline Kitchener of the Washington Post: "Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-S.C.) on Tuesday introduced a bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks of pregnancy nationwide, the most prominent effort by Republicans to restrict the procedure since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in June.... The White House criticized the bill, saying it is 'wildly out of step with what Americans believe.'... House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) called the bill the 'latest, clearest signal of extreme MAGA Republicans' intent to criminalize women's health freedom in all 50 states and arrest doctors for providing basic care.'... The timing of Graham's announcement is curious -- two months before the midterm elections, after abortion has already shown to be a galvanizing issue for some Democratic voters." Politico's report is here. MB: Maybe Lindsey wants to help Democrats win the midterms, which is very bipartisan of him. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update. Thanks, Lindsey! Christopher Cadelago & Jonathan Lemire of Politico: "So obvious was the apparent ill-timing of the bill's introduction that one White House aide said a Republican lobbyist friend joked that Graham appeared to be working for the Biden administration.... 'Dems might need to send gift baskets and champagne to Graham and other Republicans for their selfless act of service today,' another Democratic official told Politico.... There was widespread anticipation that the Graham bill would quickly find its way into Democratic fundraising solicitations.... The immediate response to Graham's legislation, which would not just establish a ban on abortion after 15 weeks of pregnancy but also allow states to keep and pass more restrictive laws, was a microcosm of the way abortion politics has wholly upended the midterm sprint." ~~~
~~~ Lisa Lerer & Elizabeth Dias of the New York Times: "... when Senator Lindsey Graham came ahead on Tuesday with a proposed 15-week national abortion ban intended to unite his party, the result was only more division. Mr. Graham's Senate allies swiftly distanced themselves from the plan, reflecting a lack of consensus in the party, as well as deep resistance to being drawn into any debates over abortion while economic issues hold more sway with swing voters. The rapid rejection of Mr. Graham's gambit was the latest misfire in the party's struggle to unite behind a clear strategy on an issue that has reshaped campaigns across the country. Despite decades of Republican efforts to overturn Roe v. Wade, when the Supreme Court ultimately took that step in June, the G.O.P. was caught flat-footed, with no unified national abortion strategy ready to put into place.... When pressed on the details of Mr. Graham's bill, [minority leader Mitch] McConnell sought to distance himself, saying, 'You'll have to ask him about it.'... [Sen. McConnell] told reporters on Tuesday that he thought the issue should be left up to the states and that most members of his conference agreed."
Kate Kelly, et al., of the New York Times: Ninety-seven "current senators or representatives ... reported trades by themselves or immediate family members in stocks or other financial assets that intersected with the work of committees on which they serve, according to an extensive analysis of trades from the years 2019 to 2021 by The New York Times. The potential for conflicts in stock trading by members of Congress -- and their choice so far not to impose stricter limits on themselves -- has long drawn criticism, especially when particularly blatant cases emerge. But the Times analysis demonstrates the scale of the issue: Over the three-year period, more than 3,700 trades reported by lawmakers from both parties posed potential conflicts between their public responsibilities and private finances.... Both the House and the Senate have been trying to develop legislation to tighten the rules, but whether a bill will be passed by both chambers and make it to President Biden's desk this year remains in doubt, despite rare bipartisan support." (Also linked yesterday.)
Tierney Sneed, et al., of CNN: "Justice Department criminal prosecutors are now examining nearly every aspect of ... Donald Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election -- including the fraudulent electors plot, efforts to push baseless election fraud claims and how money flowed to support these various efforts -- according to sources and copies of new subpoenas obtained by CNN. The investigation is also stretching into cogs of the sprawling Trump legal machine that boosted his efforts to challenge his electoral loss -- with many of the recipients of 30-plus subpoenas that were issued in recent days being asked to turn over communications with several Trump attorneys.... The Justice Department previously obtained grand jury testimony, conducted searches and nabbed extensive documents about rally organization and fundraising, about efforts in and around the White House to pressure then-Vice President Mike Pence to block certification of the election results, and about the fake electors. This new round of subpoenas drills down with more specific requests about the baseless claims of mass election fraud that were being peddled to legislators, law enforcement and others." ~~~
~~~ Katie Benner & Adam Goldman of the New York Times: "From outside the walls of the Justice Department, the sprawling investigation into efforts to reverse the outcome of the 2020 election seems only to be accelerating, with prosecutors last week subpoenaing about 40 associates of ... Donald J. Trump and seizing phones from at least two of his aides. But that flurry of activity should not be mistaken for a signal that Mr. Trump will imminently be prosecuted for his attempts to remain in office or the impact that those actions had on the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, according to two people familiar with the investigation. They noted that prosecutors are still going through evidence and are far from determining whether any charges could be brought against the former president.... The department could consider potential charges against Mr. Trump much sooner in the documents case than in the Jan. 6 investigation, the people familiar with the inquiries said." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I see no reason why investigation of Trump, other high-level schemers & organizers of efforts to overturn the election results was not started at least a year ago. It's as if the DOJ brass never read the newspapers, had no idea what-all was going on & finally got a vague clue from watching the January 6 special committee hearings. The "bottom-up" theory of investigative techniques is not an excuse. With a few exceptions, the dopes who stormed the Capitol had no idea of the general plot orchestrated by Trump & Co., and therefore could not reveal it or flip during their interrogations.
Kelly Weill & Zachary Petrizzo of the Independent, republished by Yahoo! News: "MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell told The Daily Beast on Tuesday night that the FBI seized his cellphone while he was at a Hardee's restaurant. Lindell also posted on social media a grand jury subpoena from a federal prosecutor in Colorado and what appears to be a search warrant. 'They took my phone,' Lindell told The Daily Beast on Tuesday evening via phone. 'The FBI did!'... Lindell also expounded on his legal situation in a Tuesday night video. 'The FBI came after me and took my phone,' he said on Facebook. 'They surrounded me in a Hardee's and took my phone that I run all my business, everything with. What they've done is weaponize -- the FBI, it's disgusting. I don't have a computer. Everything I do [is] off that phone. Everything was on there. And they told me not to tell anybody. Here's an order: "Don't tell anybody!" "OK, I won't!" Well, I am.'" ~~~
~~~ Charles Homans, et al., of the New York Times: "Mike Lindell, a prominent promoter of 2020 election misinformation, was served with a search warrant, and his cellphone was seized, by F.B.I. agents who questioned him about his ties to a Colorado county clerk who is accused of tampering with voting machines, Mr. Lindell said. Tina Peters, the county clerk in Mesa County, Colo., is under indictment on state charges related to a scheme to download data from election equipment after the 2020 presidential contest. Ms. Peters has pleaded not guilty to the charges.... It is not clear if Mr. Lindell is a target of the investigation.... A letter handed to Mr. Lindell by the F.B.I. asked that he not tell anyone about the investigation, but he displayed a copy of the letter and the search warrant on his online TV show Tuesday evening, reading portions of it aloud." According to Lindell, FBI agents surrounded him in several vehicles at the drive-through windows at a Hardee's in Mankato, Minnesota, as Lindell was returning from a duck-hunting trip to Iowa.
Luke Broadwater of the New York Times: "The National Archives has informed congressional aides that it is still unsure whether ... Donald J. Trump has surrendered all of the presidential records he removed from the White House as required, even after months of negotiations, a subpoena and a search of his Florida property, Mar-a-Lago, according to the House Oversight Committee. The archives staff 'recently informed the committee that the agency is not certain whether all presidential records are in its custody,' Representative Carolyn B. Maloney, Democrat of New York and the chairwoman of the committee, wrote in a letter on Tuesday to Debra Steidel Wall, the acting national archivist.... In her letter, Ms. Maloney requested a formal assessment from the archives of what presidential records, if any, removed from the White House by Mr. Trump remain unaccounted for and whether the archives believes they are potentially still in his possession." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: I know he hasn't returned them all, because I saw his staff moving the papers around this past Sunday. (Okay, a slight exaggeration.) See note attached to Independent story linked yesterday.
Rachel Weiner & Spencer Hsu of the Washington Post: "Four men were convicted Tuesday of assaulting or impeding police officers in some of the most violent attacks in the Jan. 6, 2021, siege at the U.S. Capitol, including a case in which one D.C. officer was pinned to a door and another in which an officer was dragged down steps and beaten with poles and sticks. Three of the men were convicted at a bench trial in front of U.S. District Judge Trevor N. McFadden but had other counts against them dropped, making McFadden the first federal judge in Washington to acquit members of the mob of felony charges. He found that while all three battled police, only one was clearly intending to obstruct Congress as it met to confirm President Biden's election victory. In a separate case, a fourth man pleaded guilty to assault.... The judge ... directed blame at political leaders as well as the rioters, opining that the trial showed 'the chaos and violence that can occur when senior government leaders fail to support law enforcement officers,' and suggesting that police should have been more aggressive and had more support on Jan. 6." MB: McFadden is a Trump appointee.
Peter Baker of the New York Times: "Ken Starr, the independent counsel whose investigation uncovered a White House sex scandal that riveted the nation and led to President Bill Clinton's impeachment for lying under oath and obstructing justice, died on Tuesday at a hospital in Houston. He was 76." The AP's Starr obituary is here.
Beyond the Beltway
Iowa. Is This Justice??? Margery Beck of the AP: "A teenage human trafficking victim who was initially charged with first-degree murder after she stabbed her accused rapist to death was sentenced Tuesday in an Iowa court to five years of closely supervised probation and ordered to pay $150,000 restitution to the man's family." The story leaves the details somewhat hazy, but the girl claimed the man she stabbed to death had raped her several times. Prosecutors argued that killing the man meant "leaving his kids without a father." Well, yes.
New Hampshire & Delaware. The New York Times' live updates of primary election results in these states are here.
New York. Luis Ferré-Sadurní of the New York Times: "Former Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo filed a lengthy state ethics complaint on Tuesday against Letitia James, the New York State attorney general, accusing her of deliberately mishandling the investigation that found he sexually harassed multiple former and current government employees. Mr. Cuomo, who resigned in August 2021 shortly after Ms. James unveiled the investigation's findings, filed the complaint with a committee in the state's court system tasked with disciplining lawyers found to have violated professional conduct rules. The committee could dismiss the complaint because of insufficient evidence, move to investigate the charges or even initiate disciplinary proceedings. Disciplinary actions could range from a confidential or public letter of admonishment to censure, disbarment or suspension from practicing law." (Also linked yesterday.)
New York Election Fraud. Grace Ashford of the New York Times: "A Rensselaer County elections official was arraigned on Tuesday, accused by federal authorities of fraudulently obtaining absentee ballots last year, using personal information of voters without their consent. The indictment of Jason Schofield, a Republican elections commissioner, emerged from a lengthy federal inquiry into potential ballot fraud across Rensselaer County, just east of Albany. The indictment accused Mr. Schofield or an employee acting at his direction of using an online portal to apply for absentee ballots on behalf of at least eight people in 2021, when county elections were being held for Rensselaer county executive, clerk and legislature, as well as for the mayor of the City of Rensselaer and the Troy City Council. The charging papers contain details on four of those absentee ballots prosecutors say Mr. Schofield obtained. Mr. Schofield did not 'ask or permit' the voters to weigh in, other than to have them sign the back of the ballots -- which would have allowed him to fill them out himself. The ballots were then delivered back to the Rensselaer County Board of Elections for processing." Schofield's alleged fraudulent activities came to light when he allegedly helped another Republican, a former Troy city councilwoman, cast three absentee ballots in other people's names.
West Virginia. Katie Shepherd of the Washington Post: "The West Virginia legislature Tuesday passed a bill to prohibit nearly all abortions, making it the second state to pass a new ban since the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade in June. The state Senate passed the bill 22-7, after a brief debate Tuesday. The state House concurred and passed the bill in a 78-17 vote. The ban will take effect 90 days after passage.... Abortion had been legal up to 20 weeks in West Virginia since July, when a state judge blocked a pre-Roe ban that dated back to the 19th century.... The bill they passed, which now goes to Republican Gov. Jim Justice's desk, bars abortion from implantation with narrow exceptions to save the pregnant person's life or in cases of rape or incest, so long as the victim reports the crime. Justice has indicated that he will sign a bill tightening state restrictions on abortion."
Way Beyond
Russia. Missy Ryan of the Washington Post: "Russia has secretly funneled at least $300 million to foreign political parties and candidates in more than two dozen countries since 2014 in an attempt to shape political events beyond its borders, according to a new U.S. intelligence review. Moscow planned to spend hundreds of millions of dollars more as part of its covert campaign to weaken democratic systems and promote global political forces seen as aligned with Kremlin interests, according to the review, which the Biden administration commissioned this summer. A senior U.S. official ... said the administration decided to declassify some of the review's findings in an attempt to counter Russia's ability to sway political systems in countries in Europe, Africa and elsewhere." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I'll bet the still-secret part of the report implicates Trump & Co..
Ukraine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Wednesday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates for Wednesday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live briefings for Wednesday are here: "The European Union will push ahead with emergency measures to tackle the energy crisis, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said during the annual State of the European Union address Wednesday -- where Ukraine's first lady Olena Zelenska was a guest of honor.... Ukraine has made 'significant progress' in the war, according to President Biden but he cautioned, 'I think it's going to be a long haul.'... Around 8,000 square kilometers (over 3,000 square miles) of land has been 'liberated' in northeast Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a nightly address -- nearly the size of Puerto Rico. He added that 'collaborators' were being detained and security restored in the areas."
United Kingdom
The New York Times' live updates of developments Wednesday in events following Queen Elizabeth's death are here. The Guardian's live updates for Wednesday are here.
Megan Specia of the New York Times: "King Charles III continued his tour of the nations of the United Kingdom on Tuesday with a visit to Northern Ireland before a planned return to London in the evening to meet Queen Elizabeth's coffin at Buckingham Palace alongside other members of the royal family." (Also linked yesterday.)
"You're Fired!" Pippa Crerar & Caroline Davies of the Guardian: "Dozens of Clarence House staff have been given notice of their redundancy as the offices of King Charles and the Queen Consort move to Buckingham Palace after the death of the Queen, the Guardian has learned. Up to 100 employees at the King's former official residence, including some who have worked there for decades, received notification that they could lose their jobs just as they were working round the clock to smooth his elevation to the throne. Private secretaries, the finance office, the communications team and household staff are among those who received notice during the thanksgiving service for the Queen, at St Giles' Cathedral in Edinburgh on Monday, that their posts were on the line." (Also linked yesterday.)
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Reader Comments (13)
Kids these days!
Aunt Pittypat must be very proud of himself. But the other kids in his sandbox are not happy. Why, just a couple of months ago they were all “Yeah! No abortions for those sluts!”’ But now? Hmmm…Even that nice JD Vance has changed his mind about having abortion providers shot on sight. He’s even willing to allow abortion if the mother’s life is in danger. But it has to be real danger, like death’s doorstep danger, not just “I can’t breathe!” phony danger.
But back to Aunt Pittypat. You see what kind of trouble children can get into when they don’t have Daddy Trump around to tell them what to think and what to do.
And where was daddy? Off meeting with his capos, mafia style. The picture of Don Fatteone with his gangster pals reminds me of that line from Hitchcock’s “North by Northwest”. Just before a plane turns toward Cary Grant to fire machine guns, a local farmer boarding a bus says “That’s funny. That plane’s dusting crops where there ain’t no crops”.
Those guys are playing golf but they ain’t got clubs.
Remember all those meetings Tony Soprano would arrange with his mafia pals on golf courses where they couldn’t be overheard? Of course Tony was smart enough to bring clubs. Not Trump.
And meanwhile, Aunt Pittypat is home alone playing with matches.
Kids today.
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-golf-course-today-b2165864.html?amp
Looks like the Pillow Guy might be in for some sleepless nights. If the FBI grabbed his phone it’s because they had a warrant, which means they had to go before a judge with evidence of a crime. Oops! No weird-ass pillow gonna fix that, PG.
Of course, the FBI must have seen a real judge. Trumpy judges are doing what they were put in place to do:
“…the first federal judge in Washington to acquit members of the mob of felony charges.”
Any time you read “…appointed by Trump”, you know that not only will justice not prevail, it won’t be found with a Geiger counter.
Moment of silence, please, for Ken Starr.
Okay, that’s enough.
I just realized…the best thing about Trump on a golf course without clubs…no cheating.
@Akhilleus: One thing about Lindsey's abortion-ban bill that infuriates me: he's willing to propose ruining the lives of millions of American women because he hasn't been getting enough attention lately. The announcement was nothing but a publicity stunt. If he were making a serious proposal, he would have discussed it & coordinated it with Senate GOP leadership. It's true that senators propose bills all the time that aren't part of a coordinated, leadership-approved effort, but generally speaking, you read about a "Democratic proposal" or a "Republican proposal," especially when it comes to the big stuff. But clearly Lindsey's abortion ban isn't a "Republican proposal." It was the last thing Mitch wanted. But it was show. And for Graham, that's what matters. He's in the headlines now.
I also took Lindsey's announcement as a publicity stunt, considered its political implications (good for Democrats?), and nearly dismissed it.
But I was left with a lingering wonderment at people like Lindsey and the Pretender, who obviously subscribe to the notion that there's no such thing as bad publicity. Would put Musk and some others in that category as well. All those who when they appear in the news we say oh no! not again.
Or maybe my wonderment is more at the notion itself.
How could publicity be good when you're flat out demonstrating your ignorance, your dishonesty, your carelessness, your greed or your general villainy?
And the sad answer is such publicity could only be good if your public has no memory, no taste and no sense right and wrong.
Guess it works if you're speaking to Republicans.
Marie,
I read a piece some time ago in which a political reporter (I forget who now) recounted a discussion he had with Graham in which he asked about his 180 on Trump. Graham matter of factly admitted that he did it to “stay relevant”. Ethics and beliefs had nothing to do with it. The reporter said that Graham told him that he loved being a senator and couldn’t imagine himself doing anything else, but what he loved most was being in the spotlight, bring “relevant”, and getting re-elected, of course. And if he had to debase himself by sucking up to a dangerous demagogue, so be it.
So yeah, it really is all about Graham. And I’m sure if you asked him how he could so cavalierly endanger the lives of millions of women, he’d tell you that he never expected it to pass, so don’t be naive.
But shit like this has real consequences. Announcing a total ban is what whips up the idiots. But guys like Graham, Li’l Randy, et al, don’t give a shit about consequences as long as they get their five minutes on the news.
Absolutely despicable. Because when you look at both their records, they haven’t done a single thing for anyone but themselves. And Trump.
When Lindsey was a little squirt he wasn't one of the fellas–-the ones who were popular–- because he was frail and tended to display more, dare I say, bookish ways? One day, as he sat on his porch sipping on his mint juleps, he decided to BE somebody–––even though that somebody still doesn't cotton to the rules of the game –-he's a poser and when he looks into his mirrors he sees someone he barely knows anymore.
From Zach Montague's piece in the Times: (see above):
...."Biden voted. The process involved a hasty announcement to the press, multiple motorcades and two jet flights. In a last-minute move that demonstrated how the presidency complicates even the most mundane of tasks,"
When I first read this it registered as "Biden complicates even the most mundane of tasks." And I thought Wow! ole Zach is gettin mighty frisky here but then coming back to it, I realized he meant the "presidency" itself. I chided myself for too hasty a conclusion because of too hasty reading.
https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/14/us/politics/durham-inquiry-trump-russia.html
Not with a bang...with barely a whimper.
Durham must be so proud of himself.
Almost as proud as Billy Barr.
It occurs to me that the last three big inquiries into Democrats' purported malfeasance, all of which lasted for months-years--Benghazi, HRC's emails and now Durham's blunt and ineffective probe into the origins of the Russian election interference--proved to be about-- a bunch of nothing.
And on the other hand, we have two impeachments of the former guy, the Jan. 6 Committee hearings, and boxes upon boxes of White House contraband, all this in plain sight.
Sheesh.
Lindsey 'O' Graham. I could check Wickipedia to find out what the
'O' stands for, but I'll just guess at it.
Overbearing
Obnoxious
Obstructionist
Obstacle
Opportunist
Obdurate
That about covers it.
Forrest,
A few more for your list:
Opprobrious
Oleaginous
Obscene
Officious
Offensive
Ophidian
Odious
Onerous
and
O my, what an asshole