;)
The Commentariat -- July 10, 2020
Afternoon Update:
The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Friday are here. The Washington Post's live updates for Friday are here.
Betsy Klein of CNN: "... Donald Trump's Portsmouth, New Hampshire, rally has been delayed, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Friday. McEnany told reporters aboard Air Force One that the rally would be postponed a week or two due to the impending storms in the area. The rally was slated to be held outside at an airplane hangar amid the coronavirus pandemic.... Plans for an Alabama rally, which had been tentatively scheduled for July 11 before the New Hampshire rally was announced, were scrapped after local officials voiced opposition to holding a large gathering as cases rise in the state."
Ashley Parker, et al., of the Washington Post: "Callers on President Trump in recent weeks have come to expect what several allies and advisers describe as a 'woe-is-me' preamble. The president rants about the deadly coronavirus destroying 'the greatest economy,' one he claims to have personally built. He laments the unfair 'fake news' media, which he vents never gives him any credit. And he bemoans the 'sick, twisted' police officers in Minneapolis, whose killing of an unarmed black man in their custody provoked the nationwide racial justice protests that have confounded the president. Gone, say these advisers and confidants..., are the usual pleasantries and greetings. Instead, Trump often launches into a monologue placing himself at the center of the nation's turmoil. The president has cast himself in the starring role of the blameless victim -- of a deadly pandemic, of a stalled economy, of deep-seated racial unrest, all of which happened to him rather than the country."
Jake Sherman of Politico: "Chris Cox..., Donald Trump's top liaison to the House of Representatives, has told associates he is leaving the White House, 15 hours after Politico raised questions about his alleged contacts with a former lobbying client while in government. On multiple occasions, Cox suggested while working in the White House that he was collecting intelligence or doing work after speaking to representatives and lobbyists from corporate interests, multiple sources said.... On Thursday afternoon, Politico raiseda further series of questions about whether and how Cox was involved in a matter last month involving a former lobbying client that was pushing for help in the Trump administration...." ~~~
~~~ From Thursday afternoon's Politico Playbook: "On two occasions over the last few days, CHRIS COX -- who runs House outreach for the White House legislative affairs office -- suggested to colleagues he was doing errands and collecting political intelligence for lobbyist friends on K Street. COX told colleagues in the White House that he was seeking information on the executive orders that ... DONALD TRUMP was readying to issue so he could brief people downtown -- in other words, suggesting he wanted to give lobbyists a sneak peek."
Whistling Dixie. Brad Kutner of Courthouse News: "Calling a Confederate general who led an uprising against the United States of America an 'American war veteran,' a state judge blocked the removal of any war monuments in the state capital Thursday afternoon. Richmond City Circuit Court Judge Bradley B. Cavedo delivered his ruling from the bench during an emergency hearing. The fight started when an anonymous Virginian claimed the July 1 removal of Confederate statutes -- ordered by Richmond Mayor Levar Stoney under emergency powers -- violated state law. Cavedo granted a similar request to block Virginia Governor Ralph Northam's attempt to remove of a Robert E. Lee Statue from state-owned land." Mrs. McC: Sorta like a statue of Emperor Hirohito at Pearl Harbor would be an homage to an American war veteran. Really, really stupid.
~~~~~~~~~~
Trump, et al., v. the LawIs Not Going Well:
Adam Liptak of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court on Thursday cleared the way for prosecutors in New York to see President Trump's financial records, a stunning defeat for Mr. Trump but a decision that probably means the records will be shielded from public scrutiny under grand jury secrecy rules until after the election, and perhaps indefinitely. In a separate decision, the court ruled that Congress could not, at least for now, see many of the same records." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Robert Barnes of the Washington Post: “The Supreme Court on Thursday rejected President Trump's assertion that he enjoys absolute immunity while in office, allowing a New York prosecutor to pursue a subpoena of the president's private and business financial records. In a separate case, the court sent a fight over congressional subpoenas for the material back to lower courts because of 'significant separation of powers concerns.' 'In our judicial system, "the public has a right to every man's evidence,"' Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. wrote in the New York case, citing an ancient maxim. 'Since the earliest days of the Republic, "every man" has included the President of the United States.' In both cases, the justices ruled 7 to 2, with Trump nominees Neil M. Gorsuch and Brett M. Kavanaugh joining the majorities. Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. dissented. Trump reacted angrily, and inaccurately, on Twitter: 'Courts in the past have given "broad deference". BUT NOT ME!'" (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Josh Gerstein & Kyle Cheney of Politico: "The Supreme Court has delivered a split decision on subpoenas for ... Donald Trump's tax returns and financial records, unanimously rejecting his broadest claims of 'absolute' immunity in a New York state criminal investigation, but ruling that lower courts did not do enough to scrutinize congressional subpoenas for similar records. The pair of highly-anticipated decisions likely mean more delays and court proceedings on both subpoenas, increasing the odds that Trump makes it to the November election without the tax and financial details he has long resisted disclosing being turned over to the prosecutors and Congressional committees demanding them." The report has been updated. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
Mrs. McCrabbie: Jeff Toobin calls the rulings "a legal defeat" for Trump but "a practical victory" since Trump can delay release of the returns (none of which would necessarily have become available to the public anyway).
Axios. "President Trump fired off a series of tweets on Thursday morning after the Supreme Court upheld a subpoena from the Manhattan district attorney for his financial records -- attacking the Obama administration, the Mueller investigation, the GOP-led Senate Judiciary Committee and others for allegedly undermining his presidency." The report cites the tweets -- so far. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Brett Samuels of the Hill: "President Trump on Thursday derided New York City as a 'hellhole' as he complained about a Supreme Court ruling that upheld the Manhattan district attorney's subpoena to obtain his tax returns. 'This is purely political. I win at the federal level and we won very decisively and so they send it to New York,' Trump said of the pursuit of his financial records, which he has shielded from public view. 'You know what's going on in New York,' he continued. 'Everyone's leaving. It's turned out to be a hellhole, and they better do something about it because people are leaving New York. But this is a political witch hunt that just continues.'" ~~~
~~~ Here's a much calmer report on Trump's reaction to the rulings. He had a very civil conversation with Bart:
Toluse Olorunnipa & John Wagner of the Washington Post: "President Trump reacted angrily to a pair of Supreme Court rulings about his financial records Thursday, taking to Twitter to call them 'not fair to this Presidency or Administration!' and describing himself as the victim of a 'political prosecution.' Hours later, the White House released a statement saying Trump was 'gratified' by one of the decisions and had been 'protected' in the other.... The decision will give Democrats, including ... Joe Biden, more ammunition in their attempts to raise ethical questions about a president who has fought relentlessly to keep his financial records out of the public eye, said Russell Riley, a presidential historian.... After the Supreme Court rulings were released, Biden took to Twitter to retweet a post from last October in which he described himself as 'one of the poorest men in government' during his decades-long Washington career. Biden has released 21 years of tax records, following the tradition of all major recent presidential candidates except for Trump."
Maggie Haberman, et al., of the New York Times: "Michael D. Cohen, President Trump's onetime lawyer and fixer, was taken back into federal custody on Thursday after being furloughed from prison in May, federal officials said. 'Today, Michael Cohen refused the conditions of his home confinement and as a result, has been returned' to a federal Bureau of Prisons facility, the bureau said in a statement. The bureau's statement did not elaborate on what specifically Mr. Cohen had done, but one person briefed on his legal status said he had refused to sign papers agreeing to certain conditions related to media appearances and writing books." A CNN story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Spencer Hsu & Ann Marimow of the Washington Post: "The Justice Department said Thursday that Roger Stone should report to prison next week as ordered by his sentencing judge despite his concerns about the deadly novel coronavirus.... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit gave Stone until Friday to respond to the government.... The filing came one day after an interview in which Attorney General William P. Barr defended Stone's prosecution and prison sentence. 'I think the prosecution was righteous and I think the sentence the judge ultimately gave was fair,' Barr told ABC News." The Week has an item here. An ABC News report on the Barr interview is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Jerry Lambe of Law & Crime: "... Roger Stone, 67, appealed directly to ... Donald Trump, telling a news organization that the president should pardon him or commute his sentence in the interest of justice. 'I want the president to know that I have exhausted all my legal remedies and that only an act of clemency will provide justice in my case and save my life!' Stone, said in a Tuesday text message to Bloomberg." Mrs. McC: Actually, that's an indirect appeal; Stone made it through an intermediary. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ "He Was Framed." Kevin Liptak & Kaitlan Collins of CNN: "... Donald Trump implied in a pair of interviews Thursday that he was ready to grant clemency to Roger Stone.... Trump is widely expected to pardon or commute Stone's sentence, according to at least half a dozen sources close to the President. Asked by Fox News host Sean Hannity whether he's considered a pardon or commutation for Stone, Trump said during a phone interview, 'I am always thinking.... You'll be watching like everyone else in this case,' he said. In another interview, with radio host Howie Carr, Trump decried Stone's treatment at the hands of law enforcement and said he may grant his clemency plea. 'He was framed. He was treated horrible. He was treated so badly,' Trump said."
Josh Gerstein of Politico: "A federal court judge is putting up a highly unusual fight against an appeals court ruling seeking to immediately shut down the prosecution of former national security adviser Michael Flynn for making false statements in the FBI's investigation into ties between the Trump campaign and Russia. Lawyers for U.S. District Court Judge Emmet Sullivan filed a petition Thursday asking the full bench of the D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals to review a 2-1 decision a panel of that court issued last month, directing Sullivan to cancel his plans for a hearing and instead grant the government's request to drop the case." (Also linked yesterday.)
Nicholas Fandos & Benjamin Weiser of the New York Times: "Geoffrey S. Berman, who was abruptly dismissed by President Trump last month from his post as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan, told lawmakers on Thursday that Attorney General William P. Barr tried unsuccessfully to pressure him to resign voluntarily, warning that a firing could ruin his career. Testifying before a closed-door hearing of the House Judiciary Committee, Mr. Berman recounted being summoned with no warning in June to a meeting with Mr. Barr at the Pierre Hotel in New York, in which the attorney general asked him to step down. Mr. Berman said he rebuffed Mr. Barr time and again during a tense, 45-minute discussion, telling him he would not resign and did not want to be fired, according to copies of his prepared statement obtained by The New York Times." (Also linked yesterday.)
The Trumpidemic, Ctd.
The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Thursday are here: "The surge in coronavirus cases in the United States ... is being driven largely by states that were among the first to ease virus restrictions as they moved to reopen their economies. Florida has seen its average new daily cases increase more than tenfold since it began reopening in early May. Cases in Arizona have jumped by 858 percent since beginning to reopen May 8. Cases in Texas have risen by 680 percent since beginning to reopen May 1. Epidemiologists had warned that reopening could lead to waves of new infections if it was done before the virus was contained, and before contact tracing was sufficiently ramped up enough to contain future outbreaks. ~~~
~~~ "As President Trump continued to press for a broader reopening, the United States set another record for new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with more than 59,400 infections announced, according to a New York Times database. It was the fifth national record in nine days.... On Thursday, cases were decreasing in only two states -- Vermont and New Hampshire. In 14 states and territories, the number of cases was mostly the same. And in the rest of the country new cases were on the rise." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Thursday are here: "Anthony S. Fauci, the nation's top infectious-disease official, is advising that some states seriously consider 'shutting down' again if they are facing major resurgences of the virus -- a warning that conflicts with President Trump's push to reopen the country as quickly as possible.... A record 62,751 new infections were reported across the United States on Wednesday, including 9,979 in Texas and 11,694 in California. The total number of cases has surpassed 3 million in the United States, where the death toll is approaching 130,000." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Paul Krugman of the New York Times: "A normal president and a normal political party would be horrified by this turn of events. They would realize that they made a bad call and that it was time for a major course correction; they would start taking warnings from health experts seriously. But Trump ... seems completely untroubled by the toll from a pandemic that seems certain to kill more Americans than were murdered over the whole of the past decade. And he's doubling down on his rejection of expertise, this week demanding full reopening of schools in defiance of existing guidelines.... He has spent the past five months trying to will us back to where we were in February, when he was sitting on top of a moving train and pretending that he was driving it."
MEANWHILE, the abnormal President* is headed to Miami-Dade County today, an epicenter of the coronavirus, where he'll hold a series of meetings.
Here's a Change/Correction/"Clarification." Alex Harring of CNBC: "The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will soon issue additional safety guidelines on reopening schools this fall, but the agency doesn't plan to change its original recommendations that... Donald Trump criticized as too tough and expensive, CDC Director Robert Redfield said Thursday. Redfield said in an interview on ABC's 'Good Morning America' the additional documents don't ease the CDC's recommendations. He said the agency is providing more information for communities, care givers and schools on how to reopen safely. Vice President Mike Pence indicated Wednesday the agency would soften its recommendations. But when asked about the possibility, Redfield said there would be no changes." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
A Rare Covid Success Story. (Secret Recipe: Don't believe Trump.) Thanks to PD Pepe for the link. Here's a transcript of the PBS Newshour interview: ~~~
~~~ Lena Sun & Josh Dawsey of the Washington Post: "As the country enters a frightening phase of the pandemic..., the CDC, the nation's top public health agency, is coming under intense pressure from President Trump and his allies, who are downplaying the dangers in a bid to revive the economy ahead of the Nov. 3 presidential election. In a White House guided by the president's instincts, rather than by evidence-based policy, the CDC finds itself forced constantly to backtrack or sidelined from pivotal decisions. The latest clash between the White House and its top public health advisers erupted Wednesday, when the president slammed the agency's recommendation that schools planning to reopen should keep students' desks six feet apart, among other steps to reduce infection risks.... The CDC ... is increasingly isolated — a function both of its growing differences with the White House and of its own significant missteps earlier in the outbreak.... During a May lunch with Senate Republicans, Trump told the group the CDC 'blew it' on the coronavirus test and that he'd installed a team of 'geniuses' led by ... Jared Kushner to handle much of the response...."
Alexandra Alper of Reuters: "A reporter who attended White House briefings this week has tested positive for the coronavirus, the White House Correspondents' Association said on Thursday, raising further concerns about the health of staff and journalists working in the building. The individual, who wore a mask during press conferences with Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday and Wednesday, has no symptoms and spent no additional time at the White house this week, the group said, adding that it was contacting individuals who had been in close contact with the person."
Eric Levai of the Daily Dot: "White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany's parents received millions of dollars in Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans, according to data released by the Small Business Administration this week.... As long as the money is used to pay employees, and for rent and utilities, the government will forgive the entire loan.... According to the loan data, McEnany Roofing said it employs 141 people. In an interview with Fox News back in April, McEnany noted that the program was designed to go to companies with 10 or fewer employees.... When asked about the lack of transparency of the program, she noted that'We’re concerned with getting money to people right now. I mean, look, we're not concerned with cobbling a list together to please the media.'... Kayleigh McEnany has previously criticized government assistance...."
Jeff Cox of CNBC: "Weekly jobless claims were lower than expected last week as workers slowly returned to their jobs in the wake of rising coronavirus cases. Claims for the week ended July 4 totaled 1.314 million, compared with the 1.39 million expected from economists surveyed by Dow Jones. The total marked a decrease of 99,000 from a week earlier, according to the Labor Department." (Also linked yesterday.)
Zachary Cohen of CNN: "Secretary of Defense Mark Esper confirmed Thursday that he had been briefed on information regarding Russian payments to the Taliban, seemingly acknowledging that Russia's support for the militant group in Afghanistan is not a 'hoax' [perpetrated by Democrats], as ... Donald Trump has claimed. However, Esper also made clear that he has not seen intelligence that corroborates claims that American troops were killed as a result of the 'bounty' payments, walking a delicate line between acknowledging a well-known threat and potentially clashing with the President. Esper's comments came during a long-awaited appearance before the House Armed Services Committee, where lawmakers had their first opportunity to ask the defense secretary and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Mark Milley about their knowledge of intelligence on Russia offering bounties to the Taliban for killing US troops in Afghanistan.... Milley acknowledged that the Trump administration was 'perhaps not' doing "as much as we could or should" to deter Russia and other foreign governments from supporting militant groups in Afghanistan."
Gen. Milley Thumbs His Nose at Trump. Alex Horton of the Washington Post: "The military's top officer on Thursday described Confederate leaders as traitors and said he is taking a 'hard look' at renaming 10 Army installations that honor them, despite President Trump's opposition to any changes. 'The Confederacy, the American Civil War was fought, and it was an act of rebellion,' the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Mark A. Milley, told members of the House Armed Services Committee. 'It was an act of treason at the time against the Union, against the Stars and Stripes, against the U.S. Constitution, and those officers turned their back on their oath.' The Army is now about 20 percent black, he said.... Last month, Trump rejected calls to rename installations after Defense Secretary Mark T. Esper signaled a willingness to do so, saying his administration 'will not even consider' that plan."
Indiana. Casey Smith of the AP: "An Indiana woman was arrested in a hit-and-run crash that sent one woman to the hospital and caused minor injuries to a man during a southern Indiana protest over the assault of a Black man by a group of white men, sheriff's officials said Thursday. Christi Bennett, 66, was booked into the Monroe County Jail early Thursday on preliminary charges of criminal recklessness and leaving the scene of an accident, Deputy Barry Grooms said. She was released a couple of hours later on $500 cash bond." (Also linked yesterday.)
Virginia. Wife of Prominent Black Man Outraged by Town's Support for Black Lives Matter. Patricia Sullivan of the Washington Post: "The banner says 'Welcome to Clifton where Black Lives Matter.' It was posted over the tiny Northern Virginia town's Main Street.... The gesture -- which Mayor William R. Holloway called 'a first step' to beginning discussions of racial equity -- drew mostly positive responses, according to the town clerk [of this] overwhelmingly white town.... But it prompted outrage from some residents of Fairfax County and nearby towns.... One critical email, which was shared with The Washington Post, was sent from the email account of Ginni Thomas..., who is married to Clarence Thomas, the only black justice on the U.S. Supreme Court."
Full Sharpiegate IG Report Released. Andrew Freedman & Jason Samenow of the Washington Post: "The Commerce Department inspector general issued a delayed and harshly critical report laying out how political pressure originating from the White House resulted in the issuance of a poorly crafted and unsigned National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) statement on Sept. 6, 2019. That statement backed President Trump's erroneous claims that Hurricane Dorian was likely to severely impact Alabama and criticized the agency's own meteorologists.... The episode foreshadowed subsequent Trump administration science controversies, including the White House's repeated dismissals of public health advice for responding to the coronavirus pandemic.... The inspector general's office had released summary findings from the report on June 29 prior to the release of the full report.... In response to the report, Sen. Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), ranking member of the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, came out against acting NOAA administrator Neil Jacobs's pending nomination for the position." The Hill's report is here. ~~~
~~~ A pdf of the full IG's report is here, via the IG.
Stop the Presses! Catherine Rampell of the Washington Post: "The Trump administration is turning legal immigrants into undocumented ones. That is, the 'show me your papers' administration has literally switched off printers needed to generate those 'papers.' Without telling Congress, the administration has scaled back the printing of documents it has already promised to immigrants -- including green cards.... Of the two facilities where these credentials were printed, one, in Corbin, Ky., shut down production three weeks ago. The other facility, in Lee's Summit, Mo., appears to be operating at reduced capacity.... 'The administration has accomplished its goal of shutting down legal immigration without actually changing the law,'... says Anis Saleh, an immigration attorney in Coral Gables, Fla."
Elections 2020
Sean Sullivan & Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "Joe Biden unveiled a proposal Thursday to spend $700 billion on American products and research, challenging President Trump's 'America First' agenda with a competing brand of economic nationalism.... Biden called for the federal government to spend $400 billion over four years on materials and services made in the United States, as well as $300 billion on U.S.-based research and development involving electric cars, artificial intelligence and similar technologies. He also advocated a 100-day 'supply chain review' that could require federal agencies to buy only medical supplies and other goods manufactured in the United States. And he urged an end to loopholes that let procurement officers and federal contractors get around existing 'Buy American' clauses.... Biden repeatedly castigated Trump and sounded populist notes that were reminiscent of his more liberal primary challengers."
Mrs. McCrabbie: Donald Trump is headed to Portsmouth, NH -- a city near the Atlantic coast -- Saturday for a semi-open-air rally. BUT, as Bobby Lee pointed out in yesterday's thread, so is Tropical Storm Fay. Forecast: Probability of rain: 85%. Expected precipitation: 1.86". Wind gusts (the hair!): 34 mph. We'll see how that goes.
Weird News. Annie Karni & Patricia Mazzei of the New York Times: "When President Trump first threatened to pull the Republican National Convention out of Charlotte, N.C., Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida started campaigning to bring the event to his state. But now, as convention planners in Jacksonville seek to raise tens of millions of dollars on an almost impossibly rushed time frame, and in the middle of a raging pandemic, the governor is hindering those efforts, interviews show. Mr. DeSantis, a Republican, has directed his top fund-raiser, Heather Barker, to tell donors not to give to the convention because of a personal dispute between the governor and Susie Wiles, his former campaign manager who is serving as an informal adviser to the convention planners, according to multiple people familiar with his actions." The Tampa Bay Times has a summary report here.
There Is Voter Mail Fraud. David Mack of BuzzFeed News: "A West Virginia mail carrier is facing prison time after admitting he attempted election fraud by changing the party registrations of people who had requested absentee ballots for the state's June primary, officials announced Thursday. Thomas Cooper, 47, of Dry Fork signed an agreement in which he pleaded guilty to one count of attempting to defraud the residents of West Virginia of a fair election and one count of injury to the mail."
Adam Liptak & Jack Healy of the New York Times: "The Supreme Court on Thursday ruled by a 5-4 margin that nearly half of Oklahoma is an Indian reservation in the eyes of the criminal-justice system, preventing state authorities from prosecuting offenses there that involve Native Americans. The decision was potentially one of the most consequential legal victories for Native Americans in decades. It was written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, a Westerner who has sided with tribes in previous cases and joined the court's more liberal members." A Hill story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Way Beyond the Beltway
** South Korea. Hyung-Jin Kim & Kim Tong-Hyung of the AP: "Police say the body of the missing mayor of South Korea's capital, Seoul, has been found. They say Park Won-soon's body was located in hills in northern Seoul early Friday, more than seven hours after they launched a massive search for him. Park's daughter had called police on Thursday afternoon to report him missing, saying he had given her a 'will-like' message before leaving home. A police officer said Park's body was found near a traditional restaurant and banquet hall located in the hills.... News reports say one of Park's secretaries had lodged a complaint with police on Wednesday night over alleged sexual harassment. Kim Ji-hyeong, a Seoul Metropolitan Government official, said Park did not come to work on Thursday for unspecified reasons and had canceled all of his schedule, including a meeting with a presidential official at his Seoul City Hall office." (Also linked yesterday.) A New York Times story is here.
Share Article
Reader Comments (19)
It being early in the morning, I read a blurb on a story about General Mark Milley, linked above, with a brief bit of confusion. The story, referencing Milley’s weighing the idea of renaming military bases, states his description of confederate leaders as traitors. For a second I thought he was referring to Moscow Mitch, Lily-Livered Lindsey, et al, who certainly ARE traitors. Then I realized he was talking about Civil War generals who killed American troops in support of a slave state.
But I’m happy to be generous in my interpretation. It can be a one size fits all confederates description as far as I’m concerned. They’re all traitors. Especially the so-called leader who allows the killing of American troops in support of a dictator’s state.
What DOES the President DO?
A Teevee ad that I actually enjoyed watching was for a dishwasher detergent. A young girl is watching her mother wash the dishes by hand before putting them in the dishwasher. I liked watching the girl's scrunched-up face facing us as she asked, puzzled at her mom's operation, What DOES the dishwasher DO?
I thought of this yesterday when Fatty's lawyers had the audacity to argue during the S.C. hearings that it would be a huge burden on this president if he had to go through any kind of litigation because of the many responsibilities he has–-he's bogged down by so many important meetings and decisions. Yup–-the guy sits in his suite most of the morning watching T.V., tweeting, eating, then getting himself all dolled up in suit and tie––the hair takes at least some valuable minutes as does the face bronzer. He comes down to the Oval around eleven–-the rest of the day depends what's on that busy schedule but it appears he chats on the phone with his friends, can only take two or three Daily Briefs– the briefer the better– gives lots of interviews with radio jocks, and is dogged on planning more open rallies so he can infect more people even as he deplores the rising virus and wants desperately to open the economy. Somehow he fails to connect the dots here.
One thing is clear: a President is NOT above the law. This clown actually thought he could take hold of the reins and run roughshod over this Republic and by George, he's done a mighty thorough job of it but enough is enough––you cannot rule like a King, sir, as much as you thought you could. We have a long way to go but this is a start.
And over in the corner is Willy Barr who barred Berman because–– why? When Barr testifies later this month how will he answer this question. I find this story most intriguing and deeply troubling.
Meanwhile we can all listen to 10cc and sing a long.
The unwise disruptive policy of shutting out international students who tell us exactly what they would face: (with video and transcript)
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-unwise-disruptive-policy-of-shutting-out-international-students
And finally a success story: A Maryland nursing home has had no coronavirus cases. How did they do it?
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/this-maryland-nursing-home-has-had-no-coronavirus-cases-how-did-they-do-it
Jacksonville Fl GOP considering moving the RNC convention outdoors due to the risk from C-19 in an enclosed building. People. we're talking about Florida in August here. That's the time you fry eggs on the asphalt, daytime temperatures reach 100 and an 80 degree overnight low is considered cool. It's also the time of year we watch the tropics for the next hurricane.
But according to the Florida Times-Union they're considering moving to the TIAA NFL stadium if necessary. Trump's "crowd" ought to look unimpressive in a 70K+ venue.
@PD Pepe: Thanks for linking the Maryland nursing home story. I saw a promo for the story and meant to look for it, but I forgot. It looks like the Reverend there found the secret ingredient: don't believe Trump. Think how much healthier the entire nation would be if everyone the Rev. DeWitt's lead.
"The demands on the president’s time and the importance of his tasks are extraordinary, and the office of the president cannot be delegated to subordinates,” Justice Thomas wrote. “A subpoena imposes both demands on the president’s limited time and a mental burden, even when the president is not directly engaged in complying. This understanding of the presidency should guide courts in deciding whether to enforce a subpoena for the president’s documents.”
--from yesterday's NYTimes account of the Thomas dissent.
Couldn't help but hold this up against Bea's recent tally of presiduncial golfing days.
Who knew Clarence Thomas had such a finely developed sense of humor?
From the transcript of Berman's opening statement in Congress the other day:
"... He (Barr-ed.) said that I should want to create a book of business once I returned to the private sector, which that role (DOJ Civil Division Chief-ed.) would help achieve. "
NY Rep. Nadler said on TV this morning that Barr's attempt to move Berman out of NY was "close to bribery". (I think that's what I heard. I could be wrong.)
But ... his suggestion that the proposed position would allow Berman to build up his post-government practice is a flat out suggestion that Berman would be able better to violate conflict of interest laws.
Berman appears to be an honest man. No wonder he was resignfired.
PD wrote: "We have a long way to go ..." referring to dealing with DiJiT.
True. But that is 99% of his strategy. Drag everything out with appeals, waivers, delays, objections, serial motions, etc. At some point his opponents tire of the fight, die, or run out of resources to keep up the fight. DiJiT wins by default.
But his current problem is that the USG has the deepest pocketed war chest in the world, so unless he can curb the SDNY and the Manhattan DA, his strategy doesn't work. And unlike in places far and days past, the tsar is not allowed to "disappear" the harpies who keep coming for him.
@Patrick: Yup, that's precisely what Nadler said: "The attorney general repeatedly attempted to entice Mr. Berman to step down voluntarily, even after Berman made clear that his leaving would disrupt certain sensitive cases. We don't know yet if the attorney general's conduct is criminal, but that kind of quid pro quo is awfully close to bribery."
But your point -- that Berman could use his new government position to help future clients skirt/violate the law -- does show you what Barr, and others, think the purpose of "government service" is.
@PD Pepe: I was thinking just this morning that officials in nearly every department will have to come up with long lists of all the things that have to be fixed/reversed once the Trumpapocalypse is gone. I mean, it wouldn't just spontaneously occur to someone that Immigration had cancelled its printing contracts so that those eligible for green cards couldn't get them. There must be hundreds & hundreds of stupid Trump tricks like this that have to be rectified.
Florida governor DeSantis (R-natch) has doubled down on the Board of Education decree that K - 12 schools will open next month, saying if we can open Wal Mart we can open our schools.
@Bobby Lee: Please tell DeSantis that he's so right -- as long as anybody who goes to school does so the way I shop at WalMart: about once a month from 6 am to 7 am when the place is practically empty.
@Bobby Lee
Just as there is no bottom to the R's depravity, there is no bottom to their nonsense.
Sounds like he's channeling Betsy, the nation's educator supreme. Really what is the difference between Walmart and a school?
The last time I was in a Walmart ( some years ago when I was distributing leaflets on behalf of Our Walmart) had I not been kicked out, I would have stayed there all day and gone out only for recess.
Re: “Welcome To Clinton Where Black Lives Matter” (above)
Enter the hate-drenched Ginnie Thomas.
Who must believe only her husband’s (Black) life matters.
Or else is optically color blind.
A despicable duo.
On another note, I see Mrs Bea McC and the states of Vermont and New Hampshire have been granted a reprieve by TS Fay.
Ken,
Walmart and schools? Why, I do believe that for Fatty and that horrible DeVos person, Walmart and schools are both (or should be) profit centers for their billionaire buddies.
The idea that the primary role of schools is to provide an education is so Democrat-20th century.
Just consider, for a moment, the two of them. Both of them stupider than a cinder block, but rich as Croesus. And looking for more.
From the Fox News story on the Goya CEO's reaction to the call for a boycott of his company's products following his foolish praise of the Pretender:
"Unanue called the pushback against him visiting the White House 'suppression of speech.'"
To hearken back to the the discussion on free speech from the other day, we seem to have another market enthusiast who doesn't much like the marketplace of ideas.
Unanue can say anything he wants, but people don't have to reward him for what he says. They can even punish his company for him being dumb enough to say it.
Feeling much better about education today. It's just that I didn't get the matchup between Walmart and the nation's schools. Profit. That is why Betsy DeWorst wants to sink all public schools and point all students to private schools and online rattraps. Without money, why, it would just be...most public schools these days. After all, someday all the dumb students will be learning to weld and stock shelves, and that will be most kids after funding is yanked from schools cuz refusal to turn into Petri Dish High School, Dumbfck, Florida. (DeSantis is already a proud alum of Crazydumb High School, so Florida, if you have a brain cell still functioning, you should ignore him. But I am all for the Deplorable Repugnant Convention taking place there. Two weeks later, wow--
Thanks for the info today-- there is so much, and I can't keep up...
45 states now in the Rt red zone.
We're approaching perfection.