;)
The Commentariat -- August 21, 2020
Late Morning Update:
The New York Times' live updates of coronavirus developments Friday are here.
The Washington Post has live updates of Louis DeJoy's testimony before a Senate Committee today. The hearing has ended. The New York Times has an item on DeJoy's testimony in its political updates. The Guardian's live updates are here. The Guardian's coverage is pretty good. For instance, here's the final entry: "The Senate hearing with Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has just concluded, and the Republican chairman of the Senate homeland security and governmental affairs committee, Ron Johnson, ended it on a distinctly partisan note. Johnson said many of the constituent calls he has received about the US Postal Service have sounded 'very highly scripted.' 'This could be a very well organized effort, which doesn't surprise me in the slightest,' Johnson said. In reality, there have been nationwide reports about slow mail services, resulting in late prescription deliveries and rent payments, among other issues." ~~~
~~~ Andrew Desiderio, et al., of Politico: "Postmaster General Louis DeJoy on Friday defended his proposed changes to the Postal Service amid an onslaught of scrutiny from congressional Democrats, warning that the U.S. Postal Service faces a dire financial situation and is an operational mess. In lengthy prepared remarks before the GOP-led Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee, DeJoy acknowledged several concerns lawmakers have raised in recent weeks, including the significant delivery delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic."
Several media have stories about Braydon Harrington, the 13-year-old boy who endorsed Joe Biden on the final night of the Democratic National Convention. Here's one by Will Weissert of the AP. CNN's story, by Kate Sullivan, is here.
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Alexander Burns & Katie Glueck of the New York Times: "Joseph R. Biden Jr. accepted the Democratic presidential nomination on Thursday night, beginning a general-election challenge to President Trump that Democrats cast this week as a rescue mission for a country equally besieged by a crippling pandemic and a White House defined by incompetence, racism and abuse of power. Speaking before a row of flags in his home state of Delaware, Mr. Biden urged Americans to have faith that they could 'overcome this season of darkness,' and pledged that he would seek to bridge the country's political divisions in ways Mr. Trump had not." ~~~
Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: Best convention I've ever watched, and I've watched a lot of them. But this is the first one where I watched or heard maybe 98% percent of the hoopla. Prefacing Joe Biden's acceptance speech was a vignette in which Brayden Harrington, a courageous 13-year-old boy who met Biden on the campaign trail, and is a stutterer, endorsed Biden, who also stutters. As for Biden, he went on the air live and delivered "The King's Speech." It was as remarkable and compelling a show as the award-winning film about George VI. ~~~
~~~ Dan Balz of the Washington Post: Joe Biden "described his policy aspirations, ticking through a list of issues he has spoken about through the campaign, from climate to education to jobs and the economy. But the strength of the speech was to draw a contrast with the president and to make clear that his principal focus if he becomes president in January will be on the pandemic and the economic recession that has accompanied it.... [Biden's] acceptance speech that was thematic, pointed and forcefully delivered.... At a time of suffering and uncertainty due to the coronavirus pandemic and the economic recession, he presented himself as a person of boundless compassion running against a president who struggles to show any. ~~~
~~~ David Siders of Politico: Joe "Biden, accepting the Democratic Party's nomination for president on the convention's final night, expanded on the searing indictment delivered Wednesday by former President Barack Obama and offered his own blistering criticism of ... Donald Trump. And in a campaign that has served almost singularly as a referendum on Trump, he cast his candidacy as an affirmative alternative -- a 'path of hope and light.'... Biden did more to define himself on Thursday than he ever had before. There was the personal -- testimony from his children Hunter and Ashley and public remarks Beau Biden made before he died." ~~~
~~~ Dana Milbank of the Washington Post: "President Trump has tried every dirty trick in the book -- and a few new ones -- to cast doubts about the workings of Joe Biden's brain. But Trump has been focusing on entirely the wrong organ. Biden's appeal is from the heart..., a place Trump doesn't know.... The Democratic presidential nominee, in the most crucial speech of his long career in public service, had no problem clearing the low bar Trump had set. The evening began with a clip of Biden quoting Kierkegaard and ended with him quoting the Irish poet Seamus Heaney.... Biden's speech, and indeed the whole closing night of the Democratic convention, was the polar opposite of the Trump's 'American carnage' vision."
Julia Louis-Dreyfus was a great presenter: ~~~
Just remember, Joe Biden goes to church so regularly that he doesn't even need tear gas and a bunch of federalized troops to get there. -- Julia Louis-Dreyfus ... concluding a segment on Biden's faith ~~~
The New York Times' live updates of the Democratic National Convention are here: "The fourth and final night of the Democratic National Convention will air tonight from 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. Eastern time. Julia Louis-Dreyfus is the M.C." It includes (delayed) video of the proceedings. Times reporters' snark analysis is here. (Link fixed.) Also includes video of the convention. ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Ha! Beginning with an invocation by Sister Simone Campbell, the organizer of Nuns on the Bus, was brilliant.
Trump Promises to Intimidate Voters. Jacqueline Alemany of the Washington Post: "Democrats and President Trump dramatically raised the stakes last night over voting in November, both bracing -- and digging in -- for what could be the most chaotic and contested election in recent memory. Joe Biden ... vowed to protect America's 'most sacred Democratic exercise -- voting.... Just an hour earlier, President Trump took to Fox News to ramp up his baseless attacks on mail-in voting, arguing Democrats would try to 'steal the election' and some states might send ballots to Democrats only. Though he doesn't have the legal authority to do so, Trump ominously pledged to use law enforcement officials to monitor the election -- a day after his press secretary Kayleigh McEnany would not say whether Trump would accept the election results.'We're going to have everything. We're going to have sheriffs, and we're going to have law enforcement, and we're going to hopefully have U.S. attorneys and we're going to have everybody, and attorneys general,' Trump told Sean Hannity calling in to his Fox show." Emphasis original. A CNN story is here.
There's Always a Crazy Heckler. Caitlin Oprysko of Politico: "Donald Trump did not hide that he was closely following the third night of the Democratic National Convention on Wednesday, firing off tweets in real time as former President Barack Obama and Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris delivered withering criticisms of his presidency. The first of Trump's all-caps broadsides came less than 10 minutes into his predecessor's speech, as Obama unleashed a blistering attack on Trump's presidency and his character." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Update: Trump did the same thing Thursday night. I might look up & link a story on this, and I might not. I really don't care. Do you? As Brian Williams remarked on MSNBC, back in the days of quasi-civilized politics, during national political conventions, the opposition party had the grace to "go dark."
Matthew Choi of Politico: "Joe Biden's campaign is calling desperate on the president's latest ad blitz, which portrays the former vice president as overly cozy with China and his son as a corrupt profiteer. Speaking with Politico's Jake Sherman and Anna Palmer on Thursday, senior Biden campaign adviser Symone Sanders dismissed the ad as a tired attack that reveals that the Trump campaign's other offensive strategies have failed." (Also linked yesterday.)
Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: I must be losing it. I agree with David Brooks. "Barack Obama's ... speech was not just meant to help the Democrats win an election; it was to identify a historical crisis and address a spiritual need. The former law professor spoke from his deep love for our Constitution, the whole intellectual and moral regime that has been built around it and the way it is now being betrayed by a self-indulgent narcissist. His speech was fiercely pro-American and fiercely anti-Trump, showing that, in fact, to be fiercely pro-American you have to be fiercely anti-Trump. But Obama went far beyond the election to address the crisis of national faith beneath the crisis of politics. He spoke from Philadelphia, site of our true founding that, as flawed as it was, provided the moral source that points us toward justice."
David Sanger of the New York Times: "Four years after 50 of the nation's most senior Republican national security officials warned that Donald J. Trump 'would be the most reckless president in American history,' they are back with a new letter, declaring his presidency worse than they had imagined and urging voters to support ... Joseph R. Biden Jr. The new letter, released just hours before Mr. Biden formally accepts the nomination, lays out a 10-point indictment of Mr. Trump's actions, accusing him of undermining the rule of law, aligning himself with dictators and engaging 'in corrupt behavior that renders him unfit to serve as president.' They also accused him of 'spreading misinformation' and 'undermining public health experts,' making him 'unfit to lead during a national crisis.'... There are more than 70 [signatories] in the new letter...." (Also linked yesterday.)
Trump Indicts Biden for "Abandoning" Scranton -- When He Was Ten Years Old. Seung Min Kim & Felicia Sonmez of the Washington Post: "Hours before former vice president Joe Biden accepts the Democratic presidential nomination, President Trump held a rally in this key swing state [Pennsylvania] where he took aim at his rival's record and accused him of having 'abandoned' Pennsylvania — even though Biden was only 10 when his family moved to Delaware for his father's job. 'He left,' Trump said of Biden. 'He abandoned Pennsylvania. He abandoned Scranton. He was here for a short period of time, and he didn't even know it.'" (Also linked yesterday.)
Michelle Lee & Anu Narayanswamy of the Washington Post: "President Trump's campaign, the Republican Party and two affiliated committees, have spent more than $1 billion since 2017, a record-breaking sum spent toward a reelection effort at this point in the presidential campaign, new filings show. Trump has raised and spent money for his reelection since 2017, earlier in his term than previous presidents. At this point in 2012, former president Barack Obama's reelection effort, including the Democratic National Committee, had spent about $643 million, federal records show."
Anita Kumar of Politico: "... Donald Trump may rail against mail-in ballots in public, but state and local Republicans are quietly telling Americans that's exactly how they should vote. In Iowa, the Republican Party mailed absentee ballot applications to voters without waiting for requests. In Pennsylvania, the GOP's website promotes voting by mail: 'Vote Safe: By mail. From home.' And in Ohio, the Republican Party sent mailers with Trump's photo saying 'Join President Trump and Vote by Absentee Ballot.'" (Also linked yesterday.)
** Nicholas Fandos, et al., of the New York Times: "The former vice chairman of the U.S. Postal Service's board of governors accused Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin on Thursday of trying to engineer a hostile takeover of the service, telling lawmakers that Mr. Mnuchin required members of the independent board to 'kiss the ring' before they were confirmed and issued demands that agency officials believed were 'illegal.' In scathing testimony delivered before lawmakers in the Congressional Progressive Caucus, David C. Williams, a former Postal Service inspector general who resigned as vice chairman in protest in April, said the Trump administration appeared to want to turn the agency into a 'political tool.' The Treasury Department, he said, was maneuvering to use its lending authority to strong-arm the agency to adopt policies that would be 'ruinous,' like raising prices and cutting back crucial services.... Mr. Williams said that no serious background investigation had been conducted -- despite his request for one -- and that a brief review by the agency's inspector general had surfaced potential concerns about contract work [Louis] DeJoy's logistics firm had done for the Postal Service." CNN's story is here.
Laura J. Nelson & Maya Lau of the Los Angeles Times: "Accounts of conditions from employees at California mail facilities provide a glimpse of what some say are the consequences of widespread cutbacks in staffing and equipment recently imposed by the postal service.... While the long-term effect of the cuts on U.S. mail service is unclear, the evidence of serious disruptions appears to be mounting, according to postal employees interviewed by The Times as well as customers, lawmakers and union leaders.... At a mail processing facility in Santa Clarita in July, workers discovered that their automated sorting machines had been disabled and padlocked. And inside a massive mail-sorting facility in South Los Angeles, workers fell so far behind processing packages that by early August, gnats and rodents were swarming around containers of rotted fruit and meat, and baby chicks were dead inside their boxes.... The cuts have had a ripple effect in California, snarling the operation of one of the biggest mail-processing facilities in the country and delaying the delivery of prescriptions, rent payments and unemployment checks. Some people have complained of going days without receiving any mail at all." Firewalled. Mrs. McC: I used up one of my few freebies on this story, because it reveals such horrible outcomes of the Trump/Mnuchin/DeJoy conspiracy against Americans.
~~~ Aaron Gordon of Vice: "Shortly after USPS Postmaster General Louis DeJoy issued a public statement saying he wanted to 'avoid even the appearance' that any of his policies would slow down election mail, USPS instructed all maintenance managers around the country not to reconnect or reinstall any mail sorting machines they had already disconnected, according to emails obtained by Motherboard.... The emails confirm what House speaker Nancy Pelosi relayed from her conversation with DeJoy yesterday, that the USPS's stated 'suspension' of these new policies does not mean reversing them. It also sheds additional light on the emptiness of DeJoy's promises from his Tuesday press release, since the USPS is apparently not even willing to take the bare minimum step of plugging machines back in even if they haven't been moved." The article includes a reproduction of the incriminating email. ~~~\
~~~ John Ryan of KUWO (NPR Seattle): "By the time Postmaster General Louis DeJoy halted a raft of changes that might slow down the U.S. mail, the Postal Service had already shut down 40% of the high-speed letter-sorting machines in the Seattle-Tacoma area.... Internal documents from May reveal that the Postal Service was planning to remove 20% of 'DBCS' (digital barcode sorter) machines nationwide this summer. In Washington state, at least 23 DBCS letter-sorting machines had been dismantled by Tuesday at major postal facilities, according to a tally by KUOW[.]... One machine can sort six letters a second, more than 20,000 an hour, into hundreds of trays for different letter carriers.... 'It would take a crew of 20 to 30 people hand-sorting the mail all night to do what one of these machines can do in a couple hours,' [Brian] Warden[, a postal worker,] said. 'Our infrastructure doesn't work without these machines.'" Thanks to Ken W. for the link. ~~~
~~~ Aaron Gordon of Vice: "Memos are trickling down the United States Postal Service bureaucracy warning employees that they should not speak to the press and any customer asking lots of questions may be a journalist sneakily trying to get information out of them. The memos outline what employees should do if contacted by the media, and are titled 'Guidelines for Handling Local Media Inquiries.' Motherboard obtained two separate memos from postal employees in two districts. The memos are nearly identical, with different language only about who employees should contact if they receive a media inquiry. They were sent to employees in the last few days, following a spate of articles about the changes Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has made that have put the post office under major scrutiny." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: This would be a fair -- and standard -- requirement for employees of private companies; for a quasi-public, partially-taxpayer-funded, ubiquitous Constitutionally-mandated organization like the Postal Service, it's an infringement on First-Amendment rights.
~~~ ** Louie the Louse Determined to Wreck the USPS. Jacob Bogage, et al., of the Washington Post: "Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has mapped out far more sweeping changes to the U.S. Postal Service than previously disclosed, considering actions that could lead to slower mail delivery in parts of the country and higher prices for some mail services, according to several people familiar with the plans. The plans under consideration, described by four people familiar with Postal Service discussions, would come after the election and touch on all corners of the agency's work. They include raising package rates, particularly when delivering the last mile on behalf of big retailers; setting higher prices for service in Alaska, Hawaii and Puerto Rico; curbing discounts for nonprofits; requiring election ballots to use first-class postage; and leasing space in Postal Service facilities to other government agencies and companies.... [The measurers] would represent the biggest reshaping of the agency in generations and would likely draw severe criticism from people and organizations that rely on the mail service for timely delivery, particularly in less populated regions of the country."
Toluse Olorunnipa & Isaac Stanley-Becker of the Washington Post: "President Trump has increasingly embraced, amplified or equivocated about a number of conspiracy theories in recent weeks, adding to the sense of chaos and uncertainty caused by a pandemic and social unrest. From the baseless QAnon movement to a racist theory about Sen. Kamala D. Harris of California's citizenship, Trump has given a nod to fringe groups and welcomed them into the mainstream of his party. Beyond being unfounded, many of the ideas Trump is bolstering are dangerous, according to intelligence officials, political scientists and, increasingly, members of the president's own party." ~~~
~~~ Republicans Embrace the Q. Matthew Rosenberg & Maggie Haberman of the New York Times: "Late last month, as the Texas Republican Party was shifting into campaign mode, it unveiled a new slogan, lifting a rallying cry straight from ... the internet-driven conspiracy theory known as QAnon. The new catchphrase, 'We Are the Storm,' is an unsubtle cue to a group that the F.B.I. has labeled a potential domestic terrorist threat.... The slogan can be found all over social media posts by QAnon followers, and now, too, in emails from the Texas Republican Party and on the T-shirts, hats and sweatshirts that it sells.... A small but growing number of Republicans -- including a heavily favored Republican congressional candidate in Georgia -- are donning the QAnon mantle..., potentially transforming the wild conspiracy theory into an offline political movement, with supporters running for Congress and flexing their political muscle at the state and local levels. Chief among the party's QAnon promoters is Mr. Trump himself. Since the theory first emerged three years ago, he has employed a wink-and-nod approach to the conspiracy theory, retweeting its followers but conspicuously ignoring questions about it. Yet ... the White House and some Trump allies appear to have taken to openly courting believers." ~~~
(~~~ In Case You Don't Think These Nuts Are Dangerous. Julian Feeld of Right Wing Watch: "Waco, Texas, woman arrested last week and charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and driving while intoxicated appears to have been motivated by the QAnon conspiracy theory ... Donald Trump spoke positively of during a White House press conference Wednesday. According to arrest affidavits first reported by the Waco Tribune-Herald, 30-year-old Cecilia Fulbright got behind the wheel of her car ... with the intent to '[save] a child' from 'pedophiles.' Fulbright reportedly chased two strangers' vehicles in an apparent attempt to hit them. According to a Waco police report, the first vehicle was a catering truck driven by a woman with her minor daughter in the passenger's seat.... Fulbright then targeted a second unrelated vehicle, a Dodge Caravan driven by a 19-year-old college student. Fulbright chased the student into a parking lot where she cornered and repeatedly rammed the Dodge Caravan. Responding police officers reportedly found Fulbright 'crying hysterically' and yelling that the driver of the vehicle she attacked 'was a pedophile and had kidnapped a girl for human trafficking.' The arresting officer noted that Fulbright seemed 'delusional.'...")
Massachusetts Senate Race. Shame on Nancy (IMO). Paul Kane of the Washington Post: "House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) endorsed Rep. Joe Kennedy on Thursday in the increasingly bitter Senate Democratic primary in Massachusetts, abandoning her longtime ally Sen. Edward J. Markey a few days after he lodged attacks on the iconic family dynasty. Pelosi cited Kennedy's hard work in campaigning for many of the Democrats who won in 2018, flipping the majority and returning her to the job of speaker, but she also cited her own family's close ties to the Kennedys, including her father's role running the Maryland campaign for John F. Kennedy's presidential bid in 1960.... Pelosi said that Markey's campaign had crossed a hallowed line by running a negative campaign against the Kennedy dynasty.... At a campaign stop Thursday, Markey declined to criticize Pelosi for endorsing his rival."
The (Extended) Crime Family Trump
Shayna Jacobs of the Washington Post: "President Trump's latest attempt to block the Manhattan district attorney from obtaining his tax records was rejected Thursday by a federal judge, who said Trump's legal team failed to show the subpoena was issued 'in bad faith.' U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero threw out the lawsuit brought by the president's personal lawyers, who had argued that the subpoena to Mazars USA, Trump's accounting firm, was 'overbroad' in its request for documents and that it amounted to 'harassment.' Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. argued repeatedly that the subpoena, issued by a grand jury, was legally valid and tied to a legitimate criminal investigation.... Shortly after Marrero's decision was announced, Trump's legal team filed an emergency motion asking for a delay in enforcing the subpoena so he may appeal. Vance's office agreed to a one-week grace period before acting on the subpoena...." A CNBC story is here. The New York Times' story is here. (Also linked yesterday.)
Kevin Sullivan & Mary Jordan of the Washington Post in an adaption of their book "Trump on Trial," on "how the Ukraine bombshell unfolded over 48 hours... [The book] will be published Aug. 25 by Scribner. A revealing and intimate study of political power, it lays out the backstory and aftermath of President Trump's impeachment, including how his alarm-raising request to a foreign country centered on one person -- his political rival Joe Biden." Mrs. McC: If you don't have a WashPo subscription, this might be a place to take advantage of one of the few freebies.
The Grifters
I Can't Stop Laughing. Alan Feuer & William Rashbaum of the New York Times: "Stephen K. Bannon, President Trump's former top adviser, was charged on Thursday in New York with fraud for his role in a scheme related to 'We Build the Wall,' an online fund-raising effort that collected more than $25 million for the president's much-touted plan to erect a barrier on the Mexican border, officials said. Mr. Bannon and three other defendants 'defrauded hundreds of thousands of donors, capitalizing on their interest in funding a border wall to raise millions of dollars, under the false pretense that all of that money would be spent on construction,' Audrey Strauss, the acting United States attorney in Manhattan, said in statement Thursday. Mr. Bannon was arrested early Thursday in Connecticut by U.S. postal inspectors and brought to Manhattan where he faced charges in a two-count indictment unsealed in federal district court. He was expected to appear before a U.S. magistrate judge in New York later in the day." Thanks to P.D. Pepe for the link. A Politico story by Josh Gerstein is here. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: I heard the news on NPR as I was driving home from a doctor's visit, and yes, I'm still laughing. Every single element of this caper is perfect: Bannon. Trump. "The Wall." The marks, those dimwitted true Trump believers/xenophobic creeps. The rip-off. The USPS, for Pete's sake; I'm sure those inspectors were laughing even harder than I am. I do hope it turns out Brother Steve planned this scheme while he was hanging out that Italian monestary/fascist thug tank, where apparently he's failed to pay the rent. ~~~
~~~ UPDATE. Larry Neumeister, et al., of the AP: "Hours after his arrest, Bannon pleaded not guilty during an appearance in a Manhattan federal court. He is the latest addition to a startlingly long list of Trump associates who have been prosecuted, including his former campaign chair, Paul Manafort, whom Bannon replaced, his longtime lawyer, Michael Cohen, and his former national security adviser, Michael Flynn. Trump has also made clear that he is willing to use his near-limitless pardon power to help political allies escape legal jeopardy, most recently commuting the sentence of longtime political adviser Roger Stone. Bannon was taken into custody around 7 a.m. by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service on a 150-foot (45-meter) luxury yacht called Lady May, which was off the coast of Connecticut, authorities said. The boat is owned by exiled Chinese billionaire Guo Wengui and currently for sale for nearly $28 million.... At his hearing later Thursday, Bannon appeared with his hands cuffed in front of him and a white mask covering most of his face. He rocked back and forth on a chair in a holding cell where he appeared via video with his lawyers on the telephone. The magistrate judge approved Bannon's release on $5 million bail, secured by $1.75 million in assets.... After the arrest, Trump quickly distanced himself from Bannon and the the project. 'When I read about it, I didn't like it. I said this is for government, this isn't for private people. And it sounded to me like showboating,' he told reporters at the White House, adding that he felt 'very badly' about the situation." (Also linked yesterday.)
Another Trumpist Racket. Michelle Goldberg of the New York Times: "... Trump tried to distance himself from Bannon and We Build the Wall, first saying he knew nothing about the group, then contradicting himself and saying he disliked it. But lots of Trumpworld figures have been involved with We Build the Wall. Kris Kobach, a hard-line anti-immigrant Kansas politician close to Trump, is listed as the group's general counsel, and last year told The New York Times it had the president's blessing. Also on the advisory board is the Blackwater founder and close Trump ally Erik Prince; Curt Schilling, the ex-Red Sox pitcher Trump encouraged to run for Congress; and Robert Spalding, former senior director for strategic planning on Trump's National Security Council. Donald Trump Jr. praised We Build the Wall at a 2019 event for the group: 'This is private enterprise at its finest. Doing it better, faster, cheaper than anything else, and what you guys are doing is pretty amazing.'" ~~~
~~~ Andrew Kaczynski & Em Steck of CNN: "... the President claimed that he did not know people involved in the project. 'I know nothing about the project other than I didn't like when I read about it, I didn't like it, Trump said on Thursday.... 'I didn't know any of the other people, either,' he added. In a statement, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany added that Trump does not know people involved in the project.... Along with Bannon, Trump knows most people on the group's board of directors, including Curt Schilling, David Clarke, Mary Ann Mendoza, Steve Ronnebeck and Erik Prince."
Lachlan Markay of the Daily Beast: "Federal prosecutors on Thursday arrested former Trump adviser Steve Bannon and Brian Kolfage, the head of a nonprofit seeking to privately finance construction of a southern border wall, and accused them of illegally using that nonprofit to enrich themselves. But the sums the two men allegedly extracted from the organization just scratched the surface of their grandiose plans to make money off the effort. As he was using his group, We Build The Wall, to compile millions of email addresses and phone numbers, Kolfage was also plotting ways to use that data to start a Republican fundraising firm. The venture had gotten far enough that earlier this year, he was already shopping around for potential clients. Kolfage, a triple amputee Air Force veteran, described his plans to a Republican consultant in an email written early this year and seen by The Daily Beast." (Also linked yesterday.)
Philip Bump: "The first time one of the people leading Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign faced criminal charges was in March of that year.... Back then, it was Corey Lewandowski.... He was arrested on misdemeanor battery charges after he grabbed a Breitbart reporter's arm after a speech at a Trump property in Florida. He and Trump vigorously denied that Lewandowski had touched reporter Michelle Fields.... Video produced by the Trump property, however, later showed that Fields's allegations were accurate. The charges against Lewandowski were dropped.... Each of the three people primarily responsible for helping shepherd Trump into the White House has, at some point since he announced his candidacy in June 2015, faced criminal charges. And those three people constitute less than half of the close Trump allies to have pleaded guilty to or been indicted on or convicted of criminal charges." (Also linked yesterday.)
** Sarah Burris of the Raw Story: "Over a year ago, the Pentagon inspector general began looking into a suspicious $400 million contract given from the Department of Homeland Security to the construction company linked to Bannon's group. The funds came at Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-ND) and Trump's urging[.] 'On Dec. 2, the Pentagon announced a contract worth up to $400 million to Fisher Sand and Gravel for the construction of 31 miles of new border barriers along the Cabeza Prieta National Wildlife Refuge in southern Arizona,' said the Washington Post.... 'The company also has partnered with right-wing activist group We Build the Wall to construct fencing on private land with millions of dollars raised through online donations,' said the Post. The American Civil Liberties Union said that they are demanding answers[.]" ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: I guess we had to expect that somehow or other, Trump would waste our taxpayer dollars on a scam that seemed to be directed at fleecing Trumpbots. But, hey, Tony Soprano Trump knows nothing aboudit.
Annals of "Journalism," Ha Ha Ha. Justin Baragona, et al., of the Daily Beast: "No right-wing cause célèbre would be complete without some on-air boosting from Fox News. And in the case of Steve Bannon's allegedly fraudulent 'We Build the Wall' fundraiser, the conservative cable channel obliged.... Since the viral fundraiser launched in late 2018, Bannon and [co-conspirator Brian] Kolfage separately appeared on Fox News on more than a few occasions to tout their efforts to the network's audience and its uncritical, often credulously supportive on-air personalities.... 'A story of the can-do American spirit in action,' Fox News primetime host Laura Ingraham beamed about the fundraiser before interviewing Kolfage during her Dec. 20, 2018 broadcast.... [Bannon] received a particularly big boost for his allegedly fraudulent scheme in an August 2019 interview with Fox host Maria Bartiromo, who fawned over the project.... ['We Build' advisory board member Kris] Kobach also appeared on overtly pro-Trump morning show Fox & Friends in early 2019 to present an 'exclusive' update on the fund's progress to a very impressed and supportive host Pete Hegseth."
Then There's Junior's Deal with Polygamous Fraudsters. Graham Kates & Jessica Kegu of CBS News: "Amid a series of campaign appearances in Utah on July 24, Donald Trump Jr. took time to shoot Desert Tech rifles and appeared in promotional images for the company, which is owned by a prominent member of a polygamous sect. The government is currently trying to seize the company's headquarters, which prosecutors say was previously bought with funds originating from other members of the sect who entered guilty pleas in a $1.1 billion fraud scheme. In photos posted by the company to Instagram and Facebook, Trump Jr. is seen wearing a Desert Tech hat, posing with the company's founder, Nicholas Young, and firing the company's sniper rifles. A marketing video on YouTube also includes an image of Trump Jr." (Also linked yesterday.)
The Trumpidemic, Ctd.
Laurie McGinley & Yasmeen Abutaleb of the Washington Post: "The Trump administration this week blocked the Food and Drug Administration from regulating a broad swath of laboratory tests, including for the coronavirus, in a move strongly opposed by the agency. The new policy stunned many health experts and laboratories because of its timing, several months into a pandemic. Some public health expert warned the shift could result in unreliable coronavirus tests on the market, potentially worsening the testing crisis that has dogged the United States if more people get erroneous results.... But supporters cheered the change as long overdue, saying it could help get new and more innovative tests to market more quickly.... The change in policy came as a surprise to many at the FDA and was a point of intense disagreement between HHS Secretary Alex Azar and FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn.... The episode is the latest in which health agencies have been undercut by political overseers."
Lena Sun of the Washington Post: "U.S. health officials this week moved to expand access to flu shots and to tighten vaccination requirements for students, with the nation facing the prospect of flu season arriving amid the coronavirus pandemic and creating an unprecedented threat to health. The two highly contagious respiratory illnesses are spread in similar ways, mainly through respiratory droplets. They have similar symptoms, including fever, chills and headaches. Each can cause life-threatening illness and death. Together, they could pose a double burden on the nation's already strained health-care systems, including labs that conduct flu and coronavirus tests.... Flu vaccine manufacturers have boosted production by about 15 percent, to record levels...."
Fred Imbert of CNBC: "The number of people filing for unemployment benefits last week was greater than expected, raising concern about the state of the economy as lawmakers struggle to move forward on a new pandemic stimulus package. The Labor Department said Thursday that initial jobless claims for the week ended Aug. 15 came in at 1.106 million. Economists polled by Dow Jones expected a total of 923,000. Initial claims for the previous week were also revised higher by 8,000 to 971,000. Last week marked the first time in 21 weeks that initial claims came in below 1 million." (Also linked yesterday.)
Susan B. Anthony Museum Rejects Hollow Trump Gesture. Neda Ulaby of NPR: "On Tuesday, President Trump officially pardoned leading suffragist Susan B. Anthony, who died in 1906. He noted she was arrested in 1872 for voting before it was legal for women to do so. 'She was never pardoned!' he exclaimed in a White House ceremony. 'Did you know that she was never pardoned? What took so long?' Well, it was partly that Anthony would not have wanted to be pardoned, according to some historians who've pointed out that the activist did not think she'd done anything wrong. Joining those voices is the executive director of the National Susan B. Anthony Museum and House in Rochester, N.Y. 'Objection! Mr. President, Susan B. Anthony must decline your offer of a pardon,' Deborah L. Hughes wrote in a statement.... She suggested that the best way to honor Anthony would be taking a clear stance against voter suppression and advocating for human rights for all." Thanks to Akhilleus for the lead.
Brian Fung of CNN: "The president who complains about censorship by Twitter wants to censor people himself. On Thursday, the Justice Department asked the Supreme Court to overturn a lower court's decision and grant ... Donald Trump the ability to block his critics on Twitter. The petition seeks to revive a case decided by a New York federal judge in 2018. At the time, Judge Naomi Buchwald said Trump violated the First Amendment when he sought to stifle his online critics because portions of his Twitter account are considered a public forum. A three-judge panel upheld the ruling on appeal. Thursday's Supreme Court petition argues that the lower courts got it wrong." Thanks to Akhilleus for the lead. Mrs. McC: King Donald has his Article II that lets him do whatever he wants. That, he figures, should definitely include depriving you of your First Amendment. (And it is your Amendment. The Bill of Rights is sort of the people's reciprocity in a contract called the Constitution.) And thanks to the Court Jester, Fat Billy of Barr, for pursuing this case.
The Cheese Stands Alone. Iran Isolates the U.S. Lara Jakes & David Sanger of the New York Times: "A diplomatic standoff over restoring international sanctions against Iran may be the most vivid example yet of how the United States has largely isolated itself from the world order -- instead of isolating Tehran, as the Trump administration intended. At nearly every step President Trump has taken in his dogged pursuit to demolish a 2015 accord limiting Iran's nuclear program, he has run into opposition, including from America's strongest allies in Europe. On Thursday, the opposition turned into open defiance. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo traveled to New York to personally demand that the United Nations Security Council 'snap back' the sanctions on Iran for violating some terms of the nuclear deal.... Never mind that Iran's major violations were in response to Mr. Trump's decision to exit the nuclear agreement.... Only the Dominican Republic voted with the United States. Mr. Pompeo, sounding incredulous..., directed some of his harshest words toward diplomats from Britain, France and Germany, whom he said 'chose to side with ayatollahs.'"
** Peace for Arms. Kylie Atwood & Zachary Cohen of CNN: "A secret push by ... Jared Kushner to sell advanced arms -- including F-35 stealth fighter jets -- to the United Arab Emirates has caused confusion and frustration among agencies and congressional committees that would normally be involved in such a sale but have been left in the dark.... Reports of a possible arms deal surfaced Tuesday when one of Israel's leading newspapers alleged there was a 'secret clause' in Israel's deal to normalize relations with the UAE -- one that would allow the UAE to buy billions of dollars in advanced military hardware from the US, including drones, F-35 stealth fighters and other weaponry.... The story raised hackles in Israel because of the potential threat to Israel's military superiority in the region.... Any sale involving the F-35 would require serious scrutiny from Congress.... But relevant committees in Congress have not been notified of an arms sale to UAE[.]" --s ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Did anyone really think there would not be some kind of secret side deal in any agreement with Donnie & Jared's prints on it?
Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "The White House budget office has upended a decades-old practice on how federal agencies spend money, giving more power to political appointees to move money around, two senior administration officials confirmed. Previously, career staffers at the White House Office of Management and Budget, the kind of employees who work at agencies despite changes in administrations, were charged with signing off on approving the 'apportionment' of funds, deciding how to shift or restrict the disbursement of money already approved by Congress. Under a new system unilaterally put in place last week, those decisions will now be signed off on by political appointees chosen by the Trump administration who work as program associate directors at the OMB."
Julia Ainsley & Jacob Soboroff of NBC News tell a disgusting story of how the excrable Stephen Miller led a meeting of senior advisors in May 2018 who voted by a show of hands to separate children from their migrant parents. While some, especially then DHS Secretary Kirstgen Nielsen, objected to the project for logistical reasons, "no one in the meeting made the case that separating families would be inhumane or immoral...."
Beyond the Beltway
Michigan. Kathleen Gray of the New York Times: "As the state of Michigan on Thursday announced a $600 million settlement for the victims of the water crisis that upended Flint, the deal was another reminder of the damage and debt to thousands of children: Almost 80 percent of the settlement will go to people who were younger than 18 during the crisis, the officials said, and much of that will go to those who were younger than 7. Around Flint, residents said that the settlement, which still needs a federal judge's approval, felt like the start of hopeful news. Still, after all they have been through, some had lingering doubts. They questioned how long the process of deciding who qualifies for payment may take. And they said they were painfully aware that no amount of money can undo the exposure their children had to tainted water between 2014 and 2016."
Way Beyond
Russia. Isabelle Khurshudyan of the Washington Post: "Officials offered conflicting accounts Friday into what sickened Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny and doctors blocked his transfer abroad for treatment, stirring claims by Navalny's allies that Moscow was attempting to cover up a suspected poisoning of the country's most prominent opposition leader. The confusion added to the many questions since Navalny was suddenly stricken Thursday during a flight en route to Moscow from Siberia. His spokeswoman and others quickly claimed that the 44-year-old Navalny -- now in a coma -- was the latest victim of a poisoning ordered by the state, a method used before in attacks linked to Russian agents. Doctors treating Navalny at a Siberian hospital said Navalny had 'somewhat improved,' but denied his family's request to send him to Germany aboard a waiting plane with medical specialists."
News Lede
Washington Post: "Hundreds of thousands of acres of unpopulated land continued to burn across California on Thursday, as dozens of lightning-sparked wildfires moved quickly through dry vegetation and threatened the edges of cities and towns in the state's northern and central regions. Evacuations surged Thursday as authorities worried that high heat and gusty winds could cause the fires to spread rapidly. By midday, several of the major fires had more than doubled in size, in some cases jumping across major highways, as crews struggled to contain the blazes. The fires have been blamed for at least 5 fatalities. Many of the fires began days ago, as a heat wave and an unusual series of storms produced more than 20,000 lightning strikes."
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