The Commentariat -- October 8, 2019
Late Morning/Afternoon Update:
Ken Vogel & others at the New York Times get around to looking at Rick Perry's role in the Ukraine scandal: "Mr. Perry's role in the diplomacy between the countries highlights the degree to which Mr. Trump entrusted his Ukraine policy to an ad hoc coalition of loyalists inside and outside the government, especially after the recall of the ambassador to Ukraine amid questions among Mr. Trump's supporters about her loyalty to the president. It also reveals the extent to which Ukrainian politics and national security revolve around energy supplies. Mr. Perry's efforts, while broadly consistent with American national security and energy objectives, intersected with those of the figures involved in the pressure campaign." Mrs. McC: The AP & Politico stories I linked last week seemed more useful. The only news here seems to be that when Perry suggested names to add to Naftogaz's board, he was encouraging Naftogaz to consider "removing from the supervisory board a former Obama administration official named Amos J. Hochstein. Mr. Hochstein had worked with Mr. Biden on his Ukraine efforts as vice president." But the NYT reporters also let Perry off the hook by asserting that "the Ukrainian government had requested recommendations from Mr. Perry for Americans who could advise Naftogaz and the government...."
Jeremy Herb, et al., of CNN: "House Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff on Tuesday called the State Department's blocking testimony of a key witness 'strong evidence of obstruction' of Democrats' impeachment investigation, and the move is prompting House Democrats to issue a subpoena for the testimony in response." ~~~
~~~ Cristina Marcos of the Hill: "The chairmen of the three House committees leading Democrats' impeachment inquiry said Tuesday that they will issue a subpoena to ... Gordon Sondland, the ambassador to the European Union..., a key official that the State Department blocked from testifying.... House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.), Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel (D-N.Y.) and Oversight Committee Chairman Elijah Cummings (D-Md.) said they would subsequently move to subpoena Sondland later Tuesday for testimony and documents." ~~~
~~~ Allan Smith & Geoff Bennett of NBC News: Ambassador Gordon Sondland's attorney Robert Luskin said "that Sondland 'is profoundly disappointed that he will not be able to testify today.' Luskin noted that Sondland traveled to Washington from Brussels 'in order to prepare for his testimony and to be available to answer the Committee's questions. Arrangements had already been made with Joint Committee staff regarding the logistics of his testimony,' Lusin said.... Luskin said the ambassador 'hopes' the State Department's qualms that 'precludes his testimony will be resolved promptly.'... Speaking with reporters Tuesday, House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff, D-Calif., lamented that 'not only is the Congress being deprived of' Sondland's testimony, 'but we are also aware the ambassador has text messages or emails on a personal device which have been provided to the State Department.'... He called the messages 'deeply relevant to this investigation and the impeachment inquiry' and said Democrats would consider the failure to obtain Sondland's documents and testimony as evidence of obstruction." See previous linked reports for context. ~~~
~~~ The Midnight Hide of Mike Pompeo. Michael Isikoff of Yahoo! News: "he State Department waited until 12:30 a.m. on Tuesday to tell U.S. Ambassador Gordon Sondland not to show up for his scheduled deposition with three House committees later that morning, the ambassador's lawyer told Yahoo News. Robert Luskin, Sondland's attorney, said he got the extraordinary middle-of-the-night directive in a phone call from a State Department official he declined to identify. The official offered no explanation of the grounds on which the State Department was blocking Sondland's appearance at the last minute."
Jordain Carney of the Hill: "Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) said on Tuesday that he will invite President Trump's personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani to testify before the Senate Judiciary Committee about Ukraine.... Graham said that his decision came after hearing from Giuliani on 'numerous occasions disturbing allegations ... about corruption in Ukraine and the many improprieties surrounding the firing of former Prosecutor General Viktor Shokin.... Given the House of Representatives' behavior, it is time for the Senate to inquire about corruption and other improprieties involving Ukraine,' he added.... The hearing would likely give Giuliani a forum to air his claims that the former vice president pushed a former top prosecutor in Ukraine to be fired to help his son. There's been no evidence of wrongdoing by the former vice president. It would also give three 2020 Democratic presidential candidates -- Sens. Cory Booker (N.J.), Kamala Harris (Calif.) and Amy Klobuchar (Minn.) -- a high-profile stage to question Giuliani, and knock Trump. Harris quickly pounced on Graham's announcement, adding in a tweet: 'Good. I have questions.' The decision to invite Giuliani marks a reversal for Graham, who had previously indicated that he wanted 'all things Ukraine' investigated but didn't think the Senate should be the body leading the probe."
Samantha Grasso of Splinter: "Amid ... Donald Trump's insistence that this should all go away, most Americans support the impeachment inquiry into Trump, and almost half of supporters say they also support removing the president from office, according to a new Washington Post-Schar School poll. More specifically, 58 percent of Americans thinks that Congress should have launched an impeachment inquiry into Trump's behavior. Meanwhile, 49 percent of Americans go the extra mile, saying they support the impeachment inquiry and removing Trump from office.... This is a marked uptick from the last time the poll was taken, when 59 percent said they didn't support impeachment while just 37 percent were in favor. The latest poll also found 60 percent of Americans say Trump doesn't uphold adequate standards for ethics in government." The Washington Post's report is here.
Quint Forgey of Politico: "... Donald Trump on Tuesday promoted Turkey's diplomatic and economic ties to the U.S. amid withering bipartisan criticism for his decision to allow the Middle Eastern nation to invade northern Syria -- endangering the Kurdish fighters who helped the American military quash ISIS forces in the region. 'So many people conveniently forget that Turkey is a big trading partner of the United States, in fact they make the structural steel frame for our F-35 Fighter Jet,' the president wrote on Twitter.... Trump also noted that Turkey 'is an important member in good standing' of the international NATO military alliance, and revealed that Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan would be 'coming to the U.S. as my guest' on Nov. 13.... The president insisted Tuesday that America's support for its Kurdish allies would continue as U.S. troops withdraw from Syria, and again cautioned Turkey against instigating conflict in the region. 'We may be in the process of leaving Syria, but in no way have we Abandoned the Kurds, who are special people and wonderful fighters. Likewise our relationship with Turkey, a NATO and Trading partner, has been very good,' Trump tweeted."
Senate Race. John Frank of the Colorado Sun: "John Hickenlooper raised more than $2.1 million for his U.S. Senate campaign in less than six weeks, a record haul in Colorado that affirms his Democratic front-runner status in a top-tier race. The cash total positions the former two-term governor as the top fundraiser in his party primary but it falls short of Republican U.S. Sen. Cory Gardner, who will report raising $2.45 million for his reelection bid in the three-month period that ended in June."
Annals of "Journalism," Ctd. Kevin Poulsen & Maxwell Tani of the Daily Beast: "RealClearPolitics has carefully cultivated a non-partisan image -- while in the shadows its parent company pushes images of killer Clintons and a freedom-loving Kremlin. The company behind the non-partisan news site RealClearPolitics has been secretly running a Facebook page filled with far-right memes and Islamophobic smears.... Called 'Conservative Country,' the Facebook page was founded in 2014 and now boasts nearly 800,000 followers for its mix of Donald Trump hagiography and ultra-conservative memes. One recent post showed a man training two assault rifles at a closed door with the caption 'Just sitting here waiting on Beto.' Others wink at right-wing conspiracy theories about Barack Obama's 'ties to Islam' or the Clintons having their enemies killed, or portray Muslim members of Congress as terrorist infiltrators. The page is effusive with praise for Vladimir Putin, and one post portrays Russia as the last bastion of freedom in Europe." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: I occasionally link to RealClearPolitics stories & stats, especially around election times. I plan not to do that anymore.
~~~~~~~~~~
Adam Schiff is speaking now (at 9:30 am ET). Schiff said Sondland also had texts & e-mails on a personal device that the State Department was withholding from Congress. He said blocking Sondland could end up as part of an Article of Impeachment.
BREAKING. Michael Schmidt & Nicholas Fandos of the New York Times: "The Trump administration directed a top American diplomat involved in its pressure campaign on Ukraine not to appear Tuesday morning for a scheduled interview in the House's impeachment inquiry. The decision to block Gordon D. Sondland, the United States ambassador to the European Union, from speaking with investigators for three House committees is certain to provoke an immediate conflict with potentially profound consequences for the White House and President Trump. House Democrats have repeatedly warned that if the administration tries to interfere with their investigation, it will be construed as obstruction, a charge they see as potentially worthy of impeachment.... Robert Luskin, Mr. Sondland's lawyer, said in a statement that as a State Department employee, his client had no choice but to comply with the administration's direction. He said Mr. Sondland had been prepared and happy to testify, and would do so in the future if allowed.... Mr. Sondland interacted directly with Mr. Trump, speaking with the president several times around key moments that House Democrats are now investigating, including before and after Mr. Trump's July call with the new Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky." ~~~
~~~ Update. New Lede: "The White House all but declared war on the House impeachment inquiry on Tuesday, intervening for the first time to block the testimony of a key witness as President Trump signaled his administration would try to starve investigators of more witnesses and documents." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: This absolutely will go into an Article of Impeachment. CNN is reporting that "the White House" was talking about this late into the night last night before they ordered Sondland not to appear. Pompeo is right in the middle of this. According to CNN, the White House is not even asserting executive privilege, White House & State are just saying "no." Sondland had intended to testify & flew into D.C. to do so.
Faced with GOP Rebellion, Trump Tries to Backpedal Rogue Syria Decision. Peter Baker & Lara Jakes of the New York Times: "President Trump threw Middle East policy into turmoil on Monday with a series of conflicting signals after his vow to withdraw American forces from the region touched off an uprising among congressional Republicans and protests by America's allies. Defending his decision to clear the way for a Turkish military operation against America's Kurdish allies in northern Syria, announced in a White House statement on Sunday night, Mr. Trump said it was 'time for us to get out' and let others 'figure the situation out.' But his move touched off a broad rebuke by Republicans ... in some of the sharpest language they have leveled against a Trump foreign policy decision. And in response, the president pivoted sharply and said he would restrain Turkey.... A Defense Department official said the president's threat to destroy the Turkish economy should make clear that Mr. Trump had not approved a Turkish attack on the Kurds.... But Republicans were not sure. Even after Mr. Trump recalibrated his message, Senator Mitch McConnell ... warned against 'a precipitous withdrawal' that would benefit Russia, Iran, President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and the Islamic State." ...
... The reporters go on to describe the phone call between Trump & Erdogan: "Mr. Trump seemed to be responding instinctively to an unexpected comment by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey near the end of a telephone call on Sunday that otherwise focused on trade and defense assistance. Mr. Erdogan, who has long threatened to send troops over the border against Kurdish fighters allied with the United States, told Mr. Trump that he was finally moving forward. Mr. Trump told Mr. Erdogan that he did not support an incursion, according to aides. But ... Mr. Trump got off the call and promptly issued a late-night statement that he would pull out about 50 American special operations troops near the border who have served as a trip wire deterring Turkey from sending forces into Syria." (The report is a major revision of a story linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Dave Lawler of Axios: "The White House is insisting that President Trump did not offer Turkey a 'green light' to slaughter U.S.-backed Kurdish forces in northern Syria last night and that the U.S. wouldn't bear responsibility for any Islamic State resurgence in the area.... There was an information vacuum for much of the day beyond the tweets in which Trump reiterated his desire to leave Syria, claimed the Kurds had been 'paid massive amounts' to fight ISIS and warned he would 'destroy and obliterate' Turkey's economy if it did anything he found 'off limits.'... A senior administration official ... said repeatedly that Trump was not endorsing Erdoğan's plan, but wouldn't say whether he'd warned him not to move ahead." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. Bea McCrabbie: Let us remind "the White House" that Trump tweeted Monday morning, "... it is time for us to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars, many of them tribal, and bring our soldiers home. WE WILL FIGHT WHERE IT IS TO OUR BENEFIT, AND ONLY FIGHT TO WIN. Turkey, Europe, Syria, Iran, Iraq, Russia and the Kurds will now have to figure the situation out, and what they want to do with the captured ISIS fighters in their "neighborhood.'"
~~~ "Chaos in Syria, Washington." Carol Lee & Courtney Kube of NBC News: "At 3 a.m. local time, the commander of the Syrian Democratic Forces, Gen. Mazloum Kobane..., received a phone call from a senior U.S official telling him to get on a video teleconference with an American military commander who informed him ... Donald Trump had ordered U.S. troops to withdraw.... Confusion ensued in Syria and Washington in the hours after Trump agreed during a phone call with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to move U.S. troops out of northeastern Syria to clear the way for a Turkish military operation in the area.... The White House's announcement of the decision late Sunday night blindsided not just America's Kurdish partners in the fight against the Islamic State militant group, or ISIS, in Syria, but almost everyone -- senior officials at the Pentagon, the State Department and the White House, lawmakers on Capitol Hill, and U.S. allies in Europe and the Middle East.... [A statement issued by White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham] ... was the first time many in the administration, Congress and capitals across the world learned of the president's decision.... Trump, meanwhile seemed to back away from his initial statement.... 'Even Trump is starting to realize that maybe he didn't handle this too well, and is maybe trying to walk it back,' [a senior State Department] official said. 'I think you're going to see some backpedaling.'" ~~~
~~~ "Nobody Saw It Coming." Wesley Morgan of Politico: "The White House announcement upended military and State Department plans ... and it bucked views by top officials that the Turks' threat of an incursion against the Kurds was a bluff, according to current and former defense officials.... 'Everyone was absolutely flabbergasted by this. I tell you that as a fact,' retired Adm. James Stavridis said Monday on MSNBC, describing what he saw as the view from the Pentagon. 'Nobody saw it coming, and that is a real problem when you're trying to conduct not only foreign policy ... but also military operations. That kind of whipsawing effect is extremely detrimental, not only in this tactical situation, but strategically as our planners try and prepare in other theaters, from North Korea to Afghanistan.'... A person familiar with the U.S. government's policy deliberations on the issue said Trump is operating against the advice of his national security leaders -- noting that Sunday night's announcement came just three days after Defense Secretary Mark Esper spoke by phone with Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar. 'POTUS went rogue,' the person said. 'It's not too surprising for those of us who've been following him, but it was a surprise and went against what Esper was talking to Akar about.'" ~~~
~~~ James LaPorta of Newsweek: "Donald Trump got 'rolled' by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a National Security Council source with direct knowledge of the discussions told Newsweek.... 'President Trump was definitely out-negotiated and only endorsed the troop withdraw to make it look like we are getting something -- but we are not getting something,' the National Security Council source told Newsweek. 'The U.S. national security has entered a state of increased danger for decades to come because the president has no spine and that's the bottom line.'... According to the NSC official, who had first-hand knowledge of the phone call, Trump did not endorse any Turkish military operation against Kurdish Forces, but also did not threaten economic sanctions during the phone call if Turkey decided to undertake offensive operations." ~~~
~~~ Edmund DeMarche, et al., of Fox "News": "The White House announced late Sunday that Turkey will soon move forward with a planned military operation in northeast Syria, as U.S. troops who have been deployed and operating with Kurdish-led forces in the area began pulling back from their positions. The decision sent shockwaves through the region and Washington, with U.S. officials telling Fox News that top Pentagon officials were 'completely blindsided' and 'shocked' by the order to pull back hundreds of U.S. troops, a move that effectively green-lights the Turkey operation." Emphasis added. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I've done before!). They must, with Europe and others, watch over... ....the captured ISIS fighters and families. The U.S. has done far more than anyone could have ever expected, including the capture of 100% of the ISIS Caliphate. It is time now for others in the region, some of great wealth, to protect their own territory. THE USA IS GREAT! -- Donald Trump, in two tweets this morning (emphasis added in bold; the caps emphases are all Trump's) ~~~
~~~ James Hohmann of the Washington Post: "National security experts warn that Trump abandoning the Kurds in this manner will have a chilling effect not just in the region but around the world, further eroding American credibility against the backdrop of a rising China and a revanchist Russia. 'Well, at least the Trump Administration is consistent. We are about screwing our allies, partners and friends,' said John Sipher, who served 28 years in the Central Intelligence Agency's clandestine service'.... 'Don't trust America, even if you shed blood on their behalf. If you want favors, build a Trump tower.' Other critics of Trump's decision to withdraw from Syria were also quick to note that there is a Trump Tower complex in Istanbul." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Abandoning [the Kurds] to the Turks who will treat them mercilessly is just .... horrifying. Trump just shrugged and said 'fine' because he doesn't understand any of it and neither does he care. He has a hotel in Istanbul though.... When he has to choose he always backs the people who benefit him personally. -- digby
Rebecca Klar of the Hill: "President Trump's former ISIS envoy on Monday slammed the decision to pull U.S. troops out of northern Syria.... 'Donald Trump is not a Commander-in-Chief. He makes impulsive decisions with no knowledge or deliberation,' Brett McGurk tweeted. 'He sends military personnel into harm's way with no backing. He blusters and then leaves our allies exposed when adversaries call his bluff or he confronts a hard phone call.'... McGurk also said Trump made a 'similarly impulsive decision' when he served in the administration, which led to his resignation [Mrs. McC: at the same time & for the same reason Defense Secretary Jim Mattis resigned]. 'Tonight [Sunday] is a sad replay but seems even worse as US officials had since convinced the SDF that we planned to stay,' he said. 'There's a similar defect at the core of US foreign policies across the board: maximalist objectives for a minimalist president combined with no process to assess facts, develop options, or prepare contingencies. Our personnel are left exposed at the slightest moment of friction,' he added. 'Bottom line: Trump tonight after one call with a foreign leader provided a gift to Russia, Iran, and ISIS.'" ~~~
~~~ McGurk's Twitter account is here. (At the top of McGurk's feed are photos of him with soldiers, with Jim Mattis, with Barack Obama & with George W. Bush. Not a single shot with Cadet Bonespurs.)
Calling Senator Mitt. Gabriel Sherman of Vanity Fair: "According to people close to Romney, he's firmly decided against primarying Trump [though supporters have encouraged him to do so], an enterprise he believes to be a sure loser given Trump's enduring GOP support.... Instead, a Romney adviser told me, Romney believes he has more potential power as a senator who will decide Trump's fate in an impeachment trial. 'He could have tremendous influence in the impeachment process as the lone voice of conscience in the Republican caucus,' the adviser said. In recent days, Romney has been reaching out privately to key players in the Republican resistance, according to a person briefed on the conversations. 'Romney is the one guy who could bring along Susan Collins, Cory Gardner, Ben Sasse. Romney is the pressure point in the impeachment process. That's why the things he's saying are freaking Republicans out.... 'The Syria decision is a much bigger deal [the the Ukraine scandal],' another former West Wing official said. 'No one on the inside can hold Trump accountable. The Senate Republicans are the only check on power right now.'"
Democrats Aim to Protect Whistleblower from Devin Nunes, et al. Rachel Bade, et al., of the Washington Post: "House Democrats are weighing extraordinary steps to secure testimony from a whistleblower whose complaint prompted their impeachment inquiry, masking his identity to prevent President Trump's congressional allies from exposing the individual, according to three officials familiar with the deliberations. The steps under consideration include having the whistleblower testify from a remote location and obscuring the individual's appearance and voice, these officials said. The efforts reflect Democrats' deepening distrust of their GOP colleagues, whom they see as fully invested in defending a president who has attacked the whistleblower's credibility and demanded absolute loyalty from Republicans." ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: You read that right. In order to keep Republicans from outting the identity of a whistleblower who is protected by law (that would be a law Congress itself passed, of course), Democrats must go to extraordinary lengths. It isn't just the President* who is lawless, so are his Congressional vassals.
Cristina Marcos of the Hill: "House Democrats on Monday subpoenaed the heads of the Defense Department and Office of Management and Budget for documents related to the Trump administration's decision to withhold financial aid to Ukraine while the president pushed the allied nation for an investigation into former Vice President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter. In letters to Defense Secretary Mark Esper and Office of Management and Budget (OMB) acting director Russell Vought, the three committee chairmen leading the House's impeachment inquiry asked for the documents to be provided by Oct. 15." (Also linked yesterday.)
Washington Post liveblog at 9 am ET: "George Kent, the deputy assistant secretary of state in the European and Eurasian Bureau, did not appear for a deposition before three House committees scheduled for Monday morning. 'No, Democrats originally scheduled him for deposition today, but his appearance has not yet been worked out or confirmed,' said a person familiar with the planned deposition...." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Karen DeYoung, et al., of the Washington Post: "Secretary of State Mike Pompeo returned Monday morning from a European trip to a State Department workforce that is increasingly demoralized and resentful under his leadership, amid a growing belief that he has subordinated its mission and abandoned colleagues in the service of President Trump's political aims. The 'prevailing mood is low and getting lower, if it can,' said Thomas R. Pickering, a diplomatic dean who served in high-ranking department positions.... State Department officials strongly supported $141 million in department funds that Congress appropriated this year for Ukraine -- in addition to $250 million in aid from the Defense Department. But there is no indication that Pompeo objected when Trump withheld all of the assistance while ... Rudolph W. Giuliani — and the president himself -- pressed the government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden and his son. Most worrisome to the department is concern that Pompeo did not intervene to protect U.S. diplomats either enlisted by Giuliani to assist his efforts or punished for being insufficiently committed to the cause.... 'All of us felt like [Marie Yovanovitch] was incredibly shabbily treated,' said a senior Western diplomat. 'My understanding is that Pompeo was quite well briefed and took a passive role when the removal of Masha [Marie] Yovanovitch happened. He couldn't have been ignorant of the subject matter or the interests at play.'"
Darrel Rowland of the Columbus (Ohio) Dispatch: "While he still says impeachment is too extreme, Sen. Rob Portman readily acknowledged Monday that ... Donald Trump should not have asked Ukraine or China for help investigating former Vice President Joe Biden. And the Ohio Republican also undercut key factual elements of Trump's explanation of his actions.... 'The president should not have raised the Biden issue on that call, period. It's not appropriate for a president to engage a foreign government in an investigation of a political opponent,' Portman said.... Portman did express openness to an investigation of Trump by a bipartisan group such as the Senate Intelligence Committee. 'Everything should be looked at,' he said, including accusations that the FBI was politicized in 2016 to go after Trump."
Caitlin Oprysko of Politico: "Kurt Volker, the president's former special envoy to Ukraine, has stepped down from yet another post, his executive directorship of the McCain Institute, amid the fallout from House Democrats' impeachment inquiry. Volker resigned from his role at the State Department a little over a week ago, and his resignation as the head of the D.C.-based think tank came days after he appeared as Democrats' first witness in their widening impeachment probe.... In a statement released Monday announcing his departure, Volker specifically referenced the growing Ukraine scandal and the ensuing media frenzy.... Cindy McCain, [who directs the center,] in a statement released in tandem with Volker's, thanked the career diplomat for his service...." (Also linked yesterday.)
The Grift. Jonathan Chait: "While Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was leaning on the government in Kiev, he was simultaneously running a side hustle trying to extort the Ukrainians into throwing some energy business at his clients.... While he was representing Trump as a lawyer, Giuliani was being paid by two men ... Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman ... who were seeking business with Ukraine's government. Giuliani was wearing two hats: simultaneously representing the president of the United States and his paid clients. The conflict of interest between the two roles is overt. Giuliani's clients could use his name to leverage Ukraine to give them business.... As BuzzFeed reported in July, Parnas and Fruman held at least four meetings with Ukrainian prosecutors to urge investigations of Trump's enemies, and met with both President Trump and Donald Trump Jr.... And at the same time they were doing this, Parnas and Fruman were also pushing Ukraine to throw some natural-gas import business their way. Their efforts to intertwine their business agenda with the Trump political agenda were so successful that Energy Secretary Rick Perry brought up their interests in his negotiations with Ukraine.... The fact that Trump has been casting this campaign as an effort to root out 'corruption' while Rudy's boys were asking for a taste of the action just makes the whole joke funnier." See related stories linked below. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Chait casts Trump as using Parnas & Fruman Trump "as freelance operators to extort Ukraine because the normal foreign-policy apparatus is not set up to shake down foreign countries for dirt on the president's enemies." But I suspect the money Trump's & Perry's big donor friends would garner from contracts & board positions wit Ukraine natural gas firms was just as important to Trump. ~~~
~~~ Also too, as Chait notes, "If it were not a sidecar to a historic scandal, the energy scam would itself constitute a large enough scandal to bring most presidencies to their knees." It's so Teapot Dome-y. As historian Robert Cherney noted, "Before the Watergate scandal, Teapot Dome was regarded as the 'greatest and most sensational scandal in the history of American politics.'" Teapot Dome, like UkraineGate, involved a Cabinet Secretary arranging secret non-competitive contracts (oil leases in Teapot Dome) to energy entrepreneurs in exchange for favors (the oil companies bribed the Secretary). One difference: the president back then wasn't privy to the scam. BUT, as a kicker, one consequence of TeaPot Dome was that "Congress subsequently passed legislation, enduring to this day, giving subpoena power to House and Senate for review of tax records of any US citizen without regard to elected or appointed position, nor subject to White House interference." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Kyle Balluck & Aris Folley of the Hill: President Trump late Sunday suggested that Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was guilty of treason and should be 'immediately' impeached. 'Nancy Pelosi knew of all of the many Shifty Adam Schiff lies and massive frauds perpetrated upon Congress and the American people, in the form of a fraudulent speech knowingly delivered as a ruthless con, and the illegal meetings with a highly partisan "Whistleblower" & lawyer,' he tweeted. 'This makes Nervous Nancy every bit as guilty as Liddle’ Adam Schiff for High Crimes and Misdemeanors, and even Treason. I guess that means that they, along with all of those that evilly "Colluded" with them, must all be immediately Impeached!'... Members of Congress cannot be impeached...." Mrs. McC: Somebody should explain impeachment to Trump; despite its prominence in his life, he still doesn't get it. This is the second time Trump has urged somebody (he uses the passive voice) to impeach members of Congress; last week it was Mitt Romney for disagreeing with Trump's solicitation of China to "investigate" the Bidens. (Also linked yesterday.)
This court finds aspects of such a doctrine repugnant to the nation's governmental structure and constitutional values. -- U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero, on Trump's argument that he is above the law ~~~
~~~ David Fahrenthold & Anne Marimow of the Washington Post: "A federal judge on Monday dismissed President Trump's lawsuit seeking to block the Manhattan district attorney from obtaining the president's tax returns as part of an investigation into hush-money payments during the 2016 campaign. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero rejected Trump's argument that the presidency makes him immune to any investigation by any prosecutor. In his 75-page ruling, Marrero called such a claim 'extraordinary' and wrote, 'This Court cannot endorse such a categorical and limitless assertion of presidential immunity from judicial process.' The order would allow District Attorney Cyrus Vance Jr. (D) to enforce a subpoena he sent to Trump's longtime accountants, Mazars USA.... But moments after the ruling Monday, Trump's private attorneys asked the New York-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit to intervene to put the case on hold. The appeals court responded soon after, issuing a temporary stay pending review by a three-judge panel of the court." Politico's story is here. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Mrs. McCrabbie: Neal Katyal, in an appearance on Lawrence O'Donnell's show, noted that the Second Circuit planned to review Judge Marrero's decision "expeditiously," which means they will probably hear arguments within several weeks. (He didn't estimate how long it might take the three-judge panel to publish a decision.) Katyal also said that the Supreme Court were unlikely to take the case if the Appeals Court upheld Marrero's decision because Trump's arguments were so "preposterous" that the Supremes wouldn't think hearing the case was worth their while. Katyal characterized the Trump lawyers' argument as "a creative writing exercise" in which they didn't bother to cite any precedents except King George III. Katyal noted that Americans had fought a revolution over royal rule though he suggested King Donald might not appreciate that.
NEW. Daniel Lippman of Politico: "... Donald Trump has compared White House leakers to spies and mused obliquely to other officials about executing them. He's attacked individual reporters by name. He rails frequently against press accounts of his administration, dismissing them as 'fake news.' But privately, the president is so obsessed with the leaks about him that he has frequently discussed whether to order polygraphs of White House staffers after major disclosures, according to four former White House officials.... Trump has talked about ordering polygraphs 'constantly' when anything major has leaked, according to a former White House official.... 'He wanted to polygraph every employee in the building to unearth who it was who spoke to the press,' said another former official, who noted that the president tended to be especially irate when he knew specific news accounts were true." Mrs. McC: Yes, but executing staffers is just Trump being Trump.
David Fahrenthold: "An anti-Muslim group that had been planning a gala at President Trump's Mar-a-Lago Club in Florida said Monday that the Trump Organization had abruptly canceled the event. The group, ACT for America, issued a statement saying Trump's company had 'caved to the Left's bullying tactics' in canceling its Nov. 7 dinner gala. After Florida newspapers reported on the planned gala last weekend, the event was condemned by groups including the Council on American-Islamic Relations.... ACT was founded in 2007. Its leaders, who claim to have more than 1 million members, have labeled Islam a 'cancer' and spread theories of a secret plot by Muslims, Democrats, communists and the media to destroy the country from within. They have sponsored lectures on how to monitor and oppose U.S. mosques.... The Trump Organization did not respond to requests for comment."
Emma Newberger of CNBC: "Goldman Sachs said the cost of tariffs imposed by ... Donald Trump last year against Chinese goods has fallen 'entirely' on American businesses and households, with a greater impact on consumer prices than previously expected. The bank said in a note that consumer prices are higher partly because Chinese exporters have not lowered their prices to better compete in the US market. Trump has repeatedly -- and inaccurately -- claimed that China will pay for tariffs imposed by the U.S." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Somos el Muro. Jorge Ramos in a New York Times op-ed: "'I'm using Mexico to protect our border.' Millions of Americans didn't even notice this ... remark made [Sept. 26] by President Trump. But Mexicans certainly did. They thought Mr. Trump's words were a blatant attack on their nation's sovereignty.... A salient feature of Mexico's current foreign policy is precisely [President Andrés Manuel López Obrador]'s reluctance to confront anyone outside of the country. In short, American officials say what they want, and Mexico -- almost always -- goes along with it. The relationship between the two nations is by no means an egalitarian one. In fact, it poses a threat to Mexico: Mr. Trump has previously warned that he would impose tariffs if Mexico didn't back his immigration agenda.... Mexico's president 'basically, has accepted all terms and conditions' set by the United States, Armando Santacruz, president of Mexico United Against Crime, told me in an interview. 'Yes, we are the wall. And [Mexico's] National Guard is now spending a lot if its resources keeping immigrants away.'... Mexico may not have paid for the president's wall, but the country has, in effect, become Mr. Trump's immigration police force. Mexico itself has become the wall."
Tanya Snyder, et al., of Politico: "In her first 14 months as Transportation secretary, Elaine Chao met with officials from Kentucky, which her husband Mitch McConnell represents in the Senate, vastly more often than those from any other state. In all, 25 percent of Chao's scheduled meetings with local officials [seeking DOT grants] of any state from January 2017 to March 2018 were with Kentuckians, who make up only about 1.3 percent of the U.S. population.... At least five of Chao's 18 meetings with local Kentuckians were requested in emails from McConnell staffers, who alerted Chao's staffers which of the officials were 'friends' or 'loyal supporters,' according to records obtained under the Freedom of Information Act.... The department has long maintained that it, and [Chao], have shown no favoritism to [Kentucky], even while local officials from other states have complained about having trouble getting to see her." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
Travis Loller of the AP: "With a bandage above his left eye and a large, red welt below it, former President Jimmy Carter was greeted by a cheering crowd Monday morning as he prepared to help build a home with Habitat for Humanity in Nashville. Carter fell at home on Sunday, requiring 14 stiches, but he did not let his injuries keep him from participating in his 36th building project with the nonprofit Christian housing organization. He turned 95 last Tuesday, becoming the first U.S. president to reach that milestone." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
News Lede
Guardian: "Three scientists have been awarded the 2019 Nobel prize in physics for groundbreaking discoveries about the evolution of the Universe and the Earth's place within it. The Canadian scientist James Peebles has been awarded half of the 9m Swedish kronor (£740,000) prize for his theoretical discoveries about the evolution of the universe. A Swiss duo of astronomers, Michel Mayor and Didier Queloz, will share the other half of the prize for their discovery of the first planet beyond our solar system."