Trump's Russia scandal is becoming a corruption scandal https://t.co/3w30JI5dd9 pic.twitter.com/OHiSlx8tHd
— Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) May 22, 2017
It used to be third-world shiteholes and banana republics where the ruling autocrat was brought low by the thieving ways of his inept relatives. Thanks, GOP, for making this comic trope AMERICAN!
… Within the warped internal logic of the Trump presidency — where it is taken as a given by essentially everybody around him that the president is impulsive and grotesquely ignorant — his shocking actions and statements have a more understandable basis.
A week ago, it appeared that the probe would center around the activities of a handful of figures who are now marginal within Trumpworld: former campaign manager Paul Manafort, foreign policy adviser Carter Page, and deposed National Security Adviser Michael Flynn. That has changed. The Washington Post reported Friday that investigators have identified a current White House official as a person of interest in its financial probe. (The story hinted, and New York Magazine contributor Yashar Ali confirmed, that the person is Jared Kushner.)…
All this implies that the probe is scrutinizing the financial aspects of Trump’s business, which is a family operation. While some Trump advisers opposed the firing of Comey, Kushner reportedly advocated for it. That fact may seem strange if one thinks of Kushner as a voice of pragmatism. But it is easier to understand if you think of him as a figure sitting near the heart of a financial scandal, who harbors a strong interest in suppressing the investigation…
The official White House line maintains — or has tried to maintain — that the administration welcomes special prosecutor Robert Mueller and sees his work as a chance to dispel the cloud of suspicion needlessly hanging over the presidency. Their actions suggest a very different calculation. From Trump’s campaign to ensure the loyalty of his FBI director, to his subsequent firing of him, to his tweet-rages against the special prosecutor as an unfair witch hunt — all of this indicates high levels of panic in the Oval Office. Trump has almost certainly engaged in obstruction of justice for the simple reason that there is a lot of justice to obstruct.
"Buddy, help me out on this one? Do me a solid, as a friend? On my son-in-law possibly being in business with the Russian mob or whatever?"
— David Roth (@david_j_roth) May 22, 2017
I'd be cool with making Christie the special prosecutor who investigates Jared Kushner. https://t.co/vtLNQLDbYh
— Josh Barro (@jbarro) May 22, 2017
Of course, like every other aging crime family capo, the old man can’t resist going back to his known accomplices…
Trump's been talking about bringing Lewandowski back in plus Bossie, via @elianayjohnson and @jdawsey1 https://t.co/OU26PuWH8p
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 23, 2017
bystander
Waking up to the horror in Manchester and tales of the vile toady a bunch of ignorant Americans unleashed on the world.
On the brighter side, am I alone in hearing “Tresemme” every time I hear “Theresa May”?
Elizabelle
Doesn’t that photo make Jared look like dead thing walking? Methinks that’s not an accident.
Also putting up this research project. I hesitate a little at the invasion of privacy, but it would allow us to be in touch with green’s wonderful family again, and would be another way to put up a fresh blogpost with an obit, with link to the three charities. To which we could contribute with an actual name. [Or not, if the family prefers privacy. All is good.]
What do you guys think? I’m remembering how much we all loved learning more about the late, great General Stuck, and learning that Charlie was safe and cared for. I’d bet his sister was glad to know he had so many online friends, who really cared about him.
Betty Cracker
I’m delighted that the Trump-Russia investigation is training its sights on the corruption angle. This hive of grifting greedheads masquerading as an administration presents a target-rich environment.
@bystander: “Tresemme” had not occurred to me before, but it will from now on!
PsiFighter37
All this is going to take a temporary back seat to what happened in Manchester last night. Of course, the main thing that sticks out is that Dear Leader said that it’s best to call the terrorists ‘losers’, because calling them names is definitely going to be how we should address terrorism.
Good God.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Trump refused to say “Radical Islamic Terrorists” in front of his Saudi paymasters and the next day a terrorist attack occurs.
The connection couldn’t be more clear.
Betty Cracker
@Elizabelle: I’m not really comfortable with this, tbh. People are free to do internet sleuthing on their own, of course, but my feeling is if the family wanted to share that info, they would have done so since they were kind enough to communicate with us during green’s illness. That they chose not to reveal her RL info (at least so far) seems to me something we should respect.
General Stuck was a different situation altogether, IMO. He disappeared. Folks were concerned. Cole sleuthed and contacted the family before posting that info, IIRC. I know you mean well, and I hope this doesn’t come off as scolding — I don’t mean it that way at all! Just my $.02, FWIW.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
Remember last year there was an attack in Brussels while Obama was in Cuba and every republican ran to the nearest camera and demanded Obama return to DC (which made no sense as the attack wasn’t even in this hemisphere).
Yet oddly, not a single republican has called on Drumpf to cancel the remainder of his trip.
It’s almost as if the republicans are craven liars who exploit and politicize dead victims.
Elizabelle
@Betty Cracker: Oh, I totally think we should contact the family before posting. If possible. Am wondering if it’s just something the family did not think of, in their grief and press of business in wake of losing green.
Glad for your comment. It’s a tiny bit of what’s stopped me, so far, from contacting the two orgs that knew green in life. Hmmm.
(Although: I think the family would LOVE to hear that green’s passing elicited 220+ comments, and that was just on the official memorial thread. She was beloved here.)
bystander
@Betty Cracker: Thanks. I was afraid it was just because I’m gay. Now I’m realizing it’s because of Mika’s breathless delivery this morning.
rikyrah
Good Morning, Everyone???
satby
@Elizabelle: I’m hoping that we haven’t heard yet because her family is dealing with the aftermath of her passing and the mother’s illness. It’s possible we still may hear, I hope so. But I also was going to try to find a likely obit. And if there’s a donations box thread, could we have a pointer to it? I’m struggling to keep up in these packed news days, and I know I’m not the only one.
I really appreciate you keeping the focus on this Elizabelle. I remember the days of Stuck, the worry and then sadness and relief to know what had happened and that Charlie was ok.
Edited to add: I’m not ok with publicly naming anybody without consent either, my sleuthing would only be to potentially send a sympathy card and ask permission to share.
bystander
@PsiFighter37:
You’re obviously not watching Moanin’ Joe. They went immediately from TRESemmé to Trump asking Dan Coats to back off any of the Russia stuff. Joe is doing the best imitation of the guy you never wanted to see called on in law school ever, and Jonathan Turley is studiously telling his students how wrong they all are.
Elizabelle
@satby: Oh, dog, yes. The mother’s illness. The trials that family has faced this spring.
Donations box is at the top right corner. Thanks, Alain (I am guessing).
gene108
@satby:
Donation links are on the upper right-hand corner of this blog. Not sure, if it is visible in mobile version of the blog.
bjacques
That pic above looks familiar…
amk
Guessing the stiff penalty laws that american companies face for indulging in bribery in other countries do not apply when it’s done in-house?
OzarkHillbilly
@Betty Cracker:
This.
Immanentize
@bjacques: The resemblance is Kray Kray.
JPL
Why does Carter Page want to testify behind closed doors? From what I read, it didn’t say he had classified information.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
@bystander: Turley is a joke. He used to call Obama a dictator because of his of executive orders, even though he issued fewer EOs of any president in 120 years.(¹) Yet he’s fine with Trump’s naked abuse of power.
JPL
Betty is right. Donations given to the Avielle Foundation, with a short note in memory of their friend, is probably enough information.
satby
@JPL: That’s how I was going to donate, because it seemed most likely the family would learn it was in her honor, and because I think that’s a wonderful cause.
I’m hoping they did get to see and read the condolences on the thread of her passing and that it was a bit of comfort to them.
Immanentize
@Elizabelle: @Betty Cracker:
Elizabelle,.I agree with Betty on this. I have seen how much work and love you put into keeping GnG with us and us with her. You, I think, are grieving too and I also would like to reconnect with the sister and niece. But I think that ought to be on their terms in their time. I saw a few “let’s find him” efforts go really wrong in the earlier Kos days. I would hate for us, even with the absolute best intentions formed by love, ever to become an additional worry for the family at a time like this.
Me? I’m actually easy to find. But if my wife was the one commenting she would leave no clues and would never want to be found in RL. People have their own reasons for being private or not. I think at the very least, some time should be allowed before any contact is made.
Jeffro
Hey (apologies if this has been mentioned earlier) David Anderson’s got a nod – WITH A LINK TO BALLOON JUICE in Catherine Rampell’s latest op-ed: Want to know what Trumpcare would do to the country? Look at the implosion in Iowa.
kindness
One can not live on Trump pnews alone.
Talk about steals, what about those Warriors going 12 – 0 in the playoffs so far? I have to figure a Cavs – Warriors final for the 3rd time will bore most to tears but being a N. Cal boy I’m cool with it still.
MomSense
I still say Jared looks very Tom Riddle.
kindness
@MomSense: Jared will look good in stripes. Just like his Dad. That apple didn’t fall far.
satby
@gene108: thanks, it’s not. I’m going to get into the laptop later today.
Quinerly
Please, let’s all respect greenNotGreen’s privacy…and her family’s privacy. If they wanted us to know her identity or more about her, they would tell us. I, personally, am uncomfortable with “sleuthing.”
OzarkHillbilly
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Did not know that (always figured he was middle of the pack) thanx for the link.
Baud
@rikyrah: Good morning.
Baud
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I’m not a Turley fan, but I thought he went after Trump for firing Comey.
debbie
@Elizabelle:
You know, sometimes you just have to sit back and wait. I think your proposal may unintentionally be crossing a line.
debbie
@bystander:
I’d bet Jared has used that deer-in-the-headlights look to accomplish much evil.
Betty Cracker
@Jeffro: Glad WaPo linked directly to Dave’s post rather than putting up a general site link like Politico (or was it Axios?) recently did. That must’ve confused the hell out of people!
debbie
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Or they don’t want him anywhere near them.
bystander
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: I used to follow Turley’s blog. At some point he started sounding like a lawyer angling for a WH gig and the consequent enrichment. In fact, he still does.
@debbie: Jared comes by it all so naturally you’d think he was raised by thieves. I’m guessing Lucretia gave him a few lessons in perfecting his RBF.
p.a.
Republican base now so stupignorant they can’t even elect competent corruptards á
la Cheney admin.
Elizabelle
Thank you guys. I shall abide by your suggestions; it’s one reason I wanted to check with you all before I did anything.
But other Juicers, please feel free to weigh in.
I am going to hope that green’s family checks in with us again when they can. Main reason I’d wanted to sleuth: to attach a name to the donations to the three charities.
Too bad we never did a Nashville area meetup!
debbie
@PsiFighter37:
Or, like we said when we were kids: “It takes one to know one!”
aimai
@Elizabelle: No, I do not think that is appropriate.
Elizabelle
@Jeffro: Great to hear.
David Anderson/BJ Dick has gotten a lot of attention from the fabulous (Pulitzer Prize winning) Michael Hiltzik too. Business columnist of the Los Angeles Times.Link to his columns.
Hiltzik: Trump didn’t blow up Obamacare on Monday, but left it hanging by a thread [UPDATED with breaking news]
(a recent, informative column; not anything with David in it.)
Hoping we see a shout out from K-Thug (Paul Krugman) and other respected writers, in the future.
Kay
The best thing about a Kushner scandal would be it’s punishment for hiring his son in law in the first place. Ultimately it was just dumb. Trump can’t distance himself from Kushner and he can’t fire Kushner.
Trump is stuck with him, no matter what. He was a fool to put himself in that position.
We probably didn’t need a law barring nepotism because no President prior was dumb enough to tie himself irrevocably to the actions of a family member.
Elizabelle
@aimai: Ta.
Jeffro
@Elizabelle: i’m just glad they are visiting the site and reading some of the threads – there are a lot of talented people here
debbie
@Kay:
Considering his actions on behalf of Flynn, can you imagine the number of sleazy requests/threats Trump would propose on behalf of Jared?
glaukopis
@Elizabelle: I’ll add my voice to those recommending restraint. The family knows how to talk to Juicers and will if they want to.
David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch
@Baud: I don’t know about that, but he appeared on Moring Blow last week and spent a long portion arguing that Trump’s numerous statements that he fired “nut job” Comey to take the “pressure” off the FBI investigation is not evidence of obstruction. I don’t know how anyone can say that when Nixon was impeached for attempting to turn off an investigation. I haven’t seen the show, but apparently Turley is at it again today, saying Trump demanding the IC make false statements in hindrance of an ongoing investigation isn’t obstruction.
kd bart
Here some good news. The latest poll of the Georgia 6th by Survey USA & the local NBC station has Ossoff leading by 7, 51-44.
http://www.11alive.com/news/politics/elections/ballot/exclusive-11alive-poll-ossoff-leads-51-to-handels-44/441904679
Baud
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Lots of criminal defendants would like the same amount of leeway.
satby
@Quinerly: Ok, it was clear from both Elizabelle’s and my comments that no one would be outed, just invited to disclose if they chose to. Let’s just drop the ideas that anyone intended anything else, because that’s not the case.
SFAW
@debbie:
Zero.
He’d want to “clear the field.”
Elizabelle
WRT restraint in contacting people: this LA Times column kind of makes similar points. And I hope it does not seem flippant to put it up, given the topic we were discussing:
Best advice I ever got for dating a guy with kids: Be like a cat, not a dog
Never mind just dating, there are a lot of situations where this is good advice. Be like a cat …
Elizabelle (woof)
SFAW
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
“He was just JOKING! Come ON! Who among us hasn’t made jokes like that, when we’ve been in a position of extreme power? You libtards have no sense of humor.”
rikyrah
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch:
Turley is a complete joke ???
SFAW
@kd bart:
Looks like the Rethugs need to get their collective act together — those Dem votes ain’t gonna suppress themselves.
Quinerly
@satby:
Stand by my comment. If people are looking for an obit, then a name…an identity…will come up. Her family knows how to find us and will if they want to post an obit. Have a great day.
Elizabelle
@satby: Yeah. That’s absolutely true, about the intended contacting the family for their guidance first. IIRC, that’s what John did when he searched for General Stuck, right? We would never had heard, had the sister not approved.
The only reason I went with this language in my second comment (“I totally think we should contact the family before posting. If possible.”) was in the event someone put the outcome in the comments section. Which is to be avoided! I did not think that through well enough, and appreciate Juicers’ input there.
Totally think it’s the family’s call.
Betty Cracker
@Kay: The raft of legislation it’s going to take to codify behavior that common sense and common decency adequately restrained 44 prior presidents from engaging in is gonna be voluminous enough to choke a goat. And it’s not like all 44 predecessors were honorable men, either. But Trump is in a class by himself.
Quinerly
@Elizabelle:
And to add to my previous comments, I really appreciate all you did over those last few days in highlighting the sister’s posts. I think I said it back then but want to thank you again. Have a great day.
Elizabelle
@Quinerly: Yeah, they might very well. I just worry that they’re too modest to realize how much we’d love to hear from them!
Being catlike (comment 53; not meaning I have my
talonsclaws out…),Elizabelle
Baud
1. Republicans engage in Watergate, spurring independent counsel law.
2. Republicans argue that independent counsel law infringes on the president’s authority.
3. Republican independent counsel abuse independent counsel law in witch-hunt of Bill Clinton.
4. Republicans allow independent counsel law to expire based on said abuses.
5. Republicans elect Donald Trump.
JPL
Jim Acosta twitter feed has the gem from Trump’s speech this morning
Trump: “Under my administration you see the difference. Big big beautiful difference.”
Really?
Morzer
@Baud:
“Baud should stop playing politics with political matters.” (Predictable GOP response).
leeleeFL
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: and Melania and Ivanka didn’t cover their heads and no one on the Rep/ Conservative side lost their shite. It almost uncanny how they think it’s okay to offend the Saudis NOW
Baud
@Morzer: Both sides!
SFAW
@JPL:
He is SUCH a fucking asshole.
Ongoing proof that there is no such thing as a Just God.
satby
@Elizabelle: I still think they’re just too busy and still dealing with their mom, who may have taken a turn for the worse after losing her daughter (I hope that’s not the case!). I suspect we’ll possibly hear back; hope so.
Baud
@JPL:
Your covert intelligence assets will notice the difference right away.
satby
@Baud: and their cult followers say “so what, so what, SO WHAT?”
Patricia Kayden
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: Such a wuss. Criticized President Obama for not using certain magical words and then when given the chance doesn’t use those magical words.
@Baud: Republicans play the long game. They’ve perfected the circle of grifting.
SFAW
@leeleeFL:
I’d be OK with that, if someone would instead put a paper bag over Shitgibbon’s head. Preferably welding it there.
I don’t get physically ill when I see his face, but that’s only because I’m old and have a strong constitution. I’d riff on Krugman (“He’s an ugly person’s idea of what a good-looking person looks like”), but he doesn’t even merit that.
Morzer
https://boingboing.net/2017/05/22/roger-ailes-son-threatens-ac.html
rikyrah
I never saw how it was anything but a corruption case. I believe that Dolt45 is in hock up to his eyeballs with the RUSSIAN MOB. Who controls the Mob? Putin. We have a series of people, not just Kushner, with ties to the Russians. Have you seen some of the posts, connecting the web? I do hope that there follow the money, and just get all of them. But, it was always about corruption to me.
Morzer
@Baud:
But, by Rule 3/5 IOKIYAR, so, really, only one side does it!
QED!
SFAW
@Baud:
While they still have time, that is.
Morzer
@rikyrah:
It’s a corruption case that matters because Putin exploited and exploits Donnie Dumbass’s corruption to sow chaos in the politics/foreign policy of the US.
Patricia Kayden
@JPL: I see a huge difference but it’s not beautiful. Talk about delusional. If Trump sold delusions, he’d never have gone bankrupt.
Gin & Tonic
@Morzer: Apple, tree, &c.
SFAW
@Morzer:
Yeah, you do that, you little shit. I breathlessly await the result of you fucking with the wrong person(s). See Daddy a lot sooner than you originally planned, I’m a-guessing. Don’t bother bringing a down jacket, if you know what I mean, fuckwad.
Morzer
@Patricia Kayden:
Trump sold the delusion that he was competent to own a casino. Result: bankruptcies galore.
Morzer
@Gin & Tonic:
The poisoned apple does not fall far from the venomous orange tree, so to speak.
Morzer
@SFAW:
I would pay money to see Little Zach biting Rupert Murdoch’s scabby old ankles.
Gin & Tonic
@Kay:
Where’s that old can of Billy beer last seen in the basement about a decade ago?
Quinerly
@Elizabelle:
I suspect they are very busy with the mom and green’s house. I’m just thankful that the sister spent the time and energy to update us as much as she did at the end. We could have ended up really knowing nothing. Most people wouldn’t have taken the time. Very unusual people. I suspect the sister will show back up in a few weeks. Let’s hope so.
SFAW
@Morzer:
HEY!!! Give a Trigger Warning, will you!
rikyrah
@Kay:
I have to admit that I definitely want it to be Kushner, but whatever they get Kushner for, they can get Dolt45.
We have suffered through the Bush Crime Family and The Evil One, but Dolt45 and crew are something altogether different.
OzarkHillbilly
@Morzer: We’re shaking in our boots.
Morzer
@SFAW:
“My name is Zach Ailes. You killed my father. Prepare to …”
“Security, escort this whining zit-farm from the building!”
satby
@rikyrah: and hopefully a few other Rs too. Mitch and Paul would be nice collateral damage.
satby
@Morzer: aw, the kid is only 17 and just lost his father. It’s ridiculous, but 17 year olds often are even when not grief stricken.
efgoldman
@satby:
He also probably just found out that he can’t touch all. that. money for at least another year, maybe not until he turns 21, and even then it might be in trusts over which he has no authority,
Would make *me* mad!
Morzer
@satby:
Well, a damn good thrashing will take his mind off his grief and gently mold his character into a better shape. Really, it’s almost a moral imperative.
Morzer
@efgoldman:
How much money will be left after the presumably numerous lawsuits against the estate? (Add in the monies expended on Mrs. Ailes 1.0, 2.0 etc and you might wonder just what is going to be left over for the brat.)
satby
Man, I’m on the wrong side of everything today!
Kay
@rikyrah:
I really, really want Sessions implicated enough so he has to resign. Aim high, rikrah! It’s not like it matters if we fall short- we’re internet commenters! :)
I loathe Sessions. I consider him much more dangerous to everyday Americans than Kushner. He’s the worst appointee and we can’t even say he’s not experienced like the rest of the bad Trump hires. He’s been around forever.
SFAW
@satby:
Yeah, too fucking bad.
Most non-asshole 17-year-olds — grief-stricken or not — wouldn’t use a eulogy to threaten the victims of his evil father’s harassment. Maybe he thought he was Viserys Targaryen (in the early days).
D58826
@debbie:
He calls every one he doesn’t like a ‘loser’ so no big insult or condemnation there.
OzarkHillbilly
@satby: I’ve been on the wrong side of everything my whole life.
SFAW
@OzarkHillbilly:
And you think you’re special? That description applies to most of us jackals here.
Another Scott
‘Morning all. Some other news today:
I thought this bit of news was interesting, especially given where he was this week:
Nothing like selling off the country to give Vlad and OPEC greater strategic control over us, amirite? It’s not like they use oil and gas as a weapon, [cough] Gazprom and Ukraine [cough], or anything.
Oh, and those other things in the proposed budget include these little tidbits:
Emphasis added.
That will really help recruitment! Make people pay 6% more, cut COLAs, cut the average baseline, etc., etc. On top of the previous furlough and sequester cuts they forced on employees. On top of the other recent pay and benefit changes. On top of the threat to shut down the government in October.
They’re trying to hollow out our federal government from the inside and out. People outside the civil service need to pay attention too…
:-/
Cheers,
Scott.
OzarkHillbilly
@SFAW:
Yes. And modest too. Have I told you lately how modest I am? I am very modest. The capitol H in Hillbilly stands for Humble, because I am a very Humble Hillbilly.
NotMax
For someone with a documented phobia about germs, the hands are awfully filthy.
“Out, damn’d spotski! Out, I say!”
Chris
@rikyrah:
That’s always what I thought too – if there really is something there, it’s through the mob money Trump got when no bank in the West would touch him anymore.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@David ?Canadian Anchor Baby? Koch: He arguing Trump simply doesn’t know what a legal investigation is and mainly says things at random?
SFAW
@OzarkHillbilly:
No need to tell ME, it’s been obvious for many a moon. But I guess there are some others here who are unaware of your humility, so it’s good that you’re telling them how humble — bigly, right? — you are.
Jeffro
Larry Summers BRINGS THE THUNDER: Trump’s budget is simply ludicrous
Larry, stop holding back, tell us how you really feel…
Is “billionaire looters” perhaps the best way to describe Trumpov & Co? Or is everyone just going with “Trump Crime Cartel”?
rikyrah
@Kay:
Come sit by me and we can talk about our mutual loathing of Attorney General White Citizens Council.
NotMax
@Jeffro
Bigger than a cartel We need a whole new term.
Bustel?
OzarkHillbilly
@SFAW: Just educating the rubes. Another service I provide, free of charge, and with great, bigly, humility
Chris
@Kay:
Agree completely. He’s easily the most dangerous man in the new administration – and they’re going to defend him harder than they have Flynn or Bannon, because his voter-suppression shtick is what the entire party has its hopes for the future pinned on.
Spanky
@Jeffro: Aw geez … Somebody tell Baud to put his pants on. Company’s coming.
Chris
@Jeffro:
“Billionaire looters” is a bit unspecific. That increasingly seems to be the most popular way for an honest American capitalist to make a buck.
NotMax
@Chris
Stolesheviks.
Spanky
@Betty Cracker:
Yeah, but they’ll collectively be known as “Trump Laws”, so the shitgibbon will get his wish of going down in history. At least he’s got that going for him. (Snort.)
Laura
@gene108: not visible on the mobile.
D58826
@Another Scott: Congress critters are saying its DOA on the Hill. One small silver lingh about this is that the GOPPERs will be voting to spend more money that Der Fuhrer wants and will be defending these programs after decades of calling for their elimination.
satby
Where’s HeleninEire? Been practicing my Irish Gaelic on Duolingo, just in case she wants to brush up on it. ?
satby
@Another Scott:
All his voters hear is gas flooding the market and dropping prices lower than $2/gal. If they then bounce up to $4/gal, it’ll probably be some Democrat’s fault somehow.
Rand Careaga
@SFAW:
My college sweetheart said much the same thing, with great feeling, the night Nixon was re-elected (she took particular exception to his victory speech, in which he congratulated his campaign for having fought “clean”). When I reminded her of this two years later, she said “Well, they do say that God moves in mysterious ways.”
rikyrah
Police, FBI investigating University of Maryland killing as possible hate crime
by Carrie Wells
The Baltimore Sun
THIS is Trump’s America.
ALT-RIGHT is nothing but WHITE SUPREMACY.
Where are you, Attorney General White Citizens Council?
Here is a young man, full of promise. Doing what’s right. Killed for his EXISTENCE!!
Don’t give me any bull about his murderer being a ‘lone wolf’. He’s no ‘lone wolf’. He’s NOT mentally ill. Don’t even begin with that foolishness.
Gin & Tonic
It appears the actor Roger Moore (not B-J commenter Roger Moore) has passed away.
hovercraft
@Jeffro:
Congrats to David, now excuse me while I go fix my hair and make-up, people are watching us, and I need to be ready for my close-up!
rikyrah
I’m not sure people truly appreciate the Madoff-level accounting fraud involved in Trump’s budget. Bear with me… 1/
— Seth Hanlon (@SethHanlon) May 23, 2017
The fraud here goes beyond “rosy” forecasts. It even goes beyond “voodoo economics”–the debunked theory that tax cuts pay for themselves. 2/
— Seth Hanlon (@SethHanlon) May 23, 2017
But wait – it’s actually worse than that. Not only is the $5.5 trillion cost of the tax cuts not included in the budget numbers… 4/
— Seth Hanlon (@SethHanlon) May 23, 2017
So in other words, they are claiming that tax cuts WILL PAY FOR THEMSELVES—something no credible economist believes—AND THEN SOME. 6/
— Seth Hanlon (@SethHanlon) May 23, 2017
@gregleiserson Bears repeating: Trump budget claims that the tax cuts, whose cost is est. by @BudgetHawks at $5.5T, will actually INCREASE rev. by $2T. 8/
— Seth Hanlon (@SethHanlon) May 23, 2017
rikyrah
$360 billion in deals – so Saudis want Trump to rescind 9/11 lawsuit law:
“Saudi officials have been quietly lobbying the administration and Congress to overturn the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act,
which led more than 800 families to file suit in New York in March. The problem: Trump supported the bill and can’t do much to change it even if he wanted to. (http://www.rawstory.com/2017/05/saudis-gave-the-us-360-billion-in-deals-now-they-want-trump-to-rescind-911-lawsuit-law/)
Jeffro
@Chris:
Corporate thugs? Bespoke-suited stick-up men? Traitors to the Republic? Evil bastards?
Billionaire arsonists, maybe?
rikyrah
Here is the information that @OversightDems are now pushing @jasoninthehouse to subpoena the White House for:https://t.co/Er4DNv3TEo pic.twitter.com/72I7z9q0HE
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) May 23, 2017
rikyrah
NYT spoke to administrator & founder of Alt Reich Nation FB group Collins’ accused killer belonged to. They claim it’s satire @cbsbaltimore pic.twitter.com/NPMWqT6PTc
— Mike Hellgren (@HellgrenWJZ) May 23, 2017
rikyrah
Richard Collins, black, was killed allegedly by white Univ of Md student. Suspect belonged to racist FB group. Attack unprovoked police say https://t.co/atqxIdc6Fh
— Jayne Miller (@jemillerwbal) May 23, 2017
Chair set up with graduation gown in honor of slain Bowie State student Richard Collins. @ABC7News pic.twitter.com/4kJhvhldy0
— Brad Bell (@ABC7Brad) May 23, 2017
rikyrah
@Gin & Tonic:
He was 89?
Not our James Bond.
Live and Let Die was my favorite of his Bond movies.
Jeffro
@rikyrah: great minds and all that…was just now ‘liking’ that whole tweet thread, rikyrah.
The level of deception of these people, it’s unbelievable. “Here’s our budget…which doesn’t include 5.5T in tax cuts for the rich, but DOES include a 2T revenue windfall from those same tax cuts. Which aren’t in our budget. See?”
What’s the line again: “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast.” Who knew Trumpov was the Red Queen?
ThresherK
@Gin & Tonic: I feel not-so-young.
The only Bond movie I saw in a theater was “A View to a Kill”, on a date with an older woman from the classifieds (back when there were newspapers, and the personal ads weren’t all “meet Russian women in your area” or guys pretending they wanted LTRs).
The date aspect of this went nowhere, but I got a friend who is still in my orbit thirty years later. And given how introverted I am, that’s saying something.
SiubhanDuinne
@Gin & Tonic:
Always loved him as Simon Templar in The Saint, long before the James Bond days. R.I.P.
Also note that Dina Merrill has died. She is probably less well known for her acting than for her personal connections: she was at one time married to actor Cliff Robertson, and her parents were the fabulously wealthy E. F. Hutton and cereal heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post. Yes, that Marjorie Merriweather Post, of Mar-a-Lago fame.
Chris
@Gin & Tonic:
First Bond actor to pass away, isn’t he?
It will understandably and rightly be overshadowed by Manchester, but sad news all the same. As far as his work went; I’m fonder of his Bond movies than many (he had a real stinker or two, but heck, so did Connery – and Craig for that matter), and have actually gotten more so over time. Enjoyed him as Simon Templar in the handful of episodes of that that I’ve seen. And I also remember him from a guest star role in Alias – only one episode, but one in which he gets to completely PWN the Big Bad of the show.
Rest in peace.
Chris
@Jeffro:
I meant the Trumps specifically, not our entire corporate class.
hovercraft
@leeleeFL:
If Michelle had covered her hair maybe they wouldn’t have noticed what was so offensive about her, she was/is blah.
ETA, is
Barbara
@kindness: It’s fair to say that Kushner learned the wrong lessons from his father’s prosecution. He seems to blame the prosecutors (which is fairly common among convicts and their families) and even more disturbingly, his aunt and uncle for not being willing to join his father’s plot to obstruct the investigation into his dealings. So it is fair to infer that in his view, interfering with an investigation into whatever it is he might have done is a fair use of his influence. What might he be doing? My best guess is that he is laundering money from Russian oligarchs in a way that violates U.S. sanctions against Russia, as well as various tax and financial regulations.
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
Learned only yesterday that Don Rickles died last month.
Never my cup of (bitter) tea but appreciated during his long, long career by many.
Barbara
@hovercraft: No, if she had covered her hair she would have been accused of capitulating to a foreign power. It doesn’t matter what she did. That was never the point.
SiubhanDuinne
@Chris:
David Niven.
:: ducks and runs away ::
NotMax
Kind of wondering if downstairs neighbor Manafort is babysitting Barron while Mrs. Dolt 45 is away.
SFBayAreaGal
@SiubhanDuinne: Dina Merrill is in the Young and Restless a soap opera on CBS. She is playing the mother of the Abbott family on the show.
Chris
@SiubhanDuinne:
Yeah, you better run!
SiubhanDuinne
@NotMax:
I had seen about Rickles’ death at the time. Can’t remember if there was any discussion on BJ, but probably at least a few comments.
His comedy was never much to my personal taste either, but I always cut him a lot of slack because his best friend for decades was Bob Newhart. And supposedly he (DR) was a genuinely decent and generous guy in real life.
Ladyraxterinok
@SFAW: Ýears ago our son (soon to be 48) asked us “Don’t you guys ever vote for someone who wins??”
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
Don’t recall word one on B-J either.
Founded and funded an eponymous hospital benefits program for children in L.A., if memory serves.
His first foray into series TV never got past the pilot stage – Kibbe Hates Finch, co-starring Lou Jacobi.
hovercraft
@Barbara:
Oh I know, short of dragging her husband out of the White House and apologizing to America for having the audacity to rise above their places, nothing the Obama’s did would ever have been good enough. That’s the problem with uppity ni**ers, they just won’t shut up and go away.
ETA: And add insult to injury, even now that the EH has been fumigated and taken back by “Real America”, they are gallivanting around the world looking happy and relaxed making millions!
SiubhanDuinne
@SFBayAreaGal:
According to the Magical Googling Machine™, there is a character on TY&TR named Dina Mergeron, played by an actress named Marla Adams. No connection at all to Dina Merrill.
NotMax
@SiubhanDuinne
One in a long, long, long line of actresses whose acting was just passable but whom the camera loved.
ThresherK
@SiubhanDuinne: I saw Dina Merrill in the 1983 revival of On Your Toes; I just never knew it until today. Her duets were “Too Good for the Average Man” and “The Heart is Quicker than the Eye”.
I was in college, where everyone was breaking all the rules and doing weird things without their parents’ supervision, like falling in with the Rodgers and Hart crowd.
Ladyraxterinok
@SiubhanDuinne: Ĺoved The Saint books. He was NOT my idea of The Saint. Sorry to learn of his death.
SFBayAreaGal
@SiubhanDuinne: OMG, you are correct. Reminder to myself, drink that second cup of coffee before posting ?
SFAW
@SiubhanDuinne:
You’re my girl.
But you forgot Peter Sellers and Woody Allen.
And piss on the haters.
Gin & Tonic
@NotMax: I would not trust Paul Fucking Manafort to babysit a venomous snake.
The Lodger
@Gin & Tonic: Personally, I’d love to see Paul Manafort babysit a venomous snake. Or at least try to.
rikyrah
@SiubhanDuinne:
I actually knew that about her. The whole, E.F. Hutton and Post, as in Post Cereal…
damn…money everywhere..LOL
Steve in the ATL
@SiubhanDuinne: fun fact: Ian Fleming did not want David Niven to play James Bond, because Niven was the perfect Englishman and Bond was not.
To my knowledge, Fleming did not weigh in on Woody Allen as Bond.
SFAW
@Steve in the ATL:
He would have, but his head a-sploded.
artem1s
I wonder if Dumbass is really considering bringing back Lewandowski or if Lewandowski is trying to stick his fingers in the pie to find out how hot it is? Also, the minions who led Donnie into this con have to answer to Putin and they will be trying desperately to CYA. Donnie didn’t think up this crap. He just got hooked into the long con of disrupting American elections and IC community. He has no idea what to do with this power now that he has it. He just lurches from one bad idea to the next, leaving chaos, face palms, and incriminating statements, in his wake as he goes. Mueller (like Comey) is capable of turning over some pretty slimy rocks. No telling what is gonna crawl out from under them when he does. And the minions who helped put this all in motion are starting to get panicky as they realize that Twittler and his merry band of idiots are not going to make very safe patsies for them.
Jack the Second
Obituaries (if you aren’t a [local] celebrity) are usually paid for by the family, and can run any time between the death of the deceased and their funeral; if you have a delay between the two (eg, cremation followed by a funeral when the family is able to gather), the funeral directors will usually recommend waiting until a week or two before the funeral to run the obituary, so that other people who might want to attend can be informed.
So you might not see an obituary immediately, if you are searching.