Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

“woke” is the new caravan.

That meeting sounds like a shotgun wedding between a shitshow and a clusterfuck.

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

Do we throw up our hands or do we roll up our sleeves? (hint, door #2)

Insiders who complain to politico: please report to the white house office of shut the fuck up.

It is not hopeless, and we are not helpless.

Come on, man.

Their shamelessness is their super power.

Hey Washington Post, “Democracy Dies in Darkness” was supposed to be a warning, not a mission statement.

I’m more christian than these people and i’m an atheist.

People identifying as christian while ignoring christ and his teachings is a strange thing indeed.

Books are my comfort food!

Trump’s cabinet: like a magic 8 ball that only gives wrong answers.

Putin must be throwing ketchup at the walls.

The revolution will be supervised.

Incompetence, fear, or corruption? why not all three?

Disappointing to see gov. newsom with his finger to the wind.

No Kings: Americans standing in the way of bad history saying “Oh, Fuck No!”

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Republicans choose power over democracy, every day.

You are so fucked. Still, I wish you the best of luck.

Prediction: the gop will rethink its strategy of boycotting future committees.

The republican ‘Pastor’ of the House is an odious authoritarian little creep.

“What are Republicans afraid of?” Everything.

You are here: Home / Politics / America / News Dump of the Day: Part the 3rd

News Dump of the Day: Part the 3rd

by | 206 Comments

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https://twitter.com/darth/status/867510153586688000

According to CNN, Attorney General Jeff Sessions failed to disclose his contacts with Ambassador Kislyak on his Security Form (SF) 86.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions did not disclose meetings he had last year with Russian officials when he applied for his security clearance, the Justice Department told CNN Wednesday.

Sessions, who met with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak at least two times last year, didn’t note those interactions on the form, which requires him to list “any contact” he or his family had with a “foreign government” or its “representatives” over the past seven years, officials said.
Sessions initially listed a year’s worth of meetings with foreign officials on the security clearance form, according to Justice Department spokeswoman Sarah Isgur Flores. But she says he and his staff were then told by an FBI employee who assisted in filling out the form, known as the SF-86, that he didn’t need to list dozens of meetings with foreign ambassadors that happened in his capacity as a senator.
After CNN’s story published, a spokesman responded to the reporting with a statement, saying that Sessions was instructed not to list meetings like the ones with Kislyak on his form.
“As a United States Senator, the Attorney General met hundreds — if not thousands — of foreign dignitaries and their staff,” spokesman Ian Prior said. “In filling out the SF-86 form, the Attorney General’s staff consulted with those familiar with the process, as well as the FBI investigator handling the background check, and was instructed not to list meetings with foreign dignitaries and their staff connected with his Senate activities.”

Here’s a link to a blank SF 86 below the fold/after the jump. Here’s what the bottom of page 121 looks like:

Certification

My statements on this form, and on any attachments to it, are true, complete, and correct to the best of my knowledge and belief and are made in good faith. I have carefully read the foregoing instructions to complete this form. I understand that a knowing and willful false statement on this form can be punished by fine or imprisonment or both (18 U.S.C. 1001). I understand that intentionally withholding, misrepresenting, or falsifying information may have a negative effect on my security clearance, employment prospects, or job status, up to and including denial or revocation of my security clearance, or my removal and debarment from Federal service.

Signature (Sign in ink) Date signed (mm/dd/yyyy)

Enter your Social Security Number before going to the next page

Page 121

(For fun check out question 29.6 on p 120…)

As someone who went through his periodic review (PR) last year I can tell you, from recent personal experience, that neither Ms. Isgur-Flores’s or Mr. Prior’s answers make any sense, including legal sense. I am in occasional contact with several former students who are senior officers of allied and partner nation militaries. Usually to exchange birthday and holiday well wishes, to be told about promotions and awards, or to check in, as the case with the Nepalese generals I supervised, after the earthquake in 2015 to make sure they and their families were okay. All of these contacts had to be accounted for on my SF 86 and I had to go over them with the investigator when I had my interview.

But don’t take my word for it, here’s a legal expert’s take. Brad Moss, who along with his law partner Mark Zaid, is one of the foremost legal specialists in clearance and classification related matters had the following to say:

https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/867509867015266304

https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/867517306175410177

https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/867524229004230656

https://twitter.com/BradMossEsq/status/867546899167014913

My take on this is that this leak, for lack of a better term, to the news media is like the first one: a shot across AG Sessions’ bow to put him on notice that if he interferes with the ongoing investigations more damaging information will be released to the news media.

Update at 10:50 PM EDT

Here’s 18 U.S.C. 1001 – Statements or entries generally

(a) Except as otherwise provided in this section, whoever, in any matter within the jurisdiction of the executive, legislative, or judicial branch of the Government of the United States, knowingly and willfully—

(1) falsifies, conceals, or covers up by any trick, scheme, or device a material fact;
(2) makes any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or representation; or
(3) makes or uses any false writing or document knowing the same to contain any materially false, fictitious, or fraudulent statement or entry;
shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years or, if the offense involves international or domestic terrorism (as defined in section 2331), imprisoned not more than 8 years, or both. If the matter relates to an offense under chapter 109A, 109B, 110, or 117, or section 1591, then the term of imprisonment imposed under this section shall be not more than 8 years.
(b) Subsection (a) does not apply to a party to a judicial proceeding, or that party’s counsel, for statements, representations, writings or documents submitted by such party or counsel to a judge or magistrate in that proceeding.

(c) With respect to any matter within the jurisdiction of the legislative branch, subsection (a) shall apply only to—

(1) administrative matters, including a claim for payment, a matter related to the procurement of property or services, personnel or employment practices, or support services, or a document required by law, rule, or regulation to be submitted to the Congress or any office or officer within the legislative branch; or
(2) any investigation or review, conducted pursuant to the authority of any committee, subcommittee, commission or office of the Congress, consistent with applicable rules of the House or Senate.
(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 749; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(1)(L), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2147; Pub. L. 104–292, § 2, Oct. 11, 1996, 110 Stat. 3459; Pub. L. 108–458, title VI, § 6703(a), Dec. 17, 2004, 118 Stat. 3766; Pub. L. 109–248, title I, § 141(c), July 27, 2006, 120 Stat. 603.)

Reader Interactions

206Comments

  1. 1.

    GregB

    One note on the Montana assault.

    New: Fox News team says “Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground.”

  2. 2.

    Villago Delenda Est

    They don’t give a fuck about bureaucratic procedure. They should, but they don’t. They don’t think the rules apply to them.

    They think they’re above the law.

    They need to be disabused of this notion, violently, if necessary.

  3. 3.

    Adam L Silverman

    @GregB: I’ll wait for the legal eagles to weigh in, but in my experience if you grab someone by the neck you are moving to the edge of aggravated battery to something even more serious.

  4. 4.

    different-church-lady

    SESSIONS: “Hell, I had meetings with so many Russians, how was I supposed to remember every one of them?”

  5. 5.

    jl

    @GregB: Cripes. I just listened to the recording of the attack. Glad the reporter wasn’t hurt bad. Good for Gianforte it was some helpless local little rinky dink low profile outlet like The Guardian, huh?

    But, you know, both sides do it. Quist probably once played in front of the reporter with an out of tune guitar.

    Edit: It will be very unfair if Gianforte has to campaign the last few days from jail. But I assume he has the means to make bail.

  6. 6.

    guachi

    I’ve never listed any of my non-American Arabic teachers as ‘foreign contacts’ on my SF-86.

    Ever.

    None of my fellow linguists have ever listed their teachers, either.

    I’m not certain if it’s analogous to the AG’s situation, but there you go. The teachers certainly aren’t representatives of foreign governments.

    If it was really part of Session’s job, I can see giving it a pass.

  7. 7.

    cmorenc

    But now if Gianforte loses, the GOP will be able to shrug it off as due to voters reacting to egregious personal flaws in the candidate, rather than as any sort of referendum on the GOP or Trump. Or at least that will be their story and they’ll stick to it. And the MSM talking heads will agree that for this plausible reason, we should be cautious about trying to read any national trend into it.

  8. 8.

    amk

    Didn’t treytorous (h/t uncle cosmo of bj) russians-talk-to-us-during-elections-all-the-time gowdy normalize treason on fucking live teevee?

  9. 9.

    jl

    @cmorenc: That’s fine if they want to BS themselves about it. If they believe it, let them keep their heads in the sand a little longer. Will make it easier for us. And if Quist wins, one less seat to win going forward.

  10. 10.

    Mary G

    I hope if Gianforte wins they come to arrest him tomorrow night at the victory party.

    About the post. Don’t senators have schedulers who keep records of who they meet with? I seem to remember some Republican’s demanding HRC’s before the vote to confirm her as SOS; she gave them and they could find nothing in particular to smear her worth.

  11. 11.

    hovercraft

    Ms. Isgur-Flores was a frequent guest on msnbc during the election last year, and I’d put her up there when it comes to lying with a straight face, not quite at the KAC level but pretty close to the top.

    @GregB:

    Fox News team says “Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground.”

    WTF? Are you sure it’s The FOX?

  12. 12.

    Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)

    I’ve had several occasions to fill out this form. Screw all these jackasses for flaunting their disregard for the regs, and their supporters for accepting behavior from Team Red that they would have burned the country down for from any Dem.

    In happier news, tonight’s conclusion of Samurai Jack was a fitting end to the series.

  13. 13.

    Felonius Monk

    Does anyone really need anymore evidence that this Garden Gnome of Injustice is a piece of shit?

  14. 14.

    JCJ

    I only had a low level security clearance for a summer job in 1983 (nuclear power plant), but I was sure to tell them I had been to East Germany as part of a trip for foreign students in Germany. When an old roommate was getting evaluated for a real clearance for some intelligence job I gladly reviewed my passport with the DISCO questioner. It is not hard.

  16. 16.

    No One You Know

    The UK must love all the attention we’re giving their nationals and their secrets.

    ETA: And to think we beat them up for passing attention to us.

  17. 17.

    Adam L Silverman

    @guachi: Not only does it not get a pass, when you get read on to SCI and SAP for access there are specific forms that the on site Special Security Officer (SSO) has to have filled out that ask the same questions. There is a box to check to if it is part of your official duties. Beneath that is a space for a narrative explanation. It is then up to the specific SSO if he or she wants the detailed supplementary disclosure forms regarding foreign contacts filled out. I know this because I’ve had to fill them out.

  19. 19.

    ByRookorbyCrook

    During that conversation, another man — who we now know is Ben Jacobs of The Guardian — walked into the room with a voice recorder, put it up to Gianforte’s face and began asking if him if he had a response to the newly released Congressional Budget Office report on the American Health Care Act. Gianforte told him he would get to him later. Jacobs persisted with his question. Gianforte told him to talk to his press guy, Shane Scanlon.
    At that point, Gianforte grabbed Jacobs by the neck with both hands and slammed him into the ground behind him. Faith, Keith and I watched in disbelief as Gianforte then began punching the man, as he moved on top the reporter and began yelling something to the effect of “I’m sick and tired of this!”

    Link

  20. 20.

    rikyrah

    An Open Letter to DNC Chair Tom Perez: ‘There’s Too Much at Stake to Ignore Black Women’

    Today Black women activists, civic and community leaders, and elected officials penned an open letter to Democratic National Committee Chair Tom Perez calling for a meeting to discuss the state of Black women and the Party.

    Dear Chairman Tom Perez:

    Black women have consistently shown up for Democrats as a loyal voting bloc, demonstrating time and again that we are crucial to the protection of progressive policies such as economic security, affordable healthcare and criminal justice reform.

    We have voted and organized our communities with little support or investment from the Democratic Party for voter mobilization efforts. We have shown how Black women lead, yet the Party’s leadership from Washington to the state parties have few or no Black women in leadership. More and more, Black women are running for office and winning elections — with scant support from Democratic Party infrastructure.

    Well, like civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer, who testified at the 1964 Democratic convention demanding Blacks have a seat and voice within the Party, we are “sick and tired of being sick and tired.”

    The Democratic Party has a real problem. The data reveals that Black women voters are the very foundation to a winning coalition, yet most Black voters feel like the Democrats take them for granted. The Party’s foundation has a growing crack and if it is not addressed quickly, the Party will fall even further behind and ultimately fail in its quest to strengthen its political prospects.

    nbcnews.com/news/nbcblk/open-letter-dnc-chair-tom-perez-there-s-too-much-n764221

  23. 23.

    jl

    @GregB: Thanks for the link. Interesting and disgusting story. Looks like the POS Gianforte punched the reporter after he was slammed down on the ground, and then lied to police taking the report, and then had his campaign lie about the attack in a statement.

    Great way to end the campaign. I hope it happened early enough in the day to get some nice coverage on the evening news.
    If Gianforte wins, he should spend his first days as a Congressperson in a Montana jail cell. Can they swear him in inside the pokey?

  26. 26.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Lyrebird: Part of the difference is foreign nationals on the US payroll as language instructors from Defense Language Institute (DLI) are different than a liaison/exchange officer of an allied/partner military is different from contact with foreign nationals who are government or military officials outside the scope of one’s official duties. But one also has to disclose foreign business ties (if one has one) and personal foreign contacts too.

    PS – how was the conference?

  30. 30.

    Mike in NC

    Accurately filling out SF 86s, as I had to do several times in 30-odd years, is for “the little people”.

  34. 34.

    Lyrebird

    @Adam L Silverman: Thanks for clarifying. I’ve avoided sec.-clearance jobs because I used to labor under delusions of having a publishable memoir to write someday, but I’ve been called for my friends’ clearances. All pretty businesslike.

    and PS: conference was good, my brain is full, and I’d better get back to packing up!

  35. 35.

    guachi

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Despite having SCI and SAP clearances for 15 years I don’t recall that there is an “met them in an official capacity” box for foreign contacts.

    My foreign contacts are my BIL and nephew in New Zealand (sister lives there). They don’t work for the NZ government and relatives are easy to explain so I’ve clearly ignored the not relevant parts of my security investigation.

    I guess “works for a foreign government” is a meaningful enough distinction to not leave blank.

  37. 37.

    Adam L Silverman

    @guachi: Those site specific supplementary forms to be read on are not standard. They vary from command to command. Some SSO’s require them, some don’t. The disclosure requirement on the SF 86 is standard and required:

    20b.6 – “Have you … in the past seven (7) years had any contact with a foreign government, its establishment or its representatives”.

  40. 40.

    dm

    I suppose it’s possible that the Chinese leaked Sessions’ SF-86, maybe they kept a backdoor after they broke into the Office of Personnel Management a few years ago….

    Not reporting your foreign-language instructors is one thing (I remember asking about that, myself, and being told they didn’t count), but forgetting to mention that you’d had a private conversation with the Russian ambassador is quite another.

    I’d be willing to give Sessions a pass on that conversation that happened at the reception during the Republican National Convention, but the one in his office is quite something else.

    Doesn’t this makes twice Sessions has perjured himself on these contacts?

  42. 42.

    hovercraft

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I was planning on doing a post on this tonight, but got sidetracked by this. Sorry!

    This really has to stop, we are paying you good money to educate us! Yesterday you promised us a post on The Idiot’ s Middle East Adventures and his trip to Israel, did we get it? No. Now this, you really need to focus more on us, forget the things that are pulling you away from us!

  44. 44.

    Gretchen

    @jl: That’s the thing – he did this IN FRONT OF LOCAL NEWS! They were waiting to interview him? How little impulse control do you have to have to start punching someone in front of the local news camera crew?

  53. 53.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @amk: or, in the case of the Oval Office, “Let’s you and him take this outside… I’ll slip the bouncer a sawbuck to look the other way”

  54. 54.

    lollipopguild

    Only in a truly great country could pond scum rise to such important positions of such great power. God Bless America!

  55. 55.

    jl

    @Gretchen: What’s better, I saw the Gianforte statement via Josh Marshall’s twitter. It’s like they wrote it and forgot, or didn’t know that there was a recording of the assault.

    If there is any justice, Gianforte will go down in flames tomorrow. Bald face liar and thug and idiot. Well, see, Trump really has taken over the GOP, hasn’t he? All the new kids starting out want to emulate him and his posse.

    I hope it happened early enough in the day to get wall to wall local coverage in Montana news, and a big headline in local press tomorrow morning.

    Big Crazy News Out of Montana
    talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/big-crazy-news-out-of-montana

  56. 56.

    Corner Stone

    I ask again. How stupid do you have to be to put out this campaign statement?

  58. 58.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    so when we call our MoCs about the CBO score, probably no point in harassing staffers by snarking about this, right?

  59. 59.

    Corner Stone

    Can we start an Act Blue fund to pay people in MT to punch every voter that says some variant of, “That’s my kind of guy!”, or “That weenie Lib had it coming!”

  62. 62.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Corner Stone: what kind of half-baked crank would even spew that kind of shit? Oh, yeah….

    Laura Ingraham‏Verified account @ IngrahamAngle 36m36 minutes ago
    Did anyone get his lunch money stolen today and then run to tell the recess monitor?

  64. 64.

    Paul W.

    What I’m missing here is who enforces the punishment and determines the consequences, what will actually happen to Sessions and Kushner (Flynn seems to be in the crosshairs of the FBI at least). If it is through the DOJ then how can they punish their own boss?

  66. 66.

    Chet Murthy

    @Corner Stone:

    It’s just locker room talk. Talk, is all that it is.

    I think you’re using the wrong word. The word you’re looking for is “shameless”. And, it turns out, GG got a clear lesson in the power of maximal shamelessness on 8 Nov 2016. Until and unless serious beatdowns occur (like: “strip him of all his assets and send him to prison for 20yr”) nobody will unlearn that lesson.

  72. 72.

    jl

    @Corner Stone: I’d like to start a go fund me page to help Gianforte move to another district with an open GOP Congressional seat and run between now and 2018.

    I’ll go to Montana and plead for a short jail sentence so he can perform this public service to the nation.
    Problem is, its a MT state crime. Judge will wonder what Montana gets out of it.
    Well, OK, gets the POS moron out the state. Yeah… that’s the ticket, my plan might work.

  74. 74.

    lollipopguild

    @Corner Stone: No matter how stupid any of these people seem they have an apparently limitless ability to be even stupider. I am sure there is a rule or law about this.

  75. 75.

    lamh36

    Honestly, I think the ONLY thing that will get that sheriff to charge/arrest, is pressure from outside forces, like that Fox News description otherwise…no arrest/charge unless dude loses and even then not until AFTER the election, if at all…I’m just cynical though…

    Also, I also wouldn’t be surprised if it got him more votes, cause I”m sorry, but I completely believe that the Republican voters today STILL voting for folks like Trump and the party that is enabling him…are crazy and unhinged assholes

  76. 76.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @p.a.: One was Cornell and the other Dartmouth. Same time frame. Bill Maher might be able to answer.

  80. 80.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Didn’t even see what he said tonight, but he’s been annoying as fuck the last few days. I’m not sorry to see the backside of him, although I have no doubt that he’ll be back soon under a different nym.

  81. 81.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Paul W.: In terms of criminal and/or counterintelligence investigation it’ll be folded into the Special Prosecutor’s investigations because this involves contact with Russian officials, in this case the ambassador in DC who is considered to be the senior recruiter/handler for Russian Intelligence in DC. Also, the adjudicator, who is walled off, will have the final say as to whether these failures disqualify Sessions, Kushner, and anyone else with similar problems from receiving a clearance.

  82. 82.

    SFAW

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Is this the same stalker who kept puling about how he missed you, tended to show up late at night? If not, then I’m at a loss as to about whom we’re speaking (meaning, his old nym/nom).

  84. 84.

    FlyingToaster

    @Adam L Silverman: Thank you. I’ve just resurfaced from a project that went pear-shaped. The last thing I wanted to see was that insanity starting up again.

  85. 85.

    MisterForkbeard

    @SiubhanDuinne: I have to count myself lucky, as I don’t remember seeing him before tonight. What was he doing?

    Stalking/concern trolling/insults? Just being a creepy weirdo?

  89. 89.

    MisterForkbeard

    @SFAW: I know by “nym/nom” you mean “pseudonym” and “Nom de Plum”, but now I can’t stop thinking of “Pseudo-noms.” Like… fake food?

    …Twizzlers?

  91. 91.

    GregB

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    Again with the wing nutty cofnitive dissonnance. The liberal left is both weak, cowardly, feminized, and traitorous and also full of violent thugs, terrorizing fascists and all powerful masterminds like serial murderer Hillary Clinton and her phone sized body count.

  95. 95.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @jl: MT apparently has same day registration, and this gonna be on people’s TV’s and radios and news alerts as they start their days… fingers crossed

  97. 97.

    dm

    John Dingell throws shade:

    John Dingell ✔ @JohnDingell
    Hell, I spent 60 years in Congress without bodyslamming a single reporter.

    This guy in Montana won’t last long if he manages to win.
    8:23 PM – 24 May 2017

  99. 99.

    sigaba

    @dm: Who writes John Dingell Twitter? I know JD himself doesn’t and he’s sortof allowed it to be a performance art piece…

  103. 103.

    lamh36

    @aseitzwald 15m15 minutes ago
    More
    Dem super PAC @prioritiesUSA already running Facebook ads in MT promoting local news stories about alleged body slam, group tells me.

  104. 104.

    lamh36

    @kylegriffin1

    Follow
    More
    It’ll be quite the scene if Gianforte visits polling places tomorrow and reporters put recorders in his face to ask about what happened.

  105. 105.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Adam L Silverman: You take that back sir! The noble Pop-tart is a staple of many a college student breakfast.

    Though I’ll totally admit the frosting on those things are gross.

    @SFAW: It saddens me that you don’t share my opinion of twizzlers. Ah well. :)

    ETA: More precisely, after I spend a few hours talking with my toddlers my brain goes into overdrive on silly connections. On the good side of things, my 2 year old is apparently a devotee of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Go her.

  106. 106.

    Redshift

    @Gretchen:

    Probably the local Fox News outlet. Ours here in KC is pretty much straight local news.

    Nope. Crew for Bret Baier, apparently, so actual Fox News. And they have a straight-up story about it on their front page (that doesn’t even misidentify the perp as a Democrat!)

  107. 107.

    lamh36

    @WajahatAli 2m2 minutes ago
    More
    This is so easy for Republicans. Denounce what #Gianforte did. Say violence against journalists is unacceptable. Simple. And…they can’t.

  109. 109.

    SFAW

    @MisterForkbeard:

    It saddens me that you don’t share my opinion of twizzlers. Ah well. :)

    I’m OK with red Twizzlers, one of the staples of my yoot.

    It was the Word Association Football that was … “off the beaten path,” shall we say?

  113. 113.

    lamh36

    @Mike J: Saw a tweet that said Hannity would be out for next two days. I supposed they’ll pass it on as an early Memorial Day vacation for Sean, but the test will be afterwards if he returns.

  114. 114.

    SFAW

    @lamh36:

    This is so easy for Republicans. Denounce what #Gianforte did. Say violence against journalists is unacceptable. Simple. And…they can’t.

    Partei before country

  116. 116.

    lamh36

    @ReaganBattalion 3h3 hours ago
    More
    If you are defending a guy who just hit a reporter in his face because that guy is a memeber of your party, please unfollow us.

  118. 118.

    FlyingToaster

    @SFAW: De nada.

    I’d realized that was who had reappeared a week or so ago before I was pulled down into the trench. It wasn’t in the least entertaining. If we lived in a civilized society, I’d be advising the front pagers to see if social services could be sicced on him to intervene before he moves to meatspace.

  119. 119.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @SFAW: Yes.

    You have been here long enough to know my view on banning – I don’t like it. He was wacko enough that people like Cole and I want him gone.

  120. 120.

    Adam L Silverman

    @FlyingToaster: No way to really track any of you in real life. Especially if you’re not using a legit email address to post here. And, to be honest, I don’t think was want to be able to in case someone does something stupid legally and tries to compel John via court order to hand that type of information over.

  125. 125.

    Redshift

    @randy khan:

    So she’s saying that if your lunch money is stolen you shouldn’t tell anyone? (And, you know, leaving aside that this was a bit different.)

    Yes, exactly. She’s trying to pretend for the wingnuts who imagine themselves to be he-men that this was no different that a schoolyard tussle, and the reporter is a weakling and a snitch for calling the cops instead of… “being a man,” probably. Hell if I know.

    Seems like a fairly desperate attempt to blame the victim, probably because she knows what will please her audience, not for Gianforte’s benefit.

  126. 126.

    MisterForkbeard

    @SFAW: Yep. You try hanging out with toddlers for several hours and see how well YOUR brain works afterwards. I have to re-read everything twice.

    But once I thought of “Pseudonom” the idea just made me laugh.

  127. 127.

    sm*t cl*de

    @randy khan:

    So she’s saying that if your lunch money is stolen you shouldn’t tell anyone?

    And if Dick Cheney shoots you in the face with a shotgun you should man up and just shoot back. Such is the manly Republican way.

  128. 128.

    BlueDWarrior

    I honestly doubt if this assault will dissuade Republican voters from following their programming and pressing the R button.

  130. 130.

    MisterForkbeard

    @Adam L Silverman: Well, first she was just waving spaghetti around. Then she started talking to my about “Flying Noodles! It’s flying spaghetti, Daddy!” Once my wife stopped laughing and whispered something to her, then she turns to me and says “It’s a Noodla Pendij!”.

    Too awesome.

  132. 132.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Garrett HaakeVerified account @ GarrettHaake
    Just talked to a GOP strategist who basically endorsed this statement as a political strategy. Can’t apologize now. Rally base is only move

    “it” being the press release trying to cast “liberal reporter” as the aggressor

    Chuck Todd‏Verified account @ chucktodd 3h3 hours ago
    Our politics is beyond broken. A) this shouldn’t be seen as a successful strategy. B) paid professionals should be ashamed exploiting it

    Chuck, your pal Garrett didn’t talk to an “our politics” strategist. Donald Trump was not nominated by an “our politics” party. The bill that will take health insurance from 24 million people is not an “our politics” bill. Et cetera.

  133. 133.

    hovercraft

    Hey did you guys know that “poverty is just a state of mind!” All you parents need to do is instill “the mindset of a winner in your children and avoid a defeatist attitude”. Those ladies and gentlemen are the words of our Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who by the way would like to change the name of his department.

  134. 134.

    jmw

    @Adam L Silverman: Thanks, I used the link button and thought that maybe the tag close was taken care of by the commenting system but of course that makes no sense in retrospect.

  135. 135.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @BlueDWarrior: We shouldn’t care about them. It is the people who agree with what we want but doubt us that we need to work on. Get them to the booths.

  136. 136.

    lamh36

    Are we in the twilight zone…the front page of Fox News.com right now, first headline…

    MELTDOWN IN MONTANA
    Fox News team witnesses GOP House candidate ‘body slam’ reporter
    twitter.com/AlexCKaufman/status/867584794540089348

    (I refuse to link to Fox News)

    I’m off to bed…let’s see if there is charges and/or arrest made by the morning…I’m putting my money on NO…

    The tell maybe how Fox News reports the incident ON AIR!

  138. 138.

    Adam L Silverman

    @jmw: There’s something wrong with the code/program that makes this happen. I’ve had 1/2 a dozen explanations provided to me by readers/commenters, which I really don’t understand because I’m not a computer scientist/programmer/IT person. I’ve checked with Alain and no matter what he tweaks, it just never gets fixed. So when I see it happen I try to fix it.

  143. 143.

    Trentrunner

    Gianforte being charged with “misdemeanor assault” and must report between now and June 7.

    LE said elements not met for “felony assault.”

    Misdemeanor assault conviction could bring up to 6 months’ jail & $500 fine.

  145. 145.

    SFAW

    @FlyingToaster:

    Fortunately, I have not had the “pleasure” of reading any of his latest stuff.

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    I remembered reading some of his stuff, back when he was L.B., and it was kind of fucked up* (putting it charitably), so I’m A-OK with him being banned.

    ETA: * An alternative meaning for “kind of fucked up” would be “really fucking creepy.”

  146. 146.

    Trentrunner

    The Missoulian, one of MT’s largest newspapers, just rescinded its Gianforte endorsement.

  147. 147.

    BlueDWarrior

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Mr. Todd doesn’t want to admit that the Republican BASE has become radicalized to the point they will support pretty much anyone with the R label. Even if they are amoral and violent to the hilt.

  148. 148.

    SFAW

    @BlueDWarrior:

    I honestly doubt if this assault will dissuade Republican voters from following their programming

    Dissuade them? Not in this plane of existence; it’ll encourage them — Cleek’s Law on steroids.

  151. 151.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @SFAW: it might motivate some people who are unenthused by either candidate but don’t want this goon as their Representative.

    I’m trying to be optimistic, it’s like the proverbial dog riding a bicycle.

  153. 153.

    BlueDWarrior

    @SFAW: the biggest thing I want a pundit to say to some Republican operative is “it appears that Republican voters are motivated solely by spite for and hatred of liberals, however they define them”

  154. 154.

    lamh36

    BREAKING: Greg Gianforte cited for misdemeanor assault of reporter Ben Jacobs. #mtal
    Gianforte must appear on the charge in Gallatin County Justice Court between now and June 7. #mtal #bdcnews

  156. 156.

    lamh36

    @lamh36:

    Sheriff Brian Gootkin said the incident did not meet the Montana statutory elements for felony assault. #mtal #bdcnews

    If convicted, Gianforte faces a maximum of 6 months jail and a $500 fine. #mtal #bdcnews

  157. 157.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @lamh36: I hope someone is pointing out to Sheriff Goatskin that he has an object lesson in how not to respond to all the increased media attention he’s going to get over the next week, and that he’s not used to.

  159. 159.

    lamh36

    @Repatriated:

    “causes bodily injury to another, purposely makes physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with any individual…

  163. 163.

    Repatriated

    @jl: @lamh36:
    That, and it might be inconvenient if he somehow gets elected and subequently convicted of a felony committed pre-election… just saying.

  166. 166.

    amk

    twitler’s foreign tour moments

    Towards the end of the long line of people whose hands the Trumps had to shake when they arrived in Israel was Oren Hazan, an MP from the ruling Likud party.

    There was just one problem – he wasn’t supposed to be there.

    Israeli media said he pushed his way through the line of dignitaries – and he then demanded a selfie with Mr Trump.

    Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discreetly tried to stop Mr Hazan, whose career has been hit by scandal, but failed.

    “I told Trump that they say I’m the Israeli Trump, I told him how excited I was,” Mr Hazan told Israel’s Ynet news site.

    Israeli media said his brazen move had gone down badly with senior Likud officials.

  169. 169.

    jacy

    Heading home from date night and the Gianforte assault made the BBC overnight news on the radio. So it traveled pretty darn fast and wide.

  171. 171.

    amk

    the leaker

    Theresa May is to raise concerns with Donald Trump after evidence from the Manchester Arena bombing was apparently leaked to US media.

    UK officials were “furious” when photos appearing to show debris from the attack appeared in the New York Times.

    The prime minister is expected to raise the issue with the US president when they meet at a Nato summit later.

  172. 172.

    lamh36

    Nice of the Gallatin County Sheriff to wait until after print deadline to announce charges against @GregForMontana #mtpol #mtal

  173. 173.

    SFAW

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    it might motivate some people who are unenthused by either candidate but don’t want this goon as their Representative.

    I understand, it’s just that BlueDWarrior talked about Rethug voters, which are by definition (at least, in the last 10 or so years) NOT unenthused about Dems. (I don’t consider “I want to destroy all Dems” to be a sentiment consonant with “unenthused.”)

    I’m trying to be optimistic, it’s like the proverbial dog riding a bicycle.

    Interesting definition of “optimistic.” I’m also optimistic that LeBron will ask me to join him on the Cavs, maybe as point guard. (I’m short, fat, and old, by the way.)

  177. 177.

    SFAW

    @BlueDWarrior:

    the biggest thing I want a pundit to say to some Republican operative is “it appears that Republican voters are motivated solely by spite for and hatred of liberals, however they define them”

    OK, there’s “wishful thinking,” and there’s “are you fucking nuts?”

    Not that I wouldn’t LOVE to see/hear the same thing, mind you, but FSM doesn’t love me THAT much.

  179. 179.

    Repatriated

    @jl:

    I assume reporters read the news and stay informed of potential threats on their beats.

    So, the whole goalie ensemble with pads and everything, then.

  180. 180.

    jl

    @Repatriated: Doing the interviews at a distance with a loudspeakers, telephoto lens and long boom mike will be an inconvenience. On the other hand, openings for reporters with mixed martial arts training, maybe?

    Edit: wow, possible side hustle for Silverman, in between consulting contracts.

  181. 181.

    Repatriated

    @jl: Finally, truth in advertising for all those “Reporter Takes Down / Destroys / Annihilates Politician” clickbait post titles….

    E.T.A. : not here, but you know what I mean…

  182. 182.

    Elizabelle

    @jl:

    Gianforte more than has the means to make bail. Regrettably. Another gazillionaire, hoping to join the others in Congress. Per The Guardian:

    Gianforte is a tech mogul who mounted an unsuccessful campaign for governor in 2016.

    On 28 April, Jacobs reported on Gianforte’s financial ties to Russian companies that have been sanctioned by the US. Gianforte’s wealth is estimated at between $65m and $315m.

    Last month, the Missoulian newspaper took Gianforte to task for his attitude toward the press. At an event hosted by the Advancing Conservatism Society, an audience member reportedly said: “Our biggest enemy is the news media. How can we rein in the news media?”

    Gianforte responded by pointing at a reporter and saying, “We have someone right here. It seems like there is more of us than there is of him.” The Republican later told the Billings Gazette that his comments were a joke.

    Also:

    The special election has attracted national attention, and spending has reached $17m as the race has tightened.

  183. 183.

    lamh36

    My gut says GOP dude wins. I’d bet in the safety of their own home the majority of the mail in vote already went to the GOP guy. Maybe same day reg will matter, but IDK…

    Otherwise i see the spread as 2-5pt GOP and when he gets to Congress he should be used as a drag on each and every GOP who greets him w/open arms

  184. 184.

    amk

    [Gianforte assaults person in front of eyewitnesses and audio recording]GOP: That’s a real man[Black man wears hoodie]GOP: That’s a thug— Daniel Lin (@DLin71) May 25, 2017

  185. 185.

    amk

    @danbbaer Regardless, Dems now have an excellent talking point on AHCA: "GOP would rather commit assault than discuss their healthcare bill"— Christopher Jarmas (@jarmascm) May 25, 2017

  187. 187.

    Repatriated

    “Pseudonoms” are food that pretends to be other food.

    Tofurkey, turkey “bacon”, veggie-burgers, and so on.

  189. 189.

    Elizabelle

    Not surprising. The candidate is a loose cannon, and radical GOP dogma is mistreatment of the press, because their voters are all screaming “fake news.”

    The sheriff had donated to the Republican. That said, maybe Gianforte win through early/mail in voting, but he lost a previous race.

    From the Billings Gazette, editorial rescinding their endorsement: We’re pulling our endorsement of Greg Gianforte

    While we clearly made a poor choice in our original endorsement, an even bigger mistake would have been to stand by it, or say nothing even though this editorial appears on Election Day and may open us to criticism of trying to unduly influence the outcome.

    We’d point out that all the other questionable interactions Gianforte had with reporters, including one case where he joked about ganging up on a reporter, must now be seen through a much more sinister lens. What he passed off as a joke at the time now becomes much more serious.

    To the voters who have not voted yet, we simply urge you to evaluate each candidate very carefully and make the best choice.

    To those who have voted: Unfortunately, Montana does not allow those who voted early to reconsider and vote again. We’re one of the few states that does not. This would seem to be the best reason we should urge our state leaders to change that law.

    (1) Beating on a reporter was going to happen.

    (2) Changing an early vote? Really? I’d never heard of this, or that lots of states do it.

  190. 190.

    Elizabelle

    The Missoulian rescinding, and look at this language. We endorsed because he told us he was not going to do what his ideology would have him do. In the Age of Trump. Candidate Leopard said he was not going to eat those people’s faces.

    Three weeks ago, the Missoulian endorsed Gianforte because we took him at his word that he would set aside his personal beliefs, listen to Montanans and be their voice in the House.

    Our editorial said Gianforte “has the education, experience, brains and abilities to be successful in Congress. But only if he holds firm to his promise to set aside his own personal ideology whenever necessary in order to uphold Montana values.

    “… Gianforte repeatedly assured the Missoulian editorial board that he can and will do just that. The people of Montana must hold him to that pledge.’’

    Gianforte’s a tech mogul with an estimated wealth of $65 million to $315 million. Yeah, he’s all about the little guy in Montana. Was gonna be their voice.

  191. 191.

    Calouste

    Didn’t Sessions’ DOJ just argue before the Supreme court that any mistake or omission in naturalization paperwork, material or not, could be a reason to revoke someone’s citizenship? I think by those standards, Sessions’ appointment is clearly revoked.

  195. 195.

    TenguPhule

    @amk:

    UK officials were “furious” when photos appearing to show debris from the attack appeared in the New York Times.

    So the FYNYT is in cahoots with Sloppy Trump Officials. Its Official, Village them all.

  196. 196.

    Elizabelle

    I will be hopeful of Montana. Even though 250,000 ballots are already in by mail — what might be more than half — we can’t assume Montanans weren’t voting against Gianforte. He lost the governor’s race last fall, 50-46%, to Democrat Steve Bullock, in a year when Trump carried the state by 20 points. Gianforte is a known quantity, even if he had not committed outright assault by then.

    Montana has a Democratic Senator, Jon Tester, and Republican Steve Daines.

    Healthcare is a huge, whacking deal. Gianforte told folks he was keeping an open mind, and then an audiotape emerged of him supporting the Republicans’ plan to gut Obamacare.

  197. 197.

    amk

    @Elizabelle:

    One thing about voters deciding tomorrow: A lot of these people already decided to vote against Gianforte, six months ago.— Josh Barro (@jbarro) May 25, 2017

    Hopefully both of you are right.

  200. 200.

    Elizabelle

    The earlier headline on the Los Angeles Times article I linked at 198.

    Montana’s congressional race is about more than Trump — including an election-eve assault charge

  201. 201.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I believe it happens when, using the two-step link process*, you put a hyperlink as the last thing in a comment but don’t close the link to delimit what text should be highlighted.

    * If you don’t have any text selected when you press the “link” button, FYWP will start the highlighted text at the point where the cursor is, but then it wants you to specify the ending point after you put in the hyperlink. This is shown by the link button looking like “/link” until you press it again.

  203. 203.

    NotMax

    @TenguPhule

    Abominations of Science, in other words.

    Heh. Made me flash back on an abominable TV show adaptation based on a fun little comic book series. Misfits of Science.

    The comic book series was DNAgents. Even the title was better.   ;)

  204. 204.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @TenguPhule: Somalia hell, Antarctica. Give him a Thinsulate tux & let him shuffle around with egg on his face instead of on top of his feet…

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