A bit of news: Jared Kushner and his legal team is looking for a crisis PR firm. https://t.co/J6T6sX74FN
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) December 15, 2017
Yep, this investigation will wrap up by Christmas (of which year though…..)
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TenguPhule
As of right now, we have zero Republican No votes in the Senate for the Fucking Tax Shitbill.
Things promise to get ugly.
Calouste
Seems like they approached at least one firm who turned them down and then called the WaPo.
LurkerNoLonger
How is good PR going to help if you’re caught red-handed doing a bunch of illegal shit?
Yutsano
@TenguPhule: Yet Yertle isn’t calling for a vote yet.
Jeffro
“…jingle bells, Trumpov smells, indictments on the waayyy…oh what fun, to watch Jar-ed, try and PR this a-way, hey!”
TenguPhule
@Yutsano: The House is going to vote first, since they’re the one with more problems among the members. If that goes through, I don’t think Turtle is going to wait long since they want it done before next Friday. If McCain makes it through the weekend, I expect they’ll want him among the yes votes just to showcase how united they are.
MJS
Why the fuck does Kushner need a PR firm, crisis or otherwise? Who the fuck does he think he needs to protect his reputation for? Everybody on Earth except one person knows he’s a fucking inept moron, and no one expects anything else from him.
Jeffro
@LurkerNoLonger: Indictments = #FakeNews, haven’t you been keeping up?
TenguPhule
@LurkerNoLonger:
Two words.
Ronald Reagan.
rikyrah
BWA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA
SRW1
@Calouste:
Even the request not leak seems to have been leaked. Success!
Yutsano
@TenguPhule: Weird. I thought the Senate was supposed to vote first. So our only saving grace is the ZEGS can’t count and McCarthy is a shit whip.
trollhattan
@MJS:
Maybe Kush thinks better PR would have kept daddy out of prison?
dmbeaster
@LurkerNoLonger:
You could ask Michael Milkin, Martha Stewart, Microsoft (anti-trust case) and other famous financial wrongdoers why they spent hundreds of thousands on crisis pr.
germy
Wasn’t TrumPutin teasing earlier today about pardoning Flynn? He said he wants to see how it goes, whatever that means.
TenguPhule
@Yutsano: McCain and the other R asshole have medical conditions being checked out, so the schedule slipped.
Hill Dweller
Congressman Schiff thinks the Republicans are going to shut down the House Intelligence Committee investigation of Trump at the end of the year. They’re already laying the groundwork to either remove Mueller and/or discredit any charges. Josh Marshall has a new story at TPM on Trump’s crony purging the FBI. These fascists are going to destroy the country trying to protect Trump.
TenguPhule
@Yutsano:
They snuck the ACA mandate repeal into the bill, that just might be enough to convince the Baggers to jump onboard this shit.
Right now, our actual best hope is a rule call by the Parlimentarian in the Senate that they can’t pass this through reconciliation.
Jeffro
@Hill Dweller: The House Rs can shut it down if they want to…that’s not the investigation that matters.
Quite a few of the R-aligned forces are trying to lay groundwork, discredit Mueller, and blur the lines. It won’t work. Bank records and tax records and decades of money laundering and racketeering and state charges on top of federal ones…the jig is just about up.
germy
Well, that’s one way to look at it I suppose.
ThresherK
In the Trump era one would think people would flock, gold rush style, to hang out their shingles in DC as Crisis PR Experts.
Kay
“His legal team”. The Trump Family have been in office a year and they all have a legal team.
You wonder if the nepotism is worth it. Trump would have far fewer problems if he simply hadn’t hired his whole family.
Don Jr. is a moron, for example. Why didn’t Trump insist he stay out of the campaign? What value does Ivanka add?
LurkerNoLonger
@dmbeaster: Might as well burn the money the lot of good it does.
randy khan
@germy:
From nearly anyone else I would take this as a joke. Coulter totally means every word of it.
MJS
@ThresherK: But there’s that whole issue of not getting paid.
Yutsano
@TenguPhule: I’m starting to wonder if all these Senate Yes votes coming out are some kind of encouragement for the House to go ahead and pass it. Which knowing the Freedom jerks, isn’t going to help.
germy
? Martin
@ThresherK: PR experts sign onto clients that come clean so they know what they have to work with. Most of the big law firms wouldn’t sign on with these clowns because they also lie to their lawyers. The crisis pr firms will look at it the same way.
Put another way, firefighters only run into burning buildings that they expect to be able to run out of, otherwise they just sit back and watch it burn like everyone else.
dmbeaster
Kushner so far seems to be at the heart of so much dirt. He and Ivanka were lucky to escape criminal fraud charges in NY for their lying about their shitty condo project (and yes, darling Ivanka is also crooked, at least on that deal, based on her own emails). I think being criminal comes naturally to him. I am sure that there is no end of criminal behavior in his business dealings, which would not be all that surprising.
After all, try to imagine what good he thought would come from trying to set up secret communications with Russians by using the Russian embassy communication links. The whole reason to do it is because you know you are doing something so shady, that you know that you must keep it secret from the US government. That one fact demonstrates guilty intent like nothing else.
And how can you be so stupid as to repeatedly omit your dealings with Russians on your disclosure forms for a security clearance. Its because you are already so used to brazen illegality, that this is just another detail.
People like Kushner descend into wrongdoing one sleazy act at a time, and it builds on itself over time. What seemed risky five years ago is now the norm. Its how you end up trying to sleaze your way with Russians and trying to use the Russian embassy to cover your tracks. Its just insane, and there has to be a lot more under the surface. My own perception is that they were licking their lips contemplating access to fountains of Russian cash just desperate to be laundered somewhere. And they were giant fat marks for Russian operatives, who were used to using greed to ensnare victims to serve Russian interests, though here, the “victims” were probably too willing to be victimized for $$$$. The whole thing is basic Russian espionage — simple as pie, and I imagine the Russians involved rolled their eyes at these easy marks.
T S
It will wrap because the SC is getting Ned Starked before too long. Schneiderman’s gonna be working late through CHristmas, however. Mueller will prob be working with him for free.
Gin & Tonic
Vienna at Christmastime is wonderful. Not having to deal with the Trump shitshow every waking moment is wonderfuler.
germy
@randy khan:
I think she sees the new generation of photogenic, deplorable rightwing thought leaders and thinks “I’ve got to up my game.”
Rasputin's Evil Twin
We singles live empty lives of quiet desperation and will die alone.
The sooner the better, Ann By the way, have you ever read something called “A Christmas Carol”? Probably not.
dmbeaster
@LurkerNoLonger: I agree. But its the celebrity defense theory, and for something that is inevitably very political, it does not hurt to poison the well of opinion that might form in favor of your accuser.
But heck, why burn up Benjamins — Fox News is glad to do it for free.
LurkerNoLonger
@germy: She should smile more.
Patricia Kayden
@TenguPhule: Tax cuts for the rich were going to get through once Republicans controlled Congress and had a Republican President so this isn’t all that surprising. They are not loyal to us. They’re loyal to their donors. Period.
Adam L Silverman
@Yutsano: Exactly. If you have the votes you vote. If you don’t you talk. Senators McCain and Cochrane are still in out for medical issues. Senator Collins is not a guaranteed yes. If the former are unable to make it back next week and the latter doesn’t get what she wants, McConnell can’t bring the bill to a vote as it would fail.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Kay:
Eye candy?
TenguPhule
@Kay:
She’s a quickly depreciating asset.
Trump had to get the most out of her before her best days were behind her.
Adam L Silverman
Is the Marshal of the Supreme Court getting ready to release the Eagles of Justice with the writs of Execution?//
TenguPhule
@Jeffro:
This has never stopped them before.
Adam L Silverman
@MJS:
Which of the following three is it: the President, Ivanka, or Crown Prince Muhammed bin Salman?
WaterGirl
@germy: You know, I don’t hold grudges in regular life, but I have recently concluded that I do hold grudges in politics. I pretty much remember everyone who dissed Barack Obama in 2007/2008 and I have not forgiven any of them for it.
mike in dc
This…seems consistent with someone who thinks they may be indicted soon. Just saying.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
I’d like to think she gets the worst of all worlds by waffling between, but relying on her not to fold at this point as the sole remaining holdout is the counsel of desperation.
Adam L Silverman
@Hill Dweller:
There is nothing at TPM reporting this. There is a tweet that Marshall has posted that quotes Congressman Gowdy spouting off on whether he thinks Deputy Director McCabe will still be employed last week. That’s it. BS being spouted by one member of Congress.
Major Major Major Major
@germy: Wow.
Though to be fair, everybody dies alone.
Captain C
@germy: Maybe Ann finally figured out that when you talk horrible shit about just about everybody (and for fame and fortune, no less), it becomes very hard to get good lovin’.
Yutsano
@Adam L Silverman: And since it looks like it’s now pawned to the House, what is the ZEGS waiting for? If the Senate is waiting on the health of two members it has to wait until next week anyway.
Ruckus
@Kay:
People outside his family probably demand to get paid.
And it isn’t because people outside his family are not stupid enough to work for him.
A legal team.
He always has, always had a legal team, because he knew what he was doing was wrong. He just didn’t give a damn that it was.
WaterGirl
@Adam L Silverman: Thank you, Adam.
NotMax
“Dammit. Where did I put that Moscow Yellow Pages?”
germy
@Rasputin’s Evil Twin:
Neither has Sean Spicer. A few days ago he tweeted a photo of FDR’s copy of “A Christmas Carol” and referred to it as FDR’s book of Christmas carols. He literally thinks it’s just a book of songs.
Adam L Silverman
@Kay:
First family eye candy.
Ewww!
TenguPhule
@germy:
HFSM, that is bedrock level ignorance.
opiejeanne
@?BillinGlendaleCA: I was going to say that.
chris
@germy: Face meet palm.
Yutsano
@Adam L Silverman: Just to be petty: no wonder she’s been going under the knife so much lately. Tiffany must be close to passing her in the looks department.
Kathleen
@dmbeaster: You must not watch Scandal!
Tom
@Adam L Silverman: That would be this Congressman Gowdy: “Republican Rep. Trey Gowdy of South Carolina reportedly settled a veteran discrimination and retaliation claim from a former aide for $150,000 in taxpayer funds, according to a Washington Post report published Friday 12/15/17.”
Kathleen
@Hill Dweller: Yup. And here’s a link to the Wonkette story, which includes Tweet thread by Adam Schiff (if already posted apologize – just catching up on threads)
https://wonkette.com/627063/this-is-serious-rep-adam-schiff-just-hit-the-oh-fuck-button
SenyorDave
@germy: This was the first reply to Coulter’s tweet:
will you marry me?
I’m dead for real and your dead on the inside.
I think it would work.
opiejeanne
@TenguPhule: It’s so incredibly stupid-sounding that people weren’t sure if he was making a joke.
mike in dc
@Kay:
Hey, walking like a giraffe is a skill.
NotMax
@Adam L. Silverman
So many candy flavors from which to choose.
;)
Jeffro
@mike in dc: There’s still 25 min left for a nice Friday Surprise. COME ONNNNNNN BOBBY THREE STICKS!!! lol
Kathleen
@WaterGirl: Yup. Plus the ones who diss’d Clinton, African Americans, women, Planned Parenthood, etc. I’m Irish, damn it. “Holding Grudges Since The Fall Of Man”.
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: I’m not relying on her for anything.
Adam L Silverman
@Yutsano: He’s waiting for the Senate to be ready to vote immediately. Neither McConnell nor Ryan want the bill made public and available for examination for any length of time. If the House votes today, but the Senate can’t vote until Tuesday, that gives all weekend and Monday for the bill to be picked apart by the news media.
Feebog
The one thing Kushner has going for him is that he hired a good attorney. Which makes it more likely he will flip after The indictments come down.
sukabi
Dear Jared, may your search for crisis managers be long and futile. May your just desserts include silver bracelets and orange jumpsuits.
Is there a whiff of Christmas indictments in the air? Could that be what’s prompting this “crisis team” outreach?
randy khan
@Adam L Silverman:
The story is that they’re releasing the bill at 5:30. Cowards.
eclare
@Kathleen: Never let go of a good grudge.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@randy khan: “Take out the Trash Day”.
Dog Mom
@germy: Unfortunately for us, her desperation is Loud and Proud.
AnotherBruce
@LurkerNoLonger: You win all the thread!
Adam L Silverman
@WaterGirl: You’re welcome.
Here’s where we’re at:
The Deputy AG, Rod Rosenstein, has made it clear that he is satisfied with what Mueller is doing. Until/unless the President fires the Deputy AG, all this “fire Mueller” speculation does is wind people up. Moreover, if it does happen there is absolutely nothing anyone can do about it unless significant portions of the US are prepared to actually take up arms and violently rebel against the current administration. Finally, it makes the assumption that Mueller is himself a chump. That he’s a fool and naive. Rather than recognizing that Mueller is, perhaps, the most experienced Federal criminal prosecutor alive and active in the US today. And that he’s both tactically effective and strategically sound. I have no doubt that Mueller has set the conditions to do what has to be done if the President does do something really stupid. This includes ensuring that NY state AG Schneiderman, as well as the AGs for Maryland and DC, have what they need to pick things up with state level equivalent prosecutions. Finally, it ignores what our allies and partners will do. Specifically what they’re intel communities will do to protect themselves.
There are only three things to be done right now, regardless of the issue: 1) organize – both to rally members of the House and Senate in opposition, to run for office at all levels, in support of organizations and groups looking to check the malfeasance and bad governance, and/or to register and get out the vote, 2) run for office and/or get out the vote and vote, 3) prepare for armed rebellion. I’m not advocating option 3. Not least of which do you really see anyone who regularly contributes to Balloon Juice involved with one outside of a few of our veterans? Hell we have front pagers, let alone commenters, who would be the first to undermine that if it actually both became necessary and happened. And I’m not honestly sure if they’d be doing it just for shits and giggles.
Stay alert. Stay informed. Take care of yourself and others. You can either manage the heightened stress that the Russian active measures and cyberwar and what they’ve wrought over the past two years or you can be destroyed by it. The former is preferable and what is necessary to ensure that we’re all ready to do what we can within the law – organize, run for office, support appropriate groups and organizations, vote – when the time comes.
Adam L Silverman
@NotMax: In cupboard. Behind jar of borscht!
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: They’re not sending their best!
Major Major Major Major
@Adam L Silverman:
Or, like, vote, but I get that that’s pretty unlikely.
Adam L Silverman
@Tom: That’s him.
Adam L Silverman
@Major Major Major Major: I already covered voting, several times in that comment.
celticdragonchick
@Adam L Silverman:
Nationwide strike. Start shutting down businesses, highways etc. They do it in France. we can do it here.
mike in dc
@Adam L Silverman: I wonder if Rod Rosenstein could throw Trump a curve ball. Agree to fire Mueller, albeit under protest, then appoint an equally adept prosecutor to take over the investigation. That new prosecutor has the discretion to retain the existing prosecutors, or bring in new ones to review the evidence and prepare new indictments. But most importantly, there’s been no groundwork laid to fire the new guy! The investigation continues, and Trump has just paid a steep political price in the eyes of the public for firing Mueller, and effectively achieved nothing in terms of stopping the investigation and prosecutions.
I wonder also if anyone tasked with firing Mueller might worry about being in some way an accessory to obstruction if they accede to the order.
Major Major Major Major
@Adam L Silverman: I know, but it’s in a different section and I saw an opportunity to be a jackass.
Adam L Silverman
@celticdragonchick: I’m not sure we could actually organize an armed defense against foreign invasion here if we needed to. The French understand society. We basically don’t believe in it.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
@germy: Frederick Douglass seemed impressed, kinda:
Adam L Silverman
@mike in dc: I have no idea. I don’t know any of these people. But my money’s on the Marine LT who should’ve gotten at least a Navy Cross, if not a Medal of Honor, instead of just a Bronze Star for his actions in Vietnam.
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
@Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant): Also:
Adam L Silverman
@Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant): No shade like shade from beyond the grave!
Major Major Major Major
@Adam L Silverman: No shade like shade from a shade?
Adam L Silverman
@Major Major Major Major: You’re feeling chipper today.
Kathleen
@eclare: Damn right!
Amaranthine RBG
I have to say that I am pretty surprised that Lowell doesn’t have good enough relationships with PR firms to be able to do this without leaks.
Maybe Kushner is just that radioactive …
The Moar You Know
@celticdragonchick: No, we can’t. Americans won’t. They simply won’t. I can’t count the number of time I’ve watched people cross picket lines and mock the people walking them. A national strike? You gotta be fucking kidding me. The few who would participate will come back to work and find their jobs are gone, gone, gone.
Shana
@Adam L Silverman: I don’t understand that, but it’s still funny.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@The Moar You Know:
Then how did unions do it in the old days? Before the protections? Nothing is ever totally hopeless.
MisterForkbeard
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Didn’t that involve a lot of violence, mostly against the union protestors but also against scabs?
TenguPhule
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Good old fashioned violence. Lots of it.
efgoldman
@Kay:
The only value added that “president” Giulio Cesare Duce understands is the cash he gets out at the end after everyone else gets stiffed.
efgoldman
@Rasputin’s Evil Twin:
Oh, yeah, she has. It’s her favorite slapstick face
celticdragonchick
@The Moar You Know:
There are a lot of us…and we can shut enough shit down to hurt. Start with government buildings. Work out from there.
PIGL
@germy: See, I’m single and childless. I’m sometimes consumed with bitterness and sorrow and disappointment about it. And then I see pictures of my friend’s kida (or now grandchildren), or see passing strangers on the bus with their young children, maybe about to start school, or in day care, or perhaps on their way to see the nurse or go to the zoo; and I think: my taxes help make this possible. And that thought makes me feel happy, and lets me take pleasure and comfort in the children of others; almost as if I were part of a community that cared for its members.
So what I would like to know is, what is wrong with the Anne Coulter’s and their admirers that they lack such feelings? And this leads swiftly to the urgent question of how can we rid our society of their poison?