Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

They’re not red states to be hated; they are voter suppression states to be fixed.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Republicans do not pay their debts.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Make the republican party small enough to drown in a bathtub.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Reality always lies in wait for … Democrats.

A lot of Dems talk about what the media tells them to talk about. Not helpful.

Roe isn’t about choice, it’s about freedom.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

… riddled with inexplicable and elementary errors of law and fact

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Something needs to be done about our bogus SCOTUS.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Anyone who bans teaching American history has no right to shape America’s future.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

You can’t love your country only when you win.

No one could have predicted…

You are here: Home / Past Elections / Election 2016 / Russiagate Open Thread: Clown Car Rogues Gallery, Top to Bottom, Recent & Vintage

Russiagate Open Thread: Clown Car Rogues Gallery, Top to Bottom, Recent & Vintage

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There doesn’t seem to have been a single nationally-known Republican above the level of coffee boy who wasn’t part of the Russiagate treason squad…



(Twitter opinion seems to point at Matt Gaetz, for reasons.)


“We” didn’t clean house after the original Watergate, because Gerry Ford thought it would be too hard for his fellow Repubs the delicate American voters to bear. Let’s make sure the current crop of GOP miscreants — some of them actual Watergate holdovers! — don’t get that same unearned forgiveness, yes?

Reader Interactions

310Comments

  4. 4.

    Doug R

    Butter emails with a side of Podesta’s rissoto, washed down with trump TRAITOR водка.

  5. 5.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    John McCain is tweeting up a storm about this news. I can’t wait till we see the tweet that calls for the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee to subpoena trump’s tax returns so we can find out if the GRU (which twitter makes me an expert in, so I can point out they’re Russian military) has undue influence with the only president we’ve got.

  6. 6.

    m.j.

    I don’t know if any of you heard Masha Gesson on NPR’s Morning Edition today, but it’s worth it just to hear her say, “habitual liar.”

    The response to her comment makes it quite clear our media will never call Trump a liar even when it is an objective fact.

  8. 8.

    Adam L Silverman

    It wasn’t Gaetz, it was Brian Mast. Doesn’t anyone pay attention to my answers to people’s comments in other threads?!?!?!
    https://www.miamiherald.com/news/politics-government/article214837355.html

    A 2017 report by the Wall Street Journal highlighted that Florida GOP operative Aaron Nevins was in contact with the Guccifer hackers, and that a campaign consultant for Republican congressional candidate Brian Mast adjusted voter targets based on the stolen information. Mast’s campaign manager said to TCPalm on Friday that the campaign did not use stolen data. Curbelo’s campaign also said it did not use stolen data.

    And at least a 1/2 dozen other GOP campaigns benefited around the country. And Paul Ryan’s SuperPAC and the NRCC used the hacked and leaked information in campaign ads as well:
    https://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/13/us/politics/house-democrats-hacking-dccc.html

    The intrusions in House races in states including Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Ohio, Illinois, New Mexico and North Carolina can be traced to tens of thousands of pages of documents taken from the D.C.C.C., which shares a Capitol Hill office building with the Democratic National Committee.

    The document dump’s effectiveness was due in part to a de facto alliance that formed between the Russian hackers and political bloggers and newspapers across the United States. The hackers, working under the made-up name of Guccifer 2.0, used social media tools to invite individual reporters to request specific caches of documents, handing them out the way political operatives distribute scoops. It was an arrangement that proved irresistible to many news outlets — and amplified the consequences of the cyberattack.

    After the first political advertisement appeared using the hacked material, Mr. Luján wrote a letter to his Republican counterpart at the National Republican Congressional Committee urging him to not use this stolen material in the 2016 campaign.

    “The N.R.C.C.’s use of documents stolen by the Russians plays right into the hands of one of the United States’ most dangerous adversaries,” Mr. Luján’s Aug. 29 letter said. “Put simply, if this action continues, the N.R.C.C. will be complicit in aiding the Russian government in its effort to influence American elections.”

    Ms. Pelosi sent a similar letter in early September to Mr. Ryan. Neither received a response. By October, the Congressional Leadership Fund, a “super PAC” tied to Mr. Ryan, had used the stolen material in another advertisement, attacking Mr. Garcia during the general election in Florida.

  9. 9.

    debbie

    also impossible to read it & say “well, now they’re done & the Mueller probe should wrap up.”

    Except they already have said it, Julian.

  10. 10.

    Yarrow

    From an above tweet:

    This one is about an electronic burglary of the DNC HQ.

    This is a digital Watergate.

    Gah. Why do people insist on making everything somehow related to Watergate? As I said in a previous thread, Watergate is like a kid stealing another kid’s cookie at a kindergarten lunch table compared to this.

  12. 12.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: McCain can’t subpoena those. They’re out of jurisdiction for his committee. In the Senate, the Intel committee could do it. In the House, both Intel and Oversight could. But that’s it.

  13. 13.

    Adam L Silverman

    @debbie: I demand satisfaction!!!! Ya’ll pick your seconds! I will see you all on the field tomorrow at dawn and we will settle this!!!!//

  14. 14.

    Jager

    So far today, I’ve been doing landscaping and stained the porch. Then the kid from the rental company came to pick up the Kobota back hoe the contractor used to dig the hole for and bury our new septic system. The dumb shit didn’t dare back it up through the wash and then up on the road, so I did it for him. I offered to put it on the trailer for him too. It’s nice to be an old bastard with a varied skill set. Now, I’m reading the news, drinking an iced tea and I’m very happy about the indictments and glad to see trump pissed all over protocol with the Queen. I’m going to shower now because I can smell myself.

  16. 16.

    Miss Bianca

    I consider it a particularly apropos coincidence that the tag line when I clicked on this post was “I can see Russia from this blog!” :)

  17. 17.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Yarrow:

    Why do people insist on making everything somehow related to Watergate?

    The same reason people insist on making everything somehow analogous to Vietnam, probably.

  18. 18.

    jl

    @rikyrah: Thanks for alerting me to the ‘black while doing yoga’ threat. That story is ridiculous and hideous. I think a quarter or a third of whites are deeply bigoted (which I use as a general term that includes butt nekkid racist), whether they want to admit it to themselves or not. I’m a white guy, they talk to me….

    You can sense it coming. Sometimes I wait for the moment they spring the news on me that Martin Luther King was a commie. That is the moment when they decide whether I am in their club or not.

    Edit: bigot is better for some whites, since it include mindless xenophobia, economic classism, cultural bigotry, as well as racism. But it is true that it is blacks and Hispanics who really set off their fear, loathing and panic button

  19. 19.

    Doug

    We can’t criminalize political opposition in the absence of indictments. But then we don’t have to oppose the extradition of, say, Jeff Sessions, to the International Criminal Court for Crimes Against Humanity, either.

  20. 20.

    Yarrow

    @Major Major Major Major: They’re stuck in the 1970’s? I don’t get it. At least look at some other US political scandals. Why not call it the Onion Dome Scandal as a hat tip to the Teapot Dome scandal?

  21. 21.

    jl

    @Adam L Silverman: Thanks to you and AL for keeping track of this stuff. No way I can. I’ve been wondering when that FL GOP operative and his connections would pop up in the news again. I think first saw a short news story about it shortly after the 2016 election.

  23. 23.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Yarrow: Why not call it the Onion Dome Scandal as a hat tip to the Teapot Dome scandal?

    I like that much better

  24. 24.

    Anne Laurie

    @Yarrow:

    Why do people insist on making everything somehow related to Watergate?

    In my case, because I firmly believe that the Repubs being allowed to skate free after their Watergate crimes are the root of today’s GOP-wide treason. This team literally started with Watergate (Roger Stone & the other CREEPsters), refined their techniques during Iran-contra, and pulled what they assumed would be a game-winning coup in 2016.

  26. 26.

    stinger

    Just looked again at RueMara’s gofundme page — with a goal of $4,000, she’s now over $3,000! In one day.

  27. 27.

    Miss Bianca

    @Anne Laurie:

    I firmly believe that the Repubs being allowed to skate free after their Watergate crimes are the root of today’s GOP-wide treason. This team literally started with Watergate (Roger Stone & the other CREEPsters), refined their techniques during Iran-contra, and pulled what they assumed would be a game-winning coup in 2016.

    I’m with her – er, you – on this one.

  28. 28.

    The Ancient Randonneur

    No fucking mercy for any of these rat-bastards. None.

    VDE? What say you?

  29. 29.

    Yarrow

    @Anne Laurie: I agree with you on that, but that’s a different issue than calling this a “digital Watergate” like in the above tweet. It minimizes this international conspiracy involving a foreign enemy state and election of traitors to the highest offices in our country. It’s just not even on the same playing field.

  31. 31.

    trollhattan

    @debbie:
    Like drinking from a firehose and all I really need at present is beer.

    Can somebody point me to the beerhose?

  32. 32.

    jl

    Brian Mast is in FL 18, and the two Dem candidates look strong and issues based.
    It’s an R + 5 district. Should be able to get it in this political climate.

    Edit: Dem candidates are Lauren Baer and Pam Keith.

    Edit2: news reports already pointing to Brian Mast as the mystery person. Dayum. Strong work with that network analysis knowledge ALS is dropping on us.

  34. 34.

    Major Major Major Major

    Apparently Greenwald’s hot take is that since the indicted will never stand trial, you’ll never be asked to prove any of this, now will you, Mueller? How conveeeenient.

    Lol.

  35. 35.

    MisterForkbeard

    @m.j.: The “Oh wow, that’s strong. Did you know there’s people in the US who don’t think he’s a liar?” was especially ridiculous.

  36. 36.

    jacy

    The Boyfriend and I are headed out for Chinese food, followed by a John Carpenter Double Feature at the Manship: Big Trouble in Little China and The Thing. Bar opens an hour before the movie. One thing we won’t be doing? Paying any attention to the news for at least the next 24 hours. Fuck all these traitorous motherfuckers — but I’m sure they’ll still be here when I come back. After this week, we all deserve a mental health day.

  37. 37.

    Hitlesswonder

    @Adam L Silverman: So…am I wrong in thinking the big news in the indictments is the use of the actual names of GRU officers? Clearly none of the named will ever see a US courtroom. Which means this is actually a signal/message to as-yet-to-be-named conspirators in the US?

    I feel like the media response to this is ridiculously tepid. This is the biggest scandal of my lifetime and yet Benghazi/e-mails/whatever all were treated with greater hysteria in the press and by my fellow citizens.

  38. 38.

    debbie

    I’m listening to a podcast of the hearing yesterday with Strzok. Man, he owned Gowdy, but I don’t understand why, when Gowdy implied bias, Strzok didn’t fire back about any bias by Gowdy when he was a prosecutor.

  39. 39.

    jacy

    @Hitlesswonder:

    I dunno — it’s been wall to wall on MSNBC and The Twitter. Haven’t checked anywhere else, but the media I’ve brushed up against sound pretty obsessed with it.

  41. 41.

    Hitlesswonder

    @Yarrow: I totally agree – imagine if Soviet agents did the Watergate breakin and assisted Nixon. That’s off the charts worse. I’m pretty amazed that so many of my fellow citizens seem OK with Trump working with Russia to win an American election.

  42. 42.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?

    Saw that video of Trump inspecting the palace guard with QE. I’m sorry, but even if he didn’t pay attention to the briefing about royal etiquette, Trump should have known not to walk in front of someone. You always walk with them. It’s amazing that this guy has lived 71 years and never learned this lesson.

  43. 43.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Hitlesswonder:

    I’m pretty amazed that so many of my fellow citizens seem OK with Trump

    At this point I’m mostly amazed that so many of my fellow citizens can breathe unassisted.

  44. 44.

    oatler.

    When it erupts into bloody civil war, we can count on Chuck Todd for a one-on-one with Mayor Giuliani.

  47. 47.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Hitlesswonder: The way I read it is that Mueller is establishing that there was a conspiracy against the United States. When he feels he has enough evidence, he will start charging the Americans who were involved. I wouldn’t be surprised if he delivers a wheelbarrow-full of indictments with American names on them, most likely all at once so that Trump can’t obstruct.

    The news is the names of the Russians, the fact that somebody (probably NSA) knows the internet searches they did before sending the phishing emails, and a ton of other details. Some of it, like the role of “Company 1”, which is clearly WikiLeaks, was pretty much surmised already, but this confirms.

    And yes, I know that an indictment still must be tried in court, but there’s an awful lot of evidence there.

  48. 48.

    Dissident Fish

    Didn’t over a dozen watergate conspirators go to jail, including the Attorney General/Campaign chair? And the administration ended. We should be so lucky with that result. Of course at the time, there were republican office holders who joined with democrats in pursuit of the truth.

    Now, there’s no one like that at all.

  49. 49.

    Dopey-p

    @Hitlesswonder: did the DAG explain where he got all those Russians’ names?
    I am hoping the names were provided by yet-unindicted members of the Trump campaign. Or by flippers such as Gen Flynn.

  50. 50.

    Elizabelle

    @? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?: But it was a woman! Trump and folks always walk ahead of a woman. And talk over them. And undermine them. Because: woman.

    WaPost website front page, this very moment:

    Trump’s tough words for Merkel and May raise questions about his relationships with female leaders

    President Trump’s attacks on the British prime minister and German chancellor prompted diplomats to ask why a president who prizes “great chemistry” with world leaders seems to go out of his way to damage two powerful female allies.

    Ya think?

  51. 51.

    Mnemosyne

    @stinger:

    I told her that we jackals love her almost as much as we love Lily and would be happy to donate. She wasn’t sure she believed me. ?

  52. 52.

    Millard Filmore

    @Hitlesswonder:

    Clearly none of the named will ever see a US courtroom. Which means this is actually a signal/message to as-yet-to-be-named conspirators in the US?

    A second message brought up at DemocraticUnderground is …

    pointed out on Rick Wilson’s twitter feed (no link since it’s blocked at my office)

    Since the GRU is Russian MILITARY intelligence, the election hacks and attack would qualify under Article 5 of the NATO treaty as an act of war on a member. While this would allow other countries to help us, it might also be setting up Mueller charging some members of Team Trump with treason since it’s an act of war.

    https://www.democraticunderground.com/100210866910

    Perhaps this is why Mueller has those Constitutional lawyers on his team.

  55. 55.

    Mnemosyne

    @rikyrah:

    It sounds like the guy is a Navy NCO and is going to be in REALLY deep shit with the Navy for this. He may only get a civilian misdemeanor, but he’s almost certainly going to get a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, lose his pension, and possibly even get some time in the brig. The Navy does NOT PLAY with shit like that.

  56. 56.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    The White House @ WhiteHouse
    Today, realDonaldTrump and FLOTUS had tea with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Windsor Castle before departing the U.K.

    They left the UK for Scotland.

    Somewhere Jethrene is trying to find Kellyanne to explain why all the snooty liberals are mocking this tweet

  57. 57.

    efgoldman

    “We” didn’t clean house after the original Watergate, because Gerry Ford thought it would be too hard for his fellow Repubs the delicate American voters to bear.

    Fuck Gerry Ford

  58. 58.

    Elizabelle

    @efgoldman: I liked Gerald Ford a lot. Thought he was a very decent man.

    But that was a terrible mistake, to pardon Nixon. It was poor judgment. I don’t know how much it was purely Ford’s decision, either, or if it was forced upon him by GOP leadership.

  59. 59.

    Platonailedit

    @Yarrow:

    This particular egregious & treasonous theft has its republican ratfuckery origin in Watergate with the same players. I agree with you though on tagging every other scandal with gate.

  67. 67.

    Mandalay

    @jl:

    bigot is better for some whites, since it include mindless xenophobia, economic classism, cultural bigotry, as well as racism.

    Well on the good news front, this bigot is facing serious time behind bars for harassing a woman wearing a Puerto Rico t-short while a cop stood and watched:

    A Chicago man faced a judge Friday after being charged with a hate crime for harassing a woman wearing a t-shirt with the Puerto Rican flag on it in an incident captured no video.

    Timothy Trybus, 62, is facing two felony hate crime charges for the incident which took place in a Cook County forest preserve.

    I really hope they lock him up for a hate crime. This shit has become everyday behavior under Trump.

  68. 68.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Cheryl Rofer: Yep, He gave up a bit of sources and methods in referencing the planning by the GRU. The only way to know that is SIGINT obtained by NSA.

  69. 69.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    We are all royalists today

    David Rothkopf @ djrothkopf
    The Queen gave Trump the bum’s rush. The contrast with the truly royal welcome she gave Obama (and past president’s) is stark. He knows. He is fuming.

    Does anyone know if there’s more to this than just tea, as opposed to a longer visit? Did she stand up and remember she had to babysit or walk the dogs before he had slurped his first cup?
    In any case, I like the idea of the Beast fuming all the way up to Scotland

  70. 70.

    Ceci n est pas mon nym

    Feeling like weeping right now, because I just watched Obama gracing my screen. Was watching a bunch of “Coffee in Cars with Comedians” or whatever it’s called and noticed an old episode from 2012-ish with O.

    We’re still the country that put Barack and Michelle in the Oval Office, right? And we can be again?

    *drips silent tears into iced tea*

    In lighter news, I’m about to go out west for vacation and would welcome random suggestions from Juicers about things to do in Vancouver, BC, Seattle and Portland OR, with or without car (haven’t yet decided, but we haven’t reserved any rentals in any of those places).

  72. 72.

    A Ghost To Most

    So, we’re in the middle relief part of the game.
    I hear we have an awesome closer, some guy named Bobby.

  73. 73.

    hitchhiker

    @Yarrow:

    Watergate is shorthand for The President Was Run Out of Office Because He Was a Crook

    That’s why people refer to it … we remember when it was scary to think we’d inaugurated a thug and were stuck with him. The crime isn’t remotely similar, but the need for hope that we might still resolve this without blood is very similar.

  74. 74.

    Gravenstone

    @? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?: Remember last year’s NATO debacle where he physically shoved the leader of Montenegro (iirc) out of the way, so that he Trump could be in front. It’s ingrained behavior for the shithead. A gloryhound to the bitter end.

  75. 75.

    The Lodger

    @Millard Filmore: But I bet Trump figures if he pulls us out of NATO, it doesn’t matter what Article 5 of the NATO Treaty defines as an act of war. Less support for treason charges that way, in his view.

  76. 76.

    jl

    @Mandalay: Good to hear that bully finally got the attention he deserves.
    Even here in liberal and supposedly informed SF Bay, I run into plenty who are unclear on concept that Puerto Rico is part of the US and its residents are citizens. Though citizens who are outrageously and shamefully denied their full voting rights.

  77. 77.

    Neldob

    Not only did the Watergate barf bags skate so did Iran-Contra anni horriblili (plural for annus horribilus), and the happy torture monsters danced into our future. As did those who caused thefinancial debacle of 2008.

  78. 78.

    Elizabelle

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: How much time did QE2 spend with der Trump? Am curious if she spent more time with Putin and Mugabe and some of the other kleptocrats she’s had to receive over the years.

    Haven’t heard many details of the visit at all, other than all the other royals made themselves scarce. Terrible thought that they kept Philip away lest he make some joke with Trump that went really badly.

  79. 79.

    Mandalay

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:

    They left the UK for Scotland.

    I once heard tweety speak of the “English Government”, which exists only in his bird brain.

    I don’t expect Joe Sixpack to fully understand the differences between England, Great Britain and the UK, but Matthews has been up to his neck in politics for over 50 years.

  81. 81.

    ? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist:
    A bigger question: will Trumpie order the UK be nuked once he returns?

    Trump: “That will show that old hag! Burn in hell! Donald Trump wins! Muhahahaha!”

  82. 82.

    Roger Moore

    There doesn’t seem to have been a single nationally-known Republican above the level of coffee boy who wasn’t part of the Russiagate treason squad

    That’s odd. I thought everyone who was caught up in the mess was retroactively demoted to coffee boy.

  83. 83.

    jl

    @?BillinGlendaleCA:
    “…you, and ONLY YOU, require proof of my Milky Way photographic adventures ”

    Thanks. Absolutely gorgeous pix. I hope everyone takes a look.

    I and only I asked because I realize the BJ commentariate is a bashful bunch, too shy to ask, and I am gracious and merciful, and ask on their behalf, even though you will take it as an excuse to be all mean to poor little me. You are welcome.

  86. 86.

    Elizabelle

    RE the Queen’s visit, from People magazine:

    The Queen has met 11 out of 12 serving U.S. presidents during her historic 66-year reign. The Queen never met President Lyndon Johnson during his presidency. She would have met him at John F. Kennedy’s funeral, but she was unable to travel to America because she was pregnant with Prince Edward at the time.

    And LBJ never made a visit to the UK during 1964-8? Maybe not.

  88. 88.

    ?BillinGlendaleCA

    @jl: Thanks, I was able to reduce the color noise reduction and ended up with a much more colorful pic.

    ETA: I’m thinking of making a return visit tonight. I’ve got some things I’d like to try like getting more detail out of the offshore oil rigs.

  91. 91.

    Neldob

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym: There are some really lovely gardens if you are into that. In Federal Way, just south of Seattle, a burb I think, has a dynamite bonsai exhibit (along with a rododendron garden). I forget what it’s called.

  96. 96.

    Adam L Silverman

    @jl: They’ve been preparing this, hinting at this, claiming they were going to do this for weeks.

  97. 97.

    Fair Economist

    @Anne Laurie: They weren’t allowed to skate free after Watergate, although it was mostly appointees that went to jail. I think it was more that they really *did* get off scot-free from Iran-Contra that made them so bold.

  98. 98.

    Platonailedit

    Pence family’s failed gas stations cost taxpayers $20M+.

    The kicker

    In a statement, Pence’s older brother Greg Pence — who was president of Kiel Bros. when it went bankrupt and is now running for Congress as a Republican — distanced himself from the cleanup costs.

    So, will the fucking Indiana wake the fucking up at least now?

  99. 99.

    Adam L Silverman

    @debbie: Several clans have that motto. Several also have the similar one of “touch not the cat bot a tabard”.

  100. 100.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Platonailedit: Mitch Daniels has made Greg Pence the state official in charge of the cleanup once he quit the company that made the mess. He quit that job after a month or so.

  102. 102.

    Duane

    John Roberts of Fox don’t have a hair on his ass. Instead of standing up for his CNN colleague, and against Putin’s puppet’s bullying, he carried on without even a whimper. I’d call him a worm but worms serve a purpose.
    Remember when Obama said something mean about Fox News and the media cried foul? Simpler times, they were.

  105. 105.

    jl

    @Adam L Silverman: Oh…. OK. Go ahead and put up a link to the post you did on it. I’ll go away for a while, mope, and hang my head in shame for wasting commentariate space.

  107. 107.

    Ken

    @Adam L Silverman:

    The only way to know that is SIGINT obtained by NSA.

    I assume you’re ruling out a member of Team Trump having provided the information, on the grounds that none of them are bright enough to remember “See Spot run” much less a dozen Russian names?

  109. 109.

    gene108

    @Hitlesswonder:

    I’m pretty amazed that so many of my fellow citizens seem OK with Trump working with Russia to win an American election.

    I am not. I saw the conservative reaction to the election fuckery, in the 2000 election in Florida, such as thousands of Americans denied the right to vote, which was “good, our guy won…your guy sucked.”

    I am personally surprised the GOP isn’t openly saying they will be teaming with Russian intelligence to make sure Democrats never win another election. Their voters would support this, as long as it brought their dream of a right-wing fascist theocracy to America.

  110. 110.

    Roger Moore

    @Mnemosyne:

    He may only get a civilian misdemeanor, but he’s almost certainly going to get a dishonorable discharge from the Navy, lose his pension, and possibly even get some time in the brig.

    A dishonorable discharge is a lot more than just losing your pension. You lose all benefits, including VA medical care, and aren’t allowed to buy or own firearms. Many states treat a dishonorable discharge as equivalent to a felony, with similar loss of civil rights, e.g. may be denied the right to vote. And, of course, it will make it much harder to get a civilian job, since plenty of employers ask about military discharge status.

  111. 111.

    Platonailedit

    On November 5, 2016, the NYT public editor criticized the NYT for ignoring the Russia story and letting hacked emails guide their election coverage. NYT fired the public editor and eliminated her position.

    Her oped is even more damning now:

    https://t.co/PjcIMBRcTI— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) July 13, 2018

    I am getting the vibe that nyt was also involved in the traitorous thug’s NY scams.

  112. 112.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Ken: I was specifically referring to the bit in the indictment about the plans/planning by the GRU officers.

  113. 113.

    Steeplejack

    Damn it, no Rachel Maddow tonight. Richard Engel is scheduled to do one of his breathless “I’m a foreign correspondent!” reports.

    Not even any Chris Matthews roaring apoplectically. Steve Kornacki sedating everyone for the full Chris Hayes coma, which is starting now.

    . . . Okay, maybe there’s hope. Hayes is starting with David Corn, co-author of Russian Roulette, and Natasha Bertrand of The Atlantic. Please don’t let any “Republican strategists” show up.

  115. 115.

    Steeplejack

    @Steeplejack:

    FYWP. One step forward, two steps back. Bad words are bad again.

    Reposted:

    Damn it, no Rachel Maddow tonight. Richard Engel is scheduled to do one of his breathless “I’m a foreign correspondent!” reports.

    Not even any Chris Matthews roaring apoplectically. Steve Kornacki sedating everyone for the full Chris Hayes coma, which is starting now.

    . . . Okay, maybe there’s hope. Hayes is starting with David Corn, co-author of Russian Rou­lette, and Natasha Bertrand of The Atlantic. Please don’t let any “Republican strategists” show up.

  116. 116.

    Mandalay

    @Fair Economist:

    I think it was more that they really *did* get off scot-free from Iran-Contra that made them so bold.

    I’m with you. It’s possible to make the case that pardoning Nixon was good for the country on balance, but I don’t think anyone believes that Bush One’s pardons of lying scum like Weinberger and Abrams was good for anyone except themselves.

  118. 118.

    jl

    @Steeplejack: No one expects a political strategist, particularly a Republican one to pop up on a TV news shows. I can’t imagine what you are talking about.

  124. 124.

    jl

    @TS (the original): For the WH, Scotland is the Puerto Rico of the UK?

    Trump going to Wales or Northern Ireland? That would be fun. Would he know where he is going? Would he make up weird names? What is the Nambia of the UK? I want to know.

  125. 125.

    TS (the original)

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym:

    We’re still the country that put Barack and Michelle in the Oval Office, right? And we can be again?

    Also the country that voted for trump & the rest of the world knows you will always be one election away from doing it again. No other president since WWII has attacked the friends of the USA in this manner.

  126. 126.

    The Ancient Randonneur

    David Corn
    David Corn
    @DavidCornDC
    Today is a good day to remind people that @DonaldJTrumpJr eagerly accepted an invitation to join a secret Kremlin plot to help his father become president at the same time Russia was mounting an attack against the United States. And Kushner and Manafort were in on it, too.
    7:13 PM · Jul 13, 2018

  127. 127.

    Wapiti

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym: For random stuff to do in Seattle, I’d suggest checking out the Lenin statue in the Fremont neighborhood, and the Fremont Troll, built into the north abutment of the Aurora Bridge (Highway 99). For a good breakfast I’d recommend Portage Bay Cafe, the one on Roosevelt Avenue near UW. (You can make reservations on opentable, iirc). If you have any Asian interest, I’d recommend the Wing Luke Museum in the International District (ID) (formerly known as China Town and Japan Town, but incorporates a lot of other cultures). The Panama Hotel in the ID is featured in the novel The Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet, it was Japanese or Japanese-American owned before the internment. Uwajimaya is a huge-ass Asian grocery and an interesting place to see for a short bit, it’s in the ID as well.

  133. 133.

    efgoldman

    @Major Major Major Major:

    Apparently Greenwald’s hot take is that since the indicted will never stand trial, you’ll never be asked to prove any of this, no

    For the umptieth timew:
    Who
    the Fuck
    cares

    what the Russian bot says?

    Fuckem

  134. 134.

    Adam L Silverman

    @jl: That’s his second and contradictory statement today. Earlier he claimed it wasn’t him.

  135. 135.

    stinger

    @Yarrow: ‘Course I have no way of knowing about most of them, but I did recognize a few nyms among the donors, and I just want to shout, again, that BJers are good peeps!

    ETA: RueMara, you have no excuse now! ;-)

  136. 136.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Steeplejack: More seriously, they’re actually doing a special Maddow tonight to deal with today’s news. I just saw Melber tease it at the end of his show. I DVRed it and just watched it. Apparently he’ll be on as a guest commentator.

  137. 137.

    Roger Moore

    @Neldob:

    In Federal Way, just south of Seattle, a burb I think, has a dynamite bonsai exhibit (along with a rododendron garden). I forget what it’s called.

    I think you’re thinking of Kubota Gardens.

  138. 138.

    frosty

    @? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?:

    Trump should have known not to walk in front of someone. You always walk with them. It’s amazing that this guy has lived 71 years and never learned this lesson.

    It’s amazing he’s lived this long and not gotten clocked for his rudeness. Ugh.

  139. 139.

    Major Major Major Major

    @efgoldman: I like to know what his line is so I can identify it when other people parrot it, and then stop wasting my time listening to them.

  140. 140.

    Adam L Silverman

    @The Ancient Randonneur: Because it makes it real. Indicates we know the specific GRU officers assigned to work on this. Makes it harder to dismiss than if it was: Unnamed GRU Officer 1, Unnamed GRU Officer 2, etc, etc.

  143. 143.

    Ruckus

    @Jager:
    One of the good things about losing your sense of smell is that not taking a shower no longer offends one as soon as it used to. Of course your friends and family notice much sooner and tend to demand things, like you take a shower. Or move out. At some point they don’t care which.

  146. 146.

    The Ancient Randonneur

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I agree. The granularity of the information provided in the indictment must have quite a few people in this country very nervous. They now know Mueller probably has the goods on them.

  147. 147.

    efgoldman

    @Dissident Fish:

    Didn’t over a dozen watergate conspirators go to jail, including the Attorney General/Campaign chair?

    48 convictions/guilty pleas. Two AG’s (Mitchell and Kliendisenst)

  148. 148.

    Adam L Silverman

    @frosty: @Major Major Major Major: My professional opinion, which I expressed during the campaign, as a martial arts instructor is that he was badly beaten facially at one point. You can tell, even through the makeup and spray on tanning products and the fake tanning both tan, because you can see the scarring. It also explains the snuffling. He’s got a badly deviated septum that didn’t set properly. I can’t prove it, but I bet if someone went through his public coverage over the years, you’d find a month to two month period where he wasn’t seen in public, took no meetings, etc, but was reported as being on his yacht for a month or so.

  149. 149.

    Yarrow

    @hitchhiker: But Watergate itself is tiny compared to this huge treasonous conspiracy. Trump isn’t just a crook; Trump is a traitor. His kids, his advisers, his cabinet, top GOP officials and elected GOP representatives are involved. It’s international in scope. There just is no comparison.

    Maybe the comparison to Watergate is somehow comforting in that the thug was tossed out of office, but that’s where it should end. I know many of the same players in Watergate are involved in this. I get that. There is a direct line from Watergate to this treason. I understand. But it still doesn’t warrant comparing it to Watergate. Perhaps something like “the result of not protecting our democracy after Watergate led us to this treason” could be a way of looking at it. But to say this is “Stupid Watergate” as John Oliver does, or to call it “Russiagate” as many do minimizes how big it is.

    We need to take this whole issue seriously and one way to do it is to recognize its size and scope and call it by a name fitting for that. It needs its own name, not one borrowed from what people seem to think is the ur-scandal in America.

  153. 153.

    efgoldman

    @Mandalay:

    I really hope they lock him up for a hate crime.

    I hope they throw the book at him, but assholes like that never realize/admit the did anything wrong

  154. 154.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Yarrow: That’s because this is a combination of Venona, a digital sort of equivalent to Watergate, and an organized crime investigation and prosecution. It took almost 35 years to get all the way to the end of Venona.
    https://www.nsa.gov/news-features/declassified-documents/venona/
    https://www.amazon.com/Venona-Secrets-Definitive-Espionage-Classics/dp/1621572951
    https://www.amazon.com/Venona-Decoding-Soviet-Espionage-America/dp/0300084625/ref=pd_sim_14_1?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=0300084625&pd_rd_r=5ac5d5e6-86fe-11e8-9d30-79f90a35b456&pd_rd_w=ru0DC&pd_rd_wg=L6tF1&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=7967298517161621930&pf_rd_r=ZMK5CHWSS0VE1YECQ4JZ&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&psc=1&refRID=ZMK5CHWSS0VE1YECQ4JZ

  156. 156.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Major Major Major Major: Great, on behalf of Balloon Juice I hereby deputize you as the official Presidential snuffling investigator, 1st Class with nostril clusters! Go and see what you can pick up on the subject.

  157. 157.

    Dissident Fish

    @Neldob: I don’t want to be seen as defending the goddamn NIXON administration, but Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Mitchell, Dean, Magruder, Liddy, McCord, Colson, Kalmbach — all went to jail. Only Nixon was pardoned.

    Iran-Contra was where skating became the Republican tradition: courts found 11 principals guilty and all either got pardoned or probation.

  159. 159.

    TS (the original)

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Not to mention that he kept the Queen waiting

    In trump’s world women have only one role – and QEII doesn’t quite match that role. I cannot believe May asked (demanded) the Queen meet this excuse for a person. As said the Onion – I wish she had called in sick. I wouldn’t offer him a glass of water – let alone tea.

  161. 161.

    Steeplejack

    @Adam L Silverman:

    I’ll check at 9:00, but the last thing I saw on Melber’s show was him promoting Engel’s special report. Engel is in Britain, so presumably it will be about the day’s events, but I wonder if Maddow will be on.

    Engel tries too hard to make everything exciting instead of letting things speak for themselves. His report during the Korean “crisis” last year was awful. “I flew in a jet! Close to North Korea! Here’s video!”

  162. 162.

    Adam L Silverman

    @LesGS: I’m sure he’s an old, distinguished cat now, but when I was staying on the Isle of Skye in 1995 – my parents came to visit and I toured them around Scotland and England, with a week in Paris in the middle – at a bed and breakfast in a Georgian manor owned by a member of Clan MacDonald (of the Isles). Every night this little cream colored kitten with chocolate stripes would come into my room through the window for attention and then curl up and sleep with me. I mentioned this to the host and hostess (owners of the B&B) and they were amazed. The kitten belonged to the young couple they rented the gatehouse to. They’d gone back to the mainland to where she was from to give birth with her family around. The B&B owners put food and water out for him in the gatehouse, but apparently he was looking for attention so he’d climb out of the gatehouse, saw my open window, came in to explore, found a friend, and kept coming back. I have, I think, a picture of the kitten somewhere in a book of photos from that trip.

  163. 163.

    Platonailedit

    @TS (the original):

    Theresa thought the turd’s visit would boost her sagging ratings and as usual, the turd’s touch prevailed. She is the shining example of failing upwards.

  165. 165.

    efgoldman

    @Kelly:

    How about ordinary courtesy

    Never crosses his teeny weeny mind. Like empathy, not in his character

  166. 166.

    frosty

    @Adam L Silverman:

    My professional opinion, which I expressed during the campaign, as a martial arts instructor is that he was badly beaten facially at one point.

    I remember you posting that now. I suspect it may have been for late payments to certain gentlemen rather than rudeness to women, but point taken.

  167. 167.

    TS (the original)

    @Platonailedit:

    Theresa thought the turd’s visit would boost her sagging ratings

    If she really thought that the US could sell London Bridge back to her. The British are the people who danced in the street on the day of Thatcher’s funeral. Some might be anti immigrants but that does not make them pro trump.

  169. 169.

    Kay

    @Yarrow:

    We need to take this whole issue seriously and one way to do it is to recognize its size and scope and call it by a name fitting for that. It needs its own name, not one borrowed from what people seem to think is the ur-scandal in America.

    I agree. It’s funny to watch the serious coverage after two years of yawns and “nothingburger!”

    I think political media feel comfortable covering it because it’s Russians- not (Republican) Americans- so they don’t have to apologize for covering it or downplay it.

    Mueller is really smart. He just does this narrative-unspooling very well. We got the clownish Trump crooks, the comically corrupt, and now here come the more serious players. The State Actors who reeled in the clownish crooks. Who’s next?

  171. 171.

    SiubhanDuinne

    @Elizabelle:

    Terrible thought that they kept Philip away lest he make some joke with Trump that went really badly

    Philip retired from public duties last summer. You hardly ever see him at anything other than family events these days. But it’s amusing to think what he might have said to Trump — I expect his opinion of Dolt 45 is scathing.

  173. 173.

    GregB

    Of course the Breitbart scumbag, Stranahan, who was running race baiting anti BLM articles in collusion with the Russian intelligence was an erotic photographer in his early years.

  174. 174.

    Yarrow

    @Kay:

    Mueller is really smart. He just does this narrative-unspooling very well. We got the clownish Trump crooks, the comically corrupt, and now here come the more serious players. The State Actors who reeled in the clownish crooks. Who’s next?

    He is very smart. At some point Americans will be in those indictments.

  176. 176.

    MagdaInBlack

    @Adam L Silverman:
    I know I’m in a bit over my head …but…seems to me the naming is to make it perfectly clear this is Putins baby….not some independent group of hackers. Yes, I know we “know” but there it is in black and white: GRU
    ?

  177. 177.

    jl

    @Adam L Silverman: I’m taking Muy Thai. I know about getting hit in the face too! Even if only by accident during sparing. I’m really good at it. Elbows are worse than gloves. High kicks are in between (which we are not supposed to do, but only know how to catch and throw the kicker down onto their back and wreck their leg and stomp on them).

    Edit: but I think Stone is in a lot worse shape than I am. I guess you are saying he got hit in the face for reals.

  181. 181.

    Adam L Silverman

    @jl: I was talking about the President. Stone’s problem is too much human growth hormone.

  182. 182.

    joel hanes

    @frosty:

    I suspect it may have been for late payments to certain gentlemen

    I’m thinking that the other cadets at the fancy military school to which Fred sent him when Donny couldn’t hack real schooling may have expressed their opinion of the Trump character in physical terms.

  183. 183.

    Elizabelle

    @SiubhanDuinne: Oh, I know that Philip retired. But I bet he would make an appearance for the Obamas or Hillary Clinton, even so. Even just a quick meet and leave, if he was up to it. For Trump: no.

  184. 184.

    Jake the antisoshul soshulist

    @? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?:
    My wife thinks he did it on purpose and did know better.
    Wich I can’t argue with.
    I can remember when the wingnut Wurlitzer had a conniption because
    Michelle Obama had her hand on the Queen’s arm.

  185. 185.

    piratedan

    i guess another question I have, is if Trump has been on Putin’s radar since say the 1980’s….. when the fuck did all of these other GOP sonsofbitches fall into his orbit? I mean, this just strikes me as somewhat otherworldly, when did the entire GOP decide to sell their identity as Americans and adopt their identity as some kind of Conservative Elite Club, all in the altruistic notion of making a few bucks to set themselves up and re-instituting the old patriarchial power dynamic. I guess America electing a Black Man (and the fact that he was a GOOD MAN) so assaulted their view of the universe that they sold themselves out to the next white racism power broker they could find…

    and the fact that the vast majority of the media could give a fuck about it is just staggering.

  186. 186.

    jl

    @Adam L Silverman: Sorry about mentioning Stone, when I clicked who you were responding to, I thought I saw ‘Stone’.

    But the main point of the comment was to establish that I also have expertise in getting hit in the face. I hope that was clear.

    Edit: the biggest effect of taking Muy Thai on my exercise routine is to up my interval training, since I now understand that if I ever come near to getting into a fight, I need to sprint well.

  188. 188.

    Yarrow

    LOL. Chris Cuomo asks Roger Stone if he accepts that the US was hacked by Russia during the election and Stone says, “Sorry. I won’t accept that.” Cuomo’s face is all, “WTF? Are you fucking kidding me?” He’s calling bullshit on Stone. Roger Stone looks tired.

    Edit: Stone claims that for him this indictment is exoneration. LOLOLOL.

  190. 190.

    Mary G

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I’ve stayed off the computer most of the day, but what I gleaned from a spin through Twitter is that the Queen corrected him at least twice, once when he set off in front of her to review the troops, and again when the Trumps took the wrong positions for the official photo, one on either side of her, and she told him he had to stand in the middle. That means he’s furious, because he’s got issues with women and the whole world was watching. Tomorrow morning’s tweets should be unhinged. Also, photos of her smiling and chatting with all of the former presidents on their visits and her exasperated frowny face with Twitler must have him going berserk.

  191. 191.

    jl

    @Elizabelle: I was worried that Trump would dislocate the Queen’s shoulder from one of his wrassling style handshakes. So, I was relieved to hear his big visit with the royals only came off with his goofy rudeness.

  192. 192.

    Jake the antisoshul soshulist

    @Dissident Fish:
    I just hope Roger Stone gets sent up the river. He is number three on my list of people that I would gladly go to Hell if I could just see them burn. Dick Cheney #1, Mitch McConnell #3.

  194. 194.

    Quinerly

    “The timing is no accident,” said John Dean, the former Richard Nixon White House counsel whose public testimony about the Watergate cover-up helped bring down the Republican president. “It forces Trump to confront Putin. If he fails to do so he is admitting guilt. This story will now consume U.S.A. news, and blows up Trump’s claim it is all a witch hunt and hoax.”

  195. 195.

    Yarrow

    @piratedan:

    when the fuck did all of these other GOP sonsofbitches fall into his orbit? I mean, this just strikes me as somewhat otherworldly, when did the entire GOP decide to sell their identity as Americans and adopt their identity as some kind of Conservative Elite Club, all in the altruistic notion of making a few bucks to set themselves up and re-instituting the old patriarchial power dynamic.

    Adam can speak better to this, but my understanding is that it has been gradual and over time. It has been a strategic goal of Putin’s Russia. Spies here in the US, relationships via Christian circles, the NRA, etc. Ties everywhere. Little by little find some dirt on this person and that person and suddenly you own them.

    and the fact that the vast majority of the media could give a fuck about it is just staggering.

    As Adam says, penetration at all levels. Look at what the various media organizations do and then think again about which of them at what levels, from junior reporters up to owners, might be compromised.

  196. 196.

    Bobby Thomson

    I would be delighted if that old whore Lee Stranahan does hard time.

    If, as I suspect, the entire Republican was knowingly complicit even before Trump made his infamous debate request, what does Mueller do? Does he leave some token Republicans out of it just so that it doesn’t look like a decapitation and there’s someone left to deal with impeachment?

  197. 197.

    debit

    Marcy Wheeler made her triumphant return to MSNBC. I think they had her on a longer delay in case she said blow job, because when she first spoke her mic was obviously not on.

  199. 199.

    jl

    @Kay:
    ” It’s funny to watch the serious coverage after two years of yawns and “nothingburger!” ”

    Someone needs to study the orbits and epicycles of this kind of news that inconvenient to established power circles.
    A real reporter does some work produces some actual news.
    It is first ignored.
    Then dismissed as already reported and ‘old’.
    The it is quarantined,
    Trying to put the dots together is outrageous conspiracy theorizing or partisan attacks.

    Eventually, it was something that everybody knew to the tireless and fearless reporting of Wolfe B, or some other celeb news media diva.

  200. 200.

    Viva BrisVegas

    @Yarrow:

    But to say this is “Stupid Watergate” as John Oliver does, or to call it “Russiagate” as many do minimizes how big it is.

    The size of this criminal conspiracy is the problem. There is not much worth learning from Republicans, but you do have to admire their messaging. They lie, cheat and steal, but their messaging is always spot on.

    If you want people to understand what is going on, then you have to express it in ways which can be quickly absorbed before eyes glaze over. The first ten seconds of a message is usually all you get. Republicans understand this.

    “Digital Watergate” tells people that a criminal conspiracy took place in which the DNC was hacked and burgled by crooks in the pay of Trump or his enablers.

    If you can do that with another two words, then by all means use them.

  201. 201.

    Bobby Thomson

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Philip retired from public duties last summer. You hardly ever see him at anything other than family events these days. But it’s amusing to think what he might have said to Trump — I expect his opinion of Dolt 45 is scathing.

    Why would you think that? It’s common knowledge that Philip is embarrassingly racist.

  202. 202.

    Brachiator

    The GOP thought they would show the world that they were large and in charge this week.
    Instead the wheels came off the GOP clown car as soon as it rolled out of the garage. All of their stupidity, venality and bigotry were on display, and Trump had to hide from the English people, who hate him bigly. Oh well, he’ll always have Putin.

  204. 204.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @SiubhanDuinne:

    Of course he shows up late to meetings all the time, but you’d think even he would know that unpunctuality is a terrible breach of royal protocol.

    Why?

  207. 207.

    Bill Arnold

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    The news is the names of the Russians, the fact that somebody (probably NSA) knows the internet searches they did before sending the phishing emails, and a ton of other details.

    Attribution is hard when the actors are competent, so I’m not sure, without knowing the details, how much of this would stand up in court, and whether the observers (e.g. NSA or friendly analogues or private forensics companies (and BIG packet dumps)) would be willing to share this information in an open trial. (Not that that would happen.)
    But it does make clear that there was some conspiracy, and I don’t have or know of any plausible theory that says the Democrats did it. Lousy security practices for sure, but the Democrats were targeted.
    And the UnNamed in the indictment should now worry, and perhaps more important, the NotYetNamed now have additional cause to worry that they may have been observed.
    (Just an aside, I’m thinking of Onion Dome Scandal theory space as a topiary today, with hidden actors like invisible Edward Scissorhands, pruning it and the broader egregores into amusing shapes. Sorry. :)

  211. 211.

    piratedan

    @Yarrow: i hear ya Yarrow (and I do remember Adam’s posts on the subject) it STILL strikes me as damning that there is NO ONE in that entire fucking GOP standing up and stating that THIS IS WRONG, even a spineless turd like Flake or someone not entirely beholden to the Evangelicals or the NRA is saying any fucking thing. Even spiteful Johnny Maverick is mostly holding his fire. The complete lack of utterances from ANYONE with an (R) affiliated that has been elected to any office, local or National is STUNNING. Mayhap there are folks who are quietly going against the Trump agenda, but if so, there has been little to no reporting on it that has permeated the national consciousness in any fashion other than some never trumpers in the punditry. As a political party, its apparent based on their silence that there is NO OPPOSITION to any of this shit. That is the part that strikes me as astounding, especially with the issues that we see with the GOP even getting simple legislation passed for shit they want, and they can’t even agree on the amount of onerousness they’re willing to impose blocking legislation. Yet, no one speaks up regarding the treason.

  212. 212.

    The Ancient Randonneur

    @Yarrow:

    I remember reading about the State Department losing track of Russians with diplomatic passports who were known spies and that was at least five years ago. Many of them turned in very odd places all over the country. After putting all the pieces together it was determined they were scouting out the power grid. I might a little off but I think that was the gist of it. Adam may have written about this as well.

  213. 213.

    tracy ratclif

    @Elizabelle: Probably to late for you to see the reply, but LBJ never made a state visit to the UK. He may have visited, but he never got the meet-the-Queen treatment since he managed to piss off every Prime Minister in office during his term. I’d have to Google to see why, but LBJ was not popular in the UK.

  215. 215.

    jl

    @Another Scott: Thanks for reminder that Trump has some weird problem with going up and down stairs. That probably explains some of the weird hand holding with May.

    How did FDR pull off stairs? He had a legit reason for a problem with stairs.

  216. 216.

    Mike in DC

    My speculation, based upon the pattern thus far established:
    Next phase will be, in the next 6 months, indictments of “low hanging fruit”: obvious and lower profile conspirators
    After that, the ensuing 6 months, high profile indictments of Trump family and inner circle members. May include members of Congress.
    Finally, indictment or referral for impeachment of 45 himself.

    So, I think all this plays out between now and the end of 2019. The trials may go all the way into 2020. Trump’s trial, should it occur, goes to 2021 if he’s removed, 2022 if he survives and is defeated for re-election. The GOP will not have a long dark night of the Soul unless we win out through 2024.

  217. 217.

    Elizabelle

    @Another Scott: I think Trump is afraid of stairs. He may have taken quite a fall or two at some point.

    Or gotten thrown down some during a beating. Adam thinks Trump got beat on badly; I wonder if we will ever find out.

  218. 218.

    Kay

    @jl:

    Agreed. The trajectory interests me. I think the Russian actors here give them a little cover- they’re not implicating Republicans directly. They can frame it as Russians versus US, rather than Republicans versus US which it kind of awkward and too scary.

    Such a wild story. Like hiding in plain sight. They were shopping the emails around, looking for outlets to print them.

    That’s what I never got about this whole thing- the disparate coverage- it’s a much more interesting story than Clinton’s emails. It has spies and rich, shady characters and… poison! It has people being poisoned.

  220. 220.

    Amir Khalid

    @joel hanes:
    My dear American friends,
    In the name of common courtesy and decency, let alone your country’s good name, don’t ever let Donald Trump out of the country again.
    Your friend from abroad,
    Amir Khalid

  221. 221.

    Bobby Thomson

    @? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?:

    I’m sorry, but even if he didn’t pay attention to the briefing about royal etiquette, Trump should have known not to walk in front of someone. You always walk with them.

    With his massive Oppositional Defiant Disorder, if he heard the briefing he would have made sure to break the rules. He only shows respect to the people who own him.

  225. 225.

    jl

    @Baud:
    @?BillinGlendaleCA:

    ” Probably Earth. ”
    The genius of Baud 2020!’s simple messaging will make him the bad edition of a Polish King of, probably, the earth, or some subset At least.

  226. 226.

    Adam L Silverman

    @debit: And her whole spiel about DeSantis and Gaetz was garbage. The specific Florida congressman’s campaign, as was reported way back in 2016 and again in 2017, and as I’ve linked to several times today, was Brian Mast’s. Because his campaign people couldn’t keep their mouths shut. She also doesn’t seem to understand that because the NRCC and Paul Ryan’s SuperPAC got the info from Guccifer, that it was then available to every Republican campaign that needed it. Neither Gaetz nor DeSantis’s campaigns needed it because they’re in safe districts.

  229. 229.

    efgoldman

    @Viva BrisVegas:

    The size of this criminal conspiracy is the problem.

    That, and the fact that there are at least two, and maybe more, prosecutable crimes.
    Russian interference, and everything growing out of that. Maybe bribery (although harder to prove after McDonnell)
    “Ordinary” financial misfeasance/malfeasance, being chased by Mueller, the SDUSA and NY AG
    Money laundering, either in collusion with Russians or separately by Weasel Face and his klan.
    All kinds of self-dealing and emoluments.

  231. 231.

    jl

    @Amir Khalid: I apologize for my country.

    How about this idea: we get our own ‘Trump baby’ balloon, full of hot air, with a speaker inside and trot it around the countryside. Then no one will know for sure where Trump is.

    Inadequate, but probably the best we powerless ciiizens can do for now.

  233. 233.

    Adam L Silverman

    @piratedan: The ones who are are currently on the outs with the party. Former Congressman David Jolly was all over it today as he often is.

  234. 234.

    jl

    @Adam L Silverman: And as I noted above, both of the potential Dem challengers in that district look very good. Which is nice to know. BJ should put up a fund page for whoever wins the primary.

  235. 235.

    Kay

    It makes me a little sad to see Assange was giving them advice on how to peel off Lefties. They were afraid Bernie supporters would go with Clinton at the DNC – that was the timing he/Wikileaks pegged it to- they thought they needed to get it to them before the convention. I don’t know if that’s true- I don’t know if it’s GOOD political advice but Lefties were the target at that juncture.

    Wikileaks were their political strategists- not on Righties, but on Lefties.

  236. 236.

    Elizabelle

    @tracy ratclif: I looked it up, and appears LBJ spent about two days in Europe during his entire presidency. Astonished me. One overnight visit to West Germany for Konrad Adenauer’s funeral, and one day in Italy to meet Italian leaders and a visit to Vatican City to meet Pope Paul VI (December 23, en route back from Australia, Asia, visiting the troops). And that was it. Startling.

    He did spend more time in Asia, Canada, and South America. But mostly stayed in the US. Tumultuous times.

  237. 237.

    Platonailedit

    Chalk it up to of course, the thug lied.

    Trump promised to release the recording that allegedly proves he was victim of 'fake news' by The Sun. But so far, the White House won't provide the tape.

    https://t.co/GtCsz7pP0s— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) July 14, 2018

  238. 238.

    Mainmata

    @piratedan: Trump became politically active in the late 1980s. Putin was a Soviet KGB agent then and didn’t know Trump. You need to fast forward to the 1990s. But the Soviets may have cultivated him much earlier. Not much doubt we are now dealing with a Russian compromised “agent”. He’s owned by all his money as always.

  244. 244.

    frosty

    @Amir Khalid:

    In the name of common courtesy and decency, let alone your country’s good name, don’t ever let Donald Trump out of the country again.

    Amir, I hope you don’t mind making an exception for The Hague.

  248. 248.

    Mary G

    @Elizabelle: I always wonder about the father. Donald clocked his son in front of his college roommate when he came to take him to a baseball game and DJT Jr. had on a team jersey and not a suit. Behavior like that is often learned from the parent. Fred had to bring $3 million in cash to prop up a casino in AC and probably wasn’t that happy about it.

  249. 249.

    Major Major Major Major

    @Baud: was just about to note this. Manipulating lefties with Russian intelligence is something of their forte.

  251. 251.

    Mainmata

    @tracy ratclif: I think it is high time that the US terminate regular relations with the criminal regime of Putin, especially because we are now a similar criminal regime, frankly.

  252. 252.

    Mike in Oly

    @Neldob: That would be the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, which is next to a beautiful Bonsai Collection exhibit. But the rhodies are not going to be much interest this time of year. The Kubota Japanese Garden in south Seattle is going to be a much nicer place to visit in summer. Portland has a fantastic Japanese garden and Rose Garden as well.

  253. 253.

    Gin & Tonic

    @Mainmata:

    especially because we are now a similar criminal regime, frankly.

    Please remind me how many American journalists Trump has had assassinated.

  254. 254.

    Brachiator

    @jl:
    RE: How did FDR pull off stairs? He had a legit reason for a problem with stairs.

    Good question.

    FDR devised a method of “walking” in which he used a cane and the arm of his son or advisor for balance. He would maneuver his hips and swing is legs forward in a swaying motion to make it appear as if he was walking. Stairs were also a challenge for FDR, he learned to support his weight with just his arms, holding himself up as if he were on parallel bars, and swing his way down toward the next step.

    FDR faced his fears and tried to overcome them. Trump is a coward and weak excuse for a human being.

  256. 256.

    Mary G

    Don’t fuck with the olds:

    A (drunk) member of our well regulated militia pulls a gun on an 80 year old relative, who disarmed him and hit him in the back of the head with the gun. He was lying facedown in his own urine when police arrived. https://t.co/vJN2lL4GFN— WellRegulatedMilitia (@Well_Regulated_) July 14, 2018

    This is why I’m not scared of the people with guns that aren’t cops or military.

  261. 261.

    Amir Khalid

    @tracy ratclif:
    I’m intrigued to learn that Fuck LBJ*, who made a state visit to little old Malaysia in 1968, never made a state visit to Great Britain.

    *For raven.

  263. 263.

    randy khan

    @? ?? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ? ?:

    Saw that video of Trump inspecting the palace guard with QE. I’m sorry, but even if he didn’t pay attention to the briefing about royal etiquette, Trump should have known not to walk in front of someone. You always walk with them. It’s amazing that this guy has lived 71 years and never learned this lesson.

    It’s a dominance thing – he wants to appear like he’s in charge at all times. He doesn’t get that it makes him look like a boor.

  266. 266.

    Doug R

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym: Having spent most of my life in British Columbia, let me get started? Have you been to Vancouver Island before? The Gulf Islands and Victoria are tourist traps for a reason, just be prepared to pay about $100 each way on the ferry. If you have the time, a trip upisland to Port Alberni or Campbell River or Tofino or even Bamfield takes you through woods with 500 year old trees and massive trunks.
    If you get tired of the rat race around Greater Vancouver, Golden Ears Park has campsites just out of cell range. No power hookups but there are showers and some toilets are flush and it’s only about an hour and a half from downtown.

  269. 269.

    dww44

    @The Lodger: I’ve read this lots of places over the last couple of days. Can a President pull us out of an organization that we signed a treaty to get into? Surely the Congress should have a say in this?

  274. 274.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Platonailedit: Actually the site doesn’t run the same for everyone. When I use the link tool it always captures the reply button, which also happens to a number of other people. Alain is not sure why this happens, but it does. So because I can use naked links as a result of my front pager authorizations, I use them. But feel free to keep bitching about it.

  276. 276.

    randy khan

    @Ceci n est pas mon nym:

    Seattle: Seattle Art Museum sculpture garden, Japanese garden, Chihuly Garden & Glass (near the Space Needle) (the garden part really is the best, and make sure you check out the restaurant even if you don’t eat there). It’s been a long time since I saw it, but the aquarium was quite good. And, of course, Pike Place Market.

    Portland: The Rose Garden and Japanese Garden (right next to each other), and the Saturday market near the river. Voodoo Donuts, which is supposed to be a mandatory stop, didn’t seem that great to us, but YMMV. If you’re up for a drive, the scenic highway along the Columbia River is great.

  277. 277.

    Adam L Silverman

    @efgoldman: Just went live!!!! I was working on it while you were commenting. The delay was being unable to find a tweet with the final part of the post. You’d think old people, sex, church, and a gun would be something someone would’ve tweeted about…

  279. 279.

    Aleta

    Al Franken today:

    Former U.S. Senator Al Franken
    1 hr ·
    When Judge Brett Kavanaugh appears before the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senators will have an opportunity to examine his record, his judicial philosophy, and his qualifications for a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court.
    I wish I could be there. Because I have some questions I’d love to see him answer.
    1. Judge Kavanaugh, welcome. I’d like to start with a series of yes or no questions. The first one is a gimme. Do you think it’s proper for judges to make determinations based on their ideological preconceptions or their personal biases?
    He’ll say no, of course.
    2. Good. Would you agree that judges should make determinations based on their understanding of the facts?
    3. And would you agree that it’s important for a judge to obtain a full and fair understanding of the facts before making a determination?
    This is all pretty standard stuff. Then, however, I’d turn to an issue that’s received a bit of attention—but not nearly enough.
    4. When you were introduced by President Trump, you spoke to the American people for the very first time as a nominee for the Supreme Court. That is a very important moment in this process, wouldn’t you agree?
    5. And one of the very first things that came out of your mouth as a nominee for the Supreme Court was the following assertion: “No president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds, to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination.” Did I quote you correctly?
    This claim, of course, was not just false, but ridiculous. The Washington Post’s Aaron Blake (a Minnesota native) called it “a thoroughly inauspicious way to begin your application to the nation’s highest court, where you will be deciding the merits of the country’s most important legal and factual claims.”
    It would be only fair to give Kavanaugh a chance to retract that weirdly specific bit of bullshit.
    6. Do you stand by those words today? Yes or no?
    If he says that he doesn’t, I’d skip down to Question 22. But, if he won’t take it back, I’d want to pin him down.
    7. I just want to be clear. You are under oath today, correct?
    8. So, today, you are telling the American people—under oath—that it is your determination that “[n]o president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds, to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination.”
    9. And that determination—it wouldn’t be based on your ideological preconceptions, would it?
    10. And it’s not based on any personal bias, is it?
    11. No, of course not. That would be improper. Instead, it is based on your understanding of the facts, right?
    12. Was it a “full and fair” understanding of the facts?
    Again, if he decided here to fold his hand and admit that he was full of it, I’d skip down to Question 22. But if not, I’d continue with…
    13. Great. Judge Kavanaugh, are you aware that there have been 162 nominations to the Supreme Court over the past 229 years?
    14. And do you have a full and fair understanding of the circumstances surrounding each nomination?
    Of course he doesn’t.
    15. Of course you don’t. So, in actuality, your statement at that press conference did not reflect a full and fair understanding of the facts—isn’t that right?
    16. This was one of the very first public statements you made to the American people as a nominee for the Supreme Court. A factual assertion you have repeated here under oath. And it did not meet your standard for how a judge should make determinations about issues of national importance.
    17. Let me ask you about some widely-reported facts. Are you aware of the widely-reported fact that President Trump selected you from a list of 25 jurists provided by the conservative Federalist Society?
    18. Are you aware of any other case in which a President has selected a nominee from a list provided to him by a partisan advocacy group?
    19. Are you aware of the widely-reported fact that President Trump spent just two weeks mulling over his selection—whereas, for example, President Obama spent roughly a month before making each of his two Supreme Court nominations?
    20. Let me ask you this. Are you aware of any facts that support your assertion that—and I’ll quote it again—“No president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds, to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination”?
    21. And yet, you still believe that your assertion was based on a full and fair understanding of the facts?
    Then I’d try to sum it up.
    22. Judge Kavanaugh, do you believe that intellectual honesty and a scrupulous adherence to the facts are important characteristics in a Supreme Court Justice?
    23: And would you say that you displayed those characteristics to your own satisfaction when you made in your very first public remarks (and reiterated here today under oath) your assertion that, “No president has ever consulted more widely, or talked with more people from more backgrounds, to seek input about a Supreme Court nomination”?
    By the way: Once I had him pinned down on his ridiculous lie, I’d ask where it came from.
    24: Let me ask you about something else. Did President Trump, or anyone in his administration, have any input on your remarks at that press conference?
    25: Did President Trump, or anyone in his administration, instruct, ask, or suggest that you make that assertion?
    I know this might seem like a long chase. Senators have a lot of ground they want to cover in these hearings: health care, choice, net neutrality, and a long list of incredibly important issues on which Kavanaugh has been, and would continue to be, terrible. After all, he was chosen through a shoddy, disgraceful process overseen by the Federalist Society and the Heritage Foundation.
    And, of course, Kavanaugh is a smart guy. He and his team no doubt know that his easily provable lie is a potential problem, and I’m sure they’re workshopping answers at this very moment.
    But pinning him down on this is important, for a couple of reasons.
    First of all, it was exactly the kind of lie that has been plaguing our discourse for a generation, the kind that has become prevalent under the Trump administration. It’s just a totally made-up assertion that is exactly the opposite of the truth, flowing out of the mouth of a committed partisan who doesn’t care that it’s false. And if you’re sick of people doing that and getting away with it, at some point someone is going to have to start using a prominent stage to bust these lies. If they go unchallenged, then why would any of these guys stop lying, ever?
    More to the point: This episode is a perfect illustration of what the conservative movement has been doing to the Supreme Court nomination and confirmation process specifically, and the judicial system generally, for a generation now.
    In theory, judges are supposed to be above partisan politics. They don’t make law, they interpret it. They don’t create the strike zone, they just call balls and strikes. You know the routine.
    The truth is, for the last generation, conservatives have politicized the Court, and the courts. Kavanaugh is the very model of a young, arch-conservative judge who has been groomed for moments like this one precisely because conservative activists know that he will issue expansive, activist rulings to further their agenda. He has spent his whole career carefully cultivating a reputation as a serious and thoughtful legal scholar—but he wouldn’t have been on that list if he weren’t committed to the right-wing cause.
    That’s why it’s critical to recognize that the very first thing he did as a Supreme Court nominee was to parrot a false, partisan talking point. Of course that’s what he did. Advancing the goals of the Republican Party and the conservative movement is what he’s there to do.
    When the Kavanaugh nomination was announced, I saw a lot of statements from Senators saying they looked forward to carefully evaluating his credentials and asking him questions about his judicial philosophy. But anyone who ignores the obvious fact that this nomination, and the judicial nomination process in general, has become a partisan exercise for Republicans is just playing along with the farce.
    Instead, we ought to be having a real conversation about what conservatives have done to the principle of judicial independence—and what progressives can do to correct it. I can think of no better example of the problem than Brett Kavanaugh’s nomination and the bizarre lie he uttered moments after it was made official. And I can think of no better opportunity to start.

  282. 282.

    Ninedragonspot

    Following up on the “-gate” nomenclature for political scandals:

    Since the scandal has a Russian theme, only a Russian suffix will do. My vote now – and for all time – is for Trumpshchina (or Трампщина).

  285. 285.

    J R in WV

    @Mnemosyne:

    I told her that we jackals love her almost as much as we love Lily and would be happy to donate. She wasn’t sure she believed me. ?

    I told her the same thing. I’m glad she believed us, and that it came true so fast. I expect it will go up some more as people get their expected income over the next week or so.

    What a heart-warming thing to have happen right here and now!!

  286. 286.

    Ninedragonspot

    Comment in moderation. Perhaps “suffix” has an obscene meaning I am unaware of.

  287. 287.

    sukabi

    @Yarrow: the only way these indictments ‘exeronate’ Stone, is if he’s cooperating with Mueller and is looking to cut a deal.

  288. 288.

    J R in WV

    @Elizabelle

    I don’t know how much it was purely Ford’s decision, either, or if it was forced upon him by GOP leadership.

    When you are President, GOP leadership gets down and cleans the floor if you tell them to. Ford put his foot into it all by himself. Fuck Jerry Ford, right beside LBJ and Ron Raygun.

  289. 289.

    Yarrow

    @Viva BrisVegas:

    If you want people to understand what is going on, then you have to express it in ways which can be quickly absorbed before eyes glaze over. The first ten seconds of a message is usually all you get. Republicans understand this.

    I completely agree. The Dems could do with hiring some talented ad or PR people who can come up with quality sound-bite-y messages and then just sell the hell out of them. That is not my forte, so I’m not really the best person to ask. However, I think a good way to describe what has happened and is still happening is “treason” and that’s only one word.

  291. 291.

    randy khan

    @Ninedragonspot:

    One of the big reasons that the “-gate” nomenclature is the standard way to refer to scandals is that William Safire, former Nixon speech writer and then New York Times columnist (and, mostly, a really good one – some of his Russia columns were phenomenal) attached it to every scandal he could so as to make Watergate seem less unusual and special. In some cases it was laughable, but in the long run it worked.

  292. 292.

    Bill Arnold

    @Adam L Silverman:

    Stone’s problem is too much human growth hormone.

    Which has as a purported positive side effect a reduction in the probability of death by heart disease.[0][2] Fucker is known to be seriously paranoid[1], probably well-justified. He should probably seriously consider taking a very long vacation in a place with no extradition treaty with the US, and where Russians are obvious.
    [0] Cardiovascular Risk in Adult Patients With Growth Hormone (GH) Deficiency and Following Substitution With GH—An Update (2014). And etc. Haven’t found much on people who overuse it.
    [1] Was Trump confidant Roger Stone really poisoned?, Roger Stone: ‘Deep State’ Tried to Kill Me by T-Boning My Car
    [2] Death by heart attack (or stroke) looks more suspicious. Was that one of his intents? Who knows. I choose to guess yes. :-)

  293. 293.

    J R in WV

    @Yarrow:

    I think a good way to describe what has happened and is still happening is “treason” and that’s only one word.

    I agree. I would add one more word to the description and make it:

    Republican Treason!

  295. 295.

    Yarrow

    @randy khan: It did work and it’s one of the reasons why I think we need to drop “Russiagate” as a descriptor of what’s going on and move away from always comparing it to Watergate. It minimizes it, just as Safire wanted it to.

    @J R in WV: I tend to agree, but I think it’s a bit early for that. I think calling it treason gets the idea in people’s heads. We can add Republican to it later. One problem with that is there are going to be Democrats caught up in it. And fuck them when it comes out. But we need to be ready for it and making it partisan isn’t going to work in our favor when that happens.

  297. 297.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @Adam L Silverman:

    A link capturing the Reply button is almost always the result of someone not closing their link. They press the Link button, enter their information and press Okay, but then they never press the /Link button, so the link continues to the end of the comment, including the Reply button.

    (Note: This happens if you don’t highlight a text block before you press the Link button.)

    As an alternative, any Amazon product link can be shortened to amazon.com/dp/XYZ, where “XYZ” is the 10-digit ISBN or 10-character ASIN (product code).

  298. 298.

    Steeplejack (phone)

    @Aleta:

    I miss Al Franken.

    A goddamn link/​source would have been nice for forwarding to others.

  302. 302.

    The Lodger

    @Aleta: Yeah. Brett Kavanaugh’s first statement as a Supreme Court nominee was easily disprovable bullshit and no one made a big deal out of it. I’m glad Al Franken broke his silence to bring that up. Damn, I miss that man,

  304. 304.

    Gemina13

    @Neldob: The rhododendron garden is the Rhododendron Species Botanical Garden, next to the Pacific Bonsai museum. Both are beautiful. The SO and I try to walk through it every spring when the rhodies bloom.

    (He likes to regale me about a grove of rhododendrons he saw in Jhaipur, India, when he was still in college. Rhodies as tall as trees filled a valley, and it left him awestruck. He’s got a ton of pictures and swears he has a photo of that valley in there . . . somewhere. I’m not holding my breath.)

    There’s also Dash Point and Saltwater State Park nearby, Ceci, if you like hiking. Come to Tacoma, and you’ll find the Museum of Glass (which has a working studio and a lot of work done by Dale Chihuly, next to he gorgeous old Union Station), Point Defiance Park/Zoo & Aquarium (bigger than Central Park and much more beautiful, IMO), the LeMay Car Museum, the Tacoma Nature Center, the Tacoma Art Museum, the Fort Nisqually Living Museum, and quite a few wonderful places to get a bite to eat.

  306. 306.

    Another Scott

    @Aleta: Excellent. Thanks for that.

    With any luck, questions like that will be asked and he will be forced to answer. If he actually makes it far enough to have a hearing (it’s like[ly] that he will, but not a foregone conclusion).

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  307. 307.

    Another Scott

    @Ninedragonspot: Cyrillic gets many, but apparently not all, comments thrown into the dungeon. Just the way it is these days – FYWP is not deterministic, yet.

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  308. 308.

    Nancy

    @?BillinGlendaleCA: I look forward to more of your results. You can post whatever stage of your creative process you choose to show as far as I’m concerned. The headlights were interesting.
    I do enjoy the final piece of art that combines Mars and meteor.

  309. 309.

    hugely

    @Platonailedit: i agree tho i have no expertise but id say its fair to say there should have been penetration at all levels as Adam has said. Why would the Russians only compromise people in the campaign? I get the impression that KGB/GRU overengineer their projects. Also havent journalists/media been targets and assets for espionage? Many onstitutions vary been acting abnormally for 2 to 3 yrs

  310. 310.

    hugely

    @hugely: *many institutions and people have been acting abnormally* i am afraid that the rot is deeper than just trump and that the GOP as a whole has been corrupted by Russian influences

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