WH press secretary Sarah Sanders says President Trump has revoked former CIA director John Brennan's security clearance.
— Ben Siegel (@benyc) August 15, 2018
.@PressSec says Trump is revoking @JohnBrennan ‘s clearance, citing dossier (Russia-related) as part of the reason.
— Shelby Holliday (@shelbyholliday) August 15, 2018
The WH Press Secretary just ran off a long list of individuals whose security clearance the president is now reviewing.
They all have one thing in common: They have been critical of the president.
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) August 15, 2018
The official reason given by the Press Secretary is that the President has decided to revoke DCI (ret) Brennan’s clearance because of his erratic behavior. The Press Secretary also announced that the President is reviewing the clearances of DNI and Gen (ret) Clapper, former FBI Director Comey, DCI and Gen (ret) Hayden, former Acting Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, APNSA and AMB (ret) Susan Rice, former FBI staff lawyer Lisa Page, former FBI Director of National Security and Supervisory Special Agent in Charge Peter Strzok, and Bruce Ohr who is still serving in a senior executive position at the DOJ.
DNI Coats does not appear to have been consulted.
Official with knowledge says DNI Coats was not consulted on revoking clearance
An official with knowledge tells CNN's Jim Sciutto that Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats was not consulted on revoking the clearance of John Brennan
— Kristin Donnelly (@kristindonnelly) August 15, 2018
This is all being done outside of the normal clearance review and adjudication process. Here are the actual guidelines for determining a person’s eligibility to hold a clearance (full descriptions at the link):
- Allegiance to the United States
- Foreign Influence
- Foreign Preference
- Sexual Behavior
- Personal Conduct
- Financial Considerations
- Alcohol Consumption
- Drug Involvement
- Psychological Conditions
- Criminal Conduct
- (mis)Handling Protected Information
- Outside Activities
- (mis)Use of Information Technology Systems
All of these are then reviewed and considered together under the whole person concept.
Brad Moss, whose law practice specializes in dealing with matters of contested security clearances and national security, wrote an article about this possibility for Lawfare about three weeks ago:
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders’s announcement that President Trump is reviewing potential mechanisms by which to revoke the security clearances of several former senior government officials has—not surprisingly—set off a cascade of questions over if and how the president can accomplish this. The prospect became even more complicated when Sanders clarified that the president’s specific gripes with these particular former officials—former director of national intelligence James Clapper, former CIA director John Brennan, former FBI director James Comey, former CIA director Michael Hayden, former national security adviser Susan Rice and former deputy FBI director Andrew McCabe—was not tied to instances of security violations or unauthorized dissemination of classified information by those individuals.
Instead, Sanders clarified, Trump is considering steps by which their clearances can be revoked because “they’ve politicized and, in some cases, monetized their public service and security clearances,” as well as “ma[de] baseless accusations of improper contact with Russia or being influenced by Russia against the President.” In 11 years of representing civilian employees, military personnel, political appointees and government contractors in security clearance proceedings, I can say with certainty that these types of “allegations” are nothing like anything I have ever seen in a memorandum outlining bases for denying or revoking a security clearance.
But might those nevertheless be valid bases upon which to revoke someone’s clearance? Can the president pull this off? As a colleague of mine who still works for the government would say, “it depends.”
Much more at the link, including a detailed description of the three potential ways the President may take to do this and what procedural safeguards may be brought into play by DCI Brennan. Right now, this is Moss’s analysis:
Trump must be doing this as part of his inherent Article II authority. No way Gina Haspel put her name on that document. The dossier? Really? https://t.co/Y0uIoHXvaN
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) August 15, 2018
It is unclear if today’s actions are even legal. Regardless, by doing this and considering doing this to eight others with clearances, the President has now fully politicized the clearance process. What remains to be seen is whether this stands. If it does, for the time being, eligibility for, awarding of, and maintaining a security clearance in the US will be a matter of political patronage rather than the established criteria that is currently used. This is going to throw the entire process of adjudication, awarding, and maintaining clearances into complete disarray. Especially if it is unclear whether this is a matter of access or eligibility – one can be eligible to access classified material without actually having authorization (the need to know) to access it.
They don’t have “access” but their eligibility for access may still be valid. https://t.co/mnQIQ4BTxZ https://t.co/9dU69wTug9
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) August 15, 2018
The President, for now, has seriously damaged the system and the process because he is personally aggrieved by DCI (ret) Brennan’s, as well as the others being reviewed, protected by the 1st Amendment statements about him, his decision making, his policies, and his personal behavior and fitness to serve as President. That these men and women, as well as others who do not yet seem to be in jeopardy – including a number of retired senior military leaders (retired Army General Barry McCaffrey being the most senior and well known) – were actually speaking out is unprecedented. These senior leaders would often be expected to comment on very specific and very narrow issues pertaining to national security; specifically to provide analysis to the news media during periods of crisis. That they’ve so publicly stepped up, regardless of their own personal political and ideological views, to speak out against what they know are the excesses of the President and the members of his administration was already both unprecedented and inspiring. That the President is so petty and thin skinned as to respond this way just confirms what these senior leaders have been saying for months. The real question now is not whether these women and men continue to lead by example and speak out, but whether the damage the President has done to the system of awarding, adjudicating, and maintaining clearances has actually broken the system and is allowed to stand.
Edited to Add at 4:45 PM EDT:
The real issue here is not the breach of protocols, processes, and procedures dealing with clearances, as egregious as that breach is. Rather, the real issue here is the 1st Amendment one. This is the President of the United States directing the power of the state to punish a critic – DCI (ret) Brennan – for engaging in political speech, which is protected from governmental retaliation under the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights. This is as clear a violation of the oath of office as one could ask for.
We are well off the looking glass and through the map.
Open thread!
Cheryl Rofer
Cheryl Rofer
JPL
Has Paul Ryan issued his this is unfortunate statement yet?
smintheus
Republic, meet Banana.
How soon do you suppose Congressional Republican “leadership” will have no comment to make on this?
Dorothy A. Winsor
Reposted from the thread below:
Trump probably thinks revoking Brennan’s security clearance means he can’t talk on TV any more.
Kristine
Are these revocations potentially unconstitutional?
Major Major Major Major
“It is unclear if today’s actions are even legal.”
Ah, another one of those days ending in ‘y’.
Thanks Adam, always appreciate your insight.
JPL
So do they already have Sally Yates statement ready, and will he use the Steele dossier or just mention that she’s a female and a dog.
The Dangerman
Pot, to Kettle: “Black!”
JPL
@Dorothy A. Winsor: That made me laugh. Thanks.
@smintheus: It’s unfortunate .
tobie
@Dorothy A. Winsor: That was funny. thanks for the chuckle.
Cermet
The golden shower boy can’t act as a president so he strikes out like an old man needing his diaper changed – sad if it wasn’t both tragic for the country and utterly supported by his similarly handicapped base.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
It can’t be allowed to stand. This is absolutely a transparent attempt to punish his critics and his justifications for pulling security clearances aren’t legal reasons in the normal process. This should be ruled on by a judge as capricious and arbitrary. And ghouls like Paul Ryan should be constantly harassed over this until they do something.
Mike in NC
Ironic in that virtually nobody in Trump’s orbit could have qualified for a security clearance under normal circumstances. Mendacious asshole.
Major Major Major Major
Another sadly generic line: “The President, for now, has seriously damaged the system and the process because he is personally aggrieved”
jonas
Mother of God — from a president who disclosed the existence of a top-secret Israeli operation to infiltrate ISIS to the fucking Russian ambassador and foreign minister inside the Oval Office itself.
kindness
Now is when we need a new Pentagon Papers. Someone (who I would consider a patriot) needs to get copies of Trumps dirt/collusion with foreign powers to the press. I don’t expect any of the dickheads at the FBI NYC office to do so as they helped get us Trump and I expect are overjoyed to have played the role they did.
Adam L Silverman
@Cheryl Rofer: This was my thought to, an attempt to get Omarosa off of the news networks and out of the various publications for a couple of days. Knowing Omarosa, I doubt she’ll allow this to happen. Expect a recording or two to leak in the next 24 to 48 hours.
Adam L Silverman
@JPL: They’re trying to find his spine, so they can insert it and he can stand up right for the announcement.
Adam L Silverman
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Or tweet.
Adam L Silverman
@Kristine: No. If you get a chance to read Brad Moss’s article, you’ll find this is covered under his Article II powers. It is, however, way outside of longstanding policy, regulations, and guidelines. And the courts have been very, very, very reticent to get in the middle of issues pertaining to clearances. Disputes are handled through an administrative process.
Adam L Silverman
@Major Major Major Major: You’re welcome.
The Midnight Lurker
What does this even mean? Brennan can’t go to Russian Lunch Fridays at the cafeteria at Langley? He has to return the Minox? What?
Another Scott
Rep. Adam Schiff’s take:
The list of “high crimes and misdemeanors” just keeps getting longer and longer…
Grr….
Cheers,
Scott.
Adam L Silverman
@Mike in NC: Yep.
AngryLongHairedGuy
@The Midnight Lurker: It means that he can’t consult on classified matters, he will no longer have the eligibility to have access to classified information.
And really for him it probably isn’t such a big deal; however, what it is, is a lovely warning shot off everyone’s who currently job requires a clearance, that if you anger the wrong people you are going to get your clearance revoked and lose your job.
Mike in NC
New policy regarding US government-granted security clearances: final approval authority will be the GRU.
M31
any of these statements could be made complete generic and used over and over again:
“Official with knowledge says DNI Coats was not consulted on revoking clearance”
Officeal with knowledge says [the person in charge of such things] was not consulted on [self-serving dumb possibly illegal action with intent to harm Trump’s perceived enemies but outside normal governmental precedent]
JPL
@Another Scott: The MSM needs to start calling it what it is. Trump’s enemy list.
TenguPhule
So another day ending in “WHY FSM WHY?!”
SiubhanDuinne
So very petty.
@Dorothy A. Winsor: Hah! You made me laugh. Hope you’re feeling better every day.
TenguPhule
Trump’s Razor says Yes.
TenguPhule
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??:
But it won’t.
Federal Court probably won’t touch this with a ten foot pole under Separation of Powers.
Adam L Silverman
@kindness: I doubt the news media would cover it. Apparently the White House press corps needs to get their shit together:
Mike in NC
@Adam L Silverman: This has been shaping up to be ‘Omarosa Week’ for the Beltway media. Shiny object needed to distract their attention.
Adam L Silverman
@The Midnight Lurker: It is unclear where his eligibility has been revoked, meaning he is now no longer capable of getting access, or that his access has been revoked meaning anything he was scheduled to be consulted on by DCI Haspell or DNI Coats now has to be cancelled.
trollhattan
@Another Scott:
Love Schiff, but saddened we rely on so relatively few leaders who point out the president’s ghoulish antics in real time rather than allowing them to become normalized.
TenguPhule
Yes.
M31
I used to not think that government precedents and protocols needed to be written with “but what if the country elects a President that is a poo-flinging toddler” in mind, but that was in the before time.
The Midnight Lurker
@Adam L Silverman: Acknowledged.
Brachiator
That’s OK. Trump made sure that Putin keeps his security clearance.
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: The question becomes whether Brennan decides, just because he’s feeling ornery, that he wants to challenge this through the normal administrative process. And what happens if that rules against him. Or if the administration tries to challenge a ruling in his favor. The courts have basically said they won’t get involved in matters pertaining to awarding, revoking, and/or reinstating a clearance.
laura
Is trump’s enemies list intended to further undermine the legitimacy of Mueller’s investigation so that when it finally drops, the base will have been conditioned to reject it’s findings and recommendations -and to use as a basis for not conceding the outcome of the mid-terms or to gin up the simmering civil war?
Funny how trump’s family and friends still somehow retain their clearances.
Adam L Silverman
@Mike in NC: I’m pretty sure Omarosa isn’t going to be happy to share the spotlight. She’ll drop one or more recordings in short order.
A Ghost To Most
I keep waiting for an indication that this will not end in a complete fascist takeover, and resulting civil war. I’m still waiting.
rikyrah
The EVERLOVING PHUCK?!?!?!
ACLU of Georgia slams plan to close many of county’s polls
By BRINLEY HINEMAN, Associated Press
Aug. 15, 2018 Updated: Aug. 15, 2018 12:38 p.m.
The Midnight Lurker
@A Ghost To Most: You and I both, Ghost!
Ascap_scab
And yet Jared and Ivanka keep theirs.
TenguPhule
@rikyrah: They’re not even pretending that they’re not gonna violate citizen voting rights anymore. Whatever it takes to win, Republicans will do it, no matter how illegal it may be.
M31
@rikyrah:
so Georgia must be closer to flipping blue than I thought
TenguPhule
@A Ghost To Most:
Come sit by me.
Mike J
@M31:
Another part of the Republican long game. If it’s not written down, it’s ok to do it. If it is written down, government regulations are too complex and unwieldy for everyone to keep up with.
Brachiator
@Adam L Silverman: Many of these people are not currently in the government. What is the practical effect of a revocation of their security clearance?
NotMax
The times may change, the targets may shift, the woeful tactics remain the same.
Major Major Major Major
This place feels a bit doomsdaying/defeatist today ?
Adam L Silverman
@laura: I would say yes, but I think it is more likely that he’s just pissed off and out of sorts that these senior leaders won’t kowtow to him and speak out against him.
A Ghost To Most
@TenguPhule:
I would, but I’m busy preparing.
randy khan
@Adam L Silverman:
I expect she’s going to wait a day or two to make sure she’s #1 on the charts. (Although she might have to delay a little more for the Manafort verdict, which I think will come quickly.)
JPL
The statement was prepared July 26th as soon as legal reviewed his authority. Imagine how many of these Trump has ready.
Is Mueller next?
NotMax
Preview of next month:
The scene: Sarah Sanders producing and waving about a piece of paper.
“The president has provided me this list of 1488 Americans infiltrating our government.”
Millard Filmore
@Another Scott</@Another Scott: There is more …
from here: https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211005218
Which is really just a pointer to here: https://twitter.com/SethAbramson/status/1029803887287525377
Steeplejack
@Adam L Silverman:
I think that should be “former FBI staff lawyer the lovely Lisa Page,” which is how the president officially refers to her in his tweets.
A Ghost To Most
@Major Major Major Major: We are students of history.
p.a.
If NDAs aren’t enough, perhaps a loyalty to the leader is next. Of course, this
administration’sparty’s oath to the constitution is worthless, so why would any other be meaningful?Major Major Major Major
@A Ghost To Most: As am I, and I recall many incorrect predictions of fascist takeovers of the United States.
Another Scott
Kinda-sorta relatedly – Political Ad Spending on Google (over $500).
(via Reuters).
It’s a lot less than I would have thought. But, it’s still early. That said, look at how Florida is dominating everything so far.
Cheers,
Scott.
??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??
@Major Major Major Major:
That’s mostly TenguPhule, AGTM, and Midnight Lurker. It’s not hard though to be when the President is creating an enemies list and a Board of Elections in rural Georgia is trying to remove 75% of the polling places in a predominantly African-American county.
Nettoyeur
I remember Nixon’s enemies list. Being on it became an honor.
Adam L Silverman
@Brachiator: Depends. For Clapper, Brennan, and Rice, you want them to retain their clearances as the most recent DNI, DCI, and National Security Advisor so they can be consulted about projects, programs, and/or issues that either originated under their supervision or are carryovers that they themselves inherited. You want to be able to bring them in so that their successors can talk to them and get a feel for the continuity. Not that I’d expect AMB Bolton to ask anyone for input. It removes these senior leaders’ expertise from the government’s ability to access it. That said, functionally and day to day, it doesn’t mean much. They’re not accessing classified information regularly.
The real issue here is not the breach of protocols, processes, and procedures dealing with clearances. The real issue here is the 1st Amendment one. This is the President of the United States directing the (in this case the administrative) power of the state to punish a critic for engaging in political speech, which is protected from governmental retaliation under the 1st Amendment of the Bill of Rights.
A Ghost To Most
@Major Major Major Major: Name a time we were this close, with a Russian puppet as prez, and a complicit Congress?
We’re off the map. Here there be dragons.
Major Major Major Major
@??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??: Perhaps it’s harder to filter out when such people are 25% of several threads in a row.
@A Ghost To Most: Oh no, every situation is unique, we’re all going to die
trollhattan
Since the experts are in the house, what the heck is this about?
Mnemosyne
@Major Major Major Major:
I was hoping to post the new Tiny Goats Visits video, but so far it’s only on Facebook. They went and hung out with the lemurs. ?
Adam L Silverman
@Major Major Major Major: This won’t stop Brennan. It won’t stop Clapper or Hayden or Yates or Comey (even if no one wants to hear from Comey anymore…). I’m guessing we’re just about ready to start hearing from Strzok a lot. And I know it won’t stop McCaffrey. What I’m curious is whether the President will try to go after McCaffrey or whether someone explains to him that if he does that, he’ll have bitten off far, far, far more than he can chew.
trollhattan
@Nettoyeur:
The most amazing aspect of the Nixon enemies list.
TenguPhule
@NotMax:
The paper will be helpfully blank on both sides in full view of the press pool.
Press: “But there’s nothing on it?”
SHS: “Its written in (Scare Chord) INVISIBLE INK!”
Press: “Gasp of Dismay”
SHS: (Immediately stuffs the paper in her mouth, chews and swallows it) “Hah! Take that, Deep State!”
TenguPhule
@Major Major Major Major:
We live in a timeline where Trump can fire Nuclear Weapons at any time against anyone for any reason.
Mnemosyne
@trollhattan:
Wait, Russia already has a Space Force?
Much is explained about Donnie’s sudden obsession with getting his own Space Force.
?BillinGlendaleCA
@Major Major Major Major:
This is true, eventually.
TenguPhule
@trollhattan:
Haven’t you seen Goldeneye?
Adam L Silverman
@randy khan: I reckon she’ll do a Friday late afternoon dump so it rejiggers the Sunday show coverage.
trollhattan
@Adam L Silverman:
More proof: Donald Trump is a guppy.
Adam L Silverman
Just added this as an update up top:
Adam L Silverman
@NotMax: If it’s 1488, it’s a Stephen Miller memo.
Major Major Major Major
@?BillinGlendaleCA: Speak for yourself, I’m gonna be an immortal robot.
Adam L Silverman
@Steeplejack: I try not to comment on people’s, especially women’s, looks unless I’m dating them. And in that case: they always look stunning.
waspuppet
This is what happens when you elect a businessman president, especially a thoroughly failed businessman — people’s security clearances, indeed their sanity, are gauged by their fealty to the boss.
randy khan
@Adam L Silverman:
Probably.
TenguPhule
@Major Major Major Major: Evil only has to win once.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
Today’s GOP: “Its not a Bill anymore, just suggestions really. But look at her emailz!”
TenguPhule
@trollhattan:
Guppies are harmless.
Adam L Silverman
@A Ghost To Most: I keep telling you all: we’re off the looking glass and through the map. Here there be Cheshire dragons.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman: The Red Queen wants a word with you.
Cheryl Rofer
Barbara
November can’t come soon enough, but even then, it won’t be enough. But seriously, I can’t keep reading the catalog of atrocities. All I can do is give money and try to get out the vote and register people to vote.
P.S. If anyone is up for a Pittsburgh meet up sometime on the Friday or Sunday before Labor Day, and possibly Saturday evening, I will be around. I know we used to have a few who lived in SW Pa.
Lapassionara
@Mnemosyne: Did you see the news about the goats who escaped their pen? I don’t recall where, but the authorities think they were helped in their escape by a goat who had gotten out of the same pen a while back.
Also, BC had a hilarious Tweet about a raccoon/drunk driver incident at Camp Pendleton that had me laughing out loud. Betty, if you’re reading, that would make a great post.
Adam L Silverman
@trollhattan: You’re going to hate me for saying this, but it could be nothing more than a new reconnaissance satellite or it could be something really dangerous. Most likely we’ll never know.
JPL
I’m so disappointed in Paul Ryan. Rather than say it’s unfortunate, they are not saying anything at all.
It appears that the White House decided to remove the date from their release.
Major Major Major Major
@Lapassionara: We have rental goats at the office right now clearing brush. I am working from home today because I had to go to physical therapy, but I look forward to seeing the goats tomorrow.
NotMax
@Adam L. Silverman
Surely you don’t think I chose that number at random?
;)
Elizabelle
@Cheryl Rofer: I think the “Deep State” will laugh last on this one. I think Trump will get some kind of comeuppance sooner.
Bring on more dirt and charges against Trump and his maladministration.
Adam L Silverman
@?BillinGlendaleCA: No one gets out of life alive.
Another Scott
@trollhattan: All the reporting I’ve seen just cites her speech. Nothing else about it seems to be on the web. So, I’d guess, people who know aren’t saying.
Space.com has a few links to original sources.
HTH.
Cheers,
Scott.
burnspbesq
@rikyrah:
Litigate, for sure. But also charter some fucking buses. “Souls to the polls” has been repeatedly shown to work just fine.
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: I fully expect that the final form of the excuse will be: “You’re damn right we conspired with the Russians, we had to to save the US from that bitch Hillary. Would you really want to look at that as president every day?”
Also, obligatory:
Adam L Silverman
@Cheryl Rofer: As I expected and predicted.
Adam L Silverman
@NotMax: No I did not.
Corner Stone
Brennan keeps calling him Mr. Trump. Has not referred to him as pres once that I have noticed.
Martin
@Adam L Silverman: One of my pet peeves about this whole situation is around Omarosa. ‘Reality TV’ is such an orwellian term, because there’s nothing real about it. Omarosa was a non-actress brought onto a show to play a role for our entertainment. Everyone on the show knows this as did Omarosa. They brought her back several more times to play that role, and she obliged. Trump brought her into the WH to play a different role, and she obliged again.
I don’t fault Omarosa for any of this. I don’t care if you’re an actress, athlete, sex worker, model, etc. we all play the ‘get your money, black man’ part at one time or another, and while we may prefer not to, sometimes those are the opportunities given to us. In short, I don’t think we’ve ever seen Omarosa playing the role that she chooses to play, except possibly now, but even now I question it. Now she’s the rejected WH staffer dishing dirt, and so long as she plays that role, she’ll get paid.
Omarosa could be exactly what we see, but I’m not so quick to accept that. Omarosa will keep the stage because that’s what’s best for Omarosa. That’s what we expect her to do, and she’s willing to oblige.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
I’d be more concerned if we found out.
NotMax
@Major Major Major Major
That phrase made me chortle.
And reminded me of the quest in WoW wherein a grummle is complaining to the vendor that the yak he was sold is “broken.”
Have some distant quasi-relatives who (among other things) run a summer day camp in the Catskills. They bring in rental chickens for the kiddies to interact with and care for.
Corner Stone
@JPL: Honestly, what did you expect from Paul Ryan?
Mnemosyne
@Lapassionara:
Somebody (maybe Betty?) did a front-page post of the Great Goat Escape. It was pretty funny seeing them just wandering through people’s yards. ?
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
Except Cancer.
Corner Stone
@NotMax: BTW, I have been enjoying the StartPage search engine so far, admittedly on a small sample size.
TenguPhule
@Corner Stone:
Adam, please take notes. This will be on the Final Exam.
Adam L Silverman
@Martin: Yep. And I’m not sure how you untangle that ball of yarn.
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule: Mass drivers baby!!!!
TenguPhule
I fully expect them to exceed your expectation.
West of the Rockies
Here’s what pisses me off bigly: Republicans will furrow their brows but go along with it. Hannity and his fellow stooges will crow about how patriotic and good Trump is and how such actions are overdue.
When the Democratic party regains power, however, these same conservatards will have an amazingly quick “come to Jesus” moment and demand transparency and fair and apolitical responses from the newly ensconced Democrats in power.
Hannity and co. will go back to pearl-clutching over mustard choice and emails.
I loathe these organic life forms.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman: Goldeneye. Because everything else has turned into a bad James Bond plot, so why not this too?
Elizabelle
@TenguPhule: We are in agreement on that!
Adam: No reason you can’t call him Trump or Mr. Trump. (And I know you’ve responded to this before.)
I wince whenever I hear “President” attached to that creature. And it’s not like you’re calling Trump “Dickbreath” or something. Trump or Mr. Trump is as much identification as he deserves.
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman:
Alexander the Great already figured out the solution to that problem.
Adam L Silverman
@TenguPhule:
The Midnight Lurker
I wonder if there were any Germans in the 1920’s who said, “Don’t worry, Hindenburg will stop him!” Then a few years later said, “Don’t worry, Schleicher will stop him!” And a few years after that , said, “Don’t worry, his own generals will stop him!”
And then after that… oh, wait.
I know… I know… Lurker you Chicken Little, today we have the internet!
TenguPhule
@Adam L Silverman: Well played.
SiubhanDuinne
@Mnemosyne:
I saw it this morning in the first post of the day at Wonkette (the “nice time” feature of the daily “Wonkagenda”). Loved the way little Ruth was all tuckered out after hangin’ with the lemurs. So cute.
Here. Scroll to the bottom of the post.
https://www.wonkette.com/08-15-2018
NotMax
@Corner Stone
Coolness.
Now let me tell you about the rest of the religion…
;)
Link to a good article about it for the curious. A snippet:
And also a link to their own privacy policy page.
Corner Stone
Elise Jordan is just trash.
Martin
@Adam L Silverman: I don’t think you do. I think you just accept that these are the terms, and assume that what you see is a character, and not her. We can recognize that Robert Downey Jr. doesn’t fly around in a metal suit, after all.
SFAW
Oh, bullshit.
Here’s the relevant text from the First Amendment: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, ”
Does it say anything about the Oval Office Occupant? NO! Has Congress made any laws stating that John Brennan must not criticize the Oval Office Occupant, or suffer the consequences? NO!!! Does SuperPatriot Paul Ryan have any problem with the actions of the OOO? Most assuredly NOT!!!! I believe the Honorable Mr. Ryan said the the OOO is just trolling, so THERE!!!
Impeachment! For piddly-ass stuff like this? When Hitlary is still walking free? In your dreams.
These fucking guys. Impeachment and charges of treason levied against them can’t come soon enough.
JPL
@Corner Stone: I expected it was unfortunate, darn it.
He’ll probably say that is within the president’s authority.
Adam L Silverman
@Martin:
You take that back!//
smintheus
Why does Wink Hartman, Kobach’s running mate in Kansas, have a black eye in this photo? Does he have the nickname ‘Wink’ for a reason?
https://c.o0bg.com/rf/image_960w/Boston/2011-2020/2018/08/08/BostonGlobe.com/National/Images/5f8a453298b44689ba002eac7fe2c3f6-5f8a453298b44689ba002eac7fe2c3f6-0.jpg
Also, why is Kobach’s daughter looking at him as if he is evil personified?
TenguPhule
@Martin:
Yet.
Corner Stone
@JPL: Would you accept, “Oh, Trump was just trolling people. He didn’t mean it.”
TenguPhule
@Corner Stone:
Gonna have to be a bit more specific on that for those of us not watching tv.
Martin
@TenguPhule: Fair.
Mnemosyne
@SiubhanDuinne:
Alright, I don’t know what dark magic they worked to get the YouTube link, but here it is:
https://youtu.be/yFtyStU2svE
MisterForkbeard
@Adam L Silverman: This is something I hadn’t thought of – it’s a literal 1st amendment breach, isn’t it? The government officially punishing someone for what are clearly political reasons.
JPL
@Corner Stone: He already tried that, which is why he is in hiding.
Adam L Silverman
@smintheus: The first rule of running mate fight club is you don’t talk about running mate fight club.
As for Kobach’s daughter, that’s the look of a young lady that knows where all the sharp objects are and plans to use them on her father one night when he’s soundly asleep.//
joel hanes
@Corner Stone:
Respect must be earned.
The Donald has earned and deserves none whatsoever, not even as an ordinary person.
Any respect rendered unto the current Shithead in Chief is one or more of
– sucking up
– delusion (the R base)
– cowardice (the R pols)
– gratuitiously nice (not even my Mom any more, but I assume that some people do this)
TenguPhule
Warning, NOT the Onion.
I call bullshit. Trump never drives anywhere unless its on a golf course. And never picks up a tab.
SFAW
@Major Major Major Major:
Unlikely. Even Daneel Olivaw lived only 20,000 years
joel hanes
@NotMax:
[the phrase “rental goats”] reminded me of the quest in WoW
Huh. It reminded me of Mickey Kaus.
Brachiator
@Adam L Silverman:
Excellent summation.
Trump violates his oath of office and, with the connivance of the Republican majority, effectively becomes the state. Critics will be punished unless they praise the president and rubber stamp his every declaration and utterance.
And you all thought that Trump only got jollies from attempting to punish football players for taking a knee.
Adam L Silverman
@MisterForkbeard: And done to chill further speech by others who have served or are serving and maintain clearances – eligibility, access, and/or both.
Cermet
@TenguPhule: What possible danger could that, much let any, satellite pose, really? The ISS, sure but a sat none – unless you are implying a possible nuke power plant, maybe? I seriously doubt that would be the case – putin isn’t crazy nor mentally simple like the orange fart cloud.
Chris T.
@The Midnight Lurker: That reminds me of something else I don’t quite get. Trump apparently admires Hitler. Hitler’s life ended in suicide. ??? (Not that I’d mind if Trump committed suicide…)
NotMax
@MisterForkbeard
Same holds true for the White House staff NDAs. They are government employees being slapped with a blanket ban on speech by the government.
Cermet
@Adam L Silverman: LOL – a minor titanium slug couldn’t achieve even a tiny fraction of that energy release. A thermo-nuclear bomb yes, but there is essentially zero chance that putin would be that insane.
TenguPhule
@Cermet:
Orbital Debris cloud shredding every other satellite we have up there.
debbie
NPR interviewed Bradley Moss this morning about the Trump campaign’s complaint against Omarosa.
TenguPhule
@Chris T.:
He likes the beginning and middle. He’s too lazy to read to the end.
NotMax
@joel hanes
Those are “escort goats.”
:)
Adam L Silverman
@Brachiator: Thank you. I’m also sorry I had to write it.
NotMax
As for the satellite, Occam’s Razor says it might just be a defective unit. Like the former Soviet Union, Russia is not exactly forthcoming about space faring faux pas.
TenguPhule
@NotMax:
Call goats?
Mnemosyne
@TenguPhule:
I’m sure Trump’s chauffeur got fired for getting that ticket.
trollhattan
@smintheus:
Reminds me a little of Santorum’s brood when he lost.
The Midnight Lurker
@Chris T.: Trump is finished. But fascism… to my mind, the jury’s still out.
Like Devin ‘Stealth Uber User’ Nunes said, “(if we don’t hold onto power)… this all ends!”
How many Republicans have been to Russia now?
debbie
Trump’s so stupid, he thinks he’s hurt these people, when he’s really just burnished their resistance cred.
TenguPhule
@The Midnight Lurker:
Just this year or overall?
Chet
So when General Flynn took millions from RT and led convention goers in a chant demanding a former Secretary of State be jailed, that’s not “politicizing and monetizing” one’s security clearance?
SHS is conflating a bunch of things, making some common practices sound nefarious. Monetizing one’s public service happens all the time. Former government folks become consultants for industry, or lobbyists, or news analysts.
Monetizing one’s security clearance sounds like taking money to divulge classified information. There’s no evidence that this is happening with anybody on the list.
Politicizing either just amounts to having political views while possessing a security clearance. And like Adam says, this is a first amendment issue.
The Midnight Lurker
@TenguPhule: Oh, well… let’s please keep it to a manageable number! How many this year?
Lapassionara
@Major Major Major Major: I didn’t know a person could rent goats! Great!
Jay
@Cermet:
It’s an inspection and repair “piggyback” satellite.
So, it has sensor’s capable of some remote “diagnosis” and “tool systems” capable of making some repairs.
The “strange behaviour ” is probably the satellite maneuvering towards non-Russian satellites to “inspect them”.
YetAnotherJay formerly (Jay S)
@Adam L Silverman: I suspect Omarosa has her own schedule for tape drops, some of it might be governed by expected Trump responses to her triggers and scripted like a video game. Sure there will be a scheduled Friday dump for weekend consumption, but I am guessing tonight might be yet another.
Adam L Silverman
@YetAnotherJay formerly (Jay S): Makes sense.
SiubhanDuinne
@Cheryl Rofer:
I finally got around to reading both the WaPo and the FTFNYT news articles, and neither one of them mentioned that the date on the letter was a full three weeks ago (July 26). I find that fascinating, that neither newspaper saw fit to make note of a three-week lag time from executing the letter to making the announcement of Brennan’s security revocation.
Haven’t seen video or a transcript of today’s SHS press briefing, but I’d be inclined to wager that none of the WH correspondents in the room even noted or asked why the delay.
Steeplejack
@Corner Stone:
I have this background feeling that she’s some sort of nepotism/legacy plant, details unknown.
J R in WV
@trollhattan:
Dan Schorr was a hero in his time as a reporter. At the time no one expected Nixon to resign, and Nixon was probably capable of ordering the detention of anyone on the enemies list.
We could use half a dozen reporters like Dan Schorr today, it would keep all of them busy.
Adam L Silverman
@Steeplejack: She’s the widow of Michael Hastings. Worked as a spokesperson in the Bush 43 DOJ and was comms director for Rand Paul for a while. She’s been pretty vocal in repudiating Paul given his behavior towards the Russians and the President.
Duane
Never expected to see a time when a president’s security status could be in such dispute. Supporter’s of Trumpov will do anything to get their way, even at their own detriment People under a bridge with a curtain rod looking for a sparrow , and millions more willing to join them.
SiubhanDuinne
@Adam L Silverman:
Also too, never neglect to mention that you love their shoes (per the advice of the kid in The American President).
SiubhanDuinne
@NotMax:
QUIT CALLING HIM SHIRLEY!!
J R in WV
@Corner Stone:
That’s because, like many of us, Mr. Brennan knows full well that Trump is not a valid, elected, president. As such, the most Trump deserves is a “Mr.” in front of his name. Mr. Brennan is far more polite than I.
No “Mr.” for Trump from me.
Cermet
@TenguPhule: I do not think so; besides, the volume of space in low orbit is still vast and the mass of a sat rather small. Besides, a satellite was destroyed by an anti-sat killer not too long ago and low orbit is still very safe. I believe the movie Gravity over played that issue; but then, compared to that utter pile of shit of the a Mars’ movie called, I believe, “The Martian” (they got about zero right), Gravity was a outlier. At least Gravity got far more right, I believe, than wrong.
J R in WV
@smintheus:
Just a guess… same reason Ted Cruz’s daughter won’t let him touch her? Vile loathsome oil-covered slug-creature and you think kids don’t know? Kids see through those disguises!
SiubhanDuinne
@Martin:
WTF, man?
Steeplejack
@Adam L Silverman:
I knew she worked somewhere in the Bush 43 administration. But her résumé seems thin for as much as she appears on MSNBC (especially Morning Joe), and she rarely seems to add much to the discussion. IMO, of course.
Elizabelle
@J R in WV: Agreed! Trump is an illegitimate president. Please let that come out soon.
trnc
@Adam L Silverman:
Question: Did DT’s action harm Brennan? I see it as more harmful to the country than to any of the people who have lost or will lose access. How does a retired official use their access, other than to assist current officials in understanding intelligence for a given situation, or to comment broadly in public on an unfolding situation?
I suppose lack of access may lead to not being able to make those tv appearances, so that’s a personal loss, but nowhere near what the people of this country lose.
Steve in the ATL
@Major Major Major Major: “We have rental goats at the office right now clearing brush.”
Oh, that’s clever. I’ve been using my rental goats to harass the union bargaining team.
Steve in the ATL
@J R in WV: I go with “trump”, no capital T, but I can be petty
The Lodger
@Adam L Silverman: You’ve done time in New England? Those Mass drivers can be pretty lethal.
Gex
@Cermet: suddenly have Real Genius in my thoughts
Adam L Silverman
@trnc: It doesn’t harm Brennan, it does harm DCI Haspell or DNI Coates ability to consult with him during a national security emergency. The actual harm done is to the safety and security of the US, as well as the 1st Amendment violation.
NotMax
@Adam L. Silverman
Rand Careaga
@smintheus:
That’s a trick question, right?
A Ghost To Most
@Major Major Major Major:
Whether we live or die or not the issue. Whether American democracy lives or dies is the issue.
When you understand that, you will understand what it means to be an American.
Take care of yourself. It’s what matters to you.
schrodingers_cat
@Major Major Major Major: Only today?
TenguPhule
@The Midnight Lurker: Eight plus Randy Paul.
And the year isn’t over yet.
TenguPhule
@Cermet:
Depends on what kind of kill ratio the first domino can achieve, some of those orbits come close enough that collateral fragmentation could damage or destroy a good chunk and also make it hazardous to replace that particular orbital zone until the biggest stuff falls down and burns up.
TenguPhule
@Steve in the ATL:
You laugh now. Then you will discover the union hired rental stoats in return.
Gelfling 545
@Corner Stone: He could at least have tut tutted a little.
The Midnight Lurker
@TenguPhule: Are you also counting Don Huffines, Texas congress critter? And how do you know how many in Paul’s little party, because I have not been able to find a list of people who accompanied him or their names.
TenguPhule
@The Midnight Lurker: Yes. I assumed he was the only one with Randy Paul.
trnc
@Adam L Silverman: Thanks.
How does the prez authority over classification compare to the power to pardon? Is there a limit? Yes, DT misuses both according to his own personal whims, but legally, the decision is his?
My point is, presidential power was built over the years under the assumption that certain norms will be followed.Having a totally I’d based narcissist for prez shatters those assumptions. I expect these concerns to be addressed in a 100% partisan fashion moving forward (although there’s already a history – Garland, stovepiping, etc).