Behind The Ukraine Aid Freeze: 84 Days Of Conflict And Confusion

The inside story of resident Trump’s demand to halt military assistance to an ally shows the price he was willing to pay to carry out his agenda.

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/29/us/politics/trump-ukraine-military-aid.html

The Unfairness Of It All

Top Republican gives absurd defense of Trump tweeting whistleblower’s name

Republican lawmaker Steve Scalise just defended Trump tweeting the whistleblower’s name.

Merry Trumpmas

Tulsi Gabbard's Present Vote Unpacked | Tim Black

Tulsi Gabbard voted “present” on both articles of impeachment brought against resident Trump.

Democrats Hit Back Hard Against Mitch McConnell’s Laziness

There are currently close to 300 bills that have passed the House of Representatives sitting on Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s desk that he refuses to bring up for debate. Democrats in the Senate have had enough, and they began tweeting out pictures of the stack of bills this week in an effort to both shame McConnell and fight back against the “Do Nothing Democrat” label Republicans have created. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this strategy.



https://www.newsweek.com/democratic-senators-tweeting-photos-giant-pile-dead-house-passed-bills-mitch-mcconnell-desk-1478047

Rudy Giuliani Wins “Scoundrel Of The Year” Honor

The Republicans might still be bitter about Greta Thunberg winning Time Magazine’s Person of the Year award, but they still got one for themselves: Rudy Giuliani has officially been named as The New Republic’s “Scoundrel of the Year.” And that’s quite a good pick.

Giuliani has managed to be at the heart of all of Trump’s scandals, and has proven through his countless media appearances that he is grossly incompetent and more than a little unhinged. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses Giuliani’s new accolades.

America's Toady

How Nancy Pelosi Should Handle Impeachment

Nancy Pelosi is bungling Trump’s impeachment. Cenk Uygur, Jayar Jackson, and Francesca Fiorentini, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

"The House’s impeachment debate on Wednesday held surprises for few across party lines – including for viewers of Fox News.

For most of the day, the resident’s favorite channel covered the debate straight; the vast majority of the afternoon deferred to the live feed of the House floor. News anchors such as Chris Wallace and Bret Baier would occasionally jump in with commentary, largely to signpost the oft-used “historic” label and the debate’s deep partisan schism.

“No matter what you think of the resident, after today we will never talk about the 45th resident of the United States the same way again,” Baier said."

Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Jayar Jackson, Francesca Fiorentini

Cast: Cenk Uygur, Jayar Jackson, Francesca Fiorentini

https://www.theguardian.com/media/2019/dec/18/trump-impeachment-fox-news-response

Joe Biden Democratic Debate Answer Was Amazingly Bad | Tim Black

Joe Biden's answer to this question was so bad it might grind his campaign to a halt.

Note To Democrats: Don’t Fuck Up The Post-Impeachment Process

Posted by Rude One

Every once in an increasingly regular while, I just feel like someone needs to sit Democratic leaders and members of Congress down and explain to them How the World Works Now. See, they are approaching the completed impeachment and the hopefully forthcoming trial of Donald Trump as a solemn and serious occasion for reflection on one’s Oath of Office and the Constitution, hoping that their solemnity and seriousness will be the gravity that brings Americans to earth with the understanding that, yes, obviously, Donald Trump has as much business being resident as he does doing anything other than handing out shopping carts at Home Depot and telling customers about great deals on paint. Even then, he’d probably be a dick about it.

So, while one might think that seriousness is the proper response to the political turmoil and the potential removal of a resident for the first time in our nation’s history, that’s not How the World Works Now.

Right now, Republicans are going full dickhole on opposing Trump's impeachment, trial, and removal. Since well before the vote yesterday, the GOP and allied groups have been running ads about how Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is going to use a strap-on on Uncle Sam and the Do-Nothing Democrats are literally masturbating in the House chamber rather than passing everything that their Lord and Savior Trump wants. Democrats and their groups, meanwhile, are essentially buying into the Republican narrative by releasing ads touting all the shit they are doing on health care and other stuff, like little brothers insisting, "We're not do-nuttin'" to their noogying older siblings.

Messaging for Democrats has never been a strong suit. When we have swept into office in wave elections, like in 2006, 2008, and 2018, it's been because Republicans were finally so abjectly awful that most voters could no longer live with themselves voting for them. But the thing is that Republicans are masterful at disinformation, and they will lie and lie and lie some more in order to pound a lie into the brains of anyone paying even scant attention. "Ukraine meddled in the 2016 election" and "Joe Biden got the prosecutor fired to protect his son" will be crammed down the same throats who eagerly swallowed the load of whatever the fuck Hillary Clinton supposedly did in Benghazi, despite multiple hearings exonerating her, and, of course, now and forever, her emails.

Don't fuck this up, Democrats. That's the message here. We already fucked up on the Mueller Report, and now it's an article of faith among the faithless that Trump did nothing wrong in the "Russia hoax," despite the report very clearly and thoroughly explaining that he did a shit-ton wrong and that Congress needed to get off its ass and do something about it. Democrats let it go because it was too complicated and because the Mueller show wasn't entertaining enough.

I cannot begin to catalog all the ways Democrats have fucked up. The list of grievances here would be so long and so enraging that it'd make calm heads burst and spray viscera all over their nice Christmas trees or menorahs or cornucopias or whatever the fuck you have up. It would include the failure of the left to fund a liberal media message delivery system in the same way that the right has talk radio and Fox "news" and its devolved children, OAN and others. All that shit was and still is propped up by rich fucks like Sheldon Adelson and the Koch cocks. It would include the failure to force the country into an electoral reckoning over the 2000 election. It would include the failure to go to the barricades over Merrick fucking Garland.

Time and again, Democrats have played this game like there is honor in it instead of playing it to fucking destroy the opposition. Time and again, we have let Republicans set the terms of the contract and just signed along. Time and again, they dared Democrats to vary from a pre-ordained set of responses, going full force after any Democrat that dared to call "bullshit" on them.

The fact that Nancy Pelosi is holding back on sending the impeachment articles over to the Senate has enraged Republicans because it upset the script and showed that maybe, just maybe, this time Democrats weren't going to accept the Republican rules in this game. It's the smart play, and they have no idea how the hell to respond. Now, it's time to mobilize the public and market the shit out of the removal of Donald Trump from office.

Democrats need to be gearing up for the greatest battle of our recent lives. They need to go big, with everything from billboards on the highways to ads out the wazoo. I mean pounding the fucking message until it drowns out other shit. This is How the World Works Now. We are never out of campaign mode, and nothing is so serious or important that it can't be marketed to the hilt. To pretend otherwise is to cede the ground on convincing everyone to the Republicans. It would once again allow them to set the terms of the argument.

Fuck that. Create a new playing field, one where the dominant message is this: "You are only a good American if you support removing Donald Trump from office." It's that simple. We punish criminals, and Trump is a criminal; ergo, get him the fuck out of there. Hell, the column from Christianity Today that calls for Trump's removal from office is incredible support for that stance.

This will require a massive amount of spending, as well as Democrats sucking up their reticence to really get down in the shit pool with Republicans and slug it out. But if you don't get dirty, the GOP will take it as weakness and exploit that until there is nothing to impeachment and the whole thing will have been just to put an asterisk next to Trump's name.

Sure, it's something. But it's not enough. If you win this messaging war, you can shift the narrative, and that's the real game changer. It means that even if not a single GOP Senator changes their closed, Trump-owned minds, the voters will know what the deal is.

Barring a miracle, Trump won't be removed by the Senate. But if Democrats succeed only a bit at this war, they will finish the job in November.

Trump should be removed from office

It’s time to say what we said 20 years ago when a president’s character was revealed for what it was.

 

By Mark Galli 

 

December 19, 2019

 

In our founding documents, Billy Graham explains that Christianity Today will help evangelical Christians interpret the news in a manner that reflects their faith. The impeachment of Donald Trump is a significant event in the story of our republic. It requires comment.

The typical CT approach is to stay above the fray and allow Christians with different political convictions to make their arguments in the public square, to encourage all to pursue justice according to their convictions and treat their political opposition as charitably as possible. We want CT to be a place that welcomes Christians from across the political spectrum, and reminds everyone that politics is not the end and purpose of our being. We take pride in the fact, for instance, that politics does not dominate our homepage.

That said, we do feel it necessary from time to time to make our own opinions on political matters clear—always, as Billy Graham encouraged us, doing so with both conviction and love. We love and pray for our president, as we love and pray for leaders (as well as ordinary citizens) on both sides of the political aisle.

Let’s grant this to the president: The Democrats have had it out for him from day one, and therefore nearly everything they do is under a cloud of partisan suspicion. This has led many to suspect not only motives but facts in these recent impeachment hearings. And, no, Mr. Trump did not have a serious opportunity to offer his side of the story in the House hearings on impeachment.

But the facts in this instance are unambiguous: The president of the United States attempted to use his political power to coerce a foreign leader to harass and discredit one of the president’s political opponents. That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral.

The reason many are not shocked about this is that this president has dumbed down the idea of morality in his administration. He has hired and fired a number of people who are now convicted criminals. He himself has admitted to immoral actions in business and his relationship with women, about which he remains proud. His Twitter feed alone—with its habitual string of mischaracterizations, lies, and slanders—is a near perfect example of a human being who is morally lost and confused.

Trump’s evangelical supporters have pointed to his Supreme Court nominees, his defense of religious liberty, and his stewardship of the economy, among other things, as achievements that justify their support of the president. We believe the impeachment hearings have made it absolutely clear, in a way the Mueller investigation did not, that President Trump has abused his authority for personal gain and betrayed his constitutional oath. The impeachment hearings have illuminated the president’s moral deficiencies for all to see. This damages the institution of the presidency, damages the reputation of our country, and damages both the spirit and the future of our people. None of the president’s positives can balance the moral and political danger we face under a leader of such grossly immoral character.

This concern for the character of our national leader is not new in CT. In 1998, we wrote this:

The President's failure to tell the truth—even when cornered—rips at the fabric of the nation. This is not a private affair. For above all, social intercourse is built on a presumption of trust: trust that the milk your grocer sells you is wholesome and pure; trust that the money you put in your bank can be taken out of the bank; trust that your babysitter, firefighters, clergy, and ambulance drivers will all do their best. And while politicians are notorious for breaking campaign promises, while in office they have a fundamental obligation to uphold our trust in them and to live by the law.

And this:

Unsavory dealings and immoral acts by the President and those close to him have rendered this administration morally unable to lead.

Unfortunately, the words that we applied to Mr. Clinton 20 years ago apply almost perfectly to our current president. Whether Mr. Trump should be removed from office by the Senate or by popular vote next election—that is a matter of prudential judgment. That he should be removed, we believe, is not a matter of partisan loyalties but loyalty to the Creator of the Ten Commandments.

To the many evangelicals who continue to support Mr. Trump in spite of his blackened moral record, we might say this: Remember who you are and whom you serve. Consider how your justification of Mr. Trump influences your witness to your Lord and Savior. Consider what an unbelieving world will say if you continue to brush off Mr. Trump’s immoral words and behavior in the cause of political expediency. If we don’t reverse course now, will anyone take anything we say about justice and righteousness with any seriousness for decades to come? Can we say with a straight face that abortion is a great evil that cannot be tolerated and, with the same straight face, say that the bent and broken character of our nation’s leader doesn’t really matter in the end?

We have reserved judgment on Mr. Trump for years now. Some have criticized us for our reserve. But when it comes to condemning the behavior of another, patient charity must come first. So we have done our best to give evangelical Trump supporters their due, to try to understand their point of view, to see the prudential nature of so many political decisions they have made regarding Mr. Trump. To use an old cliché, it’s time to call a spade a spade, to say that no matter how many hands we win in this political poker game, we are playing with a stacked deck of gross immorality and ethical incompetence. And just when we think it’s time to push all our chips to the center of the table, that’s when the whole game will come crashing down. It will crash down on the reputation of evangelical religion and on the world’s understanding of the gospel. And it will come crashing down on a nation of men and women whose welfare is also our concern.

Mark Galli is editor in chief of Christianity Today.

Christianity Today Editor-In-Chief: Trump’s Character Is Troublesome | Velshi & Ruhle | MSNBC

 

Tulsi Gabbard Mocked For Her 'Present' Votes On Impeachment

Twitter users had a field day, both with her votes and her self-serving "explanation".



Source

Why Can’t Democrats See That Joe Biden Is A Disaster Of A Candidate?

According to the latest round of polling, Joe Biden still holds a lead over all of the other Democratic candidates. This is disappointing, to say the least, as Biden has zero chance to beat Trump in 2020.

The Republicans have already painted him as a corrupt, senile old man, and that image is sticking with Republicans. It doesn’t matter that it is hypocritical, they got there first. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins lays out more reasons why Biden is a horrible candidate.



https://theweek.com/articles/884677/democrats-are-sleepwalking-into-biden-disaster

Pathetic! Trump Plays A LOSER After Ana Navarro EXPOSES White House Staff

Malcolm Nance: Russian TV is bragging about it.

Read Malcolm's book, "The Plot to Hack America"

https://www.amazon.com/Plot-Hack-America-Cyberspies-WikiLeaks-ebook/dp/B01M0VGPLY/ 

It's Elementary

DONALD TRUMP IMPEACHED

House of Representatives charges the resident with abuse of power and obstruction of Congress

• The House of Representatives impeached resident Donald Trump on Wednesday. He is the third resident in history to be impeached.
• The chamber is voting on two articles of impeachment against Trump. The first article, charging Trump with abuse of power, passed the House with a vote of 230-197.
• House lawmakers also voted to pass the second article of impeachment, which charges Trump with obstruction of Congress, with a vote of 229-198.
• Both articles relate to Trump's efforts to solicit Ukraine's interference in the 2020 election while withholding vital military aid and a White House meeting that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky desperately sought.
• Next, the impeachment proceedings will go to the Republican controlled Senate, which is widely expected to acquit the resident.

Laurence Tribe: Make Trump 'The O.J. Simpson Of Presidents'

Talking impeachment with Joy Reid, Laurence Tribe urges Democrats to turn Donald Trump into "the O.J. Simpson of presidents" if Sen. Mitch McConnell refuses to conduct a full and fair impeachment trial in the Senate.



https://crooksandliars.com/2019/12/laurence-tribe-make-trump-oj-simpson-presidents

Terrified Trump Says He May Skip 2020 Presidential Debates

According to reports, Donald Trump has been talking with his advisers about the possibility of simply skipping the 2020 presidential debates. He claims that the media won’t be fair to him, but the truth is that he’s terrified of the thought of going up against anyone who is going to call out his lies and his pathetic record as resident. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.



https://www.nytimes.com/2019/12/12/us/politics/trump-presidential-debate-democrat.html

A Few Questions For Enraged Republicans

Posted by Rude One

In the wake of Democrats finally loading the cannon on actual articles of impeachment, Republicans are somewhere between frantic denial and explosive apoplexy as they insist that Donald Trump did nothing wrong in his dealings with Ukraine and Congress. So I have a few questions for 'em.

1. If Ukraine is so corrupt, why was no funding held up in 2017 and 2018? And why was corruption in Ukraine not a significant part of any hearings in the House of Representatives in those years, when Republicans were in the majority? (And in hearings in the Senate, corruption in Ukraine was seen as directly being influenced by Russia.)

2. If Ukraine continues to be so corrupt, why were the funds even released in 2019 when they made no tangible additional effort to fight corruption between July and September?

3. If Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election in the United States, why did the Republican-run committees in the House ignore that in 2017 and 2018? Not a single hearing looked into that in those years, although hearings did focus on how Ukraine needed the support of the United States against Russia.

4. If Hunter Biden did something so awful, how come Republicans in the House didn't investigate it in 2017 or 2018? Devin Nunes was the chair of the Intelligence Committee, and Republicans chaired the Foreign Affairs and Judiciary committees. But the name "Biden" barely comes up in hearings, mostly in a historical context. And "Hunter Biden" is simply nowhere to be found. What made him more corrupt in 2019?

5. You ask rhetorically if the United States shouldn't pursue an investigation against Burisma and Hunter Biden just because he's the son of the president's political opponent. resident Trump was asked if he had asked for investigations of a single other person or entity in Ukraine, and he couldn't answer. Do you have an answer? Why didn't you pursue those in 2017 and 2018? Do you think it's okay to only investigate Hunter Biden?

6. When a Democratic president's staff is subpoenaed to come before Congress, do you agree that that president should be allowed to order them to defy the subpoena?

7. When a Democratic president refuses to allow any documents to be given to Congress during investigations, do you support that?

8. If a Democratic president asks for a favor from the leader of, perhaps, Israel to look into, say,  business deals of the Trump family because Israel is so corrupt, are you okay with that? Would you support that president withholding aid to Israel until they dealt with the issue?

These are all ridiculous questions because Republicans have decided that any sense of consistency, dignity, or honesty must be subsumed in their deeply depraved defense of Donald Trump. 
They are all his willing bitches and he's their enthusiastic pimp, sending them out to fuck the country, knock it out, and take its wallet.

Michael Bloomberg Thinks He’s The Only Candidate Who Can Beat Trump

Billionaire Michael Bloomberg told an interviewer this week that the entire field of Democratic candidates was weak and that Trump would eat them alive during the campaign. Of course, he believes that he is the exception to this, which is laughable. 

There are plenty of Democratic candidates who would lose to Trump, both electorally and in a debate, but there are also several who would destroy him. 

Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

https://edition.cnn.com/2019/12/10/politics/michael-bloomberg-democratic-field-donald-trump-cnntv/index.html?iid=ob_lockedrail_topeditorial 

Trump’s Kids Forced To Attend Classes On How NOT To Defraud A Charity

As part of a settlement agreement over the misuse of charitable funds, Trump’s kids Don Jr., Ivanka, and Eric are being forced to take a course on how not to defraud a charity.

Imagine being so corrupt that a judge actually orders you to take classes on how to NOT be corrupt.

Sadly, that’s the world we’re living in with the current leader of the United States and his family.

Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.



https://www.rawstory.com/2019/12/trumps-children-must-undergo-mandatory-training-to-learn-how-to-avoid-defrauding-charities/

Atty. General Barr Is Lying To America About Ukraine

Former FBI Assistant Director for Counterintelligence Frank Figliuzzi reacts to Atty. General Barr's answers on who hacked the 2016 election. Aired on 12/10/19.

Trump Campaign Compares Him To Genocidal Marvel Supervillain

The Trump War Room, an extension of the Trump for resident campaign, tweeted out a video depicting Donald Trump as Marvel supervillain Thanos, thinking that it would be the best way to own the liberals.

But the campaign must not have actually watched the movie, because Thanos loses in the end, and the clip they chose to superimpose Trump’s head onto is just moments before Thanos’s plan falls apart. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.



https://www.huffpost.com/entry/trump-campaign-tweet-thanos_n_5df0203ee4b06a50a2e63bb0

Trump campaign's weird Thanos video. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

Trump Team Mocked For Comparing Him To Supervillian

YIKES!!! House Republicans Just Had A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Impeachment Day!

Jesse Dollemore talks about the disastrous showing from the Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee related to the ongoing Impeachment Inquiry into Donald Trump's corruption.

Minority counsel Steve Castor blew it in the face of a day filled with fact questions from Democrats.

Even the Republicans childish procedural pranks/tactics fell flat!

Get Behind Bernie Sanders Or All Is Lost

A Tim Black Show Freedom Friday Caller "Laura from Alaska" talks politics 60's, MLK, JFK, Nixon to today's Trump, Bernie and horrid Alaska Governor Mike Dunleavy.

Psychiatrists Warn Congress About Dangers Of Trump’s Declining Mental State

A group of several hundred psychiatrists and mental health professionals have sent a letter to Congress urging them take Donald Trump’s declining mental state seriously, and also warning of the consequences of his cognitive decline.

The resident is completely detached from reality, the professionals warn, and if we don’t do something about this matter now it could cost all of us in the long run.

Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses this.

Joe Biden Is The Hillary Clinton Of The 2020 Election

Joe Biden might still be the front runner in most polls, but he isn’t the candidate who can beat Donald Trump.

In fact, all of the problems that Hillary Clinton had in 2016 are resurfacing with Biden, both the real and the imagined.

And, like Clinton, some of the attacks on Biden are unfair, but that doesn’t mean that they won’t resonate with independent voters and swing the election back towards Trump.

Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains the parallels between Biden 2020 and Clinton 2016.

Nunes goes viral for SHAMEFUL stunt while being questioned by reporter

THE CULT HAS SPOKEN!!! In New Poll Republicans Say Trump Is Greater Than Abraham Lincoln!

Jesse Dollemore talks about the perplexing stupidity of Donald Trump and the further confusing worship of him by Republicans.

In a recent Economist/YouGov poll a majority of Republicans said Trump was the greatest Republican resident over Abraham Lincoln.

This is despite his impending impeachment, treacherous self-dealing, and brazen serial violations of his oath to the Constitution of the United States and his Oath of Office.

Nothing Is True

Maga Vision Goggles

Agony Of The Donor Class

The Great Bank Robbery

Loathsome George Zimmerman Sues Victims For $100 Million

Zimmerman and his lawyer are alleging that one of the witnesses in the 2013 trial, during which he was acquitted in the fatal shooting of the unarmed black teenager, was a fake.

Trump Becomes Global Laughing Stock At NATO Summit

Donald Trump attended the first day of the NATO Summit yesterday, where he promptly became the laughing stock of the entire world.

He was fact-checked by foreign leaders during press conferences, snubbed by a member of the British Royal Family, and even mocked behind his back by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.

These people don’t take Trump seriously, and neither should American voters, as Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins explains.



https://www.businessinsider.com/nato-summit-recap-trump-embarrassing-nobody-taking-seriously-2019-12

Trump is a clown to the rest of the world. Cenk Uygur, Emma Vigeland, and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.



https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/472939-nato-leaders-appear-to-gossip-about-trump-in-viral-clip

Chris Matthews On World Leaders Laughing At Trump: He’s A Joke Now

At a Buckingham Palace reception on Tuesday night, the leaders of Canada, France and Britain could be heard talking informally among themselves about the resident. Chris says, "He's a joke now ... he sort of earned that role. Let's face it, he doesn't want to be a member of NATO, he doesn't want to be an ally of anybody, the only friends he has or world monsters." Aired on 12/4/19.

300+ Trump ads taken down by Google, YouTube

60 Minutes finds over 300 video ads for resident Trump were taken down, mostly over the summer, for violating company policy

Melania Trump Loudly Booed At Opioid Summit In Baltimore

At a youth summit for opioid awareness in Baltimore, Maryland, First Lady Melania Trump took the stage to a chorus of some applause — but mostly loud boos. Aired on 11/26/19.

Trump Touts "Gorgeous Chest" In Bizarre Florida Rally

SECRET Trump And Giuliani Recordings Sent To Congress

A report indicates that the House Intel Committee got their hands on recordings from Giuliani associate, Lev Parnas. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

Parkland Father Slams McConnell And Trump Over Inaction On Guns

It's been almost two years since the mass school shooting in Parkland left 17 people dead.

Now, the father of one of the victims is calling out resident Trump and top Republicans - accusing them of doing nothing about it.

Stephanie Ruhle speaks with that father, Fred Guttenberg and Johns Hopkins Center for Gun Policy and Research Deputy Director Cassandra Crifasi about why House bills on guns are languishing in the Senate. Aired on 11/26/19.

Devin Nunes Thrown Under Bus By Rudy Giuliani Associate Lev Parnas

Devin Nunes is in some hot water. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

Note To Democrats: Call The GOP's Bluff

Posted by Rude One

Oh, it would be a shit show of open sewer proportions, for sure. It would be a scuzzy circus on top of a cheap zoo covered with crazy sauce. But House Democrats should call the bluff of the increasingly divorced-from-reality Republicans and hold hearings on all the fuckery they claim has been going on. Like fuckin' all of it. Like let's attempt to blow this shit up once and for all.

Just tell Republicans at different committees, "You wanna go? Let's go, motherfuckers. Call your witnesses. But everyone has to go under oath. Every fucking witness."

Start with one bullshit conspiracy and then move on to the next. You wanna prove that Ukraine interfered in the 2016 election, Republicans? Fine. Look at one of Devin Nunes's repetitive mad rants during the impeachment hearings and see who they might want to testify. Alexandra Chalupa? Groovy. How about all the Ukrainians that Republicans claim know shit about Hunter Biden or the 2016 election? Awesome. Bring 'em all in, Valeriy Chaly, Viktor Shokin (that'll make you shit blood, eh, Devin?), and more. And, sure, why not, let's get Hunter Biden.  Do it up.

However, Democrats get to invite witnesses, too. Lev Parnas and Serhiy Leshchenko, perhaps. Hell, bring in Joe Biden.

Let's get it all out there. "Black book" and "Steele dossier" are still involved in this madness.  So call back in Glenn Simpson, along with Peter Fritsch, two of the founders of Fusion GPS, who can explain one more goddamn time about the Republican origins of the Steele dossier and about how they have no connection to Ukraine and how deeply, deeply Trump is in with Russia.

You wanna see how divorced from reality things are now? Check out this moment from their New York Times editorial this past Sunday, when Simpson found himself on a plane with Rudy Giuliani.

"'I understand you think I spent a lot of time in Ukraine?' Mr. Simpson inquired.

"'You did spend some time in Ukraine,' Mr. Giuliani replied.

"'Did I?' Mr. Simpson asked as he waved his phone in front of Mr. Giuliani, signaling that he was recording the encounter. 'What if I told you I have never been to Ukraine in my life?'

"'Well,' Mr. Giuliani replied with equanimity, 'O.K. I will find out if that’s true or not.'"

Essentially, the GOP has become a machine to back up whatever insanity is coursing through Donald Trump's shrinking brain or whatever lie has been concocted to cover up the latest crimes. It's like if you're a Republican member of Congress, you must wake up and get a text message from your leadership that says something like, "Okay, we no longer trust the entire intelligence apparatus of the United States. We have to say no one knows anything about who might have the DNC server," and you might want to text back that there really isn't a "DNC server" that can be sent around and hidden like Napoleon's penis. But you know better because Trump has gotten in his head that some acid-washed black box is sitting in a room in Kyiv, and that's the GOP's belief now, even if it's bugnuts insane.

Why do this? Why give them the freak show that they so claim they want? It won't change many minds. People who don't live in reality tend not to give a flaming monkey fuck if you show them facts. So screw them. But so many elections these days, especially on the state and national level, are a matter of a percentage point or two. And if hearings can nudge that one or two percent by demonstrating that Republicans are full of shit, Democrats have to hold their noses and do it.

And it'll also solidify the narrative that so many of us know is true. That Donald Trump was the beneficiary of election interference from Russia, almost certainly knowingly, and that he openly sought election interference from Ukraine, warping U.S. foreign policy in order to assure his reelection. It's not that complicated. It's all about greed and power and madness.

We can't go on like this, as a country where there are two completely different versions of reality, one based in facts and one based in fantasy, especially when the fantasy side has built up a web of doubt against facts. If we had a functional news media (and no Fox "news"), it could do the job. But we don't, and we now have the party that controls the executive branch, most of the judiciary, and half the legislative branch actively seeking to replace facts with fantasy. The kick in the ass is that most of them know it's a fantasy and don't give a shit as long as they maintain power.

It's an odious fucking task for Democrats. But while they have the ability to tear at that web through hearings, they need to do it until the goddamn thing snaps enough to make a difference. Or we're all gonna get trapped in it.

New Game PC, PS3 and XBOX 360 - Knights of al-Aqsa Mosque

New Game PC, PS3 and XBOX360 - Knights of al-Aqsa Mosque

Assalamu Alaykum (Peace be with you)
First of all, I would like to thank my friend @dlevere for supporting me by promoting my game projects on his website gamehacking.org/ and now here.

Also I would like to thank my brazillian fellow, ROD Lima, for all his help with Unreal Scripting Programming. He is most known for his Resident Evil 2 Fan Remake in UDK Engine:

I would like also to thank my friends at UDK Engine Forums (https://forums.unrealengine.com/legacy-tools-unreal-engine-3-udk) for all their help and support.

As you may know, recently I had to put offline my project UDK Ultimate Engine (the custom build of UDK Engine with PS3 and Xbox360 Export Support) for copyrights reasons (EPIC asked me to do this), however, they were very kind with me and allowed me to keep using my custom version of UDK to publish my games, I even signed with them an Unreal Engine License Commercial Amendment, so now I am a Licensed Unreal Engine Developer and I am ready to pursue my dream of life!





DISCLAIMER: In this game, the player does not shoot Israeli civilians, women, children, elderly, only soldiers. Also in this game there are NO images of sexual content, illicit drugs, religious desecration, hate of speech against any group, ethnicity or religion, anti-Semitist propaganda against Jews, Nazi propaganda or boasting of any terrorist groups and / or other unlawful acts. This game only contains the virtual representation of the Palestinian Resistance Movement against the Israeli Military Occupation, which is officially recognized by the United Nations (UN). I even sent this project for Brazillian's Government Justice Department, Age Rating Sector (kinda Brazillian ESRB) for their approval and age rating. This project was approved, now I am just waiting for the Age Rating Information of my game which will be available very soon on their website (http://portal.mj.gov.br/ClassificacaoIndicativa/jsps/ConsultarJogoForm.do)

I am Brazillian, from Arab ascendance, my father is from Palestine, and something I never revealed before, and one of the biggest reasons of me creating this game, is that my father was a Fighter of the Palestine Resistance Movement, he fought against Israel Army in the Lebanese Civil War on the 70's, and from since I was a kid, I felt too much proud of my father and the Palestine People in General, because of their Strenght and Constant Resistance. So this game is kinda tribute to the Brave People of Palestine and their Resistance against Military Occupation.

Fursan al-Aqsa - Knights of al-Aqsa Mosque is a Third Person Action Game on which you play as Ahmad al-Ghazzawi, a young Palestinian Student who was unjustly tortured and jailed by Israeli Soldiers for 5 years, had all his family killed by an Israeli Airstrike and now after getting out from the prison he seeks revenge against those who wronged him, killed his family and stolen his homeland.

This game is being developed during the course of 4 years by one person (me, Nidal Nijm), in a custom version of UDK Engine (Unreal Engine 3), using the best technology to tell a compelling story through a game packed with non stop action, advanced 3D graphics and modern gameplay mechanics, however keeping the soul of old school shooters. You will play in missions accross ground, sea and sky, you have many objectives to accomplish in each mission, epic bosses battles, powerful guns, vehicles to drive, helicopters to take down, and much more. Expect a LOT of Action and Adrenaline!!!

This game also is greatly inspired by Hideo Kojima's Metal Gear Solid, Call of Duty Modern Warfare and Insurgency Sandstorm.
I hope you enjoy this game and support me by purchasing it, Insha Allah (God's Willing). I decided to release this game as episodes (missions), each mission by a symbolic value just to cover my development costs, as everyone knows that develop a game is not an easy task, it takes a lot of time and efforts. It will be a very small value, however any copy sold of this game is very important and will truly help me.

I hope until the end of this month (november) release a free demo of this game (for PC, PS3 and Xbox360), so people can enjoy and feel what my game is about, enjoy the game play, feel the action. I plan to make something similar to Metal Gear Solid VR Missions (If you may remember), on which I will teach the player the basis of the Gameplay, like training the player for the true battle that will come on the final game. About the first episode (mission), I hope to release it until the end of December, beginning of January 2020.

Robert De Niro: Donald Trump Is "A Fake Resident"

The star of "The Irishman" on Netflix makes his third visit to The Late Show and gives Stephen Colbert his honest opinion about resident Trump and some of the people seeking to replace him in 2020.

Elie Mystal Gets Real On Reparations With CSpan Caller Offering Him $2.00

She called on the Republican line in favor of reparations, but took a bizarre approach. Mystal treated her with more respect than many would have.

Lordy, There Are Tapes: Lev Parnas Hands Over Audio And Video To House Intelligence Committee

Lev Parnas has reportedly handed over potentially damning audio and video of Giuliani and Trump to the House Intelligence Committee

 

By Red Painter

 

Lordy, there are tapes. Audio and video tapes. And photos. And they include both Rudy Giuliani and Donald Trump, among others. ABC News is reporting that Lev Parnas, an associate of Rudy Giuliani, has handed over documents, photos and recordings to the House Intelligence Committee. It is unclear what the recordings include, or how they could implicate Giuliani or Trump.

Parnas' attorney, Joe Bondy, just last week made it clear that Parnas planned to comply with any subpoena issued, and had no loyalty to either Trump or Giuliani.

Bondy said in a statement:

"Mr. Parnas has vociferously and publicly asserted his wish to comply with his previously issued subpoena and to provide the House Intelligence Committee with truthful and important information that is in furtherance of justice, not to obstruct it. His evidence and potential testimony is non-partisan, and not intended to be part of a battle between the left and the right, but rather an aid in the determination by our government of what is in the best interests of our nation."

As a quick reminder, Parnas and another man, Igor Fruman were the two associates of Giuliani who were arrested at the airport as they allegedly tried to flee the United States. They are both Soviet born businessmen with shady business dealings, although at this point they have both only been charged with campaign finance violations. It is likely that those charges were a means to get them both in the legal system so they could be squeezed for information related to other investigations, including the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump.

Well, it looks like it may have paid off. It is possible that Parnas is still upset that Donald Trump denied knowing him, even after numerous photos and videos became public.

Maybe the House Intelligence Committee isn't quite done with its hearings just yet.
 

Lindsey Graham's Guide to GOP Impeachment Talking Points

Internet Erupts After Eric Swalwell Rips Massive “Fart” On Live TV

Former Democratic Presidential Candidate Eric Swalwell appeared to let a major fart rip on national television. This was during an appearance on Chris Matthews’ show Hardball on MSNBC.

The Internet immediately erupted, labeling the incident #FartGate, with both Matthews and Swalwell denying that it was actually a fart. Ring of Fire’s Farron Cousins discusses the absurdity of it all.



https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/addybaird/eric-swalwell-denies-fart-msnbc-chris-matthews

How Did Trump Lose Louisiana? | Morning Blow | MSNBC

Democrat John Bel Edwards won a second term as governor of Louisiana, beating Republican challenger Eddie Rispone delivering a blow to the resident and his efforts to boost members of his party. Aired on 11/18/19.

GOP Senators Will Be Forced To Remove Trump - Polling & Gov Races Show PEOPLE WANT TRUMP GONE!

The recent Republican gubernatorial losses in states like Louisiana and Kentucky are an indicator that people are growing fatigued by Trump. Further, the latest public polling data shows that an overwhelming number of Americans disapprove of Donald Trump's corrupt actions related to Ukraine.



https://www.politico.com/election-results/2019/louisiana/governor/

https://www.politico.com/election-results/2019/kentucky/

https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/70-americans-trumps-actions-tied-ukraine-wrong-poll/story?id=67088534

GUILTY! Roger Stone Is Going To Prison

Warren Triggers Crying Billionaire

Billionaires can’t stand Elizabeth Warren.

Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.

“Leon Cooperman has been one of several billionaires who has been vocally critical of Elizabeth Warren and concerned at the prospect of her becoming president. Warren has a new campaign ad set to air on CNBC tomorrow which swipes at Cooperman at others.

The ad plays Cooperman railing against her “vilification” of the wealthy before featuring a CHARGED WITH INSIDER TRADING graphic. (He ultimately settled with the SEC.)

The ad brings up criticism from others like Lloyd Blankfein and Peter Thiel. CNBC reported on the ad today, and received a pretty angry response from Cooperman:”

 Hosts: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

 Cast: Cenk Uygur, Ana Kasparian

https://www.mediaite.com/election-2020/billionaire-goes-off-on-warren-ad-swiping-at-him-she-doesnt-know-who-the-f-shes-tweeting/

Random Observations On Republicans Getting Kicked In The Taint

Posted by Rude One

1. At some point in the future, barring democracy's end, a Democrat will be president. Let's say for shits and giggles that it's, oh, hell, how about Alyssa Milano? Sure. Why not. Let's say that it's election time and Donald Trump, Jr. decides it's time to throw his dumpy ass into the mix. And let's say, and, why not, Junior's the frontrunner because, hell, Republicans have got no one else. Maybe Junior will have opened a Trump Tower in Jerusalem in the last few years, and that meant doing a lot of business with wealthy people in Israel. Now, as we know, there are politicians (Netanyahu) in Israel who are tits-deep in corruption. We also know that the United States gives a fuck-ton of money in aid to Israel, along with military equipment.

The Republicans' own characterization of what Donald Trump (Senior - that asshole we have now) did with asking for Ukraine to investigate Hunter Biden under the banner of "corruption" is that it was perfectly okay to make U.S. aid to Ukraine contingent on the investigation.

So in the future, if President Milano says that aid to Israel won't be released unless and until that country investigates Donald Trump, Junior, under the banner of "corruption," it's all good, right?

Because, see, that's what the fuck you're saying, Republicans. Now, we know that because you're Republicans, you eat and shit hypocrisy, which means that you'll act outraged and pretend that no one has ever done anything so outrageous in the history of ever. But, right now, you're saying that any president can do this to another country and to a political opponent. You want that, fuckers?

2. The best moments in today's impeachment hearings were ones that took Republicans, pulled down their pants, and smacked their asses red. It was pathetically hilarious to see Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan, that Ratshit guy, and the rest attempt to fuck the roadkill of the conspiracy theories that were run over time and again by officials who were not just Trump administration hires, but lifelong Republicans, like Kurt Volker and Jennifer Williams. Things got so bad, with GOP members of Congress stepping on their own dicks, stepping on each other's dicks, stepping on dicks that showed up just to be stepped on, that they were forced to try any attack, like on Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman's choice to wear his uniform to the hearing or the TV ratings, fer fuck's sake, or that no one used the word "bribery" in any of their testimony, which is the weirdest fucking thing since witnesses don't get to decide what crimes people will be charged with. Jesus, even Volker, who was pretty much caught lying and had to revise his testimony, couldn't really offer any help. It was utterly useless, but they're gonna pretend like they won a great victory because that's what skeevy hucksters like Donald Trump do.

3. My personal favorite moment came towards the end of the first part of the day. It was when Democratic (notice the adjective form of the word, the one that Republicans refuse to use because they're twat mites) Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney from New York had his five minutes to question Vindman and Williams. Maloney tore up the "hearsay" allegation that Republicans had kept tossing around on the first day by asking both witnesses about the July 25 phone call between Trump and Ukrainian President Zelensky: "You heard the call with your own ears, right?...Not second hand, not hearsay, you heard the resident speak. You heard his voice on the call?"

Then, with Vindman, Maloney fucked shit up for the GOP. He asked Vindman why he reported the call to the National Security Council's lead counsel. "Because that was my duty," Vindman said. Maloney asked Vindman to read again one of the final paragraphs of his opening statement, where Vindman was speaking to his father, who had brought his family to the United States, escaping the Soviet Union to do so. Lemme quote this in full:

VINDMAN: Dad, my sitting here today in the U.S. Capitol, talking to our elected officials, is proof that you made the right decision 40 years ago to leave the Soviet Union and come here to the United States America in search of a better life for our family. Do not worry, I will be fine for telling the truth.

MALONEY: You realize when you came forward out of sense of duty that you are putting yourself in direct opposition to the most powerful person in the world. Do you realize that, sir?

VINDMAN: I knew I was assuming a lot of risk.

MALONEY: And I'm struck by that word don't -- that phrase "do not worry," you addressed your dad. Was your dad a warrior?

VINDMAN: He did serve. It was a different military though.

MALONEY: And he would have worried if you were putting yourself up against the president of the United States, is that right?

VINDMAN: He deeply worried about it because in his context there was -- it was the ultimate risk.

MALONEY: And why you have confidence that you can do that and tell your dad not to worry?

VINDMAN: Congressman, because this is America. This is the country I have served and defended, that all of my brothers have served. And here, right matters.

A good number of the audience in the hearing room burst into applause.  Whether or not Vindman is correct about America, we shall see.

4. The picture of resident Trump that came through today is of an out-of-touch idiot who has listened to Rudy Giuliani, another out-of-touch idiot, both of them sharing delusions of conspiracy theories. And when people in the intelligence, national security, and foreign policy communities tried to tell Trump that the batshit allegations about Ukraine and the DNC server or the Bidens are batshit, Trump told them to fuck off and put Giuliani in charge, sending him on a mission to confirm the batshit allegations, eventually bribing Ukraine to almost join him in the delusion pool before all this shit was revealed by the whistleblower and confirmed by the multiple officials who have testified.

Seriously, this is like Trump sending people to search for Barack Obama's birth certificate, except now he gets to do it with the power of the Oval Office and the purse of the United States behind him.

5. Let's give the final word to Democratic Committee Chair Adam Schiff, who finally came about as close to losing his shit at Republicans as he has so far. In his closing remarks today, he pointed out that Republicans don't give a shit what Trump did. "Their objection is that he got caught," Schiff said. Then, getting more intense, he continued, "Their objection is that someone blew the whistle...their defense is that, well, he ended up releasing the aid. Yes! After he got caught. That doesn't make this any less odious."

I think things are going to get even more odious as Republicans start throwing everything at the hearings to see if something will derail the train that Schiff is driving straight at Trump.

(Note: You might think Trump's not really insane and is using the conspiracy theories as a cover for malevolence. I'd say that if he were truly that smart, he'd know to keep this shit quieter. )

The Young Turks Cenk Uygur Running For Congress

NOT DULL!!! MAJOR THINGS Were Learned From Day One Of Public Impeachment Hearings!

Yesterday was day one of the public portion of the impeachment inquiry. Although many in the media are claiming that the testimony was dull (or lacking in the circus atmosphere they pine for), there were MAJOR facts we learned that will lead to new and revealing witnesses who will very likely be subpoenaed as well.

Impeachment Hearings: Devin Nunes Leads the GOP Shit Spewers

Posted by Rude One

Of course, Republican Rep. Devin Nunes, the leading minority member of the House Intelligence Committee, was going to bring up the nude photo prank today, the first day of public impeachment hearings against resident Donald Trump. Nunes brought it up at the start of the inquiry back in late September, so he's a little obsessed with this.

The story is simple: In April 2017, a pair of Russian pranksters pretended to be Ukrainians, with one specifically saying he was the leader of the Rada, Ukraine's parliament, and they called and got through to Democratic Rep. Adam Schiff, currently chair of the House Intelligence Committee. They told Schiff that a female Russian TV star had had an affair with Trump and now possessed nude photos of him. They also had recordings, they claimed, of the woman and a journalist discussing this kompromat. Schiff was poker-voiced through the entire thing and ended it by saying he would refer it to the FBI. That's it. That's the whole episode. Schiff's spokesperson said later that Schiff suspected it was a prank.

For Nunes and others on the right, the fact that Schiff didn't yell, "Bullshit!" and cut off the call is prima facie evidence that Schiff cannot be trusted because he so badly wants to get Trump that he wanted naked pics, which, let's be honest, no one fucking wants ever, except possibly Devin Nunes. Nunes said in September, "Of course, Democrats on this very committee negotiated with people they thought were Ukrainians in order to obtain nude pictures of Trump."

And today, in his opening goddamn statement, Nunes brought it up again, saying that Democrats want Americans to "forget about them trying to obtain nude pictures of Trump from Russian pranksters who pretended to be Ukrainian officials." No one asked for Trump dick pics to be sent to them. It's simply not true. But it was par for the course for Nunes, who veered between total cock and skeevy weasel for his entire opening, and it set the tone for Republicans, who were all just the most awful assholes and twat mites for the whole goddamn day.

Nunes took the hearing room and the country on a tour through the fevered shit bog of Fox "news" and Twitter-twisted conspiracy theories, dropping items and names that meant just about nothing to rational humans. But they were signals to the drooling hordes of Trump voters that every lie that has been Hannitied into their tiny brains would be trotted out. "For years they accused the Trump campaign of colluding with Russia when they themselves were colluding with Russia by funding and spreading the Steele dossier, which relied on Russian sources," he said, which is like a parfait of lies layered with slander with bullshit sprinkles on top. I mean, fucking hell, Nunes even brought up Schiff mocking Trump's phone call with Zelensky, which is something Trump can't get over.

He dropped in Alexandra Chalupa (do yourself a favor and don't google her), he lied about the whistleblower and his lawyer, and he offered that witnesses were subject to "a closed-door audition process in a cult-like atmosphere in the basement of the Capitol, where the Democrats conducted secret depositions." Yeah, bitch, they were so secret that dozens of Republicans could attend and ask questions. And "cult-like" is rich coming from a side that is worshiping at the bone-spurred feet of its orange idol.  Of course, they brought up Hunter Biden, and no one asked the GOP members, "Hey, motherfuckers, you ran the joint for two years. How come you didn't investigate him then?"

Seriously, if there is a God and lying matters to Him, then Nunes should have been squeezed by His holy fingers and popped like a filthy human pimple. The fact that that didn't happen is absolute proof to me that either there is no God or he just fucked off out of here a long time ago.

The right-wing nutzoid part of Onlineville fucking lapped it up like Jesus's jizz.  Jim Hoft over at Gateway Pundit declared that Nunes just "destroyed Democrats." The Blaze said Nunes "shredded" them. Katie Pavlich at the conservative shitpot Townhall squeed that Nunes "did not hold anything back and slammed Democrats for damaging the country." No, I'm not linking to any of them because fuck them all. Fuck. Them. All. Individually and as a group. Fuck 'em.

There are competing narratives going on here: one based on facts and law and observable reality, and another based on whatever bat shit thing they can get away with saying. And it's going to infect this process until there is something so shocking and compelling that it breaks through to the 35-40% or so of Americans who get their news from fucking liars.

What's going on now is that Republicans are throwing up a screen of shit, just shooting shit out of their mouths and through their social media and their websites, hoping they can create an opaque curtain of shit that they can hide behind until this all passes. It's disgusting and harmful, but they're Republicans. "Disgusting and harmful" is pretty much their motto now.

Nikki Haley Then: Trump Is Liar. Nikki Haley Now: Trump Is A Great resident | The 11th Hour | MSNBC

In 2016, Nikki Haley was a vocal critic of candidate Trump. Now the fmr. Trump aide, who is on a media tour for her new book, sounds very different.



Oh, Chuck Rosenberg.

You're so quiet and calm, level and reassuring, not so much as a raised eyebrow, or a microscopic increase in decibel level in your voice. And yet, your words slice through what is left of Nikki Haley's reputation like a Ginsu knife.

On Deadline White House, Nicolle Wallace and her panel were discussing how thoroughly and shamelessly Haley has apparently traveled over to the Dark Side. She's practically already booked on Dancing With The Stars for the 2021 season. Here she is pledging fealty to Our Dear Leader, swearing things are not at all what the rest of us see and hear with our own eyes and ears.





https://crooksandliars.com/2019/11/nikki-haley-deserves-zero-credibility-says

NY Times Columnist Makes The Case for Never Bloomberg | Tim Black

You Must Never Vote for Bloomberg

His expansion of the notoriously racially biased stop and frisk program is a complete and nonnegotiable deal breaker.

BIG WEEK AHEAD!!! Here's What to Expect From This Week's Public Impeachment Hearings!

This week we will witness the first PUBLIC hearings related to the impeachment inquiry into Donald Trump's bribery scheme involving Ukraine.

Republicans are certain to try to obfuscate and make the process a circus, but rest assured, this will be a week FILLED with major revelations from wildly credible public servants!

GOP Reps. Abandon Trump

GOP representatives run scared, abandoning Trump. John Iadarola and Brooke Thomas break it down on The Damage Report.

Nikki Haley Has Chosen To Lie For Trump

During a Tuesday morning interview, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley says she never had doubts about resident Trump's fitness for office and his truthfulness. The Morning Blow panel discusses Haley's remarks.



Nikki Haley is positioning herself to a presidential run. Cenk Uygur and Ana Kasparian, hosts of The Young Turks, break it down.



"Two of resident Trump’s senior advisers undermined and ignored him in what they claimed was an effort to “save the country,” former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley claims in a new memoir.

Former secretary of state Rex Tillerson and former White House chief of staff John F. Kelly sought to recruit her to work around and subvert Trump, but she refused, Haley writes in a new book, “With All Due Respect,” which also describes Tillerson as “exhausting” and imperious and Kelly as suspicious of her access to Trump.

“Kelly and Tillerson confided in me that when they resisted the resident, they weren’t being insubordinate, they were trying to save the country,” Haley wrote. “It was their decisions, not the resident’s, that were in the best interests of America, they said. The resident didn’t know what he was doing,” Haley wrote of the views the two men held." 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/nikki-haley-claims-top-aides-tried-to-recruit-her-to-save-the-country-by-undermining-trump/2019/11/10/f92bac88-0267-11ea-9518-1e76abc088b6_story.html

Donald Trump Jr Booed Off Stage At Book Launch By His Own Supporters

Trump supporters reacted angrily when told Trump Jr wouldn't be taking any questions.

It's too late to save yourself now, Bill Barr

By Dana Milbank 

Columnist

November 7, 2019 at 6:34 p.m. EST

 

For Bill Barr, it’s too little, too late.

In my news colleagues’ latest scoop, The Post’s Matt Zapotosky, Josh Dawsey and Carol Leonnig report that the attorney general declined to fulfill resident Trump’s request that he publicly exonerate Trump’s “perfect” call with Ukraine’s president — following several actions recently in which “the Justice Department has sought some distance from the White House.”

Right. Like a barnacle seeks distance from a whale.

The distancing maneuver is plainly an attempt by those sympathetic to Barr to make him look a bit less like the resident’s mob lawyer — done anonymously so that Trump wouldn’t rage at Barr but instead blame the “degenerate” Post, as he did Thursday. But Barr has sealed his fate. As Trump’s impeachment looms, Barr has degraded the office Elliot Richardson once dignified. Barr has turned the Justice Department into a shield for residential misconduct and a sword wielded against political opponents.

 

Even as Barr’s latest distancing gambit debuted, he was due to huddle Wednesday with Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.), Trump’s loyal defender, to decide how to release an inspector general’s report examining the FBI’s investigation into Russian 2016 interference and Trump’s campaign. Notably, the Justice Department inspector general himself, Michael Horowitz, was “not expected to attend,” The Post reported, leaving Barr and Graham free to decide what should be declassified to put Trump in the best possible light.

 

Barr’s team aims to get that report out in the coming weeks, just in time for Barr’s holiday party at the Trump International Hotel, for which the attorney general is paying upward of $30,000 to the resident’s business. Barr must have liked what he saw when he dined at the hotel earlier this year on a night when Trump was also there for a fundraiser.

If Barr does manipulate the inspector general’s report to Trump’s advantage, he’ll be reprising his mis-characterization of the Mueller report. Then, before releasing the report, he declared that special counsel Robert S. Mueller III had found “no collusion” (a phrase Mueller did not use), and he cleared Trump of obstruction of justice. It was such a betrayal that Mueller (whom Barr had claimed was his good friend) complained about Barr’s misleading summary. Asked about the objections, Barr, under oath, falsely told Congress he knew nothing about them.

 

Since then, Barr testified to Congress that “I think spying did occur” in the Russia probe, echoing Trump’s claim and earning a public contradiction by FBI Director Christopher A. Wray.

Rewarding Trump loyalists’ demands, Barr appointed a prosecutor (in addition to the inspector general) to examine the Trump-Russia probe, which has mushroomed into a criminal investigation of the investigators. Among those leading the probe? Nora Dannehy, the special prosecutor who decided not to charge any members of the George W. Bush administration after the politically motivated firing of U.S. attorneys and subsequent lies about the actions.

Further indulging Trump’s “witch hunt” claims, Barr traveled to Italy in search of evidence that would discredit the Trump-Russia investigation, and he reportedly asked the resident to enlist the Australian and British governments in the effort. Trump named Barr during his infamous call with the Ukrainian president seeking investigations of Democrats and Joe Biden, according to the White House’s partial reconstruction: “I am also going to have Attorney General Barr call and we will get to the bottom of it.”

 

The whistleblower got wind of this and said: “Attorney General Barr appears to be involved.” But the Justice Department — Barr’s Justice Department — declined to investigate, even though the CIA inspector general found the complaint “credible” and “urgent.” Barr, though named in the complaint, didn’t recuse himself, even as the Justice Department attempted to block the complaint from reaching Congress, as the law requires. Along the way, he embraced a White House legal strategy of defying subpoenas that has met with a string of defeats in the courts.

Now, as part of the “distancing” campaign, Barr’s Justice Department would have us believe the attorney general never discussed with Trump the prospective Ukraine probe into the Bidens, didn’t talk to Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani about Ukraine and didn’t know anything about the White House withholding aid to Ukraine.

Why would anybody doubt the sincerity of such claims?

Maybe Barr is getting queasy, with two of Giuliani’s Ukraine associates under indictment and Giuliani being turned down by four lawyers before finding representation. Maybe he’s unnerved by what he’s reading in the daily drop of impeachment depositions; on Thursday, another high-ranking State Department official testified about Giuliani’s campaign being “full of lies.” Maybe he even felt a pang of conscience.

It doesn’t matter. During his confirmation hearing in January, Barr vowed to “protect the independence and the reputation of the department.” Instead, he destroyed the former and squandered the latter. We may never know why he ruined his reputation to serve as Trump’s mob lawyer. But it’s far too late for rehabilitation.

Interested in following Dana Milbank’s take on the impeachment inquiry? Sign up here to receive future installments by email.

Read more:

Eugene Robinson: Call Trump’s crime what it is: Bribery

Greg Sargent: More polling confirms it: Trump’s great shield in the impeachment wars is Fox News

Michael Gerson: Trump’s ethical anarchy makes us forget what honor looks like

Max Boot: The anatomy of a Republican smear