Republicans

[JackLuis]

Pompeo openly admits he asked Trump to fire inspector general because he wasn’t doing what ‘we had tried to get him to’

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo openly admitted Monday that he asked President Donald Trump to fire the State Department inspector general—an official who is supposed to be independent from political influence—because he was not “performing a function in a way that we had tried to get him to.”

IG Steve Linick was reportedly investigating at least two State Department matters, including whether Trump violated the law with his emergency declaration last year approving billions of dollars in U.S. arms sales to Saudi Arabia, which Pompeo approved. Linick was “in the final stages” of the probe when Trump announced his firing on Friday, the New York Times reported.

 

[JackLuis]

Rick Wilson buries Bill Barr for acting as Donald Trump’s ‘pet attorney’

In a brutal column for the Daily Beast, Republican campaign consultant Rick Wilson derided Attorney General Bil Barr for becoming Donald Trump’s “pet attorney” — willing to to do the president’s bidding either overtly or through chicanery.

As Wilson explained, “Donald Trump’s pet attorney general gave a potent reminder on Monday of why he is the most dangerous man in Washington. In an otherwise routine press conference, while using the still-respected language of the justice system we once enjoyed, Barr green-lit a series of show trials of Trump’s enemies. It was a launch signal to the ‘Obamagate’ players that while he’ll publicly play the role of a neutral solon of justice, Barr’s heavy thumb will be on its scales.”

 

[JackLuis]

Trump’s HHS secretary accidentally tells the truth: Racism is driving pandemic policy

During an appearance last Sunday on CNN’s “State of the Nation,” Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar offered this explanation of why black people and other nonwhites are at such high risk of death from COVID-19:

"Unfortunately the American population is a very diverse — it is a population with significant unhealthy co-morbidities that do make many individuals in our communities, in particular African-American, minority communities, particularly at risk here because of significant underlying disease health disparities and disease co-morbidities and that is an unfortunate legacy in our health care system that we need to address".

POC must take the reins and vote their way to freedom!

Vote Least Evil in 2020!

 

[JackLuis]

‘Steamrolled’ Republicans fuming after Trump leaves them in the dark over IG firing: ‘We deserve an explanation’

According to a report from Politico, Republican lawmakers have been left in an awkward position by Donald Trump after he fired State Department Inspector General Steve Linick — and provided them no talking points or explanation to defend his decision.

The report notes, “Senate Republicans find themselves in a familiar place: steamrolled by President Donald Trump’s purge of government watchdogs and offering little indication of how they plan to stop him,” before adding, that the president has failed to offer “a clear explanation for his decision, as required by law.”

In the meantime, GOP lawmakers say they are waiting for a response from the president to letter from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA) asking for an explanation, but that hasn’t stopped them from expressing their frustration when speaking with reporters.

“It’s very clear that the president has to provide a justification 30 days prior to the removal of an inspector general,” stated Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME), who co-wrote the law requiring notification to Congress prior to removal. “It is not a sufficient justification to say he simply lost confidence. As the co-author of that law, I know that is not what we intended. We intended a more fulsome explanation.”

“Rather than heed the senators’ advice, Trump called out Collins in a tweet late Sunday night and said she and other senators should deal with ‘this whole whistleblower racket.'” Politico reports. “It was a direct shot not only at Collins, but also at Grassley, who has long advocated for the independence of inspectors general and protections for whistleblowers.”

Trumpski is pissing off his Senatorial apologists!

 

[JackLuis]

Think Trump and Republicans wouldn’t try to cancel an election? Look at what the GOP in Georgia just pulled off

Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp will be permitted to hand-pick the state’s next Supreme Court Justice after that same high court ruled last week that a special election set for Tuesday could be canceled.

Kemp and his Secretary of State, Brad Raffensberger, moved to cancel voting in the state earlier this year after state Supreme Court Justice Keith Blackwell announced he would step down after his six-year term expires at the end of 2020.

Taking the matter of who should succeed Blackwell into his own hands will allow Kemp, a Republican, to appoint another right-wing judge to serve on the highest court in the state for at least two years. Like the U.S. Supreme Court, the nine-member Georgia Supreme Court—though most of its member recused themselves from ruling on this case—enjoys a Republican majority.

Trump Fuckery is as contagious as Covid-19, and Georgia is the epicentre!

 

[JackLuis]

Mitch McConnell’s wife focus of new investigation into IG firing: report

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell could be drawn into a new scandal as he runs for reelection in Kentucky.

“Three leading House Democrats said Tuesday that they plan to open an investigation into the replacement of the Transportation Department’s acting inspector general, concerned that the move was tied to an ongoing investigation of Secretary Elaine Chao’s dealings with the state of Kentucky,” The Washington Post reported Tuesday.

“Chao is married to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and has faced questions about whether her department has given preferential treatment to projects in the state,” the newspaper reported. “On Friday, President Trump named Howard ‘Skip’ Elliott, the head of a pipeline safety agency, as acting DOT inspector general. Mitch Behm, the department’s deputy, had been filling that role.”

“We are concerned that Mr. Behm’s removal could be an effort to undermine the progress of this investigation, which we understand is ongoing,” the lawmakers wrote. “Any attempt by you or your office to interfere with the Office of Inspector General’s investigation of yourself is illegal and will be thoroughly examined by our Committees.”

Hmmm

 

[JackLuis]

All Texans can vote by mail after judge rules absentee ballot restrictions are illegal

A federal judge on Tuesday opened a path for a massive expansion in absentee voting in Texas by ordering that all state voters regardless of age qualify for a mail-in ballot during the coronavirus pandemic.

Days after two hour preliminary injunction hearing in San Antonio, U.S. District Judge Fred Biery agreed with individual Texas voters and the Texas Democratic Party that voters would face irreparable harm if existing age eligibility rules for voting by mail remain in place for elections held while the coronavirus remains in wide circulation. Under his order, which will surely be appealed, voters under the age of 65 who would ordinarily not qualify for a mail-in ballot would now be eligible.

Yes, fuck you very much Gov Abbot!

 

[phrodeau]

Mike Pompeo congratulated the president of Taiwan in a tweet yesterday, violating the “one China” principle.

China suggests that Pompeo should have been walking his dog instead.

https://www.foxnews.com/world/china...wan-president-has-seriously-damaged-relations

 

[JackLuis]

Bill Barr is trying to protect his boss — is Lindsey Graham shoving him off a cliff?

Earlier this week Attorney General Bill Barr held a press conference at the Justice Department, supposedly about a recent terrorism arrest in South Florida. But nobody cared about that and neither did Barr.

He was there to talk about “Obamagate,” and everyone knew it. Barr had an announcement to make about special counsel John Durham’s “investigation of the investigation,” meaning his attempt to blame the Russia investigation on a conspiracy within the Obama administration:

" Over the past few decades, there have been increasing attempts to use the criminal-justice system as a political weapon. The legal tactic has been to gin up allegations of criminality by one’s political opponents based on the flimsiest of legal theories. This is not a good development. This is not good for our political life, and it’s not good for the criminal-justice system. And as long as I’m attorney general, the criminal-justice system will not be used for partisan political ends. And this is especially true for the upcoming elections and in November.

And we cannot allow this process to be hijacked by efforts to drum up criminal investigations of either candidate. And I’m committed that this election will be conducted without this kind of interference. Any effort to pursue an investigation of either candidate has to be approved by me."

I’m surprised he didn’t salute and break into the “Battle Hymn of the Republic” after delivering that monologue. More than that, I’m surprised the press corps didn’t break into hysterical laughter at the sheer absurdity of that sanctimonious drivel.

Word salad with Russian dressing????

 

[JackLuis]

Vulnerable Republican threatens to block Senate recess as his constituents sour on his coronavirus response

Sen. Cory Gardner (R-CO) is facing a tough reelection where he’s struggling to gain traction. That might be the reason Gardner is begging his colleagues not to take a Memorial Day break, so he can still appear to be working in Washington amid the crisis.

Politico reported that the leadership is trying to work with Gardner, but that he still may block a recess in the Senate.

The Global Strategy Group surveyed 800 Colorado voters and found that they ranked Gardner at 37 percent approval of the work he’s doing. It’s actually worse than what Coloradans think of President Donald Trump, who has a 41 percent rating. Only 30 percent approve of Gardner’s work on the coronavirus response.

 

[JackLuis]

Karl Rove latches on with Trump campaign as an adviser: report

George W. Bush’s political architect is assisting President Donald Trump’s campaign as an adviser.

Karl Rove has been helping Trump’s 2020 re-election campaign in an unpaid and informal role, staying in regular communication with campaign manager Brad Parscale and White House senior adviser Jared Kushner, reported Business Insider.

Republican insiders suggested that Rove — who worked for Bush and his father, who were critical of Trump — is helping the campaign to keep his name relevant for presidential candidates in four years.

Karl, AKA Bush's Brain, the Bald Weasel, attaches himself to Trumptanic as she takes on water.

"If only Trump had called Karl in earlier, he might still be out of jail!"folks will be saying.

 

[hogjack]

NFL Furloughs All Non-quarterback Players

 

[JackLuis]

What’s Bill Barr hiding in the Mueller report? It could be Trump’s false statements under oath

The court was considering a House Judiciary Committee request for grand jury materials that the DOJ had redacted from the published report. House lawyers argued the materials are relevant to pending impeachment proceedings against President Trump involving obstruction of justice.

Mueller, citing constitutional concerns, did not reach a conclusion “one way or the other” about whether the president committed the crime of obstruction, though his report made multiple pointed references to Congress’ ability to do so.

The Supreme Court did not block the House request permanently. Rather, it put a temporary hold on an earlier order from an appeals court to release the full report to Congress, including all grand jury material.

Judge Judy W. Rogers, writing for the majority in that appellate court decision, argued that the congressional request was standard, and that it was “only the president’s categorical resistance and the department’s objection that is unprecedented.”

 

[allison22]

Donald Trump, Resign Now for America’s Sake: This is No Time for a Dangerous, Law-breaking, Bungling, Ignorant Ship Captain


Where are the calls for Trump’s resignation? Since his first months in the White House, Trump has been the most impeachable, most lawless, most self-enriching, most bungling President in U.S. history. He relies entirely on lying and scapegoating to avoid taking responsibility for his failures. Trump didn’t even win the popular vote – the Electoral College selected him. President Trump has fomented chaos and corruption in his administration without encountering insistent demands for his resignation.

https://www.commondreams.org/views/...-sake-no-time-dangerous-law-breaking-bungling

 

[JackLuis]

Pompeo blasted by ex-State Department adviser for running a ‘grift’ out of his office

On Saturday’s edition of MSNBC’s “AM Joy,” former State Department adviser Nayyera Haq excoriated Secretary of State Mike Pompeo for his apparent use of his office for personal gain, including the “Madison Dinners” in which he lavishly entertained businessmen on the taxpayer’s dime.

“NBC News has a report on whether Mr. Linick was investigating these dinners,” said Joy Reid. “‘It’s unclear whether the inspector general was inspecting the Madison Dinners, but two administration officials told NBC News that Linick made some type of inquiry to the protocol office last week, before he was fired. One of the officials said Pompeo’s office was then notified.’ … your thoughts?”

“Let’s not forget where Secretary Pompeo comes from,” said Haq. “From Congress, and he rose up with the tea party. This is exactly the kind of thing that they decried: Using elite access to government with taxpayer dollars. I have never in my time in government heard of a harpist being brought in to entertain American bigwigs and CEOs. I mean, it’s gone well beyond farce at this point.”

 

[JackLuis]

Idaho’s Trump-loving lieutenant governor declares war on state’s GOP governor over COVID-19 shutdown


‘It’s always Republicans’: Conservative bashes his own party’s hostility to democracy

Republicans vs Trumpublicunts!

Can Repub's reclaim their party?

 

[JackLuis]

Sessions Finally Fires Back At Trump: ‘You’re Damn Fortunate’ I Did My Job

Trump, who has relentlessly bashed Sessions for recusing himself from Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation, once again put his ex-attorney general on blast via Twitter on Friday night.

“Alabama, do not trust Jeff Sessions. He let our Country down,” the President tweeted. “That’s why I endorsed Coach Tommy Tuberville (@TTuberville), the true supporter of our #MAGA agenda!”

That was apparently the final straw for the long-suffering Sessions, who had meekly tolerated his former boss’s attacks up until that point.

“.@realdonaldtrump Look, I know your anger, but recusal was required by law,” the senate candidate tweeted in response. “I did my duty & you’re damn fortunate I did. It protected the rule of law & resulted in your exoneration.”

“Your personal feelings don’t dictate who Alabama picks as their senator, the people of Alabama do,” he continued.

 

[phrodeau]

The Spectrum Center in Charlotte NC is unwilling to violate White House guidelines in order to accommodate President Trump’s desire to pack the arena. He is threatening to go elsewhere, presumably to an arena where they haven’t heard about Coronavirus.

 

[JackLuis]

United We Mask: GOPers View Mask-Wearing As Key To Reopening Economy

Three prominent Republicans bolstered North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum’s (R) emotional plea to end the “political” divide on mask-wearing requirements during Sunday morning interviews.

Unlike President Trump’s refusal to wear a mask while touring a Ford plant outside of Michigan on Thursday — despite White House staffers being ordered to do so after two aides tested positive for the novel coronavirus earlier this month — Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R), Sen. Rick Scott (R-FL) and Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson (R) are encouraging the public to take precautions such as mask-wearing seriously as states begin easing coronavirus restrictions over Memorial Day weekend.

All three Republicans also expressed the need to reopen the economy while promoting efforts to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Unlike the Donald, some Repug's don't worry about their image, they worry about health!

 

[Spandex_Girl]

Donald Trump, Resign Now for America’s Sake: This is No Time for a Dangerous, Law-breaking, Bungling, Ignorant Ship Captain


Where are the calls for Trump’s resignation? Since his first months in the White House, Trump has been the most impeachable, most lawless, most self-enriching, most bungling President in U.S. history. He relies entirely on lying and scapegoating to avoid taking responsibility for his failures. Trump didn’t even win the popular vote – the Electoral College selected him. President Trump has fomented chaos and corruption in his administration without encountering insistent demands for his resignation.

https://www.commondreams.org/views/...-sake-no-time-dangerous-law-breaking-bungling

The Trump Administration has been an absolute shit-storm of incompetence, recklessness, intellectual-laziness, profiteering, nepotism, corruption, cronyism and childish temper tantrums, and yet the Republicans keep pretending that Trump is fit to be president.

With the American death toll from covid-19 about to top 100,000, Trump has offered almost nothing in the way of sympathy for the Americans who have died, sympathy for their families, or even suggestion of a National Day of Mourning.

Instead of acting like a leader attempting to hold the nation together during a crisis, Trump went golfing.

He went golfing and he threw childish temper tantrums where he made fun of Stacey Abrams’s weight, Nancy Pelosi’s looks, and he called Hillary Clinton a skank.

Nearly 100,000 Americans dead, and what's is the response of the man who's in charge of America's National Security? He plays golf and he spews childish insults.

He doesn't sound like the leader of an important nation. He sounds like an ignorant, disruptive, pre-teen child on the school playground.

And the Republicans are pretending like all of this is normal behavior.

 

[YDB95]

The Spectrum Center in Charlotte NC is unwilling to violate White House guidelines in order to accommodate President Trump’s desire to pack the arena. He is threatening to go elsewhere, presumably to an arena where they haven’t heard about Coronavirus.

It gets better: even if there were time for some other city to get organised for an event of that size (and there isn't), none would be willing to. Charlotte was literally the only city that made a bid in the first place!

To head off the inevitable response from the righties, the Democrats got bids from eight cities.

 

[JackLuis]

It gets better: even if there were time for some other city to get organised for an event of that size (and there isn't), none would be willing to. Charlotte was literally the only city that made a bid in the first place!

To head off the inevitable response from the righties, the Democrats got bids from eight cities.

East Asscrack Arkansas might bid if Trump promised to play the fiddle.

 

[KeithD]

Sounds like he's given North Carolina a good out for not being stiffed for costs they can't recoup (very little business possible from the convention in these circumstances). They can just tell Trump to fuck off, although I don't think it's his call anyway. He never checks these things out.

I do wish they'd have a gigantic Republican convention and pack them all in--without masks.

God, this man is a moron.

 

[phrodeau]

East Asscrack Arkansas might bid if Trump promised to play the fiddle.

Maybe they’ll choose that island of Jeffrey Epstein’s.

 

[Jesus_Ateo]

Donald Trump plays golf while more than 100,000 Americans have been killed by the coronavirus pandemic, a number that is certainly an undercount. He is congratulating himself for a job well done. Trump rules America as if it were a failed state in some forgotten part of the third world.


At almost every key moment of decision, Trump has made choices that have sickened and killed more Americans. This is not negligence. Trump, an apparent sociopath or “high functioning” psychopath, is making intentional choices that have killed many thousands of human beings and ruined the country’s economy. If Trump had not chosen to ignore years of repeated warnings about the danger of a pandemic, the number of dead or gravely ill people would be many orders of magnitude smaller.

Before Trump was even a credible candidate, the Republican Party had destroyed the country’s capacity to govern effectively, hollowed out its infrastructure, and systematically discredited the public’s belief that government can be a force for good.

Just take a look at Fox "news", Rush Limbaugh, Bryan Fischer and other right-wing propaganda outlets. They relentlessly spread the Republican assault on the truth and reality. They tells us that freedom is slavery, ignorance is strength, cruelty and negligence are leadership, spreading the COVID19 virus is freedom and that Donald Trump is a stable genius.