Then they can knock back cocktails together while thinking of the old times.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 17:05 (six years ago) link
Question. Anything involving a special prosecutor and the president is by definition about as big of a legal deal possible. Would Mueller assemble an "A Team" no matter what, given the nature of the job, or does the nature of the case (which he is clearly aware of) necessitate it? That is, does he assemble the A Team because he wants to be thorough when searching for criminally or cyberintelligence issues, or does he assemble the A Team because he knows something is up and wants to make sure his findings are as valid as possible?
That's sort of what I don't understand about these investigations. You'd think it'd only take an hour to look over the findings so far, or to read various summaries, a see the broad strokes. That is, the classified IC confirmation of Russian meddling, for example, has got to be pretty clear. Same with the info that drew suspicion to people like Manafort, Sessions, Page, et al. in the first place. I guess my legal question is, do you start with what you think they did wrong and work your way backward to bolster your case? Or do you start with vague suspicions and work your way around that to see if there was any illegality? Because there has to be some sort of real basis for suspicion before you proceed anyway, right? Because otherwise it really is a witch hunt, but even us armchair sleuths can point to strange stuff that's in the public record.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 9 June 2017 17:05 (six years ago) link
Ha, some hilarity
Big win for CREW! Dan Scavino reprimanded for Hatch Act violation! pic.twitter.com/noOXeUGOIk— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 17:06 (six years ago) link
Because there has to be some sort of real basis for suspicion before you proceed anyway, right?
The basis of suspicion is the appointment of Mueller in the first place.
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 9 June 2017 17:11 (six years ago) link
lol oh yeah, america exists
― The Adventures Of Whiteman (Bananaman Begins), Friday, 9 June 2017 17:15 (six years ago) link
One problem with treating this as a straightforward case of collusion or not, based on classified intercepts from the USA IC, is that the Russian intelligence services are quite expert at disinformation, misdirection, concealment, and manipulation, because these are among their primary tools. Getting direct testimony from the principals is going to be key to building a case, because people like Flynn and Manafort have many fewer resources for covering their tracks than the IC has for uncovering them, so there shoould be a means to exert pressure on them to spill the beans or pay the price.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 9 June 2017 17:17 (six years ago) link
Next-level pressure: call your Senator's office and ask for these staffers who deal with health care: pic.twitter.com/RMWUnOvsT5— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) June 9, 2017
― Οὖτις, Friday, 9 June 2017 17:33 (six years ago) link
And now we're back to this
WASHINGTON (AP) - Secretary of State Tillerson calls on Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain and Egypt to ease blockade on Qatar.— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 18:18 (six years ago) link
Too late, Trump already convinced me Qatar is evil.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 9 June 2017 18:31 (six years ago) link
Al Thani of Qatar is off to Moscow tomorrow.
― Wag1 Shree Rajneesh (ShariVari), Friday, 9 June 2017 18:33 (six years ago) link
Where does "time is of the essence" come from?
LL Cool J w/J-Lo iirc
― People like Malcolm X, Martin Luther King, Jr, and (Joan Crawford Loves Chachi), Friday, 9 June 2017 18:34 (six years ago) link
Odd little ripples
Grassley rebukes Trump for OLC opinion on withholding info requested by members who don't chair a committee. https://t.co/9W0O1zIJnB pic.twitter.com/mFXiOsdVxh— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 18:37 (six years ago) link
why spend it alone xp
― ToddBonzalez (BradNelson), Friday, 9 June 2017 18:37 (six years ago) link
Read something that opined that Trump sending (or trying to send) DOJ after Comey for alleged "leak" could actually legally constitute further obstruction of justice.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 9 June 2017 18:38 (six years ago) link
yeah I'm seeing that rumor too, I'll reserve judgment until Krasnowitz actually files something
― Οὖτις, Friday, 9 June 2017 18:43 (six years ago) link
Pelosi to Trump: Go to bed!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73dPYPqsluQ
― scott seward, Friday, 9 June 2017 18:43 (six years ago) link
I like how she slips into her morning chat that she's looking into Trump and his relationship with Saudi Arabia. New hearings please!
― scott seward, Friday, 9 June 2017 18:44 (six years ago) link
Perfect
Tillerson just an hour ago called on Saudi/Egypt to ease up on Qatar. Trump is just bashing Qatar again. Complete incoherence.— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) June 9, 2017
BREAKING: Pres. Trump: At summit in Saudi Arabia, I decided it was time to call on Qatar to stop funding terrorism. pic.twitter.com/HOjbGFFsKR— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:01 (six years ago) link
I'm glad our fine president was able to get the Saudi's to stop funding terrorism too. Wait.. hold on.. what?
― officer sonny bonds, lytton pd (mayor jingleberries), Friday, 9 June 2017 19:03 (six years ago) link
Hush now, you're giving it away
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:06 (six years ago) link
whoa mind blown how many dimensions are there to this chess
― nomar, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:10 (six years ago) link
my god, it's full of stars
― sleeve, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:11 (six years ago) link
You could say it's going in every dimension at once. Like an explosion.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:15 (six years ago) link
Well then!
Trump says he would "100 percent" be willing to dispute Comey's testimony under oath.— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:18 (six years ago) link
Oh and
"I'll tell you about that sometime in the very near future." @realDonaldTrump on whether there are tapes of his convos w/ Comey— David M. Drucker (@DavidMDrucker) June 9, 2017
Allegedly he committed to Article 5 too. Timing!
What in the world
"I didn't say that...and there'd be nothing wrong if I did say that" says Trump of Comey claim he pushed for end of Flynn probe— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:19 (six years ago) link
"Great, we got him to not tweet yesterday."
"Now he just needs to not say anything in public today!"
*later*
"OH GOD."
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:20 (six years ago) link
well then, so he definitely said it
― nomar, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:21 (six years ago) link
someone needs to read Comey's exact quotes back to Trump and ask if he said those words (I'm assuming this didn't happen today, wasn't watching). it just seems to easy to ask something like "Did you ask Comey to lay off the Flynn investigation?" or "Did you ask him to pledge loyalty?" and then have Trump weasel out by saying he was just expressing a wish to have the investigation dropped or that his intention was to have Comey pledge loyalty to the country or some such bullshit.
― evol j, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:28 (six years ago) link
is there a place to read a transcript of the press conference that just concluded? google turning up nothing
― Treeship, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:30 (six years ago) link
well I guess Jon Karl did more or less quote the bit about letting the Flynn thing go and Trump claimed he never said that, though Karl did bungle the second bit by accidentally asking if Comey asked for a pledge of loyalty from Trump (though I'm sure Trump didn't hear it that way)
― evol j, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:35 (six years ago) link
oh cool
Republicans searching for consensus on how to pay for tax cuts are beginning to weigh attacking spending in potentially sensitive areas of the budget.
Senate Finance Chairman Orrin Hatch told Bloomberg he prefers to find spending cuts to pay for a tax overhaul, though he stopped short of guaranteeing any outcome.
“That’s what should be the solution, I’ll put it that way,” Hatch, a Utah Republican, said Thursday. “And I’m hopeful that the Republicans will work to do that. I’d like to find some spending cuts. We’re spending us into oblivion."
GOP leaders have not moved off their calls for revenue-neutral tax legislation -- that is, a bill that balances tax cuts with other provisions that would raise revenue. Still, a growing number of Republican lawmakers is calling for abandoning that concept.
Representative Jim Jordan of Ohio, a leader of the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, called for $400 billion in unspecified cuts to welfare programs to help cover the cost of tax cuts. That’s “the way to unlock the logjam in the House” on setting tax and spending levels in a budget resolution, Jordan said Friday at an event sponsored by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative policy and advocacy group. Drawing up a budget resolution is a procedural prerequisite for Congress to tackle a tax overhaul.
https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-06-09/key-republicans-eye-spending-cuts-to-help-pay-for-tax-overhaul
― the Rain Man of nationalism. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 9 June 2017 19:37 (six years ago) link
it's been an Infrastructure Week to remember, that's for sure
― mookieproof, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:38 (six years ago) link
Omg Romanian president just called out Trump for lying— Ishaan Tharoor (@ishaantharoor) June 9, 2017
Trump said there was no discussion of visa waivers... Romanian counterpart looks at him, says there was https://t.co/am4vbT5xLT— Ishaan Tharoor (@ishaantharoor) June 9, 2017
Lying might be the charitable explanation.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:42 (six years ago) link
Cannot wait for the release of the Comey Tapes
Trump: Jim, hi, come in and sit down.Trump, in a high-pitched and annoying voice: Oh, hi, Mr. President. You are looking great today, bigly. It makes me look very, very much like a loser, which I am. It's true.
― Sir Isaac Gluten (Old Lunch), Friday, 9 June 2017 19:45 (six years ago) link
Oh BTW
Romney reveals in Park City that HILLARY encouraged him to consider Sec State job— Alex Isenstadt (@politicoalex) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:48 (six years ago) link
Trump: Jim, hi, come in and sit down. Gosh you're so big, so strong
― Οὖτις, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:54 (six years ago) link
Whoops!
Poll: View of the American Health Care Act. pic.twitter.com/CZqCGrJfsE— Fox News (@FoxNews) June 9, 2017
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:57 (six years ago) link
yeah. surprisingly even republicans seem to know what's up with this issue. it would be catastrophically dumb for the republicans to proceed further.
― Treeship, Friday, 9 June 2017 19:59 (six years ago) link
Trump says he would "100 percent" be willing to dispute Comey's testimony under oath.
The obvious conclusion is that Trump knows (or perhaps assumes) there are no tapes of these conversations. One only has to look for motives. Comey had zero motive to fabricate this stuff, but Trump has every motive to deny the truth of what Comey said.
― A is for (Aimless), Friday, 9 June 2017 20:01 (six years ago) link
maybe he knows he's backed into a corner and is just trying to stall. keep the party rolling as long as possible.
― Treeship, Friday, 9 June 2017 20:04 (six years ago) link
Trump will 100% testify. After America is great again. And after his taxes are released. And after his lawyers say it's ok. And after he's dead.
― Josh in Chicago, Friday, 9 June 2017 20:05 (six years ago) link
it would be catastrophically dumb for the republicans to proceed further.
gee WILL THEY?????
― Οὖτις, Friday, 9 June 2017 20:06 (six years ago) link
yeah was gonna say I'd be stunned if this is anything more than bluster
― frogbs, Friday, 9 June 2017 20:07 (six years ago) link
Trump testifying, that is. ACHA is gonna plow ahead full stream obv
Comey's motive is that he's a SHOWBOAT
― Οὖτις, Friday, 9 June 2017 20:07 (six years ago) link
talking to Mueller /= "testifying" in the sense that Comey just did
― Οὖτις, Friday, 9 June 2017 20:08 (six years ago) link
A. He's bluffingB. He's lied under oath in depos REPEATEDLY, but this ain't some NYC real estate kerfuffle.— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) June 9, 2017
― grawlix (unperson), Friday, 9 June 2017 20:08 (six years ago) link
but yeah it's just bluster, he isn't going to do that
― Οὖτις, Friday, 9 June 2017 20:09 (six years ago) link