crooksandliars--2020-02-23--Intelligence Community Concerned Official In Charge Of Election Security May Be Ousted Next

The purge of those who are not Trump loyalists in the intelligence community continues .
CNN is reporting that there are more departures expected , and that Shelby Pierson , the person in charge of evaluating intelligence regarding election security with the ODNI , may be the next to go now that Trump has his flunky , Richard Grennell as temporary Director of National Intelligence : Some top intelligence officials are looking to leave following the recent upheaval at the office that oversees the 17 intelligence agencies of the US government , including the controversial appointment of Richard Grenell as @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a US official told CNN .
Grenell has said he is only temporarily filling the position of acting director of American spy agencies , but he is already making his mark .
Grenell , a President Donald Trump loyalist , is also still serving as the US ambassador to Germany .
After his appointment to the intelligence post this week , officials at the office of the director of national intelligence ( ODNI ) made calls to US diplomats in Germany inquiring about Grenell 's leadership style , two sources familiar with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Grenell quickly forced out the number two intelligence official in the US government , Andrew Hallman , a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to CNN .
Hallman was an intelligence veteran and well respected in the intelligence community .
CNN reported earlier this week that Hallman was leaving .
The New York Times first reported Grenell ousted him .
There are fears within the intelligence community that Hallman may not be the only top official forced out .
Career intelligence professionals worry that Shelby Pierson , the person in charge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the ODNI , will be moved out of her position , according to a former top intelligence official .
Pierson is highly regarded and viewed as not partisan by intelligence community colleagues who know her to be confident and well versed in the work she does .
She is n't afraid of making tough calls and fiercely defending her analysis when challenged , colleagues say .
The Chicago Sun-Times ' Lynn Sweet discussed the reasons for this latest move with CNN 's Victor Blackwell this Sunday : “ It sends the signal once @ @ @ @ @ @ @ respecter of the United States intelligence services with the bigger issue that a permanent director has not been in that office since last summer when Dan Coates was forced out , ” Sweet explained .
“ This is a key position , subject to Senate confirmation and Trump hasn ’ t seen fit to have a permanent director for months now.
” “ Now , post-impeachment , you also have the issue of whether or not part of his [ Richard Grenell ’ s ] role there it is to oversee a purge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Trump loyalists , ” she continued .
“ All of which goes to the heart of United States intelligence mission which is to get and gather information in a nonpartisan way to brief partisan officials to base their policy decisions on.
” [ ... ] “ What we ’ ve learned from sources is that inside the office of the Director of National Intelligence is she could be next to be pushed out of the office , ” he added .
“ What ’ s the impact of getting rid of that person @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out from elections ?
” “ It is two levels of answers here , Victor , ” Sweet replied .
“ One , you ’ re getting rid of a seasoned professional in what would seem like a retaliatory act for putting forth intelligence you don ’ t like .
Again , it goes to the core of what intelligence is for : just to get unvarnished information .
If , indeed , she ’ s presiding over election security issues , that ’ s the intelligence community needs to be on top @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the mission still be carried out when election security is a top priority of the United States ?
”

The purge of those who are not Trump loyalists in the intelligence community continues. CNN is reporting that there are more departures expected, and that Shelby Pierson, the person in charge of evaluating intelligence regarding election security with the ODNI, may be the next to go now that Trump has his flunky, Richard Grennell as temporary Director of National Intelligence:
Some top intelligence officials are looking to leave following the recent upheaval at the office that oversees the 17 intelligence agencies of the US government, including the controversial appointment of Richard Grenell as the nation's top intelligence official, a US official told CNN.
Grenell has said he is only temporarily filling the position of acting director of American spy agencies, but he is already making his mark. Grenell, a President Donald Trump loyalist, is also still serving as the US ambassador to Germany. After his appointment to the intelligence post this week, officials at the office of the director of national intelligence (ODNI) made calls to US diplomats in Germany inquiring about Grenell's leadership style, two sources familiar with the matter told CNN.
Earlier this week, Grenell quickly forced out the number two intelligence official in the US government, Andrew Hallman, a source with knowledge of the situation confirmed to CNN. Hallman was an intelligence veteran and well respected in the intelligence community.
CNN reported earlier this week that Hallman was leaving. The New York Times first reported Grenell ousted him.
There are fears within the intelligence community that Hallman may not be the only top official forced out. Career intelligence professionals worry that Shelby Pierson, the person in charge of evaluating intelligence regarding election security with the ODNI, will be moved out of her position, according to a former top intelligence official.
Pierson is highly regarded and viewed as not partisan by intelligence community colleagues who know her to be confident and well versed in the work she does. She isn't afraid of making tough calls and fiercely defending her analysis when challenged, colleagues say.


crooksandliars--2020-02-23--Chris Wallace Busts Marc Short On Russian Attacks: ‘You Can’t Say It Didn’t Happen And Then Say They

Chris Wallace Busts Marc Short On Russian Attacks: ‘You Can’t Say It Didn’t Happen And Then Say They Leaked It’

Fox News host Chris Wallace called out Marc Short , an aide to Mike Pence , after he insisted that there is no intelligence that shows Russia has a preference for Donald Trump in the 2020 election .
`` There 's not intelligence that said the Russians are trying to help Donald Trump win elections , '' Short said during an interview on Fox News Sunday .
`` I know that 's the White House argument , '' Wallace acknowledged .
`` There is a consistent story that came out this week and we 've heard it from members of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ intelligence community , we 've heard it from people in your own White House . ''
`` And that is that Shelby Pierson , who is the intelligence community 's election security czar , told Congress that the Russians are trying to help Donald Trump , '' he added .
`` The president 's reaction was to call in her boss -- acting DNI chief Joe Maguire -- to fire him and to replace him with Ambassador Richard Grenell .
a Trump partisan who has almost no intelligence experience . ''
`` You @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Wallace asked Short .
The White House aided , however , pivoted to complain that information about Pierson has been leaked from the House Intelligence Committee .
`` You ca n't say it di n't happen and then say they leaked it , '' Wallace noted .
`` Just wait a second .
You 're denying that Shelby Pierson , who is the election security czar , you 're denying that under questioning from Democrats , she gave any indication that the Russian efforts to meddle in the election was because they have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ '' `` You did just classify it and say there 's no intelligence ! ''
Wallace interrupted .
`` You 're not denying that 's part of the briefing she gave to the committee . ''
`` I do n't understand , '' the host added .
`` You 're saying it 's not true and they leaked it . ''

Fox News host Chris Wallace called out Marc Short, an aide to Mike Pence, after he insisted that there is no intelligence that shows Russia has a preference for Donald Trump in the 2020 election.
"There's not intelligence that said the Russians are trying to help Donald Trump win elections," Short said during an interview on Fox News Sunday.
"I know that's the White House argument," Wallace acknowledged. "There is a consistent story that came out this week and we've heard it from members of the committee, from members of the intelligence community, we've heard it from people in your own White House."
"And that is that Shelby Pierson, who is the intelligence community's election security czar, told Congress that the Russians are trying to help Donald Trump," he added. "The president's reaction was to call in her boss -- acting DNI chief Joe Maguire -- to fire him and to replace him with Ambassador Richard Grenell. a Trump partisan who has almost no intelligence experience."
"You say none of this happened?" Wallace asked Short.
The White House aided, however, pivoted to complain that information about Pierson has been leaked from the House Intelligence Committee.
"You can't say it din't happen and then say they leaked it," Wallace noted. "Just wait a second. You're denying that Shelby Pierson, who is the election security czar, you're denying that under questioning from Democrats, she gave any indication that the Russian efforts to meddle in the election was because they have found a preference for President Trump."
"That was a classified briefing," Short replied.
"You did just classify it and say there's no intelligence!" Wallace interrupted. "You're not denying that's part of the briefing she gave to the committee."
"I don't understand," the host added. "You're saying it's not true and they leaked it."


crooksandliars--2020-02-23--Defeat Trump, Or We'll Never See Yovanovitch's Book, Much Less Bolton's

Every news story about the vetting process for John Bolton 's book implies that the vetting is being done by career professionals according to long-established standards .
I do n't believe it .
I believe the career pros may be trying to uphold standards -- but is it even possible that they 're not feeling intimidated ?
Is it conceivable that this president will allow them to exercise independent judgment , even if they conclude that the book is publishable before November ?
President Trump has directly weighed in on the White House review of a forthcoming book by his @ @ @ @ @ @ @ staff that he views John Bolton as “ a traitor , ” that everything he uttered to the departed aide about national security is classified and that he will seek to block the book ’ s publication , according to two people familiar with the conversations .
The president ’ s private arguments stand in contrast to the point-by-point process used to classify and protect sensitive secrets and appears to differ from the White House ’ s public posture toward Bolton ’ s much-anticipated memoir .
The National Security Council warned Bolton last @ @ @ @ @ @ @ contain significant amounts of classified information , ” some of it top secret , but pledged to help him revise the manuscript and “ move forward as expeditiously as possible.
” “ We will do our best to work with you to ensure your client ’ s ability to tell his story in a manner that protects U.S. national security , ” Ellen Knight , senior director of the council ’ s records office , wrote in a Jan. 23 letter to Bolton ’ s attorney .
But the president has insisted to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his work in Trump ’ s White House , “ The Room Where It Happened , ” should not see the light of day before the November election ... .
Trump told national television anchors on Feb. 4 during an off-the-record lunch that material in the book was “ highly classified , ” according to notes from one participant in the luncheon .
He then called him a “ traitor.
” “ We ’ re going to try and block the publication of the book , ” Trump said , according to the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , he can do this .
But not in the White House.
” If Trump wins again , that book will never see the light of day , and neither will this one : Marie Yovanovitch , who was ousted from her post as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine after a smear campaign by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani , has signed a book deal , it was announced Friday .
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt said it had acquired a memoir by Yovanovich ... .
The book ... is scheduled to be published in the spring @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the book out , Bolton and his publisher , Simon & Schuster , might have to consider publishing without clearance .
It 's risky , though .
When this has been done in the past , the government responded by seizing the profits and threatening criminal prosecution .
A former Navy SEAL wrote a 2012 book about his role in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden , triggering a Justice Department criminal investigation into allegations he published classified details of his work and training as a special operator .
In a 2016 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ No Easy Day ” under the pen name Mark Owen , agreed to turn over to the government all the profits and future royalties stemming from his book — which amounted to at least $ 6.6 million at the time .
As part of the deal , Bissonnette acknowledged he failed to get his manuscript properly cleared by the Pentagon .
In exchange , the Justice Department agreed to dismiss any other claims and drop any plans to prosecute him for the release of classified information .
I 'm guessing Bolton does @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would n't want to give it up .
I 'm also guessing that the Trumpers would be more than happy to take his money and prosecute him , while Trump would made Twitter threats ( at least ) against Simon & Schuster 's parent company , ViacomCBS .
If the prospect of Trump going after Bolton this way has you rooting for injuries , imagine how this would go in the case of Yovanovitch , who has less money and fewer powerful friends , and a smaller and thus more vulnerable publisher .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ either of these books , work hard to elect Sanders/Bloomberg/Biden/Warren , because it wo n't be possible otherwise .
Published with permission of No More Mister Nice Blog .

Every news story about the vetting process for John Bolton's book implies that the vetting is being done by career professionals according to long-established standards. I don't believe it. I believe the career pros may be trying to uphold standards -- but is it even possible that they're not feeling intimidated? Is it conceivable that this president will allow them to exercise independent judgment, even if they conclude that the book is publishable before November?
President Trump has directly weighed in on the White House review of a forthcoming book by his former national security adviser, telling his staff that he views John Bolton as “a traitor,” that everything he uttered to the departed aide about national security is classified and that he will seek to block the book’s publication, according to two people familiar with the conversations. The president’s private arguments stand in contrast to the point-by-point process used to classify and protect sensitive secrets and appears to differ from the White House’s public posture toward Bolton’s much-anticipated memoir. The National Security Council warned Bolton last month that his draft “appears to contain significant amounts of classified information,” some of it top secret, but pledged to help him revise the manuscript and “move forward as expeditiously as possible.” “We will do our best to work with you to ensure your client’s ability to tell his story in a manner that protects U.S. national security,” Ellen Knight, senior director of the council’s records office, wrote in a Jan. 23 letter to Bolton’s attorney. But the president has insisted to aides that Bolton’s account of his work in Trump’s White House, “The Room Where It Happened,” should not see the light of day before the November election.... Trump told national television anchors on Feb. 4 during an off-the-record lunch that material in the book was “highly classified,” according to notes from one participant in the luncheon. He then called him a “traitor.” “We’re going to try and block the publication of the book,” Trump said, according to the notes. “After I leave office, he can do this. But not in the White House.”
If Trump wins again, that book will never see the light of day, and neither will this one:
Marie Yovanovitch, who was ousted from her post as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine after a smear campaign by Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani, has signed a book deal, it was announced Friday. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt said it had acquired a memoir by Yovanovich.... The book ... is scheduled to be published in the spring of 2021....
If they want the book out, Bolton and his publisher, Simon & Schuster, might have to consider publishing without clearance. It's risky, though. When this has been done in the past, the government responded by seizing the profits and threatening criminal prosecution.
A former Navy SEAL wrote a 2012 book about his role in the raid that killed Osama bin Laden, triggering a Justice Department criminal investigation into allegations he published classified details of his work and training as a special operator. In a 2016 settlement, Matt Bissonnette, who wrote “No Easy Day” under the pen name Mark Owen, agreed to turn over to the government all the profits and future royalties stemming from his book — which amounted to at least $6.6 million at the time. As part of the deal, Bissonnette acknowledged he failed to get his manuscript properly cleared by the Pentagon. In exchange, the Justice Department agreed to dismiss any other claims and drop any plans to prosecute him for the release of classified information.
I'm guessing Bolton doesn't need the money, though he wouldn't want to give it up. I'm also guessing that the Trumpers would be more than happy to take his money and prosecute him, while Trump would made Twitter threats (at least) against Simon & Schuster's parent company, ViacomCBS.
If the prospect of Trump going after Bolton this way has you rooting for injuries, imagine how this would go in the case of Yovanovitch, who has less money and fewer powerful friends, and a smaller and thus more vulnerable publisher.
So if you ever want to read either of these books, work hard to elect Sanders/Bloomberg/Biden/Warren, because it won't be possible otherwise.
Published with permission of No More Mister Nice Blog.


crooksandliars--2020-02-23--P Is For Propaganda (‘Oops’ Said Faceberg, Part Infinity)

The WaPo tells us that Facebook decided to not take down disinformation after the 2016 election for fear of alienating conservatives : Facebook created “ Project P ” ( P for propaganda ) —after the 2016 Goat Rodeo— to identify pages that had spread fake news reports during the 2016 election that helped the Russian Usurper ’ s improbably win .
They found dozens of pages , mostly coming from overseas and all coming from the hard-right .
Joel Kaplan ( VP of global public policy ) argued that the pages shouldn ’ t be deleted : Kaplan said that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as fake news , and there would be a backlash if they removed those pages .
Because when it is fake in conservatives ’ favor it is good news , I guess ?
So you can see how this could snowball .
To keep the peace with Possum Hollar and allow the lies to remain ( and reproduce like bunnies in clover ) brought us to where we are today : Facebook is the platform preferred by our Rage Uncles where they can promote their favorite conspiracy theories and where politicians pay Faceberg @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Possum Hollar .
Not surprisingly , other media outlets sensing both the power of Facebook and how they are hoovering up the disinformation dollar ( and presumably these media outlets can not ) are starting to squeal : In a newly released interview , AT & T President and COO John Stankey says he ’ s “ really concerned about the concentration of economic power ” in big tech companies and how they approach their “ platforms ’ influence on society.
” Stankey , who also serves as the CEO of WarnerMedia , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Zuckerberg to take some responsibility for information posted on the platform , saying that the site requires “ editorial integrity ” whether or not Zuckerberg considers it a media company .
“ If that ’ s where people are consuming facts and information and if you ’ re aggregating and producing that to move out , then you probably need to think about what the editorial integrity of your platform is , ” he says… “ Why did editorial integrity show up in media companies ?
” Stankey adds .
“ Editorial integrity @ @ @ @ @ @ @ make sure that their source of information was , in fact , doing that ethical and fair reporting that we just talked about .
And so I don ’ t think you can sit here and say , well , just because I ’ m not a media company , I shouldn ’ t need editors.
” Facebook is absolutely a media company ( despite Faceberg saying that they are a technology company ) and they must be regulated as such .
Right now , Facebook is an unaccountable version of Fox News @ @ @ @ @ @ @ unaccountable in a different way ) .

The WaPo tells us that Facebook decided to not take down disinformation after the 2016 election for fear of alienating conservatives:
“This is what they know about Republicans: Tell them ‘yes’ or they will hurt us.”
Facebook created “Project P” (P for propaganda) —after the 2016 Goat Rodeo— to identify pages that had spread fake news reports during the 2016 election that helped the Russian Usurper’s improbably win. They found dozens of pages, mostly coming from overseas and all coming from the hard-right.
Joel Kaplan (VP of global public policy) argued that the pages shouldn’t be deleted:
“We can’t remove all of it because it will disproportionately affect conservatives.”
You don’t say?
Kaplan said that conservatives didn’t regard fake news as fake news, and there would be a backlash if they removed those pages. Because when it is fake in conservatives’ favor it is good news, I guess?
So you can see how this could snowball. To keep the peace with Possum Hollar and allow the lies to remain (and reproduce like bunnies in clover) brought us to where we are today: Facebook is the platform preferred by our Rage Uncles where they can promote their favorite conspiracy theories and where politicians pay Faceberg a lot of Ameros to lie to Possum Hollar.
Not surprisingly, other media outlets sensing both the power of Facebook and how they are hoovering up the disinformation dollar (and presumably these media outlets cannot) are starting to squeal:
In a newly released interview, AT&T President and COO John Stankey says he’s “really concerned about the concentration of economic power” in big tech companies and how they approach their “platforms’ influence on society.” Stankey, who also serves as the CEO of WarnerMedia, urged Facebook (FB) CEO Mark Zuckerberg to take some responsibility for information posted on the platform, saying that the site requires “editorial integrity” whether or not Zuckerberg considers it a media company. “If that’s where people are consuming facts and information and if you’re aggregating and producing that to move out, then you probably need to think about what the editorial integrity of your platform is,” he says… “Why did editorial integrity show up in media companies?” Stankey adds. “Editorial integrity and editors arrived because people needed to make sure that their source of information was, in fact, doing that ethical and fair reporting that we just talked about. And so I don’t think you can sit here and say, well, just because I’m not a media company, I shouldn’t need editors.”
Facebook is absolutely a media company (despite Faceberg saying that they are a technology company) and they must be regulated as such. Right now, Facebook is an unaccountable version of Fox News (which, you know, is unaccountable in a different way).
Published with permission from Mock Paper Scissors.


crooksandliars--2020-02-24--Memorial For Kobe And Gianna Bryant

Memorial For Kobe And Gianna Bryant

Sen. Lindsey Graham promises Fox viewers that he plans to haul Andrew McCabe and James Comey in front of his @ @ @ @ @ on Carter Page , despite the fact that McCabe has already been cleared of any @ @ @ @ @

Can you help us out?
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crooksandliars--2020-02-24--Assange: Pardon Fell Through, So Trump Tried Extortion

An attorney for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange accused the Trump administration of extortion in a London court on Monday .
@ @ @ @ @ Woolwich Crown Court along with U.S. prosecutors , who argued that Assange should be extradited @ @ @ @ @ he faces 18 charges and up to 175 years in jail .
Attorneys for Assange @ @ @ @ @ former Congressman Dana Rohrabacher ( R-CA ) tried to broker a pardon deal between the @ @ @ @ @ he would agree to say that Russia was not the source of hacked Democratic Party @ @ @ @ @ Fitzgerald said on Monday that Rohrabacher had called the pardon offer a “ win-win.
” @ @ @ @ @ through , the Trump administration tried to extort Assange with a political prosecution , according @ @ @ @ @ some of the reports from the courtroom below .

An attorney for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange accused the Trump administration of extortion in a London court on Monday.
The WikiLeaks attorney appeared at Woolwich Crown Court along with U.S. prosecutors, who argued that Assange should be extradited the United States, where he faces 18 charges and up to 175 years in jail.
Attorneys for Assange previously told the court that former Congressman Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) tried to broker a pardon deal between the White House and Assange if he would agree to say that Russia was not the source of hacked Democratic Party emails.
Defense attorney Edwards Fitzgerald said on Monday that Rohrabacher had called the pardon offer a “win-win.”
But when the pardon fell through, the Trump administration tried to extort Assange with a political prosecution, according to the attorney.
Read some of the reports from the courtroom below.
More detail on the Assange - Dana Rohrabacher meeting. Assange's lawyer says the congressman presented a "win win solution which could allow JA to leave the embassy and get on with his life." — Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020
Assange QC notes that Mr Rohrabacher has denied saying he was acting on President Trump's behalf when offering a pardon in exchange for identifying the source of the 2016 DNC leaks. — Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020
Edward Fitzgerald on alleged pardon offer to Assange and President Trumps denial of it “well he would say that wouldn’t he.” — Samantha Hawley (@samanthahawley) February 24, 2020
#Assange court is told US congressman Dana Rohrabacher and Charles Johnson discussed a ‘pre-emptive’ pardon in exchange today ‘personal assistance’ to President Trump in August 2017.... if Assange revealed source of DNC leak/hack. — Hugh Whitfeld (@hughwhitfeld) February 24, 2020
As for President Trump's denial- "well he would say that, wouldn't he." — Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020
Why is this all important? Assange's legal team will argue this is a political prosecution, not driven by justice, so extradition should not go ahead. — Ben Lewis (@benlewismedia) February 24, 2020
Assange lawyer expanding on claims US Repub congressman offered Trump pardon in exchange for saying Russia not involved in leaking DNC emails
Dana Rohrabacher said to have described it as "win win" situation.. Assange could get out of Ecuadorian embassy and get on with life" — Ben Quinn (@BenQuinn75) February 24, 2020
Defense goes over Rohrabacher and Charle Johnson meeting with Assange in 2017. They represented they were there to offer pardon on behalf of Trump. #Assange — Kevin Gosztola (@kgosztola) February 24, 2020


crooksandliars--2020-02-24--Hey Never-Trumpers: Stay The F**k Out Of Our Presidential Primaries

Never Trumpers are , to coin a phrase , to the media-manor born .
They not only take it as their birthright to command the spotlight , they treat being paid to blab their stupid opinions in declarative sentences as a law of nature -- opinions validated by the only metrics the media respects : money and the approval of their peers .
Which is why , even after they reduced their own political party to toxic rubble -- a graveyard of their stupid ideas haunted by marauding bands of bigots , imbeciles , grifters and madmen -- they just @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Reacting to their reduced circumstances exactly how you would expect entitled royalty to react .
Which , as I have mentioned once or twice before , is exactly what they are : the exiled aristocracy of an empire out of which they have been chased by the serfs they exploited .
Aristocrats who suddenly found themselves financially dependent on the largess of people they detested .
Aristocrats who , with that special , a-hole-arrogance that comes with an inbred sense of entitlement , become indignant when the hosts who have taken them in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ !
: and `` do as they 're told ! ''
For example , this : I 'm under absolutely no illusion that anything much is going to change .
Nonetheless ...

Never Trumpers are, to coin a phrase, to the media-manor born. They not only take it as their birthright to command the spotlight, they treat being paid to blab their stupid opinions in declarative sentences as a law of nature -- opinions validated by the only metrics the media respects: money and the approval of their peers.
Which is why, even after they reduced their own political party to toxic rubble -- a graveyard of their stupid ideas haunted by marauding bands of bigots, imbeciles, grifters and madmen -- they just cannot shut the f**k up. Reacting to their reduced circumstances exactly how you would expect entitled royalty to react.
Which, as I have mentioned once or twice before, is exactly what they are: the exiled aristocracy of an empire out of which they have been chased by the serfs they exploited.
Aristocrats who suddenly found themselves financially dependent on the largess of people they detested.
Aristocrats who, with that special, a-hole-arrogance that comes with an inbred sense of entitlement, become indignant when the hosts who have taken them in as refugees don't "snap to!: and "do as they're told!"
For example, this:
—-> The dangerous delusions of Bernie’s brigades https://t.co/BGMOZgdWXu — Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) February 14, 2020
And this:
Democrats, this can happen to you. Make a good choice in the primary...don’t give up on all the things you stand for just to get Trump out. https://t.co/fyfNRvDWDe — S.E. Cupp (@secupp) February 16, 2020
And this:
Mean and angry Warren is not a good look — Jennifer Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) February 20, 2020
Oh for the love of god, Jen. Seriously? — Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) February 20, 2020
I'm under absolutely no illusion that anything much is going to change. Nonetheless...
Republished with permission from Driftglass.


crooksandliars--2020-02-24--Harvey Weinstein Found Guilty On Two Counts

Two of five counts in the Harvey Weinstein trial are GUILTY .
Looks like the jury did its job .
# WeinsteinTrial - NOT GUILTY of Predatory Sexual Assault ( Miriam Haley ) GUILTY of Criminal Sexual Act in 1st degree ( Miriam Haley ) .
NG Pred Sex Assault ( Jessica Mann ) NG Rape in 1st degree ( Jessica Mann ) .
GUILTY Rape in the 3rd degree ( Jessica Mann ) The jury in New York convicted Weinstein , 67 , of third-degree rape against former aspiring actress Jessica Mann , as well as a count of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ former production assistant Mimi Haley .
But the jury found him not guilty on two counts predatory sexual assault , which could have resulted in a life sentence .
He was also acquitted on a count of first-degree rape against Mann .
The end of the New York trial does not spell the end of legal action against Weinstein .
He also faces a sex crimes case in Los Angeles , where he is charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents on two consecutive days in 2013 .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ in that case .

Two of five counts in the Harvey Weinstein trial are GUILTY. Looks like the jury did its job.
#WeinsteinTrial - NOT GUILTY of Predatory Sexual Assault (Miriam Haley) GUILTY of Criminal Sexual Act in 1st degree (Miriam Haley). NG Pred Sex Assault (Jessica Mann) NG Rape in 1st degree (Jessica Mann). GUILTY Rape in the 3rd degree (Jessica Mann)
NBC Reports:
The jury in New York convicted Weinstein, 67, of third-degree rape against former aspiring actress Jessica Mann, as well as a count of criminal sexual act in the first-degree against former production assistant Mimi Haley.
But the jury found him not guilty on two counts predatory sexual assault, which could have resulted in a life sentence. He was also acquitted on a count of first-degree rape against Mann.
The end of the New York trial does not spell the end of legal action against Weinstein. He also faces a sex crimes case in Los Angeles, where he is charged with raping one woman and sexually assaulting another in separate incidents on two consecutive days in 2013. He has yet to enter a plea in that case.


crooksandliars--2020-02-24--Trump's 'Acting' DNI Chief Did Not Disclose Foreign Ties

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom .
Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox .
President Donald Trump ’ s new acting intelligence director , Richard Grenell , used to do consulting work on behalf of an Eastern European oligarch who is now a fugitive and was recently barred from entering the U.S. under anti-corruption sanctions imposed last month by the State Department .
In 2016 , Grenell wrote several articles defending the oligarch , a Moldovan politician named Vladimir Plahotniuc , but did not disclose that he was being @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Grenell also did not register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act , which generally requires people to disclose work in the U.S. on behalf of foreign politicians .
FARA is the same law that Trump ’ s former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former deputy campaign manager Rick Gates were convicted of violating .
( Manafort went to trial .
Gates pleaded guilty . )
It ’ s not clear whether the articles were directly part of Grenell ’ s paid consulting work for Plahotniuc .
Unpaid work could still require disclosures @ @ @ @ @ @ @ or primarily benefited a foreign politician , according to Matthew Sanderson , a lawyer at Caplin & Drysdale who advises people on complying with FARA .
FARA contains several exemptions , such as for lawyers and businesses , Sanderson said , but none appear to apply to Grenell ’ s op-eds about Plahotniuc .
“ There is real reason to believe that Mr. Grenell should have registered here , ” Sanderson said after ProPublica described the circumstances to him .
“ This is exactly the type of circumstances I ’ d expect the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Craig Engle , an attorney with the law firm Arent Fox , said he was responding to ProPublica ’ s questions on Grenell ’ s behalf .
Engle declined to say what Grenell ’ s paid consulting work involved but said he did not have to register under FARA “ because he was not working at the direction of a foreign power.
” “ Ric was not paid to write these stories , in fact he has written hundreds of stories on his own time to express his own views , ” Engle @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : he was not working for any individual , he was working for himself and was advocating the ideal of a pro-western political party that was emerging.
” Undisclosed work for a foreign politician would ordinarily pose a problem for anyone applying for a security clearance or a job in a U.S. intelligence agency because it could make the person susceptible to foreign influence or blackmail , according to the official policy from the office that Trump tapped Grenell to lead .
The policy specifies that among the “ conditions that could raise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” are : • “ Failure to report or fully disclose , when required , association with a foreign person , group , government or country.
” • “ Substantial business , financial , or property interests in a foreign country … that could subject the individual to a heightened risk of foreign influence or exploitation or personal conflict of interest.
” • “ Acting to serve the interest of a foreign person , group , organization or government in any way that conflicts with U.S. national security interests.
” “ That ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ have a clearance , ” said Kel McClanahan , a Washington-area lawyer specializing in security clearances .
“ If he were one of my clients and just a normal [ federal employee ] , he would almost assuredly not have a clearance.
” McClanahan said it ’ s unclear how Grenell could have already gotten a clearance as an ambassador .
The House Oversight Committee is investigating whether the Trump administration has overruled career officials in granting security clearances to political appointees .
As Trump ’ s pick for acting director of national @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country ’ s most sensitive secrets .
Grenell isn ’ t subject to Senate confirmation because Trump appointed him on a temporary basis .
The White House , the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment .
Grenell , who is also continuing in his current posts as ambassador to Germany and special envoy for negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia , has gained Trump ’ s favor with his unwavering loyalty and combative tweets .
( In one instance , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that Vice President Mike Pence ’ s office had intervened in foreign aid decisions . )
He raised hackles in Berlin by injecting himself into the country ’ s domestic politics , a departure from usual diplomatic protocol .
Grenell does not have prior experience in intelligence .
He was the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations during the George W. Bush administration .
In between his turns in government , Grenell had a public affairs consulting firm called Capitol Media Partners .
One of the firm ’ s clients , according to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he became an ambassador , was Arthur J. Finkelstein , the late Republican political consultant whose international clients included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary .
Grenell ’ s financial disclosure indicates that he received more than $ 5,000 from Finkelstein ’ s firm but does not specify how much .
According to a person familiar with the relationship , Grenell worked for Finkelstein as a media consultant for clients in Eastern Europe .
That person and another individual said the client in Moldova was Plahotniuc @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and then a top official in its ruling political party .
In August 2016 , Grenell published op-eds in the right-leaning Washington Examiner and Washington Times defending Plahotniuc and attacking his enemies as serving Russian interests .
Plahotniuc and his allies at the time were fending off suspicions of their involvement in a $ 1 billion bank fraud in Moldova .
“ Blaming the ruling party and its leadership has its political benefits for Russia , ” Grenell wrote in the Examiner article .
“ Plahotniuc has been around Moldovan politics , business @ @ @ @ @ @ @ turned out to be an easy target.
” This narrative aligned with Plahotniuc ’ s efforts to present himself as pro-Western in Washington and European capitals , according to lobbying disclosure records .
“ Certainly there was an effort by him to engage U.S. officials at the time , that despite all this corruption he was the guy most likely to keep Russia at bay and therefore you should accept him , ” said Jonathan Katz , who oversaw U.S. aid programs for Moldova at the time .
“ It didn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the country , ” Katz said , because Plahotniuc didn ’ t advance U.S. interests such as promoting democratic institutions and the rule of law .
Grenell was also quoted in an October 2016 article in the Houston Chronicle criticizing a resolution proposed by Rep. Randy Weber , R-Texas , that accused Plahotniuc and his allies of corruption .
“ He ’ s trying to attack the only pro-European group in Moldova , ” Grenell told the Chronicle .
“ The reality is he ’ s pro-himself and nothing more , ” Valeriu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ society group in Moldova called WatchDog.MD , said of Plahotniuc .
“ He was playing both sides for 15 years at least.
” Plahotniuc lost power in 2019 and fled Moldova .
His current whereabouts are unknown .
Last month , the State Department endorsed the corruption allegations against him , banning him and his family from entering the U.S. “ In his official capacity , Plahotniuc was involved in corrupt acts that undermined the rule of law and severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in Moldova , ” the State Department @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s action sends a strong signal the United States does not tolerate corruption and stands with the people of Moldova in their fight against it .
”

ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom. Sign up for The Big Story newsletter to receive stories like this one in your inbox.
President Donald Trump’s new acting intelligence director, Richard Grenell, used to do consulting work on behalf of an Eastern European oligarch who is now a fugitive and was recently barred from entering the U.S. under anti-corruption sanctions imposed last month by the State Department.
In 2016, Grenell wrote several articles defending the oligarch, a Moldovan politician named Vladimir Plahotniuc, but did not disclose that he was being paid, according to records and interviews. Grenell also did not register under the Foreign Agents Registration Act, which generally requires people to disclose work in the U.S. on behalf of foreign politicians.
FARA is the same law that Trump’s former campaign manager Paul Manafort and former deputy campaign manager Rick Gates were convicted of violating. (Manafort went to trial. Gates pleaded guilty.)
It’s not clear whether the articles were directly part of Grenell’s paid consulting work for Plahotniuc. Unpaid work could still require disclosures under FARA if it was directed by or primarily benefited a foreign politician, according to Matthew Sanderson, a lawyer at Caplin & Drysdale who advises people on complying with FARA. FARA contains several exemptions, such as for lawyers and businesses, Sanderson said, but none appear to apply to Grenell’s op-eds about Plahotniuc.
“There is real reason to believe that Mr. Grenell should have registered here,” Sanderson said after ProPublica described the circumstances to him. “This is exactly the type of circumstances I’d expect the Department of Justice to investigate further.”
Craig Engle, an attorney with the law firm Arent Fox, said he was responding to ProPublica’s questions on Grenell’s behalf. Engle declined to say what Grenell’s paid consulting work involved but said he did not have to register under FARA “because he was not working at the direction of a foreign power.”
“Ric was not paid to write these stories, in fact he has written hundreds of stories on his own time to express his own views,” Engle said. “But to be clear: he was not working for any individual, he was working for himself and was advocating the ideal of a pro-western political party that was emerging.”
Undisclosed work for a foreign politician would ordinarily pose a problem for anyone applying for a security clearance or a job in a U.S. intelligence agency because it could make the person susceptible to foreign influence or blackmail, according to the official policy from the office that Trump tapped Grenell to lead.
The policy specifies that among the “conditions that could raise a security concern and may be disqualifying” are:
“Failure to report or fully disclose, when required, association with a foreign person, group, government or country.”
“Substantial business, financial, or property interests in a foreign country … that could subject the individual to a heightened risk of foreign influence or exploitation or personal conflict of interest.”
“Acting to serve the interest of a foreign person, group, organization or government in any way that conflicts with U.S. national security interests.”
“That’s really easy, he should not have a clearance,” said Kel McClanahan, a Washington-area lawyer specializing in security clearances. “If he were one of my clients and just a normal [federal employee], he would almost assuredly not have a clearance.”
McClanahan said it’s unclear how Grenell could have already gotten a clearance as an ambassador. The House Oversight Committee is investigating whether the Trump administration has overruled career officials in granting security clearances to political appointees.
As Trump’s pick for acting director of national intelligence, Grenell will have access to the country’s most sensitive secrets. Grenell isn’t subject to Senate confirmation because Trump appointed him on a temporary basis.
The White House, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the State Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Grenell, who is also continuing in his current posts as ambassador to Germany and special envoy for negotiations between Kosovo and Serbia, has gained Trump’s favor with his unwavering loyalty and combative tweets. (In one instance, he attacked ProPublica in response to reporting that Vice President Mike Pence’s office had intervened in foreign aid decisions.) He raised hackles in Berlin by injecting himself into the country’s domestic politics, a departure from usual diplomatic protocol.
Grenell does not have prior experience in intelligence. He was the U.S. spokesman at the United Nations during the George W. Bush administration.
In between his turns in government, Grenell had a public affairs consulting firm called Capitol Media Partners. One of the firm’s clients, according to the financial disclosure that Grenell filed when he became an ambassador, was Arthur J. Finkelstein, the late Republican political consultant whose international clients included Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel and Prime Minister Viktor Orban of Hungary. Grenell’s financial disclosure indicates that he received more than $5,000 from Finkelstein’s firm but does not specify how much.
According to a person familiar with the relationship, Grenell worked for Finkelstein as a media consultant for clients in Eastern Europe. That person and another individual said the client in Moldova was Plahotniuc, the country’s richest man and then a top official in its ruling political party.
In August 2016, Grenell published op-eds in the right-leaning Washington Examiner and Washington Times defending Plahotniuc and attacking his enemies as serving Russian interests. Plahotniuc and his allies at the time were fending off suspicions of their involvement in a $1 billion bank fraud in Moldova. “Blaming the ruling party and its leadership has its political benefits for Russia,” Grenell wrote in the Examiner article. “Plahotniuc has been around Moldovan politics, business and civic life for decades and has turned out to be an easy target.”
This narrative aligned with Plahotniuc’s efforts to present himself as pro-Western in Washington and European capitals, according to lobbying disclosure records. “Certainly there was an effort by him to engage U.S. officials at the time, that despite all this corruption he was the guy most likely to keep Russia at bay and therefore you should accept him,” said Jonathan Katz, who oversaw U.S. aid programs for Moldova at the time. “It didn’t match anything he was doing internally in the country,” Katz said, because Plahotniuc didn’t advance U.S. interests such as promoting democratic institutions and the rule of law.
Grenell was also quoted in an October 2016 article in the Houston Chronicle criticizing a resolution proposed by Rep. Randy Weber, R-Texas, that accused Plahotniuc and his allies of corruption. “He’s trying to attack the only pro-European group in Moldova,” Grenell told the Chronicle.
“The reality is he’s pro-himself and nothing more,” Valeriu Pașa, who leads a prominent civil society group in Moldova called WatchDog.MD, said of Plahotniuc. “He was playing both sides for 15 years at least.”
Plahotniuc lost power in 2019 and fled Moldova. His current whereabouts are unknown. Last month, the State Department endorsed the corruption allegations against him, banning him and his family from entering the U.S.
“In his official capacity, Plahotniuc was involved in corrupt acts that undermined the rule of law and severely compromised the independence of democratic institutions in Moldova,” the State Department said in its announcement. “Today’s action sends a strong signal the United States does not tolerate corruption and stands with the people of Moldova in their fight against it.”


crooksandliars--2020-02-24--Nevada GOPer Reveals He 'Caucused For Bernie' To Help Trump: 'It Would Be A Dream Election'

Conservative activist Chuck Muth said that he temporarily switched parties to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in the @ @ @ @ @ who spoke to the Las Vegas Journal-Review while wearing a red Keep America Great hat @ @ @ @ @ crossed over to “ vote for the weakest candidate possible of the Democrats.
” “ @ @ @ @ @ way of demonstrating how absurd I think it is to have same-day registration as well @ @ @ @ @ caucus , ” Muth explained .
“ So my wife and I last Sunday went @ @ @ @ @ , we changed parties right there on the spot .
We caucused for Bernie.
” @ @ @ @ @ dream election , ” he added .
“ The nightmare would be if Sanders won @ @ @ @ @ , look , if Bernie Sanders can beat Donald Trump , we ’ ve already @ @ @ @

Conservative activist Chuck Muth said that he temporarily switched parties to vote for Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders in the Nevada caucuses.
Muth, who spoke to the Las Vegas Journal-Review while wearing a red Keep America Great hat, explained that he had crossed over to “vote for the weakest candidate possible of the Democrats.”
“It was kind of a way of demonstrating how absurd I think it is to have same-day registration as well as early voting for a caucus,” Muth explained. “So my wife and I last Sunday went to an early voting site, we changed parties right there on the spot. We caucused for Bernie.”
“It would be a dream election,” he added. “The nightmare would be if Sanders won, of course. But, look, if Bernie Sanders can beat Donald Trump, we’ve already lost it.”


crooksandliars--2020-02-24--Lindsey Graham Promises Even More Investigations Into Trump's 'Enemies'

If the Republicans learned anything from the 2016 election season , it is this : threatening investigations and congressional hearings work .
It does n't matter if there have been multiple investigations already , with no findings of wrongdoing .
It does n't matter if the threat comes from the fevered brains of alt-right conspiracy sites ( actually , that is preferred ) .
It does n't matter if it makes any frickin ' sense at all .
Most Americans wo n't follow it carefully enough to parse out cynical political moves from authentic attempts at oversight .
They 'll @ @ @ @ @ @ @ something vaguely sinister about the subjects of the investigation and the grandstanding of calling witnesses and insinuating their affiliation with a vaguely-defined deep state .
It all adds up to boffo ratings for their own particular audience of one : Donald Trump .
So even though Trump 's own Justice department declined to prosecute former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe , Chief Trump Enabler Lindsey Graham is about to haul him and a dozen other Trump bogeymen/women to get down to the bottom of ... of ... .something : : What I 'm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to call the people who are involved in investigating the counterintelligence investigation .
You have twenty-one people involved that I 've named , or to find out what did McCabe and Comey know .
When did they know the dossier was unreliable , but the Department of Justice has withdrawn the two warrant requests , saying they were illegal ?
in January 2017 , the primary Russian sub-source told four members of the Department of Justice and FBI that the dossier was a bunch of bartok [ sic ] and hearsay and not @ @ @ @ @ @ @ when did Comey and McCabe understand it was not reliable .
If that 's not some authentic frontier gibberish , I do n't know what is .
But it does n't matter .
What matters is that Donald Trump hears his little buddy Lindsey persecuting someone that Trump 's fevered , demented , Adderall-addled mind has decided must be taken down .
And for all those low info voters getting their news from the Fox family of `` news '' channels , it sounds like their side is getting tough against those who @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and repeat over and over and over until November .
Just like Benghazi .
Graham knows not to mess with a winning formula .

If the Republicans learned anything from the 2016 election season, it is this: threatening investigations and congressional hearings work. It doesn't matter if there have been multiple investigations already, with no findings of wrongdoing. It doesn't matter if the threat comes from the fevered brains of alt-right conspiracy sites (actually, that is preferred). It doesn't matter if it makes any frickin' sense at all.
Most Americans won't follow it carefully enough to parse out cynical political moves from authentic attempts at oversight. They'll just get the sense that there's something vaguely sinister about the subjects of the investigation and the grandstanding of calling witnesses and insinuating their affiliation with a vaguely-defined deep state. It all adds up to boffo ratings for their own particular audience of one: Donald Trump.
So even though Trump's own Justice department declined to prosecute former FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe, Chief Trump Enabler Lindsey Graham is about to haul him and a dozen other Trump bogeymen/women to get down to the bottom of...of....something::
What I'm going to do is I'm going to call the people who are involved in investigating the counterintelligence investigation. You have twenty-one people involved that I've named, or to find out what did McCabe and Comey know. When did they know the dossier was unreliable, but the Department of Justice has withdrawn the two warrant requests, saying they were illegal? in January 2017, the primary Russian sub-source told four members of the Department of Justice and FBI that the dossier was a bunch of bartok [sic] and hearsay and not reliable. I want to find out when did Comey and McCabe understand it was not reliable.
If that's not some authentic frontier gibberish, I don't know what is. But it doesn't matter.
What matters is that Donald Trump hears his little buddy Lindsey persecuting someone that Trump's fevered, demented, Adderall-addled mind has decided must be taken down. And for all those low info voters getting their news from the Fox family of "news" channels, it sounds like their side is getting tough against those who threaten their sense of identity.
Rinse and repeat over and over and over until November. Just like Benghazi. Graham knows not to mess with a winning formula.


Blue America Endorsement-- Georgette Gómez (CA-53)

In the last 2 days San Diego City Council president Georgette Gómez has been endorsed by some of the most trusted names in progressive politics -- AOC , Ro Khanna , Jamie Raskin , Pramila Jayapal ... Bernie had endorsed her the week before .
Today , Blue America adds our name to the growing list of endorsers .
Georgette made history as the first queer Latina elected to the San Diego City Council and two years ago she was unanimously elected president of that body , earning the support of both Democrats and Republicans .
She 's used that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transit , affordable housing , environmental policies and standing up to Trump 's dangerous and bigoted border agenda .
She told us that her priorities in Congress will be tackling the climate crisis , providing quality and affordable healthcare to all , investing in infrastructure and reducing gun violence .
Her opponent is Qualcomm heiress Sara Jacobs , whose family is trying to buy her a congressional seat .
We asked Georgette to write a few paragraphs about the importance of affordable housing -- both looking backwards towards her job in San Diego @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Please consider contributing to her campaign by clicking on the Blue America 2020 congressional thermometer below .
California has a housing crisis and it does n't take being at City Council to know that we are feeling it here in San Diego .
Rent and home value continues to increase , and despite the work that we are doing at the city , the number of people living on our streets continues to grow .
This crisis is personal for me .
When I was growing up my parents worked hard , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that still was n't enough .
There was a time that we lost our home , and my parents , my two siblings , and I shared a living room .
We were lucky compared to many people .
My parents managed to secure a new place , and we all moved in to a new house .
It was n't luxurious , but it was home .
The challenges that many people are facing now are even more difficult than the situation my family was in .
Our inability to solve this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the most frustrating parts of the job .
We have allocated millions to new housing , loosened the requirements for adding living spaces to existing homes , and have mandated that every new significant development has affordable housing units .
We have spent countless hours working on this issue , both amongst ourselves , with representatives from the state government , and with outside agencies .
But that still is n't enough .
This is not an issue that we can solve alone .
The State and the Federal government needs to do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the role that HUD is playing here in San Diego , partner with state agencies and nonprofits to bring in more resources , and make this issue the highest priority for our delegation .
If the Federal government can put a man on the moon , build the largest road system in the world , and provide trillions of dollars in tax breaks to the ultrawealthy , it can make sure that every American has a roof over their head at night .
We are the richest nation in the history of the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shelter to the most vulnerable amongst us is shameful .
I am proud of the work that we have done during my tenure as Council President , and this is an issue I will continue to work on during my last year here .
But we ca n't solve this crisis unless we have a Representative in Congress who will bring back the resources that we need .
When I 'm in Congress I will never give up this fight .
For me , it 's personal .

In the last 2 days San Diego City Council president Georgette Gómez has been endorsed by some of the most trusted names in progressive politics-- AOC, Ro Khanna, Jamie Raskin, Pramila Jayapal... Bernie had endorsed her the week before. Today, Blue America adds our name to the growing list of endorsers.
Georgette made history as the first queer Latina elected to the San Diego City Council and two years ago she was unanimously elected president of that body, earning the support of both Democrats and Republicans. She's used that position to champion progressive initiatives involving mass transit, affordable housing, environmental policies and standing up to Trump's dangerous and bigoted border agenda. She told us that her priorities in Congress will be tackling the climate crisis, providing quality and affordable healthcare to all, investing in infrastructure and reducing gun violence. Her opponent is Qualcomm heiress Sara Jacobs, whose family is trying to buy her a congressional seat.
We asked Georgette to write a few paragraphs about the importance of affordable housing-- both looking backwards towards her job in San Diego and forwards to her job in DC. Please consider contributing to her campaign by clicking on the Blue America 2020 congressional thermometer below.
The Housing Crisis
-by Georgette Gómez
California has a housing crisis and it doesn't take being at City Council to know that we are feeling it here in San Diego. Rent and home value continues to increase, and despite the work that we are doing at the city, the number of people living on our streets continues to grow.
This crisis is personal for me.
When I was growing up my parents worked hard, often two or three jobs, but that still wasn't enough. There was a time that we lost our home, and my parents, my two siblings, and I shared a living room. We were lucky compared to many people. My parents managed to secure a new place, and we all moved in to a new house. It wasn't luxurious, but it was home.
The challenges that many people are facing now are even more difficult than the situation my family was in.
Our inability to solve this crisis at the Council is one of the most frustrating parts of the job. We have allocated millions to new housing, loosened the requirements for adding living spaces to existing homes, and have mandated that every new significant development has affordable housing units.
We have spent countless hours working on this issue, both amongst ourselves, with representatives from the state government, and with outside agencies. But that still isn't enough.
This is not an issue that we can solve alone.
The State and the Federal government needs to do more. We need to dramatically expand the role that HUD is playing here in San Diego, partner with state agencies and nonprofits to bring in more resources, and make this issue the highest priority for our delegation.
If the Federal government can put a man on the moon, build the largest road system in the world, and provide trillions of dollars in tax breaks to the ultrawealthy, it can make sure that every American has a roof over their head at night. We are the richest nation in the history of the world, and our inability to provide shelter to the most vulnerable amongst us is shameful.
I am proud of the work that we have done during my tenure as Council President, and this is an issue I will continue to work on during my last year here. But we can't solve this crisis unless we have a Representative in Congress who will bring back the resources that we need.
When I'm in Congress I will never give up this fight. For me, it's personal.


crooksandliars--2020-02-28--America Is About To Learn Why Health Care Should Never Be A For-profit Business

For four decades , American corporations have been caught up in a whole series of refinements that are intended to improve efficiency and productivity .
Our processes are lean .
Our efficiency is six-sigma .
Our productivity has mysteriously run far ahead of employee compensation in a way that has made CEOs billionaires while leaving workers on food stamps .
It ’ s a system that maximizes profit .
But it ’ s also a system that assumes that everything can be stripped to the bare bones ; that business can make do with minimal staffing , minimal supplies , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ makes the system in the least unprofitable .
The system stands like a house of glass , waiting for something to challenge its fragility .
And in the United States , health care is just that kind of system .
ike every other system in America , we now have a super-lean , infinite-sigma healthcare system , absolutely dependent on every cog remaining in place .
It ’ s one in which there are fewer than a million hospital beds for the entire nation ; one in which many , many rural counties @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that ’ s the most profitable way of running the system , and that ’ s what happens when health care is subjected to the winnowing of the marketplace—just barely enough health care , at the highest possible prices people will tolerate without demanding a change .
It ’ s exactly where a nation does not want to be when encountering a health crisis .
And it ’ s why America is , unfortunately , about to get a lesson in why there is much more to a national health system than whether @ @ @ @ @ @ @ with checks to an insurance company .
In the 1960s , astronauts used to joke about flying on a giant rocket built by a collection of contractors who submitted the lowest bids .
But NASA had a safety culture then , and now , that demanded each of those components be tested and retested until its function was as near certain as possible .
A spacecraft is the opposite of “ lean , ” with a backup , and a backup , and a backup to the backup ’ s backup at every @ @ @ @ @ @ @ smart people standing by to get creative if Murphy scores a perfect strike .
None of this is true for our healthcare system .
Failure very much is an option at every clinic and hospital in America .
A certain level of failure is even assumed .
Building a system with redundancies and experts who were not always pushed to their absolute limits would cost more .
Every intern , doctor , and nurse ( especially nurse ) who you ever met was overworked , because running the system on the ragged edge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Or at least it is as far as corporations whose goal is to milk every penny from the process are concerned .
In the average hospital visit , there are more people involved in billing you than in treating you .
This thinking isn ’ t just pervasive and accepted—it ’ s also actively considered a very good thing .
During his press event on Wednesday afternoon , before fumbling the hot coronavirus potato into the waiting hands of Mike “ Smoking is good for you ” Pence , Donald Trump defended @ @ @ @ @ @ @ CDC and the experts on pandemics he had dropped from the National Security Council and the epidemiologists he had flushed from his planning team .
He didn ’ t want those people sitting around when they weren ’ t needed , said Trump .
Besides , he claimed , you could always go and get them when they were needed .
Because somewhere , somehow , there is a system that keeps vital specialists waiting in hermetically sealed containers , fresh , ready , and informed to meet the nation ’ s needs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ saying , bullshit .
But let me say it again .
Bullshit .
The value of an expert brought in to repair a system after disaster strikes is so much less than the value of having that person on hand to plan that the old ounce of prevention being greater than pound of cure formula doesn ’ t begin to cover it .
You can not decide to hire some pilots after the plane has crashed .
The thing about extraordinary events is that they ’ re extraordinary .
Planning for them will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ save lives .
By treating health care like a business , Americans have already seen one of the first people who dared ask to be tested for COVID-19 get handed a bill for thousands of dollars , the primary result of which will be to dissuade other Americans from asking to be tested .
Which is , right there , exactly the result that is best for insurance companies—and worst for the nation .
It ’ s an absolute certainty that Americans will hide their sniffles , drown their symptoms in over-the-counter drugs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ out ” because they can ’ t afford health care .
Besides , they have no paid sick leave , no paid child care , and no guarantee that missing a day ’ s work won ’ t mean being cast to the curb .
All that “ socialist ” crap .
And because our whole system runs so excellently lean , American hospitals are already seeing shortages of everything from gowns to masks to painkillers , because the single-source , lowest-price vendor of those items happens to be in an area that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ coronavirus .
Not only have those factories on the far side of the planet been sitting idle for weeks , but what production has been available has been needed close to home .
Right now in Hubei province , Chinese healthcare workers are staggering around in exhaustion .
Or , as American hospital workers call it , Thursday .
Our understaffed , undersupplied , overworked facilities spend every day running at their limits .
That ’ s what is considered normal .
The concern about dollars over people is so accepted that on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ members of the Coronavirus Task Force—Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council chief Larry Kudlow .
Though to be fair , it ’ s not as if they completely lack expertise .
Kudlow does have long familiarity with taking nasally administered drugs from rolled $ 100 bills .
So there ’ s that .
And if in this version of The Stand the role of the Rat Man is to be played by Mnuchin … no one can say that this is not good casting .
Disaster is far from certain .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ measures that will slow the impact of COVID .
And antiviral medicines may prove effective , or maybe a vaccine will come along more quickly than expected— though , should either happen , you can assume there will be a line of Pharma Bros on hand to buy the companies involved and raise the prices to eye-watering levels .
After all , holding people ’ s lives hostage is exactly what our healthcare system is all about .
COVID-19 is going to swing a big hammer at the glass house of American health @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hope they don ’ t get cut in the process .
And then vote to change the damn system .
Ed .
Note : Read Helaine Olen 's column in the Washington Post on this very topic .

For four decades, American corporations have been caught up in a whole series of refinements that are intended to improve efficiency and productivity. Our processes are lean. Our efficiency is six-sigma. Our productivity has mysteriously run far ahead of employee compensation in a way that has made CEOs billionaires while leaving workers on food stamps.
It’s a system that maximizes profit. But it’s also a system that assumes that everything can be stripped to the bare bones; that business can make do with minimal staffing, minimal supplies, minimal alternatives. Nothing is there that makes the system in the least unprofitable. The system stands like a house of glass, waiting for something to challenge its fragility.
And in the United States, health care is just that kind of system.
Like every other system in America, we now have a super-lean, infinite-sigma healthcare system, absolutely dependent on every cog remaining in place. It’s one in which there are fewer than a million hospital beds for the entire nation; one in which many, many rural counties have no hospital at all. Because that’s the most profitable way of running the system, and that’s what happens when health care is subjected to the winnowing of the marketplace—just barely enough health care, at the highest possible prices people will tolerate without demanding a change.
It’s exactly where a nation does not want to be when encountering a health crisis. And it’s why America is, unfortunately, about to get a lesson in why there is much more to a national health system than whether you pay for it in taxes or with checks to an insurance company.
In the 1960s, astronauts used to joke about flying on a giant rocket built by a collection of contractors who submitted the lowest bids. But NASA had a safety culture then, and now, that demanded each of those components be tested and retested until its function was as near certain as possible. A spacecraft is the opposite of “lean,” with a backup, and a backup, and a backup to the backup’s backup at every possible point—and a massive staff of very smart people standing by to get creative if Murphy scores a perfect strike.
None of this is true for our healthcare system. Failure very much is an option at every clinic and hospital in America. A certain level of failure is even assumed. Building a system with redundancies and experts who were not always pushed to their absolute limits would cost more. Every intern, doctor, and nurse (especially nurse) who you ever met was overworked, because running the system on the ragged edge of failure is exactly the sweet spot. Or at least it is as far as corporations whose goal is to milk every penny from the process are concerned. In the average hospital visit, there are more people involved in billing you than in treating you.
This thinking isn’t just pervasive and accepted—it’s also actively considered a very good thing. During his press event on Wednesday afternoon, before fumbling the hot coronavirus potato into the waiting hands of Mike “Smoking is good for you” Pence, Donald Trump defended the cuts he had made to the CDC and the experts on pandemics he had dropped from the National Security Council and the epidemiologists he had flushed from his planning team. He didn’t want those people sitting around when they weren’t needed, said Trump. Besides, he claimed, you could always go and get them when they were needed. Because somewhere, somehow, there is a system that keeps vital specialists waiting in hermetically sealed containers, fresh, ready, and informed to meet the nation’s needs.
That is, it goes without saying, bullshit. But let me say it again. Bullshit. The value of an expert brought in to repair a system after disaster strikes is so much less than the value of having that person on hand to plan that the old ounce of prevention being greater than pound of cure formula doesn’t begin to cover it. You cannot decide to hire some pilots after the plane has crashed.
The thing about extraordinary events is that they’re extraordinary. Planning for them will never improve profits. It will only save lives.
By treating health care like a business, Americans have already seen one of the first people who dared ask to be tested for COVID-19 get handed a bill for thousands of dollars, the primary result of which will be to dissuade other Americans from asking to be tested. Which is, right there, exactly the result that is best for insurance companies—and worst for the nation.
It’s an absolute certainty that Americans will hide their sniffles, drown their symptoms in over-the-counter drugs, and try to “tough it out” because they can’t afford health care. Besides, they have no paid sick leave, no paid child care, and no guarantee that missing a day’s work won’t mean being cast to the curb. All that “socialist” crap.
And because our whole system runs so excellently lean, American hospitals are already seeing shortages of everything from gowns to masks to painkillers, because the single-source, lowest-price vendor of those items happens to be in an area that’s already been overrun with the coronavirus. Not only have those factories on the far side of the planet been sitting idle for weeks, but what production has been available has been needed close to home.
Right now in Hubei province, Chinese healthcare workers are staggering around in exhaustion. Or, as American hospital workers call it, Thursday. Our understaffed, undersupplied, overworked facilities spend every day running at their limits. That’s what is considered normal.
The concern about dollars over people is so accepted that on Thursday the White House announced two new members of the Coronavirus Task Force—Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and National Economic Council chief Larry Kudlow. Though to be fair, it’s not as if they completely lack expertise. Kudlow does have long familiarity with taking nasally administered drugs from rolled $100 bills. So there’s that. And if in this version of The Stand the role of the Rat Man is to be played by Mnuchin … no one can say that this is not good casting.
Disaster is far from certain. Local and state officials can still take measures that will slow the impact of COVID. And antiviral medicines may prove effective, or maybe a vaccine will come along more quickly than expected— though, should either happen, you can assume there will be a line of Pharma Bros on hand to buy the companies involved and raise the prices to eye-watering levels. After all, holding people’s lives hostage is exactly what our healthcare system is all about.
COVID-19 is going to swing a big hammer at the glass house of American health care. All anyone can do is hope they don’t get cut in the process.
And then vote to change the damn system.
Published with permission of Daily Kos
Ed. Note: Read Helaine Olen's column in the Washington Post on this very topic.


crooksandliars--2020-02-28--Dem Rep Skewers Betsy DeVos: 'Strike This Racist Research'

Cruella DeVil had to answer to a House Committee on Thursday about her proposed 2021 Education Department budget .
Fortunately for multi-celled organisms everywhere , Rep. Katherine Clark ( D-MA ) serves on that committee , and had many questions for Cruella to answer .
In particular , Rep. Clark asked for clarification on whether DeVos wrote the budget , or if David Duke did .
I 'm just kidding , but not by much .
REP. CLARK : Do YOU think that the disparity in discipline for pre-schoolers of Color COULD indicate a racial bias ?
DEVOS : I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again , I think the bigger issue here is that we make sure that every opportunity to pursue an education that is going to unlock and unleash their personal and fullest potential .
REP. CLARK : Okay .
Is n't it , though , the official policy , now , of the Dept .
of Education that the cause of the disparate rates of discipline that we see with students of Color is explained by the fact that these children are just inherently pre-disposed to misbehave and disrupt the classroom more than white @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
REP. CLARK : No , it 's not .
That is the conclusion of the research you cited in your school safety report of 2019 .
Congress specifically asked you to strike all references to this report , which , interestingly , appeared in the Journal of Criminal Justice .
Your official response within this budget is that you stand by this report and its conclusions .
Is n't that right ?
DEVOS : Congresswoman , do you have a question about the budget ?
Because we 're here to talk about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In your FY21 budget , you responded that , quote , the Department of Education stands by this report that says children of Color are just more inherently likely to misbehave , and that explains the disparate rates of discipline .
DEVOS : I do n't know where that would have fallen in our budget narrative ... REP. CLARK : We will get you the EXACT SECTION .
Because it 's right in your budget .
Are we clear on what this is ?
This is the head of the Department of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about criminal justice concluding that Black and brown kids as young as 3 years old are inherently more poorly behaved , and that is why they are disciplined more often .
No interest whatsoever in acknowledging that there is bias against them on the part of the teachers , or exploring how to fix that bias in the adults that are the face of our education system .
Obviously it 's the 3-year-old 's fault for being Black or brown .
DeVos smiles that the questions are open for public comment now , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ feelings known , but Rep. Clark lays down the law on what DeVos really needs to do .
REP. CLARK : We certainly would like you to go ahead , undo what you put in your budget , STRIKE this racist research , make sure it 's CRYSTAL clear that you do NOT buy into this theory that children of Color are disciplined because of who they are , and that they come to school with disruptive tendencies .
THAT is what you put in your report .
In your budget you say @ @ @ @ @ @ @ HOW she did n't tell DeVos to drink bleach , I will never know , but she did finish her off with a devastating blow .
Watch the second part of her questioning below .

Cruella DeVil had to answer to a House Committee on Thursday about her proposed 2021 Education Department budget. Fortunately for multi-celled organisms everywhere, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-MA) serves on that committee, and had many questions for Cruella to answer. In particular, Rep. Clark asked for clarification on whether DeVos wrote the budget, or if David Duke did.
I'm just kidding, but not by much.
REP. CLARK: Do YOU think that the disparity in discipline for pre-schoolers of Color COULD indicate a racial bias? DEVOS: I suppose it certainly could, and, again, I think the bigger issue here is that we make sure that every opportunity to pursue an education that is going to unlock and unleash their personal and fullest potential. REP. CLARK: Okay. Isn't it, though, the official policy, now, of the Dept. of Education that the cause of the disparate rates of discipline that we see with students of Color is explained by the fact that these children are just inherently pre-disposed to misbehave and disrupt the classroom more than white children? Isn't that your policy? DEVOS: No. REP. CLARK: No, it's not. That is the conclusion of the research you cited in your school safety report of 2019. Congress specifically asked you to strike all references to this report, which, interestingly, appeared in the Journal of Criminal Justice. Your official response within this budget is that you stand by this report and its conclusions. Isn't that right? DEVOS: Congresswoman, do you have a question about the budget? Because we're here to talk about the budget. REP. CLARK: Yes. In your FY21 budget, you responded that, quote, the Department of Education stands by this report that says children of Color are just more inherently likely to misbehave, and that explains the disparate rates of discipline. DEVOS: I don't know where that would have fallen in our budget narrative... REP. CLARK: We will get you the EXACT SECTION. Because it's right in your budget.
Are we clear on what this is? This is the head of the Department of Education using a report from a publication about criminal justice concluding that Black and brown kids as young as 3 years old are inherently more poorly behaved, and that is why they are disciplined more often. No interest whatsoever in acknowledging that there is bias against them on the part of the teachers, or exploring how to fix that bias in the adults that are the face of our education system. Obviously it's the 3-year-old's fault for being Black or brown.
DeVos smiles that the questions are open for public comment now, and people are welcome to make their feelings known, but Rep. Clark lays down the law on what DeVos really needs to do.
REP. CLARK: We certainly would like you to go ahead, undo what you put in your budget, STRIKE this racist research, make sure it's CRYSTAL clear that you do NOT buy into this theory that children of Color are disciplined because of who they are, and that they come to school with disruptive tendencies. THAT is what you put in your report. In your budget you say you stand by it.
WHY and HOW she didn't tell DeVos to drink bleach, I will never know, but she did finish her off with a devastating blow. Watch the second part of her questioning below.
.@RepKClark to Education Secretary Betsy DeVos (@BetsyDeVosED): "Your inability to say that you would stand up for kids is appalling and you really should resign."
Full video here: https://t.co/K2ifZmF24w pic.twitter.com/zB00izm7KU — CSPAN (@cspan) February 27, 2020
Brava, Rep. Clark.


crooksandliars--2020-02-28--WATCH As Mike Pence Shows Why He's A Terrible Choice For Coronavirus Czar

One of many odd moments from Wednesday 's insane press conference on the coronavirus outbreak .
Donald Trump has made @ @ @ @ @ since becoming president , but his choice of Vice President Mike Pence as “ coronavirus @ @ @ @ @ to be one of his worst .
There are plenty of reasons Pence is the @ @ @ @ @ , and they all converge in this three-second clip from Wednesday ’ s press conference @ @ @ @ @ , that ’ s Mike Pence , wiping his nose with his hand moments before @ @ @ @ @ his germs – with everyone standing near him .
What ’ s more , he @ @ @ @ @ conference regarding coronavirus preparedness .

One of many odd moments from Wednesday's insane press conference on the coronavirus outbreak.
Source: CCN
Donald Trump has made a lot of questionable decisions since becoming president, but his choice of Vice President Mike Pence as “coronavirus czar” is shaping up to be one of his worst.
There are plenty of reasons Pence is the wrong man for the job, and they all converge in this three-second clip from Wednesday’s press conference (via Twitter)
Yes, that’s Mike Pence, wiping his nose with his hand moments before shaking hands – and sharing his germs – with everyone standing near him.
What’s more, he did it during a press conference regarding coronavirus preparedness.


Moron-a-virus

America is , unfortunately , about to get a lesson in why there is much more to a national health @ @ @ @ @ for it in taxes or with checks to an insurance company .


crooksandliars--2020-02-28--Coronavirus: HHS Whistleblower Says U.S. Workers Assisted Evacuees Without Wearing Protective Gear

BREAKING : President Trump calls a press conference to assure the American people that the # Coronavirus has been completely contained , and that there is no legitimate threat to any Americans .
# CoronavirusOutbreak pic.twitter.com/7DJa9rOiYX A Department of Health and Human Services whistleblower is sharing potentially scary and dangerous concerns about what happened when federal workers greeted the Americans evacuated from Wuhan , China that returned to the United States in the last week .
The Washington Post is reporting that over a dozen workers met the evacuees `` without proper training for infection control or appropriate protective gear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do not show symptoms of infection and have not been treated for the virus .
The whistleblower is seeking federal protection , claiming that she was `` unfairly and improperly reassigned after raising concerns about the safety of these workers to HHS officials , including those within the office of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar .
She was told Feb. 19 that if she does not accept the new position in 15 days , which is March 5 , she would be terminated . ''
It is reported that the whistleblower @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this field and has received two HHS awards from Azar in 2019 .
She has also received the `` highest performance evaluations . ''
She filed her complaint with the Office of the Special Counsel on Wednesday .
Her lawyer provided a copy of the full complaint to the Washington Post .
In the complaint , it is alledged that HHS staff were “ improperly deployed ” and were “ not properly trained or equipped to operate in a public health emergency situation.
” Worse , the complaint alleges that workers were potentially @ @ @ @ @ @ @ taken to protect them and staffers were not trained in wearing personal protective equipment , even though they had face-to-face contact with returning passengers . ''
After hearing of the compliant , HHS provided the following statement : “ We take all whistleblower complaints very seriously and are providing the complainant all appropriate protections under the Whistleblower Protection Act .
We are evaluating the complaint and have nothing further to add at this time . ''
Chris Hayes ( MSNBC ) had a great thread on the timeline : And now this shadiness @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Trump administration , for further f*cking this all up .

A Department of Health and Human Services whistleblower is sharing potentially scary and dangerous concerns about what happened when federal workers greeted the Americans evacuated from Wuhan, China that returned to the United States in the last week. The Washington Post is reporting that over a dozen workers met the evacuees "without proper training for infection control or appropriate protective gear."
Thus far, the workers do not show symptoms of infection and have not been treated for the virus. The whistleblower is seeking federal protection, claiming that she was "unfairly and improperly reassigned after raising concerns about the safety of these workers to HHS officials, including those within the office of Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar. She was told Feb. 19 that if she does not accept the new position in 15 days, which is March 5, she would be terminated." It is reported that the whistleblower has "decades" of experience in this field and has received two HHS awards from Azar in 2019. She has also received the "highest performance evaluations."
She filed her complaint with the Office of the Special Counsel on Wednesday. Her lawyer provided a copy of the full complaint to the Washington Post. In the complaint, it is alledged that HHS staff were “improperly deployed” and were “not properly trained or equipped to operate in a public health emergency situation.” Worse, the complaint alleges that workers were potentially exposed because "appropriate steps were not taken to protect them and staffers were not trained in wearing personal protective equipment, even though they had face-to-face contact with returning passengers."
After hearing of the compliant, HHS provided the following statement: “We take all whistleblower complaints very seriously and are providing the complainant all appropriate protections under the Whistleblower Protection Act. We are evaluating the complaint and have nothing further to add at this time."
Twitter had responses:
Chris Hayes (MSNBC) had a great thread on the timeline:
So here's what appears to be chain of events:
The Trump administration repatriated infected Americans over the objections of the CDC.
HHS then sent federal workers to interact with the infected population without adequate training or protection — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 27, 2020
Then those workers went out into the public with no monitoring or testing regime in place.
And now the first US-contracted case has appeared right near one of the airforce bases where this all happened. — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 27, 2020
When someone at HHS raised alarms about all this s/he was criticized for hurting morale and then ordered to another position or be fired.
This is real real real bad. — Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) February 27, 2020
And now this shadiness about testing in California:
Trump's CDC is telling California labs they will not be allowed to test for Coronavirus (except 2 labs in the state).
Is this part of Trump's plan to cover up the extent of the pandemic? Lawmakers out here are outraged by Trump's red tape preventing more testing. — Dr. Robert Fortuna (@psychdr100) February 28, 2020
BREAKING: HHS whistleblower says US workers received coronavirus evacuees without proper precautions. Workers lacked proper training and protective gear. The whistleblower was then improperly reassigned after raising concerns. This is sickening. The Trump Admin is disgusting. — Scott Dworkin (@funder) February 27, 2020
Literally, this
"We really are concerned about #coronavirus, but we didn't bother to quarantine staffers who were evacuating people who have the disease nor did we test them." --HHS whistleblower probably — Victoria Brownworth (@VABVOX) February 28, 2020
Thank you, Trump administration, for further f*cking this all up.


crooksandliars--2020-02-27--House Of Representatives Passes Overwhelmingly Bipartisan Anti-Lynching Bill

Finally , the House of Representatives passed a bill that was overwhelmingly bipartisan and overwhelmingly necessary .
It was also more than 100 years overdue .
Yasmin Vossougian reported : VOSSOUGHIAN : And the House yesterday overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan bill that would make lynching a federal hate crime .
The bill known as the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act passed on a bipartisan 410-4 vote .
The measure 's passage comes after lawmakers unsuccessfully tried to pass anti-lynching bills nearly 200 times dating back to 1900 .
Proponents of the bill are optimistic the Senate will approve the house-passed version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Did you catch that it was n't unanimous ?
That 's right , during Black History Month , four representatives voted against the bill named for the 14-year-old Black child who was brutally , sadistically tortured and murdered for existing next to a white woman , making lynching a federal hate crime .
Because I 'm all about naming and shaming , those four are : Insert usual bullsh*t , laughable excuses about states rights here , and an especially precious argument from Gohmert that the House 's bill does n't go @ @ @ @ @ @ @ crime .

Finally, the House of Representatives passed a bill that was overwhelmingly bipartisan and overwhelmingly necessary. It was also more than 100 years overdue. Yasmin Vossougian reported:
VOSSOUGHIAN: And the House yesterday overwhelmingly passed a bipartisan bill that would make lynching a federal hate crime. The bill known as the Emmett Till Anti-Lynching Act passed on a bipartisan 410-4 vote. The measure's passage comes after lawmakers unsuccessfully tried to pass anti-lynching bills nearly 200 times dating back to 1900. Proponents of the bill are optimistic the Senate will approve the house-passed version and send to president Trump's desk.
Did you catch that it wasn't unanimous? That's right, during Black History Month, four representatives voted against the bill named for the 14-year-old Black child who was brutally, sadistically tortured and murdered for existing next to a white woman, making lynching a federal hate crime.
Because I'm all about naming and shaming, those four are:
Louis Gohmert (R-TX)
Ted Yoho (R-FL)
Thomas Massie (R-KY)
Justin Amash (I-MI)
Insert usual bullsh*t, laughable excuses about states rights here, and an especially precious argument from Gohmert that the House's bill doesn't go far enough to punish perpetrators of the crime.


crooksandliars--2020-02-27--'Arm Your Families!' GOP State Rep's Weird Rant Calls Right Wing Christians To 'Spill Blood'

By now , regular readers here are familiar with Washington State 's own whacko and dangerous lawmaker , Rep. Matt Shea .
In 2019 , he was part of a group who wanted to lop off a piece of Washington to make their own winger state , where everyone could live in gun hoarding harmony with one another .
He loves God and guns and hard right militias and is n't afraid to say so .
Praise Jesus and pass the ammo .
In 2012 , he was busy pulling his gun on a motorist because of his fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to live with every day in that state -- libruls who threaten his liberty just by breathing his air .
Now we have Matt Shea in 2013 , calling the faithful to a sort of Doomsday prep session .
“ Arm yourselves .
Arm your families .
Arm the church , ” he said , speaking at the God and Country Celebration in 2013 .
( Video of Shea begins at the 23:32 mark , the doomsday part starts at about 29:42 ) '' We now have a president who was raised by @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and whose heroes are communists ! ''
he preached , referring to then-President Obama .
`` We should spend every waking moment fighting him ... '' Okay , how exactly does that square with what he says later , when he declares , “ Godlessness is violence.
” Adding an exclamation point to that , he said , “ We ’ ve got to prepare ourselves mentally .
And part of that , too , is we ’ ve got to realize that every generation – blood is required of every generation .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ , blood is required of every generation.
” I could launch into a whole theological discourse on the symbolism of blood sacrifice and how Jesus ended that practice , but it 's enough to know that this guy is not just a prepper , but also a bloodthirsty one .
“ Your household , you should have 5,000 rounds of .223 ammunition , ” Shea admonished the audience .
“ You should have 5,000 rounds of .22 ammunition .
You should have 1,000 rounds of handgun ammunition .
That is how you arm @ @ @ @ @ @ @ civil war with the `` patriots '' ( like them ) against the `` loyalists '' in the nation 's capital .
Given that this speech happened in 2013 , it follows that it was all about having a Black president who was also a Democrat in D.C.. A Black president who was also apparently a communist .
It 's worth noting that since Trump has taken office , calls for a civil war are far louder and more frequent than they were then , thanks to Trump himself who threatened it if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also claims that `` being a coward is not being a Christian . ''
I would argue that true bravery involves laying down arms and learning to live in the world with people who think differently from one another .
There 's nothing brave about guns .
Where 's the humanity in shooting other human beings ?
Why this person holds office is beyond me .
He ought to be in therapy .

By now, regular readers here are familiar with Washington State's own whacko and dangerous lawmaker, Rep. Matt Shea. In 2019, he was part of a group who wanted to lop off a piece of Washington to make their own winger state, where everyone could live in gun hoarding harmony with one another. He loves God and guns and hard right militias and isn't afraid to say so. Praise Jesus and pass the ammo.
In 2012, he was busy pulling his gun on a motorist because of his fear of the libruls and progressives who he has to live with every day in that state -- libruls who threaten his liberty just by breathing his air.
Now we have Matt Shea in 2013, calling the faithful to a sort of Doomsday prep session.
“Arm yourselves. Arm your families. Arm the church,” he said, speaking at the God and Country Celebration in 2013. (Video of Shea begins at the 23:32 mark, the doomsday part starts at about 29:42)
"We now have a president who was raised by communists, who was taught by communists and whose heroes are communists!" he preached, referring to then-President Obama. "We should spend every waking moment fighting him..."
Okay, how exactly does that square with what he says later, when he declares, “Godlessness is violence.”
Adding an exclamation point to that, he said, “We’ve got to prepare ourselves mentally. And part of that, too, is we’ve got to realize that every generation – blood is required of every generation. In some way, shape or form, blood is required of every generation.”
I could launch into a whole theological discourse on the symbolism of blood sacrifice and how Jesus ended that practice, but it's enough to know that this guy is not just a prepper, but also a bloodthirsty one.
“Your household, you should have 5,000 rounds of .223 ammunition,” Shea admonished the audience. “You should have 5,000 rounds of .22 ammunition. You should have 1,000 rounds of handgun ammunition. That is how you arm your family.”
He also rants about civil war with the "patriots" (like them) against the "loyalists" in the nation's capital. Given that this speech happened in 2013, it follows that it was all about having a Black president who was also a Democrat in D.C.. A Black president who was also apparently a communist. It's worth noting that since Trump has taken office, calls for a civil war are far louder and more frequent than they were then, thanks to Trump himself who threatened it if he was removed from office.
He also claims that "being a coward is not being a Christian." I would argue that true bravery involves laying down arms and learning to live in the world with people who think differently from one another. There's nothing brave about guns. Where's the humanity in shooting other human beings?
Why this person holds office is beyond me. He ought to be in therapy.
(h/t Raw Story)


crooksandliars--2020-02-27--Warren Enjoys Oysters, Beer And A Dirty Joke With Stephen Colbert