No more PDB's for you, bad boy
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/27/17059788/jared-kushner-security-clearance-trump-kelly
Jared Kushner has reportedly lost his top-secret security clearance
More: https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/27/jared-kushner-security-clearance-downgrade-427178
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/the-kushner-news-is-a-big-deal
The Kushner News Is a Big Deal
[NB: Actually, I expect we will find that Trump keeps sharing them with him anyway.]
More: https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/wapo-at-least-four-countries-considered-how-to-manipulate-kushner
Officials in at least four countries — the United Arab Emirates, China, Israel and Mexico — discussed ways they could manipulate White House adviser Jared Kushner through his “complex business arrangements, financial difficulties and lack of foreign policy experience,” the Washington Post reported Tuesday, citing unnamed current and former U.S. officials “familiar with intelligence reports on the matter.” . . .
A coincidence?
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/02/kushner-loses-his-right-hand-man-just-when-he-needs-him-most.html
Jared Kushner Loses His Right-Hand Man Just When He Needs Him Most
"WITCH HUNT!" Trump is freaking out
https://digbysblog.blogspot.sg/2018/02/trumps-primal-scream.html
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1745141
More: http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-may-not-fully-understand-what-witch-hunt
Trump may not fully understand what a ‘witch hunt’ is
Drip, drip, drip. . . .
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/mueller-asking-trumps-russian-business-dealings/
“Investigators for special counsel Robert Mueller have recently been asking witnesses about Donald Trump’s business activities in Russia prior to the 2016 presidential campaign as he considered a run for president,” CNN reports. “Questions to some witnesses during wide-ranging interviews included the timing of Trump’s decision to seek the presidency, potentially compromising information the Russians may have had about him, and why efforts to brand a Trump Tower in Moscow fell through.” “The lines of inquiry indicate Mueller’s team is reaching beyond the campaign to explore how the Russians might have sought to influence Trump at a time when he was discussing deals in Moscow and contemplating a presidential run.”
You have to wonder what Gates is giving Mueller
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/mueller-moves-dismiss-charges-gates/
Mueller Moves to Dismiss Charges Against Gates
Meanwhile, evidence of collusion continues to grow. I don't know if you are aware of Natasha Bertrand, who just moved to the Atlantic -- watch this woman!
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/roger-stones-secret-messages-with-wikileaks/554432/
Roger Stone's Secret Messages with WikiLeaks
Criminal negligence
https://thinkprogress.org/nsa-director-mike-rogers-russian-meddling-trump-authorization-39aaa7d89825/
NSA director says Trump hasn’t ‘granted the authority’ to stop Russian election interference
More: https://www.thedailybeast.com/nsa-boss-seems-to-hit-trump-on-russia-putin-believes-little-price-to-pay-for-messing-with-us
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/27/17057764/poll-trump-election-meddling-russia-interference
[NB: As I have said before, the only explanation is that Trump WANTS it to continue.]
Trump says that the Democratic memo from the House Intel Committee is " a total political and legal BUST." But of course he hasn't read it
https://crooksandliars.com/2018/02/trump-can-t-name-single-item-he-takes
Trump Can’t Name A Single Item He ‘Takes Exception To’ In Democratic Intelligence Memo
There is an historic opportunity, and overwhelming public support, for doing something sensible about guns. And Trump is blowing the chance
https://www.salon.com/2018/02/27/trump-is-backing-away-from-his-own-gun-control-proposals/
Trump is backing away from his own gun control proposals
More: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/true-cost-of-gun-violence-in-america/
The True Cost of Gun Violence in America
No surprise here either. Trump. Can't. Govern. He doesn't know how
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/cornyn-says-infrastructure-bill-may-not-pass-year/
Cornyn Says Infrastructure Bill May Not Pass This Year
Trump says he cares about the Dreamers and the Dems don't. So what IS he going to do about them?
https://thinkprogress.org/white-house-no-daca-plan-de34a28c65d5/
Trump announced his 2020 re-election campaign almost immediately after being elected. We know he prefers campaigning to governing, but here's why that's a really bad idea. You can't be constantly weighing your position on issues depending on whether you think it will help you get re-elected or not. You can't be holding campaign rallies and fundraisers when you should be governing. And since your 2016 campaign team is being investigated for criminal behavior, who do you get to run your 2020 operation?
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/trump-shock-announcement/554405/
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/27/17058238/trump-2020-drudge-campaign-brad-parscale
More: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/trump-shock-announcement/554405/
How Trump’s 2020 campaign manager is connected to the Russia scandal
Meanwhile, Trump's current job is not going so well . . .
https://slate.com/culture/2018/02/colbert-on-trumps-claim-that-he-would-have-run-in-there-during-the-parkland-shooting.html
“He’s lost the locker room. The morale in the White House, on a scale of 1-10, is minus 15. You cannot run the White House through fear and intimidation.”
— Anthony Scaramucci
In other news. . .
Remember all that economy-building new investment the tax cuts were going to unleash? Guess what?
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2018/02/after-tax-bill-passes-corporations-reduce-spending-on-capital-goods/
More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/02/27/shocker-democrats-predictions-about-the-gop-tax-cut-are-coming-true/?utm_source=rss_plum-line
The Cesspool
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1745262
Trump Org claims it donated all profits from foreign governments to U.S Treasury, trust them
Trump wants his new Air Force One, like NOW
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1745203
A rise in anti-semitism. And we know why
https://thinkprogress.org/anti-semitism-2017-fcc7348f5a95/
More: https://www.salon.com/2018/02/27/america-saw-a-massive-rise-in-anti-semitism-in-2017-report/
Hardly news
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/hicks-admits-lies-trump/
Hope Hicks told House investigators that her work for President Trump “had occasionally required her to tell white lies,” the New York Times reports. . . .
The guy who told Papadopoulos that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton is. . . . missing
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/joseph-mifsud-missing-told-trump-adviser-about-hillary-email-dirt.html
Why FedEx isn't severing ties with the NRA, as other companies are doing
https://thinkprogress.org/exclusive-fedex-secret-deal-nra-c28dc09530d8
The "Oath Keepers" say they will post armed volunteers to protect schools. Problem is, they seem to regard the kids they are supposedly protecting as the enemy
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/oath-keepers-webinar-parkland-student-activists-enemy
Gee, I guess even "Mexican judges" are right every once in a while
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/27/judge-trump-slurred-rules-for-administration-430093
John Kelly is furious with Ivanka Trump for playing diplomat
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cnn-john-kelly-privately-irked-ivanka-trip?
Kelly was reportedly advised by people close to him to not air his concerns with the President . . .
More: https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/kelly-annoyed-ivanka-trump-playing-government/
Dr. Magoo spends a fortune on office furniture, demotes the whistleblower who outed him
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/carson-spent-31k-dining-room-set/
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/hud-official-alleges-demotion-after-refusing-funds-ben-carson-office-redecoration.html
Bob Corker really, really retires this time -- and creates another Dem opportunity in Tennessee
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/bob-corker-chooses-retirement-over-reelection-run-again.html
More encouraging electoral trends
https://www.vox.com/2018/2/27/17060358/new-hampshire-special-election-results
Democrats just flipped two state legislative seats in Connecticut and New Hampshire
More: https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrat-wins-nh-state-special-election-for-38th-flip-since-trumps-inauguration
Two Democrats won state legislative contests on Tuesday night, flipping the seats from Republican hands and marking the 38th and 39th legislative flips since President Trump's inauguration. Democrats have now also flipped six this year alone. . . .
When "Trump is being Trump," his popularity drops
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/02/trump-being-trump-seems-to-make-him-less-popular.html
Bonus item: Oh, priceless. THANKS to JT for the link
Trump is backing away from his own gun control proposals
More: https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2015/04/true-cost-of-gun-violence-in-america/
The True Cost of Gun Violence in America
No surprise here either. Trump. Can't. Govern. He doesn't know how
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/cornyn-says-infrastructure-bill-may-not-pass-year/
Cornyn Says Infrastructure Bill May Not Pass This Year
Trump says he cares about the Dreamers and the Dems don't. So what IS he going to do about them?
https://thinkprogress.org/white-house-no-daca-plan-de34a28c65d5/
Trump announced his 2020 re-election campaign almost immediately after being elected. We know he prefers campaigning to governing, but here's why that's a really bad idea. You can't be constantly weighing your position on issues depending on whether you think it will help you get re-elected or not. You can't be holding campaign rallies and fundraisers when you should be governing. And since your 2016 campaign team is being investigated for criminal behavior, who do you get to run your 2020 operation?
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/trump-shock-announcement/554405/
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/2/27/17058238/trump-2020-drudge-campaign-brad-parscale
More: https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/trump-shock-announcement/554405/
How Trump’s 2020 campaign manager is connected to the Russia scandal
Meanwhile, Trump's current job is not going so well . . .
https://slate.com/culture/2018/02/colbert-on-trumps-claim-that-he-would-have-run-in-there-during-the-parkland-shooting.html
“He’s lost the locker room. The morale in the White House, on a scale of 1-10, is minus 15. You cannot run the White House through fear and intimidation.”
— Anthony Scaramucci
In other news. . .
Remember all that economy-building new investment the tax cuts were going to unleash? Guess what?
https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2018/02/after-tax-bill-passes-corporations-reduce-spending-on-capital-goods/
More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/plum-line/wp/2018/02/27/shocker-democrats-predictions-about-the-gop-tax-cut-are-coming-true/?utm_source=rss_plum-line
The Cesspool
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1745262
Trump Org claims it donated all profits from foreign governments to U.S Treasury, trust them
Trump wants his new Air Force One, like NOW
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/1745203
A rise in anti-semitism. And we know why
https://thinkprogress.org/anti-semitism-2017-fcc7348f5a95/
More: https://www.salon.com/2018/02/27/america-saw-a-massive-rise-in-anti-semitism-in-2017-report/
Hardly news
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/hicks-admits-lies-trump/
Hope Hicks told House investigators that her work for President Trump “had occasionally required her to tell white lies,” the New York Times reports. . . .
The guy who told Papadopoulos that Russia had dirt on Hillary Clinton is. . . . missing
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/joseph-mifsud-missing-told-trump-adviser-about-hillary-email-dirt.html
Why FedEx isn't severing ties with the NRA, as other companies are doing
https://thinkprogress.org/exclusive-fedex-secret-deal-nra-c28dc09530d8
The "Oath Keepers" say they will post armed volunteers to protect schools. Problem is, they seem to regard the kids they are supposedly protecting as the enemy
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/oath-keepers-webinar-parkland-student-activists-enemy
Gee, I guess even "Mexican judges" are right every once in a while
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/27/judge-trump-slurred-rules-for-administration-430093
John Kelly is furious with Ivanka Trump for playing diplomat
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/cnn-john-kelly-privately-irked-ivanka-trip?
Kelly was reportedly advised by people close to him to not air his concerns with the President . . .
More: https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/kelly-annoyed-ivanka-trump-playing-government/
Dr. Magoo spends a fortune on office furniture, demotes the whistleblower who outed him
https://politicalwire.com/2018/02/27/carson-spent-31k-dining-room-set/
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/hud-official-alleges-demotion-after-refusing-funds-ben-carson-office-redecoration.html
Bob Corker really, really retires this time -- and creates another Dem opportunity in Tennessee
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/bob-corker-chooses-retirement-over-reelection-run-again.html
More encouraging electoral trends
https://www.vox.com/2018/2/27/17060358/new-hampshire-special-election-results
Democrats just flipped two state legislative seats in Connecticut and New Hampshire
More: https://www.thedailybeast.com/democrat-wins-nh-state-special-election-for-38th-flip-since-trumps-inauguration
Two Democrats won state legislative contests on Tuesday night, flipping the seats from Republican hands and marking the 38th and 39th legislative flips since President Trump's inauguration. Democrats have now also flipped six this year alone. . . .
When "Trump is being Trump," his popularity drops
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2018/02/trump-being-trump-seems-to-make-him-less-popular.html
Bonus item: Oh, priceless. THANKS to JT for the link
Colbert: https://slate.com/culture/2018/02/colbert-on-trumps-claim-that-he-would-have-run-in-there-during-the-parkland-shooting.html
More: https://crooksandliars.com/2018/02/shorter-trump-real-victim-parkland-tragedy
Shorter Trump: The Real Victim Of The Parkland Tragedy Was ME!
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