Trump: yes, we have no Steve Bannon

[PerkingFaintly]

"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention."

I would very much like to get back to the point where I didn't wake up in a cold sweat at 4am every morning to check my phone for news and then find it worse than what I had imagined :(

So to recap the Russia related news that broke over the last two days:

From Sunday

Trump’s business sought deal on a Trump Tower in Moscow while he ran for president

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-business-sought-deal-on-a-trump-tower-in-moscow-while-he-ran-for-president/2017/08/27/d6e95114-8b65-11e7-91d5-ab4e4bb76a3a_story.html?hpid=hp_hp-top-table-low_trumprussia-9pm%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.0f046167e6b9

From yesterday

Trump Associate Boasted That Moscow Business Deal ‘Will Get Donald Elected’

<a class="break-all" href="https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/politics/trump-tower-putin-felix-sater.html?referer=t.co/F801jPrvAd?amp=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mobile.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/politics/trump-tower-putin-felix-sater.html?referer=t.co/F801jPrvAd?amp=1

Top Trump Organization executive asked Putin aide for help on business deal

www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/politics/top-trump-organization-executive-reached-out-to-putin-aide-for-help-on-business-deal/2017/08/28/095aebac-8c16-11e7-84c0-02cc069f2c37_story.html

Trump signed 'letter of intent' for Russian tower during campaign, lawyer says

abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics/trump-knew-moscow-tower-proposal-campaign-lawyer/story?id=49472342

Handily summarised:

www.axios.com/making-sense-of-the-trump-tower-moscow-stories-2478832643.html

Thanks for that link about the elimination of the Election Assistance Commission (agency which sets security standards for voting machines), Roussette.

That press release is actually from February, so not a Harvey-timed announcement. Or has something new happened with that?

It's one of those things that looks like a minor bureaucratic tweak but actually seriously undermines the future of free and fair elections in US.

www.brennancenter.org/press-release/house-committee-votes-terminate-agency-protects-voting-machines-hacking

“At a time when the vast majority of the country’s voting machines are outdated and in need of replacement, and after an election in which foreign criminals already tried to hack state voter registration systems, eliminating the EAC poses a risky and irresponsible threat to our election infrastructure... On the heels of an election in which Americans made clear that they are unhappy with the influence of big money over our politics, Congress should strengthen, not scrap, the system.”

Hope all still safe at your SIL's, saffron. I fear things will get harder as supply lines and infrastructure suffer under the prolonged floods, but fingers crossed for all staying calm and just boring where she is.

Nice summary pain. With so much going on right now it is easy to miss stuff or not connect it up correctly.

Thanks Perking. We messaged a few hours ago and she assured me that all was fine and they will venture out soon to see where they can help. She is a lovely calm person at the best of times.

Oh that's good news, saffron.

Good news and good for her Saffron.

www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/blogs/plum-line/wp/2017/08/28/trump-is-dragging-us-towards-a-full-blown-crisis-heres-what-has-to-happen-now/

lionheart you might be interested in this I don't mean to sound like a spiv

amp.usatoday.com/story/602808001/

Top Democrat fears House Intelligence Committee may split on Russia probe findings

From Pain's link above:

He said the panel has been "making progress" but that it's hard to say when the probe will be finished. The congressman expressed doubt that the investigation, which was announced in late January, would be completed this year.

"I think it would be difficult to conclude an investigation of this magnitude in a matter of months," Schiff said.

Let's hope the mooted shutdown over the budget impasse doesn't delay things further.

Also from the article, this will also be slowing it down:

Asked whether he thinks the committee has sufficient resources for its investigation, Schiff replied: "No, I don't."

"We ought to have two to three times the resources devoted to it," he said.

Maddow laying it out

Trump sought Moscow business deal while campaigning for president

www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-sought-moscow-business-deal-while-campaigning-for-president-1034747459568

My husband, daughter, and I are all in different countries at the moment and won't be in the same place for a week or so. Am actually wondering if I'll ever see my daughter again to give her a hug. Shit. Gosh, I could put that up as an AIBU!

Just seen this, it cheered me up slightly:
Apologies if it's already been posted here, I couldn't find it.

Interesting Perking that the article I linked to was from February, it came up on my twitter feed with other comments but I can't find it now!

Ouais you have my sympathies. I have a similar situation coming up with one DC in South Korea, another one in S America, DSS somewhere in Europe and us elsewhere in Europe! I never thought I would be nervous about what the POTUS might do that would affect my family and our travels but I am.

Pain Trump is a big fat liar. How many times did he say this?

Roussette, when I wrote that, I wondered about your DC in South Korea, but thought they would be back with you by now! You're so right, this particular POTUS's actions seem to have far greater repercussions on the rest of the world than earlier ones. Or maybe it's just that he is the only POTUS with no sense of responsibility or of the importance of his office. I still feel there is something very wrong with those much vaunted Constitutional "checks and balances" that he is still in place. At the very least, he is demented.

Pain

Thanks for the link. It's disheartening but it seems pretty obvious from the hearings how certain people behave when they should be doing their jobs.

Big fat liar alone should, of course, be grounds for impeachment.

lawfareblog.com/its-time-congress-needs-open-formal-impeachment-inquiry

Yes Ouais I wish she'd flippin' well go and be back!

The thing is, Joe Public (those that aren't his fanbase) don't trust Trump. He has proved time and time again he lies, he embellishes, he kicks out due to ego/thin skin, he makes up phone calls, facts, figures and whilst America/the world might not trust NKorea, does anyone actually trust Trump to defuse the situation or handle an international crisis competently? Nah! He's incapable. As for what the GOP is doing to handle Trump, god alone knows...

"Trump officials don't want to work with Boris Johnson 'because they think he's a joke.'"

uk.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-administration-think-boris-johnson-is-a-joke-2017-8

"Big fat liar alone should, of course, be grounds for impeachment."
If only, lion, if only.

As an aside.... how on earth does everybody on here cope with Trump supporters who you know socially. Was at a do yesterday where an acquaintance was spouting off and I had to hold my tongue because I really didn't want to spoil a lovely day. He loves Trump and what he's doing and came out with such nonsense like..
"I don't like Canada (he has rellies out there and goes regularly) because it's too PC and liberal"
"I think everyone can have what I have if they work hard, don't talk to me about luck/being in the right place at the right time, it's laziness"

Happy Days

Big fat liar is only grounds for impeachment if under oath. He'll do his best not to get there.

Ouais, I just roared out loud at that "Simon and Garfunkel". That's superb!