‘Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown’ - as it should be! Trump thread continued.

[TheClaws]

From Shakespeake’s Henry IV, Act 3 Scene 1.

Old thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3094156-All-we-want-for-Christmas-is-an-IMPEACHMENT-Trump-cont

There are lots of stories on twitter of people experiencing a horrifyingly varied number of attempted ways to stop them from voting.

Oh my word (or should that be Word?).

They've been happening throughout the day:

Ken Klippenstein‏Verified account
@kenklippenstein
Cop just arrived at the polling station I’m at here in Montgomery, Alabama. NAACP official told me that in previous Alabama elections, police have checked voters for outstanding warrants at polling stations, which can deter people from voting
Update: I hadn’t been in the polling station for five minutes before I saw a second cop
Update: I saw a third cop come in the polling station
I witnessed all of this at the polling station located in the Vaughn Park Church of Christ: 3800 Vaughn Road, Montgomery, AL
Note: I corrected some tweets because I incorrectly used the phrase “polling booth” instead of “polling station”. I didn’t see them enter a voting booth
To people saying I’m making this up: I have video of at least one of these cops in the voting station
ACLU of Alabama has informed me that they’re dispatching staff to the polling facility I saw three cops enter.

Also

Ya Girl Brittany‏
@xobritdear
So I voted but let me tell you a quick story about this here special election:
I have voted at the same place all my life. Even when I've lived elsewhere, I've driven home. Or twice, I've done absentee.
We literally JUST had an election that I voted in. Drove home and everything.
But because this election is high stakes, suddenly I and tons of others in my small town were marked as inactive.

Also

MikeFarb‏
@mikefarb1
3h3 hours ago
More
#unhackthevote
Homewood Alabama. Police ticketing people going to the polls. Delaying them up to an hour. Please Vote. Don't let anyone stop you.

Mary‏
@MADitations
‼️ Red Alert, Alabama!

Rumors of weirdness going on in B’ham with text messages stating polling place changes. There are no changes. Remember, never leave without voting. Ask for provisional ballot.

AL @ACLU hotline to report voting problems: 334-420-1748

Also:

Kira Lerner‏Verified account
@kira_lerner
I’m hearing that people are being turned away from this precinct in Dothan, AL because they are inactive on the rolls. Trying to find out more. #alsen
Dechauna Jiles says she and roughly six other people (who she saw) were told they were “inactive” voters and had to cast provisional ballots #alsen
“My parents grew up two streets over from the church that was bombed in Birmingham. I would be doing a disservice to my family [not to vote].” - Dechauna Jiles
“It’s not that we’re not showing up to vote. We’re being suppressed.”
.@LawyersComm is looking into Jiles’ ballot, but she tells me she thinks the election is fixed by Republicans. “We’re going back to dark times.”

Also:

MikeFarb‏
@mikefarb1
#unhackthevote
Alabama. Reports of Understaffing in Auburn causing long lines and people leaving without voting. Please stay! Please Vote! Nothing is more important.

Also:

MikeFarb‏
@mikefarb1
Homewood Alabama. Police ticketing people going to the polls. Delaying them up to an hour. Please Vote. Don't let anyone stop you.

In summary:

Joyce Alene‏Verified account
@JoyceWhiteVance
Thread: There are four issues surfacing in today’s Alabama Senate election that voters should be aware of.
2/ The new rule against crossover voting DOES NOT apply to this election. Crossover only applies in a primary followed by a runoff. In that situation, you must vote in the runoff & original primary of the same party. Today you can vote for any candidate, no matter your past votes
3/ Today in most counties there are 2 items on the ballot. The first asks you to pick Democrat or Republican. This is the “straight ticket” option, in a multi-race election it lets one-party voters fill in just 1 bubble. The second item is where voters choose a Senate candidate.
4/ In at least one county voters are being told if they pick a party at the top & select a candidate from another party, their ballot will be spoiled. This isn’t true. The more specific choice of candidate gets counted.
5/ During the primary, many voters learned they were moved to inactive status. This appears to be happening again. But you get to vote even if this happens. You can update your status at your polling place. And you must be given a regular ballot not a provisional one.
6/ Finally, for those who vote at the end of the day, as long as you are in line at 7, you must be permitted to vote. Any problems? Reach out to your county Probate Judge or a voter hotline.

Oh dear, reminds me of this.

I accidentally posted that midway

Ya Girl Brittany‏
@xobritdear
So I voted but let me tell you a quick story about this here special election:
I have voted at the same place all my life. Even when I've lived elsewhere, I've driven home. Or twice, I've done absentee.
We literally JUST had an election that I voted in. Drove home and everything.
But because this election is high stakes, suddenly I and tons of others in my small town were marked as inactive.
Folks who have lived here longer than I've been alive....inactive.
So they make the inactive people go to a special table to fill out a form and guess what fam?
If you don't remember your birth county you can't fill out the form. Sucks for you if you were born out of state like me.
BUT YA GIRL PEEPED GAME SO SHE BROUGHT HER BIRTH CERTIFICATE LIKE A BAWSE
Y'all they literally tried to play me like I was a punk. Imagine all the NORMAL people who don't travel with additional ID.
For those who have asked, you are not allowed to have a phone out once you walk inside. That’s been a rule for a few years now.

While some more privileged members of society may take the risk, I’m not finna have black behind escorted out.

Aitza B‏
@petiteaitza
That is crazy. I’m just thinking about all of the older people who don’t have access to their birth certificates or just don’t know what county they were born in because it wasn’t documented.

Ya Girl Brittany‏
@xobritdear
Right?! The way birth certificates are documented is radically different between my parents, me, and my youngest sister. We all have VERY different certificates with VERY different amounts of information.

Also:

MikeFarb‏
@mikefarb1
#unhackthevote
Alabama. Someone is putting out the wrong link to the States Voting Site.

It is not alabamavotes.org

The correct web site is sos.alabama.gov/alabama-votes

Also

Brad Harper‏
@BradMGM
1 working voting machine at Frazer polling place. Long line waiting with filled ballots in hand. Poll worker says 2nd machine broke & the crowd is bigger than expected, that they've reached out twice for another machine

So basically:

Ari Berman‏Verified account
@AriBerman
Voting problems in Alabama today:

police at polling locations
voters listed as inactive
long lines at polls
voters told have wrong IDs

Oh Dear indeed.

Thanks, Pain.

Politico dubs Trump’s claim of zero Russian interference in the 2016 election as the biggest lie of of the year.

thehill.com/homenews/administration/364524-politifact-names-trump-claim-that-russian-election-interference-is

Re: Russia stuff

Yashar Ali 🐘‏Verified account
@yashar
Scoop: Donald Trump Jr.’s attorney has sent a letter to the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence requesting an inquiry into leaks he says took place during and after Trump Jr.’s interview with the committee on December 6.

nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2017/12/donald-trump-jr-requests-inquiry-into-committee-leaks.html

Also

Wendy Siegelman‏
@WendySiegelman
💥 Dutch subsidiary of Russia's Alfa Bank owned by billionaire Mikhail Fridman raided in money laundering investigation
www.reuters.com/article/netherlands-russia-bank/dutch-subsidiary-of-russias-alfa-bank-raided-in-money-laundering-investigation-idUSL8N1OC4SM

Polly Sigh‏
@dcpoll
ATB [subsidiary of Russian oligarch Mikhail Fridman's Alfa Bank] raided in money laundering investigation. ATB accounts were used to pay the bribes by Fridman's Vimpelcom← DOJ fraud case against Vimpel was led by Weissmann [Mueller's pitbull] 😎

(rest of comprehensive thread here: twitter.com/WendySiegelman/status/940658420591616001 )

Also

Natasha Bertrand‏Verified account
@NatashaBertrand
New from me: Trump officials were warned about Mike Flynn at least 6 separate times before firing him — and at least 3 times before hiring him in the first place

uk.businessinsider.com/trump-michael-flynn-warnings-mueller-russia-2017-12?r=US&IR=T

Per an Obama WH official, Obama cautioned Trump against appointing Flynn based on his own experience w/Flynn,& “underscored” to Trump “how important a role the NSA is - and how it demanded a serious person with sound judgment, impeccable credentials, and unimpeachable character.”
Something that’s gone overlooked: Yates said she called McGahn on Jan. 30 to tell him that he could come over to the DOJ to review the details of Flynn's communication with Kislyak. Neither McGahn nor his lawyer will respond to my q’s about whether he took her up on that offer.

Brian Beutler‏Verified account
@brianbeutler
It’s 16 paragraphs in and blind-sourced, but CNN reported in its bombshell follow up report on the Trump tweet that McGahn reviewed the communication a week later. www.cnn.com/2017/12/04/politics/wh-lawyer-told-trump-flynn-misled-fbi-pence/index.html

Also

Walter Shaub‏Verified account
@waltshaub
The claim that FBI told Sessions to omit foreign contacts makes no sense to me. Presidential nominees fill out the security clearance form (SF-86) in OPM's e-filing system (e-QIP) before FBI gets involved. That form has a whole section on foreign contacts. www.cnn.com/2017/12/10/politics/jeff-sessions-fbi-russian-contacts/index.html

It's possible but unlikely that an FBI agent was assigned to his background investigation yet when he was still completing the form. So I'm having trouble accepting this quote. DOJ could clear this up by producing a statement from the unnamed FBI agent. www.cnn.com/2017/05/24/politics/jeff-sessions-russian-officials-meetings/index.html

(rest of thread here: twitter.com/waltshaub/status/939999888233914368 )

And then:

Walter Shaub‏Verified account
@waltshaub
New! Below is the email from the FBI regarding Session's claim that he was told not to disclose foreign contacts. This email does not corroborate the DOJ's explanation, which was that he got advice from FBI "In filling out the SF-86 form." The email says that Sessions' /1
assistant claims to have spoken with FBI agent in December during the background investigation. But Session completed the form on Nov. 3. So even if this Dec. conversation really did occur, it was not while Sessions was "filling" out the form. /2 www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-russia-sessions/sessions-releases-heavily-redacted-record-of-foreign-contacts-idUSKBN19Y1ZT
In addition, the FBI agent denies any recollection of the alleged Dec. conversation. It also bears noting that the FBI agent confirmed only the rules don't require disclosure of foreign contacts made in the course of a federal job (which may even be stated in the instructions) /3

(rest of thread here twitter.com/waltshaub/status/940254666113404929 )

Also

Ann Marlowe‏
@annmarlowe
@WendySiegelman SCL Group (Cambridge Analytica) adopted new resolutions that typically accompany a sale of shares or issuance of new shares: beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/05514098/filing-history

Also

Jake Tapper‏Verified account
@jaketapper
.@statedeptspox hi, Heather! I asked Amb. @nikkihaley about the sanctions against Russia that Congress passed & POTUS signed into law (reluctantly). She said Secretary Tillerson told her they’d been implemented. Have they? Can you provide any more information about that? Thanks!

Also:

Russian-speaking hackers stole about $10 million from US, Russian banks: Report

abcnews.go.com/International/russian-speaking-hackers-stole-10-million-us-russian/story?id=51717604&cid=social_twitter_abcn

Also (tangentially):

Zoe Tillman‏Verified account
@ZoeTillman
Carter Page (yes, that Carter Page) has submitted a proposed amicus brief in the AT&T antitrust case — he's supporting DOJ's challenge to the merger www.scribd.com/document/366999034/12-12-17-Carter-Page-Amicus-Submission-ATT

Russian news:

Nataliya Vasilyeva‏Verified account
@NatVasilyevaAP
This is finally out. My story on what everyone knows about but is too afraid to speak about: Thousands of Russian private contractors fighting in Syria

apnews.com/7f9e63cb14a54dfa9148b6430d89e873

And if that is too overwhelming, some balm:

Dan Rather
Have you ever seen a caged animal pacing and baring its fangs? It is an unsettling sight as any movement or meeting of the eyes can induce a blood-curdling roar and you are left to wonder if those bars are strong enough to protect you from the wrath of nature.

This image has been in my mind of late as I watch what seems to be the encircling forces ensnaring President Trump. There is the Mueller investigation, of which we can only mostly infer on what is known but seems to be honing in on people and actions very close to the President, if not already at his footstep. And then there is the sexual harassment tidal wave that Trump was able to ride out during the campaign but has returned with magnified force.

As is his nature, Mr. Trump is lashing out - most recently at Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand who called on him to resign. The President's tweet said the Senator "would do anything for" campaign donations. This is disgusting and sexist rhetoric. It is so far below the standards of human decency that no civil person should condone it, let alone normalize it.

But unlike a caged animal there are very few bars between President Trump and the fate of our republic. What there is are our institutions, some of which like the courts and the press have largely held. Others of which, like a Congress full of Republican apologists, have not - up to this point.

But I think that what we are seeing here is fear, a deep fear of a world closing in. After all fear is what an animal in a cage really is feeling.

The opposition to President Trump is emboldened. It is clear that Democrats who are positioning themselves for a run at the Oval Office in 2020 - like Senator Gillibrand - feel that their path lies through calling out Mr. Trump, especially on his sexual harassment allegations. Meanwhile Mueller keeps digging, and digging.

I believe in the decency of the vast majority of the American people. I believe that most know this is not normal, not normal at all. I believe that most know we have been and should be better than this.

There is a showdown in Alabama tonight. It is impossible to tell what will happen. But whatever the outcome, the Republican Party has become the Party of Trump. And they will have to wear that mantle in front of the American electorate likely for years to come.

(found live Fox news feed on youtube)

Does anyone think Moore rides his horse badly? I mean, he doesn't fall off, but there's no rapport with his (pretty) horse.

It was a lovely horse. (That footage is crying out to be overdubbed with the My Lovely Horse song from Father Ted.) Shame about the nasty white supremacist paedophile on its back.

I think the crap riding was down to Moore’s western saddle and Americans not going in for rising trot so much. Western saddles are mighty comfy, like an armchair to the hard school chair that is the English saddle.

Polls will close in 50 mins in AL. Results will start coming in shortly thereafter.

Hard as I might try, I can't help but having hopes.

For a miracle.

It's the way he jerks the horse's head around, as he was leaving, that made me wonder... was horse shying or is he just hard on it. And what kind of bridle was that? It looked flimsy & home-made (on my laptop).

medium.com/@weareoversight/doj-should-resist-calls-for-a-second-special-counsel-8258da6eba40

Brian Stelter‏Verified account
@brianstelter

WashPost confirms that its reporters were denied access to Roy Moore’s event tonight: “We were denied credentials and when our reporters asked to enter they were told no.”

OMG IT LOOKS LIKE JONES IS GOING TO WIN!!!

Amazing! I got up to see results about 15 minutes ago with some trepidation....but looks like he has done it!

It's official! Well done America! Can't wait to see what Trump tweets about this...

It's official! Well done America! Can't wait to see what Trump tweets about this...

Sorry, don't know why it posted twice! Well, it's so brilliant guess it's worth saying twice😀

CNN, MSNBC, and FOX are predicting Jones has won with 94% of precincts reporting. I simply can't believe it. It's a miracle. But I won't start celebrating until ALL precincts have reported.

OK, the downside. McConnell has already said that 'whoever' wins will not be allowed to take their seat until after the Xmas recess. This means that the new Senator will not be allowed to take his seat before the vote on the tax bill. The current interim senator is a Republican and he isn't going to step down to allow the new senator to take his place. TBH, I don't know what the protocol is for this, it may very well be procedure to let and interim senator serve out his or her term.

Soon the screams of 'fraud', 'recount', and 'tampering' will begin from the alt-right along with a potential legal challenge to the validity of the election. This will delay certifying the win.

Certainly is! Trump is going to be fuming...he is going to struggle to recover from this. I know they have all called it for Jones - just anxiously looking at the last 2% of votes to come in -
Jeff Flake just tweeted 'decency wins'.
Now 99% with a 10,000 lead.

www.cnn.com/2017/12/12/politics/alabama-senator-join-congress/index.html

Good article explaining what happens next.

Love this, it's Selma that won it!

twitter.com/cnn/status/940790298950754305