As far as Nunes can tell, none of us have even met with Trump

[PerkingFaintly]

Devin Nunes Gets A Pretty Basic Fact Wrong In Defending His Memo
Nunes suggested that Donald Trump had never met with George Papadopoulos. There's a photo of them sitting at the same table.
www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/devin-nunes-memo_us_5a788b57e4b01fe513a60603

And we certainly didn't have a national security meeting right here:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/3150505-The-one-in-which-Trump-orders-his-staff-to-fire-Mueller-and-they-give-him-the-finger?pg=1

I hope that Mr Pence is paying attention to more sources than God.

articles.latimes.com/1993-10-05/local/me-42578_1_bank-robbery

LOS ANGELES — 'With a jury rejecting the defense that God told him to rob banks, James Ambrose McGrath was convicted Monday of stealing nearly $1 million in nine separate robberies throughout the San Fernando Valley.'

30

He's pathetic. He wants a military parade for all the wrong reasons. It's a different version of this... puffed up trumpery

www.theguardian.com/us-news/video/2017/may/25/trump-appears-to-push-aside-montenegro-pm-at-nato-photocall-video

To go with the bigly parade.

'Gov. Brian Sandoval on Tuesday addressed a stunning TIME magazine cover story asserting that President Donald Trump’s administration may restart nuclear testing in Nevada not for scientific reasons but as a show of force to other nations.'

thenevadaindependent.com/article/sandoval-says-he-has-100-percent-confirmation-that-trump-administration-wont-restart-nuke-tests-in-nevada

time.com/5128394/donald-trump-nuclear-poker/

'At a vast tract of uninhabited desert in southern Nevada, hundreds of moonlike craters dimple the wasteland, remnants of Cold War nuclear explosions that melted the bedrock and fused the sand to ensure that America could take part in the unthinkable: global thermonuclear war. The crowds of scientists and generals are long gone–the U.S. hasn’t tested a nuke since 1992, when then President George H.W. Bush declared a self-imposed testing moratorium. But the Nevada National Security test site is not completely abandoned. A skeleton crew of custodians oversees the long dormant facility, less than 90 miles northwest of Las Vegas, standing by to turn the lights back on if the day ever comes.

It may come sooner than many thought.'

Ana Navarro
‏
Verified account

@ananavarro

Not sure Democrats could ask for a better sounding headline than, “Good Beats Republican in Trump District”.

www.thedailybeast.com/democrat-margaret-good-flips-seat-in-florida-the-36th-democratic-flip-since-trumps-inauguration

Leaky leakers.

theintercept.com/2018/02/14/julian-assange-wikileaks-election-clinton-trump/

Landlord-in-Chief
Forget the international partnerships and the D.C. hotel. The surest way to put money into Donald Trump’s pocket is through his core real estate assets. More than 150 tenants—from foreign governments to big banks—throw him some $175 million a year without an accounting of who they are or how much they pay. Until now.
www.forbes.com/trump-tenants/

great lionheart, that's what we need, more radioactive dust being generated.

Oh no!

Morgan Tsvangirai has died.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-25686782

He was only 65. Probably of colon cancer. Although given Zimbabwe's history I suppose the most surprising thing is that he lived that long and died of natural causes.

Sorry, I know it's not relevant to this thread. But I'm really saddened by this. He wasn't able to deliver miracles, but even trying to do so made a difference. And IIRC, he was instrumental (directly or through people he helped appoint) in moving Zimbabwe onto the US dollar and thus stabilising the economy. When someone mentioned Venezuela above, I thought of what Zim went through with hyperinflation. I mean, the Zim economy is pretty shit now, but during hyperinflation it was madness.

I knew of him before he founded the MDC, because of his writings in the role of union leader. He came across as clever, well-informed and pragmatic, and gave me hope for the country.

I'm so glad he lived to see Mugabe resign.

Hamba gahle Morgan.

Yet another American school mass shooting.
edition.cnn.com/2018/02/14/us/florida-school-shooting/index.html

Donald J. Trump
@realDonaldTrump
My prayers and condolences to the families of the victims of the terrible Florida shooting. No child, teacher or anyone else should ever feel unsafe in an American school.

Zumba has quit.

Sorry. Zuma.

Very very off topic:

BBC Breaking News
@BBCBreaking
"I have taken the decision to resign with immediate effect" - South African President Jacob Zuma quits office

I quit Zumba. Kept getting the steps wrong.

Yes. My autocorrect enjoyed that one, I suspect!

Did Scrotus really say he was 'opposed' to domestic violence"? Not disgusted by, abhors, or condemns? But 'opposed to' as if it's something one could possibly be in favor of? As if it's ok for someone to be in favour of it? Well, this is just another example of his true self showing.

Now back to the cocoa and schnapps.

Are you ensconced, Across?

In Yosemite, I meant.

Zumba!

The FBI Has Objected To Every New Detail In The Democratic Memo, Congressman Says

The senior Democrat on the House Intelligence Committee said he's trying to persuade officials that classified information in the memo, which he wrote, should be declassified.

www.buzzfeed.com/markseibel/the-fbi-has-objected-to-every-new-detail-in-the-democratic?utm_term=.ls1Plkr6z#.mirXqVzje

Kyle Griffin‏Verified account
@kylegriffin1
In a previously unrreported episode, Trump pushed Don McGahn to call Deputy Acting A.G. Dana Boente in April to get him to persuade James Comey to announce that Trump was not personally under investigation in the Russia probe, WaPo reports.

White House counsel walks a fine line in serving Trump’s demands

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-is-frustrated-with-the-white-house-counsel-who-walks-a-fine-line-over-his-bosss-demands/2018/02/14/eca8b59e-101c-11e8-8ea1-c1d91fcec3fe_story.html?utm_term=.4444dbfc0d36

Trump's orders for McGahn (based on reports):

—March: Convince Sessions not to recuse himself from the Russia probe
—April: Get Dana Boente to convince Comey to clear Trump's name in the Russia probe
—June: Fire Robert Mueller (McGahn declined to follow through)

Don McGahn told associates he was being "thrown to the wolves" when Ty Cobb, the W.H. lawyer handling the Russia probe, waived all privileges to Mueller’s team, WaPo reports.

McGahn has said Cobb isn't a careful lawyer and is not carefully reviewing docs.

Renato Mariotti‏Verified account
@renato_mariotti
1/ Trump told White House Counsel Don McGahn to call the Justice Department and ask them to "persuade" Comey to publicly announce that Trump was not under investigation. That could be used by Mueller to show Trump's intense interest in his own liability.

2/ Trump's request was highly inappropriate, and McGahn showed poor judgment by complying with Trump's request. Then-Deputy Acting Attorney General Dana Boente properly declined to comply, and could be a witness in Mueller's obstruction investigation.

3/ This may focus more attention on Boente's moves since that time. Why did he resign from the DOJ? As current FBI General Counsel, has he recused himself from the Russia investigation? /end

Maggie Haberman‏Verified account
@maggieNYT

The night of the initial Porter story, Kelly ping-ponged back and forth, taking aides’ advice until someone grabbed him by lapels after the story posted. @juliehdavis

<a class="break-all" href="https://mobile.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/us/politics/john-kelly-rob-porter-security-clearances.amp.html#click=t.co/kaMhsHU2R5" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">mobile.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/us/politics/john-kelly-rob-porter-security-clearances.amp.html#click=t.co/kaMhsHU2R5

The plan as the Mail approached WH for comment was for Porter, who denied he’d hit his wives, to resign. But one WH official put on the breaks, saying these were just allegations and if Porter resigned, they could all face the same fate.

Others in the room echoed that sentiment. So they all got Kelly back on the phone and told him Porter was going to try to weather the story. Kelly said okay, then let’s make my statement to the Mail more supportive. And dictated to Sanders.

This whole incident highlights the degree to which Kelly - mistrustful of most and slow to make promotions and new hires - has been damaged by having no strong deputy since Nielsen left.

I don't think it's that 'off-topic' by the way. That's Zuma gone now, after charges of corruption were levied, Netanyahu possibly to be indicted following similar............

Another book!

Maggie Haberman
@maggieNYT
Reince Priebus goes into striking on-record detail on incidents @nytmike and I reported on last year involving Sessions resigning and being talked out of it @peterbakernyt

Riding an Untamed Horse: Priebus Opens Up on Serving Trump

www.nytimes.com/2018/02/14/us/politics/riding-an-untamed-horse-priebus-opens-up-on-serving-trump.html

Blimey, it's been a busy evening down south!

There have been arrests connected to the Guptas, as well (Zuma's financially flexible friends) so we'll see what happens...

Meanwhile Cyril Ramaphosa has been party leader of the ANC since before Christmas. He's another former trade union leader. I'm very cautiously optimistic.