Democrats win the House, and he’s already fired Sessions: Trump thread 87

[TheClaws]

We start this new thread on a brighter note: the mid-terms were a win for the Democrats, securing the House of Representatives and further seats in the Senate. This means more scrutiny for POTUS and the GOP, and bargaining power.

He’s still a feckless, vain bully, oddly admired by some varieties of Christians - enjoy the cartoon by Mike Luckovich.

BUENOS AIRES — President Donald Trump canceled a scheduled Saturday afternoon press conference on the sidelines of the G-20 summit here, asserting that such an event would be disrespectful after George H.W. Bush’s death.

"I was very much looking forward to having a press conference just prior to leaving Argentina because we have had such great success in our dealing with various countries and their leaders at the G20....,” Trump wrote on Twitter, adding in a second tweet, “....However, out of respect for the Bush Family and former President George H.W. Bush we will wait until after the funeral to have a press conference.”
www.politico.com/story/2018/12/01/trump-cancels-press-conference-bush-death-1037041

The Associated Press
‏
Verified account

@AP

'BREAKING: Trump cancels summit news conference `out of respect for the Bush Family' after death of former president.'

I very much doubt he even knows what respect means.

I feel for the Bush family. I'm sure they don't want Scrotus at the funeral. I expect they've bowed to pressure from the WH and the GOP.

McCain got away with saying Scrotus wasn't to attend because their adversarial relationship was very public and Scrotus had made several nasty public comments about Sen McCain. The Bushes have made their disdain for Scrotus apparent, but I don't recall Scrotus making overt nasty remarks about GHWB so I expect they'd find it harder to justify 'dis-inviting' him.

I'd be extremely surprised if he was invited to speak. I expect Bill Clinton will give the eulogy (unless a family member does it).

www.nrdc.org/experts/nrdc/blow-marine-life-trump-administration-greenlights-seismic-blasting-atlantic?fbclid=IwAR3CJGKzhyc3bAWJGiq-K_lmoP2EgqatH-zbcYvu0Se_QFiMExcV362BZEw

www.wsj.com/articles/cia-intercepts-underpin-assessment-saudi-crown-prince-targeted-khashoggi-1543640460

'Conclusion that Prince Mohammed bin Salman ‘probably ordered’ killing relies in part on 11 messages he sent to adviser who oversaw hit squad around time it killed journalist.'

www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/12/01/takeaways-about-trumps-role-cohens-lies-cohens-new-filing/?utm_term=.7b29bae19822

www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/ballot-worries-cloud-outcome-of-north-carolina-congress-race_us_5c01ced6e4b04fb21168186a?ncid=engmodushpmg00000004

'In separate sworn affidavits released Thursday by the state Democratic Party, two county residents said an unidentified woman came to their homes, telling each of them she was supposed to collect absentee ballots in the area. The residents said the woman took their ballots, which weren’t sealed in their envelopes as required by law.

“Because of the way she presented herself, I thought she was legitimate,” Emma Shipman, one of the residents, wrote in an affidavit.'

www.revealnews.org/article/no-one-on-the-inside-can-talk-about-whats-happening-at-the-tent-city-for-migrant-kids/

Robert Mueller Is No Match for Fox News nyti.ms/2DV5TtY?smid=nytcore-ios-share

Is Trump winning the propaganda battle?

President Trump says he's sending Air Force One to Houston to bring the body of former President George H.W. Bush to Washington for the state funeral. "This is a special tribute that he deserves, and it is my honor," Trump said in Buenos Aires.

twitter.com/agearan/status/1068973367397634049

I'm not sure if this has been posted - lawyers for Cohen publish their sentencing memorandum.

assets.documentcloud.org/documents/5348237/Sentencing-Submission.pdf

TheNorthWestPawsage's link to Renato Mariotti's Twitter thread explains why that sentencing memorandum by Cohen's lawyers is so important.

twitter.com/renato_mariotti/status/1068786624606101504?s=21

It's worth reading all of, but here's a sample:

Renato Mariotti
@renato_mariotti
8/ The most interesting thing in the document, by far, is Cohen's discussion of his false statements to Congress. His attorneys carefully discuss the false statements, his motivation to make the false statement, and the involvement of Trump's staff and attorneys.

9/ Because the precision of their words is important, I'm going to type out their exact words here. They refer to Trump as "Client-1" throughout but I've changed that to "Trump" here for clarity:

10/ "Michael's false statements to Congress likewise sprung regrettably from Michael's effort, as a loyal ally and then champion of Trump, to support and advance Trump's political messaging. At the time that he was requested to appear before . . ."

11/ "the [House and Senate Intel Committees], Michael was serving as personal attorney to the President, and followed daily the political messages that both Trump and his staff and supporters repeatedly and forcefully broadcast."

12/ "Furthermore, in the weeks during which his then-counsel prepared his written response to the Congressional Committees, Michael remained in close and regular contact with White House based-staff and legal counsel to Trump."

13/ That last sentence is extremely important and interesting. It is also very carefully worded. The sentence strongly implies that White House staff and Trump's attorneys knew in advance that Cohen would lie to Congress and were involved in crafting his statements.

Trump did, of course, meet “informally” with Putin.

thehill.com/homenews/administration/419274-white-house-trump-had-informal-conversation-with-putin-at-g-20

Of course.

Iran flexes some muscles.

Richard W. Painter @RWPUSA
2h2 hours ago
More
Here we go. There is nothing like some fireworks in the Middle East to distract from the main event with Mueller.

Iran tests medium-range ballistic missile, Pompeo says @CNN

t.co/5dMQ7Kh3vP

A thread on more vote rigging

Ben Wikler
@benwikler
BREAKING—as in breaking democracy: a truly shocking & naked power grab underway in Wisconsin. Dems won every statewide race this Nov. Now, the GOP unveiled sweeping bills to straightjacket the Gov & AG, stomp on early voting, & lock in power on state Sup Court. Votes THIS TUE. 1/

mobile.twitter.com/benwikler/status/1068778197888786433

How Devin Nunes Helped Robert Mueller

The House Intelligence Committee chair may have unintentionally assisted the special counsel in building cases against Trump associates.

amp.slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/11/michael-cohen-lying-to-congress-plea-deal-devin-nunes.html

Russian official confirms contacts between Cohen and Kremlin but says emails have ‘disappeared’: NBC News

www.rawstory.com/2018/12/russian-official-confirms-contacts-cohen-kremlin-says-emails-disappeared-nbc-news

The NBC article that links to:

Russian spokesman says there were contacts on Trump Tower, but they 'disappeared'
www.nbcnews.com/politics/politics-news/russian-spokesman-says-there-were-contacts-trump-tower-they-disappeared-n942651

But, said spokesman Dmitry Peskov on the sidelines of the G-20 summit in Argentina, Russian officials gave the exchanges no more attention than any other business proposition.
[...]
Peskov said there were “two emails and one telephone call, returned telephone call, asking what they wanted and why they wanted to be in contact with [the Russian] presidential administration.”

He said “we told them that Russian presidential administration is not dealing with construction works” but they could arrange contacts with potential Russian counterparts at an economic forum in St. Petersburg.
[...]
Peskov’s statements Saturday and documents filed in relation to Cohen’s plea deal seem to contradict Peskov’s prior statements on Russia’s involvement in the proposed Trump Tower deal.

Peskov said in August 2017 that "we do not react to such business topics — this is not our work — we left it unanswered," the Washington Post reported.

I wonder what the Russians are up to with that. Yes, the contact was made but the evidence has vanished...

www.thetimes.co.uk/article/exclusive-interview-bruce-springsteen-on-how-donald-trump-won-over-his-blue-collar-fans-8r5z5bn69?utm_medium=Social&utm_source=Twitter#Echobox=1543737815

www.newsweek.com/steve-king-black-caucus-whie-nationalist-1239324

'In 2017, Republican Representative Steve King, of Iowa, reportedly appeared on a podcast hosted by an alt-right propagandist who had been quoted as saying nonwhites are inferior. During his appearance, King railed against the Congressional Black Caucus, accusing it of hijacking Martin Luther King’s message and morphing into a “grievance committee.”'

uk.businessinsider.com/trump-and-the-rise-of-fascism-around-the-world-2018-11?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=referral&utm_content=topbar&utm_term=desktop&referrer=twitter&r=US&IR=T

The same Steve King is also a practitioner of the "accuse others of what you do yourself" method of defence. It's frightening how confidently he lies.

STEVE KING, GOP CONGRESSMAN, DENIED HE HAD CALLED IMMIGRANTS 'DIRT', UNTIL A MAGAZINE RELEASED THE TAPE
www.newsweek.com/steve-king-weekly-standard-lying-audio-immigrants-dirt-iowa-tape-release-1210969

King launched into a weekend Twitter tirade against The Weekly Standard, a conservative policy magazine, for writing "willful lies" over their report he referred to immigrants as "dirt" at a meeting with voters the day before Election Day.
[...]

Steve King
@SteveKingIA
Rachael @RachaelBL Just release the full tape. Leftist lies exist without original sources because they are false and manufactured accusations. Weekly Standard is transitioning in to "Antifa News".

King challenged the publication to "release the tape" -- which The Weekly Standard did after issuing a statement that they stand by the disputed story.

The recorded audio in question hears King referring to immigrants from the "West Coast" as "dirt" in a conversation about King's "patented pheasant noodle soup." The Iowa congressman can be heard joking with constituents about importing the "dirt" from Mexico after he mentioned how many jalapeños were needed to prepare the dish.
[...]
King himself took to Twitter demanding the release of the now-released audio and blasting the publication for defending "junk yard dog" reporter, Rubenstein. Dozens of responses to King's ill-fated demand on Twitter call the Iowa congressman a "liar" for demanding proof of comments he knew he'd made.