News And Opinion About The Republican War On Women And Issues Important To Women
Thursday, February 28, 2019
The Republican Party Completely and Utterly Disgraced Itself at Michael Cohen's Hearing
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a26558985/republicans-michael-cohen-hearing-disgrace-trump/?fbclid=IwAR1L838fMCRXrErtX-7-6fmeP_nR77mQbwC5xHVJ1d5V5SDuy0kRujzIGF0
"These are the complete creatures of the talk-show culture, the perfect products of two and three generations of gerrymandered in-breeding. These are the monsters from inside The Bubble. You could see this moment coming during the Obama years, in which the country returned the two worst Congresses in American history, full to the gunwales with Bible-banging crazy people. Sooner or later, this was going to be all that was left, and it was going to have to confront a serious crisis with unserious people. That's what Wednesday was about."
"These are the complete creatures of the talk-show culture, the perfect products of two and three generations of gerrymandered in-breeding. These are the monsters from inside The Bubble. You could see this moment coming during the Obama years, in which the country returned the two worst Congresses in American history, full to the gunwales with Bible-banging crazy people. Sooner or later, this was going to be all that was left, and it was going to have to confront a serious crisis with unserious people. That's what Wednesday was about."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Just Expertly Laid a Trap to Get Donald Trump’s Tax Returns
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/02/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-just-expertly-laid-a-trap-to-get-donald-trumps-tax-returns/?fbclid=IwAR3w_w--KdgVRvOVhi-8nuWYVdqSVkKRmMzj8l60mpQLAhN9ssz22xba64w
"Her clear and purposeful line of questioning, which appeared to lay the groundwork for the committee to subpoena the president’s tax returns while capturing the names of those in Trump’s inner circle who may know details of his financials, was widely praised"
"Her clear and purposeful line of questioning, which appeared to lay the groundwork for the committee to subpoena the president’s tax returns while capturing the names of those in Trump’s inner circle who may know details of his financials, was widely praised"
Michael Cohen: “Individual 1 is Donald J. Trump”
https://www.vox.com/2019/2/27/18243038/individual-1-cohen-trump-mueller?fbclid=IwAR0CLWbfsGfk3gi8_uXMJv7p0b7ImNnTyFPAT-MexqF4bDJmmbV-akvZxdY
"There was never any doubt that “Individual 1” was President Donald Trump. But now, in his testimony before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday, Cohen has confirmed it. “I pled guilty in federal court to felonies for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in coordination with ‘Individual 1,’” Cohen said, reading from his prepared statement. “And for the record: ‘Individual 1’ is Donald J. Trump"."
"There was never any doubt that “Individual 1” was President Donald Trump. But now, in his testimony before the House Oversight Committee Wednesday, Cohen has confirmed it. “I pled guilty in federal court to felonies for the benefit of, at the direction of, and in coordination with ‘Individual 1,’” Cohen said, reading from his prepared statement. “And for the record: ‘Individual 1’ is Donald J. Trump"."
Michael Cohen: I threatened Fordham to keep quiet about Trump’s SAT scores and grades
https://www.vox.com/2019/2/27/18243099/michael-cohen-trump-fordham-grades?fbclid=IwAR0XYQsRyQOzS-4C7SS1jBSUwN1yKOv6H_YrPMlv-Pqoi1Rayc5l7xLhul4
"Donald Trump threatened his alma mater with legal action if his college records or SAT scores were released."
"Donald Trump threatened his alma mater with legal action if his college records or SAT scores were released."
Republicans can’t defend Trump against the substance of Cohen’s attacks
https://www.vox.com/2019/2/27/18243233/michael-cohen-testimony-live-republicans?fbclid=IwAR3mq2wdSYUFX_aDefXZSczMdMpqRvOLaCUoR7aD9RR5rukU173zbkZCDMs
"That this is the best Trump’s defenders in the House GOP caucus could up with shows just how brutal Cohen’s testimony is for the White House."
"That this is the best Trump’s defenders in the House GOP caucus could up with shows just how brutal Cohen’s testimony is for the White House."
Michael Cohen’s Scathing Opening Statement Is Littered With Bombshells
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/cohen-trump-testimony-800728/?fbclid=IwAR1dMoDhKCcOqGCXQLdt6PZNZkFS-ZG4GSw05EB7mxPXYowdM-gTMA8TzYA
"In addition to the revelations that could have legal implications for Trump, Cohen also paints the president as an insecure, amoral racist who has no regard for the welfare of the United States. He notes how Trump forced him to write letters to his schools threatening legal action if they were to release any of Trump’s grades. He writes of how Trump ran for president strictly to enhance his brand, and that he never even expected to win the primary. He points out how much worse Trump’s private racism is than what he says in public."
"In addition to the revelations that could have legal implications for Trump, Cohen also paints the president as an insecure, amoral racist who has no regard for the welfare of the United States. He notes how Trump forced him to write letters to his schools threatening legal action if they were to release any of Trump’s grades. He writes of how Trump ran for president strictly to enhance his brand, and that he never even expected to win the primary. He points out how much worse Trump’s private racism is than what he says in public."
Operative At Center Of North Carolina Election Fraud Scandal Is Criminally Charged
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mccrae-dowless-north-carolina_n_5c76c925e4b0031d95649247?fbclid=IwAR0iCSKQSsEmL5ZXqwCuuQXzmWbCPP3-KmcrOTxienDoLX0LSCU6lgW9Ki4
"McCrae Dowless worked on behalf of Republican candidate Mark Harris."
"McCrae Dowless worked on behalf of Republican candidate Mark Harris."
Michael Cohen Accuses Republican Lawmakers Of ‘Blindly’ Following Donald Trump
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michael-cohen-republicans-trump_n_5c76c624e4b062b30eba5639?fbclid=IwAR1HLSJx2MIc99H2CFKxd_RScdN0s1ZhDV0Rpm6e0GdQqG6QGazTV3s_p6w
"Michael Cohen, during his explosive testimony before the House oversight committee on Wednesday, accused Republican lawmakers of trying to protect President Donald Trump."
"Michael Cohen, during his explosive testimony before the House oversight committee on Wednesday, accused Republican lawmakers of trying to protect President Donald Trump."
Conservative Expert Privately Warned GOP Donors That a Voting Rights Bill Would Help Democrats
https://theintercept.com/2019/02/27/hr1-bill-voting-rights-republicans/?fbclid=IwAR0MDooqnOqNBN6r4iZd3Wbab-NFqfaY6G-zv_RCpP44IMoE-noRtFVqaJQ
"ON THE FIRST day the new Congress was in session in January, Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat from Maryland, introduced the For the People Act, known in the House of Representatives as H.R.1. The sweeping bill seeks to revamp lobbyist registration, campaign financing, and voting rights. The Brennan Center for Justice said it “would create a more responsive and representative government by making it easier for voters to cast a ballot and harder for lawmakers to gerrymander.” By the end of the month, hearings were held on Capitol Hill. One of the witnesses before the House Judiciary Committee hearings was Hans von Spakovsky, a former Federal Election Commission member who is now a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Von Spakovsky used high-minded and principled language to oppose the bill. In his prepared testimony, he wrote that H.R.1 is “clearly unconstitutional,” complaining that its provisions “come at the expense of federalism.” Just two weeks later, however, as von Spakovsky addressed a private gathering of conservatives, he was considerably more candid about his reason for opposing the bill: It would be bad for Republicans. That’s the message this scholar delivered when he traveled to Orlando, Florida, to brief a Council for National Policy-sponsored meeting of Republican donors and Christian right leaders on the bill. Sitting in the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Ballroom, von Spakovsky explained that expanded voting rights and nonpartisan redistricting could imperil GOP political power."
"ON THE FIRST day the new Congress was in session in January, Rep. John Sarbanes, a Democrat from Maryland, introduced the For the People Act, known in the House of Representatives as H.R.1. The sweeping bill seeks to revamp lobbyist registration, campaign financing, and voting rights. The Brennan Center for Justice said it “would create a more responsive and representative government by making it easier for voters to cast a ballot and harder for lawmakers to gerrymander.” By the end of the month, hearings were held on Capitol Hill. One of the witnesses before the House Judiciary Committee hearings was Hans von Spakovsky, a former Federal Election Commission member who is now a senior legal fellow at the Heritage Foundation. Von Spakovsky used high-minded and principled language to oppose the bill. In his prepared testimony, he wrote that H.R.1 is “clearly unconstitutional,” complaining that its provisions “come at the expense of federalism.” Just two weeks later, however, as von Spakovsky addressed a private gathering of conservatives, he was considerably more candid about his reason for opposing the bill: It would be bad for Republicans. That’s the message this scholar delivered when he traveled to Orlando, Florida, to brief a Council for National Policy-sponsored meeting of Republican donors and Christian right leaders on the bill. Sitting in the Ritz-Carlton Grande Lakes Ballroom, von Spakovsky explained that expanded voting rights and nonpartisan redistricting could imperil GOP political power."
Wednesday, February 27, 2019
Cohen Gives More Detail On Trump Moscow Tower Briefings
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/muckraker/cohen-gives-more-detail-on-trump-moscow-tower-briefings?fbclid=IwAR3Qdku0aCtd1Jw2tJ4V-ZePpCRNGvxkrkBUGsbkYjtzV7xjrCzZtWJNhfA
"Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen revealed new details on Wednesday about how he discussed the Russia project with President Trump and his family. Cohen said at a House Oversight Committee hearing that he briefed Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump on the project “approximately 10” times."
"Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen revealed new details on Wednesday about how he discussed the Russia project with President Trump and his family. Cohen said at a House Oversight Committee hearing that he briefed Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump on the project “approximately 10” times."
Republicans are mad that Cohen said Trump is racist. The president’s record speaks for itself.
https://thinkprogress.org/republicans-are-mad-that-cohen-said-trump-is-racist-9a67c5f5f455/?fbclid=IwAR0RaP7k94Tn_t3Lf_nlneqibjZ1A2-JW8-4BMQT31rG1Oc4ekCg5v6BT6E
"President Trump has publicly done or said racist things for decades. Republicans are now studiously avoiding his record."
"President Trump has publicly done or said racist things for decades. Republicans are now studiously avoiding his record."
Sick of Republican grandstanding, Democrat slams the GOP: 'Your side ran away from the truth'
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/2/27/1838118/-Sick-of-Republican-grandstanding-Democrat-slams-the-GOP-Your-side-ran-away-from-the-truth?fbclid=IwAR3w-D72ka2IIBfezlznLEFWqF8tpNyUfsWsmk4w_qa_r9oymQ84BhECqo4
"Republicans continue to lie in their questioning of Michael Cohen during Wednesday’s hearing. It’s a bizarre thing to watch a bunch of men lie while calling someone a liar."
"Republicans continue to lie in their questioning of Michael Cohen during Wednesday’s hearing. It’s a bizarre thing to watch a bunch of men lie while calling someone a liar."
Chairman Cummings: 'The Days Of This Committee Protecting President At All Costs Are Over'
https://crooksandliars.com/2019/02/chairman-cummings-days-committee?fbclid=IwAR2ogrxN0ppoqSh5t4iJaFtuZB8NNLnGcQJP5GJm_HUTuMr8wzrL0HXxcpw
"The Chairman of the House Oversight Committee made clear Trump's congressional protection racket full of toadies are over. Meanwhile, Republicans on the Committee are acting as Trump's criminal defense attorneys."
"The Chairman of the House Oversight Committee made clear Trump's congressional protection racket full of toadies are over. Meanwhile, Republicans on the Committee are acting as Trump's criminal defense attorneys."
Describing border conditions, Trump creates an alternate reality
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/describing-border-conditions-trump-creates-alternate-reality?fbclid=IwAR34T-_e205NPdRDBpXmVUBl3gIvB2VR6MPVPmnMhBgtzsh28sa_08n_00I
"the larger point isn’t just about fact-checking; it’s also about the nature of the policy debate. If he believes his own rhetoric – a distinct possibility – he’s in a fantasy world of his own creation."
"the larger point isn’t just about fact-checking; it’s also about the nature of the policy debate. If he believes his own rhetoric – a distinct possibility – he’s in a fantasy world of his own creation."
Trump’s Former Acting Attorney General Agrees to Fix His Testimony About Trump Pressure
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/02/trumps-former-acting-attorney-general-says-he-will-change-his-testimony-about-trump-pressure/?fbclid=IwAR0KmhBmkGwtO3BsVDQCAp3d88TlsDTKDS1cKjlZDRkWyMIyT8M7SaeHebI
"During a hearing earlier this month, Whitaker repeatedly denied media reports that Trump had called him to complain about the advancing investigation by prosecutors working under the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York."
"During a hearing earlier this month, Whitaker repeatedly denied media reports that Trump had called him to complain about the advancing investigation by prosecutors working under the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York."
Defending Trump, Sanders lies about his record on promoting violence
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/defending-trump-sanders-lies-about-his-record-promoting-violence?fbclid=IwAR1yUKCRO_HFcCR_h-YKFKm6PUB6ff08CHHA6dUZmtwjj2geY3gXWs9cJ90
"Sometimes, it seems as if Sarah Huckabee Sanders hasn’t even met Donald Trump."
"Sometimes, it seems as if Sarah Huckabee Sanders hasn’t even met Donald Trump."
New York Prosecutors Will Charge Manafort In Bid To Prevent Trump Pardon: Reports
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/manafort-state-charges-ny-trump_n_5c7038b7e4b06cf6bb256cf7?fbclid=IwAR1l-7kTyN2QfOZ9NpyS5aQA28HIhvN8xAYtl5QpaUF1oVXmNUDN51LDK0Q
"President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort may soon face New York state criminal charges, multiple outlets reported on Friday. Although Manafort has already been convicted of multiple federal crimes, state criminal cases are not subject to presidential pardons and Trump would not be able to use his executive power to free Manafort if he’s found guilty."
"President Donald Trump’s former campaign chairman Paul Manafort may soon face New York state criminal charges, multiple outlets reported on Friday. Although Manafort has already been convicted of multiple federal crimes, state criminal cases are not subject to presidential pardons and Trump would not be able to use his executive power to free Manafort if he’s found guilty."
The Grave Threats of White Supremacy and Far-Right Extremism
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/22/opinion/christopher-hasson-extremism.html?action=click&module=Opinion&pgtype=Homepage&fbclid=IwAR2kv0EbMrYflKVMoK_muwYxYxViZ-ob7_fBI-x7qyGki2j2XrXLcoVtXAE
"Last week, federal agents in Maryland arrested a United States Coast Guard officer and said he was plotting to assassinate Democratic members of Congress, prominent television journalists and others. The officer, Lt. Christopher Hasson, apparently was inspired by a right-wing Norwegian terrorist who slaughtered 77 people in 2011, stockpiled firearms and ammunition and researched locations around Washington to launch his attacks, according to investigators. Fortunately, the F.B.I. arrested him before he could act. This frightening case is just one of several recent reminders that white supremacy and far-right extremism are among the greatest domestic-security threats facing the United States. Regrettably, over the past 25 years, law enforcement, at both the federal and state levels, has been slow to respond. This is in part because of the limited number of enforcement tools available to prosecutors. But there are steps that can be taken to help the police and prosecutors address this growing threat — including, on the federal level, a domestic terrorism law. In 2017, hate crimes, generally defined as criminal acts motivated by the victim’s race, ethnicity, religion, or gender, increased by about 17 percent nationally, to 7,175 from 6,121 (the number of police agencies reporting crimes also rose, by about 6 percent); in my state, Virginia, they were up by nearly 50 percent, to 202 from 137. Killings committed by individuals and groups associated with far-right extremist groups have risen significantly. Seventy-one percent of the 387 “extremist related fatalities in the United States” from 2008 to 2017 were committed by members of far-right and white-supremacist groups, according the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. Islamic extremists were responsible for 26 percent. The rising scourge of domestic hate has been underscored by particularly heinous acts in the past few years."
"Last week, federal agents in Maryland arrested a United States Coast Guard officer and said he was plotting to assassinate Democratic members of Congress, prominent television journalists and others. The officer, Lt. Christopher Hasson, apparently was inspired by a right-wing Norwegian terrorist who slaughtered 77 people in 2011, stockpiled firearms and ammunition and researched locations around Washington to launch his attacks, according to investigators. Fortunately, the F.B.I. arrested him before he could act. This frightening case is just one of several recent reminders that white supremacy and far-right extremism are among the greatest domestic-security threats facing the United States. Regrettably, over the past 25 years, law enforcement, at both the federal and state levels, has been slow to respond. This is in part because of the limited number of enforcement tools available to prosecutors. But there are steps that can be taken to help the police and prosecutors address this growing threat — including, on the federal level, a domestic terrorism law. In 2017, hate crimes, generally defined as criminal acts motivated by the victim’s race, ethnicity, religion, or gender, increased by about 17 percent nationally, to 7,175 from 6,121 (the number of police agencies reporting crimes also rose, by about 6 percent); in my state, Virginia, they were up by nearly 50 percent, to 202 from 137. Killings committed by individuals and groups associated with far-right extremist groups have risen significantly. Seventy-one percent of the 387 “extremist related fatalities in the United States” from 2008 to 2017 were committed by members of far-right and white-supremacist groups, according the Anti-Defamation League’s Center on Extremism. Islamic extremists were responsible for 26 percent. The rising scourge of domestic hate has been underscored by particularly heinous acts in the past few years."
58 Former National Security Officials Debunk Trump’s National Emergency Claim
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/national-security-emergency-trump-799721/?fbclid=IwAR2KeNxJCdSArL3egDztNreVXlNYF-xVmkGZCEnVVpt8Kp4RwyY2oQj2BlA
"The 11-page statement claims there is “no factual basis” to justify Trump’s national emergency declaration."
"The 11-page statement claims there is “no factual basis” to justify Trump’s national emergency declaration."
Former RNC Chair Destroys Trump Ally Matt Gaetz: ‘I Can’t Even Refer To Him As A Congressman’
https://www.politicususa.com/2019/02/26/former-rnc-chair-trump-matt-gaetz-congressman-cohen.html?fbclid=IwAR0J_mPbungyqM362toZDtonsWIHHfxeGcD4kcxQDSvYfillVb33lGuZJ9c
"One of Donald Trump’s favorite members of Congress, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, may have just committed a crime by threatening Michael Cohen a day before his public testimony."
"One of Donald Trump’s favorite members of Congress, Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, may have just committed a crime by threatening Michael Cohen a day before his public testimony."
A Republican Congressman Just Threatened Michael Cohen on Twitter. Did He Break the Law?
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/02/matt-gaetz-just-threatened-michael-cohen-on-twitter-witness-tampering/?fbclid=IwAR0u4bWtwAGd9kv0mv7T7Gk5yw18RGFxab2Odqa9hDJjXn8nENgdzruyzM0
"Within minutes, Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, tweeted out the part of the federal criminal code that could apply: See 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(b), 1515(a)(1)(B). It notes, “Whoever knowingly uses intimidation, threatens, or corruptly persuades another person, or attempts to do so, or engages in misleading conduct toward another person, with intent to…influence, delay, or prevent the testimony of any person in an official proceeding…shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.” The code’s definition of an “official proceeding” includes congressional proceedings. Gaetz has been one of the most vocal Trump backers in the House, scheming with other Republican legislators to undermine the Trump-Russia investigation by promoting false conspiracy theories about the deep state. But this move goes beyond the deployment of diversionary distraction. It’s a heavy-handed and brazen attempt to intimidate a witness poised to provide explosive testimony about President Donald Trump. And it’s possible it’s a crime—which makes it a very Trumpy way of dealing with the president’s Cohen problem."
"Within minutes, Walter Shaub, the former director of the Office of Government Ethics, tweeted out the part of the federal criminal code that could apply: See 18 U.S.C. §§ 1512(b), 1515(a)(1)(B). It notes, “Whoever knowingly uses intimidation, threatens, or corruptly persuades another person, or attempts to do so, or engages in misleading conduct toward another person, with intent to…influence, delay, or prevent the testimony of any person in an official proceeding…shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than 20 years, or both.” The code’s definition of an “official proceeding” includes congressional proceedings. Gaetz has been one of the most vocal Trump backers in the House, scheming with other Republican legislators to undermine the Trump-Russia investigation by promoting false conspiracy theories about the deep state. But this move goes beyond the deployment of diversionary distraction. It’s a heavy-handed and brazen attempt to intimidate a witness poised to provide explosive testimony about President Donald Trump. And it’s possible it’s a crime—which makes it a very Trumpy way of dealing with the president’s Cohen problem."
Coast Guard officer wanted to kill Democrats, TV hosts, say prosecutors
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/coast-guard-officer-wanted-kill-democrats-msnbc-hosts-say-prosecutors-n973786?fbclid=IwAR3IE4VtBt2sErLs_SFApTucYkEhCoW2he2zumb5mnbWJMFfddhkdllMGrE
"A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant working in the nation's capital lived a secret life as a "domestic terrorist" who aspired to mass murder and compiled a target list of prominent politicians and journalists, federal prosecutors allege in court papers. Christopher Paul Hasson was arrested Feb. 15 on drug and gun charges, but prosecutors said in a detention memo this week that he intended "to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country." He has espoused extremist views for years, the court papers say, and he read the manifesto of Anders Breivik, the white supremacist Norwegian terrorist who shot and killed 77 people in 2011. From January 2017 to January 2019, "the defendant conducted online searches and made thousands of visits for pro-Russian, neo-fascist, and neo-Nazi literature," the document says."
"A U.S. Coast Guard lieutenant working in the nation's capital lived a secret life as a "domestic terrorist" who aspired to mass murder and compiled a target list of prominent politicians and journalists, federal prosecutors allege in court papers. Christopher Paul Hasson was arrested Feb. 15 on drug and gun charges, but prosecutors said in a detention memo this week that he intended "to murder innocent civilians on a scale rarely seen in this country." He has espoused extremist views for years, the court papers say, and he read the manifesto of Anders Breivik, the white supremacist Norwegian terrorist who shot and killed 77 people in 2011. From January 2017 to January 2019, "the defendant conducted online searches and made thousands of visits for pro-Russian, neo-fascist, and neo-Nazi literature," the document says."
Sunday, February 24, 2019
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