https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/02/trump-warsaw-conference-iran-pence-giuliani-pompeo.html?fbclid=IwAR2J6ONPyPAmsHDaKywfIX1LYzIhB6_pKByBarm9je6idn8pWEeYTtuMftM
"another sign of the shallow thinking and clueless incompetence that has marked U.S. foreign policy since Donald Trump entered the White House."
Sunday, February 17, 2019
Trump's DHS has cut task forces set up after 2016 to guard elections against foreign interference
https://www.salon.com/2019/02/15/dhs-will-cut-task-forces-set-up-after-2016-to-guard-elections-against-foreign-interference/?fbclid=IwAR1HxIDxzHkzHgUFv1x5W5rTjgWjs6AhMFcEFfw71satsxO6Hf9ZXBcStpY
"Two Homeland Security task forces created to combat foreign election meddling in the wake of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election have been gutted ahead of the 2020 race"
"Two Homeland Security task forces created to combat foreign election meddling in the wake of Russia’s interference in the 2016 election have been gutted ahead of the 2020 race"
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Under Fire Because She’s Right
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2019/02/12/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-under-fire-because-shes-right?fbclid=IwAR1wp0ORbnapcObZdLsmcSVPtAlkjjsFeblqcbBPayAexEz9qHVl5oZaqQk
"Ocasio-Cortez is exactly right. Schultz may think calls for Medicare for all are “un-American,” but the vast majority of Americans support it. Consider the following: Reuters poll: 70 percent support Medicare for all, including 52 percent of Republicans. Fox News poll: 70 percent support raising taxes on those making over $10 million a year. Bloomberg poll: 62 percent support tuition-free college. Kaiser Foundation poll: 92 percent support having Medicare negotiate with drug companies to lower drug prices. Hart poll: 63 percent support $15 minimum wage. Yale/George Mason poll: 81 percent support the Green New Deal plan. There is a wide gulf between the political center and the moral center. Dr. Martin Luther King used to teach that “cowardice asks the question, is it expedient? And then expedience comes along and asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right? There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right.” Politicians worry about donors. They hear from lobbyists, from special interests, from corporations that can spend unlimited money in political campaigns without revealing it. The moral center is concerned with what is right — and what can work. What is different now is that the moral center — what is right — is also increasingly popular. The political class is running scared because more and more people understand that the rules have been rigged to benefit only the few. So Trump and Republicans and billionaires like Schultz yell “socialism,” “Venezuela,” “extremism,” “radicalism.” They need to spread fear to protect a discredited political center. Don’t fall for it. Medicare for all isn’t socialism; it’s common sense. A living wage isn’t radical; it’s a moral imperative. We now suffer an extreme inequality not witnessed since before the Great Depression. It is time for the moral center to make itself heard."
"Ocasio-Cortez is exactly right. Schultz may think calls for Medicare for all are “un-American,” but the vast majority of Americans support it. Consider the following: Reuters poll: 70 percent support Medicare for all, including 52 percent of Republicans. Fox News poll: 70 percent support raising taxes on those making over $10 million a year. Bloomberg poll: 62 percent support tuition-free college. Kaiser Foundation poll: 92 percent support having Medicare negotiate with drug companies to lower drug prices. Hart poll: 63 percent support $15 minimum wage. Yale/George Mason poll: 81 percent support the Green New Deal plan. There is a wide gulf between the political center and the moral center. Dr. Martin Luther King used to teach that “cowardice asks the question, is it expedient? And then expedience comes along and asks the question, is it politic? Vanity asks the question, is it popular? Conscience asks the question, is it right? There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because conscience tells him it is right.” Politicians worry about donors. They hear from lobbyists, from special interests, from corporations that can spend unlimited money in political campaigns without revealing it. The moral center is concerned with what is right — and what can work. What is different now is that the moral center — what is right — is also increasingly popular. The political class is running scared because more and more people understand that the rules have been rigged to benefit only the few. So Trump and Republicans and billionaires like Schultz yell “socialism,” “Venezuela,” “extremism,” “radicalism.” They need to spread fear to protect a discredited political center. Don’t fall for it. Medicare for all isn’t socialism; it’s common sense. A living wage isn’t radical; it’s a moral imperative. We now suffer an extreme inequality not witnessed since before the Great Depression. It is time for the moral center to make itself heard."
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Exposes The Dark Side Of Politics In 5 Incredible Minutes
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/alexandria-ocasio-cortez-campaign-finance_us_5c5d246be4b03afe8d6637ff?fbclid=IwAR3jpQgwK6Cr9KLeFkR8uBHKJSXSZdAu0e9cD0mL9cehs_l24jOEa_ymTu0
"The freshman lawmaker reveals how easy it is for pols to get rich at your expense."
"The freshman lawmaker reveals how easy it is for pols to get rich at your expense."
Saturday, February 16, 2019
Following the Money: Trump and Russia-Linked Transactions From the Campaign to the Presidential Inauguration
https://www.americanprogress.org/issues/democracy/reports/2018/12/17/464235/following-the-money/?fbclid=IwAR1VqoNc78n4YGJw3C8uElKx-1BOBk4UVrrrr4Mbx6447ztrGcH3QYkfJUI
"The Kremlin’s present-day use of money to influence European democracies is well-documented, and special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation has made analysis of financial transactions, including those related to the Trump presidential campaign, a pillar of his investigation into Russian interference."
"The Kremlin’s present-day use of money to influence European democracies is well-documented, and special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation has made analysis of financial transactions, including those related to the Trump presidential campaign, a pillar of his investigation into Russian interference."
Trump’s foreign policy isn’t based in reality
https://www.vox.com/2019/1/29/18202179/trump-intelligence-north-korea-iran-russia-china?fbclid=IwAR1-fMfNiAXBNl-8WBMf1zcWVO6Bo7aZD3qrTUdGJgVhAvnA_gIGJwF9PUs
"President Donald Trump says ISIS is defeated in Syria. He’s said North Korea is “no longer a nuclear threat” and that Kim Jong Un is committed to giving up his country’s nuclear weapons. He’s repeatedly bought Russia’s claim that it didn’t interfere in the 2016 presidential election. He regularly mocks the idea that climate change is a threat and has called it a hoax. And he said staying in the Iran nuclear deal would lead to that country acquiring nuclear weapons in “just a short time.” But according to Trump’s own senior intelligence officials, none of that is true. Zero. Zilch."
"President Donald Trump says ISIS is defeated in Syria. He’s said North Korea is “no longer a nuclear threat” and that Kim Jong Un is committed to giving up his country’s nuclear weapons. He’s repeatedly bought Russia’s claim that it didn’t interfere in the 2016 presidential election. He regularly mocks the idea that climate change is a threat and has called it a hoax. And he said staying in the Iran nuclear deal would lead to that country acquiring nuclear weapons in “just a short time.” But according to Trump’s own senior intelligence officials, none of that is true. Zero. Zilch."
Trump doesn’t just disagree with US intel leaders, he also mocks them
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/trump-doesnt-just-disagree-us-intel-leaders-he-also-mocks-them?fbclid=IwAR3PXtj7jb3g-46UU5DGBZZc1vWGwsrEVfyXPQlC7-fptVwKT5S_XU6cTjw
"The nation’s top intelligence officials have reported to Congress that Iran, at least for now, is not trying to develop a nuclear weapon. In fact, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testified to senators yesterday that Iranian officials appear to be complying with the Obama-era international nuclear agreement, which Donald Trump has taken steps to destroy, despite its efficacy."
"The nation’s top intelligence officials have reported to Congress that Iran, at least for now, is not trying to develop a nuclear weapon. In fact, Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats testified to senators yesterday that Iranian officials appear to be complying with the Obama-era international nuclear agreement, which Donald Trump has taken steps to destroy, despite its efficacy."
This Administration* Is Playing Russian Roulette for Idiots
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a26112390/nuclear-arms-control-treaty-russia-trump-administration/?fbclid=IwAR17xkV0jZfqqAWRPWqxZkBPfVq7bL1wvCIQhkdT98QTLhLT_H5ePqUvrzA
"(Can we pause here for a moment and remember that Mike Pompeo is a jumped-up Tea Party congressman from Kansas who is in the upper levels of the national executive only because he climbed aboard the Trump Train and was standing there when it was determined that Rex Tillerson needed to go? He has enabled all of the president*'s worst instincts on foreign policy, and this move is only the latest example. There is no "good" member of this Cabinet—only fools, grifters, and incompetents. It is quite striking in its uniformity in this regard.) I'm not sure how giving Vladimir Putin everything he wants is supposed to hurt him, but I am not the Secretary of State. This is an odds-on decision to start another nuclear arms race in Europe, which can only hype up the ambitious Russian ganglord's dreams of a gangster-capitalist new USSR. The INF Treaty was one of the Reagan Administration's shining accomplishments, and one of the first indications that Mikhail Gorbachev was a real reformer. It was the first arms-control agreement that required a reduction in nuclear weapons rather than simply freezing the number of them in place. It brought Europe out from under a dark shadow. (These were the days in which nuclear war was again thought to be feasible, if not imminent.) It allowed people in Europe to breathe a little easier. For all his faults, Reagan made the INF Treaty a landmark in nuclear diplomacy, and it led directly to President George H.W. Bush's START treaty which cut in half the nuclear arsenals of both countries."
"(Can we pause here for a moment and remember that Mike Pompeo is a jumped-up Tea Party congressman from Kansas who is in the upper levels of the national executive only because he climbed aboard the Trump Train and was standing there when it was determined that Rex Tillerson needed to go? He has enabled all of the president*'s worst instincts on foreign policy, and this move is only the latest example. There is no "good" member of this Cabinet—only fools, grifters, and incompetents. It is quite striking in its uniformity in this regard.) I'm not sure how giving Vladimir Putin everything he wants is supposed to hurt him, but I am not the Secretary of State. This is an odds-on decision to start another nuclear arms race in Europe, which can only hype up the ambitious Russian ganglord's dreams of a gangster-capitalist new USSR. The INF Treaty was one of the Reagan Administration's shining accomplishments, and one of the first indications that Mikhail Gorbachev was a real reformer. It was the first arms-control agreement that required a reduction in nuclear weapons rather than simply freezing the number of them in place. It brought Europe out from under a dark shadow. (These were the days in which nuclear war was again thought to be feasible, if not imminent.) It allowed people in Europe to breathe a little easier. For all his faults, Reagan made the INF Treaty a landmark in nuclear diplomacy, and it led directly to President George H.W. Bush's START treaty which cut in half the nuclear arsenals of both countries."
Trump and His Associates Had More Than 100 Contacts With Russians Before the Inauguration
https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/01/26/us/politics/trump-contacts-russians-wikileaks.html?smid=tw-share&mtrref=t.co&fbclid=IwAR2qXZa8s1dk53HkArvKNTwu8PSHMQjJrqwIomuQFnAW48YWSxd-dAYhoJg
"Among these contacts are more than 100 in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages, emails and private messages on Twitter. Mr. Trump and his campaign repeatedly denied having such contacts with Russians during the 2016 election."
"Among these contacts are more than 100 in-person meetings, phone calls, text messages, emails and private messages on Twitter. Mr. Trump and his campaign repeatedly denied having such contacts with Russians during the 2016 election."
Mitch McConnell, Enemy of the Vote
https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-features/mitch-mcconnell-enemy-of-the-vote-787596/?fbclid=IwAR1PMl7XDvX3DpyCwpbCzvI7S7HmdE0dYw57P6DwGYeuFzbJ58YPw6Me13Q
"Suppressing votes is not merely a racist act, nor it is simply the last resort for a party out of ideas. Voter suppression is traitorous. Intentionally restricting access to the ballot is a violation of the ideals that we have been told are inherently American."
"Suppressing votes is not merely a racist act, nor it is simply the last resort for a party out of ideas. Voter suppression is traitorous. Intentionally restricting access to the ballot is a violation of the ideals that we have been told are inherently American."
Climate-change denier President Trump has rolled back numerous environmental regulations in first two years
https://www.newsweek.com/epa-trump-two-years-environment-regulations-climate-change-1298652?fbclid=IwAR0BT2tJeTAS9zLYIsnhgBNqLe9P3iS3ez30XM0GB2e68d-GXHpL7gravc8
"The president, who also believes that the dangers of asbestos are exaggerated, and that exercise depletes the human body like a battery, has worked alongside the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Department of Interior to roll back environmental and scientific regulations that limit pollutants put into the environment and the toxins workers can be exposed to."
"The president, who also believes that the dangers of asbestos are exaggerated, and that exercise depletes the human body like a battery, has worked alongside the Environmental Protection Agency, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Department of Interior to roll back environmental and scientific regulations that limit pollutants put into the environment and the toxins workers can be exposed to."
Mitch McConnell calls House Democrats’ anti-corruption bill a “power grab”
https://www.vox.com/2019/1/18/18188150/mitch-mcconnell-house-democrats-anti-corruption-bill-hr1?fbclid=IwAR3t9nPIiTO68EfXuxTO69Wfy7K2gnSNmcXgHHCMKNvaBr5xtVRSXrrLZM8
"The legislative package, known as HR 1, has three main ideas at its core: reforming campaign finance, strengthening the government’s ethics laws, and expanding voting rights. The aim is to get more information on how lobbyists and Super PACs are spending their money, make it easier to vote, and restructure the current campaign finance system to allow for public financing of elections. The ideas behind the bill are extremely popular. A vast majority of Americans want to get the influence of money out of politics, and want Congress to pass laws to do so. Recent polling from the PAC End Citizens United found that 82 percent of all voters and 84 percent of independents said they support a bill of reforms to tackle corruption. But McConnell painted a far different picture, characterizing HR 1 as a nefarious attempt to silence free speech and turn US democracy into one-party rule."
"The legislative package, known as HR 1, has three main ideas at its core: reforming campaign finance, strengthening the government’s ethics laws, and expanding voting rights. The aim is to get more information on how lobbyists and Super PACs are spending their money, make it easier to vote, and restructure the current campaign finance system to allow for public financing of elections. The ideas behind the bill are extremely popular. A vast majority of Americans want to get the influence of money out of politics, and want Congress to pass laws to do so. Recent polling from the PAC End Citizens United found that 82 percent of all voters and 84 percent of independents said they support a bill of reforms to tackle corruption. But McConnell painted a far different picture, characterizing HR 1 as a nefarious attempt to silence free speech and turn US democracy into one-party rule."
Mitch McConnell Has Open Disdain for Democracy
https://www.esquire.com/news-politics/politics/a26090966/mitch-mcconnell-power-grab-election-day-holiday/?fbclid=IwAR2qNdtW2Gmt0czPia-hv5ziEp4FNJbJlQBLR3jKLUO_JG5cCGrfCP4EKnQ
"There was on Wednesday one of those moments in Mitch McConnell's guardianship of the United States Senate when the least excusable man in government decides, what the hell, I'll just say what everybody knows anyway. It has been conservative Republican political strategy since the mid-1970s to suppress the votes of the classes of voters to which conservatism declines to appeal. This had the added benefit of rolling back the hard-won achievements of the civil-rights movement, an episode in history that modern conservative Republicanism came to consider an aberration to the natural order of things. On Wednesday, while the Senate was debating a House bill aimed at making voting easier, as well as rolling back Republican voter-suppression laws, Mitch was particularly exercised over a proposal to make federal election day a national holiday."
"There was on Wednesday one of those moments in Mitch McConnell's guardianship of the United States Senate when the least excusable man in government decides, what the hell, I'll just say what everybody knows anyway. It has been conservative Republican political strategy since the mid-1970s to suppress the votes of the classes of voters to which conservatism declines to appeal. This had the added benefit of rolling back the hard-won achievements of the civil-rights movement, an episode in history that modern conservative Republicanism came to consider an aberration to the natural order of things. On Wednesday, while the Senate was debating a House bill aimed at making voting easier, as well as rolling back Republican voter-suppression laws, Mitch was particularly exercised over a proposal to make federal election day a national holiday."
Mitch McConnell Admits He’s Against High Voter Turnout Because He Suspects People Will Vote for Democrats
https://www.gq.com/story/mcconnell-voter-turnout-bad?fbclid=IwAR3Dy2pvZwHlAcjWM_5DKZhIO9cHjGFFrbaZxmm8HRUZOJueN9_Lm8zowJM
"Republicans have long had an election problem. The more people vote, the worse they tend to get beaten. So the solution, since at least the 1970s, has been pretty cut and dry: figure out who's likely to vote against them, and prevent them from voting. It may be a more circuitous approach than falsifying votes or straight up hacking an election, but it gives them an air of democratic legitimacy even though they're actively fighting against the foundations of democracy."
"Republicans have long had an election problem. The more people vote, the worse they tend to get beaten. So the solution, since at least the 1970s, has been pretty cut and dry: figure out who's likely to vote against them, and prevent them from voting. It may be a more circuitous approach than falsifying votes or straight up hacking an election, but it gives them an air of democratic legitimacy even though they're actively fighting against the foundations of democracy."
In 745 days, President Trump has made 8,459 false or misleading claims
https://www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/politics/trump-claims-database/?utm_term=.d1826c2079d6
"The Fact Checker’s ongoing database of the false or misleading claims made by President Trump since assuming office."
"The Fact Checker’s ongoing database of the false or misleading claims made by President Trump since assuming office."
Mitch McConnell Admits That Republicans Lose When More People Vote
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2019/01/mitch-mcconnell-admits-that-republicans-lose-when-more-people-vote/?fbclid=IwAR23fqF2wDIeMmZeqlkSUiRdmKESJQGIWTIvzRrROxO7kSHvSRc-QJ61_J4
"Democrats have long accused Republicans of restricting access to the ballot because Republicans are likelier to win when fewer people vote. On Wednesday, the GOP leader in the Senate appeared to admit that they’re right."
"Democrats have long accused Republicans of restricting access to the ballot because Republicans are likelier to win when fewer people vote. On Wednesday, the GOP leader in the Senate appeared to admit that they’re right."
President Trump made 8,158 false or misleading claims in his first two years
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2019/01/21/president-trump-made-false-or-misleading-claims-his-first-two-years/?fbclid=IwAR0hlZF1h7H2JmG-8jYsjIINR5Fozh5Lzeu0P5loYKOexnKPfnwI_gZHWfg&utm_term=.71c7b5f6dbe9
"Two years after taking the oath of office, President Trump has made 8,158 false or misleading claims, according to The Fact Checker’s database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president. That includes an astonishing 6,000-plus such claims in the president’s second year. Put another way: The president averaged nearly 5.9 false or misleading claims a day in his first year in office. But he hit nearly 16.5 a day in his second year, almost triple the pace."
"Two years after taking the oath of office, President Trump has made 8,158 false or misleading claims, according to The Fact Checker’s database that analyzes, categorizes and tracks every suspect statement uttered by the president. That includes an astonishing 6,000-plus such claims in the president’s second year. Put another way: The president averaged nearly 5.9 false or misleading claims a day in his first year in office. But he hit nearly 16.5 a day in his second year, almost triple the pace."
The World Is on the Brink of Widespread Water Wars
https://truthout.org/articles/the-world-is-on-the-brink-of-widespread-water-wars/
"As planetary temperatures continue to increase and rainfall patterns shift due to human-caused climate disruption, our ability to grow crops and have enough drinking water will become increasingly challenged, and the outlook is only going to worsen. The most recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report warned of increasingly intense droughts and mass water shortages around large swaths of the globe."
"As planetary temperatures continue to increase and rainfall patterns shift due to human-caused climate disruption, our ability to grow crops and have enough drinking water will become increasingly challenged, and the outlook is only going to worsen. The most recent United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report warned of increasingly intense droughts and mass water shortages around large swaths of the globe."
Trump Quietly Put a Koch Official in Charge of America’s Drinking Water
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/02/trump-put-a-koch-official-in-charge-of-americas-drinking-water?fbclid=IwAR3enfxq2KW81sm3GZfYO3uNWm34-pYpvXI8wMl8PMLdOVEZBTEiQ367ZYU
"Currently, Koch subsidiary Georgia-Pacific, a paper and pulp conglomerate, is facing at least one class-action suit related to chemicals now under Dunlap’s purview. Koch’s various environmental crimes against humanity are laid out in several high-profile lawsuits over the past 20 years. According to Bloomberg, “Koch Industries was assessed more than $400 million in fines, penalties, and judgments” between 1999 and 2003, such as for dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of aviation fuel into a Minnesota wetland. “You want an independent, hardheaded scientific review of these issues; you don’t want somebody who is already taking the industry party line,” Erik Olson, who heads up the Natural Resources Defense Council’s public health work, told Politico. “There’s a legitimate threat there and, from my perspective, the conflicts of interest that [Dunlap] has having worked as a regulatory compliance director at Georgia-Pacific raises questions about whether he can make those objective decisions or should be recused.” Dunlap, of course, is unlikely to be replaced by someone without a host of conflicts of interest given that the guy currently running the E.P.A., Andrew Wheeler, is a walking, talking conflict of interest, having served as a coal-lobbyist prior to taking over the top job from departed Grift King Scott Pruitt. It is, in other words, par for the course."
"Currently, Koch subsidiary Georgia-Pacific, a paper and pulp conglomerate, is facing at least one class-action suit related to chemicals now under Dunlap’s purview. Koch’s various environmental crimes against humanity are laid out in several high-profile lawsuits over the past 20 years. According to Bloomberg, “Koch Industries was assessed more than $400 million in fines, penalties, and judgments” between 1999 and 2003, such as for dumping hundreds of thousands of gallons of aviation fuel into a Minnesota wetland. “You want an independent, hardheaded scientific review of these issues; you don’t want somebody who is already taking the industry party line,” Erik Olson, who heads up the Natural Resources Defense Council’s public health work, told Politico. “There’s a legitimate threat there and, from my perspective, the conflicts of interest that [Dunlap] has having worked as a regulatory compliance director at Georgia-Pacific raises questions about whether he can make those objective decisions or should be recused.” Dunlap, of course, is unlikely to be replaced by someone without a host of conflicts of interest given that the guy currently running the E.P.A., Andrew Wheeler, is a walking, talking conflict of interest, having served as a coal-lobbyist prior to taking over the top job from departed Grift King Scott Pruitt. It is, in other words, par for the course."
EPA Rollbacks: Hurting Americans Where They Live
EPA Rollbacks: Hurting Americans Where They Live:
"From the outset, Pruitt unabashedly sabotaged the agency’s stated mission “to protect human health and the environment” by severely curtailing the scope of scientific investigations and regulatory enforcement. Pruitt resigned in July under a cloud of ethics scandals. The acting administrator is Andrew Wheeler, formerly a major coal lobbyist. In September, The New York Times reported that Wheeler is dissolving the top office advising him on the science that guides decisions about proposed health and pollution regulations. The EPA also placed Ruth Etzel, the head of the agency’s Office of Children’s Health, on a mysterious administrative leave. Both offices report directly to Wheeler."
"From the outset, Pruitt unabashedly sabotaged the agency’s stated mission “to protect human health and the environment” by severely curtailing the scope of scientific investigations and regulatory enforcement. Pruitt resigned in July under a cloud of ethics scandals. The acting administrator is Andrew Wheeler, formerly a major coal lobbyist. In September, The New York Times reported that Wheeler is dissolving the top office advising him on the science that guides decisions about proposed health and pollution regulations. The EPA also placed Ruth Etzel, the head of the agency’s Office of Children’s Health, on a mysterious administrative leave. Both offices report directly to Wheeler."
Trump’s EPA Is Undermining New Law to Regulate Chemicals
https://truthout.org/articles/trumps-epa-is-undermining-new-law-to-regulate-chemicals/
"Just recently, a former Koch Industries executive was tapped to head the scientific research arm of the EPA. Nancy Beck hopscotched from the American Chemistry Council (ACC)—an industry organization with powerful political clout—to a top deputy position in the agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. According to The New York Times, Beck subsequently weakened rules designed to track the health consequences of legacy chemicals."
"Just recently, a former Koch Industries executive was tapped to head the scientific research arm of the EPA. Nancy Beck hopscotched from the American Chemistry Council (ACC)—an industry organization with powerful political clout—to a top deputy position in the agency’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention. According to The New York Times, Beck subsequently weakened rules designed to track the health consequences of legacy chemicals."
'Absolutely Unconscionable': Trump EPA Refuses to Limit Toxic Chemicals That Contaminate Drinking Water of Millions
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2019/01/29/absolutely-unconscionable-trump-epa-refuses-limit-toxic-chemicals-contaminate?fbclid=IwAR3x5pMvhRNN3KLFySrwnZCCSROaxeoLUHnaOIeNmgXZ8bDK60GxCuWAE3c
"In a decision deemed by critics unsurprising but also "absolutely unconscionable," the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reportedly plans to refrain from regulating a pair of toxic chemicals linked to kidney and testicular cancer, even though they are contaminating millions of Americans' drinking water."
"In a decision deemed by critics unsurprising but also "absolutely unconscionable," the Trump administration's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) reportedly plans to refrain from regulating a pair of toxic chemicals linked to kidney and testicular cancer, even though they are contaminating millions of Americans' drinking water."
New Trump Probe Looks a Lot Like a RICO Investigation
https://www.thedailybeast.com/new-trump-probe-looks-a-lot-like-a-rico-investigation?ref=home&fbclid=IwAR1LQfUDZR9f79MsvtSAR395N0DwcYvZkrqtMGcTupU7bf2NuGPCfesb8po
"Referring to a cooperator as a “rat,” President Trump sometimes sounds like a mob boss. He may ultimately be prosecuted like one, too."
"Referring to a cooperator as a “rat,” President Trump sometimes sounds like a mob boss. He may ultimately be prosecuted like one, too."
Donald Trump has been compromised by Russia
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/01/15/donald-trump-has-been-compromised-russia/V66kiNZWtOE8T9UrfNYJwK/story.html?fbclid=IwAR06RXI7cvdtl4oAYYnYhkRoxv-jV69h3_ZyLd0E4TywY8JM1Y1YP8HCN9I
"Every day that he remains president will mean that he is putting Russia’s interests ahead of America’s. The latest revelations that emerged this weekend in the Trump/Russia investigation only bolstered this notion. First, via The New York Times, we found out that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation after he fired FBI Director Jim Comey to determine if he was working on behalf of the Russian government. Then, the next day, The Washington Post revealed that Trump has gone to “extraordinary lengths” to keep the substance of his talks with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, hidden from his own aides, “including on at least one occasion taking possession of the notes of his own interpreter and instructing the linguist not to discuss what had transpired with other administration officials.” Both stories are, of course, blockbusters — but they aren’t all that surprising. After all, as former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and, currently, lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Juliette Kayyem said to me, “Everything Trump has done to date is consistent with the notion that he is compromised by the Russians, and the corollary to that is that he has done nothing to convince us otherwise.” The evidence that Trump has acted as an agent of the Russians — either wittingly or unwittingly — is overwhelming. We can start with the 2016 presidential campaign in which Trump not only refused to criticize Russia or Putin directly, but also openly and publicly asked for their assistance in finding Hillary Clinton’s missing e-mails. There is also the Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr., the dalliance with WikiLeaks, and the 101 contacts between Trump’s campaign team and individuals linked to Russia. But perhaps even more telling is Trump’s consistent refusal to acknowledge Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election — which of course continues to this day."
"Every day that he remains president will mean that he is putting Russia’s interests ahead of America’s. The latest revelations that emerged this weekend in the Trump/Russia investigation only bolstered this notion. First, via The New York Times, we found out that the FBI opened a counterintelligence investigation after he fired FBI Director Jim Comey to determine if he was working on behalf of the Russian government. Then, the next day, The Washington Post revealed that Trump has gone to “extraordinary lengths” to keep the substance of his talks with Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, hidden from his own aides, “including on at least one occasion taking possession of the notes of his own interpreter and instructing the linguist not to discuss what had transpired with other administration officials.” Both stories are, of course, blockbusters — but they aren’t all that surprising. After all, as former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and, currently, lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Juliette Kayyem said to me, “Everything Trump has done to date is consistent with the notion that he is compromised by the Russians, and the corollary to that is that he has done nothing to convince us otherwise.” The evidence that Trump has acted as an agent of the Russians — either wittingly or unwittingly — is overwhelming. We can start with the 2016 presidential campaign in which Trump not only refused to criticize Russia or Putin directly, but also openly and publicly asked for their assistance in finding Hillary Clinton’s missing e-mails. There is also the Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr., the dalliance with WikiLeaks, and the 101 contacts between Trump’s campaign team and individuals linked to Russia. But perhaps even more telling is Trump’s consistent refusal to acknowledge Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election — which of course continues to this day."
Conspiracy Against the United States: The Story of Trump and Russia
https://www.americanprogressaction.org/issues/democracy/reports/2018/11/27/172558/conspiracy-united-states-story-trump-russia/?fbclid=IwAR2uJG-TiQZPWp9nVEt5_oWSeBv0FAZFy1YVCAM7x33RO_o6TVL0EIVRyxU
"In an administration largely defined by the constant churn of controversy, the Russia investigation has become one of the largest scandals in American political history. As it has unfolded, President Donald Trump and his accomplices in Congress have not only attacked the investigation but also sought to repeatedly shift the goal posts. First, they asserted there had been no meetings with Russia. Next, they acknowledged their meetings with Kremlin-linked operatives, but denied that any collusion had taken place. Then, they claimed that even if collusion had taken place, collusion isn’t a crime. And finally, they argued the scandal is meaningless because Russian interference didn’t change the outcome of the election. All of these assertions are false. There were dozens of contacts and meetings between the two campaigns to elect Trump, each of which the Trump campaign, transition team, and administration sought to hide. Their steadfast obfuscation amid the flood of revelations suggests there are still more to come. In those secret contacts and meetings, the participants colluded, sharing and coordinating plans to undermine the legitimacy of American democracy. That collusion almost certainly constitutes a criminal conspiracy, which, given Trump’s long history of corrupt behavior and reputation for micromanagement, very well may implicate the president himself."
"In an administration largely defined by the constant churn of controversy, the Russia investigation has become one of the largest scandals in American political history. As it has unfolded, President Donald Trump and his accomplices in Congress have not only attacked the investigation but also sought to repeatedly shift the goal posts. First, they asserted there had been no meetings with Russia. Next, they acknowledged their meetings with Kremlin-linked operatives, but denied that any collusion had taken place. Then, they claimed that even if collusion had taken place, collusion isn’t a crime. And finally, they argued the scandal is meaningless because Russian interference didn’t change the outcome of the election. All of these assertions are false. There were dozens of contacts and meetings between the two campaigns to elect Trump, each of which the Trump campaign, transition team, and administration sought to hide. Their steadfast obfuscation amid the flood of revelations suggests there are still more to come. In those secret contacts and meetings, the participants colluded, sharing and coordinating plans to undermine the legitimacy of American democracy. That collusion almost certainly constitutes a criminal conspiracy, which, given Trump’s long history of corrupt behavior and reputation for micromanagement, very well may implicate the president himself."
Everything We Know About Russia and President Trump
https://www.newsandguts.com/trump-russia/?fbclid=IwAR1pavfQwZFc87TqKodyJxm_S0HojRCERc65sqLyyQCYPSwLYt9CUC-FTsY
"Trump’s connections to Russia began more than 35 years ago and didn’t end on Election Day 2016. Attorney Steven J. Harper and the producers at BillMoyers.com launched the Trump-Russia Timeline in February 2017 with 25 entries. It now has more than 1,500 and is updated regularly. Readers can browse entries chronologically, focus on a particular date range, or use the name filter to click on one or more individuals to see where they fit in the overall narrative."
"Trump’s connections to Russia began more than 35 years ago and didn’t end on Election Day 2016. Attorney Steven J. Harper and the producers at BillMoyers.com launched the Trump-Russia Timeline in February 2017 with 25 entries. It now has more than 1,500 and is updated regularly. Readers can browse entries chronologically, focus on a particular date range, or use the name filter to click on one or more individuals to see where they fit in the overall narrative."
How Trump’s EPA is letting environmental criminals off the hook, in one chart
https://www.vox.com/2019/1/16/18183998/epa-andrew-wheeler-environmental-policy-enforcement?fbclid=IwAR2XA9h7vWZlt0IzpJYqueineYZAzw02s6G8YitISZ5N0izh_upvfMQI0t4
"Both reports make the case that the EPA is neglecting its mission and letting bad actors off the hook. That, in turn, could lead more scofflaws to ignore critical air, water, and soil protection rules."
"Both reports make the case that the EPA is neglecting its mission and letting bad actors off the hook. That, in turn, could lead more scofflaws to ignore critical air, water, and soil protection rules."
Trump's EPA refuses to regulate pair of chemicals linked to cancer and multiple illnesses
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2019/1/30/1830891/-Trump-s-EPA-refuses-to-regulate-pair-of-chemicals-linked-to-cancer-and-multiple-illnesses?utm_campaign=recent&fbclid=IwAR2Ql4-HzN1F6KfhC1wf7_E7b64UflcmmDZhQ01PQuZReEUr8KwJBn6NAYs
"the EPA is not going regulate them, despite requirements that such chemicals be regulated under the Safe Water Drinking Act."
"the EPA is not going regulate them, despite requirements that such chemicals be regulated under the Safe Water Drinking Act."
Congress Must Stop USDA’s Animal Experiments, Says Whistleblower
https://truthout.org/articles/congress-must-stop-usdas-animal-experiments-says-whistleblower/
"In December, the Senate introduced legislation called the Kittens in Traumatic Testing Ends Now (KITTEN) Act, the companion to a bipartisan House bill of the same name targeting outdated food safety experiments at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). As Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) explained to CNN when he introduced the bill, “The USDA breeds up to 100 kittens a year, feeds them parasite-infected meat in order to have the parasite’s eggs harvested for use in other experiments, and then kills the kittens. This bill would essentially stop this process.” To date, the project has consumed $22 million tax dollars and taken the lives of 3,000 kittens. I was disturbed, but not at all surprised, when I read about the experiment, because for two decades, I worked as a veterinarian and researcher at the USDA’s Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Nebraska, the world’s largest livestock research center. When I finally blew the whistle on the extensive government waste and animal abuse I witnessed at the USDA, it destroyed my career, and ultimately, my marriage. But I would do it again."
"In December, the Senate introduced legislation called the Kittens in Traumatic Testing Ends Now (KITTEN) Act, the companion to a bipartisan House bill of the same name targeting outdated food safety experiments at the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). As Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Oregon) explained to CNN when he introduced the bill, “The USDA breeds up to 100 kittens a year, feeds them parasite-infected meat in order to have the parasite’s eggs harvested for use in other experiments, and then kills the kittens. This bill would essentially stop this process.” To date, the project has consumed $22 million tax dollars and taken the lives of 3,000 kittens. I was disturbed, but not at all surprised, when I read about the experiment, because for two decades, I worked as a veterinarian and researcher at the USDA’s Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) in Nebraska, the world’s largest livestock research center. When I finally blew the whistle on the extensive government waste and animal abuse I witnessed at the USDA, it destroyed my career, and ultimately, my marriage. But I would do it again."
Felix Sater, the spy, criminal, and mafia-linked executive tied to Trump Tower Moscow, explained
https://www.vox.com/2018/12/6/18127229/trump-felix-sater-tower-moscow-spy?fbclid=IwAR1Fvjxt1BLloDANhOA7qV8FdFvxCkpekmGxcSn8CZn_4JAw7Ly6DQ5dOEw
"Special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, knows about Sater. He’s featured in the court document where Cohen admitted to lying to Congress as “Individual 2.” It’s possible that he will feature more prominently as the probe continues. For now, Sater still talks to the press about his exploits. For example, he recently told BuzzFeed News that there were plans to offer Putin a $50 million penthouse in Trump Tower Moscow — the one Trump had Cohen lie about — if it got built. All of this puts Trump’s praise of Putin and his country in a whole new light — that perhaps what most animated Trump’s warmth was personal profit. Sater would be among the best-positioned people to know, if that’s the case. Mueller, for sure, is interested."
"Special counsel Robert Mueller, who is investigating possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia, knows about Sater. He’s featured in the court document where Cohen admitted to lying to Congress as “Individual 2.” It’s possible that he will feature more prominently as the probe continues. For now, Sater still talks to the press about his exploits. For example, he recently told BuzzFeed News that there were plans to offer Putin a $50 million penthouse in Trump Tower Moscow — the one Trump had Cohen lie about — if it got built. All of this puts Trump’s praise of Putin and his country in a whole new light — that perhaps what most animated Trump’s warmth was personal profit. Sater would be among the best-positioned people to know, if that’s the case. Mueller, for sure, is interested."
Donald Trump's Mafia Connections: Decades Later, Is He Still Linked to the Mob?
https://www.newsweek.com/2019/01/18/donald-trump-mafia-connections-decades-later-linked-mob-1285771.html?fbclid=IwAR2D87EOoolEerEzByKmQsu61_GmBP9DzhMq9dNInIJMpEAny6lyVN4bJcI
"Russia’s intelligence services, oligarchs and gangsters are seamlessly connected, according to multiple news accounts through the years. And since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian mob has made huge inroads into the American underworld, sometimes forming alliances of convenience with La Cosa Nostra. As a teenager, Trump’s future lawyer Cohen, The Wall Street Journal reported last year, “frequented Brooklyn’s ethnic Russian neighborhoods and married into a Ukrainian family.” At a friend’s wedding, he “bragged to another guest that he belonged to the Russian mob.” The friend didn’t believe it, but when Trump pursued a hotel deal in Moscow, Cohen was dispatched to seal the deal, working through shady characters to offer Putin a top-floor penthouse, according to BuzzFeed News. The Trump Organization had long been awash in illicit Russian money, author Craig Unger claimed in a 2018 book, House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia. “It started out as a simple money-laundering operation at Trump Tower in 1984, when a Russian mobster came to Trump Tower with $6 million in cash and bought five condos. This is the template for what begins to unfold. At least 1,300 Trump condos in the United States have been sold similarly. All cash purchases through anonymous sources,” Unger told Newsweek last August."
"Russia’s intelligence services, oligarchs and gangsters are seamlessly connected, according to multiple news accounts through the years. And since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, the Russian mob has made huge inroads into the American underworld, sometimes forming alliances of convenience with La Cosa Nostra. As a teenager, Trump’s future lawyer Cohen, The Wall Street Journal reported last year, “frequented Brooklyn’s ethnic Russian neighborhoods and married into a Ukrainian family.” At a friend’s wedding, he “bragged to another guest that he belonged to the Russian mob.” The friend didn’t believe it, but when Trump pursued a hotel deal in Moscow, Cohen was dispatched to seal the deal, working through shady characters to offer Putin a top-floor penthouse, according to BuzzFeed News. The Trump Organization had long been awash in illicit Russian money, author Craig Unger claimed in a 2018 book, House of Trump, House of Putin: The Untold Story of Donald Trump and the Russian Mafia. “It started out as a simple money-laundering operation at Trump Tower in 1984, when a Russian mobster came to Trump Tower with $6 million in cash and bought five condos. This is the template for what begins to unfold. At least 1,300 Trump condos in the United States have been sold similarly. All cash purchases through anonymous sources,” Unger told Newsweek last August."
Build the Wall and Crime Will Fall’: Trump’s New Rhyming Slogan Is Not True
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/build-the-wall-and-crime-will-fall-trumps-dumb-new-slogan.html?fbclid=IwAR2-qHOjClH2WeVG7D42QswdGzzDKERH6yxpWdjXqTHsNDhGicfGrG_J4k0
"Studies show that states with more immigration have less crime and that an influx in undocumented immigrants does not lead to an increase in DUIs and drug arrests."
"Studies show that states with more immigration have less crime and that an influx in undocumented immigrants does not lead to an increase in DUIs and drug arrests."
Jared Kushner: Blackmail and Witness Tampering Are “Family Matters”
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2019/01/jared-kushner-chris-christie-book?fbclid=IwAR2RGYVGyH1_gpEHovLlxi9KTqY3bnaUpvFj7WMAiX_320RfzLZ1Ca6Dd6A
"For those not up to speed on the criminal history of the president’s in-laws, in 2005, Kushner the Elder pleaded guilty to 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering, following an investigation by then–U.S. Attorney Chris Christie. The witness-tampering charge was a result of Chuck’s decision to retaliate against his sister’s husband, William Schulder, who was cooperating with the feds, by hiring a sex worker to seduce him, filming the encounter, and sending the tape to his sister. Jared, unsurprisingly, had bad feelings about his father going to prison for 14 months, though his anger didn’t lie with his (extremely guilty) dad but rather prosecutors, who a man now working in the upper echelons of the U.S. government believed had overstepped their bounds."
"For those not up to speed on the criminal history of the president’s in-laws, in 2005, Kushner the Elder pleaded guilty to 18 counts of illegal campaign contributions, tax evasion, and witness tampering, following an investigation by then–U.S. Attorney Chris Christie. The witness-tampering charge was a result of Chuck’s decision to retaliate against his sister’s husband, William Schulder, who was cooperating with the feds, by hiring a sex worker to seduce him, filming the encounter, and sending the tape to his sister. Jared, unsurprisingly, had bad feelings about his father going to prison for 14 months, though his anger didn’t lie with his (extremely guilty) dad but rather prosecutors, who a man now working in the upper echelons of the U.S. government believed had overstepped their bounds."
The Potential RICO Cases Against Trump
https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2019/01/trump-organization-rico-racketeering-mueller.html?fbclid=IwAR0d1Lba1lUNjbTcpQ4HTHq2VNQKBzx0ljhLlyT27N-EBZ-ejFYtyqQeytg
"Trump-related investigations appear to be suitable for consolidation into one RICO investigation that could ultimately seize Trump assets and cast the president as the kingpin at the head of a criminal organization."
"Trump-related investigations appear to be suitable for consolidation into one RICO investigation that could ultimately seize Trump assets and cast the president as the kingpin at the head of a criminal organization."
Donald Trump has been compromised by Russia
https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2019/01/15/donald-trump-has-been-compromised-russia/V66kiNZWtOE8T9UrfNYJwK/story.html?fbclid=IwAR2rklwAloj9PYe67mVVqutTpZPozv2auwBODERjmdlx0uBMZOIHNj9tWxQ
"After all, as former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and, currently, lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Juliette Kayyem said to me, “Everything Trump has done to date is consistent with the notion that he is compromised by the Russians, and the corollary to that is that he has done nothing to convince us otherwise.” The evidence that Trump has acted as an agent of the Russians — either wittingly or unwittingly — is overwhelming. We can start with the 2016 presidential campaign in which Trump not only refused to criticize Russia or Putin directly, but also openly and publicly asked for their assistance in finding Hillary Clinton’s missing e-mails. There is also the Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr., the dalliance with WikiLeaks, and the 101 contacts between Trump’s campaign team and individuals linked to Russia. But perhaps even more telling is Trump’s consistent refusal to acknowledge Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election — which of course continues to this day. As president there has been the repeated refusal to fully impose congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia – sanctions that his administration opposed. There’s the repeated turning of a blind eye to Russia’s actions toward its neighbors, as well as its human rights abuses. There are Trump’s persistent attacks on NATO and criticisms of the European Union, (the destabilization of both organizaitions being a key policy objective of Vladimir Putin), and his cozying up to Putin at their summer summit in Helsinki. In recent weeks, there’s been Trump’s bizarre recent parroting of not just Russian, but Soviet-era rhetoric defending that country’s decision to invade Afghanistan four decades ago. Above all, there are the persistent efforts to impede, obstruct, and block the Mueller investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election — and his continued refusal to hold Moscow accountable for their actions during the campaign."
"After all, as former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security and, currently, lecturer at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government Juliette Kayyem said to me, “Everything Trump has done to date is consistent with the notion that he is compromised by the Russians, and the corollary to that is that he has done nothing to convince us otherwise.” The evidence that Trump has acted as an agent of the Russians — either wittingly or unwittingly — is overwhelming. We can start with the 2016 presidential campaign in which Trump not only refused to criticize Russia or Putin directly, but also openly and publicly asked for their assistance in finding Hillary Clinton’s missing e-mails. There is also the Trump Tower meeting with Donald Trump Jr., the dalliance with WikiLeaks, and the 101 contacts between Trump’s campaign team and individuals linked to Russia. But perhaps even more telling is Trump’s consistent refusal to acknowledge Russia’s efforts to interfere in the 2016 election — which of course continues to this day. As president there has been the repeated refusal to fully impose congressionally mandated sanctions on Russia – sanctions that his administration opposed. There’s the repeated turning of a blind eye to Russia’s actions toward its neighbors, as well as its human rights abuses. There are Trump’s persistent attacks on NATO and criticisms of the European Union, (the destabilization of both organizaitions being a key policy objective of Vladimir Putin), and his cozying up to Putin at their summer summit in Helsinki. In recent weeks, there’s been Trump’s bizarre recent parroting of not just Russian, but Soviet-era rhetoric defending that country’s decision to invade Afghanistan four decades ago. Above all, there are the persistent efforts to impede, obstruct, and block the Mueller investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election — and his continued refusal to hold Moscow accountable for their actions during the campaign."
Mueller Is Investigating Trump As a Russian Asset
http://nymag.com/intelligencer/2019/01/mueller-investigating-trump-russian-asset.html?fbclid=IwAR1082AxM5eAAUBte9FlUWwSKukRP29lcuDuxSrocKvlLgFhdn29K4warbc
"A somewhat related issue is the question of whether Russia has some kind of backchannel to shape Trump’s thinking. Trump has met with Russian officials since 1987. It was after his first trip to Moscow that he first contemplated running for president. It is well within the realm of possibility that Russians used blackmail, bribes, or perhaps just simple flattery to help shape his thinking on world affairs. It is hard to understand how else some of the idiosyncratic and bizarrely Russpohillic ideas he routinely spouts have found their way into Trump’s brain. His warning that tiny Montenegro is a threat to attack Russia, or his claim that the Soviet Union was right to invade Afghanistan in 1979, are not notions Trump would pick up from his normal routine of binge-watching Fox News. Much of the public focus on the Mueller investigation has centered on campaign collusion. Russia worked to help elect Trump, and Trump and his campaign at minimum welcomed its help, and at maximum, actively participated. (Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort gave polling data to a Russian oligarch, the most likely use for which would have been guiding Russian social media efforts.) But campaign collusion is a relationship with a fixed endpoint: November 8, 2016. After Trump won presidency, any secretive or suspicious mutual interest between him and Vladimir Putin would conclude. Having succeeded in helping to elect the friendly Trump (and block the unfriendly Clinton), Putin could now operate with his chosen candidate on a normal president-to-president basis. The Times report tells us that collusion is only part of the story. The relationship between Trump and Putin did not merely rest on their mutual interest in the Trump campaign defeating Clinton, but indicates some deeper connection. From the very beginning of this story, pundits have underestimated the full extent of Trump’s ties to Russia and how much deeper the story might yet go."
"A somewhat related issue is the question of whether Russia has some kind of backchannel to shape Trump’s thinking. Trump has met with Russian officials since 1987. It was after his first trip to Moscow that he first contemplated running for president. It is well within the realm of possibility that Russians used blackmail, bribes, or perhaps just simple flattery to help shape his thinking on world affairs. It is hard to understand how else some of the idiosyncratic and bizarrely Russpohillic ideas he routinely spouts have found their way into Trump’s brain. His warning that tiny Montenegro is a threat to attack Russia, or his claim that the Soviet Union was right to invade Afghanistan in 1979, are not notions Trump would pick up from his normal routine of binge-watching Fox News. Much of the public focus on the Mueller investigation has centered on campaign collusion. Russia worked to help elect Trump, and Trump and his campaign at minimum welcomed its help, and at maximum, actively participated. (Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort gave polling data to a Russian oligarch, the most likely use for which would have been guiding Russian social media efforts.) But campaign collusion is a relationship with a fixed endpoint: November 8, 2016. After Trump won presidency, any secretive or suspicious mutual interest between him and Vladimir Putin would conclude. Having succeeded in helping to elect the friendly Trump (and block the unfriendly Clinton), Putin could now operate with his chosen candidate on a normal president-to-president basis. The Times report tells us that collusion is only part of the story. The relationship between Trump and Putin did not merely rest on their mutual interest in the Trump campaign defeating Clinton, but indicates some deeper connection. From the very beginning of this story, pundits have underestimated the full extent of Trump’s ties to Russia and how much deeper the story might yet go."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)