Trump, May 2017: 100 days of [unintelligible]

has ryan been photographed with trump yet?

Well, of course

Trump to Fox on whether he asked Comey for loyalty pledge: "I didnt, but I don’t think it would be a bad question to ask"

— John Harwood (@JohnJHarwood) May 12, 2017

caught that idiot morning joe the other day and he spat out "lifelong Democrat" when referring to Trump more than once. get ready to hear this 94/7 when that mother fucker's out

― constitutional crises they fly at u face (will), Friday, May 12, 2017 4:01 PM (thirty-four minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

ha otm

Trump solves Rubix cubes by repainting the sides

Meanwhile, this could mean anything

#Breaking: James Comey declines to testify before Senate committee https://t.co/xtVTFqTrCH pic.twitter.com/K7KbrWXIXN

— POLITICO (@politico) May 12, 2017

This would have been the Intelligence Committee, closed session.

bummer

well he got caught in a bunch of lies last time, he's probably not eager to go back and do even worse

they'll probably subpoena him

xxp

I was a bit surprised to hear he'd be testifying. I had thought he declined a few days ago, so not shocked by this.

Trump is right that the press conferences serve no purpose

but THE NARRATIVE

Aw fuck, I wanted a nothing-to-lose Comey to spill all the beans. Like Paul Scofield in A Man for All Seasons.

"Since the court has seen fit to condemn me - God knoweth how - I will now speak my mind. I submit that it was not for the supremacy that you have sought my blood, but because I would not bend to the marriage!"

what the fuck is wrong with that loser

he should be indignant

he'd get asked a zillion questions that he wouldn't be able to give an answer to

Ah but remember, closed session.

Comey may very well be reassessing things and taking some time, i doubt he's cowed by Trump or unwilling to go forward. also if he has allies in the FBI, they may be in touch with him and things might be moving along behind the scenes. i don't know...

And nomar's post matches this:

Source w/firsthand knowledge tells me Comey turned down Senate invite to testify b/c "wants to lay low for a while & take some time off"

— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) May 12, 2017

Meanwhile

Source: Rosenstein told lawmakers and staff he plans to allow FBI investigation to move forward, uninhibited by pressures from White House

— Steve Brusk (@stevebruskCNN) May 12, 2017

ah, closed session

who knows then

w made it so, so easy for the republican base to abandon him: he _compromised_.

And we got more Holt interview!

More of my interview with Pres Trump tonight. Still angry Comey failed to charge Hillary Clinton. @NBCNightlyNews

— Lester Holt (@LesterHoltNBC) May 12, 2017

did ye never get this sorted lads

We've been busy, keep getting distracted.

it's on our to do list

http://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=253&v=_wMvItIDMPU

Are youtube videos embedding tghese days?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wMvItIDMPU
Colbert's response to Trump

Cornyn to interview for FBI job

was about to ask wtf these other two people are:

Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe — who on Thursday contradicted the Trump White House’s characterization of the Russian meddling probe as a low priority — will interview Saturday to serve as the FBI’s permanent director, according to people familiar with the matter.

McCabe is one of at least four people who will interview to replace James B. Comey, who Trump suddenly fired earlier this week, the people said. The others are Alice Fisher, a white-collar defense lawyer who previously led the department’s criminal division; Michael J. Garcia, a judge on the New York State Court of Appeals; and Sen. John Cornyn (R-Tex.).

Whoever strikes Trump as being the biggest law'n'order fire-eater while simultaneously acting the most deferential to him will get the nod.

Cornyn's another one where, anytime he's not talking, you can hear the wind whistling through his empty skull. I'm sure Trump loves him.

Whoever strikes Trump as being the biggest law'n'order fire-eater while simultaneously acting the most deferential to him will get the nod.

― A is for (Aimless), Friday, May 12, 2017 9:12 PM (nine minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

sounds about right

so, cornyn?

Senator Cornyn has the kind of depth of experience at schmoozing and buttering up rich guys that should put him in the post position. Odds on favorite.

Senate to FBI seems like a lateral move to me. But I guess not having to campaign or fundraise has its appeal.

The head of the fbi is more powerful than a senator, if that's your bag

faster than a speeding bullet

I presume Abbott would fill Cornyn's seat, right?

A handy resource:

http://www.ncsl.org/research/elections-and-campaigns/vacancies-in-the-united-states-senate.aspx

For Texas, interim governor appointment, then:

If vacancy occurs in an even year on or before the 62nd day before the primary, remainder of term is filled at next regular general election. If vacancy occurs after 62nd day before the primary in an even year, or in an odd year, special election is held on the first uniform election date occurring on or after the 36th day the election is ordered

Ned thinks we can math

A person does a thing and then things happen

Keep in mind right now there's a Senatorial election in Alabama coming up and it's the corrupt former Attorney General vs. Judge Roy Moore (among others, I think). Sadly, these candidates do not cancel each other out.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/C_rJbwHXUAAujDc.jpg

lol

Spicer indicates he feels personally victimized in this job.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) May 12, 2017

https://mobile.nytimes.com/2017/05/12/us/politics/trump-sean-spicer-sarah-huckabee-sanders.html

Good headline

‘Looking Like a Liar or a Fool’: What It Means to Work for Trump

This makes sense

Scooplet by @NYTmike: Comey wants to testify, but insists it be in public. Watch this space: https://t.co/fWuPiGHMJw

— Lara Jakes (@jakesNYT) May 13, 2017

Meantime, more from his favorite channel of choice

Fox News EVP John Moody questions if Trump “actually plans to stay in office for four years”https://t.co/kFBP9RkioD

— Jon Passantino (@passantino) May 13, 2017

Elsewhere...

https://www.wsj.com/articles/former-trump-adviser-paul-manaforts-bank-records-sought-in-probe-1494637248

The Justice Department last month requested banking records of Paul Manafort as part of a widening of probes related to President Donald Trump’s former campaign associates and whether they colluded with Russia in interfering with the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the matter.

In mid-April, federal investigators requested Mr. Manafort’s banking records from Citizens Financial Group Inc., the people said.

It isn’t clear whether Citizens is the only bank that received such a request or whether it came in the form of a subpoena. Federal law generally requires that a bank receive a subpoena to turn over customer records, lawyers not connected to the investigation said.

Citizens gave Mr. Manafort a $2.7 million loan last year to refinance debt on a Manhattan condominium and borrow additional cash, New York City real-estate records show. The Wall Street Journal couldn’t ascertain if the Justice Department request is related to that transaction or whether the bank has turned over Mr. Manafort’s records.

Also, more from Adam Davidson on the wider Trump financial front

http://www.newyorker.com/business/adam-davidson/the-senate-starts-to-look-at-trumps-businesses

More significant for the long term, perhaps, was another request made by the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence to the U.S. Treasury Department’s Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, which is known as FinCEN, to turn over documents related to Trump and his campaign officials as part of what Senator Mark Warner, the ranking Democrat on the committee, told CNN is “our effort to try to follow the intel no matter where it leads.”

The FinCEN request is particularly interesting because the unit enforces money-laundering laws and is familiar with Donald Trump’s holdings, specifically the Taj Mahal casino, in Atlantic City. Trump opened the Taj Mahal in 1990. He sold half of his shares in 2004, as part of a bankruptcy settlement, but remained a minority owner. In 2015, the Taj Mahal admitted to “willfully” violating the law by letting many suspicious transactions go unreported to the authorities, and agreed to pay a ten-million-dollar fine—one of the largest ever for a casino. While the fine came at a time when Trump was no longer a majority owner, FinCEN made clear in its public statement that the casino had violations dating back to 2003, when Trump was majority owner, and had faced another fine in 1998. The casino closed late last year.

With further thoughts on money laundering from there.

For Texas, interim governor appointment, then:

November 7th is the next uniform election date in Texas. It's an odd year (and how) so that's when Cornyn's Senate seat would likely be voted on. Not sure who the Dems would run... one of the Castro brothers, Wendy Davis, Leticia Van de Putte? Whoever it is will get soundly beaten by the Republican candidate.

I nominate f. hazel on behalf of the ILX Party.

I promise to lose gracefully and expensively.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/jeff-sessions-drug-laws-toughest-maximum-sentences-policies-obama-a7733266.html

Mr Sessions advised that all criminals be charged with the “most serious, readily provable offence,” or whichever crime has the longest sentence.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TM_6tgVJb_o