US Politics, March 2018: Why do people leave the White House for good?

class dismissed, tomorrow we do dinosaurs

Meanwhile, a glimpse into the subtle mind of Scott Pruitt:

Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt dismissed evolution as an unproven theory, lamented that “minority religions” were pushing Christianity out of “the public square” and advocated amending the Constitution to ban abortion, prohibit same-sex marriage and protect the Pledge of Allegiance and the Ten Commandments, according to a newly unearthed series of Oklahoma talk radio shows from 2005.

Pruitt, who at the time was a state senator, also described the Second Amendment as divinely granted and condemned federal judges as a “judicial monarchy” that is “the most grievous threat that we have today." And he did not object when the program’s host described Islam as “not so much a religion as it is a terrorist organization in many instances.”

On the roffly side

WSJ says Cohen complained to friends that he had yet to be reimbursed for the payment to Stormy Daniels. He had been trying to reach Trump before the election about the payment, per WSJ https://t.co/eSIRq75Il9

— Jeremy Diamond (@JDiamond1) March 5, 2018

it's weird bcz trump is well-known for promptly paying all his employees and contractors

President Donald Trump on Monday afternoon again suggested that if he’s pleased with the renegotiations of the North American Free Trade Agreement, then he may reconsider his decision to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum.

If not, “we’re not backing down,” he told reporters during a pool spray with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday.

“No, we’re not backing down,” Trump said in response to questions about the proposed new tariffs. “We’ve had a very bad deal with Mexico, a very bad deal with Canada. … We are renegotiating NAFTA as I said I would, and if we don’t make a deal, I’ll terminate NAFTA. But if I do make a deal which is fair to the workers and to the American people, that would be, I would imagine, one of the points that we’ll negotiate, will be tariffs on steel for Canada and for Mexico. We’ll see what happens, but right now 100 percent, but it could be a part of NAFTA.”

ok. paul ryan also expressed his opposition to the tariffs today.

If not, “we’re not backing down,” he told reporters during a pool spray with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday.

During a ... come again?

^ American Thing

tariffs on steel from canada and people from mexico

Pool (of reporters) spray (of questions). Like an avail, but with a scrum. Got it?

More on that news from last night:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/former-trump-aide-sam-nunberg-called-before-grand-jury-says-he-will-refuse-to-go/2018/03/05/24c8b86a-20a9-11e8-badd-7c9f29a55815_story.html?utm_term=.4455ed2f22f2

Nunberg subpoena that was floating around on background has now got his name attached. He tells me he is unlikely to go, that he "saved Trump's ass" during the McCain fight in August 2015, and that it's all an effort to get Roger Stone.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 5, 2018

WSJ says Cohen complained to friends that he had yet to be reimbursed for the payment to Stormy Daniels. He had been trying to reach Trump before the election about the payment

why would Trump reimburse him, the payment had nothing to do with Trump. Sorry, Michael!

also if trump does pay him it becomes a violation of campaign spending laws, doesn't it?

(and therefore yet another majorish legal and norm infraction that will not have the slightest political effect)

"I think it would be funny if they arrested me," Sam Nunberg says on MSNBC

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) March 5, 2018

oh wow, i think so too

so few things we can agree on as a country anymore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtcbVUNO1NY

senatorial Oscar stuff you may have missed

I’m rooting for 3 Billboards and coming to the party as Sheriff Willoughby. ##Oscars2018 pic.twitter.com/EGUZxNuDCq

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) March 4, 2018

...okay did Nunberg completely immolate on TWO separate news interviews just now?

If there's something actually in those Nunberg emails, he practically painted a treasure map. "Hey, Mueller, definitely DON'T ask about THOSE emails. The ones between BANNON and STONE. Nothing THERE, obviously. Just MOVE ON."

— Benjy Sarlin (@BenjySarlin) March 5, 2018

https://www.wsj.com/articles/trump-lawyers-payment-to-porn-star-was-reported-as-suspicious-by-bank-1520273701

The bank used by President Donald Trump’s personal lawyer to wire $130,000 to a former adult-film actress flagged the transaction as suspicious and reported it to the Treasury Department, according to a person familiar with the matter.

The lawyer, Michael Cohen, wired the money to a lawyer for former actress Stephanie Clifford, known professionally as Stormy Daniels, from an account at First Republic Bank . The money was received on Oct. 27, 2016, 12 days before the presidential election, another person familiar with the matter said. It isn’t clear when First Republic reported it to the government as suspicious.

Mr. Cohen said he missed two deadlines earlier that month to make the $130,000 payment to Ms. Clifford because he couldn’t reach Mr. Trump in the hectic final days of the presidential campaign, the person said.

better than McConnell's Amphibian Man costume

Have y'all started that Jane Mayer profile of Christopher Steele? Holy shit

It's amazing work.

yes it’s incredible.

Also reminder that Nunberg is this guy

In another episode, Lewandowski describes how staffer Sam Nunberg was purposely left behind at a McDonald's because Nunberg's special-order burger was taking too long. "Leave him," Trump said. "Let's go." And they did.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trumps-campaign-big-macs-screaming-fits-and-constant-rivalries/2017/12/02/18bcfa30-d6bd-11e7-b62d-d9345ced896d_story.html

This is too clever if that's the word by half, but I've suspected to various degrees a number of witnesses - Flynn, Bannon, Gates, and now Nunberg (maybe Papadopoulos too, but I think that was just naivety) - of intentionally lying or otherwise putting themselves at risk for additional liability on a charge that will be a relatively easy plea when they inevitably flip, knowing that Mueller has the goods on them and won't let up, and good for appearances to the extent that they seek protection against retaliation for same from Trump allies or other Russian agents. With Bannon and perhaps especially Nunberg, it may be a bit more complex given that they may have no love for Trump himself, but remain interested in advancement of an overlapping anti-'establishment'-right-wing cause as expression of personal antipathies that may incorporate someone like Mueller, and in Nunberg's case appear personally devoted to very-much-crosshaired Roger Stone.

! Tapper: Do you think Donald Trump knew nothing about that [Trump Tower] meeting?
Nunberg: "No. You know he knew about it. He was talking about it a week before...I don't know why he went around trying to hide it."

— Natasha Bertrand (@NatashaBertrand) March 5, 2018

*internal monologue*

We are living in by FAR the dumbest timeline. pic.twitter.com/mw9yYo5VZM

— George Pearkes (@pearkes) March 5, 2018

And more!

I just talked w/ Sam Nunberg. He attacks @PressSec & describes close role w @realDonaldTrump campaign. Coming up @NY1 (no typo in this).

— Josh Robin (@joshrobin) March 5, 2018

Thad Cochran resigning from the Senate on April 1, citing health

NUNBERG for WHITE HOUSE COMMUNICATION DIRECTOR. PLEASE!

Straight talker.

Thad Cochran resigning from the Senate on April 1, citing health

― ice cream social justice (Dr Morbius), Monday, March 5, 2018 9:55 PM (two minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Presumably a response in some sense to this - https://www.salon.com/2018/03/01/mississippis-tea-party-brawl-conservative-firebrand-chris-mcdaniel-to-primary-gop-incumbent/

The special election will need to be held before mid-July. Will be interesting to see whether different slates of candidates announce for both seats.

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/03/05/world/americas/panama-hotel-trump.html

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/03/06/world/06panama1/merlin_135051165_1a6a73c0-9ece-4dda-8dbc-d916563da81a-master768.jpg

Other possibilities with Nunberg:
- He wants into protective custody sooner rather than later
- He's seeking a deal Mueller doesn't think he needs to give him
- He's stupid and reckless and bent on self-destructive statements
- He's engaged in a ratfucking operation on behalf of his mentor Roger Stone

https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/03/what-is-sam-nunberg-doing/554906/

as pointed out by darth, this is oddly satisfying

Trump name chiseled off the Trump International Hotel in Panama after weeks of tensions over control of the property. https://t.co/KQuDrUckyr pic.twitter.com/Ph6xlHgwBr

— ABC News (@ABC) March 5, 2018

This does not strike me as someone looking to get a pardon from Trump.

Meltdown complete. Here's Nunberg calling White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders a "joke" and a "fat slob." Jesus. pic.twitter.com/BhVhGWvgqo

— Andrew Kirell (@AndrewKirell) March 5, 2018

at this point half expecting him to call INfowars while on the toilet

how much Maker's Mark is in Nunberg's belly right now?

how many different networks has he called now? MSNBC, CNN twice, and... is this Spectrum News just reporting on one of his MSNBC/CNN appearances?

trump really surrounds himself with the finest people

imagine being a human adult with an ostensibly functioning prefrontal cortex and being ride or die for all this bullshit.

racism, "lib tears", and tax cuts for the rich is a helluva a drug i guess

it’s new york’s spectrum news (which most people still refer to as ny1). he called them.

there was apparently enough material for him to also appear on the channel’s 9pm show.

i guess he’s on, like physically on. msnbc now

- Can't afford paying lawyers to respond to or fight the subpoena in the fashion that his mentors might demand

This is amazing