Jason Chaffetz Calls on Sessions to Recuse and Clarify His Statement
Jason Chaffetz has announced on Twitter (where all the Big Announcements from politicians happen these days) that “AG Sessions should clarify his testimony and recuse himself.”
This seems like a sensible position. (Indeed, Sessions has already offered to recuse himself “whenever it’s appropriate.”) Let’s put it in context.
The Sessions story, which Democrats and Big Media (but I repeat myself) are treating as The Big News of the Day, is a rather nothingburger flap over Jeff Sessions’s meetings with a Russian ambassador during the campaign. These meetings have caused Democrats to go into a tizzy and scream and yell and demand that Sessions resign. I am on record as of last night as saying that the story is much ado about nothing, and that Sessions did not commit perjury. Al Franken’s question was: “If there is any evidence that anyone affiliated with the Trump campaign communicated with the Russian government in the course of this campaign, what will you do?” That is a question directed at Sessions’s contacts as a Trump campaign official, not as a member of the Armed Services Committee. Session’s answer is not perjury and Democrats need to calm down.
That said, Chaffetz’s call for recusal and clarification is not a bad idea. Sessions’s answer was far too categorical and unqualified: “I’ve been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.” Well, he did meet with the Russian ambassador, and it appears that of the other members of the committee who responded to a Washington Post inquiry (not all responded), nobody else said they had met with the Russian ambassador. As Tom Maguire noted on Twitter, that ambassador had a reason to meet with all Trump’s surrogates, including Sessions — but not necessarily with other committee members.
The bottom line is that there is no evidence Sessions met with the ambassador as a member of Trump’s campaign — but the wording of his answer was inexact. Rather than digging in his heels, he should indeed clarify his statement, and should recuse himself from inquiries into contacts between the Russians and Trump campaign officials. This doesn’t mean he needs to resign or that he perjured himself — just that he needs to hold himself to a high ethical standard — and be more careful about how he answers questions in the future.
[Cross-posted at RedState and The Jury Talks Back.]
Dang you for being so reasonable, Patterico – no one wants to comment.
Steven Malynn (d29fc3) — 3/2/2017 @ 7:49 amThe left and the media (BIRM) will just keep shouting like little children that they want candy. We need to be adults and tell them no. If they continue with their temper tantrum, then they need to be disciplined.
NJRob (43d957) — 3/2/2017 @ 7:52 amSecond look at Todd Aitken?
https://mobile.twitter.com/charlescwcooke/status/837303885664563200
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:14 amMeanwhile nobody in DC cares about the Pakistani (spies?) on the democrat congressional payroll. The attacks on Trump, Sessions, et al have more to do with protecting democrats from investigation than bringing those rascally Russian tools working for Trump to justice for winning an election.
crazy (d3b449) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:23 amThis is officially a mess, and how Sessions could not have seen these questions coming at his confirmation, and been prepared to deal with them is simply inexplicable.
But, as with most of the earlier stories about the Trump campaign and the Russians, these stories also have no substance concerning the nature of the contacts that are alleged.
I remain dubious about the allegations over the “contacts” because the second and third level reporting about Flynn’s contacts all seem to have now established that there was nothing sinister about them. So the game being played between the former Obama IC officials and the press is
1) breathless reporting of anonymous leaks about contact between the Trump campaign and Russians
2) continual drum beating of claim that Russia hacked the election
3) backhanded implicit insinuations that Trump is a Russian stooge because he’s not very smart and he favors better relations with Russia in the future
4) Absence of reporting in first round of leaks that the substance of the contacts, where known, were really inconsequential — ie., Flynn and the “sanctions” discussion with the Russian Ambassador.
5) Its uncertain if Trump campaign officials knew the people the were talking with were operatives of Russian intelligence agencies.
Once the press is running around rabid, then comes the clarifying reports that there wasn’t really anything of substance to the initial reports in terms of the substance of the conversations, but boy isn’t it troubling that the Trump campaign was in contact with the Russians, even thought there is not evidence they knew the Russians they were in contact with were connected to Russian intelligence.
Did I mention that the Russians hacked the election and wanted their stooge candidate Donald Trump to win?
shipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:23 amSessions: I’ve been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign
Why did Sessions use those words?
That lumped in any possible meetings.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:23 amThis will be a good indicator of whether the Trump admin has a backbone or not. So far IMO there’s nothing here at all and for Sessions to recuse himself because Franken, Pelosi, Cummings, Chaffetz etc. do not understand what “campaign” means is ridiculous.
meanwhile….V Jarrett moves in with the Obamas to coordinate election nullification.
Harkin (13f927) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:36 amI also think its no mistake that Flynn was first, and Sessions is second on the hit parade.
I think Flynn’s issues were nonsense, and have been revealed as nonsense in the aftermath of his resignation. But the knives were out for him from former Obama officials with whom he had worked and clashed.
Now its Sessions, who is the “tip of the spear” on the immigration issues. He was also a senior GOP elected official who backed Trump early and gave his campaign some credibility.
IMO, Round 2 is quickly revealing how DANGEROUS and UNAMERICAN it is for an administration that leaves power to serve as a “sniper squad” for the political opposition against the administration that comes into power.
Along with their allies in the press, the former Obama administration officials are doing real damage — and doing it with allegations that so far have been dubious at best. \
It shows the absolute Wisdom of GWB’s judgment that a former President owes it to his successor to stay out of the issues after leaving the WH.
Obama is not going to do that. Right now its just Obama surrogates doing the dirty work, but I think it won’t be long before Obama himself is in the fight.
This is an ugly and dark hour.
Guys like McCain and Graham need to recognize this, set their antipathy for Trump aside, and fight back aggresively against the idea of a opposition “shadow government” working through the press because its a huge threat to democracy.
shipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:38 amif you’re a big fat greasy treasonous putin-loving russian spy to where you have to recuse you should just resign in disgrace I think
that’s what I would do if I were revealed to be as thoroughly compromised and untrustworthy as Mr. Sessions has been
but some of us are just inherently more honorable than others I guess
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:39 amExcept maverick has shown what side of the coin, with the o’bagy affair. I don’t agree session should recluse, it is taken as validation of the charge.
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:43 amRecuse and then go after every democrat you can.
mg (31009b) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:44 amClaire McCaskill today:
“I’ve been on the armed services com for 10 years. No meeting with Russian ambassador. Ever.”
Claire McCaskill in 2013:
“Off to meeting with Russian ambassador”
https://mobile.twitter.com/charlescwcooke/status/837303885664563200
Harkin (13f927) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:44 amThe Washington Post can’t be botehred to tell us whetehr the meeting taht Sessions had with the Russian Ambassador in July at the Heritage Foundation “event” was
A) BEFORE or
B) DURING or
C) AFTER
….the Republican convention.
The Washngton Post uses the word “sidelines”
I would suspect that maybe this might have had something to do with what the Republican platform said about Ukraine (but not about hacking) and just what depends upon when exactly this happened. It would be nice to match the timelines.
The Trump camoaign had already decided before the convention (and probably before Sessions met with Kslyak) that they didn’t want too strong langauge in support of Ukraine. The convention was July 18-21 but the platform – and the language about Ukraine – as largely drafted two weeks before, according to the Washington post;
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/global-opinions/trump-campaign-guts-gops-anti-russia-stance-on-ukraine/2016/07/18/98adb3b0-4cf3-11e6-a7d8-13d06b37f256_story.html.
But things were still up in the air till the end. So there could have bene some kind of discussion.
Just what date was this meeting and how does it fit into the timeline about the platform?
Sessions might even have negotiated the exact platform wording with Kislyak, asking something like “would you be satisfied with this?”
Or Sessions might just simply have “explained” it to the Russian Ambassador.
Of course this is only the Republican platform, not future U.S. policy.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:46 amWe need to have precise answers so sometime in the future Sessions could says “it depends on what the meaning of ‘is’ is.” How many dems were upset when we last heard that?
Jim (a9b7c7) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:48 am8 SWC: “This is an ugly and dark hour.
Guys like McCain and Graham need to recognize this, set their antipathy for Trump aside, and fight back aggresively against the idea of a opposition “shadow government” working through the press because its a huge threat to democracy.”
It’s amazing how many of the anti-Trump ankle-biters cannot see this.
Harkin (13f927) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:49 amWhat we know about Flynn – what he did in December, 2016 – is trivial and any
allegations it was criminal or improper pretty much nonsense.
And telling the Russians that if they didn’t retaliate it would be easier for Trump to lift the newly imposed (or other) sanctions was not such a bad thing to do, as it succeeded in its objectives – to prevent retaliation – without committing Trump to anything at all.
Flynn, though, was a loose cannon, and he apparently did this all on his own initiative, and he caused may have been caused more by the fact he hadn’t consulted Trump, than by the idea it was improper to say too much.
There are possible questions about what Flynn’s possible contacts with any Russians earlier in the year 2016.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:53 amSammeh, they don’t care about the details, as with the. Gophouse rule that indicted leadership had to step down, so they has Ronnie earl cook up an indictment, re Texas for public justice, prince and repeat for Perry and paxton
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 8:59 amRegarding platform language on Ukraine: (possible subject in Sessions-Kisylak meeting in July)
https://patterico.com/2016/07/21/when-voting-ones-conscience-becomes-a-threat-to-others/
I said at he time:
(I don’t think Sessions was one of the people on he pro-Putin team, but he did dearly want Trump to be elected)
At comment 74 I quoted Gary Kasparov (July 21, 2016 Daily News)
http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/garry-kasparov-donald-trump-vladimir-putin-enabler-article-1.2719178
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:01 amHere’s another link or two about the change in the platform wording. (But I still don’t have thedate of Sessions meeting with the Ambassador)
http://www.npr.org/2016/08/06/488876597/how-the-trump-campaign-weakened-the-republican-platform-on-aid-to-ukraine
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:yo4geltYJzsJ:http://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2016/07/18/trump-deferring-to-putin-deleted-gop-platforms-call-to-supply-ukraine-with-lethal-defensive-weapons/%2Brepublican+national+convention+platform+ukraine+language+2016&hl=en&gbv=2&ct=clnk
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:02 amThis is the French version:https://mobile.twitter.com/ReutersWorld/status/837252813910593536?p=v
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:04 amYou guys want a scandal? Here’s a scandal!
nk (dbc370) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:05 amHmm. I guess you’ll just have to read the whole story. There’s video there, too.
nk (dbc370) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:08 amThe Washinton Post article says:
but the New York Daily News says:
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/jeff-sessions-spoke-russia-ambassador-election-article-1.2986440
Well, was it within earshot of other ambassadors, r one-on-one?
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:10 amnarciso @17:
Well, Rick Perry didn’t step down. That’s only a House rule.
On the other side ofthe aisle. Senator Bob Menendez (D-N.J) had to give his role as ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Commiittee. The Republicans were in control of the Senate by then, (2015)
The New York Times demanded he resign:
https://www.nytimes.com/2015/04/03/opinion/step-down-senator-robert-menendez.html
The New York Times is against corruption, with exceptions for extremely high ranking Democratyic politicians, and Menendez wasn’t high enough..
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:16 amSame players , Sammeh, playing the same notes.
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:18 amIf Sessions was honest, he would have been more forthcoming about his secret meetings with Russia, but he wanted to keep keep them hidden. What’s he hiding? Why is he hiding them? He should resign if for no other reason than being a shady operator. There can be no trust in some weaselly snake like that.
Imagine if Hillary had pulled a stunt like this! It would be the apocalypse.
Tillman (a95660) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:22 amSleazy Comrade Sessions came *this* close to doing Putin all up in it
Good thing we caught him in time
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:26 amThe bottom line is that there is no evidence Sessions met with the ambassador as a member of Trump’s campaign.
The Republican National Convention is a political event. Sessions was a Trump campaign surrogate. He met w/t Russian ambassador at a Heritage Foundation sidebar at the convention.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:33 am#26 tillwoman
you’re just angry at mr sessions because he’s conservative
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:37 amthe first step is to admit your prejudice
Remind me again how many times the IRS Commissioner, the head of the Bureau of Economic Statistics and that guy in charge of creating violence at Trump events met with Obama. Because that should be the floor for all these conspiracy theories that folks come up with,
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:38 aminstead of the Department of Justice we should just rename it the Department of Borscht and Syphilitic Hookers I think
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:52 amI always have secret meetings with foreign ambassadors at fundraising dinners. Fifty of them at a time to save money and gas.
nk (dbc370) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:54 amto save *time* and gas
nk (dbc370) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:56 amThis has to be the dumbest controversy ever.
From the questionnaire:
“Several of the President-elect’s nominees or senior advisers have Russian ties. Have you been in contact with anyone connected to any part of the Russian government about the 2016 election, either before or after election day?” Leahy wrote.
Sessions responded with one word: “No.”
Not “any contacts” Any contacts “About the 2016 election”.
Franken’s “question” during the oral testimony (and you actually have to read the text to get the full convoluted mess of the question) was about other Trump staff’s contacts with the Russians. He based this on a breaking CNN report. His question was convoluted, and was about Trump staffers being in “constant” contact with Russians and “exchanges of information” about the campaign between them.
Sessions response was: “I’m not aware of any of those activities, I have been called a surrogate at a time or two in that campaign and I did not have communications with the Russians.”
Er. He said he didn’t know anything about what Trump’s staff were doing (he wasn’t part of the campaign), and he didn’t communicate about the campaign.
So?
Tenn (131b65) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:57 amthe kooky theory is that if it hadn’t been for some russian people talking to some trump people
then moderate swing voters in iowa, wisconsin, michigan, ohio, and pennsylvania would have decided to vote for that nasty hillary woman
LOL
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/2/2017 @ 9:59 amHave you had his beef stroganoff?
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:00 am“House Majority Leader McCarthy walks back suggestion that Sessions should recuse himself from Russia investigation.”
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/03/jeff-sessions-doj-investigation-kevin-mccarthy-reaction-235601
Seems like the more they learn, the more they realize this is a joke.
Ted Cruz just called it a “nothing burger”.
Fight these dishonest clowns all the way!
harkin (9803a7) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:01 amI think one argument from the Trump side makes sense. Do we really think Sessions was conspiring to help the Russians “hack” the election at a Heritage Foundation meeting, surrounded by a bunch of ambassadors from all over?
If not then what’s the big deal?
And one argument from the democrats makes sense. Sessions is a savvy player and has hit others hard for this kind of mis-statement. He knows how to craft a precise statement under oath, and his statement was absolute. I think he clearly simply mis-spoke because it would have been very easy for him to just say “as a campaign surrogate” if he had remembered this Heritage thing.
He’s going to get some bad press. Trump’s campaign is going to have to be very careful on all issues Russia and this is going to be a handicap for years.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:01 am“…….this is going to be a handicap for years.”
This is certainly the meme the dems and the msm have been pushing all morning.
as said already in post 34, his response was clearly in regards to the question asked about any contacts “About the 2016 election”.
Glad I’m not part of the target audience. Hope they throw in a few peanuts too.
harkin (9803a7) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:10 amOptics are everything. Back in the day, a Japanese firm would screen a certain Hollywood film annually for new hires because the storyline demonstrated successful American management techniques. Something Trump knows well.
Sessions is a crippled airplane. Plenty of lawyers in America to replace him.
Recusal is lame. Resign.
“The one thing which is never expendable is your obligation to this group. This group… this group – that has to be your loyalty; your only reason for being.” – Frank Savage [Gregory Peck] ‘Twelve O’Clock High’ 1949
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:11 amBecause it’s true.
Russia is a substantial player and the administration will have this kind of crap in mind every time they need to make a deal with them. I can imagine many situations where we need to do Russia a favor or have a secret deal for legitimate reasons, and now that sort of thing could lead to a lot of problems. And other nations will take advantage when they can.
If you’re on his side, this is clear. If you just read the language of what he said under oath, he said he never met with them, period, but that’s not correct. And if it was a democrat in hot water like this the folks attacking Trump would be defending Hillary or whoever. This is just how it is.
But yes, the democrats will push this, just as Sessions himself pushed it when the party was reversed. It’s too bad but this is EXACTLY why George Washington spoke about the folly of political parties, and how they hamper foreign policy specifically. He must have been brilliant.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:15 amTed Cruz just called it a “nothing burger”.
A Tedtoo favorite. Goes great topped w/Canadian bacon and a chilled Molson, eh.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:17 amDCSCA, if Sessions resigns, the public will interpret that as proof the scandal was legitimate. that it was more than just a wrong statement, but an actual act of corruption. Clinton lied a lot worse than this and he didn’t resign. I think resignation is overkill and Trump already had the Flynn thing. The nation needs the administration to get on solid ground just for the sake of basic function at this point, so I’m not hoping for that.
I think an apology and explanation, maybe recusal, would do fine. W was right that a special investigator makes sense.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:18 amYeah, Trump should let the pervy poofter boys stampede him into letting go the most qualified and unquestionably conservative member of his cabinet who has supported him from the beginning of his run.
nk (dbc370) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:18 amSo far IMO there’s nothing here at all and for Sessions to recuse himself because Franken, Pelosi, Cummings, Chaffetz etc. do not understand what “campaign” means is ridiculous.
I don’t trust Chaffetz. He is angling for something and I don’t like it
It’s time from Sessions to turn the FBI loose on the Clinton Foundation.
There are rumblings in the FBI about Hillary and have been for months. Comey may have been trying to head off an agent revolt last summer when he made his ambivalent statement about Hillary.
I have an FBI agent daughter who is a lefty but, when I asked her about the election last September, she told me she would not vote for Hillary. I didn’t pursue it but thought it interesting.
Mike K (f469ea) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:19 am@43- if Sessions resigns, the public will interpret that as proof the scandal was legitimate.
More likely ‘the public’ would interpret it as decisive and effective management if he was asked/ordered to “resign.” Cauterizing a wound. Only the media would be peeved and pick at the scab.
Letting him linger just keeps a self-inflicted target of opportunity twisting in the wind. Sessions was nominated as payback. Trump doesn’t owe him anything more now. There’s plenty of lawyers in America to fill the Top Cop gig.
As long as 401K’s are climbing and the Dow keeps breaking records ‘the public’- those who voted for him- or even held their noses and voted for him- as well as the iffy-indies won’t care if the manager moves the players around. As long as the team keeps “winning.” Besides, the Dems can’t even field a team.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:34 amCharges against Ken Paxton, what is this groundhog day?
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:42 amYou mean charges dismissed for second time.
nk (dbc370) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:45 amSimilar playbook to 2001
http://dailycaller.com/2017/03/01/confirmed-obama-sabotaged-trumps-transition-to-the-white-house
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:45 amYou know, I loved my ’87 Cutlass, a wonderful car, and detested the people who sold it to me, slimeballs who are now out of business to the greater grace of Chicago.
I think I’ll start judging Trump by his fruits, such as Sessions and Gorsuch and his executive orders, etc., and not by my opinion of him as a person, and definitely not by the “fruits” who want to derail the very things I like him doing.
nk (dbc370) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:50 amIf Sessions resigns over this, it’s close to game over as smear/fluff conquers truth/substance. He shouldn’t even recuse himself.
Giving in to this nothingness would be a complete lack of ethics and honor. Stand behind your people Donald, he’s totally in the right.
harkin (9803a7) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:50 amTenn @34 9:57 am
That could explain why Jeff Sessions said he was a surrogate in that campaign.
The question was about “constant” contact, and he wanted to say there was no constant contact because, if there was, he, too, would have been involved!
Then he finishes with “I did not have communications with the Russians”
The only problem was, he did.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:56 amIt’s to laugh… https://static.pjmedia.com/instapundit/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/HUMA-600×346.png
Colonel Haiku (ea7bff) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:59 amYou smoke this stuff so to escape from reality?
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 10:59 amUh-oh, my comment got moderated. I thought I cleaned it up OK.
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:00 amNote: “communications” is plural, and means at least two times.
So, even if he remembered the Heritage Foundation event at the time, that one time meeting at the Heritage Foundation event wouldn’t fall under that description in Jeff Sessions’ answer to Al Franken. A one time event is not “communications.
But the Washington Post found two instances of contact.
Neither was truly secret.
The Heritage Foundation conversation would have been known to dozens of people, and the Senate probably had records of the meeting at his Senate office in September.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:02 amHmmm, that one too. What up?
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:07 amGiven Obama’s earlier and ongoing shadowy attempts to undermine the incoming administration – all while saying “smoothest transition evah” – and the fact Dems lost the election, don’t have Congress, and it’s looking like Trump will follow thru on his pledge to undo all things Obama touched, and that these Dems have nothing else in their bag of tricks informs my opinion that this is nothing short of their usual horse excrement approach to governance and their role as the “loyal opposition”.
Colonel Haiku (ea7bff) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:07 amSomedays, like today for instance, logging in here to discover you actually entertain the notion that Trump and key figures in his administration are secret Russians.
Feels like Charlie’s first visit to the underground. [YouTube] BAH!
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:10 am‘(Sessions should) be more careful about how he answers questions in the future.’
Is that what we want? Would it really be better for Sessions and other members of the administration to carefully parse their thoughts before speaking them? Should Bill Clinton really be the model? Or would it be better to allow Sessions and other to speak more freely and openly?
What you are doing here is blaming Sessions for how his words are being deliberately misinterpreted. You are rewarding the anti-Trump dissemblers and blaming the victim. Of course, that is exactly the same dysfunctional way the Republican Party has behaved for as long as I can remember. Same old same old.
Wouldn’t it make more sense to adopt Andrew Breitbarts famous line: “Apologize for what?”
That’s what he’d want us to do.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:12 amI think for many lawyers, on both sides of the divide, Bill Clinton is the model.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:13 amYes it’s a pre-emptive move by the party that unfroze hundred of billions if memory serves to a foreign power tied to Russia, which caused 1/3 of our casualties inn the war against jihadists
narciso (056e6b) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:13 amThis is still not Al Franken’s Decade.
Colonel Haiku (ea7bff) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:14 amOk, from a different approach; here is the actual full question from Fankin:
Please notice what the question is. It is NOT “have you had any contact with the Russians?”
Context people!
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:15 amAl Franken’s decade was a good one. It was the Reagan decade, too. I miss that decade.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:18 amHaiku, you’ll living in some kind of omnipotent bubble if you don’t see the problem with your whining about “loyal opposition.” What do you think Republicans had been doing to Obama for years, bowing and curtsying to his every fleeting wish? Lord help us.
Tillman (a95660) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:18 amNo that was the 70s
narciso (056e6b) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:19 am38. Yeah, Haiku, Obama tricked them into playing pancake with Russia. Then Obama had the audacity to record the evidence. How conniving! Yep, Obama’s that good.
Tillman (a95660) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:22 amTrump administration drops Texas voter ID claim.
Obama’s six-year-old claim that Texas’ voter ID law was intended to discriminate against Hispanics and other minorities has been abandoned by U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
Isn’t that a coincidence.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:24 amThe 70s was “The Me Decade,” or so sayeth Tom Wolfe.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:27 amPut down your seltzer bottles. Take off the rubber noses.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:27 amSessions is resigning. This headline is the proof: “Trump has ‘total’ confidence in Sessions.”
‘Sound familiar?
Tillman (a95660) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:28 amI’d point out that all of our ship, all of our bombers, all of our missles, and all of our tweets, will never be enough to make Putin move his navy base out of Sevastapol, but it seems like ya’ll are in no condition to have that conversation.
Coffee first. And stay away from vehicles and heavy machinery until it’s taken effect.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:46 amFriends don’t let friends drive who think Jeff Sessions is a Russian.
Give me your keys.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:49 amFunny how the left thought Reagan was to hard on the communist USSR, but now they have become the communist USSR, they think we should hate the not communist Russia with the heat of a thousand suns.
I get how Putin is no choir boy, I certainly wouldn’t vote for him for elected office, but I have a real hard time getting worked up over Russia. They are about 30th on my list of countries I hate, where I can’t decide if they are north or south of the EU.
Regardless, I have no doubt Trump and his cabinet love America, and after 8 years of an America hating administration, acting like he is a stooge for a foreign country is ridiculous.
If Sessions is made to back down, I’m going to lose confidence in the Trump administration. It will just mean they are going to play the fools in the left’s games just as every other Republican administration has done for my entire life. If Trump can’t stand against this malarkey, we may as well give up and embrace the inevitable death to America.
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:56 amLeon @55 & 57: Possibly, there’s a different problem with the comment, like maybe too many links. what was the gist of it?
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:57 am“too” hard…
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:58 amDo you get Kris Kobach now? I preferred Jeff if that was the binary.
urbanleftbehind (c8adc7) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:58 amSammy, each only had one link, the first had some blockquotes, but the second was short and sweet. No swear words either.
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:00 pm“Round 2 is quickly revealing how DANGEROUS and UNAMERICAN it is for an administration that leaves power to serve as a “sniper squad” for the political opposition against the administration that comes into power.
Along with their allies in the press, the former Obama administration officials are doing real damage — and doing it with allegations that so far have been dubious at best.”
– shipwreckedcrew
Trump and his stooges are giving the “sniper squad” plenty of ammunition. There is no rule preventing anyone from speaking his or her mind about the blunders of the administration, and (frankly) I don’t see any good arguments in favor of that supposition. Calling it DANGEROUS and UNAMERICAN does not make it so. Obama’s not president anymore. He can’t give orders to the State. He can express his opinions. The media can editorialize. CNN can keep whining about Donald Trump, Cal Thomas can keep blowing him, and the world can keep turning on its axis.
Leviticus (efada1) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:01 pmI’ll try one with the link only. Read the whole thing as they say.
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:03 pmAG Sessions won’t be backing down and Trump won’t leave him twisting in the wind. I’m hoping Trump refrains from a Yosemite Sam tweet fest on this one because the Dem propaganda organs are displaying the type of “reporting” which earns them the epithet of fake news enemies of the people. There is no need for the President to emphasize the point.
Who ever runs against Franken in ’18 should use the clip of that “question” in ads as additional evidence of him being an inarticulate idiot in his current day job.
Rick Ballard (2d3a64) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:04 pmNope. I guess Patterico won’t allow links to Ace of Spades.
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:05 pm64. Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:15 am
That’s good. You have teh whole question?
The question wasn’t “have you had any contact with the Russians?” but Jeff Sessions, in wanting to say that Trump surrogates didn’t have any “constant” contact with “intermediaries for the Russian government” said that, well, he was a surrogate too, and he didn’t have communications with the Russians.
Maybe it depends on the meaning of the word “Russians.” So far we only know of contacts with ONE Russian official – the Ambassador to the United States, hardly a secret link.
Communications is also plural.
For his answer to be false, Sessions would have had to have at least 2 separate communications with at least 2 different Russians.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:05 pmYou can not be serious! [YouTube]
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:05 pmMaybe a Google cache of Ace of spades?
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:05 pmOr search terms to put into Google.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:06 pmRush Limbaugh says Valerie Jarrett is running an anti-Trump operation, whose goal is either to get Trump to resign or to impeach him, out of Obama’s new home in Washington, where she has moved in as a house guest.
He also cites Obama as saying the Russians did not hack teh election (the casting or the counting of the actual votes)
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:09 pmEh, just go to AoS and the post heading is “The National Laughingstock Coordinates Another Hit With Obama’s Loyalist Leave-Behinds”
The scales will fall from your eyes; unless you insist on holding them there of course.
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:14 pmThey have the Time Life Trump Presidency special issue at the magazine rack. Leafing through it I noticed people from Trumps past, key figures like the pastor who officiated at his weddings, ex wives, extended family, business associates, nobody was disappeared or thrown under the bus on account of how well they focus tested as embarrassing to the current administration.
Totally different than the Time Life Obama Presidency Special issue sitting on the rack next to it.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:19 pm89. By National Laughingstock Ace means the Washington Post.
he also has one about Claire McCaskill. That’s the same thing as in #10 except that Ace also adds
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:23 pmW was right that a special investigator makes sense.
For something that can be answered by 4 phone calls? No. Unless it rises above the IRS scandal, which the Dems said did not require a special prosecutor, it’s not even a scandal.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:27 pmI very much doubt that Patterico is blocking links. I’ve linked to the disfavored Politico, and others have linked to the FakeNewsfather gatewaypundit.
Kevin M (25bbee) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:31 pmSenator Franken-McCarthy, have you no shame?
Al heroically shot down SNL skits over Manhattan.
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:33 pm@50 nk
You think Trump got the extended warranty and undercoating? They salt the streets of DC, don’t they?
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:44 pmW’s an inept and murderous soldier-maimer what pissed away an ungodly amount of money on his silly and humiliating wars
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:53 pmduring the cold war the democrats told us we shouldn’t fear the russkies
now, all they talk about is how the apocalypse is upon us because maybe some people might possibly have had a vodka and some cheese bread with some russkies
where’s that nasty hillary woman with her reset button?
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:57 pm“A meticulous new study by the Media Research Center finds that 88 percent of the broadcast news coverage of Mr. Trump and his team was “hostile” during the first 30 days of office.”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2017/mar/2/press-coverage-of-trump-in-first-month-of-office-8/
Imagine that. The only thing worse is the useful idiots on the right who do the Dem’s bidding by jumping in the clown car alongside.
Would love to see a percentage for the 2016 campaign anti-Trump conservative blogs.
harkin (afc7a6) — 3/2/2017 @ 12:57 pmif Mr. Trump has total confidence in Mr. Sessions then i do too
end of discussion
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:01 pmIn the Dems pieholes!
Colonel Haiku (ea7bff) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:02 pmSessions soon in press conference…
Colonel Haiku (ea7bff) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:03 pmhttp://www.foxnews.com/politics/2017/03/02/watch-live-sessions-holds-press-conference-on-russia-revelations.html Scheduled for 4 pm but still hasn’t begun.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:06 pmhe’s defiant and also unflappable
he is our Attorney General
and by God he’s effing glorious
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:06 pmSessions will take questions. Right now, at the link, some reporter on Fox is speaking, reviewi. ng the history and using up time
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:08 pmSessions has just released a statement moements ago and recuse himself. Just about 3 minutes ago were told he would come.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:09 pmSessions speaking. Let me share a few thiughts…
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:10 pmI neve rhad meetings with Russian operatives or intermediaries about the trump campaign – goes on what the quesiton was that Senator franken asked him.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:10 pm“I will write the Judiciary Committee soon to explain this testimony for the record.”
On Monday set a meeting for today about recusal. His staff recommended recusal. He studied the rules and considered their commen ts. He have recused himself in matters that deal with the Trump campaign,. The exact angiage is in the oress release, (I note actually both campaigns and then goeds on to say this does not cvonfirm the existence of any investigations)
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:14 pmhe recuses himself with such extraordinary grace and with such alacrity
he’s like a ninja gazelle
happyfeet (a037ad) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:15 pmSo Sessions says he asked staff on Mon to meet with him today and advise him about whether or not to recuse. Just a coincidence that media picked today to push a story that raises the recusal demands from politicos both inside and outside of the government, right?
crazy (d3b449) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:17 pmThe Russian Amb apparently sent staffer to his office and asked for a meeting and they set up a time (tqo of his senior staffers were with him) Both retired Army colonels.
He started off by saying he had gone to Russia with a church group in 1991. He started he was not a believer himself but he liked the fact church group came or something.
the subject of Ukraione came up. He’d had the Ukraine Amb they day before,. To listen to Russian Amb everybody else was wrong and nothing Russia had done was wrong. It got a little bit testy. He invited him to lunch he fod not accept.
He does not recall meeting Kislyak before those two meetings. Things happen but he does not recall it.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:19 pmToday was supposed to be the finalk decision. He was probably going to recuse himself. Now iI guess it looks like it was under pressure.
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:19 pmDoesn’t believe he met with any otehr Russian off since he endorsed trump
Sammy Finkelman (6f9f42) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:20 pmIt was an impressive news conference. I particularly liked Session’s response to the final question about his state of mind. The response was delightfully candid (rather than parsing his thoughts and staying on script). Sessions admited, “In retrospect, I should have slowed down . . . ” Haven’t we all felt that way.
I also liked this bit from earlier int he q and a: “Most of these ambassadors are pretty gossipy.” Again, delightfully unscripted and human.
Sessions is an impressive guy. I particularly like happy’s turn of phrase from above: “by God he’s effing glorious.”
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:45 pmSmall world! I used to drive an 87 442. Loved that body style but the call didn’t have the muscle it needed.
I mean the whole russia thing which Sessions just recused himself from.
And the IRS scandal also required/requires a special prosecutor. This not about partisan points for me, because both parties are equally ethical in my book, if you catch my drift.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:47 pmI’ve seen too many news conferences over the years with AGs or the like who have had the humanity drummed out of them and can only speak like lawyer-bots. What a nice change. Yes, glorious.
ThOR (c9324e) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:53 pmNice to have an honest guy like Sessions in that slot. Quite an improvement over the previous two.
Colonel Haiku (ea7bff) — 3/2/2017 @ 1:56 pm@97 Cruz Supporter
The Russians embraced Capitalism and the left never could.
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:04 pm“I recuse!” – Jeff Sessions, CCCP.
Conservative. Caught. Coddling. Putin.
“In a conspiracy like this, you build from the outer edges and go step by step. If you shoot too high and miss, everybody feels more secure.” – “Deep Throat” [Hal Holbrook] ‘All The President’s Men’ 1976
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:08 pmSessions practically confirmed, by gratutiously inclduing (both) campaigns refusing to confirm or deny that any investigation was in progress, that there is some investigation of Hillary Clinton;s campaign going on.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:23 pmhttps://medium.com/theyoungturks/the-basic-formula-for-every-shocking-russia-trump-revelation-e9ae390d9f05#.zgxqwwtx9
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:25 pm#118 Pinandpuller, you just won the week with that one.
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:26 pmGood job, Sir!
The Feds are experts at setting people up. (I know) I suggest Mr. A.G. you create a few scenarios that end up having major democrats sitting in the electric chair. Do it.
mg (31009b) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:27 pmDustin
To you reps and dems equally yoked?
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:30 pm#98 harkin
the dustins of the world are concerned that president mr donald isn’t receiving the criticism from the msm that he deserves
yay dustin
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:34 pmCruz Supporter
Reminds of a line about how they haven’t had that vintage since 1917.
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:36 pmWorks here, try tiny url
http://acecomments.mu.nu/?post=368656
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:36 pmSammy
Could I suggest a typing as a second language course?
I keed, I keed.
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:39 pmSammy,
The Dem hysteria over this indicates DoJ target letters have been received by people who counted on Clinton being elected for protection. Work up a prime suspect list involving no more than the top 500 probables.
Rick Ballard (2d3a64) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:41 pmTrump Supporter, you’re the laziest troll I’ve ever seen on this blog, and that’s saying a lot! If you had bothered to read my comments, I actually have been on Trump’s side on this issue. Good grief!
Harkin’s comment was not related to anything I said or a reply to me. You’re just trying to instigate fights because you clearly hate this blog and think trolling it is good for your man Trump.
—
He wasn’t caught doing anything Senators don’t do all the time, and I think the way he’s handled this issue is actually pretty good and comes across as professional and detail oriented. He’s talked to staff, he’s made an effective recusal that is appropriate, he will correct the record with Franken, but the issue at heart of Franken’s question was already explained. If Trump’s guys resign every time something like this comes up, the democrats will simply stack the scalps up and the government will not function at all.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:41 pm@122 Cruz Supporter
Before I accept my award I have a few comments about Meryl Streep…
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:43 pmCruz Supporter
You ever know anyone who got divorced and expects you to hate their ex?
The left got dumped by Russia.
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:44 pmWell he would have some experience:
http://heavy.com/news/2017/03/rod-j-rosenstein-deputy-attorney-general-united-states-incumbent-nominee-donald-trump-russia-investigation-jeff-sessions-maryland-federal-judge-district-court-wife-kids-lisa
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:47 pmThe dems are trampling the grapes of wrath about like Lucy and Ethel.
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:48 pmDidn’t Mickey Rooney scream, “I recuse!” in Breakfast at Tiffany’s?”
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:49 pmI loved Rush’s idea for Sessions to tell everyone he and the Russian Ambassador were talking about their grandchildren.
Pinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:51 pmPutin’s as left as they come when it comes to government power. He’s also a conservative on social issues. Basically Putin is the exact opposite of a classical liberal like the USA’s founding fathers or a modern American conservative.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:54 pm(not that the founders were left wing on social issues either, but their principles were equality before the law, rather than equality of results)
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:55 pm127- show off!
Leon (d14968) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:56 pmmr pinandpuller
i’m going to buy you a pitcher of beer some day
you crack me up
we’ll have fun discussing movies and music before we even get to making fun of the left
i literally have the breakfast at tiffany’s dvd sitting on my desk so i’ll have to watch for the rooney “i recuse!” moment
btw apparently george peppard couldn’t get along with anyone
Cruz Supporter (102c9a) — 3/2/2017 @ 3:02 pmand he had a degree in econ from carnegie mellon!
I don’t think that was Ethel stomping grapes with Lucy. Wasn’t it a half-pint Italian battle axe?
Harkin (d296aa) — 3/2/2017 @ 3:08 pm@130-I think the way he’s handled this issue is actually pretty good and comes across as professional and detail oriented.
Actually, it’s pretty poor because it took the actions of a free press to forced Sessions to react. He could have cleaned this up weeks ago for the record, but didn’t. That’s unprofessional at best and sloppy at worst. Now he is damaged goods w/one foot out the door.
“Listen, I’m a politician which means I’m a cheat and a liar, and when I’m not kissing babies I’m stealing their lollipops. But it also means I keep my options open.” – Jeffrey Pelt [Richard Jordan] ‘The Hunt For Red October’ 1990
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 3:16 pm@135. Believe so. Sessions does it better with a Southern accent.
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 3:18 pmThat is a good point. As soon as Sessions realized he made an absolute statement under oath that was untrue, he should have fixed it. I’m giving him the benefit of the doubt that he actually didn’t notice until the press did. But he’s gone after folks for statements under oath and he should have understood what he was saying.
However, until they show he was actually having some sort of private meeting or otherwise even a possibility of corruption (which they haven’t shown) I really don’t see where the smoke is, let alone the fire. It does matter that the ‘lie’ under oath didn’t seem to conceal anything. Even in the law, if perjury is immaterial, that’s a much less serious offense.
Everyone in this administration will be under fire. Sessions did a great job navigating his first taste of years of this.
Dustin (ba94b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 3:29 pmThe ‘rizzotto tray’ press, that it took a third rate hacker, to a ttually brings facts of election tampering in the primary and collusion in the general
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 3:39 pmThe context of today’s events, when they didn’t mind using using the Russians as intermediary, re the Iran deal
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/03/02/the-manufacturing-of-controversy-2-0-attorney-general-jeff-sessions-edition/
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 3:55 pmIt all depends on what the meaning of “is” is, as the Democrats well know – at least the ones who are lawyers. Al Franken’s questioning was not that of a lawyer, but of the moron he is.
askeptic (340f22) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:05 pmWhile the Obama people were busy making sure all this “Trump is a Russian tool” stuff was widely distributed among American and Allied intelligence services for future use was anybody checking to see what was being disappeared from the record? These are the same people who moved heaven and earth to avoid disclosing anything even when under court orders to do so.
crazy (d3b449) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:22 pmPerhaps who cooperated with the Chapman ring
https://mobile.twitter.com/joshrogin/status/837436421237522432?p=v
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:26 pm“In retrospect, I should have slowed down . . . ”
Isn’t that on John Mitchell’s tombstone?
“They volunteered he was innocent when nobody asked if he was guilty.” – Bob Woodward [Robert Redford] ‘All The President’s Men’ – 1976
DCSCA (797bc0) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:29 pmThe cca deal will never go through now. Lawfare whether practices in Paris or Austin is awfully familiar, I point out how Texas for public justice, have arranged indictments that have fallen apart be not without collateral damage.
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:37 pm1984, its a how to manual:
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:45 pmhttps://mobile.twitter.com/seanmdav/status/837430025959899137/photo/1
Cruz Supporter
I love it when a plan comes together.
Pinandpuller (d32053) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:46 pmCruz Supporter
I love talking like the guy from City Wok on South Park. On of the only moments that made my last air travel tolerable was discovering a City Wok at DIA. I would love to know which came first. I’ve also been to Casa Bonita which been around about as long as I have.
Pinandpuller (d32053) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:50 pmHuh, maybe someone should look into that:
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:58 pmtherightscoop.com/listen-mark-levin-reveals-the-scandal-that-he-says-everyone-is-missing
Someone on here just made me laugh by claiming our Founding Fathers were just libertarians. You know, social leftists, but small government. Yeah, they didn’t believe in the church, family or God. How dare you claim otherwise you conservatives
NJRob (a702b2) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:58 pmok so where is Mr. 57
happyfeet (28a91b) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:59 pmThe scary Russian ambassador the dems are so worked up about looks pretty comfortable hanging out with them on the House floor Tues night. Maybe they’re jealous the Russkies are two-timing them by hanging with the Trumpsters.
crazy (d3b449) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:00 pmCruz Supporter
The main reason I remember that scene is Seinfeld. I do actually have the book somewhere-I suppose I should read it.
I saw Murder by Death about a dozen times as a kid before I figured out who Truman Capote was.
I think I remember a story about how he brought a refrigeration technician with him to The Hamptons and all his literati freinds looked down on the guy until the AC went out. Could be another gay writer. Gay Telese?
Pinandpuller (d32053) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:06 pmCruz Supporter
I’m starting open line Friday early. Seinfeld reminded me that you don’t want me to be your latex salesman, but I’m actually Kramer. I worked for Pepsi and one slushy day I’m hauling soda bibs around town. The last delivery was a truck stop. I had to haul five bibs up three flights of stairs and right before the last landing the top bib’s glue gave way and five galons of Cherry Pepsi in a bladder squirted out. It fell three stories and exploded next to the time clock. The best part was I didn’t have to clean it up. #Kramerica
Pinandpuller (d32053) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:20 pmBoom, zoom, to the moon:
narciso (d1f714) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:22 pmhttps://mobile.twitter.com/bfraser747/status/837419361178542080/video/1
I bet Carrie wouldn’t have been quite so mad if they had used Cherry Pepsi.
Pinandpuller (d32053) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:23 pmit would be good to know
it would be good to know what happened to Mr.57
happyfeet (28a91b) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:24 pmThe President issued another very solid statement of support for AG Sessions. It wasn’t a tweet and it was crystal clear. Good for him.
Rick Ballard (2d3a64) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:33 pmThe recusal was basically required by statute, and Sessions is smart enough to know that.
Recusal isn’t any admission of wrongdoing — it simply means that you might be a witness or subject in the matter under review, so you can’t play a role in the review. Its not all that unusual for senior department officials to find it necessary, its just not publicized in the manner this is being publicized.
There is a Deputy AG nominated. Once the Deputy AG is confirmed, the Deputy AG will oversee the decision making.
shipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:41 pmThe Dep. AG nominee is a pretty non-controversial guy — he’s the current US Attorney for the District of Maryland, who was named to that spot by Bush 43 in 2005, and left in place by Obama for all 8 years. He started in DOJ in 1990 as a Trial Attorney in the Public Integrity Section of DOJ, so he’s a lifer.
shipwreckedcrew (56b591) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:44 pmWe shall see, shipwrecked, the memory of James Coney Plame affair looms large.
narciso (e7d4a8) — 3/2/2017 @ 5:46 pm157. happyfeet (28a91b) — 3/2/2017 @ 4:59 pm
I’ve been wonndering about this too.
Nothing from Steve57 in a long time.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 7:24 pmPinandpuller (16b0b5) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:39 pm
It hasn’t much improved in 27 years of typing messages online (or maybe it has, and I just type faster) I think it depends somewhat on the keyboard.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 7:34 pmRick Ballard (2d3a64) — 3/2/2017 @ 2:41 pm
With Sessions recusing himself, the top Justice Department official in matters relating to the Clinton and Trump campaigns is now an Obama holdover, at least until some more people get confirmed. But I think anyway it’s local prosecutors who are investigating this material.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 7:40 pmThe media are really pushing hard to set up George W. as Judas goat.
I’ll endeavor to refrain from bashing him out of reflex until the full press fog bank clears out.
More like smog hanging thick in the air to blinker our judgement of motive.
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/2/2017 @ 11:31 pmCorrection:
170. Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/2/2017 @ 7:40 pm
That an (named) Obama holdover was the person who wold now in charge is something I heard, but it is all wrong. The next in line to make a decision relating to investigations of the campaign is Dana J. Boente, the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia, whom Presdident Trump appointed as Acting Attorney general when Sally yates resigned. He’s now acting deputy attorney general until maybe Rod J. Rosenstein, The United states Attprey for Maryland, is coformed by the Senate as depty attorney general (and maybe Boente will be pushed down more until all the important vacant positions are filled)
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/3/2017 @ 5:43 amOnly trolls have the audacity to say who is trolling.
mg (31009b) — 3/3/2017 @ 6:15 am179. 172. Rush Limbaugh repeated that an Obama guy would be the person making the decisions. That’s not what the New York Times said in a Q&A and what they said sounds liks it makes sense. The idea that an Obam person wold be in charge seems to be a false meme.
Sammy Finkelman (8dcc71) — 3/3/2017 @ 9:23 am@173 mg
Never send to know for whom the troll bells; it trolls for thee.
Pinandpuller (061e95) — 3/3/2017 @ 9:47 am@156 NJ Rob
A government big enough to take your slaves is big enough to take your rights.
Pinandpuller (061e95) — 3/3/2017 @ 9:51 amWhat about Reagan’s 11th Commandment? Could the Republicans learn something from the Democrats?
Raul Alessandri (7adae9) — 3/3/2017 @ 11:41 amEx-President Slams Trump @ Every Opportunity ~ NPR
That’s independent confirmation from a hostile witness.
I’m thinking it’s time to bring the wood on ex president Bush.
What say you?
papertiger (c8116c) — 3/3/2017 @ 11:36 pm