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Russian to the Bottom
Author: BobR    Date: 02/15/2017 14:52:50

The news of White House national security adviser Michael Flynn resigning late Monday night was like a singularity in the zeitgeist of news and politics swirling around the tRump pResidency. It was the first crack in the dam... it was both expected and unexpected... it was much earlier and much later than many expected... It was and is a harbinger of things to come. Exactly what remains to be seen, and will only be clear when looked upon retrospectively, but it is indeed the beginning of a new phase in this political farce.

The rationale and recriminations swirling about the announcement are equally curious. The initial explanation was that he was forced to resign because he lied to veep Pence about a supposedly innocuous phone call to Russia. But it was made clear by none other than WH Press Secretary Spicer the tRump knew about the lie for weeks before Pence found out. So it wasn't the lie, it was that once Pence found out, he had to go? That is a bizarre rationale, and makes one wonder what kind of personal and professional dynamics there are between Pence and tRump (WaPo has a timeline spelling it all out).

His resignation - less than a month into the new administration - begs the question: who's next? As it happens, there is already another one on the way out the door. The head of the Secret Service - Joseph Clancy - announced his "retirement". He claims there is no friction with tRumps brownshirts private security detail, and cryptically chalked it up to "personal reasons". After 27 years, he leaves just over a month into the tRump pResidency? Things that make you go "hmmm".

More importantly, though, is the story behind the story with Flynn. He was just a little too close to the Ruskies, and that made a lot of people uncomfortable. Not tRump, of course, but people who still realize that Russia is not our ally. What's amazing is the number of people associated with tRump who have ties to Russia, including Jack Kingston, Rex Tillerson, Steve Bannon, and of course tRump himself. Are they all compromised too? (we already know about the tRump dossier.)

Probably most disturbing off all is a story broken by the NY Times yesterday that during the campaign, tRump campaign aides had repeated contact with Russian Intelligence:
Phone records and intercepted calls show that members of Donald J. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign and other Trump associates had repeated contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials in the year before the election, according to four current and former American officials.

American law enforcement and intelligence agencies intercepted the communications around the same time they were discovering evidence that Russia was trying to disrupt the presidential election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee, three of the officials said.

[...]

The F.B.I. declined to comment. The White House also declined to comment Tuesday night, but earlier in the day, the press secretary, Sean Spicer, stood by Mr. Trump’s previous comments that nobody from his campaign had contact with Russian officials before the election.

“There’s nothing that would conclude me that anything different has changed with respect to that time period,” Mr. Spicer said in response to a question.

Two days after the election in November, Sergei A. Ryabkov, the deputy Russian foreign minister, said “there were contacts” during the campaign between Russian officials and Mr. Trump’s team.

“Obviously, we know most of the people from his entourage,” Mr. Ryabkov told Russia’s Interfax news agency.

Were they working with the Russians to get hacked info from Democratic party servers?... to get communications from when Hillary Clinton was SoS?... to see if they could hack the voting machines in key districts?

Does it matter why? What matters is that it happened at all.

Finally - a member of Congress is using the "T" word:
Rep. Seth Moulton (D-MA) used the word “treason” when describing Gen. Michael Flynn’s actions. However, his concern is not Flynn but the role the president played in these series of Russian scandals.

“The bigger problem, the scandal of the century, not the scandal of the week, is this ongoing relationship with Russia,” the former Marine told CNN’s Wolf Blitzer Tuesday. “There is no question it’s the unequivocal conclusion of all our intelligence agencies that Russia wanted Donald Trump to be elected president. Either that’s just because they think Trump is Putin’s buddy and he is going to do his bidding or because they have material they can use against the administration. We don’t need to just know what Flynn knew or when his associates in the White House knew, we need to know what Russia knows and what they still hold over the heads of the people in the White House.”

Will Congress act on this? Not likely. Can you imagine if this was a Democratic president? The Republicans would be descending upon the White House with pitchforks and torches. It seems that IOKIYAR (It's okay if you're a Ruskie Republican).


 
 
 

49 comments (Latest Comment: 02/15/2017 22:17:46 by Raine)
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Comments:

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Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 14:15:03
Morning

Comment by Scoopster on 02/15/2017 14:33:03
Mornin' all!

I just wanted to say Доброе утро! to our visitors off the coast of Groton, CT!

Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/15/2017 14:35:31
Happy Birthday, Mala!!!!



Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 14:37:41
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Happy Birthday, Mala!!!!




Aawww Thank You

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 14:40:55
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALA!


Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 14:43:35
Quote by Raine:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALA!


Thank You

Comment by BobR on 02/15/2017 14:57:11
BLOG POSTED

Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/15/2017 14:59:37
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALA!!!!!



Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 15:02:15
Quote by Will in Chicago:
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MALA!!!!!




Thank ya

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 15:04:24
I will say this now and again -- even if congress does NOTHING the Feds can and mostly will have all of this before a Grand Jury.

IT will be in NY or Virginia.



Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 15:05:05
Good Morning, Friends!

Comment by BobR on 02/15/2017 15:05:20
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Happy Birthday, Mala!!!!




Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 15:06:02
BLOG POSTED!


Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 15:07:29
Quote by BobR:
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Happy Birthday, Mala!!!!





Thanks

Comment by BobR on 02/15/2017 15:14:27
Quote by Raine:
BLOG POSTED!

psst - I already did that...

Comment by trojanrabbit on 02/15/2017 15:14:28
Quote by Raine:
I will say this now and again -- even if congress does NOTHING the Feds can and mostly will have all of this before a Grand Jury.

IT will be in NY or Virginia.


This is the first time I've heard this was possible. How far up the food chain can they go?

Comment by Scoopster on 02/15/2017 15:15:26



Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/15/2017 15:24:25
I find the revelations by the New York Times to be deeply disturbing. What did the President know and when did he know it? What did the Vice President know and when did he know it?

We need honest investigations into the questions raised by these stories and Michael Flynn's firing. I am not sure if this Congress can put the national interest ahead of partisan interest -- until it impacts their electability. However, it is time to keep up the pressure on the Trump Administration AND Congress to get to the truth.

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 15:25:16
Quote by trojanrabbit:
Quote by Raine:
I will say this now and again -- even if congress does NOTHING the Feds can and mostly will have all of this before a Grand Jury.

IT will be in NY or Virginia.


This is the first time I've heard this was possible. How far up the food chain can they go?
All it takes is a subpoena. -- I heard this from a constitutional specialist yesterday on the local news radio station.

One prosecutor, one subpoena. One person before Trump cleans out house at the federal level.

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 15:28:02
Quote by Scoopster:


I truly hope so.

This is all overwhelming.

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 15:30:54
Holy Shite.






Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/15/2017 16:01:41
Quote by Raine:
Holy Shite.







Is the he Flynn, Trump or Pence? I fear that America is now on uncharted grounds.


Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/15/2017 16:02:35


So, I guess that the shakedown technique that Donald Trump learned about are now national policy?

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 16:05:46
Quote by Will in Chicago:
Quote by Raine:
Holy Shite.







Is the he Flynn, Trump or Pence? I fear that America is now on uncharted grounds.

tRump.

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 16:06:18

Remember, He was the SANE ONE!

Comment by Will in Chicago on 02/15/2017 16:09:40
Quote by Raine:

Remember, He was the SANE ONE!



Yes. I think that Mattis is following Trump's instructions. The question is whether Trump issued those orders to Mattis after getting told what to do by Stephen Bannon or Vladimir Putin.


Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 16:37:22
Is it me or is like every "meeting" in the WH now just a fan convention Meet & Greet followed by a photo op without cheesy fun poses?

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 16:40:33
Quote by wickedpam:
Is it me or is like every "meeting" in the WH now just a fan convention Meet & Greet followed by a photo op without cheesy fun poses?

Not just you.



Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 16:44:48
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Is it me or is like every "meeting" in the WH now just a fan convention Meet & Greet followed by a photo op without cheesy fun poses?

Not just you.




Right?! And what's with all the pix around the desk?! Didn't Clinton get in trouble for people paying to be in the Oval Office?

Comment by livingonli on 02/15/2017 16:49:20
Good morning, folks. Doctors appointment at 1 PM between days at the outplacement service.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 17:05:01
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, folks. Doctors appointment at 1 PM between days at the outplacement service.



Keep up the good work - seeking a new job is a job in and of itself :D

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 17:08:05
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by livingonli:
Good morning, folks. Doctors appointment at 1 PM between days at the outplacement service.



Keep up the good work - seeking a new job is a job in and of itself :D

Cosigned!

I am really happy to see you doing this!

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 17:08:42
Quote by wickedpam:
Quote by Raine:
Quote by wickedpam:
Is it me or is like every "meeting" in the WH now just a fan convention Meet & Greet followed by a photo op without cheesy fun poses?

Not just you.




Right?! And what's with all the pix around the desk?! Didn't Clinton get in trouble for people paying to be in the Oval Office?

Hypocrisy with that party will not end until he is impeached.

Comment by TriSec on 02/15/2017 17:47:34
I'd be tempted to advise the DC contingent to keep your eye on Fort Belvoir. When will enough be enough?

Comment by Scoopster on 02/15/2017 18:04:35
So the past week or so I've noticed that I've started slipping back into the pattern of falling asleep at the computer instead of going to bed (cuz I'm constantly trying to keep up with this mess), which is really bad since I don't have the sleep mask on. Then I wake up at 1-2AM all groggy and finally get to the bed. I've even tried going to bed even earlier, which ends up with me falling asleep while watching anime or gaming livecast or movie, again with no mask on.

End result: I wake up in a fog and with a migraine from lack of quality sleep, and I'm a mess the entire day, then I get home and I'm wiped out and the same thing happens.

Comment by Scoopster on 02/15/2017 18:15:17



Comment by Scoopster on 02/15/2017 18:40:46
Pudzer's nomination is going down big time - 4 confirmed GOP no votes, and another 8 are possible.

Comment by BobR on 02/15/2017 18:48:19
Quote by Scoopster:
Pudzer's nomination is going down big time - 4 confirmed GOP no votes, and another 8 are possible.

wow - tRumpy is finally getting some pushback from his own party?

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 19:49:53
Quote by Scoopster:


HOLEE POOP.

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 19:52:16
Quote by Scoopster:
So the past week or so I've noticed that I've started slipping back into the pattern of falling asleep at the computer instead of going to bed (cuz I'm constantly trying to keep up with this mess), which is really bad since I don't have the sleep mask on. Then I wake up at 1-2AM all groggy and finally get to the bed. I've even tried going to bed even earlier, which ends up with me falling asleep while watching anime or gaming livecast or movie, again with no mask on.

End result: I wake up in a fog and with a migraine from lack of quality sleep, and I'm a mess the entire day, then I get home and I'm wiped out and the same thing happens.



I am pretty sure you aren't; alone is having a disrupted Life.


HE can't be gone soon enough Scoop.

This can't be the next few years.

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 19:55:01
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Scoopster:
Pudzer's nomination is going down big time - 4 confirmed GOP no votes, and another 8 are possible.

wow - tRumpy is finally getting some pushback from his own party?

That Puzder didn't have enough votes is VERY striking to me. Repubs are not rubber stamping tRump anymore.
DeVos was a crack in the ice, then Flynn, now Pudzer.

This is all good news for the country. Remember when we talked about the ship and it not being so easy to turn around?

We are back at that point again. I really believe that we have a lot more shit that has to go down, but this ship will not sink.

Comment by wickedpam on 02/15/2017 20:08:47
Quote by Raine:
Quote by Scoopster:
So the past week or so I've noticed that I've started slipping back into the pattern of falling asleep at the computer instead of going to bed (cuz I'm constantly trying to keep up with this mess), which is really bad since I don't have the sleep mask on. Then I wake up at 1-2AM all groggy and finally get to the bed. I've even tried going to bed even earlier, which ends up with me falling asleep while watching anime or gaming livecast or movie, again with no mask on.

End result: I wake up in a fog and with a migraine from lack of quality sleep, and I'm a mess the entire day, then I get home and I'm wiped out and the same thing happens.



I am pretty sure you aren't; alone is having a disrupted Life.


HE can't be gone soon enough Scoop.

This can't be the next few years.


Ditto that. I've not been sleeping well since before the election at this point. So you're definitely not alone.


Comment by Scoopster on 02/15/2017 20:12:34
Comment by BobR on 02/15/2017 20:15:18
Comment by BobR on 02/15/2017 20:16:44
Quote by Raine:
Quote by BobR:
Quote by Scoopster:
Pudzer's nomination is going down big time - 4 confirmed GOP no votes, and another 8 are possible.

wow - tRumpy is finally getting some pushback from his own party?

That Puzder didn't have enough votes is VERY striking to me. Repubs are not rubber stamping tRump anymore.
DeVos was a crack in the ice, then Flynn, now Pudzer.

This is all good news for the country. Remember when we talked about the ship and it not being so easy to turn around?

We are back at that point again. I really believe that we have a lot more shit that has to go down, but this ship will not sink.

Now that it seems defeat is imminent, he withdraws the nomination - likely to save face. No one is going to buy any bullshit story on this one.

Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 20:24:02

OMG! This is hysterical!

Next up. CORN!




Comment by Raine on 02/15/2017 22:17:46
This has been a day.

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