"Only Day 70"

By the calendar, maybe. But each day sure feels sort of like dog years elapsed.

It's only Day 70.

And a fmr. Trump official is already asking for immunity to testify in an investigation of POTUS & his campaign aides.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 30, 2017

Here's that video—Mike Flynn in September 2016: "When you are given immunity, that means that you have probably committed a crime." pic.twitter.com/HqzmQrUPGy

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 31, 2017

Hillary Clinton was interviewed by the FBI, testified for 11 hours before Congress, and made countless public statements without immunity.

— Armando (@armandodkos) March 31, 2017

Flashback—Flynn at the RNC: "Lock her up! That's right. Yep, that's right. Lock her up!" pic.twitter.com/179Z9qD1M1

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 31, 2017

Targets

https://t.co/dy22EHqw2V

— Jeff Pegues (@jeffpeguescbs) March 31, 2017

A suggestion from testimony at Senate Intel hearings—

Former FBI special agent Clint Watts ... told the committee that the Russians may now be trying to cover their tracks.

"Follow the trail of dead Russians," Watts said. "There's been more dead Russians in the past three months that are tied to this investigation who have assets in banks all over the world."

Sarah Posner: Today's Russia hearings actually revealed something new and important. Which was Clinton Watts startling the Senate committee by explaining with what serious journalists and researchers had known—

According to Watts (who was backed up by other witnesses who testified), the Russians have been using "active measures," which are built on propaganda tactics that date back to Soviet times, to spread disinformation, fear, confusion, and chaos in multiple democratic countries, including the United States.

These efforts include the use of visible Kremlin propaganda outlets, such as RT and Sputnik, to publish false news stories and conspiracy theories. Russian actors then deploy social media bots to spread these false stories far and wide. In the U.S., Watts said, the goal has been to provoke the Trump into repeating them or retweeting them to his millions of followers.

In a moment that stunned the hearing room, Watts flatly stated that the president himself has become a cog in such Russian measures. When asked by Oklahoma Republican James Lankford, who appeared visibly dismayed, why, if Russians have long used these methods, they finally worked in this election cycle, Watts' answer was extraordinary.

"I think this answer is very simple and is one no one is really saying in this room," he said. Part of the reason, he went on, "is the commander in chief has used Russian active measures at times against his opponents."

For instance,

Intel chairman says Russia hired more than 1000 hackers to create fake, anti-Clinton news in key states, won by Trump. @jeffpeguescbs, now pic.twitter.com/mmRBcE4qCu

— CBS Evening News (@CBSEveningNews) March 29, 2017

Also, extensive operations targeting journalists and others.

2. Around the time the NYT profiled my Hillary work, Russian media went after me and Russian accounts threatened to slit my throat.

— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) March 30, 2017

.@leeladaou 4. Nearly 20 years in politics and until 2016 I'd never faced systematic foreign threats simply for participating in the democratic process.

— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) March 30, 2017

.@leeladaou 6. It seems easy for some people to dismiss #TrumpRussia, but I know how serious their efforts were to intimidate and propagandize.

— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) March 30, 2017

.@leeladaou 8. After everything we've learned, it's laughable to pretend #Russia didn't impact the 2016 election. OF COURSE THEY DID.
cc #Nunes #Flynn

— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) March 30, 2017

.@leeladaou 10. There were myriad factors that led to the November 8 outcome, but to say Russia isn't one of them is to make a mockery of reality.

— Peter Daou (@peterdaou) March 30, 2017

No One Could Have Predicted

That George W. Bush would coin the all-purpose punchline for the Trump era...

What George W. Bush Really Thought of Donald Trump's Inauguration

That was some weird shit.
Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call,Inc.

Tuesday Morning, Day 68

Only Tuesday; only morning...

Flagging—The Trump administration sought to block Sally Yates from testifying to Congress on Russia, per WaPo https://t.co/Bzcqh64I6s pic.twitter.com/DzFgydDiBw

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 28, 2017

Interesting: Nunes cancelled hearing w/ Sally Yates same day Yates' lawyer notified the W.H. she would still testify to House Intel Cmte. https://t.co/8YSckSeeZ1

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 28, 2017

Sally Yates pushed back on Trump admin: "Ms Yates should not be obligated to refuse to provide non-classified facts" https://t.co/Bzcqh64I6s pic.twitter.com/Cn5IpxeEpC

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 28, 2017

Interesting—Jeremy Bash implies Sally Yates had revelations for House Intel about when she told WH that Flynn lied. Nunes nixed the hearing. pic.twitter.com/vKCd1jdoc5

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 28, 2017

Bash: "An elaborately choreographed gag order on Sally Yates."

Ready, Set, Sign

Make America great pollution unregulated again!

70 year old man poisoning the earth to make his even older pals a little bit richer. https://t.co/llcN7ezsyP

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 28, 2017

"Kids, I'm signing papers here that's going to ruin the planet for you. I'm a psychopath and you will curse my name when you are older." pic.twitter.com/UyP3M9zXxP

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 28, 2017

"This is 'The Living Will Envy the Dead Act.' I have no idea why we're doing this, I just sign what Steve hands me."

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 28, 2017

I always forget about Bannon's involvement with the biosphere.https://t.co/JJz3AQ4c6J

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 28, 2017

Why do I feel like a Thiel is building a giant biobunker in New Zealand for all these mugs to survive the chaos they wrought?

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 28, 2017

What, Us Suspicious?

MUST READ-> Spicer personally arranged for CIA head & GOP intel cmte chairs (Nunes/Burr) to kill #TrumpRussia story. https://t.co/8XkoC1yWZP

— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) February 27, 2017

Did Nunes' intel come from WH? Neither DNI, FBI nor NSA logged visit from him on key night. Via @gregpmiller @karoun https://t.co/bLaO3T8BIu

— Rosalind Helderman (@PostRoz) March 27, 2017

TPM: Nunes Met Source On WH Grounds Before Making Trump Surveillance Claims

AS PREDICTED: Nunes Source was WH staffer googling names on Classified Internet. He must Resign fm HPSCI https://t.co/eji0XPnZYM via @TPM

— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) March 27, 2017

Pretty much anybody willing to get on the Trump train early should be assumed either a Russian agent or a spineless idiot now, I think. pic.twitter.com/zTKsrfmfPu

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 27, 2017

Nunes looks like a guy worried about getting near any upper story window. pic.twitter.com/LXx8aM1uVq

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 28, 2017

Can we just bring them all in for questioning? pic.twitter.com/BtDKJQso9E

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 27, 2017

In Other News of Unidicted Co-conspirators...

New news: Trump removes aide with clear Russian ties as FBI investigation heats up. In this case—just to narrow the category of "Trump aide with clear Russian ties"—it's Boris Epshteyn.

And news that's only now reported:

NYT reports last month Giuliani & Michael Mukasey traveled to Turkey to meet w/ Erdogan on behalf of this new client https://t.co/vY6YTSTP4G https://t.co/93rDler8kN

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 28, 2017

No "Violent Extremism" To See Here

So said the Trump administration, when it re-branded violent extremism as unique to Muslims.

The State of New York has disagreed, charging Timothy Caughman's killer with terrorism as well as counts of murder.

Caughman was the latest victim added to the growing list of hate crimes found unworthy of the slightest comment by Trump and Co.

Spicer asked about an avowed white supremacist killing a black man. His answer was on "rush to judgment by the left" over JCC bomb threats.

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) March 27, 2017

Reporter yells q about white supremacist who killed a black man in NYC. "Is that a hate crime, sir." Sessions keeps walking. No answer.

— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) March 27, 2017

And their allies...

A white supremacist drives from MD to NYC to stab a random black man to death & news reports compliment his attire? https://t.co/4lrr3TmbY5

— JJ MacNab (@jjmacnab) March 22, 2017

It does if it's a legendarily racist tabloid https://t.co/bd7XIBVe80

— Roy Edroso (@edroso) March 23, 2017

Jamelle Bouie sees Caughman's murder in its historical context: white terrorist murder of a black man as lynching.

Standing on line waiting to vote I love america󾓦󾓦󾓦 pic.twitter.com/jVAeLXtUAq

— timothy caughman (@timrock715) November 8, 2016

Timothy Caughman was an American above all else. He was killed by a white supremacist in MY city. This IS NOT America. #BlackLivesMatter https://t.co/RvsNwHPZuR

— Emanuel Zbeda (@therealezway) March 22, 2017

New Week, Fresh Nepotism

Those questions about Ivanka...

Gov't watchdogs to W.H. Counsel: Give Ivanka an official title or risk conflict of interests w/ her business. https://t.co/bOQTQBGeKw pic.twitter.com/aCgpst7fdx

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 26, 2017

... They're so last week.... On Sunday at 10 pm, here's the Washington Post: Trump taps Kushner to lead a SWAT team to fix government with business ideas.

"We need to run America more like a business!" - People whose parents gave them a business

— Mike Drucker (@MikeDrucker) March 27, 2017

Aside from the current particulars of who will divide the spoils, it's the usual GOP-Heritage-Business Roundtable template. In that regard, the WaPo's story doesn't sound very different from pro-privatization puff pieces of the last 25 or so years...

President Trump plans to unveil a new White House office on Monday with sweeping authority to overhaul the federal bureaucracy and fulfill key campaign promises — such as reforming care for veterans and fighting opioid addiction — by harvesting ideas from the business world and, potentially, privatizing some government functions.

The White House Office of American Innovation, to be led by Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and senior adviser, will operate as its own nimble power center within the West Wing and will report directly to Trump. Viewed internally as a SWAT team of strategic consultants, the office will be staffed by former business executives and is designed to infuse fresh thinking into Washington, float above the daily political grind and create a lasting legacy for a president still searching for signature achievements.

It would seem, in Kushner's spare time—when he's not bringing peace to the Middle East.

WaPo's Philip Rucker puffs (and fluffs) away—

Kushner's ambitions for what the new office can achieve are grand. At least to start, the team plans to focus its attention on reimagining Veterans Affairs; modernizing the technology and data infrastructure of every federal department and agency; remodeling workforce-training programs; and developing "transformative projects" under the banner of Trump’s $1 trillion infrastructure plan, such as providing broadband Internet service to every American.

In some cases, the office could direct that government functions be privatized, or that existing contracts be awarded to new bidders.

The office will also focus on combating opioid abuse, a regular emphasis for Trump on the campaign trail. The president later this week plans to announce an official drug commission devoted to the problem that will be chaired by New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R). He has been working informally on the issue for several weeks with Kushner, despite reported tension between the two."

With malice toward all government; with spoils for some.

Also: a nice diversion from this.

Kushner reportedly met w/ the head of a Russian bank—at the request of the Russian Amb (& hadn't made it public yet) https://t.co/014QKQCiNg pic.twitter.com/HqSZIFjFHI

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 27, 2017

This is a big deal: Kushner surely discussed Russia w Trump, and during campaign & transition, so no exec privilege https://t.co/zugzNS1hLc

— Norm Eisen (@NormEisen) March 27, 2017

Over here! Lean, mean, profit-generating machine; not at all aligned to certain ideologies...

The work of White House chief strategist Stephen K. Bannon has drawn considerable attention, especially after his call for the "deconstruction of the administrative state." But Bannon will have no formal role in the innovation office, which Trump advisers described as an incubator of sleek transformation as opposed to deconstruction.

But what about creative destruction? Here comes the supposed re-branding—

Kushner is positioning the new office as "an offensive team" — an aggressive, nonideological ideas factory capable of attracting top talent from both inside and outside of government, and serving as a conduit with the business, philanthropic and academic communities.

"We should have excellence in government," Kushner said Sunday in an interview in his West Wing office. "The government should be run like a great American company. Our hope is that we can achieve successes and efficiencies for our customers, who are the citizens."

In other words...

... run government like a business... pic.twitter.com/ZCq7SZuwfp

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 27, 2017

... run government like a business... pic.twitter.com/OuTTrLljl6

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 27, 2017

And,

That, "I'm going to be here for 50 years after you two mooks are dust to enjoy all the cash I'm raking in on this gig" look. pic.twitter.com/NF9qIpw0Oj

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 27, 2017

Golf War

A golden oldie—from when the Executive Branch was not one they owned, and it was composed of functioning adults.

Trump and president obsma both golf but trump doesn't charge the taxpayers $920,000 for a golf weekend in florida.

— Newt Gingrich (@newtgingrich) March 8, 2013

“I’m going to be working for you. I’m not going to have time to go play golf,” Trump said in Virginia last August. pic.twitter.com/GuMg02tt5o

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 26, 2017

And, most of Obama's games were played on government courses, not as brand promotion. pic.twitter.com/XcPE1r90gx

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 25, 2017

Went to the golf course to take meetings was a really brilliant cover story though. https://t.co/mxoxrnrlRX

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 26, 2017

Trump back at his Virginia golf course today, his THIRD VISIT to a Trump-branded property in TWO DAYS https://t.co/G91qXip5uK

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 26, 2017

I think golf is Trump's rocking in a fetal position. https://t.co/pLhJRM8em1

— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) March 26, 2017

Dignity, Always Dignity

Most especially, in diplomatic matters...

Trump is worse than you could have imagined, even knowing that he's worse than you could have imagined. https://t.co/BEnukQbXV8

— Paul Krugman (@paulkrugman) March 26, 2017

Worse? Oh, it always will be worse; that figure didn't include the "interest" History's Best Negotiator decided to add...

Oh so we're charging interest? Dear World: Just tell him to FUCK OFF. pic.twitter.com/wk4k1wetHH

— Elliott Lusztig (@ezlusztig) March 26, 2017

pic.twitter.com/IrNpG7irqu

— Elliott Lusztig (@ezlusztig) March 26, 2017

Merkel: "This isn't Mar-a-Lago, Donny. It's NATO." pic.twitter.com/QnfijDzd81

— Elliott Lusztig (@ezlusztig) March 26, 2017

Ix-nay On The Oney-may

.@EricTrump will share business updates with father 'probably quarterly' https://t.co/a7tzeURxJK pic.twitter.com/WHNKnSbA9o

— POLITICO (@politico) March 25, 2017

Whatever, just keeping the massive conflict of interest casual. NBD. https://t.co/Ehqdj8mqEH

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 25, 2017

Outsourcing

The Fox-viewer-in-Chief knows just how to delegate!

NOTE: The first thing Jeanine Pirro said tonight: "Paul Ryan needs to step down as Speaker of the House." https://t.co/kIPnvzXnBQ

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 26, 2017

Selma to Montgomery Anniversary

March 21-25, 1965. To prevent the police violence directed at all previous attempts, Lyndon Johnson had sent federal troops to escort the marchers. This year's anniversary ends without comment from the part-time current occupant of the White House.

The silence is telling. But history is eloquent, and suggests an arc that must bend away from silence and denial.

The Kings in Montgomery, closing Selma March, today 1965: #Adelman pic.twitter.com/Bn72iGKsoi

— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) March 25, 2017

The Best Recruiter

This needs to be bigger news. Trump appears to be fulfilling his promise to carpet bomb ISIS. Record civilian deaths-1,000 dead this month. https://t.co/rJIuMJvB2v

— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) March 25, 2017

After airstrikes killing as many as 200 civilians, Iraqi officer says rules of engagement relaxed under Trump. https://t.co/fNhYV8XXG6 pic.twitter.com/KYotZcYkY3

— DavidKenner (@DavidKenner) March 25, 2017

I'm old enough to remember a time when "relaxed rules of engagement" meant a war crime. https://t.co/y1DxPVCHcK

— Hend Amry (@LibyaLiberty) March 25, 2017

This is a huge story. If true, it's likely the largest massacre of civilians by the U.S. military since Vietnam. And Iraq is blaming Trump. https://t.co/ozIHYli48z

— Brandon Friedman (@BFriedmanDC) March 25, 2017

Republicans: US may say 100s of civilian deaths in Mosul were accidental. Extremists have tape. - https://t.co/mn2I5fQKni via @thedailybeast

— Elliott Lusztig (@ezlusztig) March 25, 2017

Truth In Labeling

The staffer who came up w/ this acronym deserves a raise.

Making Access Records Available to Lead American Government Openness (MAR-A-LAGO) pic.twitter.com/o3XEQf4ett

— Cate Martel (@CateMartel) March 24, 2017

AHCA: DOA

House Rs voted over 60x to repeal Obamacare while Obama was president. They voted 0 times on it under Trump, and are now ready to move on.

— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) March 24, 2017

Shakezula posts a great read, in full; here's one choice part—

Even with the usual and necessary warnings about the potential for Republican huggery, muggery and thuggery, I think the Business Insider's portrayal of today's events is spot on.

GOP DISASTER: 'TRUMPCARE' VOTE PULLED DESPITE ULTIMATUM

GOP leadership pulled the American Health Care Act from what looked almost certain to be a failed floor vote Friday, in a blow to President Donald Trump's agenda and House Speaker Paul Ryan's leadership of his caucus.

The move came as it became clear that Republicans did not have enough votes to pass their bill to repeal and replace Obamacare.

The GOP had seven years to come up with a plan that could baffle enough people with bullshit, a clear majority in the House and a president who may have mentioned his ability to make deals one or twice. Yet chest beating and posturing was followed by scrambling and gibbering and then: They. Choked.

More accurately, they engaged in a heavy bout of auto-asphyxiation.

icing on the cake: Trump's promise of revenge, which will surely include Paul Ryan.

All in all, a day that inspires one to dream big...

If Trump keeps his promise to block future efforts to repeal Obamacare, that means GOP suddenly takes an interest in impeachment, right?

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) March 24, 2017

Strongarming While Tiny-Handed

Last night...

Several Trump advisers today urged him to tell the House that the vote is happening Friday and if they're going to burn him, he'll remember

— Robert Costa (@costareports) March 24, 2017

Late tonight Trump told confidants that he is now ready to see who's with him and who's against him, that the wooing & chatty calls are done

— Robert Costa (@costareports) March 24, 2017

Oh, but surely he never read what the ghost wrote...

Comic relief on a sad night in health care history: An excerpt from @realDonaldTrump's 2000 book, "The America We Deserve:" pic.twitter.com/vqOpwnGXO2

— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) March 24, 2017

Threatening...

Trump threatens: I will leave ObamaCare in place if GOP bill fails https://t.co/GNo2Vzm2vi pic.twitter.com/sOjeQLXHyH

— The Hill (@thehill) March 24, 2017

Obamacare is 13 points more popular than Trump. https://t.co/O8zhF2VS7Z

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 24, 2017

Trump has art of the dealed his way into making healthcare completely beside the point to a loyalty test to him.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 24, 2017

In the end, anything at stake will probably come to this...

If America survives, it will be because the people trying to sell it for parts don't really care to do their jobs. https://t.co/3AWjFt3Mmg

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) March 24, 2017

Plus...

"I will smite you down from my drowning in scandal throne with the awesome power of my 37% approval rating!" https://t.co/7MpLLxHzR4

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 24, 2017

Coordination Is King

Rudy Giuliani just spotted leaving the White House.

— Alex Mallin (@alex_mallin) March 23, 2017

There must be a colorful mob term for the "get the stories straight" sit down. https://t.co/Z7K4pMHSqi

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 24, 2017

Some tweets from that guy the Trump admin is suddenly unfamiliar with during the month the campaign fell under FBI investigation 🙄 pic.twitter.com/2hE8rCjhwx

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) March 23, 2017

Devin Nunes Just Now: Paul Manafort has volunteered to do an interview with the House Intel Committee.

— Yashar (@yashar) March 24, 2017

Under oath? Sounds like not https://t.co/OvOqPQYdqX

— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 24, 2017

BREAKING: Chairman just cancelled open Intelligence Committee hearing with Clapper, Brennan and Yates in attempt to choke off public info.

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 24, 2017

The Plot Quickens?

The National Enquirer--which has close ties to Trump world--is now turning on Mike Flynn. pic.twitter.com/N2vZBN5lDF

— Ken Dilanian (@KenDilanianNBC) March 24, 2017

What the ... this is going to yield allot of pain for the Donald when Flynn & his son start to talk. Mark my words. https://t.co/Wrs8scPlD6

— Malcolm Nance (@MalcolmNance) March 24, 2017

"Not A Big Media Press Access Person"

Tillerson, the nation's top diplomat, tells only journalist on his trip: "I'm not a big media press access person." https://t.co/ebQ9JfWfFM pic.twitter.com/dkwovduI2B

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 18, 2017

Oh, all right then: he really didn't want this job.

Understandable, when he's more of a denying-climate-change-under-an-assumed-name type person...

Oopsie! About those e-mails Eric Schneiderman wanted to see...

Um, why is nobody talking about this? https://t.co/6gP18ujD3K pic.twitter.com/aIem2I5mHr

— Emily Atkin (@emorwee) March 21, 2017

We might add: "Not a big diplomacy person"...

Exclusive: Tillerson plans to skip NATO meeting, visit Russia in April - sources https://t.co/ncVxYPvgTW

— Reuters Top News (@Reuters) March 21, 2017

"And then I told NATO to get bent, just like you told me to." pic.twitter.com/CfwyQzWA3n

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 21, 2017

Hermitage Capital lawyer Nikolai Gorokhov, who was thrown from Moscow apartment block today, was to give evidence in Magnitsky case tomorrow pic.twitter.com/uzQNICl5VU

— Jason Corcoran (@jason_corcoran) March 21, 2017

Tillerson is skipping a NATO meeting to go meet his buddies in Moscow. Bet they'll have a big laugh over this! https://t.co/nB2cblXXli

— Roy Edroso (@edroso) March 22, 2017

Time's Running Out

They've only had 7 years to come up with something!

President Trump sounds ready to get health care reform behind him https://t.co/8CcK0jeHcs pic.twitter.com/fi3wbvV545

— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 21, 2017

Weekend's coming! https://t.co/kvHNhXwh1U

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 21, 2017

Trump strong arming for votes a day after it's revealed that he's under FBI investigation and lied about something huge. Good timing!

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 21, 2017

Investigation, Shminvestigation

If you missed yesterday's congressional hearing with FBI Dir. James Comey, you didn't miss much... pic.twitter.com/AnJdtWcGxK

— FOX & friends (@foxandfriends) March 21, 2017

Especially the boring part about Trump bein' under FBI criminal investigation for collusion with a foreign adversary.https://t.co/CIDhxJMvCK

— Tea Pain (@TeaPainUSA) March 21, 2017

Code of D'oh-mertà

Here's the video: House Intel Chmn Nunes tells @DavidCornDC he's never heard of Carter Page or Roger Stone —via @MSNBC pic.twitter.com/y3wJeOoHUt

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 20, 2017

"There was a lot of names"... Let me venture a guess: he hasn't heard of those, either.

In other words,

@kylegriffin1 @DavidCornDC @MSNBC. "I did not have sexual relations with those Trump campaign operatives."

— William B. Turner (@wbtphdjd) March 21, 2017

Eyes Off The Ball

Meanwhile, in the Senate a matter of some import quietly went by ...

"I don't like activist judges," said a senator who wanted the Supreme Court to repeal the Affordable Care Act.

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) March 20, 2017

... Requisite charm offensive launched. It may be convincing only in showing Gorsuch has been rehearsed by his handlers, yet it's sure to satisfy the media.

The Judge Gorsuch who spoke in the Senate today is nothing like the man who wrote his opinions https://t.co/VNhTrsNUZH pic.twitter.com/ss4zf3SHIy

— Ian Millhiser (@imillhiser) March 21, 2017

Ignoring Is Bliss

Comey just confirmed both political parties were hacked in 2016 by Russians—but that only Democratic info was released.

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 20, 2017

Here's that moment: Comey confirms the Russians hacked both Dems & Republicans, but didn't release any GOP info https://t.co/OvKyiXJznd pic.twitter.com/iP1vAu51M9

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 20, 2017

For being Republicans, they sure are determined to ignore the elephant in the room.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 20, 2017

The house is on fire, Trump is running around with a box of matches, and the GOP demands to know who called the fire department.

— Garry Kasparov (@Kasparov63) March 20, 2017

Narrative Accomplished

So the ridiculous wiretap meltdown has served its intended purpose.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 20, 2017

Begun over three months before the election; could take at least another four years?

Revised big headline: FBI investigation of Trump-Russia coordination began more than 3 months before Election Day

— Michael Isikoff (@Isikoff) March 20, 2017

Backup is in place...

There are literally 2 different hearings going on right now: the @HouseIntelComm GOP hearing on leaks, and the Dem hearing on Trump/Russia.

— Joy Reid (@JoyAnnReid) March 20, 2017

Early Risers

Trump is freaking out this morning. It has to be the congressional hearings. pic.twitter.com/CGWyyShLG3

— John Aravosis (@aravosis) March 20, 2017

Rep. Adam Schiff rips Trump's new Russia tweets: "Please stop." pic.twitter.com/ZOngWcx1Gy

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 20, 2017

Fmr. U.S. Amb. to Russia: "The Russians attacked us last year...And our president denies it. Very scary." pic.twitter.com/pLFzToT3S7

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 20, 2017

People who make up wiretapping stories and hire National Security Advisors who believe in Pizzagate shouldn't be complaining about fake news https://t.co/ktuv6pdCZT

— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) March 20, 2017

Reading [Between The Lines] Comprehension

When ProPublica published its report on the sketchy characters secretively installed throughout agencies, the clear read was wrecking crew, as well as minders. Here's the WsPo, with more on the latter: White House installs political aides at Cabinet agencies to be Trump's eyes and ears

Most members of President Trump's Cabinet do not yet have leadership teams in place or even nominees for top deputies. But they do have an influential coterie of senior aides installed by the White House who are charged — above all — with monitoring the secretaries' loyalty, according to eight officials in and outside the administration.

This shadow government of political appointees with the title of senior White House adviser is embedded at every Cabinet agency, with offices in or just outside the secretary's suite. The White House has installed at least 16 of the advisers at departments including Energy and Health and Human Services and at some smaller agencies such as NASA, according to records first obtained by ProPublica through a Freedom of Information Act request.

These aides report not to the secretary, but to the Office of Cabinet Affairs, which is overseen by Rick Dearborn, a White House deputy chief of staff, according to administration officials. A top Dearborn aide, John Mashburn, leads a weekly conference call with the advisers, who are in constant contact with the White House.

The aides act as a go-between on policy matters for the agencies and the White House. Behind the scenes, though, they're on another mission: to monitor Cabinet leaders and their top staffs to make sure they carry out the president's agenda and don't stray too far from the White House's talking points, said several officials with knowledge of the arrangement.

In Plain English

Here's where we begin our investigation into Russian interference – with circumstantial evidence of collusion & direct evidence of deception pic.twitter.com/1tobpyCjkj

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 19, 2017

Legends Passed

Chuck Berry: 1926-2017 https://t.co/g9V58YpfCC via @Glenn__Kenny pic.twitter.com/ysI6c3RvXR

— RogerEbert.com (@ebertvoices) March 19, 2017

Excellent read: Luke Dittrich in Esquire, December 2011.

Pierce, on Berry, and another writer who died this week: Chuck Berry and Jimmy Breslin Reinvented the English Language—

I saw her from the corner when she turned and doubled back

And started walkin' toward a coffee colored Cadillac

I was pushin' through the crowd to get to where she's at

And I was campaign shouting like a southern diplomat

There are not five better lyrics in all of American music better than that verse. Hell, I'm not entirely sure if I can come up with five better verses in all of English poetry if you spotted me Mr. Yeats and the entire Oxford Anthology. The comic desperation of the protagonist is impeccably limned. The meter's perfect, the imagery sublime. Have you ever seen a coffee-colored Cadillac? Me, neither, but I have heard Southern diplomats campaign-shoutin'. I surely know what that's about so, yeah, I trust the poet on the Cadillac, too.

Chuck Berry invented the language of rock and roll and, through that, reinvented the English language for several generations. He did it in that most American way possible, the way Mark Twain did it, or Walt Whitman, or Kerouac. He did it by experimenting, by playing with the language as though it were the greatest toy he'd ever found. Consider the other things he did with it.

As I was motorvatin' up over the hill/I saw Maybellene in a Coupe de Ville. (Maybellene)

You'd motorvated in your time, too. You just didn't know the word for it.

Pay phone, somethin' wrong, dime gone, will mail/ I ought to sue the operator for tellin' me a tale

Ah, too much monkey business, too much monkey business/ Too much monkey business for me to be involved in. (Too Much Monkey Business)

Close observation of the human condition. (You had similar botheration last week, didn't you?) And, from it, Bob Dylan was inspired to write "Subterranean Homesick Blues."

They furnished off an apartment with a two room Roebuck sale/ The coolerator was crammed with TV dinners and ginger ale. (C'est La Vie).

Coolerator. It's where you get the cold drink after a hard day of motorvatin' and campaign shoutin', I guess.

And, finally, the restatement of the American Dream for a new century, just the way Walt Whitman yawped it in the streets of Manhattan.

His mother told him, "Someday you will be a man,/ And you will be the leader of a big old band.

Many people coming from miles around/ To hear you play your music when the sun go down.

Maybe someday your name will be in lights/ Saying 'Johnny B. Goode tonight'."

That "maybe" is the poet's touch. It's depthless in its possibilities. It might happen. It might not happen. But it has a chance to happen, and that's all that ever has mattered in America. That chance. Of course, the possibility gets a little brighter when you hang it on that riff. The Riff. The only Riff. The riff that reached across the Atlantic and into Keith Richards and John Lennon and also reached all the way down through the years, like the faint echoes of The Big Bang, unto the generations.

The Sound Of Silencing

White nationalist Richard Spencer is an absentee landlord of a cotton farm that gets millions in federal subsidies https://t.co/DfmWY5q9pN

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 18, 2017

Hey buddy, that song you love was written by my uncle. He's been married to my other uncle for 40 years. And he's a Jew.

Sing it proud. https://t.co/yrL4242sl5

— Jason Kander (@JasonKander) March 18, 2017

Where In The World Is...

Wayne Tracker? We know he's incummunicado to media, other than Fox.

Rear Window: North Korean soldier takes a photo of Rex Tillerson at the DMZ pic.twitter.com/EHCIR3Fjo6

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 17, 2017

Clinton: Visited most countries as SecState.

Kerry: Traveled most miles as SecState.

Tillerson: https://t.co/wK8gawfv81

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 17, 2017

US Secy of State Tillerson cut short his visit to S. Korea because of "fatigue," Korean officials tell Korea Herald https://t.co/4LQjzeWRUG

— Glenn Kessler (@GlennKesslerWP) March 17, 2017

South Korean officials say Tillerson declined to dine with the country's leaders because of his "fatigue." https://t.co/CiEWyGDdaH

— Yaroslav Trofimov (@yarotrof) March 17, 2017

Overnight, Tillerson said no talks, military strike 'on the table' https://t.co/LQMYZXr82x
Meantime, foreign relations in 140 characters: https://t.co/Uie8YKCzwp

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 17, 2017

Deluxe Wrecking Crew

Charles Pierce has read Bannon's "Comprehensive Plan For Reorganizing The Executive Branch," signed by Trump yesterday.

...the fine print of the measure shows that it is likely more a creature of Bannon's professed love for vandalism for its own sake. From the order itself:

The proposed plan shall include, as appropriate, recommendations to eliminate unnecessary agencies, components of agencies, and agency programs, and to merge functions. The proposed plan shall include recommendations for any legislation or administrative measures necessary to achieve the proposed reorganization.

This "reorganization" of the executive departments sounds very much like how a polar bear "reorganizes" your innards prior to making a meal of you. That the job has been handed officially to a guy who doesn't believe in what many of those agencies do—and, unofficially, to a guy who wants to blow them up simply to see how pretty the shrapnel is—gives something of a lie to the public face of the initiative as a good-government effort to root out the unholy trinity of waste, fraud, and abuse.

This isn't a cost-cutting measure. It's a function-cutting measure. It's not about what the agencies are. It's about what they do. This is like handing a group of drunk teenagers a flamethrower and pointing them toward a lumber yard.

See also: "Special Assistants" and other vaguely-titled moles, installed secretively throughout agencies.

The Friday-night-through-Saturday-afternoon Massacre

Have to say, that's not as catchy a moniker as the one from Nixon's day.

After Trump and Sessions previously claimed they wanted Bharara to stay, late evening on Friday March 10, his name was among the 46 US Attorneys whose resignations were demanded.

Sure, new administrations typically ask for the other party's appointees to resign, but they also have replacements ready.

I did not resign. Moments ago I was fired. Being the US Attorney in SDNY will forever be the greatest honor of my professional life.

— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 11, 2017

There's far from a shortage of motives for his ouster. Bharara had been asked to lead an independent investigation...

Here's the letter from @CREWcrew, asking US Atty Preeet Bharara to look into Trump/Trump org receiving payments from foreign governments. pic.twitter.com/4D7ToiD8dq

— Caroline O. (@RVAwonk) March 11, 2017

... But millions are screaming for investigations, and it doesn't particularly faze Trump.

Maybe he's taking Presidenting lessons from Sean Hannity? The day before the firing, the Fox "personality" had demanded a purge of Obama-appointed USAs.

More likely, Hannity was simply delivering a message from the boss: Put a stop to this.

No, motives are not at all in short supply.

Sen. Warren sees the direct call as a tell—

Preet Bharara had authority over Trump Tower. @realDonaldTrump called him directly, breaching protocol. 24 hrs later he was asked to resign.

— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2017

Bingo?

Flashback: In 2013, Putin banned Preet Bharara from Russia. https://t.co/Mn3j7lO8Nv pic.twitter.com/9T0GkmnWWW

— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) March 11, 2017

B.I.N.G....

One Russian @PreetBharara convicted did arms & drug deals for Igor Sechin—CEO of the Russian oil co in dossier.@StevenTDennis #trumprussia pic.twitter.com/zPvkahPXoD

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 12, 2017

.@PreetBharara convicted Edwin Ting who ran biggest NYC illegal gambling ring—inside of Trump Towers—organized by Russian mob #trumprussia pic.twitter.com/BNJyhkV29x

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 12, 2017

O.... really? Convicted Russians, soon to be released? To where they won't ever be sharing what they may know?

.@StevenTDennis-this says the convicted Russians may have dirt on leaders in Russia @PreetBharara #trumprussiahttps://t.co/lKqu2nizJR

— Scott Dworkin (@funder) March 12, 2017

¿Quien sabe?

Hurrah For International Trade! Reported just this afternoon: Mexico OKs new Trump trademarks for hotels and tourism—

MEXICO CITY (AP) — On Feb. 19, 2016, at a campaign rally in North Charleston, South Carolina, then-candidate Donald Trump gave a stump speech in which he railed against American jobs moving to Mexico: "We lose our jobs, we close our factories, Mexico gets all of the work," he said. "We get nothing."

That same day a law firm in Mexico City quietly filed on behalf of his company for trademarks on his name that would authorize the Trump brand, should it choose, to set up shop in a country with which he has sparred over trade, migration and the planned border wall.

The Trump trademarks have now been granted by the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property, or IMPI for its initials in Spanish. Records show the last three were approved Feb. 21, just over a month after Trump took office, and a fourth was granted last Oct. 6, about a month before the U.S. election.

@AP Trump's trademark win in Mexico for his own private profit must be why the State Dept was cut out of meeting with Mexico's FM on Thurs. pic.twitter.com/KBKmCjAe8F

— meta (@metaquest) March 12, 2017

"Thurs." refers to this "off-camera press briefing" (by phone):

OPERATOR: Thank you. Tracy Wilkinson with Los Angeles Times, please, go ahead. Your line is open.

QUESTION: Hi. Yes, thank you. Hi, Mark. I see that the foreign minister of Mexico is in town, Luis Videgaray, meeting with – according to the Mexicans – Kushner, Gary Cohn, and McMaster. Is there no State Department meeting with him? And if not, why not?

MR TONER: Tracy, good question. We'll take that and get back to you. I was unaware that he was – the foreign minister was in town. And I'm not sure – I can't speak to whether there's going to be any meetings at the State Department at any level. I'll take the question.

When I first glanced at this exchange on Twitter, I read it as no meetings at all—I assumed Videgaray had come to D.C., but had failed to stay at the right hotel. I stand corrected; it's a "smart businessman" who recognizes diplomacy is too good a racket to be left to mere diplomats.

On the other hand, Mexico has had to cancel sugar exports to the US, because "there's no one to negotiate with" at Commerce.

Mexico has been the US's largest source of sugar; immanent shortages and increased prices are sure to hurt Trump voters the most. But, perhaps this is finally cause for gloating that's free of the usual moral dilemma (I'd be glad if Trump voters lost health care, if it weren't for everyone else having to suffer... dilemma.

Today's Firsts

This was to be expected.

Pool: "One of Trump's personal security men entered the Roosevelt Room ... and began yelling loudly for us to clear out" pic.twitter.com/9UP8HqX7SM

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) March 10, 2017

This, on the other hand, is innovative...

State Dept asked NYC Medical Examiner not to disclose cause of death of Russian UN ambassador who died last month pic.twitter.com/WiolTsryEi

— Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) March 10, 2017

..."diplomatic immunity survives his death," says Department of ExxonMobilPutin.

"A," For E.F.F.O.R.T.

Rep. Earl Blumenauer has intro'd the No Taxpayer Revenue Used to Monetize the Presidency Act.

AKA the No TRUMP Act. https://t.co/jvoy25eI6V

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 10, 2017

Name That Tune

Last week, USA Today headline: "Pence used personal e-mail in office" ...

The Matrix is so glitchy lately. pic.twitter.com/mR6QtxUwN5

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 3, 2017

Last night the @AP published my wife's private email address, violating her privacy and our security...

— Vice President Pence (@VP) March 4, 2017

Last night the AP published proof that you routinely sought to dodge Indiana law by conducting state business on a private email system. https://t.co/V0EMjE34dG

— Carl Prine (@CarlPrinetweets) March 4, 2017

An oldie, but goodie, on the IOKIYAR charts. Oddly enough, there's a newly released cover, from 2005...

This is the top of the first page of the first set of Gorsuch documents received today by the Senate Judiciary Committee. pic.twitter.com/8NrE5VP8M0

— Josh Dorner (@JoshDorner) March 9, 2017

Stealth Deconstruction

Not at all surprising, but disturbing to see in detail: "Meet the Hundreds of Officials Trump Has Quietly Installed Across the Government"...

"Beachead teams"—for when you need to storm the defenses of a functioning government.

While President Trump has not moved to fill many jobs that require Senate confirmation, he has quietly installed hundreds of officials to serve as his eyes and ears at every major federal agency, from the Pentagon to the Department of Interior.

Unlike appointees exposed to the scrutiny of the Senate, members of these so-called “beachhead teams” have operated largely in the shadows, with the White House declining to publicly reveal their identities.
...
The list we obtained includes obscure campaign staffers, contributors to Breitbart and others who have embraced conspiracy theories, as well as dozens of Washington insiders who could be reasonably characterized as part of the "swamp" Trump pledged to drain.

The list is striking for how many former lobbyists it contains: We found at least 36, spanning industries from health insurance and pharmaceuticals to construction, energy and finance. Many of them lobbied in the same areas that are regulated by the agencies they have now joined.

ProPublica's writers have organized the names into some major categories:

The Breitbart wing
Swamp denizens, including health care lobbyists hired by HHS Secretary Tom Price
Trump campaign vets — including very young ones

Quite the tell about their qualifications, when all are vaguely "Special Advisor" to this and "Special Assistant" to that; details in this rogue's gallery.

Pitching It

This should knock it clear out of the park...

"Look at them. Look how happy they are. Don't you want them happy?" pic.twitter.com/He40e70Gs6

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 9, 2017

"No, no, no, you've got to look at this from the perspective of people who make $10 million or more per year." pic.twitter.com/IItZgQXNVo

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 9, 2017

They couldn't have called a time out to take Ryan aside and explain how insurance works?

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 9, 2017

Ryan: The whole idea of Obamacare is...the people who are healthy pay for the...sick. It's not working, & that's why it's in a death spiral pic.twitter.com/ztTXrn7bpH

— David Mack (@davidmackau) March 9, 2017

I feel like there was a big political movement in the late 30's that had similar disdain for the weak and sick. https://t.co/2ko3bvhVZN

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 9, 2017

Nixon = Piker

Sure Nixon went to China, but did he license his name for escort services there? Loser. https://t.co/nfoyUFeJQu

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

NOT A JOKE: The Trump Organization has just received its Chinese trademarks to run prostitutes and massage parlors. https://t.co/Li9AfHsH2Y

— Eric Garland (@ericgarland) March 8, 2017

That entire thread is something...

Eric Garland‏...
Oh, by the way, Happy Women's Day from POTUS.

Brian Thamm‏...
...although this could be to ensure his name is not used to run prostitution and massage parlors?

Eric Garland...
@BrianThamm An interesting theory. We could discuss it, but he was supposed to divest himself, and then didn't. These are but details.

Brian Thamm‏...
@ericgarland This is not normal, but also not all that surprising. He said that he didn't have to divest himself - rules didn't apply.

Eric Garland...‏
@BrianThamm Hey, once you've discarded law and tradition, why not your own brand of escort services? Why not, I ask!

Jim Colbert...‏
...So there is a happy ending to this Trump story.

Steven Ehrlich‏...
..."LAID IN CHINA"

bren goode‏...
...his grandfather started the family fortune with brothels so DJT just continues family business !

Remember how racists constantly accused Obama of somehow not respecting the dignity of the office? pic.twitter.com/9V1mfnv5F3

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

Remember, they thought Obama not wearing a jacket in the Oval Office was disgraceful. pic.twitter.com/5wwpOhMPZT

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

Salesmanship

"World's Greatest Healthcare Plan of 2017"

It's like a bunch of kids formed a club in their tree fort and decided to play congress

— Stonekettle (@Stonekettle) March 8, 2017

We didn't run it by the CBO, but we did get a 5 year old to name it.

https://t.co/kyoUuPoQAx pic.twitter.com/BLMW9wTosw

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

Oh, what's in a name...

On the bright side—for anyone in the wrecking crew, or cheering them on—

AARP estimates eyepopping ***$8400 hike in Premiums*** for a 64-year-old making *$15,000* a year under Ryancare, plus copays.

— Steven Dennis (@StevenTDennis) March 8, 2017

Thank God Paul Ryan is going to teach those slacker 80 year olds some bootstrap self reliance.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

It's weird because making people's healthcare worse and more expensive so billionaires get big tax cuts polled so well at Mar-a-Lago.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

A little salesmanship, pitched toward a lower common denominator, is in order...

Trump is an expert on selling an inferior product. pic.twitter.com/wNxlHmeDa4

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

No Don, no. pic.twitter.com/Uytva0AeR6

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

pic.twitter.com/6eUisRgXg8

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

DonCare it is then. https://t.co/KMGRX3c7Pn

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 8, 2017

An Evergreen...

...The poor have it too easy...

"Maybe rather than getting that new iPhone" Americans "should invest in their own healthcare" - Rep. Jason Chaffetz https://t.co/sxWaRohbEh pic.twitter.com/aEWYikdWiw

— CNN (@CNN) March 7, 2017

Chaffetz telling poor to choose health care over iPhones evokes racist 'welfare queen' lie https://t.co/o8JyTRbJqi via @shareblue

— Oliver Willis (@owillis) March 7, 2017

Forget iPhones, this is the level of animosity Fox News has towards poor people pic.twitter.com/OIVhTu14vk

— Dan Hopper (@DanHopp) March 7, 2017

For the wealthy, smartphones can be a luxury—one of many portals to the digital world. For the working poor, they're more often a necessity.

— Yoni Appelbaum (@YAppelbaum) March 7, 2017

Jason Chaffetz doesn't know:
•What healthcare costs
•What an iPhone costs
•Anything

Oh, wait I forgot to make this a poll.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) March 7, 2017

Oh, here's someone to help explain...

Hi @jasoninthehouse you seem pretty unclear on the concept. Let me help: My daughter was premature and cost about 1000 iPhones.

— Sarah DiGregorio (@SarahDiGregorio) March 7, 2017