Today In Pruitt Job Security

Billionaire corporate raider Carl Icahn, who is supposed to be under investigation for abuse of power while serving in the Trump admin, granted a "financial hardship waiver" by the EPA https://t.co/0kv18UJRnj

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) April 30, 2018

The Godly Party

If I had to explain the Republican Party in one sentence to a visitor from another planet, this would be the sentence. https://t.co/xekTY0tG00

— Steve M. (@nomoremister) April 25, 2018

Governor Eric Greitens, who is accused of two felonies, will be the keynote speaker at a law enforcement prayer breakfasthttps://t.co/vQLw9BUdHK

— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) April 24, 2018

Short-sighted Meet Weak-minded

He’s the president and he is responsible for what he says and does, ofc. Still, the constant, repetitive prompting to engage in extreme and harmful behavior sounds to me like nothing so much as a group of students taking advantage of a weak-minded kid. It's profoundly dangerous.

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 10, 2018

Here's how the "red line" conceit entered the national discourse. Trump is on a riff about McCabe's family and how he didn't need any more dirt on Clinton. But the NYT team has something else, a "last thing," they really want to talk about... https://t.co/pts3RWjXt1 pic.twitter.com/RufAOVellx

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 10, 2018

The leading questions are part of an instinct to gin up drama. And, in response to the Trump creature, they undertake this effort to shape his babbling into a narrative that fits how a president is believed to behave.

The questions serve as lifelines; the worst offenders toss them to Trump, as he flails in his special blend of grandiosity and incoherence. And they are not well-intended lifelines, but assists intended to make him talk tough. Like their subject, these journos betray a public trust.

I'm increasingly getting the feeling that there is a faction in the White House press corps that wants to see Trump fire Mueller because it will be "dramatic" and they aren't really questioning the wider implications.

— Schooley (@Rschooley) April 10, 2018

Good Old Party Values

How dare you all question the integrity of the president on the same day *checks notes* his fake university’s fraud settlement was finalized https://t.co/EdzFRK6CrC

— Jess Dweck (@TheDweck) April 10, 2018

Trump blowing a gasket in front of the press pool.

Blaming Sessions. Ranting like a loon. Crying “witch hunt!” Ranting about Hillary.

Trump happened to be in front of cameras this eve.

His attys must be hitting themselves in the head with desk staplers.

— The Hoarse Whisperer (@HoarseWisperer) April 9, 2018

Trump on raid of Michael Cohen: "It's an attack on our country in a true sense. It's an attack on what we all stand for." pic.twitter.com/6aKs0A5Y3k

— Axios (@axios) April 9, 2018

Nah, that was Charlottesville https://t.co/M1BwP7QgWd

— Kal Penn (@kalpenn) April 10, 2018

Lookin’ good, Republicans. https://t.co/AzBP6rsoMS

— Julius Goat 🦆 (@JuliusGoat) April 9, 2018

Overheard by German reporter in the WH "I haven’t heard a head of state describe an investigation into his leadership as an attack against the state since the Nazis were in power in my home country."

— Brian J. Karem (@BrianKarem) April 9, 2018

The Longest Month Is Called "Monday"

But we can hope it feels even longer to all those not as yet indicted.

Breaking News: A Ukrainian magnate paid Donald Trump’s charity $150,000 in 2015 after Trump gave a video talk. Robert Mueller is said to be investigating. https://t.co/1mXETS7COJ

— The New York Times (@nytimes) April 10, 2018

ctrl+f "Michael D. Cohen" pic.twitter.com/bxPZBa5DV1

— Dave Itzkoff (@ditzkoff) April 10, 2018

This graf: https://t.co/MgBvJgnuYH pic.twitter.com/YpjUnbDveo

— Nick Riccardi (@NickRiccardi) April 9, 2018

Well, sure, it sounds bad when you put it *that* way. https://t.co/72ecE5XrZ8

— Steve Benen (@stevebenen) April 9, 2018

Vanity Fair is reporting that the FBI raided Michael Cohen's hotel room at the Loews Regency in New York.

"A handful of them remained upstairs for several hours, according to a source familiar with the situation."https://t.co/nWEW0fFNUN

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 9, 2018

When Trump learns all the details of this Cohen story, he's going to be angriest over the revelation that Cohen stayed at a non-Trump hotel.

— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) April 9, 2018

Department Of...

The Department of Justice is simultaneously (i) arguing in court that tweets from @realdonaldtrump are not official presidential statements and (ii) assigning matters to US Attorneys as a policy response to tweets from @realdonaldtrump. pic.twitter.com/sBz4vc5KwJ

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 9, 2018

Uh-OMFG...

F.B.I. Raids Office of Trump's Longtime Lawyer Michael Cohen https://t.co/Zxy9I7oZaF

— Chris Sampson (@TAPSTRIMEDIA) April 9, 2018

It's my understanding that government doesn't raid the offices of any lawyer lightly. The layers of bureaucratic approval that a raid of THE SITTING PRESIDENT'S LAWYER must have gone through simply boggles my mind. https://t.co/WjjZm69BsZ

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 9, 2018

Nifty detail: Mueller's team did not do this. SDNY did.

Presumably meaning unconfirmed Trump interim US Attorney Geoffrey Berman approved it.

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) April 9, 2018

Trade War For Thee

Ivanka Trump's clothing company will be spared from tariffs, thanks to her dad

What a lucky break! https://t.co/zcxrSyVH2K pic.twitter.com/EgsaK00cFS

— Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) April 6, 2018

Don't worry baby, no Trump has ever suffered in a war, trade or otherwise. pic.twitter.com/jc8eVYmXKA

— Schooley (@Rschooley) April 7, 2018

Then Trump came for the price of soybeans@BenSasse @ChuckGrassley @joniernst @SenatorFischer pic.twitter.com/FRJdMsKRI4

— ☇RiotWomenn☇ (@riotwomennn) April 6, 2018

Trump doesn't deny U.S. farmers could suffer from the trade war: "If during the course of the negotiation [with China] they want to hit farmers because they think that hits me, I wouldn't say that’s nice. But I will tell you our farmers are great patriots." pic.twitter.com/78c9yroLqe

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) April 9, 2018

"You've got to remember that these are just simple farmers. These are people of the land. The common clay of the new West. You know... morons." https://t.co/NcvwkOjj2q

— Schooley (@Rschooley) April 9, 2018

LIVE: White House says Trump has asked Agriculture Secretary Perdue for plan to protect farmers from China trad actions, will receive shortly https://t.co/w5PKYXYAIB pic.twitter.com/j4eVxNlusR

— Reuters TV (@ReutersTV) April 9, 2018

Here's an idea!

Don't start a trade war!!! https://t.co/tn5spJhzFh

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) April 9, 2018