A Complete Breakdown Of Donald Trump’s 57th Unpresidented Week As POTUS
With each passing week, Unpresidented becomes less about Donald Trump and more about the American people.
As the President pretended to listen at the White House to people affected by gun violence, thousands of teenagers across the U.S. walked out of class and took to the streets, ensuring that their voices were heard.
As the Republican members of Congress continued to sit on their hands, Parkland survivors took their inaction to task at the Florida State Capitol and at the CNN town hall.
As the NRA attempted to deflect responsibility for their complicity in the perpetuation of America’s gun violence epidemic, thousands of Americans pressured companies to sever ties with the organization.
And all the while, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s Russia investigation methodically inched closer and closer to the truth — and hopefully, justice.
It appears we’ve reached an inflection point. A paradigm shift. A new era of activism. The kids have had enough. Generation Z is energized and organized. And oh man are they brilliant and brave. They’re shaking off the depraved conspiracy theories about them with humor and resilience and carrying on unperturbed.
The stereotypes were right; they all just stare at their phones all day. But it looks like they were reading about gun legislation.
What I see from the thousands of people I engage with on social media every day, is a new sense of hope.
The naysayers who claim what these kids are aiming to accomplish is impossible, seem to have forgotten their history.
Every giant leap America has made was once deemed impossible by the previous generation.
If we can pass the 13th Amendment, the 19th Amendment, The Voting & Civil Rights Acts of the 60s, and legalize gay marriage, then surely we can pass meaningful gun legislation and secure our right to life.
And if we could elect the first black President in a country built on backs of black slaves, then surely we can defeat Donald Trump.
Here’s a complete breakdown of Donald Trump’s 57th week as POTUS:
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57th Weekend (February 17–19)
#NeverAgain
Over the Presidents Day weekend, President Trump went on his usual Russia paranoia-triggered tweet sprees we’ve grown used to. This time, it was surrounding the 13 Russian nationals and entities that were freshly indicted. Trump’s rambling were not without fact-checks and pushback (Only posting a few here, but there are more).
Very sad that the FBI missed all of the many signals sent out by the Florida school shooter. This is not acceptable. They are spending too much time trying to prove Russian collusion with the Trump campaign – there is no collusion. Get back to the basics and make us all proud!
Parkland students are hammering @realDonaldTrump for his Russia tweet. A few examples:
General McMaster forgot to say that the results of the 2016 election were not impacted or changed by the Russians and that the only Collusion was between Russia and Crooked H, the DNC and the Dems. Remember the Dirty Dossier, Uranium, Speeches, Emails and the Podesta Company!
I never said Russia did not meddle in the election, I said “it may be Russia, or China or another country or group, or it may be a 400 pound genius sitting in bed and playing with his computer.” The Russian “hoax” was that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia – it never did!
I asked him again…You can only ask so many times…He said he absolutely did not meddle in our election…I really believe that when he tells me that, he means it…I think he’s very insulted, if you want to know the truth.”
Here are 27 of the many times Trump tried to discredit the Russia investigation.
@RanttMedia This is just the tip of the obstructive iceberg. There were at least 30 more tweets I couldn’t fit. Not to mention the actual actions he’s taken to to try obstruct the investigation. https://t.co/CL58wOK2gO
If it was the GOAL of Russia to create discord, disruption and chaos within the U.S. then, with all of the Committee Hearings, Investigations and Party hatred, they have succeeded beyond their wildest dreams. They are laughing their asses off in Moscow. Get smart America!
@realDonaldTrump Trump is right. They are laughing their asses off in Moscow-But the joke’s on him Trump’s attacks on the FBI, DOJ, & IC accomplish Putin’s goal of undermining faith in US institutions Trump refusing to impose sanctions aids Putin Trump is a useful idiot https://t.co/Llb2VWDpvQ
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Meanwhile…
- Things weren’t looking too good for Rick Gates, which means things weren’t looking good for Paul Manafort, and by extension, Trumpworld.
Former Trump aide Rick Gates will plead guilty and has agreed to testify against Manafort, sources tell @latimes https://t.co/0S6oqTTMZZ
- Neither were they for Jared Kushner…
Exclusive: Special counsel Robert Mueller’s interest in Jared Kushner has grown to include his efforts to secure financing for his company from foreign investors during the presidential transition https://t.co/SczHeiHMV6 https://t.co/5E3GGkmjhq
— @CNN
- A speech from Parkland shooting survivor Emma González (who is now on Twitter, go follow her), marked a shift in the conversation surrounding gun violence.
Emma Gonzalez is the future. “To every politician who is taking donations from the @NRA-shame on you!” In this powerful speech, she calls out @realDonaldTrump, @ChuckGrassley, and the @NRA. The Parkland shooting survivors are going to change the world.
The young activists were already organized.
Survivors of the school shooting in Florida are calling for a march on Washington to demand action on gun control. “People are saying that it’s not time to talk about gun control, and we can respect that. Here’s a time: March 24, in every single city.” https://t.co/ObmdZo67La https://t.co/qaJfAZy99k
— @ABC
Sign Petition: Send a message of support to the Parkland students
And on a personal note from me: While having written this column week after week, the blatant depravity displayed by those in power is always balanced out by the resilience, decency, and hope that the American people consistently display. I believe that we will become a better nation at the end of this uncertainty.
No, I don’t believe. I know.
Having written about every moment during Trump’s presidency, one constant I’ve noticed is that with every depraved act, there is always an equal and opposite surge of decency Emma Gonzalez, & the other Parkland shooting survivors, give me hope America is awake-Decency will win https://t.co/NXuOQKOyZz
- A survey among Republican-leaning presidential scholars deemed President Trump the worst President of all time.
57th Week (February 20–23)
Tuesday, February 20
The Fourth Guilty Plea
After securing a guilty plea from former Trump campaign adviser George Papadopoulos, national security adviser Michael Flynn, and California man Richard Pinedo (identity fraud aiding the Russians), Special Counsel Robert Mueller unveiled the fourth in his investigation into Russian interference in our democracy. The Washington Post reports:
The Dutch son-in-law of one of Russia’s wealthiest men pleaded guilty Tuesday in federal court in Washington to making false statements in special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s probe of Russian interference in the 2016 U.S. presidential election.
Alex van der Zwaan was charged with lying to the FBI about his contacts with Rick Gates, who served as a top official on President Trump’s campaign and a longtime business partner of former campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
Based in London, van der Zwaan worked for the law firm Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom, which worked with Manafort and Gates when they served as political consultants in Ukraine.
Van der Zwaan is the son-in-law of German Khan, a billionaire and an owner of Alfa Group, Russia’s largest financial and industrial investment group.
This won’t be the last plea deal announced this week.
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Meanwhile…
- Noticing The Washington Post front page story about Rachel Crooks, President Trump took to Twitter.
A woman I don’t know and, to the best of my knowledge, never met, is on the FRONT PAGE of the Fake News Washington Post saying I kissed her (for two minutes yet) in the lobby of Trump Tower 12 years ago. Never happened! Who would do this in a public space with live security……
cameras running. Another False Accusation. Why doesn’t @washingtonpost report the story of the women taking money to make up stories about me? One had her home mortgage paid off. Only @FoxNews so reported…doesn’t fit the Mainstream Media narrative.
Rachel, who is running for office, responded.
Please, by all means, share the footage from the hallway outside the 24th floor residential elevator bank on the morning of January 11, 2006. Let’s clear this up for everyone. It’s liars like you in politics that have prompted me to run for office myself. https://t.co/ir7EEKoXRU https://t.co/GmkkZ5jUc7
- President Trump endorsed Mitt Romney for Utah Senate.
@MittRomney has announced he is running for the Senate from the wonderful State of Utah. He will make a great Senator and worthy successor to @OrrinHatch, and has my full support and endorsement!
I love how #NeverTrump, holier-than-thou, conservative twitter is blasting Dems for highlighting @MittRomney‘s moral cowardice when this is staring us in the face:
- The Parkland survivors rode a bus headed to Tallahassee to speak at the Florida State Capitol the following day while students staged a walk out pushing for gun legislation.
WATCH: Students from Florida’s West Boca High School have walked out of their classes, heading towards Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, as part of a call-to-action by students in the area after the mass shooting last week that killed 17 people https://t.co/JoGj3r547e https://t.co/yqeNwj9PVM
— @CBSNews
- While this was going on, there was an assault weapons ban that was shot down by Republicans, but they made sure to keep the children safe from porn…
Analysis: Florida House declares pornography a “public health risk.” Guns? Not so much. https://t.co/oxX5mIeADK
- The right, seemingly lacking in all senses of decency, began a campaign to try and discredit the survivors of the Parkland shooting that killed 17 people. They spread conspiracy theories about how survivors were crisis actors, starting with David Hogg.
This is how absurd, gaslighting “crisis actor” theories go viral. One @facebook post from this person has 111,000+ shares. Another has 23,000. This is one person, two posts. Imagine the millions and millions of people crackpot theories like this are reaching and influencing.
The kids responded.
Hey @FLOTUS you say that your mission as First Lady is to stop cyber bullying, well then, don’t you think it would have been smart to have a convo with your step-son @DonaldJTrumpJr before he liked a post about a false conspiracy theory which in turn put a target on my back
Thankfully @RealJamesWoods is taking time off his run as Lex Luthor on Cartoon Network’s Justice League Action to tell us we’re full of it. #NeverAgain #MarchForOurLives
Okay, you caught me. I’m a Crisis Actor brainwashed by the left. They chose me because I played Iago, Mr. Potato Head, and King Triton in camp musicals as a kid.
There aren’t two sides to this issue. If you, like @FoxNews and @gatewaypundit, are trying to smear the Parkland survivors-you are scum. Have you no sense of decency? The right simply cannot believe these kids are as brilliant and resilient as they are. #ParklandStudentsSpeak
- The smears couldn’t slow the Parkland kids’ momentum. After George and Amal Clooney pledged $500,000 to support the survivors’ activism, Oprah jumped in.
George and Amal, I couldn’t agree with you more. I am joining forces with you and will match your $500,000 donation to ‘March For Our Lives.’ These inspiring young people remind me of the Freedom Riders of the 60s who also said we’ve had ENOUGH and our voices will be heard.
— @Oprah
- Democrats made yet another meaningful gain.
Democrat @replindabelcher just flipped a seat that Trump won by nearly 50 points https://t.co/ROZCQLCbHd
- Politico reported that:
The White House has given Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin the green light to quash an internal rebellion among conservative foes of his leadership, he told POLITICO late Tuesday.
The embattled Cabinet head said he’d begun investigating what he called “subversion” at the agency, and those who have defied his authority “won’t be working in my operation.”
- President Trump unveiled a plan for a short-term healthcare plan.
- EPA head Scott Pruitt and Donald Trump’s roll back to Obama-era environmental regulations are facing legal challenges.
- Pennsylvania’s new un-gerrymandered district map is favorable to Democrats.
Breaking News: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court just issued a new congressional map for the 2018 election. Map comes after one in place was struck down as an unconstitutional gerrymander and lawmakers and governor failed to agree on a new plan.
— @srl
Wednesday, February 21
The Paradigm Shift
The kids had arrived. Not just in a literal sense but in a figurative sense as well. Tragedy struck and the teenagers of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School showed bravery. Not just the day of the shooting but in the aftermath. That continued today as this next generation leaders rose to the occasion again and again, proving that they will not stop until meaningful gun legislation is passed.
As some of the students arrived at the Florida State Capitol to speak and meet with lawmakers, students across the U.S. took to the streets.
57 years ago @repjohnlewis marched with thousands for his life Today, on Mr. Lewis’s birthday, his credo of #GoodTrouble lives on in the thousands of students marching for their lives These kids will change the world #NeverAgain #ParklandStudentsSpeak https://t.co/W5yEDRfS9c
A huge crowd of teens exiting Union Station and heading to the Capitol to call for action on gun violence https://t.co/5VVWGFTGij
HAPPENING NOW: Hundreds of students from Montgomery Blair high school just walked out of class and are marching down route 29. It is a gun reform march that was planned late yesterday via social media. Students plan on concluding this rally at the US Capitol building. @ABC7News https://t.co/X7VM028mRb
DC school students march to the US Capitol demanding action on gun control
At the Florida State Capitol, they made quite the impact.
We are coming after you, we are coming after every single one of you and demanding that you take action,” Parkland shooting survivor Delaney Tarr said at the Florida state capitol https://t.co/GEqN2I2T56 https://t.co/GIOQlsgIiC
WATCH: Students chant “shame on you!” outside the Florida State Capitol. https://t.co/HpjGb1xgFR
— @NBCNews
As the #ParklandStudentsSpeak at the Florida State Capitol, they never cease to amaze me The knowledgeability. The passion. The articulate delivery. These speeches make Trump’s State of the Union look like a toddler struggling through a children’s book written by Stephen Miller
And then, at the CNN Town Hall, Cameron Kasky made waves.
@cameron_kasky goes toe-to-toe with @marcorubio “Can you tell me right now that you will not accept a single donation from the NRA?” A kid demanding change, challenging their Senator as an equal. This is what democracy looks like. #StudentsStandUp
NRA spokeswoman Dana Loesch made her own waves, but hers were riddled with falsehoods.
Dana Loesch is claiming that guns protect women? Domestic violence victims are five times more likely to be killed if there is access to a gun in their household #StudentsStandUp
Needless to say, the kids were on the move. At a “listening session” at the White House, President Trump hosted some of the Parkland survivors, as well as a mother from the Sandy Hook shooting and a father from the Columbine shooting. One of the survivors stood out, as he called for an assault weapons ban.
Parkland survivor Samuel Zeif cites Maryland as an example of a state that’s successfully cracked down on assault weapons. “It’s not like we have to lose our Second Amendment … These are not weapons of defense, these are weapons of war.” https://t.co/WhOs0Tr5NK
— @MSNBC
During this session, it seemed as if Trump began pushing for turning our schools into fortified fortresses and arming teachers (more on that later). But as he said this, he had just the week before unveiled a budget that cuts school safety.
If Trump really wants to prevent another school shooting, he should rethink his budget. Aside from its sweeping cuts to social programs, Trump’s budget proposes a $25 million (36%) cut to school safety activities like counseling and violence prevention.https://t.co/r7O7ykL9if
Aside from that, it appears the President had to script his own empathy. An AP photo revealed that Trump had “I hear you” written in his notes.
President Donald Trump holds notes during a White House listening session with students and parents affected by school shootings. (AP Photo by Carolyn Kaster)
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Meanwhile…
- In an authoritarian-like move many have grown desensitized to, the President of the United States once again called on his Attorney General to investigate a political opponent.
Question: If all of the Russian meddling took place during the Obama Administration, right up to January 20th, why aren’t they the subject of the investigation? Why didn’t Obama do something about the meddling? Why aren’t Dem crimes under investigation? Ask Jeff Sessions!
- Tensions between Chief of Staff John Kelly and Trump’s son-in-law and adviser Jared Kushner have risen. This comes as Kushner is resisting losing any access to classified information despite the fact he is one of the over 130 White House officials who don’t have permanent security clearances because of their susceptibility to blackmail and/or checkered past.
- New sealed charges were filed against former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort and deputy campaign chairman Rick Gates by Special Counsel Robert Mueller. We find out more details the following day…
Thursday, February 22
The Fall Of The NRA
On Thursday at CPAC, the NRA decided to continue their depraved strategy of deflection, disinformation, and indecency.
NRA’s Wayne LaPierre: “Never forget these words — to stop a bad guy with a gun it takes a good guy with a gun.” #CPAC2018 https://t.co/Xx8B3452TE
Wayne LaPierre at CPAC: “To stop a bad guy with a gun it takes a good guy with a gun.” Wrong. 1. Between 2000-2013, only 1 shooting was stopped by an armed civilian. 2. States with Right to Carry laws saw violent crime increase 13-15% over 10 years. …https://t.co/KwLdnuiwNm
NRA spokeswoman: “Many in legacy media love mass shootings. You guys love it… Crying white mothers are ratings gold to you…” https://t.co/zdMoiq3AIN https://t.co/gXJ3bussp3
— @CNN
Alisyn Camerota to NRA spokeswoman: “You think we love mass shootings? … It’s just malicious, actually, that you would say that. I don’t know anybody in the media who likes mass shootings… We pray that there’s never another one.” https://t.co/qzE1DxoncO
— @CNN
Despite their inflammatory rhetoric and history of lobbying for legislation that allows mass shootings to remain an epidemic, President Trump expectedly levied praise on the NRA.
What many people don’t understand, or don’t want to understand, is that Wayne, Chris and the folks who work so hard at the @NRA are Great People and Great American Patriots. They love our Country and will do the right thing. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Unfortunately for them, #BoycottNRA began trending and the organization began losing partners left and right. I’m going to jump ahead here: by the time of this writing (Sunday February 25th) these were all the companies that severed ties with the NRA.
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Meanwhile…
- We learned more details about the new superseding Manafort and Gates’ indictment. There were previous reports that indicated Mueller had these bank fraud charges under his belt and they would be used to apply additional pressure.
BREAKING: Special Counsel Mueller files 32-count indictment against Manafort and Gates, including tax and bank fraud charges – https://t.co/kdrUxk2XiK
— @NBCNews
New Mueller indictment: “Manafort, with the assistance of Gates, laundered more than $30,000,000, income that he concealed from” the Dept. of Treasury, DOJ, and others
— @NBCNews
We saw new information pertaining to the status of Gates’ plea agreement.
NEW: RICK GATES rejected several offers of a plea deal from special counsel, as talks continued over the past month. The talks broke down over the last few days — yet they were still negotiating as of Thursday
But by the following day, we’d be hearing a different tune.
- It was revealed that there was an armed Sheriff’s deputy that was on site during the shooting but did not enter the school.
The armed school resource officer at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School responded to the shooting BUT NEVER WENT IN for “upward or 4 minutes” while the gunmen killed people, said Sheriff Scott Israel.
Sheriff Scott Israel said Officer Scott Peterson failed by waiting outside the Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS building for about 4 of 6 minutes while Nikolas Cruz killed 17 people What should Peterson have done Israel: “Went in. Addressed the killer. Killed the killer” https://t.co/GxIMS1sPxf
- After saying the previous day that he wanted to arm teachers, President Trump took to Twitter deny saying it, and immediately said it again
I never said “give teachers guns” like was stated on Fake News @CNN & @NBC. What I said was to look at the possibility of giving “concealed guns to gun adept teachers with military or special training experience – only the best.
If a potential “sicko shooter” knows that a school has a large number of very weapons talented teachers (and others) who will be instantly shooting, the sicko will NEVER attack that school. Cowards won’t go there…problem solved. Must be offensive, defense alone won’t work!
And in 2016, he once again contradicted his future self, which seems to be a favorite habit of his.
Crooked Hillary said that I want guns brought into the school classroom. Wrong!
- In what appeared to be triggered by the conspiracy theories being spread about the Parkland survivors, Twitter began to take action against Russian trolls, deleting their accounts.
Watching the right freak out about their loss of followers due to the Russian bot purge is just priceless. #TwitterLockOut https://t.co/dyxO3TyzvW
- After trying to smear the Parkland kids didn’t work, the far-right moved onto their next conspiracy theory.
School shooting survivor says he quit @CNN Town Hall after refusing scripted question.” @TuckerCarlson. Just like so much of CNN, Fake News. That’s why their ratings are so bad! MSNBC may be worse.
gt; @CNNPR was pretty clear about this 12 hours ago: “CNN did not provide or script questions for anyone in last night’s town hall, nor have we ever.” https://t.co/iaOqAe3ir8
Once again, I’m jumping ahead here because this nonsense needs to be debunked right away. Not only did CNN push back heavily on this on Twitter, they gave their emails to the press, revealing that the student’s father had doctored the correspondence.
This has been debunked. Emails were doctored to make it look like CNN tried to script the responses of a Parkland shooting survivor, then sent to conservative media. @FoxNews, @realDailyWire, and @realDonaldTrump spread literal fake news. Story on it: https://t.co/pznURqogkd https://t.co/XUcswrUESa
According to the father’s Facebook, he’s a supporter of Donald Trump, Glock handguns, Paul Ryan, and, in a review of a local realtor wrote “She’s a BITCH!” https://t.co/ftC3w2nx7m
- Former Trump political adviser Sam Nunberg was interviewed by Robert Mueller.
- Rumors that National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster might be leaving the White House soon began to spread (this has happened before).
- A Parkland survivor spoke about her phone conversation with President Trump.
Friday, February 23
Gates
The pressure had been mounting on Rick Gates for quite some time, and on Friday we awoke to reports of what we’ve been long suspecting. Rick Gates pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with Robert Mueller.
Former Trump campaign official Rick Gates has pleaded guilty to Conspiracy Against the United States and lying to investigators This is the 3rd guilty plea from the Trump campaign and first guilty plea on a conspiracy charge… The pressure is on Manafort https://t.co/XN9Ahhpzbb
Breaking: Former Trump aide Rick Gates admits his false statement to the FBI came during a “proffer session with his counsel at [Mueller’s] office.” So he LIED to them WHILE trying to cut a deal with Mueller. (I reported that was the likely source of Count 2 earlier today…) https://t.co/n9OT8nGxzz
Politico reported:
In a letter to his family, first reported by ABC News, Gates said that “despite my initial desire to vigorously defend myself I have had a change of heart” and said the reality of how long the legal process would take and the cost were “too much.”
“The consequence is the public humiliation, which at this moment seems like a small price to pay for what our children would have to endure otherwise.”
A family friend confirmed the accuracy of the letter.
Jackson has imposed a gag order limiting public statements by the defendants and by the lawyers involved in the D.C. case.
The conspiracy count that Gates admitted to largely tracks with the indictment Mueller’s team filed against him and Manafort last October, but consolidating the charges into one count reduced Gates’ potential prison time. Combined with the false-statement charge, the most Gates could possibly receive is 10 years behind bars, although his sentence is almost certain to be lower.
The false-statement charge that was part of Gates’ plea focuses on his comments to Mueller’s team on Feb. 1 about a March 2013 meeting involving Manafort and Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-Calif.), as well as former Congressman Vin Weber, now a lobbyist at Mercury. That meeting was detailed in the Manafort firm’s filing last year that retroactively disclosed foreign lobbying.
Quick gif break:
@RanttMedia @madisonm_a We now go live for Paul Manafort’s reaction: https://t.co/6MEtgYY1dE
@aalali44 @RanttMedia @madisonm_a Paul Manafort trying to keep cool like… https://t.co/eeyKHw0Qka
@AhmedBaba_ @aalali44 @RanttMedia @madisonm_a Manafort’s inner monologue https://t.co/4mpXChJgKJ
@Remy_Anne @AhmedBaba_ @RanttMedia @madisonm_a The @GOP watching indictments pile up while trying to pretend this is all a deep state conspiracy https://t.co/gmpFMjieWz
@aalali44 @Remy_Anne @AhmedBaba_ @RanttMedia @madisonm_a Manafort trying to escape after the Gates plea like.. https://t.co/QE3lVDPLdz
@aalali44 @Remy_Anne @AhmedBaba_ @RanttMedia @madisonm_a @GOP Dana Rohrbacher reading his name in that indictment like https://t.co/JLBDonExgr
Paul Manafort responded.
New statement from Manafort’s spokesman: “I had hoped and expected my business colleague would have had the strength to continue the battle to prove our innocence.
Also, as others have pointed out, this statement appears to violate the judge’s gag order. She warned against any remarks that “pose a substantial likelihood of material prejudice to this case” & warned that “this is a criminal trial, and it’s not a public relations campaign
Before the end of the day, another Manafort indictment was unsealed.
JUST IN: A superseding indictment was returned on Feb. 16 in Paul Manafort’s case, per newly unsealed document. The indictment is supposed to be unsealed, per judge’s order, but it hasn’t been docketed yet https://t.co/g8vP9IKwbc
JUST IN: We have a superseding indictment in DC against Manafort that is being unsealed, per order of Judge Amy Berman Jackson.
BREAKING: Special counsel accuses Paul Manafort of secretly paying former European politicians to lobby on behalf of Ukraine.
— @AP
Gates must be offering some information not only on Manafort, but on some bigger fish in order to get the deal he’s getting. We’ll see how this plays out.
Meanwhile…
- We learned more about Putin’s involvement in the attack on U.S. troops in Syria.
Not getting enough attention. Yevgeniy Prigozhin, who is a close Putin ally indicted by Mueller, was caught on intercepts telling top Syrian officials that he had a ‘good surprise’ for Assad. Several days later US troops were attacked in the Syrian desert https://t.co/HBie1p0ucz
— @yashar
- We discovered that Kushner’s liability in the Russia investigation is part of the reason he can’t get his full security clearance.
- Trump told the Pentagon he wants the military parade to be held on Veteran’s day.
- The Trump administration issued new sanctions on North Korea.
- Trump said he’d give teachers a bonus if they agreed to carry a gun.
- Some disrespectful news from CPAC.
CPAC communication director Ian Walters said tonight at the Ronald Reagan dinner: “We elected Mike Steele as chairman because he was a black guy, that was the wrong thing to do.” Guests at tables apparently gasped in shock. https://t.co/pRJjNPsM29
- There was a really disturbing report release on how Facebook overpriced ads for the Clinton campaign.
This article about Facebook’s auction system, which Brad Parscale just endorsed, says that Facebook systematically charged the Clinton campaign more for ad space than the Trump campaign because Clinton’s ads were less “provocative.” https://t.co/ddFyHkfgLO
Over the weekend, the Democrat’s rebuttal to the dishonest Nunes memo that tried to paint the FBI as an anti-Trump deep state Illuminati coup, was released. It completely debunked every argument made on the Nunes Memo.
1) So the House GOP Intelligence committee has finally released the Democratic memo about Trump’s collusion with Russia, Carter Page, and the Steele (aka Pee Pee) memo. Let’s pull out some of the good stuff.
2) The Dem memo confirms that “the FBI assessed [Trump campaign top foreign policy aide Carter Page] to be an agent of the Russian government.” That doesn’t sound good.
3) The FBI did not use Steele’s dossier as justification for beginning the Russia probe, which started in July 2016. The FBI didn’t get Steele’s memo until mid-September, 7 weeks AFTER the probe was begun.
4) The initial FISA warrant to spy on Page was granted by a GOP-appointed judge, and then renewed by 3 different judges – four different federal judges in total – all appointed by GOP presidents. They were Republican judges who approved spying on Page.
6) The FBI corroborated parts of the Steele dossier, and presented that to the FISA court, but that’s such a secret it got blacked out in the memo. Oh yeah, and the evidence corroborating Steele contradicts what Carter Page told the House Intelligence Committee.
8) Devin Nunes lied. The FBI told the FISA court all about Steele, and that the memo was paid for by people who wanted “to discredit” Trump’s campaign. And DOJ never paid Steele for the dossier – Nunes lied about this.
9) And Nunes lied about the Yahoo news story. Nunes claimed the DOJ used the Yahoo story as proof of the Steele dossier. No. The article was used to quote Page’s denials of secret Moscow meetings, which makes the meetings all the more suspect.
13) Bottom line: Four Republican federal judges found sufficient evidence that former top Trump campaign foreign policy aide Carter Page was acting as a Russian agent, to issue a FISA warrant permitting the FBI to spy on him. And, they received useful info during that spying.
Trump had some words.
The Democrat memo response on government surveillance abuses is a total political and legal BUST. Just confirms all of the terrible things that were done. SO ILLEGAL!
But of course, reality can’t be distorted by his tweets.
Now that another of Nunes’ efforts to undermine Mueller’s probe has been debunked-media must cover his future attempts in context In every lede: 1-Nunes was on the Trump transition (subject of Russia probe) 2-Nunes made multiple dishonest attempts to undermine the Russia probe
The end result of this entire Nunes escapade is Steele looks more credible, the Trump campaign looks more culpable, and the FBI looks more responsible. Well done, Devin.
