Yes….
Bless them all for having the balls to step up against some the policy moves that have been made Donald Trump’s policy moves…
The Republican led Congress is scared to take the guy on in cases where Trump’s actions would be wrong, inhuman, or just plain illegal….
It has been the Federal judges that have stepped up to the plate to act as a brake….
Amen….
Keep it coming …..
The Trump administration is looking for ways to deal with a recurring frustration: individual federal judges who have put the brakes on one major administration policy after another.
The administration is telling the Supreme Court in a case about President Trump’s travel ban that judges are increasingly using what are called nationwide injunctions to stop “a federal policy everywhere.” The Justice Department says the high court should “reject the deeply misguided practice,” which has also been used against the administration’s crackdown on “sanctuary cities,” President Donald Trump’s announced ban on transgender military service members and, most recently, the effort to end legal protections for young immigrants.
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has become the administration’s leading critic of the injunctions. Sessions said Tuesday they have been used 20 times in Trump’s first year in office, “as many as President Obama had in eight years.” But Sessions didn’t object to the practice in his prior life as a senator from Alabama. He had praised a single judge from Texas who put a nationwide block on an Obama immigration policy. The more common practice is for a judge to issue an order that gives only the people who sued what they want.
Legal scholars have attributed the rise of these broad judicial orders to a corresponding increase in executive action. In 2014, Obama acted to protect immigrant parents of U.S. children after Congress failed to pass an immigration overhaul. Similarly, Mr. Trump unilaterally sought to impose travel restrictions on immigrants from seven Muslim-majority countries a week after taking office….
Note….
Protests by Republicans against these judges are shortsighted….
President Obama had the same issues as Republicans use Federal judges to attack his actions on healthcare and immigration….
New Thread for July 11, 2018 starts here….
The news arrived via Government Executive with all the drama of a bassoon solo in the world’s most boring symphony:
The White House announced Tuesday that President Trump has signed an executive order moving the hiring of administrative law judges from the competitive service into the excepted service, giving the president and agency heads broader latitude in appointments.
But former vice-presidential chief of staff (under both Gore and Biden) Ron Klain wants you to WAKE UP AND SMELL THE OUTRAGE!…
…
It actually applies to a far larger number of ALJs (there are approximately 1,900 of them, with a big majority assigned to adjudication of benefits claims under the Social Security Administration), but does not create lifetime terms or create some centralized hiring process in the White House. And while it might be consistent with a “power grab,” the action was in fact all but mandated by a recent Supreme Court decision casting extreme doubt on the constitutionality of decisions made by ALJs hired under civil service rules rather than Executive branch appointments…
More…
Ryan said that There would be no ethics hearings because Jordan’s actions took place before he was in Congress. So then, why did that same standard not apply to Franken?
It just seems to me that Jordan should have to answer questions just like I felt Franken should have to answer questions. Perhaps Congress will agree with the pathetically lower standard of ethics for Republicans advocated by CG and other super-rigid partisans. (For example, the wrestlers thought it was funny that an older man liked to play with their privates)
This is minor to trivial, Zreebs, but at my suggestion James did create a new thread dedicated to Jim Jordan (what a singular honour!) so that open threads don’t get completely swamped by One Single Topic:
https://politicaldog101.com/2018/07/rep-jim-jordan/
Ryan can afford to stonewall he isn’t on the ballot. Republicans have a different standard when it comes to sex with a minor (Roy Moore).
The excuses for Jordan yesterday would have been laughable if they weren’t actually so sad. We went from moral outrage over Franken to “boys will be boys” in under a day.
The whole affair reminds me of Mark Foley and Hastert all rolled into one. There were essentially group sex parties taking place. How could Jordan not know.
I think this has the potential to highlight the corrupt GOP leadership in a very damaging way.
I don’t think there is ANY doubt that Jordan knew. I recall Jordan recently said he didn’t recall Trump ever lying, so how much credibility does that liar have?
CG just wants to protect Jordan because he shares Jordan’s values on almost everything. It must be painful to him knowing that even though many Republican leaders want to reallocate more income to the wealthy and want to make it harder for people to vote, etc. these same people have character issues. Surprise!
I don’t think Jordan needs me to protect him for anything and I have said I am not a fan of Jordan, but yes, the behavior of the liberals on here clearly indicates this is pure politics. Let your obsession continue.
You all are more than willing to make up facts about this situation and lie about it (sex parties with minors, rape, people told him personally, etc) that it’s obvious that you are just blowing off steam because the news for Democrats has been so universally bad.
I guess it’s better you guys just make things up and lie here than piss in people’s soup as Keith said he wanted to do.
What is Zreebs “making up”?
Keith is primarily the one making things up and Zreebs enables him. He doesn’t like to get on Keith’s bad side in case he gets called a sexist or something again.
CG?
We ALL get questioned here….
That’s what I am doing. I am questioning them and their honesty.
Back later.
Later….
What has Keith or I made up on this? You were the one who incorrectly said that no one approached Jordan and that the wrestlers thought that getting fondled was viewed by them as a joke.
Talking about this story is old already. Let Ohio State conduct its investigation as to what happened 25-35 years ago with the wrestling program and the doctor.
I have not seen anything to suggest that anyone went to anyone in the OSU hierarchy, including Jordan, to complain of anything improper. It seems logical to conclude that people talked about this doctor and joked about it amongst themselves. They probably disliked the doctor for being gay. It probably made them extra-suspicious.
I have said many times that the alleged actions of this doctor were inexcusable, but based on what has actually been alleged, there was no “rape”, nobody was “underage”, this has nothing to do with “sex parties.” The doctor was not masturbating in the shower with wrestlers. There is no evidence that Jordan or anyone else acted to cover anything up at the time. There is simply no comparison to this and the far worse atrocities committed upon minor children by Jerry Sandusky or Larry Nassir.
I think there is plenty to criticize Jordan on in regards to his tenure in Congress. As I have said, he made a mistake by not telling the whole truth when this story broke this month and he can be criticized for that. But the media has already moved on from this story. The people online here who want to make this into some sort of mega political scandal, with embellished or added “facts” have their own agenda.
How convenient to question someones honesty and then say “I don’t want to talk about it”.
Dunyasha Yetts said he approached Jordan. And I’m pretty sure that the reason he did so was not to brag. And even if the wrestlers joked about it (probably did), that doesn’t mean that they weren’t greatly disturbed by it. Everyone knows that people can joke about things, but be greatly disturbed by them. One wrestler said he gave up the sport for that reason. All of this is all over the internet.
As for your comments – “there was no “rape”, nobody was “underage”, this has nothing to do with “sex parties.” Why didn’t you say that about Franken? Answer – Because you are a hypocrite.
Where are the links to these things?
Who said they formally approached Jordan and lodged a complaint? Did they also go to Jordan’s boss the head coach? Jordan was just in his 20s during the time. He was not in charge of the program.
Whatever happened with the doctor I am sure was not pleasant for the wrestlers, but if that is the worst thing that ever happened to them in their lives, they will be lucky. A medical exam is not going to ruin their lives and I doubt they felt like their lives were ruined at the time.
It just rings of complete, phony anti-Jim Jordan political outrage, because you would be railing about homophobia and Jordan being anti-gay (which he probably was in the 80s) otherwise.
What happened to the underage victims of Jerry Sandusky or to the female gymnasts who were abused by Dr. Nassir have a far greater claim to having potentially had their lives ruined.
Where are the links that said that this Dr. Strauss “raped” underage boys (claimed on here by Keith)
Where are the links to claim that anyone has alleged they were penetrated by the doctor (claimed on here by Keith and Zreebs)
Where are the links to claim that the doctor was engaged in sex acts in the shower with the wrestlers (claimed on here by Keith)
And of course I never claimed that Franken assaulted anyone underage or “raped” anyone. Of course not.
He once joked about raping an unconscious woman but there is no evidence he ever did. He appears to have physically assaulted one though, caught on camera, which he did not deny, not did he deny the allegation that he shoved his tongue down a woman’s throat or the other allegations from other women that he physically touched their buttocks at various political events, as a candidate for and as a sitting Senator.
Oh whatever. You always think news for Democrats is “universally bad”.
Not true.
I thought the nomination of Trump meant Hillary would win in a landslide.
I expect the Democrats to have a good 2018 midterm result.
He, he,he
The WHOLE darn world , including Trump himself thought Hillary would win!
I see that I am still living rent free in Corey’s head.
Nothing that I wrote yesterday or today was “made up.”
The information was from CNN and the Washington Post and is incredibly credible. It is obvious, since Jordan’s boss at the time admitted that he knew of the ongoing sexual abuse of his student wrestlers, that Jordan also knew.
It amazes me that the Republican controlled Congress would refuse to investigate the endangerment of students being sexually abused by the staff at Ohio State (a staff that included Jim Jordan at the time), but that they are currently still investigating Hillary Clinton’s emails.
When the Franken story broke we were subjected to days of blog posts that called on all of us here (all five of us) to denounce Franken and call for his resignation. The act of holding his hands provocatively over a woman’s Kevlar vest was a crime that required immediate removal from office, even though those actions took place before Franken was elected to the Senate.
But now we are told that the sexual abuse of young wrestlers, and the obvious enabling of that abuse, is no big deal, boring, and “boys will be boys.”
Since Congress will not act, hopefully the investigation at Ohio State will get to the bottom of it all (no pun intended).
Jordan is not alleged to have touched anyone. So of course that is the primary difference from Franken.
The rest of course from Keith are lies. Notice how he is never willing to provide any sort of back-up to these claims.
I would always enjoy the opportunity though to discuss with Keith as to who exactly was doing what (professionally) in the 1980s and his experience with the Justice system.
Nice diversion
How old were you in the 1980s?
I was a young child of course. I wish I would have been born earlier. I would have enjoyed the Reagan Years and 80s music is my favorite.
Also the 80s was the last time a GOP Presidential nominee carried your stare.
I know. I got to do an exit poll for the school newspaper for the big ’88 election and since Dukakis was winning the precinct, I was very nervous.
Speaking of 80s music, I am going to be seeing Journey and Def Leppard this Saturday at Wrigley Field.
Once again, nothing I wrote is a “lie” or “made up.”
I referenced information directly from CNN and the Washington Post, and, of course, I never accused Jordan of abusing anyone. But, I suspect, that he clearly knew of this abuse and took no action.
That’s why the Ohio State investigation of Jordan’s actions during that time period are so important.
Jim Jordan is currently making a tremendous ass of himself trying to discredit the Mueller investigation. Of course, oily Trey Gowdy is helping. The Republicans have circled the wagons around Trump.
Watching contentious House hearing targeting FBI agent Strzok. If it were me testifying, I would respond to every question from heated Rep. Jim Jordan with, “I’m wrestling with that, congressman.” @wcp @kojoshow
This is a text message from my friend Tom Sherwood. I just love it.
These same Republicans whom you just pronounced “scared” to take Trump on.(actually about 98% of those who call themselves Republicans and a like number of Republican Congresspeople) ?
Are these the people who, after Mueller issues his report,which ,unseen ,a lot of them have declared its author is running a prejudiced operation that is out to “get” Trump,going to vote to remove him from office?
Laughable and devoid of any political knowledge or just plain common sense.
Well Jack?
We do NOT agree on Mueller…
Time will tell….
But Mueller seems to be pulling ground from under Trump & Co….
Piece by piece….
They keep Trump busy…
But ya gotta know he’s worried….
Like w wounded animal among the hungry ….
Trump’s support in Congress could turn on him in a heartbeat if they spot a weakness….
They NEVER liked him…
He gets over on fear…
With THAT gone?
He’d just be breakfast
And politicians seldom forget things throw at them
In today’s Washington Post Poll about equal numbers approve /“disapprove of his investigation .
The disapprove numbers have been increasing for awhile now.
I posted several months ago that Mueller needed to wrap this thing up.Most here disagreed with me.
People don’t like these interminable investigations.
In my view, whatever report he issues ,will be anti climactic and about equal numbers will support/disagree with its conclusions.
And,of course, almost all Republicans will “disagree.”
This investigation is rapidly becoming a sideshow.
Mueller isn’t running for office
He’s running several criminal
Investigations
The polling numbers i’m Sure he knows
But they are not really effecting things
BTW?
I believe the FBI agent is quoted as saying he knows things that could get Trump out of office, but the info belongs to Mueller….
What’s your hurry Jack?
The damn polls don’t mean shit.,
Except for the media
And you
Who should KNOW better
Tea Party enthusiast and one term Congressman Joe Walsh, who has a syndicated radio show who tends to be a fan of Donald Trump in many regards agrees with james that what Mueller is doing is important and he needs to take as long as necessary no matter who complains.
What do you mean they don’t mean “shit?”
You really think with poll numbers like this ,any significant number of Republicans would vote to impeach Trump because of a Mueller “report?”
I’m talking about Mueller Jack…
Mueller isn’t running for anything….
Hence the polling does not have any real value as you seem to be trying to sell to get Mueller to close up shop and go home…
Mueller is AGAIN running a criminal investigation…
He isn’t a politican….
Trump need’s the numbers
Congressmen/women need the numbers, you’re right…
I don’t give a damn about Mueller.
Who cares about him?
My comments are about the politics of this James.
Do you really believe that any substantial number of Republicans in Congress would vote to get rid of Trump based on anything in Muellers report?You yourself have admitted they are scared to death of Trump.The polls clearly show that the vast majority of Republicans “disapprove” of. this “investigation” and find this whole “Russian meddling” thing a distraction unworthy of serious consideration.
What do you think that little spectacle the Republicans orchestrated today with the FBI guy was all about?Another attempt to inoculate Trump from any blowback from Mueller.See they are all part of this “deep state”nonsense that the Republican Party now uses to excuse the antics of their Leader.
And you think they will give a damn about anything Mueller says?
Wrap it up Bob, your report ,after grabbing a few days headlines ,will take its place among numerous other “reports” that populate the reference sections of prominent libraries.
Republicans in the 90s for the most part felt like polls aside or eventual outcome aside, they had to do their duty upon the rcceipt of the Starr Report.
I think we are headed to a similar outcome.
Democrats win the House. Trump gets impeached. The nation is engulfed. Non-stop cable news coverage for weeks to months. He easily wins acquittal in the Senate and then refuses to relent talking about how he is a “winner” and Democrats are “losers.”
Unlike Bill Clinton though, he is not a lame duck. If he seeks reelection, he is probably more emboldened against Democrats than ever before.
You’re assuming the Democrats will Control the House next year.
I’m not prepared to make that assumption.
Well, I don’t think it is a sure thing either. I would give them a bit better than 50 % odds though to win a majority.
If they don’t however flip the 18 House seats or whatever it is, (along with what would then be a likely Senate result of Republican gains), that is immense political failure considering the expectations and a horrific result for the party. They’d have to start from square one all over again (and should give some thought to my Kasich proposal)
I hear from people online who insist Republicans will *increase* their House majority. I think that in 2018 is impossible.
If the Democrats do NOT get the House back ?
We’re fucked….
It’s 24 seats needed to win a majority.
Considering the historic average results of midterm elections and Trump’s job approval, and the whole Pennsylvania redistricting situation, that should be close to a piece of cake.
The talk should be if they can net 40 seats or more.
and the above average number of House Republican retirements, etc.
I think “ history “ is meaningless nowadays.
The electorate is much more polarized than even ten years ago much less going back twenty or thirty years.
Even assuming the Democrats take control by say a few seats,that doesn’t necessarily mean that impeachment would be voted.
Indeed, lots of those newly elected Democrats would come from swing districts.They might not think the way to a lengthy Congressional career is through voting impeachment ,absent overwhelming evidence of an impeachable offense.
As much as I detest Trump,nothing that I’ve seen so far comes remotely close to even being probable cause for a criminal offense,nor have I seen anything to indicate anything impeachable.
Remember Mueller has to show something that Trump did Personally ,not his campaign, to justify even an impeachment inquiry.As long as Trump doesn’t testify under oath,perjury is off the table,Obstruction of Justice?Ive explained numerous times that such is a very nebulous concept especially when based on nothing but “conversations” that are uncorroborated.
In my view, Mueller would need Trump actively involved with the Russians to have even a shot at impeachment and even then it would be very close absent a substantial Democratic Majority.
I agree with you though that as far as conviction in the Senate?Highly highly doubtful ,absent aNixonian type smoking gun ie, tapes etc.
There will be a ton of pressure from the base for the House to impeach. But yes, the party may have to decide to do the politically safer thing and pass.
CG?
Your 5:14pm is EXACTLY what top Democrats are afraid off…
Hence they and I HOPE that Mueller’s report
Is so revealing and truthful and media centric that Trump quits or is shoved aside….
Unlike Jack?
I ain’t giving up on Trump being dismissed by himself of any means!
It was an ‘arrempt’ Jack
I watched the hearing
The guy held his own..
As I said
We do not agree on this
You seem to be carrying the water for the Republicans as I have pointed out before
Trump is the King
Bow down and let’m be
Why even keep going Jack?
Tell him to close down now?
DAMN!
You got NO FIGHT?
via twitter…..
Ken Rudin
@kenrudin
Replying to @brithume
Once upon a time the GOP was the party of principle; it was Republicans who went to Nixon and told him his time was up. Now Republicans will do whatever it takes, tearing down whatever institutions are necessary, in order to protect this president. They are unrecognizable.
Too HOT to handle?
AP Politics…..
Prosecutors on Thursday dropped charges against porn star Stormy Daniels just hours after she was arrested and accused of illegally rubbing undercover police officers’ faces against her bare breasts during a performance at a strip club.
Her attorney said she was “set up” in a Columbus police sting operation, calling it an “absurd use of law enforcement resources.” Police said they routinely conduct such undercover operations….
More…
Good Morning everyone
Just so EVERYONE understands where Donald J. Trump is coming from , up front?
via twitter…https://twitter.com/JuddLegum
…’Trump says that immigration is not “good for our country” because it is “changing the culture.”…..
Ah, Donald?
EVERYBODY here?
Has their family that came from SOMEPLACE ELSE!
Even with Crowley losing, I still believe it is likely that Pelosi will not be Speaker if Democrats win the majority.
https://www.rollcall.com/news/politics/house-democrats-contemplate-post-pelosi-scenarios
I’m going adjust my view to your view CG….
I believe that Democrats WILL NOT allow Pelosi to NOT become the Speaker after they gain a majority back in the House next year….
I DO believe that she will NOT keep that spot after 2020 , or sooner when the Democrats will probably have majorities in both houses of Congress…
In case there is any confusion, I am saying Pelosi will not officially become Speaker again, no matter who has the majority.
What I think is more likely to happen now is that someone like Hoyer or Clyburn will serve one term as Speaker (if Democrats win the majority) and then the “young people” in the Caucus will battle it out to lead the party in the House.
I will post that Roll Call piece later…
I’ll also have a post on FBI agent Peter Strzok, who seems to be holding his own in todays hearing before the House….
“I have the utmost respect for Congress’s oversight role, but I truly believe that today’s hearing is just another victory notch in Putin’s belt and another milestone in our enemies’ campaign to tear America apart.”
— FBI agent Peter Strzok, quoted by the New York Times, rejecting accusations that he let his private political views bias his official actions and criticizing Republican attacks on him….
Politicalwire…
This FBI agent is good….
And Good Aftrernoon All…..
CG?
I asked this the other day
Your people over at HHR?
Their views on Immigration, Jordan, Kavanaugh?
If you could be so kind to summarize the views from the right?
Do they agree with Trump on the tariffs?
I’m curious of their views ?
I don’t comment there much.
Everyone likes Kavanaugh, (even those who have claimed the Bush Family is the epitome of political evil. They ignore that now because Trump picked him..)
Jordan has barely been mentioned. A rare Trump critic there thought the news was very bad for Jordan at first. The general arc of the story (now that Jordan has changed his initial denial to an extent) is that there is not much there.
Definitely a division over tariffs there and they argue over that. Some people will claim that tariffs are bad but because Trump wants them.
According to NBCNews, those “trumped” up charges against Trump sex mate Stormy Daniels have already been dismissed.
Apparently the statute under which she was charged didn’t apply to her alleged conduct.
Damn those cops in Columbus didn’t even make it look good.You gonna roust somebody you ought to at least know the damn law you are charging them under and the language thereof.
Either they unfairly arrested her or this is all a PR ploy for her and her Oval Office seeking attorney (and her mugshot is actually pretty nice). Either way, it seems to have worked out well for her.
Are you implying that the Columbus Police Dept. Is in cahoots with Stormy or her lawyer?
Who knows? Maybe she was “set up” on purpose for PR reasons. Was this a sting operation or did someone file a complaint? This isn’t exactly an important story. I just know that her two night “engagement” in Chicago was a soap opera with her making all sorts of demands and threatening to walk away from the show, etc.
Maybe you don’t understand the law.
They took her in custody and had her post a 6000 dollar bond to be released.
If this was a publicity “stunt” as you say then the officers involved are certainly guilty of Obstruction of Justice, will lose their jobs for sure,so I hope Avenatti and Stormy paid them well.
Just as likely they were Republican supporters of Trump who thought arresting his tormentor would be a fun thing to do and maybe draw the attention of their Leader.
I don’t claim to know what went down there but it’s good publicity for her and keeping her name in the news regardless.
She can come out in handcuffs and an orange jumpsuit for her next gig.
Sure it’s good publicity.
Hell every day of this presidency is good publicity for Trump Inc.
Trump and Stormy are two peas in a pod.
She wears less makeup and spends less time on her hair.
Boy, Avenatti is licking his chops over this one.
The only question is how much Columbus is going to pay in civil damages.
Hell, Stormy might get as much out of this as she did for that night in the sack with Trump!
John Kasich can always pardon her.
Politicalwire headline: Ryan Says He Has No Plans to Run for President
Well then it’s mutual– Americans have no plans to vote for him.
Belgium defeats England 2 – 0 in regulation time of the third-place or consolation game of the FIFA World Cup tournament today in St Petersburg.
France faces Croatia in Moscow tomorrow for the Cup Final.
In Missouri polls show Proposition A–which would make the Show Me State a Right to Work state–is headed to a defeat. Much to the delight of labor unions and progressive groups.
Election offices in St..Louis city and county were overwhelmed with new and updated registrations ahead of the July 11th deadline prior to the August 7th primary election–where Prop A is on the ballot
Republicans who control the legislature and governor’s office pushed to have the referendum on the Aug primary rather than Nov ballot on the theory that lesser turnout could help right to work pass.
Has Sen. Claire McCaskill taken a position on Right to Work?
She is opposed. Claire faces no serious Democratic primary opposition.
My Congressman Lacy Clay however is fending off a challenge by activist Cori Bush–who is hoping to upset Clay the way Joe Crowley was in NY last month.
It’s a safe Dem district and my lunch is Clay wins but it could be close.
Switch to new Thread for 7/14/18 HERE…