White House Counselor to the President Kellyanne Conway appeared on CNN Monday to sarcastically slam the idea the former FBI Director James Comey swung the presidential election, only for the show's chyron to parrot it as a sincere response.
"I saw Jim Comey last night and I said ‘this guy swung an election?' I don't think so," Conway told Chris Cuomo on CNN, shaking her head in disbelief at the notion.
"He struggled to answer basic questions," Conway added, further showing how unimpressed she was with Comey's interview.
CNN's chyron proceeded to falsely claim Conway thought Comey handed the election to Donald Trump with the chyron "KELLYANNE CONWAY: COMEY ‘SWUNG AN ELECTION.'"
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
Tuesday, April 17, 2018
Special Prosecutorial Abuse
We’re supposed to be reassured that the FBI agents who raided the offices and home of Donald Trump’s personal lawyer, Michael A. Cohen, were, in Cohen’s words, “courteous” and “respectful.”
The president’s attorney was understandably grateful that the agents didn’t replicate the FBI’s tactics at the home of Paul Manafort, Trump’s onetime campaign manager. Busting in before dawn, guns drawn, with a “no knock” warrant while Manafort and his wife were in bed, the agents frisked Mrs. Manafort while she was still in her nightclothes.
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The president’s attorney was understandably grateful that the agents didn’t replicate the FBI’s tactics at the home of Paul Manafort, Trump’s onetime campaign manager. Busting in before dawn, guns drawn, with a “no knock” warrant while Manafort and his wife were in bed, the agents frisked Mrs. Manafort while she was still in her nightclothes.
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American woman wins Boston Marathon for 1st time in 33 years
BOSTON — Desiree Linden splashed her way through icy rain and a near-gale headwind to a Boston Marathon victory on Monday, the first American woman to win the race since 1985.
The two-time Olympian and 2011 Boston runner-up pulled away at the end of Heartbreak Hill to finish in 2 hours, 39 minutes, 54 seconds. That was more than four minutes better than second-place finisher Sarah Sellers, one of seven Americans in the top 10, but the slowest time for a women’s winner since 1978.
“It’s supposed to be hard,” said Linden, who wiped the spray of rain from her eyes as she made her way down Boylston Street alone. “It’s good to get it done.”
Yuki Kawauchi passed defending champion Geoffrey Kirui in Kenmore Square to win the men’s race in an unofficial 2:15:58 and earn Japan’s first Boston Marathon title since 1987. Kirui slowed and stumbled across the Copley Square finish line 2:25 later, followed by Shadrack Biwott and three other U.S. men.
On the fifth anniversary of the finish line explosions that killed three and wounded hundreds more, Linden and Kawauchi led a field of 30,000 runners through a drenching rain, temperatures in the mid-30s and gusts of up to 32 mph on the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton.
“For me, it’s the best conditions possible,” Kawauchi said through an interpreter and with a wide smile.
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The two-time Olympian and 2011 Boston runner-up pulled away at the end of Heartbreak Hill to finish in 2 hours, 39 minutes, 54 seconds. That was more than four minutes better than second-place finisher Sarah Sellers, one of seven Americans in the top 10, but the slowest time for a women’s winner since 1978.
“It’s supposed to be hard,” said Linden, who wiped the spray of rain from her eyes as she made her way down Boylston Street alone. “It’s good to get it done.”
Yuki Kawauchi passed defending champion Geoffrey Kirui in Kenmore Square to win the men’s race in an unofficial 2:15:58 and earn Japan’s first Boston Marathon title since 1987. Kirui slowed and stumbled across the Copley Square finish line 2:25 later, followed by Shadrack Biwott and three other U.S. men.
On the fifth anniversary of the finish line explosions that killed three and wounded hundreds more, Linden and Kawauchi led a field of 30,000 runners through a drenching rain, temperatures in the mid-30s and gusts of up to 32 mph on the 26.2-mile trek from Hopkinton.
“For me, it’s the best conditions possible,” Kawauchi said through an interpreter and with a wide smile.
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Midterm MELTDOWN: Democratic Advantage In 2018 Polls Is 'Shrinking'
Democrats, and, in particular, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, have been particularly optimistic about their chances at retaking the House of Representatives after the midterm elections this fall. But according to a new poll from ABC/Washington Post, it seems they'd do well to take a more cautious approach.
According to the poll released Monday, "47 percent of registered voters say they prefer the Democratic candidate in their district, while 43 percent favor the Republican." That seems significant (although 4 points is often within the margin of error), until you consider that, in January, the spread between the two parties was 12 points, and the Democrats' lead has slipped 8 points since January.
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According to the poll released Monday, "47 percent of registered voters say they prefer the Democratic candidate in their district, while 43 percent favor the Republican." That seems significant (although 4 points is often within the margin of error), until you consider that, in January, the spread between the two parties was 12 points, and the Democrats' lead has slipped 8 points since January.
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Don’t Wait Too Long to Leave the Party
Liquidity is the ultimate paradox in finance. It’s always there when you don’t need it and never there when you need it most. The reason is crowd behavior, or what mathematicians call hypersynchronicity (a fancy word for everyone doing the same thing at the same time).
When markets are calm, no one wants liquidity because investors are happy to hold stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities and other assets in their portfolios. As a result, there’s plenty of liquidity on offer from bank lenders and very few takers.
The opposite is true.
In a financial crisis, everyone wants his money back at once. Stocks are crashing, bonds are crashing, margin calls are streaming in and everyone is trying to sell everything at once to avoid losses, meet margin calls and preserve wealth.
In those circumstances, there’s not enough liquidity to go around. Banks, and ultimately regulators, decide who lives and who dies (financially speaking) by offering liquidity or cutting it off.
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When markets are calm, no one wants liquidity because investors are happy to hold stocks, bonds, currencies, commodities and other assets in their portfolios. As a result, there’s plenty of liquidity on offer from bank lenders and very few takers.
The opposite is true.
In a financial crisis, everyone wants his money back at once. Stocks are crashing, bonds are crashing, margin calls are streaming in and everyone is trying to sell everything at once to avoid losses, meet margin calls and preserve wealth.
In those circumstances, there’s not enough liquidity to go around. Banks, and ultimately regulators, decide who lives and who dies (financially speaking) by offering liquidity or cutting it off.
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Iowa Joins States Preemptively Moving Against Sanctuary Cities
New state law now bars Iowa cities and counties from being sanctuaries for fugitive illegal immigrants under legislation signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds (R). Municipal leaders who choose to ignore the new law face a cutoff of state funding.
Meanwhile, the list of California communities rebelling against their state’s sanctuary state law could grow longer by at least one before the end of April.
While President Trump has vowed to cut off federal funding for states that go sanctuary, Iowa’s new law — along with similar legislation approved in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas last year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures — could hurt rogue cities that decide not to cooperate with ICE.
Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, told Inside Sources any such law passed by a state legislature could be legal and held up in court, depending on the state’s constitution.
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Meanwhile, the list of California communities rebelling against their state’s sanctuary state law could grow longer by at least one before the end of April.
While President Trump has vowed to cut off federal funding for states that go sanctuary, Iowa’s new law — along with similar legislation approved in Alabama, Mississippi, North Carolina, and Texas last year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures — could hurt rogue cities that decide not to cooperate with ICE.
Ilya Somin, a law professor at George Mason University, told Inside Sources any such law passed by a state legislature could be legal and held up in court, depending on the state’s constitution.
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This is the real reason many Americans stay poor
In his State of the Union address, President Trump said “there has never been a better time to start living the American Dream.” But the new 2018 Prosperity Now Scorecard and its accompanying report says that isn’t so for low-income Americans.
“The system is, by just about all measures, stacked against those with low incomes and low wealth for the benefit of the wealthiest,” says the report from the nonpartisan but left-leaning Prosperity Now nonprofit, which provides research and recommendations regarding Americans with limited incomes.
One example: low-income people are ineligible for federal programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) if they amass “even modest savings,” the report noted. Prosperity Now calls policies like this “a roadblock on the path to saving.”
What the 2018 Prosperity Now scorecard found
The 2018 Prosperity Now Scorecard and its report, Whose Bad Choices? How Policy Precludes Prosperity and What We Can Do About It, also make the argument that the U.S. economic system and policies of the Trump administration and Congress are stacked against people of color.
“We’ve heard more rhetoric lately about [low-income] people making ‘bad choices’ or being ‘irresponsible with money’ and that’s been the direction policy has been going,’ said Kasey Wiedrich, director of applied research at Prosperity Now. “We wanted to attack that.” One example of the rhetoric: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) recently said lower-income Americans “are just spending every darn penny they have whether it’s on booze or women or movies.”
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“The system is, by just about all measures, stacked against those with low incomes and low wealth for the benefit of the wealthiest,” says the report from the nonpartisan but left-leaning Prosperity Now nonprofit, which provides research and recommendations regarding Americans with limited incomes.
One example: low-income people are ineligible for federal programs such as SNAP (food stamps) and TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) if they amass “even modest savings,” the report noted. Prosperity Now calls policies like this “a roadblock on the path to saving.”
What the 2018 Prosperity Now scorecard found
The 2018 Prosperity Now Scorecard and its report, Whose Bad Choices? How Policy Precludes Prosperity and What We Can Do About It, also make the argument that the U.S. economic system and policies of the Trump administration and Congress are stacked against people of color.
“We’ve heard more rhetoric lately about [low-income] people making ‘bad choices’ or being ‘irresponsible with money’ and that’s been the direction policy has been going,’ said Kasey Wiedrich, director of applied research at Prosperity Now. “We wanted to attack that.” One example of the rhetoric: Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) recently said lower-income Americans “are just spending every darn penny they have whether it’s on booze or women or movies.”
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James Comey's interview is a media flop
Former FBI Director James Comey’s highly anticipated weekend TV interview fell flat for key members of the press.
The one-hour interview, which aired Sunday on ABC ahead of the publication of Comey’s book “A Higher Loyalty,” received extensive coverage in the national press for Comey’s sharp rebukes of President Trump, but there were almost no revelations in his answers, and some critics said Comey came across as self-serving.
“I didn’t like that interview,” CNN political analyst David Gregory said Monday morning. “I don’t think Jim Comey came off well at all. I think yet again he is obsessed with his standing, his media standing, his kind of political standing.”
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The one-hour interview, which aired Sunday on ABC ahead of the publication of Comey’s book “A Higher Loyalty,” received extensive coverage in the national press for Comey’s sharp rebukes of President Trump, but there were almost no revelations in his answers, and some critics said Comey came across as self-serving.
“I didn’t like that interview,” CNN political analyst David Gregory said Monday morning. “I don’t think Jim Comey came off well at all. I think yet again he is obsessed with his standing, his media standing, his kind of political standing.”
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Dear Starbucks, You Lost Me at Planned Parenthood
I am a Gold Card member of Starbucks. I love your products and have for many years, specifically the grande mocha with coconut milk, no whip, extra hot. That's my drink. I am two stars away from receiving a free drink on my Gold Card. I worked hard for that. It's not easy to earn your rewards and your coffee ain't cheap. But I almost have a free mocha out of it and I was looking forward to it.
Then I discovered that Starbucks is subsidizing Planned Parenthood, which has recently been caught on video tearing apart the bodies of fully formed human beings and selling off their organs to the highest bidder. So, not only does my tax money go to fund these inhuman butchers, but now my coffee money does, too.Not anymore. I don't usually support advertising boycotts because it hurts businesses that are just trying to market a product, but this time I can't wrap my head around why on earth Starbucks is giving money to Planned Parenthood. Don't you want more customers? Do you realize Planned Parenthood is killing off millions of potential Starbucks customers and selling them off for spare parts?
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Then I discovered that Starbucks is subsidizing Planned Parenthood, which has recently been caught on video tearing apart the bodies of fully formed human beings and selling off their organs to the highest bidder. So, not only does my tax money go to fund these inhuman butchers, but now my coffee money does, too.Not anymore. I don't usually support advertising boycotts because it hurts businesses that are just trying to market a product, but this time I can't wrap my head around why on earth Starbucks is giving money to Planned Parenthood. Don't you want more customers? Do you realize Planned Parenthood is killing off millions of potential Starbucks customers and selling them off for spare parts?
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Are You an Alpha or a Beta Male? Take Our 20-Question Quiz and Find Out
The problem with defining whether you’re an Alpha or a Beta male is that everybody wants to be an Alpha and we’re great at lying to ourselves. Either we fudge the answers or try to make being Alpha unobtainable (Alphas? That’s guys like Chuck Norris, James Mattis or The Rock) so we don’t feel bad about missing the mark. So, let’s make it a little more objective with this quiz. Answer as honestly as you can and this will let you know where you really stand.
1) Are you more of a leader or a follower? Have you taken a group of people somewhere, even if it’s out to dinner? Are there people looking to you when it’s time to make a decision?
A) Leader
B) Follower
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1) Are you more of a leader or a follower? Have you taken a group of people somewhere, even if it’s out to dinner? Are there people looking to you when it’s time to make a decision?
A) Leader
B) Follower
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Is DOJ Obstructing Congress in the Trump Surveillance Case?
Did Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) really have to threaten to hold FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in contempt and to start impeachment proceedings? Apparently so.
Nunes chairs the House Intelligence Committee. For almost eight months, Wray and Rosenstein stalled his request for an unredacted copy of the memo that launched the Obama administration’s investigation/surveillance of the Trump campaign. Eight months.
But when Nunes threatened impeachment, he received the memo within 24 hours.
The Committee is investigating whether the Justice Department and the FBI (which is part of the Justice Department) had a credible, legal basis for opening their extraordinary investigation of a presidential candidate’s campaign. And the Justice Department has been trying to slow-walk the Committee’s investigation from the start.
But all the delaying tactics in the world can’t diminish the power of Congress to exercise oversight of a federal agency’s behavior -- or possible misbehavior.
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Nunes chairs the House Intelligence Committee. For almost eight months, Wray and Rosenstein stalled his request for an unredacted copy of the memo that launched the Obama administration’s investigation/surveillance of the Trump campaign. Eight months.
But when Nunes threatened impeachment, he received the memo within 24 hours.
The Committee is investigating whether the Justice Department and the FBI (which is part of the Justice Department) had a credible, legal basis for opening their extraordinary investigation of a presidential candidate’s campaign. And the Justice Department has been trying to slow-walk the Committee’s investigation from the start.
But all the delaying tactics in the world can’t diminish the power of Congress to exercise oversight of a federal agency’s behavior -- or possible misbehavior.
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8 One-Hit Wonders We Want to Forget
You know those songs that get stuck in your head and DO NOT LEAVE? Pretty awful, right? But isn't it particularly painful when the tune playing on loop in your mind is just terrible? And you know the words. All. Of. The. Words. You shake your fist at the sky and mumble under your breath something about pop radio, and before you know it, you're singing it again.
One-hit wonders aren't necessarily bad things. Look at songs like "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell, "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners, and "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum—those are all pretty awesome one-hit wonders. Heck, did you know that even Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D" (yes, the one every new bride walks down the aisle to) was a one-hit wonder as well?
But how on earth did some other one-hitters even get produced—nevermind become legend. Perhaps some were catchy enough that they just slipped through the cracks. But others are just so god-awful it's amazing that you can still remember every single lyric.
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One-hit wonders aren't necessarily bad things. Look at songs like "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell, "Come on Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners, and "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum—those are all pretty awesome one-hit wonders. Heck, did you know that even Johann Pachelbel's "Canon in D" (yes, the one every new bride walks down the aisle to) was a one-hit wonder as well?
But how on earth did some other one-hitters even get produced—nevermind become legend. Perhaps some were catchy enough that they just slipped through the cracks. But others are just so god-awful it's amazing that you can still remember every single lyric.
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Chamber of Commerce CEO to Congress: Raise Federal Gas Tax, Protect DREAMer Workforce
WASHINGTON – U.S. Chamber of Commerce CEO Tom Donohue called on Congress to raise the federal gas tax as the “simplest and fairest option” to pay for infrastructure legislation.
“We’re proposing a 25 cent increase, which would cost the average American only about $9 per month for roads, bridges and transit. Americans are willing to contribute a little more if it means better, safer roads, a faster commute and more time with their families,” Donohue said at the recent National League of Cities (NLC) conference. “Now, the gas the tax is a start but it’s not a panacea as we get to investing in other critical infrastructure. We’ve got a lot of updates to do to roads, bridges and transit.”
Donohue acknowledged that a large infrastructure package would “break the bank.”
“Of course, it’s going to break the bank but if you get a little creative, if you come up with an innovative financial strategy, if you include a mix of federal, state, local and private funding and a long-term payment structure, you’re in business,” he said.
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“We’re proposing a 25 cent increase, which would cost the average American only about $9 per month for roads, bridges and transit. Americans are willing to contribute a little more if it means better, safer roads, a faster commute and more time with their families,” Donohue said at the recent National League of Cities (NLC) conference. “Now, the gas the tax is a start but it’s not a panacea as we get to investing in other critical infrastructure. We’ve got a lot of updates to do to roads, bridges and transit.”
Donohue acknowledged that a large infrastructure package would “break the bank.”
“Of course, it’s going to break the bank but if you get a little creative, if you come up with an innovative financial strategy, if you include a mix of federal, state, local and private funding and a long-term payment structure, you’re in business,” he said.
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Cyber Hardware Flaws Studied
The most frequent cause of malicious cyber attacks is when computer users click on a link that results in malware being downloaded onto computer networks.
But another emerging hardware-based cyber threat is being studied by the Cyber Command and U.S. intelligence community, according to the nominee to head the command and the National Security Agency.
Army Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, Cybercom and NSA director nominee, told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in written answers that massive hardware vulnerabilities called Spectre and Meltdown are major worries.
“U.S. Cybercom is engaged with the intelligence community, inter-agency and industry to better understand Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities and employ mitigations,” Gen. Nakasone stated.
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But another emerging hardware-based cyber threat is being studied by the Cyber Command and U.S. intelligence community, according to the nominee to head the command and the National Security Agency.
Army Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, Cybercom and NSA director nominee, told the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence in written answers that massive hardware vulnerabilities called Spectre and Meltdown are major worries.
“U.S. Cybercom is engaged with the intelligence community, inter-agency and industry to better understand Spectre and Meltdown vulnerabilities and employ mitigations,” Gen. Nakasone stated.
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PAC: Clinton, DNC funneled $84M through state parties to skirt campaign finance laws
The Hillary Clinton Campaign and the Democratic National Committee allegedly used state chapters as strawmen to launder as much as $84 million in an effort to circumvent campaign donation limits, and the Federal Election Commission ignored complaints exposing the practice, a lawsuit filed Monday claims.
The Committee to Defend the President (CDP), a political action committee formally known as Stop Hillary PAC, filed its complaint with the FEC in December 2017 with the claims that the Hillary Victory Fund (HVF) solicited cash from big-name donors, and allegedly sent that money through state chapters and back to the DNC before ending up with the Clinton campaign.
As first reported by Fox News at the time, the CDP alleges in its complaint that about $84 million was funneled illegally from the DNC through state party chapters and back into the war chest of the Clinton campaign. The political action committee claims that even though the FEC acknowledged receipt of the complaint and claimed that an investigation would be conducted, the needle has barely moved.
“The Clinton machine has escaped accountability for its illegal practices for far too long,” Ted Harvey, CDP chairman, said to Fox News. “After months of review, the FEC has refused to address the Clintons’ $84 million money laundering scheme that violated several campaign finance laws.”
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http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/04/16/fec-hit-with-lawsuit-over-ignoring-civil-complaint-accusing-clinton-dnc-in-election-scheme.html
The Committee to Defend the President (CDP), a political action committee formally known as Stop Hillary PAC, filed its complaint with the FEC in December 2017 with the claims that the Hillary Victory Fund (HVF) solicited cash from big-name donors, and allegedly sent that money through state chapters and back to the DNC before ending up with the Clinton campaign.
As first reported by Fox News at the time, the CDP alleges in its complaint that about $84 million was funneled illegally from the DNC through state party chapters and back into the war chest of the Clinton campaign. The political action committee claims that even though the FEC acknowledged receipt of the complaint and claimed that an investigation would be conducted, the needle has barely moved.
“The Clinton machine has escaped accountability for its illegal practices for far too long,” Ted Harvey, CDP chairman, said to Fox News. “After months of review, the FEC has refused to address the Clintons’ $84 million money laundering scheme that violated several campaign finance laws.”
More
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/04/16/fec-hit-with-lawsuit-over-ignoring-civil-complaint-accusing-clinton-dnc-in-election-scheme.html
‘Bipartisan’ Arizona Teacher Protest is Led by Democratic Operative
The man leading an Arizona teacher protest that labels itself as "bipartisan" has in the past year worked with partisan election groups launched by Democratic operatives after the 2016 election and was hired last year to manage a Democrat's campaign.
Questions were raised last week regarding the background of Noah Karvelis, a teacher who has been the face of the highly visible #RedforEd push for increased teacher salaries, after Arizona governor Doug Ducey (R.) labeled him a political operative and chose to keep him out of talks on education spending.
"What I don't want to do is get into these political operatives' political circus," Ducey said, calling into question the political motives of Karvelis's group, which says it is nonpartisan. He said he would work with "decision makers" and separate out "political activists."
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Questions were raised last week regarding the background of Noah Karvelis, a teacher who has been the face of the highly visible #RedforEd push for increased teacher salaries, after Arizona governor Doug Ducey (R.) labeled him a political operative and chose to keep him out of talks on education spending.
"What I don't want to do is get into these political operatives' political circus," Ducey said, calling into question the political motives of Karvelis's group, which says it is nonpartisan. He said he would work with "decision makers" and separate out "political activists."
More
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