Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2019 20:05:23 GMT
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flute4peace
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,757
Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Apr 10, 2019 21:12:21 GMT
linkCNN... “Washington Post: Trump administration plans to dismantle agency overseeing civil service””Judd Deere, a spokesman for the White House, told CNN Wednesday that Trump "is committed to reforming the federal government, making it more efficient, effective, and accountable for hardworking American taxpayers." trump making anything more efficient is one of the funniest things I have heard in a long time. Translation: He’s turning it into a dictatorship.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 10, 2019 23:22:40 GMT
John Hudson...
”Rand Paul tried to get Pompeo on record saying the 2001 AUMF doesn't allow the Trump administration to go to war with Iran. Pompeo said he wants to leave that question to lawyers, then added ‘’Iran’s connections to Al Qaeda is very real”
As are AL Qaeda’s ties to the Saudis. In fact they gave US arms to Al Qaeda connected fighters in Yemen. Does that mean we should go to war with the Saudis? And it was financing from members of the Royal family that help fund the terrorist of 9/11.
For whatever reason, in his feeble little brain, trump is itching for a fight with Iran.
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PLurker
Prolific Pea
Posts: 9,749
Location: Behind the Cheddar Curtain
Jun 28, 2014 3:48:49 GMT
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Post by PLurker on Apr 10, 2019 23:37:20 GMT
John Hudson... ”Rand Paul tried to get Pompeo on record saying the 2001 AUMF doesn't allow the Trump administration to go to war with Iran. Pompeo said he wants to leave that question to lawyers, then added ‘’Iran’s connections to Al Qaeda is very real” As are AL Qaeda’s ties to the Saudis. In fact they gave US arms to Al Qaeda connected fighters in Yemen. Does that mean we should go to war with the Saudis? And it was financing from members of the Royal family that help fund the terrorist of 9/11. For whatever reason, in his feeble little brain, trump is itching for a fight with Iran. Bone Spurs doesn't give a damn about the people having to fight the fight because it sure as hell won't be him or his. He likes to start fights but participation from there, not so much. It's worked well for him long before becoming POTUS. Blaming and throwing others under the bus is sport and entertainment to him.
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lizacreates
Pearl Clutcher
Posts: 3,856
Aug 29, 2015 2:39:19 GMT
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Post by lizacreates on Apr 11, 2019 0:14:07 GMT
(CNN) "Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin informed Congress early Wednesday evening that his department would be unable to comply with House Democrats' deadline for President Donald Trump's tax returns."
Fine, issue a congressional subpoena and if they still refuse, hold the IRS Commissioner and Mnuchin in contempt of Congress. Then take this to court and let the DC Circuit handle it.
I’m sick to death of these people and their stonewalling on everything. If this was Hillary as president, they would already be tripping all over each other drawing up articles of impeachment.
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Post by quinlove on Apr 11, 2019 0:40:46 GMT
linkCNN... “Washington Post: Trump administration plans to dismantle agency overseeing civil service””Judd Deere, a spokesman for the White House, told CNN Wednesday that Trump "is committed to reforming the federal government, making it more efficient, effective, and accountable for hardworking American taxpayers." trump making anything more efficient is one of the funniest things I have heard in a long time. Translation: He’s turning it into a dictatorship. And it’s really beginning to scare me. A lot.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 11, 2019 1:34:58 GMT
CNN... “Washington Post: Trump administration plans to dismantle agency overseeing civil service””Judd Deere, a spokesman for the White House, told CNN Wednesday that Trump "is committed to reforming the federal government, making it more efficient, effective, and accountable for hardworking American taxpayers." Like all the things he has already done have made everything more efficient, effective and accountable!! Eliminating Civil Service has has been his goal from day one, to hirer his own people, because he does not comprehend the whole system of career employees. Does that mean we should go to war with the Saudis? And it was financing from members of the Royal family that help fund the terrorist of 9/11. And dt is giving them nuclear power... Think of Khashoggi !
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 1:42:30 GMT
Barb McQuade..
”If a president can’t be indicted, then why is Barr analyzing Trump’s conduct under criminal statutes instead of deferring to Congress? My thoughts on Barr’s testimony before Congress in @thedailybeast”
“Barr Sounds More and More Like Trump’s Roy Cohn”
“The attorney general contradicts himself on Mueller and obstruction and starts talking like a true-believer on intelligence agencies ‘spying’ on the Trump campaign.
Attorney General William Barr’s testimony before Congress on Wednesday highlighted the inherent contradiction in his letter about Robert Mueller’s investigation. The problem is not that Mueller did not make a charging decision about obstruction. The real problem is that Mueller did make a charging decision about conspiracy.
Barr was asked questions about Mueller’s investigation into links between the Trump campaign and Russia relating to interference with the 2016 election. Barr seemed to move interchangeably between the view that, on the one hand, a president cannot be indicted while in office, and, on the other hand, that the Russia investigation should be analyzed like any other criminal case. But these are two different things. You can’t have it both ways. If a sitting president cannot be indicted, then Congress gets to decide whether to charge a crime through impeachment, not a prosecutor through the normal analysis of criminal statutes.
Barr’s March 25 letter to Congress stated that Mueller concluded that his investigation did not establish conspiracy between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to influence the election, but that Mueller refrained from making a “traditional prosecutorial judgment” when it came to obstruction. (Again, a president can’t be indicted.) Barr wrote Mueller’s decision “leaves it to the Attorney General to determine whether the conduct described in the report constitutes a crime.” Congress and the public still do not have access to Mueller’s report, and it has been unclear why Mueller’s declination to make a decision meant that the decision was to be made by Barr.
On Wednesday, Sen. Patrick Leahy pressed Barr to explain why Mueller’s decision meant that the attorney general must decide the question. After all, since the Department of Justice taken the position that a sitting president cannot be indicted, isn’t the only recourse for a president’s misconduct for Congress to decide whether it amounts to a high crime or misdemeanor for which impeachment is appropriate? And wasn’t the whole point of appointing a special counsel to insulate the decision-maker from the executive branch chain of command to avoid a conflict of interest?
During the hearing, Barr conceded that when Mueller submitted his report, Mueller did not say that he intended to leave the obstruction decision to Barr. But Barr would not concede that Mueller intended to leave the obstruction decision to Congress. Instead, Barr said that he made the decision himself because “that’s generally how the Department of Justice works. Generally, grand juries are to investigate crimes and a prosecutor’s role at the end is binary. There are charges or no charges, or is this a crime or not a crime?” And for good measure, he added, “I’ve had some experience in that field.”
But a special counsel’s investigation of a president is anything but the general practice of the Department of Justice. A special counsel’s role is not binary. In fact, one could argue that a special counsel should make no charging decision at all, instead, collecting the evidence and then turning it over to Congress to decide whether the facts amount to a high crime or misdemeanor for which impeachment is appropriate.
Barr’s letter dissects the elements of the criminal statute for obstruction, applies the Justice Department’s Principles of Federal Prosecution that are used in normal criminal cases, and uses the standard of proof as guilt beyond a reasonable doubt. But these are the standards that apply in a normal criminal case, not in an impeachment proceeding. It seems that by taking the position that a sitting president cannot be indicted, it follows that the standard for analyzing alleged misconduct of the president should not be the standard that is used to obtain indictments. Instead, Congress should be permitted to analyze the conduct under its own standards.
Barr’s decision should also be viewed with some skepticism because of the unsolicited 19-page memo he sent to DOJ leadership last summer in which he expressed the somewhat unique view that a president cannot obstruct justice as a matter of law if he is exercising executive power, such as by asking the FBI director to stop investigating a matter or firing him. Barr’s March 25 letter stated that he reached his decision “without regard to, and is not based on, the constitutional considerations that surround the indictment and criminal prosecution of a sitting president,” citing the 2000 Office of Legal Counsel memo regarding prosecution of a sitting president. His letter did not say, however, that he reached his conclusion without regard to the position taken in his 19-page memo.
Barr raised further concerns about his objectivity when he referred to the FBI investigation into Trump’s campaign as “spying.”
He stated that he would be “reviewing both the genesis and the conduct of intelligence activities directed at the Trump campaign during 2016,” even though a “substantial portion” of these matters are already being investigated by DOJ’s inspector general. Although the FBI’s conduct should not be immune from scrutiny, government officials typically refer to intelligence activities as “surveillance” or “collection.” The use of the loaded term “spying” raises skepticism of his impartiality.
In addition, Barr stated, “I think there was probably failure among a group of leaders there at the upper echelon.” He has reached this conclusion even though he hasn’t “set up a team yet” to investigate. Barr’s testimony revealed a mindset that is consistent with the Trump narrative of an FBI that is out to get him. This is the attorney general appointed by Trump after Trump criticized Barr’s fired predecessor, Jeff Sessions, for failing to protect him. Does Trump finally have his Roy Cohn?
But all of this talk about obstruction masks the real point, which is that if Mueller had no business deciding the obstruction question, then why did he decide the conspiracy question? Unless Barr provides members of Congress with Mueller’s full report, they are unable to fulfill their duty to serve as a check on the president and will have no choice but to conduct their own investigation into both questions.”
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 2:35:35 GMT
Deadline White House...
”“[Trump] is so bothered by rising number of border crossings… There is a genuine fear inside the White House, inside the government that he is going to do something really rash, and that there aren’t those guardrails there… to stop him” - @philiprucker w/ @nicolledwallace”
Oh goody.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 3:39:19 GMT
trump...
“I think what the Democrats are doing with the Border is TREASONOUS. Their Open Border mindset is putting our Country at risk. Will not let this happen”
donnie dimwit has learned a new word. What a dangerous Idiot.
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flute4peace
Drama Llama
Posts: 6,757
Jul 3, 2014 14:38:35 GMT
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Post by flute4peace on Apr 11, 2019 4:02:53 GMT
Deadline White House... ”“[Trump] is so bothered by rising number of border crossings… There is a genuine fear inside the White House, inside the government that he is going to do something really rash, and that there aren’t those guardrails there… to stop him” - @philiprucker w/ @nicolledwallace” Oh goody. I’m really getting tired of the “white house insiders are concerned “ crap. If they were really concerned they’d have done something long ago.
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smginaz Suzy
Pearl Clutcher
Je suis desole.
Posts: 2,606
Jun 26, 2014 17:27:30 GMT
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Post by smginaz Suzy on Apr 11, 2019 4:30:07 GMT
Well the Fresno Bee did call Nunes a trump stooge. Factual statement, though.
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Post by LavenderLayoutLady on Apr 11, 2019 9:28:36 GMT
John Hudson... ”Rand Paul tried to get Pompeo on record saying the 2001 AUMF doesn't allow the Trump administration to go to war with Iran. Pompeo said he wants to leave that question to lawyers, then added ‘’Iran’s connections to Al Qaeda is very real” As are AL Qaeda’s ties to the Saudis. In fact they gave US arms to Al Qaeda connected fighters in Yemen. Does that mean we should go to war with the Saudis? And it was financing from members of the Royal family that help fund the terrorist of 9/11. For whatever reason, in his feeble little brain, trump is itching for a fight with Iran. A big war would distract from the results of the Mueller investigation.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 11, 2019 13:02:05 GMT
Deadline White House... ”“[Trump] is so bothered by rising number of border crossings… There is a genuine fear inside the White House, inside the government that he is going to do something really rash, and that there aren’t those guardrails there… to stop him” - @philiprucker w/ @nicolledwallace” Oh goody. I’m really getting tired of the “white house insiders are concerned “ crap. If they were really concerned they’d have done something long ago. Absolutely. They can go down with the ball of fire that will engulf dt!
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 11, 2019 13:03:24 GMT
Julian Assange has been arrested, he is an English courtroom.
DOJ expected to announce charges shortly. Probably the 2010 release by Chelsea Manning. She still still in custody for refusing the testify to the grand jury.
ETA: One count indictment for Hacking... it is only 8 page. Government can add charges.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 13:07:05 GMT
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 11, 2019 13:12:20 GMT
Bet it was very small increase to her pay. Surely not worth $2000. Rude awakening coming if her medical gets hit, although with dialysis many $$$ are covered by the government, not sure if it is medicare or medicaid. Transplants, after care and medicines are extremely expensive.
** "After doing some research, Speziale realized what had happened — changes in the IRS withholding tables gave her “small increases” in her take home pay while wiping out the refund she had come to depend on.
“I got less money because I was getting more back in my paycheck but that is not a tax break in my opinion,” she told MSNBC’s Jake Ward angrily. “All you did was shift the money from getting your return to getting it in your paycheck.”
“I’m on dialysis, I’m waiting for a transplant, and I actually work full time, but I was planning on paying off some bills,” Speziale, who still supports the president, went on. “I want to believe he didn’t know that was going to happen to people, that he was hurting the middle class.”
But she also harbored some suspicion about the president’s reticence to level with the American people about his own taxes. **
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 16:25:19 GMT
Natasha Bertrand...
”.@comey, at the Hewlett Foundation's Verify Conference, says of Barr's "spying" comments: "I have no idea what the heck he's talking about."
We are one tiny inch away from becoming a true banana republic.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 16:34:36 GMT
Natasha Bertrand...
”.@comey on Trump and Russian interference: "We need to ask why our president will not acknowledge what his intelligence community has found...I don't think we are adequately prepared, and in many ways we're inviting it to happen again in virtue of our president's silence."
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 17:30:21 GMT
More from Natasha Bertrand...
”More @comey on Barr's "spying" comments: "The FBI conducted court-ordered authorized surveillance. I don't consider that spying."
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 11, 2019 22:48:11 GMT
After spending hours grading papers this week, I am very grateful I never had to grade Trump's.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 11, 2019 23:05:32 GMT
One down, hopefully they will stick to their decision! Interesting that Cramer (R-N.D.) has suddenly found accusations of sexual harassment a problem after supporting dt ?!?!? A fourth Republican senator announced Thursday that he would oppose Herman Cain if President Trump nominated him to the Federal Reserve Board, all but dooming his potential appointment. Sen. Kevin Cramer (R-N.D.), a close Trump ally, told reporters that “if I had to vote right now, there's no way I could vote for” Cain. The president had floated the businessman for the Fed board last week. Cramer’s opposition makes him the fourth Republican to denounce Cain’s potential nomination, effectively ending Cain's chance at confirmation. GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Cory Gardner (Colo.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) all came out against Cain on Wednesday. With four of the 53 Senate Republicans opposed to Cain, he would not reach the necessary 51 votes for confirmation without getting support from Democrats, which is unlikely. Cramer, a member of the Senate Banking Committee, cited the four allegations of sexual harassment made against Cain that helped derail his 2012 Republican presidential campaign. ** thehill.com/homenews/senate/438486-fourth-gop-senator-comes-out-against-trump-fed-pick-cain
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Post by freecharlie on Apr 11, 2019 23:25:52 GMT
Cramer’s opposition makes him the fourth Republican to denounce Cain’s potential nomination, effectively ending Cain's chance at confirmation. GOP Sens. Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Cory Gardner (Colo.) and Mitt Romney (Utah) all came out against Cain on Wednesday. Gardner is a bitch who says he opposes something trump says/does and then votes the Trump way anyway.
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 11, 2019 23:38:45 GMT
Elections do have consequences...
From Reuters...
”U.S. EPA chief defends big energy projects, says climate not top priority”
“Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will unveil a proposal to speed state-level permitting decisions for energy infrastructure projects soon, the agency’s chief told Reuters on Thursday, blasting states that have blocked coal terminals and gas pipelines on environmental grounds.
President Donald Trump is seeking to boost domestic fossil fuels production over the objections of Democrats and environmentalists concerned about pollution and climate change. On Wednesday he issued a pair of executive orders targeting the power of states to delay energy projects. Some much for State’s rights..
We started working on it in advance, so we hope to have something out soon," EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler said in an interview. He was unable to provide a precise timeline.
Based on Trump’s orders, Wheeler's EPA has been tasked with clarifying a section of the U.S. Clean Water Act that has allowed states like New York and Washington to delay projects in recent years.
New York has used the section to delay pipelines that would bring natural gas to New England, for example, and Washington state has stopped coal export terminals that would open the Asian market for struggling coal companies in Wyoming and other landlocked western states.
"They are trying to make international environmental policy," Wheeler said of Washington state, whose governor, Democrat Jay Inslee, is running for president on a climate change-focused platform. "They’re trying to dictate to the world how much coal is used."
Wheeler said New York, which amid strong public pressure denied a clean water act permit for construction of a natural gas pipeline to New England, is forcing that region "to use Russian-produced natural gas."
"We are importing Russian natural gas which is not produced in an environmentally conscious manner. If the states that are blocking the pipelines were truly concerned about the environment, they would look to where the natural gas would be coming from... I think it’s very short-sighted," he said.
Wheeler said the EPA would not prevent a state from vetoing a project, but would clarify the parameters they should be able to consider, and the length of time they have to do so.
He also said that California is playing politics in its fight with the EPA to preserve its more stringent vehicle emission standards as the national standard. California has had these higher standards for years, it has nothing to do with politics.
CLIMATE: NOT A PRIORITY
Wheeler said he believes climate change is a problem, but that it had been overblown by former President Barack Obama's administration - at the expense of other bigger issues like water quality.
"Yes, climate is an issue and we are working to address it, but I think water is a bigger issue," he said.
Wheeler dismissed the findings of a report released earlier this week by EPA scientists in the journal Nature Climate Change that detailed the scale and urgency of climate change.
He said while he encouraged EPA scientists to carry out and publish research, he stressed the recent paper "did not reflect EPA policy."
Environmental groups say the EPA's replacement of an Obama-era rule limiting carbon emissions from power plants would likely lead to increased emissions by allowing older, more polluting coal plants to operate longer.
Asked whether the replacement - the Affordable Clean Energy rule, which gives states responsibility for regulating emissions - is stringent enough, Wheeler said it adheres to the parameters of federal law.
"I think what is effective regulation is one that follows the law and one that will be held up in court," he said.
Several Democrats challenging Trump in the 2020 election have made climate change a top-tier issue, embracing aggressive policy platforms like the Green New Deal calling for an end of fossil fuels use.
Asked whether he was concerned that the EPA may be out of synch with polls showing an overwhelming number of young people believe climate change should be a priority issue, Wheeler was dismissive.
"I do fear that because so many people only talked about climate change. You’re right, there could very well be a new generation coming up saying that’s the only environmental issue - and it's not," he said.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 12, 2019 1:39:22 GMT
Trump: You're lucky I was President during this 'scam'
NO, because if he were not president we would not have this scam, sh*tshow!
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Post by papercrafteradvocate on Apr 12, 2019 2:16:41 GMT
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Deleted
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Jun 1, 2024 7:21:32 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 2:24:19 GMT
Washington Post...
”White House proposed releasing immigrant detainees in sanctuary cities, targeting political foes.”
You do understand they are talking about treating people like trash that they can use against their “political foes” don’t you?
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Post by lucyg on Apr 12, 2019 2:28:17 GMT
Washington Post... ”White House proposed releasing immigrant detainees in sanctuary cities, targeting political foes.” You do understand they are talking about treating people like trash that they can use against their “political foes” don’t you? They are sooooo dirty.
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 12, 2019 2:57:12 GMT
Here’s the Law That Requires Steven Mnuchin to Turn Over Trump’s Taxes, or Lose His Office and Go to PrisonThe law is clear, and it leaves no wiggle room. The consequences for breaking it include removal from public office and up to five years in prison. David Cay Johnston 04.11.19 7:17 PM ET Donald Trump and his top White House aide (Mulvaney) declare that the administration will not give the president's tax returns to Congress, as required under a 1924 anti-corruption law. But both the Treasury Secretary and the tax commissioner have been much more nuanced, saying that they will obey the law even as they delay actually doing so. I know why Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin and Charles Rettig, the IRS commissioner, are so cautious. They don’t want to be removed from office and sent to prison for five years just for doing Trump’s bidding. The reason will no doubt surprise those who think Trump can thumb his nose at the law governing Congressional access to anyone’s tax returns, including his. It will for sure shock Trump, who claims that "the law is 100 percent on my side." ** www.thedailybeast.com/heres-the-law-that-requires-steven-mnuchin-to-turn-over-trumps-taxes-or-lose-his-office-and-go-to-prison?ref=scrollUnfortunately I cannot read this whole piece. Anyone have a subscription? This was discussed on Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell. In the TAX Law maze or regulations there is one .... #7214 any Federal employee that does NOT follow the law/regulation SHALL be fired and up to $10,000 fine and up to 5 years in jail. I sat here yelling at the TV,"Who will file the charges, who will prosecute them? Barr? Who?
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Post by revirdsuba99 on Apr 12, 2019 3:00:43 GMT
Washington Post... ”White House proposed releasing immigrant detainees in sanctuary cities, targeting political foes.” You do understand they are talking about treating people like trash that they can use against their “political foes” don’t you? They have dumped 100s of bus loads in El Paso and other cites with no warning.. Heartless... Sick beyond compare!
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