The Barr letter on the Mueller report

I don’t think we can evaluate the report until we see it. I am not surprised that Barr concluded there was no obstruction of justice – he has basically endorsed presidential authority which is why Trump picked him.

I don’t know what the legal definition of conspiracy is and apparently Trump and his campaign didn’t meet it. They met with the Russians to get dirt on Clinton. If that’s not illegal, it’s still wrong. Trump told Russia on live TV to get Clinton’s emails and they listened. If that’s not illegal, it’s still wrong.

Barr has helped Trump by squashing the obstruction of justice issue. I want Congress to weigh in.

I still believe Trump is a criminal and belongs in jail. If nothing else, he (AKA individual 1) participated on the election-related crimes that Michael Cohen is going to jail for. I hope he is indicted by SDNY as soon as he leaves office. There are lots of other investigations and we’ll see what they find.

The letter states that Mueller found Russia interfered in the 2016 election. Will Trump finally admit this or does his still believe his friend Putin?

If I was Trump and his team, I would be pleased with the outcome. However, they still have to lie about it and claim it was total vindication. It wasn’t. Isn’t the truth ever good enough for them?

One big question – if they didn’t commit crimes, why did Trump and his team lie over and over again about contacts with Russia? Doesn’t that matter?

There have been hundreds, maybe thousands of tweets. I am posting a few of the best overviews.

The Barr story, made simple:

* Trump won in part due to a massive foreign attack on our democracy.

* Trump engaged in extensive abuses of power to prevent a reckoning into that.

* Trump's AG is blocking a public airing on both those fronts.

My piece:https://t.co/Ox6969NPcs
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) March 25, 2019

This is a terrific, highly skeptical NYT deconstruction of William Barr's decision to jump in and clear Trump on obstruction, when Mueller pointedly did not do so.

First, the NYT strongly suggests decision was highly irregular and driven by politics:https://t.co/XsnJT6EC5P pic.twitter.com/jctH9kpvbf
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) March 26, 2019

Trump may not have “conspired” or “coordinated” with the Russian government, but he welcomed its interference in the U.S. election, lied to cover up the attack, and did his utmost to stymie investigations of Russia’s actions. My @PostOpinions column: https://t.co/U9Pz3RRlUy
— Max Boot (@MaxBoot) March 25, 2019

Why did Mueller punt on obstruction, leaving the decision to Barr?https://t.co/1lNuqiZTB3
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) March 25, 2019

A very smart take on Barr and the Mueller Report, from one not hostile to Trump, @henryolsenEPPC https://t.co/Pryx8IDI0J
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) March 26, 2019

This thread 🔥 https://t.co/ZBZspCk2U1
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 25, 2019

Brilliant thread. I hope all media reads. https://t.co/nl5m6AjYVM
— Mimi Rocah (@Mimirocah1) March 25, 2019

My new Letter from Washington>>> https://t.co/aQKPTSr0B1
— Susan Glasser (@sbg1) March 25, 2019

Not to get crazy here: but how does Barr’s summary memo negate concerns over Trump’s pursuit of business deals in Moscow, his shady inauguration funding or his false statements (such as the one dictated on AF1)? Can’t people find that troublesome even sans proof of collusion? https://t.co/d46WbIDdeB
— Sam Stein (@samstein) March 26, 2019

"It seems hard for me to imagine that Bob Mueller asked Bill Barr to do this"

"That's just not the way he's wound" – fmr AG @EricHolder on Barr making Mueller probe obstruction conclusion pic.twitter.com/HnM9OzUZR9
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) March 25, 2019

"I talked to my former boss Eric Holder today, he said he couldn't remember one time in 6 years that a prosecution decision came to him without a recommendation"@matthewamiller on former Attorney General Eric Holder and the Barr report: pic.twitter.com/79yMLOPbDL
— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) March 25, 2019

“On close reading, Barr’s putative summary of the Mueller report clears Trump of only the most narrowly drawn accusations, which nobody was making.” Read @brianbeutler. https://t.co/5yzPzgCipI
— Jamil Smith (@JamilSmith) March 25, 2019

THIS IS WHAT WE CARE ABOUT👇🏾 https://t.co/6Er8iDTzQD
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) March 25, 2019

THREAD. The claim that the activities of the Trump campaign didn't meet the criminal threshold of conspiracy doesn't address the nat security question of whether these members were or are acting in the country's best interests. A trip down memory lane of my pieces that explain:
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) March 25, 2019

"[Barr's] version of the Mueller report is imprinted on the brains of lots and lots of people. So when it later comes out that, well, it's more of a mixed bag for the president, everyone's moved on, it's old news, and I worry about that." — @PreetBharara https://t.co/1oKi61n1Gz pic.twitter.com/tMPrXOenSm
— Pod Save America (@PodSaveAmerica) March 25, 2019

This is a very important read as the entire media rushes to exonerate Trump based on a report they haven’t read summarized by a Trump ally with a known bias against the Mueller probe https://t.co/2qCxZyIFQV
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) March 25, 2019

President Trump's potential criminal liability is far from over. There is compelling evidence that he may have personally committed up to eight criminal offenses while campaigning for president and during the first year of his presidency. https://t.co/gvM99107yI
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) March 25, 2019

"If there is any exoneration on the question of whether Trump obstructed justice, it has been done by Barr, not by Mueller," writes @neal_katyal: https://t.co/Taj59EyjcG
— POLITICO Magazine (@POLITICOMag) March 25, 2019

The president and his talkers falsely denied Russian interference. They falsely denied meeting with the interferers. They falsely denied that Trump was pursuing business opportunities in Russia through election day …
— David Frum (@davidfrum) March 25, 2019

One question:
What the Mueller probe established, according to the AG, is that the Russians hacked the DNC and engaged in an aggressive, covert campaign to influence our election.
So why did @realDonaldTrump stand next to Putin in Helsinki and meekly accept his denials?
— David Axelrod (@davidaxelrod) March 24, 2019

My first reaction, having not read the report, is how could Ken Starr and Republicans conclude Clinton obstructed justice based on the facts and Donald Trump did not. Clinton never interfered with probe, never fired FBI director, never dangled pardons or threatened witnesses
— Joe Lockhart (@joelockhart) March 24, 2019

Mueller found no smoking gun of collusion, but he clearly has no doubts that Russia interfered in the election to benefit Trump. Barr’s letter discusses Russian interference as a given, even though the president has previously suggested it's a hoax. https://t.co/lq4AEhKfHw
— James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) March 25, 2019

In case what's missing from your life is a @lawfareblog emergency podcast with @DavidKris @Susan_Hennessey @carriecordero and me–on you know what. https://t.co/z8hO306gAC
— Benjamin Wittes (@benjaminwittes) March 25, 2019

Trump continues to attack McCain and tell lies

Trump lied about McCain’s funeral. He did nothing and does not deserve thanks. He also lied about the Veterans Choice law passed in 2014. It was modified under his administration but McCain deserves a lot of credit for the law.

It is shameful how wimpy the Republicans have been. Only Isakson has taken on the president and a few others have defended McCain but not blamed Trump for anything. It’s pathetic how afraid they are of Trump and his cult.

100% right https://t.co/Fy1L6JaSY7
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) March 21, 2019

National Cathedral on Trump comments on McCain: “Only a state funeral for a former president involves consultation with government officials. No funeral at the Cathedral requires the approval of the president or any other government official.” 2/2
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 21, 2019

Sen. Lindsey Graham calls John McCain "an American hero" in response to President Trump's attacks on the late senator.

"I think the president's comments about Sen. McCain hurt him more than they hurt the legacy of Sen. McCain" https://t.co/jh7ZeGh0OH pic.twitter.com/3enXuFZNpj
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) March 21, 2019

This isn’t good enough.

In a particularly brazen bit of lying today, Trump said McCain didn't deliver for veterans, unlike him, Trump, the man who got Veterans Choice passed.

Choice was passed in 2014…and McCain was the key Republican legislator behind the bill. pic.twitter.com/LE3rwa8skD
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 20, 2019

Donald Trump admires anti-American dictators like Kim Jong Un, Vladimir Putin, and Xi Jinping. He resents an American hero like John McCain.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 21, 2019

Any particular reason you are thinking about him today, Senator? https://t.co/5QjrrNtLRI
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) March 21, 2019

McConnell is gutless.

I would not wish on my worst enemy the friendship of @LindseyGrahamSC. What a soulless piece of garbage. Claims to be best friends with the late John McCain and yet does nothing while the sitting President pees on his memory every day. What a disgusting and worthless human being.
— Don Winslow (@donwinslow) March 21, 2019

Wait, Trump's disparagement of McCain was *on the prompter*. https://t.co/BdShoAKnzx
— Philip Bump (@pbump) March 20, 2019

McCain’s PHX services were overseen by AZ state gov’t and protected by state troopers. Then Congress hosted McCain laying in state. Then Naval Academy hosted burial. All Trump did was allow military flight from PHX to Andrews, carrying McCain. https://t.co/uCDnooKNit
— Paul Kane (@pkcapitol) March 20, 2019

Herr Trump now claims credit for the McCain funeral! He says “as president” he had to “approve” it. BS! Lying in state at the Capitol was up to Congress, not POTUS. This despot has the gall to say a hero’s burial is within his control. What a putz.
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) March 20, 2019

We can talk all day about how vile this is, but in the end, 30 to 40% of the public and a hard-core of grifters, rationalizers, and enablers are going to support this kind of behavior because it makes them feel better about themselves. https://t.co/619WIrlR1k
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 20, 2019

https://twitter.com/EWErickson/status/1108417577104171008

Your move, every GOP Senator.

You served with John McCain. He was your colleague, your friend. Whether you found him inspiring or irascible, whether he was friend or foe, you respected his conviction, his honor, his service.

Find your spine and slap back at the President. Now. https://t.co/XD620AP0uH
— David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) March 20, 2019

Fact-checking President Trump's claim that John McCain misled the White House on his Obamacare repeal vote https://t.co/KIc0Eg2tmo pic.twitter.com/LezKLX7tKO
— CNN (@CNN) March 20, 2019

“I am really stunned that more Republicans aren't pushing back,” former @RepCharlieDent says about President Trump’s comments on John McCain. https://t.co/Xq3cGlqAWa pic.twitter.com/3lTM0AR8iE
— CNN Newsroom (@CNNnewsroom) March 20, 2019

https://twitter.com/AaronBlake/status/1108430598467735553

.@MeghanMcCain: "If I had told my dad 7 months after you're dead, you're going to be dominating the news & all over Twitter, he would think it was hilarious — that our president was so jealous of him that he was dominating the news cycle in death as well" https://t.co/86XL0xuRHY
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 20, 2019

After Trump's most recent attacks on McCain, Georgia Sen. Johnny Isakson has mounted the most forceful defense yet within the Senate GOP of the late Arizona senator https://t.co/b5Bq9Vwop1
— POLITICO (@politico) March 20, 2019

https://twitter.com/JamesFallows/status/1108190963682430977

A former McCain aide says Trump was lying when he claimed today the senator had misled the WH and said he was going to support “repeal and replace” effort before changing his mind. “Nope. Never happened,” the former aide said. “You’re surprised Trump lied?” the ex-aide added.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) March 19, 2019

Trump is just angry at McCain because the Hanoi Hilton has a better Yelp rating than any of his hotels
— Matt Oswalt (@MattOswaltVA) March 20, 2019

Trump is extra-unhinged today

I wish he would shut up and play golf. His tweets were terrible today. Sad!

Donald Trump’s craziest day ever on Twitter | Analysis by CNN’s Chris Cillizza https://t.co/tj7qhXAG72 pic.twitter.com/vwJRIn0Kx7
— CNN Politics (@CNNPolitics) March 19, 2019

We have a seriously dangerous normalcy bias, where we move on because we desperately want to pretend it’s okay. Trump’s Twitter meltdown today—which shows a deranged and unhinged person—will just be forgotten by Monday afternoon. But the deranged man will still control the nukes.
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) March 17, 2019

Today in presidential Twitter criticism (Twittercrism?):

—General Motors.
—Sat Night Live/late-night shows.
—Democrats.
—News media.
—Steele Dossier/Christopher Steele.
—Hillary Clinton.
—Mueller investigation.
—John McCain.
—United Auto Workers.
—Fox News. https://t.co/xO17igPtdp
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) March 18, 2019

"Asked by The Daily Beast on Sunday evening if Donald Trump's manic retweets and tweets over the past 12 hours 'speak for themselves,'" @PressSec replied "Yes." https://t.co/GiYMe0ZDj0
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 18, 2019

POTUS retweets are not meaningless, but function as a tacit encouragement of a right wing internet ecosystem that will stop at nothing to defend him. Chuck Johnson, of Holocaust denying Twitter infamy, once told me it's proof that "we're in his head."https://t.co/EEOCmLrS9D pic.twitter.com/iaNv6WjMfg
— Steadman™ (@AsteadWesley) March 18, 2019

The President is retweeting a bunch of conspiracy theorists. I am pointing this out because we shouldn’t accept it as normal.
— David Cicilline (@davidcicilline) March 17, 2019

Trump retweeted an account with a QAnon avatar today, and QAnon fans are thrilled. pic.twitter.com/uZauubWrNU
— Will Sommer (@willsommer) March 17, 2019

Democrat @RepRoKhanna responds to President Trump’s tweets over the weekend: “It’s completely unpresidential. Instead of assuring the nation about what happened in New Zealand and saying we condemn those kind of hate crimes, he’s tweeting" https://t.co/LUs1xaMd0g pic.twitter.com/A0Ux9clkQz
— CNN (@CNN) March 19, 2019

Trump’s evil lie about the 2016 election

So now he’s back to saying there were illegal votes. As always when he makes this claim, he has no proof. This is just a setup for him to cast doubt on the 2020 results. He’ll probably claim there were illegal votes even if he wins. Let’s see if any Republican defends our electoral process. I doubt it. They’ll just continue to put up with the lies and bigotry.

The President of United States is putting "ballot box" in scare quotes and attacking the legitimacy of an election he won. This is dangerous behavior, in every way, and Republicans have decided that they're going to accept it because of judges and tax cuts. https://t.co/3DyfImd272
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 18, 2019

There was no Democratic effort to "steal" the presidential election, at the ballot box or otherwise. This is a big lie. pic.twitter.com/9nn0a5cjje
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 17, 2019

Trump has never offered any proof for his false claim that 3 to 5 million votes were illegally cast in 2016 https://t.co/dOOMoXxXh6
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) March 17, 2019

Trump’s lie about “Tim Apple”

Trump even lies about things he said that are on video. He erroneously called Apple executive Tim Cook “Tim Apple”. This is not a big deal. We’ve all done things like that. The problem is Trump’s need to lie about what he said even though the video disproves his lie. Sad!

The president who coined the name Tim Apple has thoughts on getting tongue tied. https://t.co/FZc22jKmik
— Sam Stein (@samstein) March 18, 2019

Trump has the gall to attack someone else for getting tongue tied. It’s not a big deal. Trump is the one who made it an issue by lying about it.

President Trump went after Vice President Joe Biden for getting tongue tied.

The President also has his own history of getting tongue tied. pic.twitter.com/ij8vakJd7F
— Hardball (@hardball) March 18, 2019

George raises a point I’ve heard from other longtime observers of Trump and some in Trump world. The president sometimes doesn’t tell the truth even when the matter is inconsequential or harmless, or it is easily provable that he’s not telling the truth. https://t.co/Lm3kTJmH6J
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) March 14, 2019

This is how the official White House transcript had it:

" I mean, you’ve really put a big investment in our country. We appreciate it very much, Tim — Apple."https://t.co/4Rn0MP85Vc https://t.co/8h1V6fNGpL
— Karen Travers (@karentravers) March 11, 2019

Not letting it go https://t.co/S4ZIM3ITcj
— Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) March 11, 2019

POTUS can’t admit a mistake of any kind no matter how trivial. Instead of admitting, ignoring, or laughing about his slip of the tongue like a mature adult, he lies about it. It’s instinctive. https://t.co/3ILpWnw11I
— Michael R. Bromwich (@mrbromwich) March 11, 2019

“Donors couldn’t understand why [Trump] would make such a claim…”

Those if us who suspect a pathological liar isn’t the right person to be president, let alone to be re-elected as president, can’t understand why Trump donors would be…Trump donors. https://t.co/b5dK9efcqt
— Bill "Slightly Dangerous" Kristol (@BillKristol) March 11, 2019

Best way to consume Trump tweets? Through the reactions. Here are 9 reactions to Trump saying that he called @Tim_Cook Tim Apple "as an easy way to save time & words." pic.twitter.com/WpI10zZ5T3
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 11, 2019

Axios reports that Trump lied to donors at Mar-a-Lago that he didn’t call Tim Cook “Tim Apple”…that he actually said “Tim Cook, Apple” but said the Cook softly and the “fake news” misreported it. Donors were perplexed. https://t.co/UwdAcPXWSY
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 11, 2019

Everyone has done this.

In 2008 primaries, a weary 46-year-old Obama once said he had been to “all 57 states”

*All* of us have done things like this. Q is frequency. For Obama, “all 57” stood out as exception. Much more frequent w Trump. (And Obama didn't deny he’d said it.) https://t.co/A7bY1kiiO8
— James Fallows (@JamesFallows) March 11, 2019

Trump lies about the small stuff, too

He can’t even tell the truth about a golf tournament. He has to be the winner. This is pathetic. Why lie about something so small?

He apparently cheats at golf, too.

Golf Magazine is reporting that the President has a plaque his golf club in West Palm Beach stating that he won the club's annual golf championship last year. But he never actually played in that tournament. Here's Trump bragging about his golf skills on the 2016 campaign. pic.twitter.com/8Lw3Mwerbl
— Hardball (@hardball) March 11, 2019

-man wins golf tournament at Trump club
-Trump, as president but at his own club, challenges man to 9-hole golf-off, which he wins
-Trump claims "co-championship"
-Trump has special plaque made claiming championship for himselfhttps://t.co/oZb8QrmEyi
— Edward-Isaac Dovere (@IsaacDovere) March 11, 2019

Trump is world's worst cheater at golf: book https://t.co/mFuldOPgis
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 30, 2019

“‘Trump’s caddy came up to me and said, “You know that shot you hit on the par 5?”’ Tirico says. ‘“It was about 10 feet from the hole. Trump threw it in the bunker. I watched him do it.”’” https://t.co/s7G4cQmy5Z
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) March 30, 2019

What a scumbag!

‘He always hits first, no matter who won the last hole, then jumps in his cart w his caddie even before you’ve hit, the better to be 150 yards ahead so the two of them can foozle, fudge and foot-wedge in private.’ https://t.co/m2c2qvxgim
— Trip Gabriel (@tripgabriel) April 7, 2019

“[G]olf is a game of honor in which individual players act as their own referees, keep their own scores and assess themselves penalties for rule violations. Trump's cheating, Reilly said, motivated him to write the book.” https://t.co/bEIiIbN3JT
— George Conway (@gtconway3d) April 2, 2019

Trump’s budget shows he lied about not cutting Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security

Pathological liar Trump lied when he said he wouldn’t cut these programs. He also lied about getting rid of the deficit. Why believe anything he says?

Why do people think he keeps his promises? #SummaCumLiar https://t.co/vUpGtIdJkd
— Preet Bharara (@PreetBharara) March 12, 2019

Trump finally submitted a budget (a month late). Let's take a look, shall we?

$8 billion for a wall Congress rejected.
$840 billion in cuts to Medicare.
Trillion dollar deficits for the next four years.

You know what, Mr. President, keep your budget. We’ll take it from here.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 11, 2019

.@MaddowBlog: White House suggests Obama's to blame for Pres. Trump's budget mess. https://t.co/xSwXvtIH2y
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 12, 2019

The Trump budget is a reminder that budget hawks like Mick Mulvaney have bent to Trump, not the other way around. https://t.co/T1cG7KP8wV
— Mike Warren (@MichaelRWarren) March 12, 2019

Remember when Trump said he wouldn’t cut Medicare and Medicaid? Well he broke that promise. He’d rather give Lockheed and the Saudis money for missiles. https://t.co/1uiwjdYLXr
— Rashida Tlaib (@RashidaTlaib) March 12, 2019

Trump’s budget — his own budget — projects debt held by the public will hit $22.8 trillion by 2025, more than 50 percent higher than the year he took office. https://t.co/kxkea8P1tk
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 12, 2019

Analysis: What if we measure Trump’s proposed budget for how it improves our well-being? https://t.co/bO5SrmdQeJ
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 12, 2019

Did you know @realDonaldTrump wants to cut Social Security by at least $25 billion?

Also, he proposes massive cuts to Medicare of hundreds of billions.

If you or a loved one depend on Social Security & Medicare, you vote for Trump in 2020 at your peril. He is NOT #ForThePeople. https://t.co/jbHzvjdXVO
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 12, 2019

A budget is about more than numbers – a budget is about values. And the budget @realDonaldTrump released today is another big wet kiss to the super-rich & giant corporations, and it guts programs for everyone else.
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) March 12, 2019

The #TrumpBudget cuts $845 BILLION from Medicare.

Remember when President @realDonaldTrump promised the American people he would not cut it at all?

Always keep your receipts: pic.twitter.com/MLhmiuVsKx
— Chuck Schumer (@SenSchumer) March 12, 2019

Everyone loves American icon Jack Nicklaus.

This, however, is the most petty kind of third-world kleptocratic garbage.

"I golfed with the Dear Leader and now I get $20 million." https://t.co/pVjR9zdRPD
— Rick Wilson (@TheRickWilson) March 12, 2019

The New Yorker: “The White House’s New Budget *Exposes* Donald Trump’s Lies About Protecting Medicare and Medicaid” #TrumpBudget https://t.co/uaapyoUieU
— Nancy Pelosi (@TeamPelosi) March 12, 2019

Gee, what a shock. He left out NYC. https://t.co/tp1sjDL6YC
— Melissa Jo Peltier (@MelissaJPeltier) March 11, 2019

Trump continues to punish states that didn’t vote for him.

So the Chinese invest in science, technology, artificial intelligence, etc. and we invest in walls. Easy to predict who will win the 21st century if we continue this current irrational course. https://t.co/Zrhf3PlyXx
— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) March 12, 2019

Trump wants to drag us back to the 19th century when coal was king.

Trump's budget:

– Slashes funding for education by $7 billion
– Eliminates subsidized student debt
– Public service loan forgiveness

Class warfare is real. The rich are winning. https://t.co/gZ49N0uyuN
— Rep. Ilhan Omar (@Ilhan) March 12, 2019

For many children, school lunch is the only meal they eat all day. Trump’s budget would cut $1.7 billion from child nutrition and eliminate food assistance for millions—literally taking food out of kids’ mouths.

This is not humane. This budget isn’t humane. He is not humane.
— Ilhan Omar (@IlhanMN) March 12, 2019

The president made a pride point of not proposing Medicare and SS cuts during the campaign. His budget proposes cuts – but will that matter less to his voters when juxtaposed against his rivals? https://t.co/p9iELNVaOS
— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) March 12, 2019

He will lie about the proposed cuts. Remember in the 2018 elections when Trump and other Republicans said they supported insurance for pre-existing conditions while they were trying to end Obamacare? Liars!

UPDATE: Trump's new budget would cut:
–$1.5 trillion from Medicaid
–$845 billion from Medicare
–$25 billion from Social Security

If you voted for this man based on these lies, your country needs you. Don't be fooled again by false promises. https://t.co/zO0QeDYOzl
— Robert Reich (@RBReich) March 12, 2019

HELLO HI:

Buried in the 2020 budget docs: a proposal to raise half-billion $ a year in "deficit reduction" by hiking immigration filing fees 10 percent.

And unlike most of the budget, hiking fees is something Trump can do without Congress.https://t.co/0XvIOIRask
— Dara Lind (@DLind) March 12, 2019

.@MaddowBlog: It's not just Medicare: Pres. Trump budget eyes Social Security cuts, too.https://t.co/Jp0VzyNbsL
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 12, 2019

First Step Act Comes Up Short in Trump’s 2020 Budget: Supporters worry because law seeks $75 million a year for five years, but president’s plan lists $14 million. https://t.co/QzgMXRP01I via @MarshallProj
— Stephen Montemayor (@smontemayor) March 12, 2019

President Trump’s 2020 budget projects big deficits despite spending cuts.

“Republicans are going to have hard time regaining credibility on this issue after abandoning their fiscal principles to follow the king of debt,” @JohnAvlon says in #RealityCheck. https://t.co/D7Yv48D8PR pic.twitter.com/wALk7aKD34
— New Day (@NewDay) March 12, 2019

One of Trump’s lies about the wall

Trump has told a lot of lies about the wall including claims it is being built. Here’s one of the lies:

Remember when @realDonaldTrump tweeted on Xmas Eve that he "just gave out a 115 mile long contract for another large section of the Wall"? (That's a long contract, by the way!) A govt lawyer said in court last week "there is no such contract." @aaron_leib: https://t.co/ytR1g7dG7K
— Joshua A. Geltzer (@jgeltzer) March 5, 2019

Trump lied about Kushner’s top secret security clearance

Trump lied. He did order the security clearance for Kushner, ignoring the advice of his advisers. (He’s legally entitled to do it but it was bad for our security.) The new revelations have hung Kushner’s lawyer, Lowell, out to dry and he is distancing himself from the actions by implying he didn’t know what happened.

Jared Kushner’s clearance is more of a national security threat than Hillary Clinton’s e-mail server.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 3, 2019

Clinton was wrong but as far as I know, no harm was done. It’s not like Trump giving classified intelligence to the Russians in the White House.

ICYMI: @AshaRangappa_ breaks down why it's so concerning that Trump lied about Jared Kushner's security clearance. pic.twitter.com/MXEvKDpmVb
— Protect the Investigation (@NoOneIsAboveLaw) March 2, 2019

If he simply took Jared and Trump’s handlers word that this was done on the up and up, it doesn’t reflect well on him https://t.co/VEF8yQF83Z
— Norman Ornstein (@NormOrnstein) March 2, 2019

I am not trying to get "top level security clearance" for my children. This was a typically false news story.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 16, 2016

This is a lie if you count his son-in-law.

Lowell’s statement means Kushner not only failed to tell him of Trump’s intervention but failed to do so even after Lowell publicly vouched for the lack of presidential intervention. If Kushner knew of Lowell’s statement (how could he not?), it says volumes about his character. https://t.co/6z7MieFcGQ
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) March 2, 2019

You're not kidding it's remarkable. Kushner's attorney Abbe Lowell is essentially telling the world that his client lied to him. I have never seen anything like this. https://t.co/wStXSHRW9t
— Elizabeth de la Vega (@Delavegalaw) March 2, 2019

Abbe Lowell is (as far as I'm aware) a well-respected lawyer. And no (good) lawyer would — or ethically can — go out and repeat things about their client that they know to be false. This only reveals how deep the deception goes in this circle. https://t.co/O7LE5IdpOg
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) March 2, 2019

Trump's corrupt, nepotistic grant of security clearance to Kushner may blow up in his face.

House Dems can subpoena memos from John Kelly and Don McGahn arguing against the move.

I spoke to legal experts about this. It's a ticking time bomb.

My piece: https://t.co/mpPGz3HcaJ
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) March 1, 2019

A good foreign intel officer could own Kushner in months. His financial vulnerabilities, greed, situational ignorance, dubious foreign contacts, ethical disregard, self-importance and dismissal by more seasoned officials make it too easy. That’s why he shouldn’t have a clearance.
— Evan McMullin (@EvanMcMullin) March 1, 2019

BREAKING: @RepCummings staff just asked WH staff if the Kelly and McGahn memos on #Kushner security clearance exist. WH staff refused to confirm or deny—three times. https://t.co/OGKRIpAsQm
— Oversight Committee (@OversightDems) March 1, 2019

A key point: not only are the facts of the decision to override important, but so is the reason why security professionals were so reluctant to grant Kushner the clearance in the first place. https://t.co/VMqRlTdObN
— Ronald Brownstein (@RonBrownstein) March 2, 2019

To remind: Here's why Jared Kushner was never supposed to get a clearance

"Officials in at least 4 countries privately discussed ways they can manipulate Jared Kushner..using his financial difficulties and lack of experience."
Me W @shaneharris @jdawsey1 https://t.co/cejnYVT4qm
— Carol Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig) March 1, 2019

Fox is state TV

They covered up the payoff to Daniels.

Trump lied about interfering with the AT&T merger. He took a position that would help his pals at Fox.

Trump has hired people from Fox and Fox has hired people who left his administration. This is not an appropriate relationship between a president and a news organization.

Trump promised publicly he wouldn't interfere in DOJ's handling of the TimeWarner AT&T deal – but in Oval Office he ordered Nat.'l Economic Council head Gary Cohn to get DOJ to block it, which would hurt CNN & help Fox. Soon after, DOJ filed suit to block it, and lost in court.
— Jane Mayer (@JaneMayerNYer) March 4, 2019

Another Trump lie.

"I used to think Fox News was an arm of the Republican Party, now I think the White House is an arm of Fox… it’s paying off for [Trump & FOX] now… whatever may happen with Mueller, these investigations… where does Fox News go from there?" – @dthornell w/ @NicolleDWallace pic.twitter.com/SH60WeJ97p
— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) March 4, 2019

Did Trump use the Justice Department to punish CNN? https://t.co/l66amxookO
— Slate (@Slate) March 7, 2019

NEW: Cicilline, @RepJerryNadler Press for Answers on Whether White House Interfered with AT&T-Time Warner Merger to Help Fox News, Hurt CNN pic.twitter.com/Frkr7bztGb
— Cicilline Press Office (@RepCicilline) March 7, 2019

Remember when the Obama WH briefly tried to treat Fox News like the arm of the GOP they are rather than a real journalistic outlet and mainstream journalists rallied to their defense? I hope people realize the cover they give Fox when they pretend journalism is practiced there.
— Matthew Miller (@matthewamiller) March 4, 2019

There are a few people at Fox who are journalists but it’s primarily a propaganda machine for Trump.

Report on Fox News’ editorial decisions about Trump administration may give insight into GOP’s approval of president https://t.co/0G2EwEV0P8
— Post Politics (@postpolitics) March 4, 2019

Yep, I wrote this during 2016 election: "Fox News Gives Donald Trump A Pass On Birther Crusade It Helped Fuel" https://t.co/R00zsfL3Jo https://t.co/s0zKmj30Sh
— Michael Calderone (@mlcalderone) March 4, 2019

Ex Fox News host Abby Huntsman thinks the network crossed a red line by reportedly spiking the Stormy Daniels hush money story before Trump was elected in 2016 https://t.co/PApLqSfIUu
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 4, 2019

An abuse of power by Trump, who wanted to use his power as president to retaliate against a network for its coverage.

This explains why the DOJ pressed forward with an aggressive antitrust challenge that was uncharacteristic for a GOP administration. https://t.co/GU7MQgmNJU
— Renato Mariotti (@renato_mariotti) March 4, 2019

This is an incredibly important piece from @JaneMayerNYer that puts to bed forever the myth that Fox is a journalistic institution https://t.co/xCgOILna1D
— Dan Pfeiffer (@danpfeiffer) March 4, 2019

This is one of the worst scandals of this presidency. Trump directly intervened with the Justice Department to pursue his personal vendetta against CNN. He lied about it. DOJ officials likely lied too.
I wrote about it at the time. Column holds up well: https://t.co/JNWmtHqEmS https://t.co/5KYgSQeAHg
— Bret Stephens (@BretStephensNYT) March 4, 2019

So far, Trump got help winning the election in the form of information distortion from Russia, The National Enquirer, and Fox News. Anyone else?

(Also, is he capable of doing anything without cheating???) https://t.co/uILB80RkO7
— Asha Rangappa (@AshaRangappa_) March 4, 2019

CNN’s Stelter: Fox News Does Disservice to Viewers by Covering for Trump and Promoting ‘A Bunch of BS’ https://t.co/GF1LG6WXrv pic.twitter.com/TjKlLsGH0K
— Mediaite (@Mediaite) March 4, 2019

Analysis: Report on Fox News’s editorial decisions about Trump administration may give insight into GOP’s approval of president https://t.co/vbF8Eby6tv
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 5, 2019

It's awful to watch commentators miss the point about Fox News. They refuse to acknowledge the degree to which Trump allies are spreading *disinformation,* the deep asymmetry of this moment, and the role of Fox/WH merger in making it happen.

Me, on this:https://t.co/Aj9rZfQF1D pic.twitter.com/QQc5bsxriC
— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) March 7, 2019

In this NBC/WSJ poll, the vast majority of self-identified Fox watchers said Trump has been honest and truthful about Russia. Virtually all CNN watchers said he hasn't been honest. pic.twitter.com/dFHHX85Htf
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 5, 2019

"Like many conservatives, I once believed that Fox News provided a much-needed service… Unfortunately, these alternative outlets gave way to alternative realities, and eventually, to Donald Trump." —@MattKLewis https://t.co/M5HKeT1b9l
— The Daily Beast (@thedailybeast) March 5, 2019

"At the highest levels of Fox News, they're not playing it straight."

— DNC Chair Perez explains a Democratic National Cmte. decision to bar Fox News from hosting 2020 Democratic primary debates. https://t.co/lVIqb7D4cv
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) March 7, 2019

Fox News made an ideological and financial decision to become Trump's propaganda arm. Obviously that forecloses the chance to host a DNC primary debate. How is anyone surprised by this?
— Tommy Vietor (@TVietor08) March 7, 2019

“Unlike most news organizations, Fox News doesn’t seem to have a department in charge of ethics and standards…

So, yes, Fox News can continue to function as something close to Trump TV… But everyone ought to see it for what it is.” https://t.co/gxCNozJBwv
— Priyanka Aribindi (@priaribi) March 7, 2019

so for b-roll for a story about american millenials saying they are socialist, fox news used footage from a demonstration in moscow pic.twitter.com/B65Z6bOSh3
— John Whitehouse (@existentialfish) March 7, 2019

To be clear, the RNC did just this in 2016 for their own primary debates. No one seems to remember thathttps://t.co/Kdkduudotw https://t.co/txekIM9Upo
— Sam Stein (@samstein) March 7, 2019