First, he doesn’t understand who our allies are. He prefers dictators like Kim and Putin. He doesn’t understand that we have troops overseas to benefit our interests. That’s the primary reason. He just sees costs and wants our allies to pay (with a 50% surcharge). As one of the tweets points out, if he pulls our troops out, Russia and China will be glad to take our place. Once again, he is doing Putin’s bidding by alienating our real allies. Sad!
Kushner update 3/9/19
He’s just as bad as Trump. He shouldn’t have a clearance. He left our officials out when he met with the Saudis. He has financial conflicts of interest because of his business interests.
My interview on #AMJoy: "Trump is grooming Jared and Ivanka for a dynastic kleptocracy. This is what you see in autocracies and in mafia states. It's a way to keep corruption going and keep that money flowing. This is a massive national security risk." pic.twitter.com/UQZReLZWs7
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) March 2, 2019
I’m with @SethAbramson here. Smarmy, slimy, smiling Jared Kushner of 666 Fifth Avenue is the beating heart of this unprecedentedly corrupt and deeply evil administration. He’ll eventually be exposed as an insatiably greedy Benedict Arnold. Read the thread and watch this space. https://t.co/E1TSV520tR
— Laurence Tribe (@tribelaw) March 9, 2019
Why is Jared Kushner, who couldn’t get a clearance without nepotistic intervention, having secret meetings with the Saudi government and keeping U.S. officials in the dark about the substance of the meetings? Are conflicts of interest at play here?https://t.co/vZN44abwhK
— Walter Shaub (@waltshaub) March 7, 2019
When Jared Kushner travels overseas, he's not doing America's business — he's doing Jared Kushner's business. No one should believe otherwise. https://t.co/szemNcBoqw
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) March 7, 2019
Scoop: The House Oversight Committee has obtained documents from a WH source related to Jared Kushner & Ivanka‘s security clearances that the Trump admin refused to provide, according to a senior Democratic aide involved in handling the documents.https://t.co/bs9U177i0h
— Alexi McCammond (@alexi) March 8, 2019
"I have concerns whether the Saudis have been taking advantage of the [Jared Kushner] situation." -Rep. Ro Khanna pic.twitter.com/0U4m9Sal7f
— Maddow Blog (@MaddowBlog) March 9, 2019
"I worked hard to get Top Secret clearance. It's troubling that Jared Kushner didn't," by Emily Brandwin (@CIAspygirl) https://t.co/7st50mPHZA
— TIME (@TIME) March 9, 2019
In the Middle East, billionaires & trillionaires w/ unlimited access to the resources of the global rich. This is who Kushner wants to be associated with. Relationships w/ people of $$ & influence is problematic when talking about the secrets of the United States. @MalcolmNance pic.twitter.com/4BAHEE5XYU
— La Femme Nikita (@LaF3mm3Nikita) March 9, 2019
‘Kushner is not out securing peace he’s out to secure contracts’ for Trump businesses https://t.co/QgdikhxJic
— The Hummingbird 🐦 (@SaysHummingbird) March 9, 2019
It’s not just a scandal Trump demanded Jared Kushner get top security clearance & access to classified intel. It’s that we have every reason to expect he’s traded influence & secrets to pay off his massive debts & enrich himself & his family. https://t.co/wJpqXwxOgS
— Steven Beschloss (@StevenBeschloss) March 9, 2019
I had first seen Jared’s personnel doc when I reported last February that John Kelly had downgraded his security clearance https://t.co/YUZkGkWToJ
— Alexi McCammond (@alexi) March 8, 2019
Now we know Oversight Committee has those same personnel docs for Jared & Ivanka thx to a leaky WH source https://t.co/bs9U177i0h
Jared Kushner’s business sought a $100 million investment from a Saudi-backed fund.
— Citizens for Ethics (@CREWcrew) March 7, 2019
Jared is meeting privately with the Saudi crown prince without telling US embassy officials what they discussed.
This is a problem.https://t.co/WrQrth1fkB
The only thing more Trump than a Chinese madam selling access to the President via his pay-to-play club at Mar-a-Lago would be learning that Jared had figured out a way to get a cut of the money and lie about it. https://t.co/ZneMf51efO
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) March 9, 2019
The White House twitter account was used to tweet Trump’s political views
This is wrong!
Regardless of who started—or escalated—this ugly phenomenon, it sure would be nice to go back to a time when official government agency/entity/committee accounts weren’t used for demonizing political opponents.
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) March 9, 2019
People can have such views; official government accounts shouldn’t. https://t.co/QSuuaVeTzN
It's positively nuts that this intensely partisan (and false) tweet is coming from the OFFICIAL White House account. Are there still lawyers who work in that building? https://t.co/CMb5VMPJfX
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) March 8, 2019
House Democrats pass election reform
Congratulations to House Democrats for passing the first major election reforms since the Watergate era. While people talk about Democratic divisions over Omar’s remarks, they should also note the complete unity on this bill. Republicans voted against it since they depend on gerrymandering and voter suppression. McConnell won’t even give it a hearing in the Senate. We need to have Democrats control Congress and the presidency to get fair elections.
The House just passed #HR1:
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) March 8, 2019
Yes – 234 Democrats
No – 193 Republicans
🇺🇸 Automatic voter registration
🇺🇸 Same-day registration
🇺🇸 Election day as federal holiday
🇺🇸 Ends gerrymandering districts
🇺🇸 Presidents must release tax returns
🇺🇸 Members can't serve on corporate boards pic.twitter.com/cnjxfUzsvx
Every single Republican who voted on #HR1, voted no. This is a disgrace to our democracy. pic.twitter.com/6Ow4Ne2flX
— Let America Vote (@letamericavote) March 8, 2019
To tackle the toughest issues, we must restore voting rights, increase campaign finance transparency, end the gerrymander and enact tough anti-corruption standards.
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) March 8, 2019
Today, the House passed landmark legislation to do just that.
Your move, @senatemajldr. #HR1
As GOP stands unified against a bill to strengthen our democracy & increase transparency in our elections, it’s important to remember that the #NC09 seat is vacant because a GOP candidate tried to steal an election & only failed because local journalists uncovered the truth. #HR1
— Rep. Joe Kennedy III (@RepJoeKennedy) March 8, 2019
House passage of #HR1 is a great step forward in the fight to give power back to the people – where it belongs. It fights corruption, bolsters voting rights, and takes on gerrymandering. The question now is why are Senate Republicans not going to have a yes/no vote on the bill?
— Eric Holder (@EricHolder) March 8, 2019
🇺🇸Automatic voter registration
— Kirsten Gillibrand (@SenGillibrand) March 8, 2019
🇺🇸Protect and expand voting rights
🇺🇸Safeguard our elections
🇺🇸Hold dark money accountable
🇺🇸Mandatory release of tax returns for presidential candidates #HR1 is what we need to restore our democracy. Let's do this. https://t.co/uA3gT9aF00
Yesterday's passage of #HR1 by the @HouseDemocrats was a big step forward for our democracy, and proves that when Democrats are in charge, good things happen. 🎉 https://t.co/WPX6SGjTlo
— The Democrats (@TheDemocrats) March 9, 2019
Great editorial on stonewalling by Majority Leader “I get to decide what we vote on” McConnell:
— Leslie Proll (@LeslieProll) March 9, 2019
Think of #HR1 as the Merrick Garland of reform legislation.
Would end some of vile voter suppression embraced by GOP. Which goes to heart of GOP opposition. https://t.co/SmpqahKak7
In a rebuke to Trump, the House passed #HR1, a bill requiring tax returns from presidential candidates. Trump was the first candidate in 40 years not to release returns and this would require all Presidential hopefuls to release a decade of returns. https://t.co/glAeDkLGVP
— Democratic Coalition (@TheDemCoalition) March 8, 2019
.@RepDebHaaland just presided over the #HR1 floor debate for two hours. It's the first time a Native American woman has sat in the Speaker's chair. https://t.co/wh0oDzFpmt pic.twitter.com/FQvmqSuDDy
— The Leadership Conference (@civilrightsorg) March 7, 2019
Our democracy is broken. #HR1, would help fix it.
— Indivisible Guide (@IndivisibleTeam) March 5, 2019
Catch up on everything you need to know about automatic voter registration, restoring the Voting Rights Act, and lessening the influence of big money in politics and call your MoCs first thing tmrw! https://t.co/eN5URYv7Vg
Minority Leader Chuck Schumer says voter disenfranchisement is one of the “three biggest issues that we face as a country” going into 2020, @fivefifths reports: https://t.co/shO4ynQH4S
— The Atlantic (@TheAtlantic) March 9, 2019
Thread from an expert on diversifying the candidate pool beyond the super-rich https://t.co/9TMoNjqtca
— Brendan Nyhan (@BrendanNyhan) March 21, 2019
Trump signed bibles
The big story is the total silence from conservatives. They tolerate anything Trump does no matter how bad it is.
There were lots of funny tweets along with the serious ones.
Look, I don't know where the rest of you stand on Bible-signing. I think it's weird; I would think it's weird no matter who does it. What I'm mostly being snide about is that once again, Trump is getting a pass from the right on something that would normally make them apeshit.
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) March 9, 2019
If during my Baptist childhood, Bill Clinton or even George H.W. Bush had signed a Bible…I cannot imagine how many sermons and revivals would have been dedicated to the blasphemy of our lost leader. https://t.co/XenXWGlQL3
— Elise Jordan (@Elise_Jordan) March 9, 2019
I think a lot of recipients are going to be disappointed in the signature… pic.twitter.com/oUyjbtYYAO
— Think B4U Tweet (@IRaiseUFacts) March 8, 2019
Imagine how arrogant you would have to be to sign the FRONT of a bible…after paying for so many abortions. pic.twitter.com/JiDeiH08UW
— Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) March 9, 2019
Autographing bibles is NOT a thing someone intimately familiar with its contents would do
— Zerlina Maxwell (@ZerlinaMaxwell) March 8, 2019
I don’t know who it is a worse commentary on: Trump actually signing Bibles in Alabama, or the people asking him to sign a Bible. Lordy Moses.
— Matthew Dowd (@matthewjdowd) March 8, 2019
The Bible-signing “speaks volumes about how evangelicals see … Trump as a figure sent by God to protect them from all storms of life.” — Messiah College historian John Fea, via @ReisThebault & @spulliam https://t.co/6xpQZwLKGF
— AnnGerhart (@AnnGerhart) March 8, 2019
Resolved: If Donald Trump can autograph ‘Art of the Deal,’ Donald Trump can autograph the Bible. He didn’t write either.
— Josh Greenman (@joshgreenman) March 9, 2019
Presidents have a long history of signing Bibles, though earlier ones typically did so as gifts with a spiritual message. Still, many religious leaders don't see anything outright wrong with what Trump did when he signed Bibles for tornado survivors. https://t.co/i72GfqU9yE
— The Associated Press (@AP) March 9, 2019
Don’t give Trump’s businesses free publicity
Jim Sciutto does an excellent job on TV but he was wrong to give the name of Trump’s golf course in his tweet.
President Trump has arrived at the Trump Intl Gold Club. This is his 223rd day spent at a Trump property and his 172nd day spent at a Trump property golf course since becoming President.
— Jim Sciutto (@jimsciutto) March 9, 2019
Please don’t mention the name of his property – don’t give his business free publicity. Just say he’s at his golf course and the location.
— Harris Levy (@HarrisL585) March 9, 2019
Now the spa story is an influence-selling story
With this administration of grifters, I am not surprised.
It sounds like there’s now a secondary market for access to the president. @trump Org sells it to her, she re-sells it to others. https://t.co/cqN0hvbGyl
— David Fahrenthold (@Fahrenthold) March 9, 2019
The Mar-a-Lago and Chinese “business executives” story isn’t simply about crony capitalism or foreign businesses buying access. Given that there’s zero chance these Chinese businesses aren’t enmeshed with China’s intelligence services, it’s a national security problem.
— Bill Kristol (@BillKristol) March 9, 2019
Some very interesting points here https://t.co/c8M2MY0Nzc
— Ed Solomon (@ed_solomon) March 9, 2019
Of all the Trump corruption, what goes on at Mar-a-Lago is the most undercovered aspect. It is literally a "pay-to-play" scheme for access to the President and his closest advisers. It is the swampiest arrangement any President has ever allowed since the Grant administration. https://t.co/tLXNXHqmF8
— Ronald Klain (@RonaldKlain) March 8, 2019
Pictorial thread on Cindy "No dick goes untugged" Yang and all of her supporters:
— Pinche-Pastor of Our 🚺of the🖕 (@Pinche_Pi) March 8, 2019
Traitor tots pic.twitter.com/afJXDI3rLn
ndb, just Cindy Yang — founder of the sex spa where New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft was busted for soliciting prostitutes — hanging out with Donald Trump, Don Jr, Eric Trump, Ron DeSantis, Matt Gaetz, and Rick Scott.
— Caroline Orr (@RVAwonk) March 8, 2019
At Mar-a-Lago… where she is a member. 👀 pic.twitter.com/dToUZR5AeE
The Chinese madam selling access to the president via his private beach club in Florida is a mind-boggling scandal but we’re really and truly numb at this point.
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) March 9, 2019
Thread https://t.co/ixzq4U7Bvp
— Sarah Kendzior (@sarahkendzior) March 10, 2019
Li Yang owns the spa where the alleged Robert Kraft incident took place. She's also part of the MAGA elite. https://t.co/fTaqU5JbwP
— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) March 9, 2019
Cindy Yang sold access to Donald Trump and his fellow GOP politicians in little different fashion than she sold access to her trafficked women to GOP donors; illegally and shamelessly in plain sight.#TheResistance
— Grant Stern (@grantstern) March 10, 2019
This story gets better all the time. https://t.co/V1OHZCtAbq
— Vito Stellino (@vitostellino) March 10, 2019
Update on judges 3/7/19
All the news about judges is bad.
McConnell wants to make it easier to confirm Trump’s picks.
After confirming Trump circuit judges McConnell preps new nuclear option to speed Trump’s district judges. May be very few vacancies for the next president to fill: Trump will have roughly 20 percent of Circuits
— Burgess Everett (@burgessev) March 6, 2019
Story with @marianne_levine https://t.co/nmubkEju5y
This is a hijacking of the third branch of government. When Democrats regain power they will need to add seats across the judiciary to restore any sense of balance and legitimacy.https://t.co/qERWgz6XZd
— Brian Fallon (@brianefallon) March 6, 2019
If you don't like the results, change the rules (again) https://t.co/4NTOT96wnJ
— GQ Magazine (@GQMagazine) March 7, 2019
Right as news was breaking about Sherrod Brown not running for prez, he was on the Senate floor giving this fiery speech about all the things wrong with the ideological judges Republicans keep confirming. Most outrage I've seen from any senator on this. https://t.co/9jb8TyQseS
— Jennifer Bendery (@jbendery) March 7, 2019
The Senate confirmed a judge on Tuesday who interned at an anti-LGBTQ group. She’ll serve for life. https://t.co/DEHdPszJjG
— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 6, 2019
One in six circuit court judges in America is now a Trump appointee. https://t.co/CNGa1jOjLN
— Sam Wang (@SamWangPhD) March 6, 2019
Trump is appointing and Senate Republicans are confirming young, conservative, anti-black, anti-choice, anti-LGBTQ judicial nominees, like 37-year-old Allison Jones Rushing, who could remain on the federal bench and block new progressive laws for decades.https://t.co/bppXVxEbWr
— Keith Boykin (@keithboykin) March 5, 2019
Controversial nomination of Chad Readler to the Sixth Circuit advanced tonight in Senate; vote was 53-45. Susan Collins voted yes on procedural vote but said she will oppose him on final confirmation. https://t.co/vgEJYms1Cn
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 5, 2019
WOW. @SenFeinstein and @SenKamalaHarris speak out on 9th Circuit pick Kenneth Lee's writings: "This has been an ongoing problem from the outset of his consideration, and like other writings Lee failed to disclose, these new examples indicate troubling views on race."
— Vanita Gupta (@vanitaguptaCR) March 5, 2019
Disturbing. pic.twitter.com/qZQm9Uoobx
GOP keeps jamming circuit judges. Look at AWFUL slate just for next week:
— Leslie Proll (@LeslieProll) March 1, 2019
Eric Murphy-6th: Vote suppressor;
Michael Park-2nd: Hates affirmative action;
Kenneth Lee-9th: Anti-LGBTQ;
Allison Rushing-4th: Aligned w/ADF hate group;
Chad Readler-6th: Fought Affordable Care Act.
Urge your senator to vote against Trump nom Chad Readler. He argued that the ACA and its coverage for pre-existing conditions is unconstitutional. He also defended Trump’s decision to separate hundreds of immigrant children from their parents.https://t.co/Z6Iw3SU9DU
— Al Franken (@alfranken) March 4, 2019
Ivanka’s clearance was done by Trump, too
Jared and Ivanka should not have security clearances. They don’t belong in the government. It’s not the family business.
Been five days since @nytimes disclosure about Kushner’s clearance—and still no denials from McGahn and Kelly. Been a few hours on this one. Same non-reaction so far. https://t.co/zSz3vIdGXr
— Paul Farhi (@farhip) March 6, 2019
Re: security clearance scandal: "This was always going to be a problem," @maggieNYT says on @AC360. She says "Trump has a real inability to say no to members of his family." pic.twitter.com/QvYeT9lyYC
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 6, 2019
I wrote this 13 months ago. At the time, I didn’t even realize the full extent of how true this headline actually was….
— Bradley P. Moss (@BradMossEsq) March 6, 2019
The Trump White House Is Making a Mockery of the Security Clearance Process https://t.co/iapwaRxMCb
Here's Ivanka Trump last month telling ABC that the president "had no involvement pertaining to my clearance or my husband's clearance." That now seems to be contradicted by new reporting from CNN. pic.twitter.com/ssXGBuyEXS
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) March 6, 2019
House Democrats torn over how aggressively to scrutinize Ivanka Trump, president’s other children https://t.co/vE6Ykd1LYg
— Post Politics (@postpolitics) March 7, 2019
Why Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner's security clearances were vital to the President | By Trump biographer Michael D'Antonio for @CNNOpinion https://t.co/xxAJmrGpiG pic.twitter.com/c05z07WofA
— CNN (@CNN) March 9, 2019
Ross must go
He broke the law. This is not a hard decision.
Why is Wilbur Ross still Commerce Secretary? https://t.co/5OTgbrf9mZ
— Ted Lieu (@tedlieu) March 7, 2019
A second federal judge blocked a citizenship question from appearing on the 2020 census, writing in his opinion that Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross had "ignored" federal law when he "insisted upon adding the citizenship question" https://t.co/SWOBI0Bia6 pic.twitter.com/kmi4EIigeZ
— CNN (@CNN) March 7, 2019
