LGBTQ news and entertainment
Some news items you might have missed: • OUT: Transgender Dear White People showrunner Jaclyn Moore is leaving Netflix in a dispute over the Dave Chappelle TV special, The Closer, in which the controversial comedian declared he was “Team TERF,” defended J.K. Rowling and DaBaby, and made offensive and transphobic jokes about the genitalia of trans women. Continue reading “News Round-Up: October 7, 2021”
|
| Donald Trump |
Politico is reporting that the Trump White House instructed two former aides to defy subpoenas issued by a Congressional committee seeking documents related to possible obstruction of justice by Donald Trump.
White House counsel Pat Cipollone reportedly told the Judiciary Committee that the two former West Wingers were directed not to comply with the subpoenas because they “do not have the legal right to disclose the White House records to third parties.”
The tactic didn’t work, it seems.
From Politico:
But one of those aides, Hope Hicks, a longtime Trump confidant who served as White House communications director, has turned over some documents to the House Judiciary Committee regarding her service on Trump’s presidential campaign, according to Jerry Nadler, the panel’s chairman.
He hailed the document production as a show of “good faith” and indicated that the committee will continue to negotiate with Hicks — as well as former White House deputy counsel Annie Donaldson — for the next few weeks as they attempt to arrange public testimony pursuant to the committee’s subpoenas.
|
| Special Counsel Robert Mueller |
For the first time since the conclusion of the Special Counsel probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election and possible obstruction of justice by Donald Trump, Robert Mueller spoke at the Department of Justice about his team’s report.
Mueller reiterated his office’s conclusion was that there was “insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy” against the Trump campaign in relation to Russian efforts to interfere with the election.
He also made clear that Trump was not cleared of obstruction of justice by the Special Counsel.
“If we had had confidence that the president clearly did not committed a crime, we would have said so. We did not, however, make a determination as to whether the president did commit a crime,” Mueller said about the conclusion of the Russia investigation.
He added that he did not charge Trump with obstruction of justice because Department of Justice policy prohibits charging a sitting president with a federal crime. “Charging the president with a crime was therefore not an option we could consider,” said Mueller.
The key line that will be played over and over.Robert Mueller: “As set forth in the report, after that investigation, if we had had confidence that the president clearly did not commit a crime, we would have said so.”
Via ABC pic.twitter.com/7rSlmtbDtb— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) May 29, 2019
Shorter Mueller:
1. I wasn't allowed to charge the President with a crime.
2. I believe he committed crimes, or I would say otherwise.
3. Congress does have the authority to charge him with a crime.— David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) May 29, 2019
“The constitution requires a process other than the criminal justice system to formally accuse a sitting president of wrongdoing.” —Robert MuellerMake no mistake: Mueller’s report is an impeachment referral to Congress. pic.twitter.com/jWQjrnxC4U
— CAP Action (@CAPAction) May 29, 2019
Robert Mueller made it clear: No exoneration.— Jay Inslee (@JayInslee) May 29, 2019
Robert Mueller Recap:Russia attacked our election but there was insufficient evidence to charge a broader conspiracy. 🤦🏼♂️
Trump obstructed, but I couldn’t do anything about it because of an antiquated DOJ policy. 🤦🏼♂️
Barr is not a bad guy. 🤦🏼♂️
I’m not testifying to Congress. 🤦🏼♂️
— Ryan Knight is #AllInForWarren (@ProudResister) May 29, 2019
“The Constitution provides means to hold a president accountable outside of the criminal justice system.”— Robert Mueller, metaphorically winking at Congress.
— Mrs. Betty Bowers (@BettyBowers) May 29, 2019
Robert Mueller could not be more clear that he believes Congress needs to step up now, explicitly saying that charging a sitting President with a crime requires a process other than the criminal justice system allows.There is no other reason for his statement today.
— David Jolly (@DavidJollyFL) May 29, 2019
|
| Donald Trump |
Donald Trump, who claims he was ‘totally exonerated’ (he wasn’t) by the report from Special Counsel Robert Mueller can’t stop ranting about it.
He took to Twitter yet again this morning to rail about it yet again mentioning “angry Democrats,” “conflicted Mueller,” and the always obligatory “”no collusion, no obstruction.”
Despite the fact that the Mueller Report should not have been authorized in the first place & was written as nastily as possible by 13 (18) Angry Democrats who were true Trump Haters, including highly conflicted Bob Mueller himself, the end result is No Collusion, No Obstruction!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2019
The Fake News Media is doing everything possible to stir up and anger the pols and as many people as possible seldom mentioning the fact that the Mueller Report had as its principle conclusion the fact that there was NO COLLUSION WITH RUSSIA. The Russia Hoax is dead!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2019
The end result of the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. political history is No Collusion with Russia (and No Obstruction). Pretty Amazing!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 20, 2019
What the Mueller report actually did was find 10 episodes of potential obstruction. He detailed them in the report and left it to the Attorney General William Barr and Congress to decide if they rose to the level of a crime that could be proven in court.
Political experts are also considering that Mueller didn’t attempt to charge Trump with a crime because of a long-standing position in the Justice Department that a sitting president can’t be charged.
For all those folks calling for “Impeachment!” – it’s not going to happen.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi knows it would be an act of futility because even if the House did vote of articles of impeachment, the Republican-led Senate would never convict Trump.
And he would look like a martyr for the 2020 election.
|
| Donald Trump |
Buzzfeed is reporting that Donald Trump instructed his former ‘fixer,’ Michael Cohen, to lie to Congress regarding plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow.
The Buzzfeed article is said to be based on “interviews with multiple witnesses from the Trump Organization and internal company emails, text messages, and a cache of other documents.”
President Donald Trump directed his longtime attorney Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about negotiations to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, according to two federal law enforcement officials involved in an investigation of the matter.
Trump also supported a plan, set up by Cohen, to visit Russia during the presidential campaign, in order to personally meet President Vladimir Putin and jump-start the tower negotiations. “Make it happen,” the sources said Trump told Cohen.
And even as Trump told the public he had no business deals with Russia, the sources said Trump and his children Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. received regular, detailed updates about the real estate development from Cohen, whom they put in charge of the project.
Cohen pleaded guilty in November to lying about the deal in testimony and in a two-page statement to the Senate and House intelligence committees. Special counsel Robert Mueller noted that Cohen’s false claim that the project ended in January 2016 was an attempt to “minimize links between the Moscow Project and Individual 1” — widely understood to be Trump — “in hopes of limiting the ongoing Russia investigations.”
Now the two sources have told BuzzFeed News that Cohen also told the special counsel that after the election, the president personally instructed him to lie — by claiming that negotiations ended months earlier than they actually did — in order to obscure Trump’s involvement.
There’s much more at the link.
Trump’s current lawyer, Rudy Giuliani, responded to the report saying, “If you believe Cohen I can get you a great deal on the Brooklyn Bridge.”
But as many point out, the Buzzfeed report doesn’t rely on information from Cohen.
The report dropped at 10:11pm ET last night, so the Trumpster came out swinging this morning on Twitter:
Kevin Corke, @FoxNews “Don’t forget, Michael Cohen has already been convicted of perjury and fraud, and as recently as this week, the Wall Street Journal has suggested that he may have stolen tens of thousands of dollars….” Lying to reduce his jail time! Watch father-in-law!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 18, 2019
Folks are now looking back at the testimony Trump’s nominee for Attorney General, William Barr, gave this week with new eyes as he was directly asked if “a president persuading a person to commit perjury would be obstruction?”
Klobuchar: A president persuading a person to commit perjury would be obstruction. Is that right?Barr: Yes
Klobuchar: You also said that a president, or any person, convincing a witness to change testimony would be obstruction. Is that right?
Barr: Yespic.twitter.com/ShOnieTqfF
— Hardball (@hardball) January 18, 2019
The allegation that the President of the United States may have suborned perjury before our committee in an effort to curtail the investigation and cover up his business dealings with Russia is among the most serious to date. We will do what’s necessary to find out if it’s true. https://t.co/GljBAFqOjh— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 18, 2019
Those of us in law enforcement call this obstruction of justice. You go to prison if convicted. https://t.co/x6mTVL6qHR— Andrew Janz (@JanzAndrew) January 18, 2019
|
| Donald Trump |
Donald Trump took to Twitter this morning to repeat his claims of “witch hunt” about the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller which now includes guilty pleas from 5 former Trump associates.
“The illegal Mueller Witch Hunt continues in search of a crime,” Trump whined Sunday morning. “There was never Collusion with Russia, except by the Clinton campaign, so the 17 Angry Democrats are looking at anything they can find.”
“ALSO, not allowed under the LAW!” Trump added, which is perplexing since the investigation was ordered by Trump’s Department of Justice.
The illegal Mueller Witch Hunt continues in search of a crime. There was never Collusion with Russia, except by the Clinton campaign, so the 17 Angry Democrats are looking at anything they can find. Very unfair and BAD for the country. ALSO, not allowed under the LAW!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 16, 2018
Folks continue to speculate that the Trumpster may pardon former campaign chair Paul Manafort or fire Attorney General Jeff Sessions or Special Counsel Robert Mueller in an attempt to end the scandal.
Of course, doing so would only exacerbate the issue.
Any move by Trump to pardon Paul Manafort, or dangle a pardon, would be a further act of obstruction of justice. When he was running, Trump said he was going to drain the swamp, but the only person who’s draining the swamp is Mueller. Trump is threatening to pardon the swamp. pic.twitter.com/iAhols6Qsj— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 16, 2018
.@jonkarl: “What happens if the president pardons Manafort?”Ken Starr: “He has the power to do that, then I think it really becomes an issue of is that an abuse of power on the part of the president in light of an ongoing investigation?” https://t.co/YzlRv0u0R5 #ThisWeek pic.twitter.com/szQuKY6v6V
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) September 16, 2018
Ken Starr, the former independent counsel during the investigation of President Bill Clinton, says it would be “unwise” for President Donald Trump to pardon Paul Manafort: “It would just be an imprudent decision” #CNNSOTU https://t.co/bNHFpPa9nc pic.twitter.com/ZIQFXCRZH6— CNN (@CNN) September 16, 2018
|
| Donald Trump |
According to ABC News, Special Counsel Robert Mueller has requested to interview Donald Trump regarding issues pertaining to obstruction of justice.
ABC News reports:
According to sources, the president learned within the last day that the special counsel will limit the scope of questioning and would like to ask questions both orally and written for the President to respond to.
According to sources familiar with the President’s reaction Wednesday morning, that was the genesis for his early morning tweet storm. Negotiations over a potential presidential interview have gone on for months, through several different iterations of the Trump legal team.
You’ll note Trump now says Manafort “worked for me for a very short time.”
When he won the election, he hailed Manafort’s great work.
Here’s the Twitter rant referenced in the ABC News report.
“FBI Agent Peter Strzok (on the Mueller team) should have recused himself on day one. He was out to STOP THE ELECTION OF DONALD TRUMP. He needed an insurance policy. Those are illegal, improper goals, trying to influence the Election. He should never, ever been allowed to……..— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
…..remain in the FBI while he himself was being investigated. This is a real issue. It won’t go into a Mueller Report because Mueller is going to protect these guys. Mueller has an interest in creating the illusion of objectivity around his investigation.” ALAN DERSHOWITZ….— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
..This is a terrible situation and Attorney General Jeff Sessions should stop this Rigged Witch Hunt right now, before it continues to stain our country any further. Bob Mueller is totally conflicted, and his 17 Angry Democrats that are doing his dirty work are a disgrace to USA!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
Paul Manafort worked for Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole and many other highly prominent and respected political leaders. He worked for me for a very short time. Why didn’t government tell me that he was under investigation. These old charges have nothing to do with Collusion – a Hoax!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
Russian Collusion with the Trump Campaign, one of the most successful in history, is a TOTAL HOAX. The Democrats paid for the phony and discredited Dossier which was, along with Comey, McCabe, Strzok and his lover, the lovely Lisa Page, used to begin the Witch Hunt. Disgraceful!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
Looking back on history, who was treated worse, Alfonse Capone, legendary mob boss, killer and “Public Enemy Number One,” or Paul Manafort, political operative & Reagan/Dole darling, now serving solitary confinement – although convicted of nothing? Where is the Russian Collusion?— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
“We already have a smoking gun about a campaign getting dirt on their opponent, it was Hillary Clinton. How is it OK for Hillary Clinton to proactively seek dirt from the Russians but the Trump campaign met at the Russians request and that is bad?” Marc Thiessen, Washington Post— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 1, 2018
|
| Late Night with Seth Meyers |
Seth Meyers addressed the recent news that President Trump attempted to fire Robert Mueller just weeks into the Special Counsel’s investigation into possible Russian interference in the 2016 election. According to sources, White House legal counsel Don McGahn threatened to quit if Trump moved forward in firing Mueller.
Meyers was in prime form as he ticked off the latest news from Trump Land.
• “Amazing. Trump is mad that he’s being investigated for obstruction of justice so his plan to get out of it is to obstruct justice. If Trump was the captain of the Titanic, his plan would be to hit a second iceberg.”
• “Why does he keep going out of his way to interfere with the investigation? There are two possible answers.”
“One, he’s guilty. Or two, he asked the FBI director for a pledge of loyalty, he asked him to stop his investigation into Michael Flynn, fired the FBI director, admitted he fired him because of the Russia investigation, bragged to the Russians that he did it because of the Russia investigation, pressured the attorney general not to recuse himself, pressured the heads of the intelligence agencies to intervene and tried to fire the special counsel who took over the Russia investigation…because he’s innocent?”
• Meyers also touched on reports that Trump called Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe (now pushed out of his job) the day James Comey was fired. Trump was angry that Comey flew home to Washington DC on a federal plane.
During the call, Trump “turned on McCabe, suggesting he ask his wife how it feels to be a loser—an apparent reference to a failed campaign for state office in Virginia that McCabe’s wife made in 2015.”
Said Meyers, “You told him to ask his wife what it’s like to be a loser?! You should ask your wife what it’s like to be married to one!”
Watch the segment below.
Today, in Trump Twitter Land, the Donald went on a rant regarding the news that Special Counsel Robert Mueller is looking into obstruction of justice by the prez.
They made up a phony collusion with the Russians story, found zero proof, so now they go for obstruction of justice on the phony story. Nice— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
You are witnessing the single greatest WITCH HUNT in American political history – led by some very bad and conflicted people! #MAGA— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 15, 2017
MSNBC host Lawrence O’Donnell couldn’t leave that alone.
They made up a phony story about Al Capone being a gangster & murderer, found zero proof, so they got him on tax evasion. Nice https://t.co/Q9EZWYZTXh— Lawrence O’Donnell (@Lawrence) June 15, 2017
|
| Robert Mueller |
I’m guessing this is why Daniel Coats, current director of national intelligence, and Adm. Mike Rogers, head of the National Security Agency, refused to answer so many questions last week when speaking to the Senate Intelligence Committee.
The Washington Post dropped a bombshell tonight reporting that the special counsel looking into Russian interference in last year’s election, Robert Mueller, is now looking into possible obstruction of justice by President Trump.
The special counsel overseeing the investigation into Russia’s role in the 2016 election is interviewing senior intelligence officials as part of a widening probe that now includes an examination of whether President Trump attempted to obstruct justice, officials said.
The move by Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III to investigate Trump’s own conduct marks a major turning point in the nearly year-old FBI investigation, which until recently focused on Russian meddling during the presidential campaign and on whether there was any coordination between the Trump campaign and the Kremlin. Investigators have also been looking for any evidence of possible financial crimes among Trump associates, officials said.
Trump had received private assurances from former FBI Director James B. Comey starting in January that he was not personally under investigation. Officials say that changed shortly after Comey’s firing.
The WaPo piece goes on to detail an encounter between Coats and Trump, as well as phone calls between Trump, Coats and Rogers.
Coats was attending a briefing at the White House together with officials from several other government agencies. When the briefing ended, as The Post previously reported, Trump asked everyone to leave the room except for Coats and CIA Director Mike Pompeo.
Coats told associates that Trump had asked him if he could intervene with Comey to get the bureau to back off its focus on former national security adviser Michael Flynn in its Russia probe, according to officials. Coats later told lawmakers that he never felt pressured to intervene.
A day or two after the March 22 meeting, Trump telephoned Coats and Rogers to separately ask them to issue public statements denying the existence of any evidence of coordination between his campaign and the Russian government.
Coats and Rogers refused to comply with the president’s requests, officials said.
And there’s documentation: recently departed National Security Agency Deputy Richard Ledgett penned an internal NSA memo documenting the president’s phone call with his boss, Adm. Mike Rogers, according to officials.