Don’t be surprised if the next James Bond villain is based on a Paul Manafort type character. From the internet:
The White House distanced itself from a new report Wednesday that alleges Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, worked for a Russian billionaire more than a decade ago in order to advance the agenda of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The explosive report by The Associated Press appears to undermine assertions by the Trump administration and Manafort that he had never worked to promote Russia’s global influence.
And:
Manafort, working as a consultant, signed a $10 million annual contract with Russian aluminum magnate Oleg Deripaska in 2006 after pitching plans to help Russian interests around the world, the AP reported. Deripaska was a known ally of Putin.
“We are now of the belief that this model can greatly benefit the Putin Government if employed at the correct levels with the appropriate commitment to success,” Manafort purportedly wrote in a confidential 2005 memo to Deripaska obtained by the AP.
When the Donald Trump folks don’t even want to acknowledge his existence, you know it stinks big time. Let’s just hope Manafort sings and brings down the rest of the colluders.
I heard yesterday that some daddies get their little girls doll houses, while Trump got his daughter a White House. I don’t know about that. Sen. Ted Cruz’s former campaign communications consultant certain had a take in Cosmo yesterday. I am thinking she is now on Trump’s enemies list. Check this from Amanda Carpenter:
Ivanka Trump sits with foreign dignitaries during important meetings, is setting up an office in the White House, is being issued government communications devices, and is seeking national security clearance. What’s she doing exactly? Nobody knows. What qualifies her? Apparently, being the president’s daughter.
There’s a word for this: nepotism. And it makes everything Ivanka has done up to this point to position herself as an example for working women into a farce. By taking this role, Ivanka is taking away a life-changing opportunity from another woman, who undoubtedly would have more expertise than the first daughter.
Trump’s spinners will argue the arrangement is not a violation of federal nepotism laws because Ivanka is not being given a salary or title — a stunning symbol of privilege in itself. Ivanka’s too wealthy to need the salary and too well-known to need a title, a slap in the face to women who have toiled for years, for little pay, hoping to work up the ladder and obtain a White House job one day.
If Ivanka Trump were not the president’s daughter, would she be given a White House office to perform a job that has no description? Of course not. Don’t believe me? Just try calling the White House and asking if you can have some gratis work space at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., one of the most coveted real estate properties on the planet.
And:
Ivanka will continue to pretend she’s a model for working women, applauding herself for having a “seat at the table” with foreign dignitaries, as she did in this Instagram photo. Just remember she’s only sitting in that seat because her daddy let her. That’s not the case for the overwhelming majority of working women in America and we shouldn’t celebrate anyone for whom that is.
Here is the entire take: http://www.cosmopolitan.com/politics/a9161907/ivanka-trump-white-house-office-insult/.
Nice job, Amanda and watch out.
Now to center field. Over the last six Opening Days, the ‘Stros have had 6 different starting center fielders. Name them?
Sigh! Groan! Why can’t this guy let cities be cities and towns be towns. What is the point in having mayors and city council members and ordinances and city charters? His disdain for our local form of government is sickening. Here is from the Tribune:
CORPUS CHRISTI — As local control battles rage at the Texas Capitol, Gov. Greg Abbott is voicing support for a much more sweeping approach to the issues that have captured headlines.
“As opposed to the state having to take multiple rifle-shot approaches at overriding local regulations, I think a broad-based law by the state of Texas that says across the board, the state is going to pre-empt local regulations, is a superior approach,” Abbott said Tuesday during a Q&A session hosted by the Texas Conservative Coalition Research Institute, an Austin-based think tank.
Such an approach, Abbott added, “makes it more simple, more elegant, but more importantly, provides greater advance notice to businesses and to individuals that you’re going to have the certainty to run your lives.”
Abbott made the remarks in response to a moderator’s question about legislation this session that would “prohibit any local ordinance from exceeding the standard set by the state.”
Here is the entire article: https://www.texastribune.org/2017/03/21/abbott-supports-broad-based-law-pre-empting-local-regulations/.
Don’t be fooled. This fella is anti-local freedom. This fella needs a hobby? Where does he think up this stuff? Wacko job for sure!
The bully-in-chief. From the internet yesterday:
President Donald Trump arrived on Capitol Hill Tuesday morning with a stern message for Republicans who’ve been wobbly about dismantling Obamacare: Give me your vote or you may lose your seat in 2018.
During a closed-door meeting with the House GOP conference, the president gave a full-throated endorsement to the House repeal bill that will come to the floor for a vote on Thursday. He warned that if Republicans don’t pass the bill, “I honestly think many of you will lose your seats in 2018.”
Just for your info:
(CNN) Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch criticized Tuesday President Donald Trump’s attacks on the federal judge who blocked his administration’s travel ban, saying for the first time publicly that he found them “disheartening” and “demoralizing.”
Gorsuch previously made those comments in private conversations with senators, but Tuesday marked the first time he went on the record with his disapproval of the president’s rhetoric when he called US District Judge James L. Robart a “so-called judge.”
“When anyone criticizes the honesty, integrity, the motives of a federal judge, I find that disheartening, I find that demoralizing, because I know the truth,” he said during his Senate confirmation hearing, in response to a question about the tweets from Sen. Richard Blumenthal.
Asked by the Connecticut Democrat if that “anyone” included the President.
“Anyone is anyone,” Gorsuch said.
This guy doesn’t like his new job. He needs to just walk away before his legacy is flushed down the toilet. He is out of his league for sure. From The Hill:
Rex Tillerson said the job of secretary of State wasn’t a role he sought out.
“I didn’t want this job. I didn’t seek this job,” Tillerson told the Independent Journal Review in an interview during his recent Asia trip.
When asked why he agreed to take on the position of secretary of State, Tillerson said his wife “told me I’m supposed to do this.”
During the interview, Tillerson said he had never met President Trump before the election. After his victory, the president wanted to talk with Tillerson “about the world.”
“When he asked me at the end of that conversation to be secretary of State, I was stunned,” Tillerson said.
Tillerson later told his wife about the offer.
“I told you God’s not through with you,” he said his wife told him.
The former ExxonMobil CEO added: “I was supposed to retire in March, this month. I was going to go to the ranch to be with my grandkids.”
Tillerson said he serves at the “pleasure of the president.”
“My wife convinced me,” he said. “She was right. I’m supposed to do this.”
My goodness! No you are not supposed to do this!
The last 6 Opening Day starting center fielders for the ‘Stros have been in this order Carlos Gomez, Jake Marisnick, Dexter Fowler, Justin Maxwell, Jordan Schafer and Michael Bourn of course.
Nothing from The Yard today.
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