Most lack basic knowledge to understand current events

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When the public hears news of a travel ban proposed by Donald Trump being struck down in whole or in part by the courts, it should recognize the interaction between the executive and judicial branches of government and remember that freedom of religion is protected by the First Amendment. When the public reads about Trump’s campaign… Continue reading “Most lack basic knowledge to understand current events”

Maria strengthens into an ‘extremely dangerous’ category 4 hurricane

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Hurricane Maria rapidly intensified on Monday, becoming an “extremely dangerous” category 4 storm as it reached the northeast Caribbean, U.S. forecasters say. Additional strengthening is possible over the next few days. Credit: NOAA As of 5 p.m. ET on Monday, Maria was located about 45 miles (70 kilometers) southeast of Dominica, or 35 miles (55 kilometers)… Continue reading “Maria strengthens into an ‘extremely dangerous’ category 4 hurricane”

Senator warns Sarah Sanders: Stop poisoning James Comey’s reputation or face indictment

WASHINGTON, DC -- JULY 25 2017: Democratic Senators address a crowd of supporters at a rally on the Capitol steps after the motion to proceed vote on the Trumpcare bill.

Sheldon Whitehouse stopped by Hardball to discuss the latest news about Robert Mueller and the Russiagate investigation earlier today. While he was on the topic of obstructing justice and the like, he had a warning for Sarah Huckabee Sanders in relation to her intentional efforts to slime James Comey last week. Just to review, on three… Continue reading “Senator warns Sarah Sanders: Stop poisoning James Comey’s reputation or face indictment”

Here’s some happy news

#Rusiagate: FBI allanó casa de Paul Manafort, ex jefe de campaña de Trump

The feds wiretapped Paul Manfort before and after the campaign, and may have Trump on some of the wiretaps, according to CNN:

Washington (CNN)US investigators wiretapped former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort under secret court orders before and after the election, sources tell CNN, an extraordinary step involving a high-ranking campaign official now at the center of the Russia meddling probe.

The government snooping continued into early this year, including a period when Manafort was known to talk to President Donald Trump.
Some of the intelligence collected includes communications that sparked concerns among investigators that Manafort had encouraged the Russians to help with the campaign, according to three sources familiar with the investigation. Two of these sources, however, cautioned that the evidence is not conclusive.

And then there’s this from the New York Times:

WASHINGTON — Paul J. Manafort was in bed early one morning in July when federal agents bearing a search warrant picked the lock on his front door and raided his Virginia home. They took binders stuffed with documents and copied his computer files, looking for evidence that Mr. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, set up secret offshore bank accounts. They even photographed the expensive suits in his closet.

The special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, then followed the house search with a warning: His prosecutors told Mr. Manafort they planned to indict him, said two people close to the investigation.

The moves against Mr. Manafort are just a glimpse of the aggressive tactics used by Mr. Mueller and his team of prosecutors in the four months since taking over the Justice Department’s investigation into Russia’s attempts to disrupt last year’s election, according to lawyers, witnesses and American officials who have described the approach. Dispensing with the plodding pace typical of many white-collar investigations, Mr. Mueller’s team has used what some describe as shock-and-awe tactics to intimidate witnesses and potential targets of the inquiry.

Mr. Mueller has obtained a flurry of subpoenas to compel witnesses to testify before a grand jury, lawyers and witnesses say, sometimes before his prosecutors have taken the customary first step of interviewing them. One witness was called before the grand jury less than a month after his name surfaced in news accounts. The special counsel even took the unusual step of obtaining a subpoena for one of Mr. Manafort’s former lawyers, claiming an exception to the rule that shields attorney-client discussions from scrutiny.

“They are setting a tone. It’s important early on to strike terror in the hearts of people in Washington, or else you will be rolled,” said Solomon L. Wisenberg, who was deputy independent counsel in the investigation that led to the impeachment trial of President Bill Clinton in 1999. “You want people saying to themselves, ‘Man, I had better tell these guys the truth.’”

A spokesman for Mr. Mueller declined to comment. Lawyers and a spokesman for Mr. Manafort also declined to comment.

And by the way, this story is connected, too.

https://twitter.com/ezraklein/status/909937885582897152