Trump 43: King of Chaos

[fraurosena]

This is huge. Trump has lost his number one sycophant over his Syrian decision. 

 

[formergothardite]

Did Trump do this in an attempt to distract from all the other stuff. It is really hard to support the idea that we chuck a minority group who has helped us under the genocide bus. 

Fox and Friends was trying to guide Graham back to supporting Trump by saying things like "Military families would like to see their families come home". I'm rather surprised that Graham flat out called Trump a liar. 

[fraurosena]

43 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

Did Trump do this in an attempt to distract from all the other stuff. It is really hard to support the idea that we chuck a minority group who has helped us under the genocide bus. 

Fox and Friends was trying to guide Graham back to supporting Trump by saying things like "Military families would like to see their families come home". I'm rather surprised that Graham flat out called Trump a liar. 

Nope, this decision was made directly after a telephone call with Erdogan. 'Nuff said.

[GreyhoundFan]

"It’s not news that Trump is corrupt. What’s new is how he is succeeding in corrupting our government."

Spoiler

It is no longer surprising to see President Trump wielding the government as an instrument purely for his personal benefit or vengeance.

What is both alarming and new is how government, increasingly, is giving way and giving in.

Three years into Trump’s term, we are witnessing the accelerating erosion of a bedrock American principle: that the awesome power of government will be wielded fairly, based on facts and evidence, and without regard to political fear or favor.

A normal government that cared about corruption in Ukraine, as officials in this administration sometimes pretend they do, would seek improvements in its judicial system. But Trump has no such concern, as you can tell from his July 25 phone call with Ukraine’s president. He never mentions corruption, but presses only for two specific investigations he hopes will benefit his domestic political fortunes.

A government committed to rescuing Americans from unfair detention abroad — as Trump likes to boast he is — would be committed to rescuing all Americans from unfair detention abroad.

But this administration picks and chooses, based on Trump’s whims and grudges. For a Christian cleric held in Turkey, Trump goes all out. For a New York Times reporter endangered in Egypt, the administration does not bestir itself, as Times publisher A.G. Sulzberger recently recounted.

Some officials have indulged these impulses almost from the start. That Times reporter barely escaped arrest two years ago. Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross’s dishonest maneuverings to get a question about citizenship added to the 2020 Census took place in the spring of 2017. Last year, officials devised their policy to separate children from parents at the border, and then repeatedly lied about it.

But as time goes on, the government more and more is endorsing and amplifying policies that serve Trump’s political interest. Just recently:

●As soon as Trump decided to make political hay out of California’s homeless population, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Andrew Wheeler accused the (Democratic) state of allowing human feces to pollute its waterways and demanded action. Around the country, 3,508 community water systems are out of compliance with standards; only California attracted the EPA’s attention.

●When the House Ways and Means Committee requested Trump’s tax returns, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and Internal Revenue Service Commissioner Charles Rettig flatly refused — though the law says the returns “shall” be turned over if requested.

●When another House committee wanted former Trump campaign manager Corey Lewandowski to testify about Trump’s efforts to fire special investigator Robert S. Mueller III, White House counsel Pat Cipollone — who is supposed to represent the law, not the president’s personal well-being — happily asserted executive privilege on behalf of this tale of obstruction, though Lewandowski never actually worked in the White House.

●Indulging another Trump obsession, the State Department has intensified an investigation of Obama-era officials who sent emails to Hillary Clinton — including by retroactively classifying some of their messages, as The Post reported a few days ago.

●When the intelligence community’s inspector general ruled that the whistleblower complaint about Trump and Ukraine should be sent to Congress, the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel conveniently offered a contrary opinion. No, the OLC said, “the appropriate action is to refer the matter to the Department of Justice.”

●Which was doubly convenient, in fact, because Justice, with great efficiency, determined that — although soliciting assistance from a foreign power on behalf of a political campaign is against the law — Trump had nothing to worry about, on the pretext that prosecutors were unable to assign a dollar value to the help he had solicited. Case closed. Case never even opened, in fact.

What’s going on? Senior officials who had the fortitude to defend the rule of law have gradually been replaced by those who put ambition over principle. A few who still try to do the right thing are kept in vulnerable “acting” positions and hemmed in by toadies and hacks in subordinate positions.

Meanwhile, honest civil servants leave or become demoralized. They watch first-class research agencies be deliberately disrupted and degraded. They see Trump firing (Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch) and threatening (the still anonymous whistleblower) honest professionals. Resistance to abuse of power naturally dwindles.

Yes, take this as a warning of what a second term would mean. Norms get eroded, a nonpartisan bureaucracy can be corrupted.

But remember also that the whistleblower and intelligence inspector general refused to bend. Thousands of public servants like them are continuing to fulfill their missions as best they can. We need to keep faith with them as they work, often under pressures we can’t imagine, to keep government fair and honest.

 

[fraurosena]

Trump is going to have an apoplectic fit today. First his sycophantic 'friends' (Marco Rubio too!) have deserted him on the Syria issue, and then this happened:

 

[fraurosena]

Turkey-Syria border: Kurds bitter as US troops withdraw

Quote

US troops have begun withdrawing from positions in northern Syria, paving the way for a Turkish operation against Kurdish fighters in the border area.

Kurdish-led forces have until now been a key US ally in Syria, where they helped defeat the Islamic State group, but Turkey regards them as terrorists.

The main Kurdish-led group called the surprise US move a "stab in the back".

But President Donald Trump defended the pullout, saying it was time "to get out of these ridiculous Endless Wars".

The withdrawal represents a significant shift in US foreign policy and goes against the advice of senior officials in the Pentagon and state department. It follows a White House statement issued late on Sunday, saying US troops were stepping aside for an imminent Turkish operation.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey's aim was to combat Kurdish fighters in the border area and to set up a "safe zone" for Syrian refugees currently living in Turkey.

The UN humanitarian chief in Syria, Panos Moumtzis, says aid workers are "preparing for the worst" if fighting breaks out in north-eastern Syria. "From experience, this could result in a displacement of people, we want to make sure that we are ready," he told reporters.

What did the White House say?

"Turkey will soon be moving forward with its long-planned operation into northern Syria," the statement said.

"The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the operation, and United States forces, having defeated the Isis territorial 'Caliphate', will no longer be in the immediate area." The White House also said Turkey would take over all responsibility for IS fighters captured by Kurdish forces over the past two years.

More than 12,000 men are in detention on suspicion of being IS members in Kurdish-controlled camps located south of Turkey's planned "safe zone". At least 4,000 of them are foreign nationals.

US allies betrayed

This decision risks a recasting of alliances in Syria. The Kurds may be forced to seek an accommodation with the Syrian government. The potential chaos could facilitate a resurgence of IS. Indeed, the US pullback of its forces from the border area may herald the full withdrawal of troops from Syria that Mr Trump has long wanted.

It marks a betrayal of Washington's Kurdish allies, a betrayal that many other countries in the region will note with alarm.

Both the Saudis and the Israelis are coming to realise that Mr Trump's robust rhetoric is rarely matched by actions.

Last month the Syria Study Group, a bipartisan body commissioned by Congress, stated in its final report that the US still has significant security interests in Syria and retains some policy levers with which to influence events there. But that is clearly not Present Trump's view.

What has the reaction been?

A spokesman for the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) - which occupy former IS territory in north-eastern Syria - strongly condemned the move, saying they were "assurances from the US that it would not allow any Turkish military operations against the region."

"The [US] statement was a surprise and we can say that it is a stab in the back for the SDF," Kino Gabriel told Arabic TV station al-Hadath.

US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a close ally of the president, said the withdrawal was a "disaster in the making", adding that a pullout would be a "stain on America's honor for abandoning the Kurds". Mr Graham said he would introduce a Senate resolution opposing the decision and calling for it to be reversed.

Brett McGurk, former US special presidential envoy for the coalition against IS, said the announcement demonstrated a "complete lack of understanding of anything happening on the ground".

Meanwhile, Kurdish TV in northern Iraq said the SDF had put some of its units on alert because the Turkish army had mobilised troops on the border on Monday.

What is Turkey planning?

Late on Sunday, Mr Erdogan's office said he and President Trump had spoken on the phone about Turkey's plan to set up a "safe zone" in north-eastern Syria. It said the 20-mile (32km) zone along the border was needed to combat "terrorists" and create "the conditions necessary for the return of Syrian refugees".

Turkey considers the Kurdish YPG militia - the dominant force in the SDF alliance - an extension of the banned Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which has fought for Kurdish autonomy in Turkey for three decades.

Turkey hosts more than 3.6 million Syrians who fled the civil war that began in 2011. It wants to move up to two million of them into the zone.

How large will the Turkish operation be?

Invasion or incursion? That's the uppermost question about Turkish action in north-eastern Syria. Initial indications would point to a limited incursion by Turkey along a 60-mile (100km) stretch between the towns of Tal Abyad and Ras al-Ain.

It's a sparsely populated, mostly Arab area. American forces have already withdrawn from four border positions there, but they haven't withdrawn from any positions further east and west.

Similarly, the big Kurdish towns and cities along the border - Kobane, Qamishili and others - remain calm. There's been no call for people to evacuate.

Prisons full of IS foreign fighters are further south and will remain under Kurdish control - if Turkey restricts itself to a limited assault.

However, it may not stop there: regime sources are calling it "a full incremental invasion". So British and American special forces have for months been making preparations for a partial or full withdrawal from the area if the situation escalates.

 

[Audrey2]

And we know, if the genocide starts, this administration won't grant asylum to the displaced Kurds, even though we've been working together.

It is absolutely disgusting!

[fraurosena]

"... in my great and unmatched wisdom..." 

"... I will totally destroy and obliterate..."

"...(I've done before!)"

Trump is going completely cray-cray.

Prepare yourselves. This grandiose posturing is only a prelude to how bad it will get as he feels himself backed into a corner further and further, and steadily more of his sycophants 'betray' him.

 

[thoughtful]

10 minutes ago, fraurosena said:

"... in my great and unmatched wisdom..." 

That is one deluded man orange peel stuffed with shit.

[fraurosena]

Sweet Rufus...

 

[fraurosena]

Whoah!

Even McConnell is breaking ranks with Trump. 

 

[Audrey2]

1 hour ago, fraurosena said:

Whoah!

Even McConnell is breaking ranks with Trump. 

 

No problem... Trump with call Mitch up, then Mitch will be fine with the White House's stance. Maybe Trump will have his minions sue Pelosi for disagreeing with him- Rudy says he's going after Schiff and Tlaib (I'm putting that article in the impeachment thread.)

[fraurosena]

Oh, really? We'd never have guessed...

Official Who Heard Call Says Trump Got 'Rolled' By Turkey And 'Has No Spine'

Quote

Donald Trump got "rolled" by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a National Security Council source with direct knowledge of the discussions told Newsweek.

In a scheduled phone call on Sunday afternoon between President Trump and President Erdogan, Trump said he would withdraw U.S. forces from northern Syria. The phone call was scheduled after Turkey announced it was planning to invade Syria, and hours after Erdogan reinforced his army units at the Syrian-Turkish border and issued his strongest threat to launch a military incursion, according to the National Security Council official to whom Newsweek spoke on condition of anonymity.

The U.S. withdrawal plays into the hands of the Islamic State group, Damascus and Moscow, and the announcement left Trump's own Defense Department "completely stunned," said Pentagon officials. Turkey, like the United States, wants regime change in Syria. Russia and Iran support the Assad regime.

"President Trump was definitely out-negotiated and only endorsed the troop withdraw to make it look like we are getting something—but we are not getting something," the National Security Council source told Newsweek. "The U.S. national security has entered a state of increased danger for decades to come because the president has no spine and that's the bottom line."

Newsweek granted the National Security Council official anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the matter publicly. The source said it would not be surprising to see a Turkish incursion in the next 24 to 96 hours.

Turkey has long considered the Kurdish militia in Syria to be a terrorist insurgency, despite the United States providing military and financial aid to the group in its fight against ISIS, the Islamic State militant group. A battle with the vastly superior military of Turkey, a NATO ally, could drive the Kurds into the arms of Bashar Al-Assad, the Syrian dictator that Washington wants ousted, and by extension into an alliance with Russia and Iran, two U.S. rivals with forces in Syria.

The White House said late Sunday evening in a statement that Turkey will soon invade northern Syria but both the Defense Department and Trump on Twitter said they made clear to Turkey that they do not endorse a Turkish operation in northern Syria.

"As I have stated strongly before, and just to reiterate, if Turkey does anything that I, in my great and unmatched wisdom, consider to be off limits, I will totally destroy and obliterate the Economy of Turkey (I've done before!)," said Trump on Twitter Monday. "They must, with Europe and others, watch over the captured ISIS fighters and families...it is time now for others in the region, some of great wealth, to protect their own territory."

According to the NSC official, who had first-hand knowledge of the phone call, Trump did not endorse any Turkish military operation against Kurdish Forces, but also did not threaten economic sanctions during the phone call if Turkey decided to undertake offensive operations.

In a statement, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said, "The United States Armed Forces will not support or be involved in the operation, and United States forces, having defeated the ISIS territorial "Caliphate," will no longer be in the immediate area."

The New York Times reported Monday that about 100 to 150 American forces would withdraw from northern Syria but not completely from the country. Newsweek confirmed the Times reporting but the National Security Council official said the number was closer to 230 service members, among them U.S. Special Forces and reconnaissance units.

The Times also reported witnesses observed United States forces withdraw from two observation posts in Tel Abyad and Ein Eissa in northeastern Syria. Newsweek confirmed these on Monday—a senior Defense Department official said American forces are about 90 percent complete with the withdraw as of publication.

One of the main issues in the phone call between the two world leaders concerned the roughly 2,000 Islamic State militant prisoners being held by the Kurdish-dominated Syrian Defense Forces in northeastern Syria, who the U.S. military assists financially.

Trump told Erdogan he did not want anything to do with ISIS prisoners despite the United States not currently detaining Islamic State prisoners in Syria. The Syrian Defense Forces control custody of the prisoners.

Erdogan said Turkey would take custody of the ISIS militant prisoners, according to the White House statement and the National Security Council official Newsweek spoke to for this story.

"The ISIS prisoners, some of them, will eventually be freed amongst the chaos, and remain in the area or go elsewhere to rejoin the fight," speculated the National Security Council official.

The White House statement on Sunday also expressed Trump's long-held frustration with how other NATO-allied countries had dealt with captured Islamic State group fighters. The statement singled out "France, Germany and other European nations," for refusing to take back their citizens who had joined the Islamic State militant group.

U.S. Army General Mark A. Milley, Trump's newly minted chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, is scheduled to meet with the service chiefs this morning to discuss the matter, said National Security Council source.

The National Security Council official said they could not speak about what Trump's admirals and generals may plan, but said they would not expect anything out of the usual norms as the Defense Department follows orders with or without advanced knowledge.

If the United States had refused to move out of Turkey's war path, U.S options would not just be the threat of potential conflict between nation-state militaries, it would have been applied pressure on the Turkish economy, according to the National Security Council official.

However, the United States chose not to stand its ground to protect Kurdish Forces against Turkish airstrikes as a part of Trump's "America First policy" and his historical views that war is bad for business, according to the official.

On Sunday, Erdogan reinforced his army units at the Syrian-Turkish border hours after he issued his strongest threat to launch Turkish forces over the border and into the "buffer zone," between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers.

The buffer zone—sometimes referred to as the peace corridor—was established to prevent another Turkish invasion of northern Syria. The United States had been working to establish a proper demilitarized zone prior to Trump's endorsement of Turkey's military plans.

If Trump's withdraw of U.S. forces had not occurred, the National Security Council official told Newsweek, the United States could have continued to refine the buffer zone on the Syrian-Turkish border.

"To be honest with you, it would be better for the United States to support a Kurdish nation across Turkey, Syria and Iraq," said the National Security Council official. "It would be another Israel in the region."

The current foreign policy debacle is what prompted Trump's former defense secretary, James Mattis, to resign his post after Trump decided to abruptly withdraw American forces from Syria in December 2018. Mattis was the last of the generals touted as the "adults" in the administration—and was an outspoken opponent of a Syrian withdrawal.

A senior Defense Department official told Newsweek in January no U.S. general was happy with the decision to pull back U.S. troops from Syria as Pentagon officials feared the withdrawal could spark an ISIS resurgence similar to the Taliban's growing influence and territory in Afghanistan.

Administration officials in January told Newsweek Trump's sudden withdraw order could undercut strategic U.S. alliances with regional allies; free Russia and Iran to re-establish a full military presence and solid footing in the Mediterranean; and leave U.S.-backed Kurdish fighters vulnerable to being decimated by a Turkish air campaign.

A complete withdrawal could also potentially give up a valuable regional position to American military forces that threaten United States interests in the region, including the interests of allies such as Israel and, to some extent, Jordan.

The National Security Council official compared Turkey to "playground bullies" on Monday.

"When the bigger guy [United States] moves aside in the playground, they [Turkey] get to beat on the smaller guy [Syrian Defense Forces] and this is not about the U.S. being the world police," the National Security Council source told Newsweek.

"We are telling the world, we will use you and then throw you away," the official added. "It's not like they don't have a television in Asia, in Africa, and South America."

 

Edited October 7, 2019 by fraurosena
Arrrghhhh....darned merging posts!

[fraurosena]

The Turks have begun their offence in North Syria, against the Kurds (YPG).

First tweet translation:

Turkish warplanes hit Semelka border crossing on Iraqi Syrian border (possibly aid convoy to YPG)

Second tweet translation:

First images of YPG target shot by Turkish warplanes on Iraqi Syrian border (shot by Kurd)

Edited October 7, 2019 by fraurosena

[Ozlsn]

7 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Trump is going to have an apoplectic fit today. First his sycophantic 'friends' (Marco Rubio too!) have deserted him on the Syria issue, and then this happened:

 

Well I guess we know which judge is going to be first against the wall if Trump wins a second term.

3 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Whoah!

Even McConnell is breaking ranks with Trump. 

 

Oh did McConnell finally notice the strings?

Ok so he's pulling US troops out of Kurdistan. How long before they end up in Iran...

[formergothardite]

3 hours ago, fraurosena said:

Even McConnell is breaking ranks with Trump. 

I suspect because he realizes, even if Trump doesn't, that going into the next election with ISIS getting stronger and videos of genocide all caused by Trump will make this hard election even harder. None of the republicans want to stand in front of their constituents as they campaign having to defend genocide. 

[fraurosena]

56 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

I suspect because he realizes, even if Trump doesn't, that going into the next election with ISIS getting stronger and videos of genocide all caused by Trump will make this hard election even harder. None of the republicans want to stand in front of their constituents as they campaign having to defend genocide. 

I believe you’re right. Plus, by pulling out the troopsTrump is effectively sounding the retreat and making America look like a coward on the run, who is afraid to stand up to bullies in the geo political sphere. A weakling, cowardly America is not quite the look the Machismo, supremacist, gun loving GOP wants to be associated with. 

[fraurosena]

Oh deer Rufus! Giving over North Syria to Turkey wasn’t the worst Trump could do as a birthday present to Putin.

What’s next? Withdrawal from NATO?

[Audrey2]

1 hour ago, formergothardite said:

I suspect because he realizes, even if Trump doesn't, that going into the next election with ISIS getting stronger and videos of genocide all caused by Trump will make this hard election even harder. None of the republicans want to stand in front of their constituents as they campaign having to defend genocide. 

Sadly, I think some of those Republicans running for office would spin the Kurdish genocide as "getting rid of the scary (brown) terrorists", or "why should we protect terrorists in Syria?" and I think their constituents wouldn't bat an eye.

Yes, I know this is appalling. I also know some BTs.

[formergothardite]

59 minutes ago, Audrey2 said:

Sadly, I think some of those Republicans running for office would spin the Kurdish genocide as "getting rid of the scary (brown) terrorists", or "why should we protect terrorists in Syria?" and I think their constituents wouldn't bat an eye.

They would except some of them are Christians and even Pat Robinson is ranting about how Trump is going to let Christians be slaughtered. 

This is part of what he said:

Quote

The president, who allowed [Jamal] Khashoggi to be cut in pieces without any repercussions whatsoever, is now allowing the Christians and the Kurds to be massacred by the Turks," he said.

Defending a genocide of Muslims would be hard, a genocide of Christians?  That will be almost impossible if republicans have to answer for it while trying to get elected again. Even Trump's evangelical base might squirm a bit more at that. I don't think Trump had any idea how bad this decision will end up for him. ISIS getting stronger and him being blamed for murdering Christians. Mitch McConnell, knows, though which is why he is begging Trump to change this. 

[GreyhoundFan]

From Dana Milbank: "Trump’s defense: You can’t impeach me. I impeach you."

Spoiler

The U.S. Constitution, as written by the framers, contains seven articles.

President Trump’s version goes to 12.

Trump informed lawmakers of his “Spinal Tap” approach to constitutional law three years ago, but current events make it more ominous in the retelling. Asked what he would do to protect the Constitution’s Article I powers — the powers of Congress — he reportedly responded, “I want to protect Article I, Article II, Article XII.”

We now know he had no intention of protecting Article I, and we have a good idea what must be in those five unwritten articles that exist only in the president’s imagination:

Article VIII gives Trump the power to solicit and receive the help of foreign governments in his election.

Article IX gives Trump the power to ignore congressional subpoenas and to block witnesses from testifying. (Trump’s latest exercise of Article IX powers came Monday; George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state, failed to show up for a deposition before three House committees.)

Article X gives Attorney General William P. Barr the power to reach out directly to foreign leaders and intelligence services — without involving the FBI or the Justice Department’s international personnel — to solicit information that could help Trump’s reelection.

Article XI exempts Trump from turning over his tax returns, no matter how many laws or court orders say otherwise. (A federal judge became the third to rule against Trump in the matter on Monday, condemning Trump’s “categorical and limitless assertion of presidential immunity from judicial process.”)

And Article XII gives Trump the power to impose extralegal punishments, including the impeachment of Congress.

Trump appeared to be exercising these Article XII powers on Saturday when he said that Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) is a “pompous ‘ass’ ” who should be impeached. (Romney had criticized Trump actions as “wrong and appalling.”) The (real) Constitution does not provide for impeaching lawmakers, but Trump on Sunday expanded his extra-constitutional demand, saying “Nervous Nancy” Pelosi and “Liddle’ Adam Schiff” were guilty of “Treason” and must be “immediately impeached.”

It’s a variant of Trump’s “No puppet, you’re the puppet” defense. You can’t impeach me — I impeach you!

Fighting impeachment, Trump employs two familiar arguments. One is to accuse his opponents of whatever he’s accused of. The other is to blurt out obscenities. Before branding Romney an “ass,” Trump informed 65 million Twitter followers that the Democrats’ case is “BULLSHIT.” (Objectively accurate headline: “Trump Tweets Bullshit.”)

It hardly matters that Trump’s new plan to impeach his accusers is not, technically, legal. As during the Russia inquiry, ignorance of the law might be his best (and perhaps only) defense. The ignorance seems genuine: In addition to developing a 12-article Constitution, Trump has mused about attacking migrants with bayonets and alligators, “ordered” U.S. businesses to find alternatives to China, proposed to rewrite a constitutional citizenship provision by fiat and routinely accused those who criticize him of “treason.”

Trump, also calling his critics “spies,” recently pined for the “old days when we were smart with spies and treason” and “we used to handle it a little differently.” Ah, yes, the good old days, when those accused of treason were summarily shot. Perhaps he’ll also use his Article XII powers to bring back the halcyon days of cruel and unusual punishment; he could order that Romney be given 30 stripes, send Pelosi to the ducking stool and crop Schiff’s ears.

Even if he did, it’s a safe bet Republicans would respond as they are now: by looking the other way or by insisting Trump was just joking. Only unelected Republicans seem to notice how awful they look excusing this behavior. Colin Powell says the GOP “has got to get a grip on itself.” Kerry Kircher, House counsel for the Republicans between 2011 and 2016, told The Post’s Seung Min Kim and Rachael Bade that Trump “is shaking the foundations of the republic.” Even Trump loyalist Tucker Carlson wrote of Trump’s Ukraine call: “Some Republicans are trying, but there’s no way to spin this as a good idea.”

So what can Democrats do about it? They could always take an article from Trump’s unwritten constitution, and assert their newfound powers to brand the letter “R” (for rogue) on Trump’s cheek, to chain Barr to the whipping post or to sentence uncooperative witnesses to bilboes and pillories.

But Democrats don’t have to follow Trump into the constitutional wilderness. In the “old days,” Congress’s inherent contempt powers allowed lawmakers to impose fines and to detain those who ignored subpoenas. Trump’s extra-constitutional antics have set off court battles that will, by design, outlast any impeachment inquiry. In the meantime, Democrats would be justified reviving a practice that is both legal and proportional when administration witnesses refuse to testify.

Lock ’em up.

 

[Ozlsn]

2 hours ago, GreyhoundFan said:

Article IX gives Trump the power to ignore congressional subpoenas and to block witnesses from testifying. (Trump’s latest exercise of Article IX powers came Monday; George Kent, a deputy assistant secretary of state, failed to show up for a deposition before three House committees.)

Can the House issue bench warrants? Because now seems like a good time to do that.

[fraurosena]

Serious question. It's a little hard to hear because of Trump's loud sniff, but is that man behind him asking "[Is the] president ok?"

 

[fraurosena]

When all else fails
Cry
But her emails!

 

[GreyhoundFan]