Draining the Swamp

[BMW/M]

Just more evidence his Deplorable base is gullible, naive and truly uneducated. They collectively bought all of his campaign promises and only had to pay their dignity and self respect in exchange.

Trump transition staffers head to K Street despite lobbying ban

Three months after Trump moved into the White House, at least nine people who worked on his transition have registered as lobbyists.

Donald Trump promised last year to “drain the swamp” of Washington, starting with barring people who worked on his presidential transition from lobbying for six months afterward.

But three months after Trump moved into the White House, at least nine people who worked on his transition have registered as lobbyists, highlighting holes in the president’s pledge to keep people from cashing in on government service.

Many are registered to lobby the same agencies or on the same issues they worked on during the transition, a POLITICO review of lobbying disclosures found. A former "sherpa" who helped to guide Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos through the Senate confirmation process is now registered to lobby her department. The former head of the transition's tax policy team has returned to his old company to lobby Congress on tax reform. One ex-member of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative team is now registered as part of a team lobbying on behalf of a major steelmaker.

http://www.politico.com/story/2017/05/0 ... ion-237850

Are you tired of all the winning yet?

[Boatrocker]

"Draining" apparently has an alternative meaning.

[Vrede too]

Trump's Interests vs. America's, Azerbaijan Edition
The president’s business partners in the capital city of Baku have ties to corruption not only there but in Iran as well.

... massive conflicts of interest ...

Following Sessions’ Mar-a-Lago appearance, new ethics questions arise

Make America (even more) Corrupt Again....

Whoa! Most corrupt and anti-American administration ever? Of course, Trumpettes knew before the election that this was and would be a YUGE problem, they just didn't care.

This Level of Corruption Is Unprecedented in the Modern History of the Presidency
And it's threatening our democracy.

Fired US attorney Preet Bharara said to have been investigating HHS secretary Tom Price

Trump to spend 7th consecutive weekend at Trump-branded property, at enormous cost to taxpayers
Austerity for us, regular Florida vacations for the president.

Petition: The State Department must stop promoting Trump brands!

[Vrede too]

Sister of Trump senior adviser (and son-in-law) solicits Chinese investment

[GoCubsGo]

The swamp is alive and well....

[billy.pilgrim]

The swamp is alive and well....

yet the media keeps clamoring that whatever latest trump event has turned some Republicans into thinking people everytime Marco or Susan or Ted proclaim that they are considering all options.

[GoCubsGo]

Over under on this clown going to jail in the next five years?

[GoCubsGo]

Just another day.

[Vrede too]

The swamp is alive and well....

From the CNN link, neoplacebo's favorite Sen:

... "If my Republican colleagues want to strip this legislation out of the NDAA behind closed doors, then I'm going to offer it up as an amendment to force an up-or-down vote and put every member of this body on the record," Warner said on the Senate floor.

The amendment approved by the Intelligence Committee was an adopted version of Warner's FIRE Act, which he introduced last year. It would require all presidential campaign officials report to the FBI any contacts with foreign nationals trying either to make campaign donations or coordinate with a campaign.

Warner tried to bring up his bill on the Senate floor several times over the past year, but Republicans objected each time. When Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, blocked the bill in June 2019, calling it a "blatant political stunt." President Donald Trump applauded her efforts on Twitter.

It's not clear if Warner's amendment will get a vote. The Senate is debating the defense authorization legislation on the floor this week.

Replies to the tweet:

Alternate headline: republicans need foreign money to win elections

@marcorubio Temporary Intelligence (chair) and @SenateGOP colleagues on the committee - what are you hiding?
@SenatorBurr (NC )
@SenatorRisch
@SenatorCollins (ME)
@BenSasse
@RoyBlunt
@TomCotton
@JohnCornyn

Pete Buttigieg
@PeteButtigieg

25 days and still waiting for the president of the United States to comment on reports of Russian bounties on our troops.

[Vrede too]

Over under on this clown going to jail in the next five years?

My money is on a fatal DUI MVC.

From the Politico link:

The Florida Republican concedes that he improperly sent $28,000 in taxpayer funds to a limited liability company connected to the speech-writing consultant, Darren Beattie, a former White House aide who was ousted after appearing at a convention known as a forum for racist and white supremacist views. Gaetz’s aides said it was a clerical error that they are now working to reverse. House rules explicitly prohibit spending taxpayer dollars on speech-writing consultants....

(Gaetz) has been a minor player legislatively; he doesn’t pass many bills and has never been involved with high-stakes negotiations. Yet the media has become enamored with the 38-year-old lawmaker. He is an ardent defender of Roger Stone and lobbied Trump for his pardon....

Many good replies to the tweet.

[Vrede too]

Just another day.

Since when is owner of the New York Jets a credential for anything? What an asshole, CNN link:

[O Really]

Just another day.

Since when is owner of the New York Jets a credential for anything?

Certainly not for being a pro team owner.

[neoplacebo]

The swamp is alive and well....

From the CNN link, neoplacebo's favorite Sen:

... "If my Republican colleagues want to strip this legislation out of the NDAA behind closed doors, then I'm going to offer it up as an amendment to force an up-or-down vote and put every member of this body on the record," Warner said on the Senate floor.

The amendment approved by the Intelligence Committee was an adopted version of Warner's FIRE Act, which he introduced last year. It would require all presidential campaign officials report to the FBI any contacts with foreign nationals trying either to make campaign donations or coordinate with a campaign.

Warner tried to bring up his bill on the Senate floor several times over the past year, but Republicans objected each time. When Sen. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessee Republican, blocked the bill in June 2019, calling it a "blatant political stunt." President Donald Trump applauded her efforts on Twitter.

It's not clear if Warner's amendment will get a vote. The Senate is debating the defense authorization legislation on the floor this week.

Replies to the tweet:

Alternate headline: republicans need foreign money to win elections

@marcorubio Temporary Intelligence (chair) and @SenateGOP colleagues on the committee - what are you hiding?
@SenatorBurr (NC )
@SenatorRisch
@SenatorCollins (ME)
@BenSasse
@RoyBlunt
@TomCotton
@JohnCornyn

Pete Buttigieg
@PeteButtigieg

25 days and still waiting for the president of the United States to comment on reports of Russian bounties on our troops.

Thanks; I've not sent her any hate mail for a while now. And the white bread bullshit emails she sends out never admit this kind of lunacy. I feel the need to remind her what a shriveled grotesque asshole she truly is. Maybe I'll send her some outrageous sex toys but I'm afraid to cultivate any sort of friendly relationship with her. I don't want her to get the wrong idea.

[Vrede too]

Thanks; I've not sent her any hate mail for a while now. And the white bread bullshit emails she sends out never admit this kind of lunacy. I feel the need to remind her what a shriveled grotesque asshole she truly is. Maybe I'll send her some outrageous sex toys but I'm afraid to cultivate any sort of friendly relationship with her. I don't want her to get the wrong idea.

Send her an inflatable sheep and leave the interpretation up to her.

[Vrede too]

Just another day.

Since when is owner of the New York Jets a credential for anything? What an asshole, CNN link.

Certainly not for being a pro team owner.

State Department rejects further probe of diplomat's remarks

A report Wednesday by the State Department’s internal watchdog confirms news accounts that staffers at the U.S. Embassy in Britain have accused Woody Johnson, owner of the New York Jets and the U.S. ambassador, of making “insensitive” and “inappropriate” remarks.

The department’s Office of the Inspector General called for further investigation into the allegations against Johnson, a friend and campaign contributor to President Donald Trump.

Johnson denies the allegations. State Department officials replied to the watchdog office that no further investigation is necessary because Johnson is “well aware of his responsibility to set the right tone for his mission,” according to the report.

While the Office of the Inspector General said it continues to believe the State Department should further examine Johnson's alleged conduct, the State Department said it considers the matter closed.

“We stand by Ambassador Johnson and look forward to him continuing to ensure our special relationship with the UK is strong,” it said in a written response to a request for comment on the report....

"Woody" Johnson, seriously?