Trump Timeline ... Trumpocalypse

[Michael Scally MD]

It’s finally happening.

On Thursday, the Justice Department will release the highly anticipated findings of the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III. The report — expected to be about 400 pages — is the product of a yearslong investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election and whether any Trump associates conspired as well as whether President Trump tried to undermine the inquiry.

Here is what to watch as we head into an eventful day. ...

Mr. Barr has said that law enforcement officials are blacking out sensitive information and that the redactions will be color-coded so we will know the reason behind each one. They will fall into four categories:

1. Information that has been presented to a grand jury, which is subject to secrecy rules.

2. Material that intelligence officials fear could compromise sensitive sources and methods.

3. Information that could hamper other current investigations, including spinoffs of the Mueller inquiry. Federal prosecutors in Brooklyn and Manhattan are investigating the finances of the Trump inaugural committee and hush payments intended to cover up a sex scandal that threatened to upend Mr. Trump’s campaign.

4. Material that the Justice Department believes would unfairly infringe on the privacy and damage the reputations of “peripheral third parties.”

—Sharon LaFraniere

...

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

A senior Australian diplomat has said the government is "now ready to confirm" a series of events in 2016 between the country's high commissioner to the UK and a Trump campaign adviser, which led to US authorities investigating Donald Trump's links with Russia.

The release of the Australian diplomatic documents comes as a redacted copy of the final Mueller report is expected to be released on Thursday.

The London meeting between former high commissioner Alexander Downer and Trump adviser George Papadopoulos was first reported by the New York Times in December 2017, reportedly revealing how Downer had been told by Papadopoulos that Russia had political dirt on Hillary Clinton.

Until now, the Australian government and Downer have refused to confirm or give any details about the meeting central to the beginning of the Trump-Russia investigation, repeatedly citing the need to preserve national security.

But in a letter sent to Australia's Information Commissioner after a 15 month-long FOI battle with BuzzFeed News, a senior foreign official said his department was ready to confirm the meeting and release redacted documents, because Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation was now finished.

"I have again reviewed these matters and, while standing by the validity of the original decisions at the time they were made, the Department has reassessed its position in relation to Mr Di Stefano's three requests in light of the recent conclusion of the U.S. Special Counsel's investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 Presidential Election," the official wrote to Australia's Information Commissioner Gillian Cameron.

"Notably, in light of the conclusion of that investigation, the Department is now ready to confirm that a meeting occurred between Mr Downer and Mr Papdopolous (sic), on 10 May 2016, whilst Mr Downer was High Commissioner to the United Kingdom."

Included in the documents released to BuzzFeed News is a calendar invite, and a diplomatic cable Downer wrote about the meeting. The senior foreign official said Downer's cable had been heavily-redacted because the full contents could "reasonably be expected" to damage Australia's relationship with the United States.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

OBSESSING ON OMAR
https://claytoonz.com/2019/04/18/obsessing-on-omar/

Minnesota Representative Ilhan Omar immigrated to the United States in 1992 when she was 12-years-old and settled in Virginia before moving to Minnesota in 1995. While a student in Virginia, she was picked on by other students for wearing a hijab, recalling classmates sticking gum on it, pushing her down stairs, and jumping her when changing for gym class. Her father said, “They are doing something to you because they feel threatened in some way by your existence.”

While I’m sure she felt bullied and terrorized, she didn’t criticize her father for describing their actions as “something.” This week, Trump and Republicans are going after her and inspiring death threats against her for her use of “something.”

Omar is being attacked for saying “some people did something” when commenting that all Muslims should not be held responsible for the acts of extremists during 9/11. Instead of focusing on her points or the context of her statements, Republicans have vilified her. They have even used 9/11 politically while attacking her for talking about 9/11 politically. There are two things Republicans don’t get, vaccines and irony.

Donald Trump tweeted a video that stitched together clips of Omar and the falling Twin Towers. Since then, she was received anti-Muslim insults and death threats from his racist Islamophobic supporters.

Granted, Omar could put her thoughts into words a lot better, but there’s no reason for the slander, misrepresentation, and hatred. For her criticism in the past on Israeli policy toward Palestinians and a Jewish Lobbying group, she has been vilified.

Trump supporter, white nationalist, and wannabe terrorist Christopher Hasson had her on his hit list that included multiple politicians and journalists.

The FBI investigated graffiti found in a Minnesota gas station calling for her assassination.

At a Republican event in West Virginia, someone made a poster and flyers connecting Omar to 9/11. It took a day for that state’s Republicans to condemn the poster.

Fox News’ Jeanine Pirro questioned Omar’s loyalty to the United States because she wears a hijab. However, it was nice that Fox News took a three-minute break from covering Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Trump supporters have started a conspiracy theory that she married her brother so he could become a U.S. citizen. For the record, if you’re an immigrant and a sibling is a U.S. citizen, you are eligible to apply for permanent residency status (and later become a naturalized citizen). You would not have to double-down and marry. C’mon, fucknuts. Put a little research into your bullshit.

Last week, another wannabe terrorist called her office and said, “I’ll put a bullet in her fucking skull.”

In addition to Trump’s tweet of the World Trade Center burning in context to Omar’s statement, The New York Post ran a front page picture of the flaming WTC with the headline, “Here’s your something.”

While visiting Minnesota, Trump was informed by a reporter about the threats against Omar after his hate tweet and asked if he regretted it. Of course, he doesn’t. Trump said, “No, not at all.”

He then went full-on dog whistle and said, “Look, she’s been very disrespectful to this country. She’s been very disrespectful, frankly, to Israel. She is somebody that doesn’t really understand life, real life. What it’s all about. It’s unfortunate. She’s got a way about her that’s very, very bad, I think, for our country. I think she’s extremely unpatriotic and extremely disrespectful to our country.”

Donald Trump, who was receiving millions of dollars from his parents since birth, attended boarding schools, dodged the draft, and lives in a Manhattan penthouse is saying someone who fled war and spent four years in a refugee camp “doesn’t really understand life.”

Trump is an Islamophobe and so are his supporters. As a candidate, he didn’t specify nations he’d impose a travel ban on. He called for a Muslim ban. He called for surveillance of mosques. In attacking Omar, he’s going after three of his favorite hates, Muslim, brown, and female. All three are things that scare him.

People who have been targets of Trump’s tirades have been targetted in violent methods by his supporters. Trump continues making the attacks because Donald Trump doesn’t care about anything except Donald Trump. He doesn’t care if people are hurt or if the nation burns. Trump only does Trump.

When Omar was a preteen, her father told her that those who hate her are “threatened in some way by your existence.” As an adult, they’re still threatened by her existence. Trump is using that fear to rile up his base of shitweasels.

They are threatened by her very existence. What I’m afraid of is that with Trump’s help, they’ll threaten her existence.

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]

 

[Michael Scally MD]