TIME IN D.C. FEDERAL COURT. WHO KNOWS WHO WILL REPRESENT
HIM.IMULTANEOUS TO THAT, TOMORRO
WILL BE THE FIRST DAY OF REAL
OVERSIGHT HEARINGS IN THE NEW
CONGRESS INCLUDING THE
DEMOCRATICALLY CONTROLLED HOUSE.
ONE THING TO WATCH FOR THE ARMED
SERVICES COMMITTEE WILL CONVENE
HEARINGS ON THE SITUATION IN THE
SOUTHERN BORDER AND SPECIFICALLY
THE ABSOLUTELY REMARKABLE, IF
NOW SOMEWHAT POOR FORGOTTEN FACT
THE PRESIDENT DEPLOYED THOUSANDS
OF ACTIVE DUTY U.S. TROOPS TO
THE U.S. SOUTHERN BORDER WHILE
HE WAS SIMULTANEOUSLY MAKING THE
CASE PEOPLE SHOULD VOTE IN THE
MIDTERM ELECTIONS ON THE BASIS
OF THE TERRIBLE SECURITY
SITUATION AT THE SOUTHERN
BORDER.
BORDER. NOW I DON’T KNOW IF THAT
MILITARY DEPLOYMENT, IF THAT
EXPENDITURE OF RESOURCE WAS JUST
DONE FOR POLITICAL AFFECT TO TRY
TO INFLUENCE THE MIDTERM
ELECTIONS.
ELECTIONS. IF IT WASN’T, IT’S PRESUMABLY
BECAUSE ADMINISTRATION HAS
ANOTHER REASON FOR THAT MILITARY
DEPLOYMENT.
DEPLOYMENT. THE PROBLEM WITH THAT ARGUMENT
IS THAT THE PRESIDENT HAD A
REALLY HARD TIME EXPLAINING WHAT
DID JUICEFYSTIFY THAT COMMITMENT
THE BORDER AT THAT MOMENT AND IN
THAT WAY?
THAT WAY? FOR EXAMPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, I KID
YOU NOT, THE TRUMP APPOINTED
SENIOR MANAGEMENT AT CUSTOMS AND
BORDER PATROL REPORTEDLY SENT AN
E-MAILED REQUEST FOR INFORMATION
TO EMPLOYEES OF THAT AGENCY
ASKING THEM FOR ANY FACTUAL
BACKUP THEY COULD LOCATE TO
BOLSTER THE PRESIDENT’S REPEATED
DETAILED ASSERTIONS THAT PART OF
CRISIS IS THE SOUTHERN BORDER IS
THAT WOMEN ARE BEING TIED UP
WITH TAPE IN CARS TO TRAFFIC
THEM ACROSS THE BORDER WHILE
THEY ARE ALL TIED UP WITH TAPE.
THE PRESIDENT SAYS THIS OVER AND
OVER AND OVER AGAIN.
THERE DOES NOT AS YET SEEM TO BE
ANY KNOWN FACTUAL BASIS FOR THE
PRESIDENT’S REPEATED CLAIMS THAT
THIS IS PART OF THE CRISIS AT
THE BORDER.
THE BORDER. THERE ALSO DOES NOT SEEM TO BE
ANY FACTUAL BASIS FOR THE
PRESIDENT’S CLAIMS THAT MEXICAN
SMUGGLERS HAVE AMAZING CARS LIKE
YOU’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE, CARS
THAT ARE BETTER THAN ANY OTHER
CARS AND MUCH FASTER THAN THE
BORDER PATROL VEHICLES AND LAW
ENFORCEMENT CAN’T KEEP UP
BECAUSE THE CARS AREN’T AS
AMAZING AS THE AMAZING MEXICO
CARS.
CARS. WE DON’T KNOW WHY THE PRESIDENT
IS SAYING EITHER OF THOSE TWO
THINGS ABOUT THE SOUTHERN
BORDER.
BORDER. THE BORDER PATROL DOESN’T KNOW
AND TRUMP APPOINTEES WERE
SURVEYING TO FIND OUT IF THERE
WAS FACT WELLUAL BASIS.
IT SHOULD BE NOTED THAT BOTH OF
THOSE THINGS, THE WOMEN BEING
TIED UP WITH TAPE AND PUT IN
CARS TO TRAFFIC THEM ACROSS THE
BORDER AND THE BORDER PATROL
HAVING AMAZING CARS U.S. LAW
ENFORCEMENT CAN’T KEEP UP WITH,
THOSE THINGS DO FEATURE IN A
MOVIE.
MOVIE. IN THAT FILM, WHICH IS FICTION,
ONE OF THE THINGS THAT HAPPENED
IS THERE A WOMAN TAPED UP IN THE
CAR.
CAR. IN THAT SAME MOVIE, THERE ARE
ALSO MEXICAN SMUGGLERS WITH
AMAZING VEHICLES THAT ARE TOO
FAST FOR AMERICAN LAW
ENFORCEMENT TO KEEP UP WITH.
ALSO YOU KNOW THAT THING THE
PRESIDENT KEEPS SAYING ABOUT THE
PRAYER RUGS BEING FOUND IN THE
DESERT AT THE BORDER, THAT IS IN
THAT SAME MOVIE, TOO.
AGAIN, ALL PLOT POINTS IN THE
SAME MOVIE, WHICH IS FICTION.
NOW, IN A NORMAL ADMINISTRATION,
IT WOULD BE INSANE TOSUGGEST, TH
PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
SEEING STUFF IN A MOVIE AND HIM
MAYBE THINKING IT WAS REAL OR AT
LEAST REAL ENOUGH TO JUSTIFY A
U.S. MILITARY DEPLOYMENT OF
THOUSANDS OF ACTIVE MILITARY
TROOPS TO THE BORDER BUT IN THIS
CASE, WOMEN TIED UP WITH TAPE,
PUT IN CAR AND DRIVEN ACROSS
BORDER AND THE MAGIC VEHICLES
AND PRAYER RUG THING, THEY DO
ALL APPEAR TO BE FROM THE SAME
MOVIE, RATHER THAN FROM LIKE THE
REAL WORLD.
REAL WORLD. I MEAN, IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THAT
IS WHERE THE PRESIDENT COOKED UP
THESE JUSTIFICATIONS FOR THE
CRISIS AT THE BORDER AND
PRETENSE FOR SENDING U.S. TROOPS
THERE RIGHT BEFORE THE ELECTION?
COULD THAT ACTUALLY HAPPEN IN
REAL LIFE?
REAL LIFE? I DON’T KNOW.
BUT FOR THE FIRST TIME, TOMORROW
MORNING WE ARE ABOUT TO HAVE
ACTUAL OVERSIGHT HEARINGS TO TRY
TO FIGURE OUT WHAT EXACTLY THAT
DEPLOYMENT WAS ACTUALLY ABOUT
AND WHETHER THE PRESIDENT’S
STATEMENTS COMPORT WITH THE REAL
REASONS THAT DEPLOYMENT
HAPPENED.
HAPPENED. AND SOMEHOW IT IS AT LEAST
COMFORTING TO KNOW SOMEBODY MAY
TRY TO TAKE A STAB AT THAT.
TOMORROW THERE IS ALSO A REALLY
UP POOR TABLET OVER
IMPORTANT OVERSIGHT HEARING IN
THE SENATE.
THE SENATE. THE OVERSIGHT FOR THE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE AND THAT
SOUNDS BORING BUT WHAT THIS
MEANS IN PRACTICAL TERMS, THE
HEAD OF THE FBI, CIA, HEAD OF
THE NSA AND THE DIRECTOR OF
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE, ALL THE
HEADS OF ALL THE BIG
INTELLIGENCE AGAINENCYIES ARE GO
TO BE THERE IN PERSON ALL AT
ONCE ANSWERING QUESTIONS IN OPEN
SESSION AND I DON’T EXPECT ANY
OF THEM TO BREAK OUT IN BUCKETS
OF FLOP SWEAT LIKE ACTING
ATTORNEY GENERAL MATT WHITAKER
DID TODAY.
DID TODAY. THE HEADS OF THE AGENCIES WILL
BE IN CONGRESS TOMORROW MORNING
IN THE SENATE ANSWERING
QUESTIONS IN PUBLIC SESSION FOR
THE FIRST TIME SINCE THE
HELSINKI SUMMIT SINCE THE MURDER
OF U.S. JOURNALIST JAMAL
KHASHOGGI WITH THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION EXCUSING THE
SAUDI ARABIA GOTHVERNMENT’S ROLE
IN CAUSING THE DEATH AND SERIOUS
REVELATIONS AND ALLEGATIONS MADE
IN OPEN SOURCE PUBLIC REPORTING
THAT WILL BE FASCINATING TO GET
THESE CHIEFS ON THE RECORD
ABOUT.
ABOUT. THERE IS AN NBC NEWS REPORT FROM
THURSDAY NIGHT THAT THERE ARE AT
LEAST 30 OFFICIALS IN THE TRUMP
WHITE HOUSE WHO CAREER OFFICIALS
RECOMMENDED SHOULD NOT BE GIVEN
SECURITY CLEARANCES BASED ON
WHAT THE FBI TURNED UP IN THE
BACKGROUND CHECKS.
BACKGROUND CHECKS. IN AT LEAST 30 INSTANCES, NBC
NEWS REPORTS THAT A TRUMP
APPOINTEE IN THE WHITE HOUSE, A
SINGLE APPOINTEE OVER RULED
THOSE NEGATIVE RECOMMENDATIONS
AND NEVERTHELESS GRANTED
SECURITY CLEARANCES TO THESE
PEOPLE WHO ARE WORKING IN THE
WHITE HOUSE.
WHITE HOUSE. THE FBI AND THE CIA ARE KEY
AGENCIES FOR DEALING WITH
SECURITY CLEARANCES OVERALL AND
FOR PROTECTING THE KIND OF
INFORMATION THAT PEOPLE WITHOUT
SECURITY CLEARANCES AREN’T
SUPPOSED TO SEE, THE HEADS OF
THOSE AGENCIES WILL BE IN OPEN
SESSION TOMORROW WITH THE SENATE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE
INTELLIGENCE COMMITTEE PRESUMABLY AVAILABLE TO BE ASKED
ABOUT THAT SCANDAL AND WHETHER
OR NOT THEY CAN JUSTIFY 30
PEOPLE WORKING IN THE TRUMP
WHITE HOUSE WHO WOULD HAVE
OTHERWISE BEEN TURNED DOWN FOR
SECURITY CLEARANCES WHO WERE
NEVERTHELESS CLEARED TO BE GIVEN
ACCESS TO THAT KIND OF
INFORMATION.
INFORMATION. AS OF YESTERDAY, THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION DROPPED SANCTIONS
ON DERIPASKA.
ON DERIPASKA. E
E HE WAS SANCTIONED AND KNOWN TO
HAVE EXTENSIVE TIES TO TRUMP
CAMPAIGN CHAIRMAN PAUL MANAFORT
WHOSE CRIMINAL CASE IS VERY MUCH
ON GOING AT THIS MOMENT.
136 REPUBLICAN MEMBERS OF THE
HOUSE
HOUSE HOUSE, ALL THE DEMOCRATS IN THE
HOUSE AND SENATE AND 11
REPUBLICANS IN THE SENATE ALL
TRIED TO BLOCK THAT LIFTING OF
SANCTIONS ON DERIPASKA BY THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION.
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION. THEY FELL TWO REPUBLICAN VOTES
SHORT IN THE SENATE AND SO THESE
SANCTIONS HAVE BEEN LIFTED AS OF
YESTERDAY.
YESTERDAY. SINCE THEY FAILED TO STOP THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION FROM
LIFTING THESE SANCTIONS, IT HAS
BEEN REPORTED THAT DERIPASKA
WON’T HAVE TO GIVE UP EFFECTIVE
CONTROL OF HIS COMPANIES TO
ESCAPE THE SANCTIONS.
IT’S BEEN REPORTED HE MAY
BENEFIT TO THE TUNE OF HUNDREDS
OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS BY
LIFTING OF SANCTIONS.
AGAIN HE WAS SANCTIONED WITH
CONNECTION TO THE ATTACK ON OUR
ELECTION.
ELECTION. THAT MATTER ISN’T EXACTLY
SETTLED BUT HE’S GETTING
HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS
IN BREAKS FROM THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION WHILE THE
MANAFORT CASE ALONE PERSISTS IN
THE COURTS?
THE COURTS? ONE REPUBLICAN SENATOR SUGGESTED
THAT GIVEN THE SUBSEQUENT
REPORTING ABOUT HOW WELL
DERIPASKA WILL DO FROM THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION LIFTING SANCTIONS
ON HIM, MAYBE THE SENATE SHOULD
LOOK AT THAT AGAIN.
MAYBE THEIR VOTE TO LET THE
TRUMP ADMINISTRATION LIFT
SANCTION WAS A MISTAKE AND MAYBE
THEY TOLD REVISIT IT.
THAT WAS LATE.
BUT THE SANCTIONS NOW HAVE
OFFICIALLY BEEN LIFTED.
WE’LL SEE TOMORROW IF THE
INTELLIGENCE CHIEFS HAVE
ANYTHING TO SAY ABOUT THE IMPACT
OF THAT DECISION.
NBC NEWS ALSO REPORTED ON
THURSDAY THAT THE TRUMP
ADMINISTRATION HAS APPARENTLY
DECIDED TO NOT GO AHEAD AT ALL
OR AT LEAST TO NOT GO AHEAD YET
WITH THE SANCTIONS ON RUSSIA.
THEY SAID THEY WERE GOING TO
IMPOSE FOR THE NERVE GAS ATTACK
ON SKRIPAL AND HIS DAUGHTER.
REMEMBER THAT.
REMEMBER THAT. THE NOVEMBERATTACK.
THE NOVEMBERATTACK. THE NERVE AGENT ATTACK ON U.K.
SOIL.
SOIL. NBC NEWS SAID DESPITE THAT
ANNOUNCEMENT, NO SUCH SANCTIONS
HAVE BEEN FORTHCOMING.
THEY ANNOUNCED IT AND DIDN’T DO
IT.
IT. MAYBE THEY THINK IF THEY WAIT
LONG ENOUGH NOBODY WILL NOTICE
THEY DIDN’T FOLLOW THROUGH.
THE INTELLIGENCE CHIEFS CAN
WEIGH IN ON THAT TOMORROW IN
OPEN SESSION, AS WELL.
THERE IS A LOT GOING ON RIGHT
NOW.
NOW. I’LL TELL YOU TOMORROW IS GOING
TO BE A LITTLE NUTS.
THE NEXT COUPLE WOKEEEKS WILL BE
WALL TO WALL AND I GOT TO TELL
YOU THERE IS ONE MORE THING TO
WATCH FOR, IT IS A SURPRISE
MOVE, A BYIPARTISAN MOVE, IT MAY
HAVE A MAJOR EFFECT ON THE
ULTIMATE RESOLUTION OF THE
MUELLER INVESTIGATION AND
STRONGEST CONCERNS THAT ARE
RAISED ABOUT WHETHER TRUMP’S
JUSTICE DEPARTMENT MIGHT BE ABLE
TO SUBMARINE OR KEEP SECRET ANY
FINAL REPORT.
FINAL REPORT. THIS WAS A SURPRISE DEVELOPMENT
IN TODAY’S NEWS.
IT WAS A BIPARTISAN DEVELOPMENT
AND ONE OF THE LAWMAKERS WHO