Thousands Protest Across The Country To Keep Trump From Terminating Mueller Investigation

MoveOn.org organized protests all over the country tonight warning Donald Trump of the political dangers that await him if he were to order the termination of the investigation by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the wake of Attorney General Jeff Sessions' ouster.

Check out photos from tonight in Times Square, courtesy of my buddy Larry from TheOUTfront, where prominent activists, politicians, and celebrities gathered before marching down to Union Square for speeches.

According to Larry, there was a very dense crowd of over 10K packed for blocks and blocks around Times Square.

BREATH-TAKING! 😲 ---> Thousands have come out in Times Square protesting to #ProtectMueller.

We are so proud of each and every one of you! ❤pic.twitter.com/3mPVVoJlJb

— The Hummingbird 🐦 (@SaysHummingbird) November 9, 2018

Donald Trump Throws Former Campaign Chair Paul Manafort Under The Bus

Donald Trump (L), Paul Manfort (R)

President Trump continued his attacks on the FBI and Department of Justice this morning, this time for not informing him during the 2016 election cycle that his former campaign chairman, Paul Manafort, was being investigated at the time.

Ranting on Twitter, Trump tweeted that Manafort “came into the campaign very late and was with us for a short period of time,” but said the campaign “should have been told that Comey and the boys were doing a number on him, and he wouldn’t have been hired!”

Manafort joined the campaign team in June 2016, but stepped down two months later after media reports of his dealings with the Ukraine government came to light.

It might be time to cut that deal with the Special Counsel, Mr. Manafort.

Manafort has been charged with dozens of crimes including bank fraud, money laundering, conspiracy and more.

As only one of two people left who could become President, why wouldn’t the FBI or Department of “Justice” have told me that they were secretly investigating Paul Manafort (on charges that were 10 years old and had been previously dropped) during my campaign? Should have told me!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2018

....Paul Manafort came into the campaign very late and was with us for a short period of time (he represented Ronald Reagan, Bob Dole & many others over the years), but we should have been told that Comey and the boys were doing a number on him, and he wouldn’t have been hired!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2018

White House Officials Revealed As "Source" Of Devin Nunes' Intel Reports

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Rep. Devin Nunes

The New York Times is reporting that House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes' source for "evidence" that Trump associates were swept up in intercepted communications with foreign officials came from inside the White House.

A pair of White House officials played a role in providing Representative Devin Nunes of California, a Republican and the chairman of the House Intelligence Committee, with the intelligence reports that showed that President Trump and his associates were incidentally swept up in foreign surveillance by American spy agencies.

The revelation that White House officials assisted in the disclosure of the intelligence reports — which Mr. Nunes then discussed with President Trump — is likely to fuel criticism that the intelligence chairman has been too eager to do the bidding of the Trump administration while his committee is supposed to be conducting an independent investigation of Russia’s meddling in the last presidential election.

Several current American officials identified the White House officials as Ezra Cohen-Watnick, the senior director for intelligence at the National Security Council, and Michael Ellis, a lawyer who works on national security issues at the White House Counsel’s Office and formerly worked on the staff of the House Intelligence Committee.

A White House spokesperson declined to comment.

Mr. Cohen-Watnick is a former Defense Intelligence Agency official who was originally brought to the White House by Michael T. Flynn, the former national security adviser. The officials said that this month, shortly after Mr. Trump wrote on Twitter about being wiretapped on the orders of President Barack Obama, Mr. Cohen-Watnick began reviewing highly classified reports detailing the intercepted communications of foreign officials.

Nunes has cancelled all hearings for the House Intelligence Committee without any explanation. He has not shared whatever information he was given by the two White House officials with anyone on his committee.

Donald Trump Announces He Will Dissolve His "Charitable" Foundation

Donald Trump announced Saturday he plans to dissolve the Trump Foundation in an effort to avoid the appearance of conflicts of interest during his administration.

The president-elect has also said recently that he hopes to shares plans to disassociate himself from his business, the Trump Organization, to avoid conflicts of interest as president of the United States.

Trump likes to boast about the many organizations that have received donations over the years that have benefited from his foundation - veterans, law enforcement and children's groups.

What Trump often leaves out is the fact that he hasn't donated any of his own money to his foundation since 2008. And the fact that the "charity" is under investigation for using foundation funds to settle private debts which may make "dissolving" the foundation illegal at this point.

More from CNN:

The Trump transition said Trump directed his counsel to take the necessary steps to dissolve the foundation, which has no employees or active fundraising operation. The foundation also was forced to stop fundraising in New York State after New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman issued a cease-and-desist order in October citing the foundation's failure to properly register with the state.

And an ongoing investigation launched by Schneiderman over allegations Trump used the charity to settle private legal disputes in which he was involved may prevent Trump from shuttering the foundation.

"The Trump Foundation is still under investigation by this office and cannot legally dissolve until that investigation is complete," Amy Spitalnick, the attorney general's press secretary, said in an email. She also confirmed the foundation's fundraising activities "remain suspended."

Trump Won't Prosecute Hillary Clinton Because He Wants To "Help Her Heal"

After months of campaign rallies that included Donald Trump followers chanting "Lock her up! Lock her up!" and declaring in clear language that if elected he would appoint a special prosecutor to investigate Hillary Clinton for breaking the law, it looks like Trump Nation is going to be very disappointed.

During an appearance on MSNBC's "Morning Joe," top Trump aide Kellyanne Conway explained Trump would not be pursuing a Hillary Clinton investigation.

When asked if the announcement would be enough to convince Congressional Republicans from attempting their own investigation, Conway demurred.

“I think when the President-elect, who’s also the head of your party, tells you before he’s even inaugurated that he doesn’t wish to pursue these charges, it sends a very strong message, tone, and content to the members.”

Conway said that, in light of Hillary's campaign defeat, Trump's decision to not investigate was a benevolent gesture.

“If Donald Trump can help her heal, then perhaps that’s a good thing to do,” Conway added, saying Clinton “still has to face the fact that a majority of Americans don’t find her to be honest or trustworthy.”

Or - maybe - Trump knew all along Hillary has done nothing illegal, and he only used the insinuation as a way to fuel opposition against his opponent throughout the campaign.

Conway also alluded to the idea that perhaps other campaign promises were not going to materialize.

“I think he’s thinking of many different things as he prepares to become the president of the United States, and things that sound like the campaign are not among them.”

Source tells @Morning_Joe Trump won't pursue Clinton investigations; @KellyannePolls responds: "it sends a very strong message" to Congress pic.twitter.com/JiN0AAzXdU

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) November 22, 2016

FBI Launches Investigation Into Aaron Schock Campaign Expenses

Earlier this week, Illinois Congressman Aaron Schock surprised many with his sudden resignation from Congress.  Many saw the departure as a way to escape an ethics investigation.

That may have ended the congressional ethics issue, but now the FBI is looking into his campaign fund expenses which could lead to serious legal troubles.

From CNN:

Schock in recent days announced plans to resign, citing controversy surrounding allegations that he improperly accounted for travel and other contributions from donors and reimbursements for campaign use of a personal car. But the probe managed by prosecutors in the U.S. Attorney's office in Springfield, Ill., means his legal troubles are just beginning.

The FBI has now begun delivering subpoenas seeking testimony before a grand jury in Springfield, Ill.

A controversy that began with questions sparked by a light-hearted profile of Schock's "Downton Abbey"-themed office ballooned into a full-blown scandal over the past month that caused the rising GOP star's rapid fall from grace.

A U.S. law enforcement official says the investigation is at an early stage. Justice Department officials were monitoring published reports about Schock's expense troubles and were taken by surprise when he announced his resignation, according to another U.S. law enforcement official.

HRC Requests Phone And Email Records Of Alabama Judge Roy Moore

The Human Rights Campaign has filed an Alabama Open Records request for the email and phone records of Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore in order to ascertain whether or not he used his official position to coordinate a plan with two anti-LGBT groups to stop same-sex marriage in the state.

Last week, the two anti-LGBT activist groups, API and ALCAP, filed an emergency petition to the Alabama Supreme Court, hoping to stop marriage equality across the state. On Friday, the Alabama Supreme Court voted 6-2 to take up the petition. Justice Moore did not vote. Responses to the petition were due at 5 p.m. Wednesday.

“We want to know whether Justice Moore inappropriately used the power of his office to direct legal strategy in a case before his own court,” said HRC Alabama State Director R. Ashley Jackson. “Judge Moore is no stranger to questionable legal ethics and Alabamians have the right to know whether their chief justice has acted inappropriately once again. We ask Justice Moore to come clean and voluntarily hand over these files.”

According to Alabama Open Records Law § 36-12-40 et seq., HRC Alabama has requested to publicly inspect Moore’s email communications containing the following terms: gay; lesbian; homosexual; marriage; or Granade. HRC Alabama has also requested the phone records from January 23, 2015 to present. The listed time frame begins from the day U.S. District Judge Ginny Granade struck down Alabama’s discriminatory ban on marriage.

Chris Kluwe on the newly launched investigation regarding homophobia on the Minnesota Vikings staff

Former punter for the Minnesota Vikings Chris Kluwe says he's more than happy to take part in the investigation to be conducted by the former chief justice of the Minnesota Supreme Court regarding homophobia behind the scenes at the Minnesota Vikings:

"I'm glad they're taking it seriously. This is something I wrote down, because it's what happened to me, and I'm 100 percent confident in what I wrote, and there are witnesses that will back me up. Let the investigation begin."

I only know Chris Kluwe from his writing over the past couple of years and his very public voice. Based on nothing than my own gut, I'm inclined to believe his allegations.

We shall see what does - and does not - come to light.

Remember, the investigators are hired by the Vikings. So anything they find has to be given the green light by management before it can be released to the public.

Attorney/client privilege don't you know...

Michele Bachmann under investigation for alleged presidential campaign "improprieties"

According to the Daily Beast, Michele Bachmann is currently being investigated by the Office of Congressional Ethics for "improprieties" regarding her failed presidential campaign.

From the Daily Beast report:

Federal investigators are now interviewing former Bachmann campaign staffers nationwide about alleged intentional campaign-finance violations. The investigators are working on behalf of the Office of Congressional Ethics, which probes reported improprieties by House members and their staffs and then can refer cases to the House Ethics Committee.

Former staffers tell The Daily Beast that investigators have allegedly asked about allegations of improper transfer of funds and under-the-table payments actions by Bachmann’s presidential campaign, specifically in relation to the campaign’s national political director, Guy Short, and Bachmann’s onetime Iowa campaign chairman, state Sen. Kent Sorenson. Questions directly about Bachmann, they said, have been primarily focused on what she knew about those men’s actions and when she knew it.

Well, well, well... things that make you go "hmm..."