6189

I believe it’s only new applications, for now.

6190

That makes more sense from an implementation standpoint, but even less sense from a compliance with the law standpoint.

6191

Since when did this administration bother itself with that technicality?

6192

Florida claims its own. It’s the Mordor of the US.

6193

What does that make @RichVR? Undercover halfling infiltrator or regular orc?

6194

This will come as no surprise, but still can’t the Secret Service push back on the prices

6195

You think the apparatus charged with protecting the President should push back against the prices the President sets for maintaining his protection? Not their job.

6196

Not sure where to file this one, but it really is disconcerting. We may voluntarily give this data to Google or AT&T, but they use it to serve us ads. The US government uses it to arrest people, and I don’t think they should have access to our location and movement data without a warrant.

6197

Trump was punishing key witnesses for doing precisely what the United States Congress swore them in to do: explain what they’d seen and heard. Sondland, a major financial supporter of Trump’s inaugural committee, certainly wasn’t keen to see the president impeached through Sondland’s own testimony; and Vindman, an apolitical detailee serving at Trump’s own White House on loan from the Army, surely never expected when he accepted that assignment to end up testifying before Congress and the world. But that’s what Trump’s actions ultimately forced them both to do as firsthand witnesses to Trump’s Ukraine extortion scheme.

Retaliating against them for their testimony was precisely the point for Trump. It wasn’t just petty vindictiveness. As a former Trump NSC official Fernando Cutz said, “The broader message to career officials is that you can’t speak up. Even if you see something illegal, something unethical, you can’t speak up. That’s the message the president wants to send.” Punishing and intimidating the truth-tellers is important to Trump as he attempts to tighten his grip on the executive branch. As Vindman’s lawyer Ambassador David Pressman put it, “If we allow truthful voices to be silenced, if we ignore their warnings, eventually there will be no one left to warn us.” In this sense, Friday’s ousters are an extension of the second article of impeachment against Trump: obstruction of Congress, and more broadly obstruction of the public’s access to the truth.

6198
6199

Lied her ass off in the White House, I assume she lied her ass off at Fox News, now she’s back for more! Oh boy.

6200

Wasn’t it briefly guessed that she left to avoid being pulled for testimony for a few things? Now she’s back after the storm has died down and Trump is in the clear for his wrongdoing. What do you know, she’s back.

6201

Either that, or they noticed she hadn’t signed a NDA, and are afraid she’s going to write a tell-all book.

6202

When you’ve lost Bill Barr…

Narrator: He did not actually lose Bill Barr. Barr’s comments to ABC were those of a lawyer realizing that his client will not be the supreme power forever, and said lawyer would like to avoid spending his last few years on earth in prison.

6203

Boris Johnson, “Hold my beer!”

6204

Good. The idea of them joining together as some kind of Deplorable Duo is scary.

6205

I think the US and England could both benefit from some choice apoplexy. Not that I am wishing it on anyone, just that it’d be beneficial.

6206

Apoplectic is such an awesome way to describe what I envision Trump was like on that call, screaming so loudly that he was close to having a stroke. I hate to wish ill on anyone but I do hope he does stroke out in the middle of one of his temper tantrums.

6207

image

6208