hmmm
Category: Domestic Affairs,
Congress has a sexual harassment problem, lawmakers and staffers say
Be extra careful of the male lawmakers who sleep in their offices — they can be trouble. Avoid finding yourself alone with a congressman or senator in elevators, late-night meetings or events where alcohol is flowing. And think twice before speaking out about sexual harassment from a boss — it could cost you your career.
These are a few of the unwritten rules that some female lawmakers, staff and interns say they follow on Capitol Hill, where they say harassment and coercion is pervasive on both sides of the rotunda.
There is also the “creep list” — an informal roster passed along by word-of-mouth, consisting of the male members most notorious for inappropriate behavior, ranging from making sexually suggestive comments or gestures to seeking physical relations with younger employees and interns.
Congress has a sexual harassment problem, lawmakers and staffers say – CNNPolitics
TSA Fails Most Tests in Undercover Operation
TSA Fails Most Tests in Undercover Operation | National News | US News
Sometimes the best defense is acting like you have a defense when you really have a bunch of underpaid, under-trained mall security cards and a whole bunch of people crowded into the same area in case anyone wanted a good place to detonate a bomb?
Sigh….
Papadopoulos represented Trump campaign at international meetings
He’s been dismissed as a “low-level volunteer” and just a “coffee boy,” but former Trump campaign foreign policy adviser George Papadopoulos represented the Trump campaign at various meetings with foreign officials up until Inauguration Day.
Papadopoulos represented Trump campaign at international meetings – CNNPolitics
hmmmm
Mueller interviews top White House aide
Miller is the highest-level aide still working at the White House known to have talked to investigators.
Miller’s role in the firing of FBI Director James Comey was among the topics discussed during the interview as part of the probe into possible obstruction of justice, according to one of the sources.
,,,Miller was also an early member of Trump’s campaign staff, leaving his role as Sessions’ communications director in the Senate to join Trump in January 2016.
Mueller’s team has also talked to key former aides including former White House chief of staff Reince Preibus and former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. They have also interviewed National Security Council chief of staff Keith Kellogg.
Mueller interviews top White House aide – CNNPolitics
hmmmm
White House Pressed Unsuccessfully to End Immigration Program
The White House unsuccessfully tried to pressure the Homeland Security Department to end a program that allows hundreds of thousands of people from countries affected by natural disasters or violence to live in the United States without fear of being deported, according to people familiar with the discussions.
John F. Kelly, the White House chief of staff, made an 11th-hour plea to Elaine Duke, the acting Homeland Security secretary, ahead of a deadline this past Monday to decide about the status of immigrants in the program from Honduras and Nicaragua.
White House Pressed Unsuccessfully to End Immigration Program – The New York Times
WTF???
Ross aide served on Navigator’s board while working at Commerce
A top adviser to Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross served on the board of Navigator Holdings, a shipping company whose clients include a Russian energy company with Kremlin ties, while she was working in the Trump administration.
Wendy Teramoto retained her seat on Navigator’s board after joining Commerce in mid-March as a part-time adviser to Ross, one of the most influential voices in President Donald Trump’s ear on global trade and economic policy. She also continued to serve as an executive of Ross’s private equity firm WL Ross & Co. after becoming a government employee.
Ross aide served on Navigator’s board while working at Commerce – POLITICO
hmmmm
About 2,500 Nicaraguans to Lose Special Permission to Live in U.S.
…the effective date of termination would be delayed one year, until Jan. 5, 2019, to give about 2,500 individuals time to leave the country or adjust their immigration status.
The program allowing them to stay, Temporary Protected Status, was enacted by Congress in 1990 to protect foreigners, particularly Central Americans, fleeing war, natural disasters or catastrophes and was extended to Haitians after the 2010 earthquake.
…Many of the more than 300,000 people shielded from deportation under the program have lived in the United States for years and bought homes, embarked on careers and given birth to children who are American citizens.
…Democratic members of Congress and immigration advocates called the move inhumane.
About 2,500 Nicaraguans to Lose Special Permission to Live in U.S. – The New York Times
sigh….
Carter Page’s Testimony on Trump’s Russia Ties
“In a private conversation, Dvorkovich expressed strong support for Mr. Trump and a desire to work together toward devising better solutions in response to the vast range of current international problems.” He also wrote an email to Trump campaign staffers Tera Dahl and J.D. Gordon, saying, “On a related front, I’ll send you guys a readout soon regarding some incredible insights and outreach I’ve received from a few Russian legislators and senior members of the Presidential administration here.”
Page acknowledged writing all this, but still claimed he had not spoken more than a few words to Dvorkovich, and had instead derived his insights from hearing speeches.
…Schiff summed the situation up cleanly: “Were you being honest in your communication with the campaign? Are you being honest in your testimony? Because it doesn’t seem possible for both to be true.”
Schiff wasn’t the only one baffled. Republican Trey Gowdy, who frequently sounds incredulous during his portions of the testimony, asked, “I didn’t think I’d ever be going through this with anyone, but we’ve got to, I guess. You seem to draw a distinction between a meeting, a greeting, a conversation, and you hearing a speech.”
…According to Page, the list of Trump officials who were informed about the trip includes at the very least Sessions, Hicks, Gordon, Lewandowski, and Sam Clovis, who last week withdrew his nomination for a USDA chief scientist job. This is difficult to square with repeated campaign denials of any contacts with the Russians, no matter Page’s level on the campaign.
Despite Page’s repeated assertions that he made the trip outside of his campaign job, Representative Jackie Speier, a Democrat, pointed out that in an email to the campaign, Page wrote, “Please let me know if you have any reservations or thoughts on how you’d prefer me to focus these remarks.”
…Swalwell was particularly curious about Page’s December 2016 trip to Russia, which the witness said was business-related. But Page could not say who he was meeting with or what projects he was exploring. “Well, Dr. Page, surely you went over there with a plan, right?” Swalwell asked. “You didn’t just go over there to walk around and to find a ‘now hiring’ sign at the Red Square.”
What Carter Page’s Testimony Revealed – The Atlantic
hmmmm
Northam defeats Gillespie in race for Va. governor
If those results held, it could signal a big win for Democrats in Virginia. In another closely watched race, in Prince William County, Democrat Danica Roem became the first openly transgender person to win a seat in Virginia’s House of Delegates. She beat longtime Republican incumbent Robert Marshall by a wide margin. At least four other Republican incumbents lost their seats.
That was part of a wave of apparent victories for Democratic candidates, including what looked like a sweep of statewide offices. Democrat Justin Fairfax appeared headed to win as lieutenant governor over Republican Jill Holtzman Vogel, and incumbent Attorney General Mark Herring was headed for re-election over Republican challenger John Adams.
Live updates: Ralph Northam defeats Ed Gillespie – The Washington Post
hmmmm
Hawaii Na Ka Oi
Donald Trump received a bit of karma on his first trip to Hawaii as president, with protesters greeting the president with mocking signs that read, “Welcome to Kenya.”
…[Trump had pressed] Obama to the point that the president released his long-form birth certificate, showing he had been born in Hawaii.
…During the 2016 campaign, Trump [finally!] backed away from his birtherism after coming under scrutiny, saying that Obama was indeed born in the United States and that the matter was closed.
…Hawaiian islanders also greeted Donald Trump with other mocking signs, including one that read, “Hawaii 3, Trump 0,” in reference to the state’s record in blocking Trump’s travel ban from Muslim-majority countries.
‘Birther’ Movement Leader Donald Trump Arrives In Hawaii, Mocked By Signs Reading ‘Welcome To Kenya’
Heh
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