A series of revelations about Jared Kushner have added further credence to a key claim of the Steele dossier.

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

Kushner is currently facing potentially massive ramifications for a disastrous $1.8 billion real estate deal he struck a decade ago. The slew of new stories suggest that he may have orchestrated a foreign policy crisis to pressure Qatar to bail him out. Months later, a firm linked to Qatar gave him a staggeringly large loan. All of these events suggest how Russia might have delivered a possible quid—a potential payment from a huge oil sale through back channels—in return for a Trump administration quo—a reported promise of reduced sanctions.

…All of this should be considered an incredible scandal in its own right, worthy of serious congressional inquiry. Once you factor in, however, the portions of this that are consistent with some of the allegations in the Steele dossier, the stories potentially become even more explosive.

…The Steele dossier alleges that Russians made a deal with Carter Page in the summer of 2016 to sell 19 percent of fossil fuel giant Rosneft, a multibillion dollar deal, and secretly transfer benefits to Trump officials. The dossier alleged that Page was a campaign intermediary to meet personally with Russians, and that Igor Sechin—the CEO of Rosneft and a close Putin ally—and Page had held a “secret meeting” to discuss “the issues of future bilateral energy cooperation and prospects for an associated move to lift Ukraine-related western sanctions against Russia.” The dossier further alleged that Sechin offered Page the brokerage of a 19 percent stake in the company in exchange for the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Russia.

…The Rosneft sale was right after Trump’s victory but before the inauguration. It was also right after Kushner’s push for a secret communications link to the Kremlin through the Russia embassy that U.S. intelligence couldn’t access, and right before Kushner’s meeting with Putin’s banker and confidant Gorkov.

…Page contradicted himself on whether sanctions were ever discussed. Page first said nothing Baranov “said to me ever implied or asked for anything related to sanctions.” In his very next breath, he confesses “there may have been some general reference” to sanctions.

…His testimony and his emails confirm that Page got advance approval from high-ranking Trump officials like Sam Clovis to go to Russia for that July trip, and he communicated with Trump officials immediately after the trip congratulating them for a stunning pro-Russia change in the Republican Party platform on Ukraine policy.

…The bottom line is that all this new Kushner news connects more dots in the Steele dossier’s core allegation: that there may have been a quid-pro-quo of Russian oil money for Trump policy change on sanctions. There are still obviously a lot of loose and unknown threads here and no direct evidence yet that Russia is behind any of the Qatari deals. Depending on which dots Mueller is himself able to connect, however, the latest evidence would also strengthen any possible charges against Kushner and a slew of Trump officials, as well as any potential case of obstruction of justice against the president himself. Finally, there is still the even more alarming question about whether the Trump family businesses’ conflicts of interest almost led the president to escalate a regional dispute to the brink of armed conflict. In light of the Steele dossier and how Qatar might implicate Russia, Kushner and Trump have even more to answer for.

A series of revelations about Jared Kushner have added further credence to a key claim of the Steele dossier.

hmmm

Black Teens Have Been Fighting for Gun Reform for Years

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,, Race,Leave a comment

The teens from Parkland who’ve volunteered to speak with reporters and in front of cameras have eloquently and pointedly stated why they believe gun control laws are needed. They’ve repeatedly taken on the National Rifle Association (NRA) directly.

… Young black people have been fighting to save lives through gun reform laws for years without the support and energy given to the Stoneman Douglas students. In fact, black youth, who’ve been passionately advocating for gun control measures, have been demonized, obfuscated, and overlooked.

…These organizations, largely centered around anti-violence, have been led mostly by young black women and black teens — and not only in recent years. Through different groups, across different cities, they have been organizing anti-violence rallies, have been meeting with presidential candidates, proposing policy ideas, participating in national debates, and organizing intensely to advocate for more equitable state and federal gun laws that impact black and brown people. They put forward policy strategies to curb violence, looking for reform and accountability in policing, especially concerning the lethal use of force by guns.
Black Lives Matter, perhaps the most well-known and visible of these organizations, was conceived in 2013 as a response to the acquittal of the man who fatally shot 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, a black teenager who lived and died in central Florida, about three hours away from Parkland. After Martin was shot, the Dream Defenders, a student-lead group fought tirelessly with a straight-forward and well-articulated goal, demanding that lawmakers repeal the state’s “stand your ground” law. They even organized a weeks-long sit-in at the Florida Capitol.

…anti-violence black activist groups were formed, including the Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, the Crown Heights Community Mediation Center, and the Wear Orange campaign, which was started by black teens in Chicago, who were close friends with Hadiya Pendleton, a 15-year-old, who was shot and killed on January 29, 2013, shortly after performing in President Barack Obama’s inauguration parade.

Black Teens Have Been Fighting for Gun Reform for Years | Teen Vogue

Sigh…

(not your Mam’s Teen Vogue!)

‘Let them call you racists,’ Bannon tells far-right French party

On By peanutgallerynhIn Europe,, Media and Culture,, Race,Leave a comment

National Front leader Marine Le Pen is working to unite her divided party and bolster her ability to lead it as the party meets for the first time since she lost resoundingly to Emmanuel Macron in the final round of the French presidential election last May.

Macron won with 66% of the vote vs. 34% for Le Pen, who had threatened to curb immigration and pull France out of the European Union, among other measures.

Macron’s victory followed defeats for right-wing populist candidates in Austria and the Netherlands and was largely seen as a counter to the anti-establishment fervor sweeping Europe.

[in light of those realities Bannon’s advice to the crowd seems simply delusional]

Bannon told the crowd, “Let them call you racists. Let them call you xenophobes. Let them call you nativists,” The Post reported. “Wear it as a badge of honor. Because every day, we get stronger and they get weaker.”

Steve Bannon addresses French far-right party

Good lord!

California Coffee Shop Policy: No Uniformed Police

On By peanutgallerynhIn American Injustice System,, Local Interest,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

This California coffee shop has a policy: No police

For me, the most interesting part about this story is not explicitly included. A uniformed officer is refused. He is offended or what-have-you and puts the word out in the law enforcement community, apparently expecting the pressure to gain him an apology and/or a reversal of the policy.

…And all that happened was the shop owners doubled down.

It would seem that -at the very least- the local police need to step up their diplomacy game, if not make changes in policy and procedure would lead to them being seen -by the actual community and its citizens- as actually working with and protecting the community.

Trump’s longtime personal assistant, John McEntee, fired over security issues

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

President Trump’s longtime personal assistant was fired and escorted out of the White House on Monday over security issues, according to multiple reports.

John McEntee was canned over issues with his security clearance and because he’s currently under investigation by the Department of Homeland Security for serious financial crimes, sources told CNN.

…McEntee was not allowed to collect his belongings when he was escorted from White House grounds. He left without his coat.

…Minutes after his firing, [empahsis: mine] McEntee was hired by Trump’s reelection campaign as a senior adviser for campaign operations, CNN said.

Trump’s longtime personal assistant fired over security issues | New York Post

Sigh…

Rex Tillerson out as Secretary of State, CIA chief Pompeo gets nod

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

Trump told reporters he made the decision himself, citing disagreements with Tillerson that included North Korea diplomacy, steel and aluminum tariffs, and the Iran nuclear agreement.

…Trump’s tweet Tuesday came the day after Tillerson blamed Russia for an assassination of an ex-spy in London — something the White House had specifically declined to do just hours before.

…The State Department said Tillerson did not speak to Trump himself — something White House officials confirm — and that the secretary didn’t know about the final decision until the tweet.

…A State Department official sent out a terse reaction to the sudden news.

Steve Goldstein, undersecretary for public diplomacy, said Tillerson “did not speak to the President and is unaware of the reason” for the decision.

Rex Tillerson out as Secretary of State, CIA chief Pompeo gets nod

hmmmm

ICE spokesman resigns over falsehoods he said were spread by Trump administration after raids

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Race,Leave a comment

A spokesman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement in San Francisco resigned his post, disillusioned by what he called false claims spread by Trump administration officials after a four-day raid in Northern California last month, according to reports.

“I just couldn’t bear the burden, continuing on as a representative of the agency and charged with upholding integrity, knowing that information was false,” James Schwab told CNN.

ICE spokesman resigns over falsehoods he said were spread by Trump administration after raids

hmmmm

‘Black-ish’ Political Episode Canceled Over ‘Creative Differences’

On By peanutgallerynhIn Media and Culture,, Race,Leave a comment

ABC has indefinitely shelved a politically and socially themed episode of “Black-ish” as a result of creative differences with showrunner Kenya Barris.

…Shot in November and directed by Barris, “Please, Baby, Please” features Anthony Anderson’s patriarch Dre caring for his infant son on the night of an intense thunderstorm that keeps the whole household awake. Dre attempts to read the baby a bedtime story, but abandons that plan when the child continues to cry. He instead improvises a bedtime story that, over the course of the episode, conveys many of Dre’s concerns about the current state of the country.

…The episode covers multiple political and social issues. In one scene, Dre and oldest son Junior (Marcus Scribner) argue over the rights of athletes to kneel during the performance of the national anthem at football games.

‘Black-ish’ Political Episode Canceled Over ‘Creative Differences’ – Variety

hmmm

Twitter Roasts Betsy DeVos After Disastrous ’60 Minutes’ Interview

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Education,Leave a comment

DeVos knows next to nothing about actual school performance statistics, even in her home state of Michigan. She also hasn’t visited struggling schools and doesn’t really seem terribly concerned about it.

…When asked if Michigan’s public schools have gotten better since having funding diverted to private, charter and paroquial schools, DeVos responded, “I don’t know. Overall, I– I can’t say overall that they have all gotten better.”

When pressed by Leslie Stahl, who pointed out that diverting funds certainly hasn’t made Michigan’s schools better, DeVos answered, “I hesitate to talk about all schools in general because schools are made up of individual students attending them.”

…DeVos still thinks putting guns in classrooms is a valid solution to school shootings.

“That should be an option for states and communities to consider,” she said. “And I hesitate to think of, like, my first-grade teacher, Mrs. Zorhoff, I couldn’t ever imagine her having a gun and being trained in that way. But for those who are– who are capable, this is one solution that can and should be considered. But no one size fits all. Every state and every community is going to address this issue in a different way.”

She also implied that she believes black students misbehave more than white students, so it’s OK for teachers to call the police as a form of discipline for students of color.

Twitter Roasts Betsy DeVos After Disastrous ’60 Minutes’ Interview

Erik Prince’s sister knows absolutely nothing about her job and doesn’t even have the sense to be more embarrassed by her own idiocy.

Staggering levels of corruption and incompetence. Mind-blowingly so. Oh, an unhealthy dash of racism for good measure.

Well, maybe she’ll end up in jail when shit crashes down on her corrupt as all get out brother. The schoolchildren of this country can only hope so….

Federal government sets new record for censoring, withholding files under FOIA

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,Leave a comment

The federal government censored, withheld or said it couldn’t find records sought by citizens, journalists and others more often last year than at any point in the past decade, according to an Associated Press analysis of new data. The calculations cover eight months under …Trump — the first hints about how his administration complies with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA).

Federal government sets new record for censoring, withholding files under FOIA – CBS News

Because arrogance, incompetence, and corruption.

U.S. monthly budget deficit largest in 6 years

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

New Treasury Department numbers show that the US government racked up a $215 billion deficit in February — the largest monthly deficit in six years.

…For the full fiscal year, Treasury now projects the annual deficit will near $833 billion, and then $984 billion in fiscal 2019.

The climb back to trillion dollar deficits — a hallmark of the financial crisis — has been hastened by policies put into place in the past several months.

U.S. monthly budget deficit largest in 6 years – Mar. 12, 2018

…Because incompetence.

What Happens If Someone Breaks a Non-Disclosure Agreement?

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

…Some of these agreements included clauses that prevented employees from discussing details of Weinstein’s “personal, social or business activities,” according to The New Yorker.

NDAs are legally enforceable contracts, but they’re now coming under increased scrutiny from lawmakers, attorneys and legal experts. Some states have even introduced legislation to ban them altogether when they involve claims of sexual misconduct.

What Happens If Someone Breaks a Non-Disclosure Agreement? | Weinstein | FRONTLINE | PBS | Official Site

hmmm

At rally, Trump again calls for the death penalty for drug dealers

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Drugs & Drink,Leave a comment

President Trump on Saturday again called for enacting the death penalty for drug dealers during a rally meant to bolster a struggling GOP candidate for a U.S. House seat here.

…Trump also delivered a profane attack on the news media, calling NBC News anchor Chuck Todd a “sleeping son of a bitch” and deeming CNN “fake as hell,” as the enthusiastic crowd booed at the mention of journalists and chanted “CNN sucks!”

And he rattled off several falsehoods, such as a claim that 52% of women voted for him in his presidential win (it was 52% of white women, according to exit polling).

…Midway through the rally, Trump hinted that he may not run for reelection, yet he rolled out a new campaign slogan (“Keep America Great!”) and took repeated swings at potential 2020 Democratic challengers, including Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.), again pulling out his “Pocahontas” taunt. He also went after Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Los Angeles), who has called for Trump’s impeachment , a “low-IQ individual.”

…Last month, Trump showed up at the Conservative Political Action Conference and gave an unscripted 75-minute address in which he attacked Democrats, mocked Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), encouraged campaign-style chants about locking up his political opponent and recited the lyrics of a song about a tenderhearted woman who cares for an ailing snake, a parable that he frequently uses to paint immigrants in the U.S. illegally as violent criminals.

At rally, Trump again calls for the death penalty for drug dealers

The full Duterte even.

NH Lawmakers consider allowing a full year of birth control pills with a single prescription

On By peanutgallerynhIn Chick Stuff,, Granite State,Leave a comment

Senate Bill 421 would lift the present three-month cap for contraceptive prescriptions, raising it to 12 months. Under the proposed law, doctors would prescribe 12 months of the medication, and insurance carriers would be mandated to cover it without imposing co-pays. Newly prescribed patients could walk into pharmacies and leave with a year’s supply of contraceptives.

The bill, championed by Planned Parenthood and health care industry groups, is meant to address a long-standing problem for those taking “the pill” – forgetfulness. Often distributed in packs of 28, and designed to be taken daily, the oral contraceptives require diligence to be effective. Having to obtain refill prescriptions every several months can prove difficult for some, setting up potential delays and lapses in use. Missing a week or even days can carry side effects for women who rely on the pill, or lead to unplanned pregnancy.

…Around a quarter of all women who use contraceptives report missing days due to difficulty getting prescription renewal, according to a 2011 study by the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Supporters say the bill would benefit low-income people with less time to organize renewed prescriptions.

Lawmakers consider allowing a full year of birth control pills with a single prescription

hmmm

Teachers, students separated by 20 miles face very different circumstances

On By peanutgallerynhIn Money, Class, and Poverty,, Schools,Leave a comment

The schools in Bow – an affluent, suburban community bordering Concord – have always enjoyed a sterling reputation for academic success and good pay for educators, where teachers earn on average $63,169 a year.

Twenty miles away, the schools in Pittsfield – a geographically isolated, depressed former mill town – have faced test scores and graduation rates well below average. There, teachers are paid on average $22,000 a year less than Bow. While the district has a contingent of veteran staff, it faces high turnover – sometimes up to 20 percent a year – and a steady churn of young, untried teachers.

…Frustrated by taxes, Pittsfield has, on several occasions, flirted with closing its high school. But each time the proposition has been considered, the conclusion has been the same: between tuition, special education and transportation, taxpayers wouldn’t save much, if at all.

Teachers, students separated by 20 miles face very different circumstances

hmmm

Parkland Survivors Meet With Chicago Students To Tackle Gun Violence ‘Beyond Gated Communities’

On By peanutgallerynhIn Media and Culture,, Money, Class, and Poverty,Leave a comment

The Parkland survivors and their #NeverAgain movement to end school shootings have attracted and maintained national media attention for weeks. The ubiquitous coverage has proven bittersweet to many inner city activists.

…This surge in gun violence has taken a massive toll on American children, especially black children. From 2012 to 2014, the annual firearm homicide rate for black children was roughly 10 times higher than the rate for white children and Asian-American children, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Overall, firearm-related fatalities are the third leading cause of death overall for U.S. children, according to the CDC.

 

https://twitter.com/Emma4Change/status/970300513253171205

https://twitter.com/Emma4Change/status/970300519267762177

 

Parkland Survivors Meet With Chicago Students To Tackle Gun Violence ‘Beyond Gated Communities’ | HuffPost

I was really hoping for some intersectionality in their activism.
Go, go gadget woke kids!

Dorm Living for Professionals Comes to San Francisco

On By peanutgallerynhIn Media and Culture,, Money, Class, and Poverty,, Race,Leave a comment

In search of reasonable rent, the middle-class backbone of San Francisco — maitre d’s, teachers, bookstore managers, lounge musicians, copywriters and merchandise planners — are engaging in an unusual experiment in communal living: They are moving into dorms.

Shared bathrooms at the end of the hall and having no individual kitchen or living room is becoming less weird for some of the city’s workers thanks to Starcity, a new development company that is expressly creating dorms for many of the non-tech population.

…These are not single-family homes that are being used as group houses.

Instead, Starcity residents get a bedroom of 130 square feet to 220 square feet. Many of the buildings will feature some units with a private bath for a higher rent.

…Starcity’s target demographic makes $40,000 to $90,000 a year. Most of the residents, who range in age from their early 20s to early 50s.

…The Starcity community manager (a.k.a. the building manager) is extremely involved in household affairs, dropping off care packages when someone is sick and organizing birthday parties. If tenants sign up for premium services, Starcity will do their laundry for $40 a month, clean rooms for $130 a week and even arrange for dog day care.

…Wearing muddy leather boots, black jeans and a hard hat, he examined Mason Street, formerly a residential hotel that served homeless and low-income people in the Tenderloin neighborhood. It will soon be 71 Starcity units.

The Tenderloin, a traditionally working-class and diverse neighborhood with a large arts scene and a sizable homeless population, has been slowly gentrifying, leading to rising tensions. (Most of Starcity’s residents are white.) On the sidewalk outside Mr. Dishotsky’s construction zone that morning, there were used needles and several tents.

Dorm Living for Professionals Comes to San Francisco – The New York Times

hmmm

How Trump changed the rules to arrest more non-criminal immigrants

On By peanutgallerynhIn American Injustice System,, Money, Class, and Poverty,, Race,Leave a comment

In Trump’s first year, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement arrested 109,000 criminals and 46,000 people without criminal records — a 171% increase in the number of non-criminal individuals arrested over 2016.

…The Trump administration has subtly blurred the distinction between criminals and those with final orders of removal, which is a civil, not criminal charge.

…Critics say including people with decades-old final orders of removal as priorities is more about boosting numbers by targeting easily catchable individuals than about public safety threats.

…Sandweg said that people with final orders, especially those who are checking in regularly with ICE, are easy to locate and can be immediately deported without much legal recourse. Identifying and locating criminals and gang members takes more investigative work.

…”We shouldn’t spend one penny on low-hanging fruit,” said Sarah Saldana, the most recent director of ICE before Trump’s inauguration. “What we should be spending money is on getting people who are truly a threat to public safety.”

…If 20 officers are assigned to identify targets with final orders, “those are 20 officers who won’t be out focused on finding gang members or criminals,” said Bo Cooper, a career official who served as general counsel of ICE’s predecessor, the Immigration and Naturalization Service, under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush.

“When there are a finite amount of resources, choices you make come at the expense of other choices,” Cooper said. “It really is a significant policy choice.”

How Trump changed the rules to arrest more non-criminal immigrants – CNNPolitics

hmmm

Why I’m Voting for Feinstein, Even Though I Used to Hate Her

On By peanutgallerynhIn Domestic Affairs,, Local Interest,, Media and Culture,Leave a comment

Seeing a perfect storm of sexism, racism, and fascism conspire to elect the worst president ever, suddenly made me reassess how I felt about “flawed” women leaders.

…Yes, she’s still way more corporate and conservative than I’d personally prefer. But she’s also a huge proponent of gun control, reproductive rights, and protecting the environment. She is extraordinarily successful at sponsoring and passing bills in the Senate. On a personal note, she’s a survivor of childhood abuse, tragically lost two colleagues to gun violence, had the windows of her home shot out and a bomb planted in her flower box, yet has never allowed any of this to deter her from public office. In other words, she’s kind of a badass.

…But most importantly, she’s one of the highest ranking Democrats on the Judiciary and Intelligence committees.

…those committees have the most power to stop Trump. They are the ones responsible for investigating his criminal activity and, eventually, if we turn Congress blue, impeaching him.

In addition, up until very recently, she belonged to the even more exclusive “Gang of Eight,” which means she had access to top secret intel for years.

…as we all know, it’s not just about electing the most progressive candidate possible. If that were the only criteria, many of us wouldn’t have supported Doug Jones in Alabama.

Context matters.

Being strategic matters.

And right now, what matters most of all, is electing the best person to stop Trump.

…I know some people are complaining, “There’s always excuses to keep people like Feinstein in office. I’m not swayed by them because it’s never the right time!”

This is not just a bad time to do this, it’s the worst. We’re literally fighting the worst president ever. He is actively destroying the very foundations of our democracy, endangering our lives, and causing immeasurable suffering.

We need to stop Trump.

And we need the most powerful, experienced, badass Senator alive to help us do it.

That Senator is Dianne Feinstein.

Why I’m Voting for Feinstein, Even Though I Used to Hate Her

hmmmmm