MAGAThread XVI: Raising the Barr

[Farnhamia]

It begins.

Hmm, given what has been transpiring, it's no surprise though I suspect Giuliani won't cooperate so easily still, especially if Trump pardons him- unless of course Giuliani is charged with State crimes, which in that case, he won't get a pardon.

Also, Shepard Smith, a frequent target of Trump and Trump Critic, is leaving Fox. Great, there goes one of the last sane voices on that network though I can't blame him: the opinion hosts are taking over inch by inch.

DId you miss the story where the Attorney General travelled to New York and had a meeting with Murdoch?

The meeting was held at Mr. Murdoch’s home in New York, according to someone familiar with it. It was unclear if anyone else attended or what was discussed. Aides to both Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Barr declined requests for comment on the meeting.

The visit took place as the impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump by House Democrats has gathered momentum. Mr. Barr has emerged as a key defender of the president’s concerns about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mr. Barr was criticized in the spring for his handling of the report by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, before it was released publicly.

[Cannot think of a name]

Hmm, given what has been transpiring, it's no surprise though I suspect Giuliani won't cooperate so easily still, especially if Trump pardons him- unless of course Giuliani is charged with State crimes, which in that case, he won't get a pardon.

Also, Shepard Smith, a frequent target of Trump and Trump Critic, is leaving Fox. Great, there goes one of the last sane voices on that network though I can't blame him: the opinion hosts are taking over inch by inch.

DId you miss the story where the Attorney General travelled to New York and had a meeting with Murdoch?

The meeting was held at Mr. Murdoch’s home in New York, according to someone familiar with it. It was unclear if anyone else attended or what was discussed. Aides to both Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Barr declined requests for comment on the meeting.

The visit took place as the impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump by House Democrats has gathered momentum. Mr. Barr has emerged as a key defender of the president’s concerns about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mr. Barr was criticized in the spring for his handling of the report by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, before it was released publicly.

Curiouser and curiouser.

[Zurkerx]

Hmm, given what has been transpiring, it's no surprise though I suspect Giuliani won't cooperate so easily still, especially if Trump pardons him- unless of course Giuliani is charged with State crimes, which in that case, he won't get a pardon.

Also, Shepard Smith, a frequent target of Trump and Trump Critic, is leaving Fox. Great, there goes one of the last sane voices on that network though I can't blame him: the opinion hosts are taking over inch by inch.

DId you miss the story where the Attorney General travelled to New York and had a meeting with Murdoch?

The meeting was held at Mr. Murdoch’s home in New York, according to someone familiar with it. It was unclear if anyone else attended or what was discussed. Aides to both Mr. Murdoch and Mr. Barr declined requests for comment on the meeting.

The visit took place as the impeachment inquiry into Mr. Trump by House Democrats has gathered momentum. Mr. Barr has emerged as a key defender of the president’s concerns about the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election. Mr. Barr was criticized in the spring for his handling of the report by the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, before it was released publicly.

Now I did. Hmm, I suspect that Barr was pushing for more positive coverage of Trump; we'll know in the coming weeks if that's the case. If so, then I'm pretty sure it's unethical but not illegal. I'm sure they'll try to push out anti-Trump voices too if need be.

[Gormwood]

5 explosive lines from ex-ambassador Marie Yovanovitch's statement to Congress

Victim of 'unfounded and false claims'

Yovanovitch: "Although I understand that I served at the pleasure of the President, I was nevertheless incredulous that the US government chose to remove an ambassador based, as best as I can tell, on unfounded and false claims by people with clearly questionable motives."

Context: Here, Yovanovitch pushes back on the negative information about her that was being circulated by Giuliani -- attacks that made their way to Trump and also the State Department.

This includes allegations that she pressured Ukraine not to investigate specific cases, and that she was part of an effort by Ukraine to meddle in the 2016 election to defeat Trump. There is no evidence to support those allegations, and Yovanovitch said they were "unfounded and false."

A rebuke of Giuliani's arrested associates

Yovanovitch: "With respect to Mayor Giuliani, I have had only minimal contacts with him -- a total of three that I recall. None related to the events at issue. I do not know Mr. Giuliani's motives for attacking me. But individuals who have been named in the press as contacts of Mr. Giuliani may well have believed that their personal financial ambitions were stymied by our anti-corruption policy in Ukraine."

Context: This is the key paragraph where Yovanovitch connects all the dots. She suggests that Giuliani's associates might have tried to get her removed from her post because she was legitimately fighting corruption, which could have harmed their business ventures.

Prosecutors said the men -- Lev Parnas and Igor Fruman -- who were indicted Thursday, illegally poured Russian cash into US campaigns last year and tried to leverage their newfound influence to benefit a legal marijuana enterprise.

Asked to stay, then told to go

Yovanovitch: "...after being asked by the Department in early March to extend my tour until 2020, I was then abruptly told in late April to come back to Washington from Ukraine on the next plane."

Context: This establishes that Trump administration officials first told Yovanovitch that they wanted her to stay on until 2020, before the abrupt decision to pull her in May. The tick-tock of what happened, and when, is critical to the impeachment inquiry because it could establish that there was a political motivation in the decision to get her out of Ukraine.
Some of these events were described in the whistleblower complaint that helped trigger the impeachment push.

Trump pressured State Department to remove her

Yovanovitch: "I met with the Deputy Secretary of State, who informed me of the curtailment of my term. He said that the President had lost confidence in me and no longer wished me to serve as his ambassador. He added that there had been a concerted campaign against me, and that the Department had been under pressure from the President to remove me since the Summer of 2018. He also said that I had done nothing wrong and that this was not like other situations where he had recalled ambassadors for cause."

Context: Yovanovitch sheds new light on her conversations with US Deputy Secretary of State John Sullivan. Yovanovitch's testimony gives the impression that Sullivan was not onboard with the decision to remove her from Ukraine and that the decision came directly from the President.
Democratic lawmakers will surely want to talk Sullivan him about these conversations. Trump announced his intention Friday to nominate Sullivan as US ambassador to Russia.

State Department 'hollowed out from within'

Yovanovitch: "Today, we see the State Department attacked and hollowed out from within. State Department leadership, with Congress, needs to take action now to defend this great institution, and its thousands of loyal and effective employees. We need to rebuild diplomacy as the first resort to advance America's interests and the front line of America's defense. I fear that not doing so will harm our nation's interest, perhaps irreparably."

Context: It's staggering to see a current State Department employee say that the department is essentially being destroyed from within. She is a career government official -- not politically connected to the Trump administration -- but this type of condemnation is extremely rare.
Under Trump, the State Department has been plagued by vacancies at key positions from the very beginning, an issue that critics say puts diplomats at risk overseas and weakens US soft power.

So Donny is cleaning out the State Department like one of his casinos.

[Gormwood]

Also, Shepard Smith, a frequent target of Trump and Trump Critic, is leaving Fox. Great, there goes one of the last sane voices on that network though I can't blame him: the opinion hosts are taking over inch by inch.

Finally the canary in the coal mine says "Fuck you all, I'm outta here!"

[Stamp Out Trump]

I think he might go like Nixon. I always have too. Weirdly, Nixon sent him this crazy letter in 1987 saying he'd make a great president. I'd call out that letter major foreshadowing for now. Trump is the guy that eventually gives Nixon some company in the History book. Bad company.

I straight up didn't believe you when you said that but hot damn, that is one hell of a weird foreshadow.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administra ... ice-report

Yep. No lie. You can't make this stuff up.

[Miami Shores]

I straight up didn't believe you when you said that but hot damn, that is one hell of a weird foreshadow.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administra ... ice-report

Yep. No lie. You can't make this stuff up.

I see nothing wrong with Donnie's personal friendship with Nixon and his wife, Nixon's wife saying Donnie would make a great President one day is correct as far as I and millions of other American citizens are concerned. He has been a great American President despite the political impeachment attempt against Donnie by the Democrats. lol.

[Stamp Out Trump]

Yep. No lie. You can't make this stuff up.

I see nothing wrong with Donnie's personal friendship with Nixon and his wife, Nixon's wife saying Donnie would make a great President one day is correct as far as I and millions of other American citizens are concerned. He has been a great American President despite the political impeachment attempt against Donnie by the Democrats. lol.

You see like Sergeant Schultz saw. Sad 4U.

[Fartsniffage]

Yep. No lie. You can't make this stuff up.

I see nothing wrong with Donnie's personal friendship with Nixon and his wife, Nixon's wife saying Donnie would make a great President one day is correct as far as I and millions of other American citizens are concerned. He has been a great American President despite the political impeachment attempt against Donnie by the Democrats. lol.

What has he done that is great?

[Telconi]

I see nothing wrong with Donnie's personal friendship with Nixon and his wife, Nixon's wife saying Donnie would make a great President one day is correct as far as I and millions of other American citizens are concerned. He has been a great American President despite the political impeachment attempt against Donnie by the Democrats. lol.

What has he done that is great?

Neil and Brett.

[The Emerald Legion]

I see nothing wrong with Donnie's personal friendship with Nixon and his wife, Nixon's wife saying Donnie would make a great President one day is correct as far as I and millions of other American citizens are concerned. He has been a great American President despite the political impeachment attempt against Donnie by the Democrats. lol.

What has he done that is great?

Prevented Hillary Clinton from being president for starters. Driven the Democratic party literally insane for second.

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

What has he done that is great?

Prevented Hillary Clinton from being president for starters. Driven the Democratic party literally insane for second.

Preventing a better president from taking office and making people mad are not really boons, are they?

[The Emerald Legion]

Prevented Hillary Clinton from being president for starters. Driven the Democratic party literally insane for second.

Preventing a better president from taking office and making people mad are not really boons, are they?

Hillary Clinton would not be a better president. She would have been worse by several orders of magnitude.

[Cannot think of a name]

Is it 2016 again?

[Great Confederacy of Commonwealth States]

Preventing a better president from taking office and making people mad are not really boons, are they?

Hillary Clinton would not be a better president. She would have been worse by several orders of magnitude.

How?

[The Emerald Legion]

Is it 2016 again?

Are you really going to ignore things because they didn't happen yesterday?

[Uiiop]

Is it 2016 again?

Are you really going to ignore things because they didn't happen yesterday?

That even if you're saying is correct that doesn't speak well to the Greatness other posters were talking about.

[Miami Shores]

I see nothing wrong with Donnie's personal friendship with Nixon and his wife, Nixon's wife saying Donnie would make a great President one day is correct as far as I and millions of other American citizens are concerned. He has been a great American President despite the political impeachment attempt against Donnie by the Democrats. lol.

You see like Sergeant Schultz saw. Sad 4U.

lol on your Sergeant Schultz comment. "Sad 4U? lol I and millions of American citizens wear our support for President Donnie Trump with Pride lol. I will never apologize to anyone for supporting President Donald J Trump of America lol.

I support President Trump for the economy, for Making America Great Again according to my political views not yours I am sure. For being anti Venezuelan regime, for being anti Cuban government regime supported by Bernie Sanders, for being against the leftist and socialist style policies of Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren, Joe Biden is not as centrist as he sounds or likes to pretend. As far as I and millions of Republicans are concerned they are all leftists in American terms.

I support President Trump for being against open borders illegal immigration, Asylum is being abused all over the world as an excuse for open borders illegal immigration and calling it legal immigration. For being anti drivers licenses for illegals, anti health care and education benefits for illegals, anti sanctuary city's, anti sanctuary counties and anti sanctuary states for illegals, why because they are illegals.

They did not apply and meet the requirements all nations have and wait their turn in their nations of origin, including in shit hole nations, like I did in the shithole nation of Cuba for x numbers of years.

"Sad 4U." lol, I and millions of American citizens don't need nor want you or anyone to be sad for us, for Proudly supporting President Donald J Trump of America, the USA.

[Telconi]

Prevented Hillary Clinton from being president for starters. Driven the Democratic party literally insane for second.

Preventing a better president from taking office and making people mad are not really boons, are they?

We're not talking about a better president though, we're talking about Hillary Clinton.

[Telconi]

Are you really going to ignore things because they didn't happen yesterday?

That even if you're saying is correct that doesn't speak well to the Greatness other posters were talking about.

Tbf, great is not a prerequisite for better.

[Uiiop]

Preventing a better president from taking office and making people mad are not really boons, are they?

We're not talking about a better president though, we're talking about Hillary Clinton.

Better doesn't mean good.

[Valrifell]

What has he done that is great?

Neil and Brett.

I'd watch that sitcom, tbh.

[Gormwood]

What has he done that is great?

Prevented Hillary Clinton from being president for starters. Driven the Democratic party literally insane for second.

So "Owned The Libs." Great accomplishment there.

[Valrifell]

Prevented Hillary Clinton from being president for starters. Driven the Democratic party literally insane for second.

So "Owned The Libs." Great accomplishment there.

"He made my team score a point! Touchdown!"

[Uiiop]

That even if you're saying is correct that doesn't speak well to the Greatness other posters were talking about.

Tbf, great is not a prerequisite for better.

He jumped in when people were talking about the former and not the latter so thanks for proving my point.