Stories Chosen For You
'Loyalty tests': Mark Esper names Trump's 'worst enablers' on 'Real Time' with Bill Maher
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper discussed Donald Trump's worst enablers during on his Friday evening appearance on HBO's "Real Time."
"Who were [Trump's] worst enablers?" Maher asked.
"Well, I talk about it in my book, right? Stephen Miller, Mark Meadows is another one," he said.
"There's people on the [National Security Council] staff. I don't think the National Security Advisor did a great job either," he said.
Robert O'Brien was National Security Advisor when Esper was fired by tweet.
READ: ‘There will be blood’: Elon Musk seeks to hire ‘hardcore streetfighters’ as Tesla stock tanks
"Johnny McEntee, the 29ish head of presidential personnel — with no background in personnel matters — comes in and begins installing his people through all the departments and agencies," he said. "These kind of loyalty tests begin, all this craziness really picks up at this point."
Watch the segment below or at this link.
Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper identifies Trump's "worst enablers" on #RealTime: \n\n* Stephen Miller\n* Mark Meadows\n* Robert O'Brien \n* Jonny McEnteepic.twitter.com/4xfqDaOAvg— Bob Brigham (@Bob Brigham) 1653100958
On Friday, the Associated Press reported that disgraced former celebrity attorney Michael Avenatti is pleading for leniency at sentencing after his conviction for stealing $300,000 from his former client, adult film star Stephanie Clifford, a.k.a. Stormy Daniels.
One of the reasons, his lawyers argued, is that he wrote Daniels a heartfelt apology letter.
"His lawyers cite a letter he sent to the porn actor saying he is truly sorry. His lawyers wrote on Thursday in a Manhattan federal court submission that he wants counseling and alcohol treatment. He was convicted of cheating Daniels of nearly $300,000 in book proceeds," said the report. "He tried to justify taking some proceeds by citing legal quests he took on for Daniels to negate the effects of a 2016 payment she said she received to remain silent about a tryst with Donald Trump."
“This sobering reality is as sufficient and powerful a punishment and deterrence as any," declared his lawyers. "Worse, Mr. Avenatti’s extreme rise and fall played out on the most public of platforms, an experience he is unlikely to ever recover from reputationally.”
Avenatti's conviction for stealing from Daniels, who also alleges he filed an ill-fated defamation suit against Trump in her name without her consent, is not the only criminal conviction secured against the firebrand California lawyer.
In 2021, Avenatti was sentenced to two years in prison for trying to extort $20 million from Nike. He has been hit with three dozen indictments including perjury, tax evasion, and stealing from clients, including a mentally ill paraplegic man who won a settlement from Los Angeles County.
The Texas Department of Public Safety is searching for a Pennsylvania man who allegedly made terrorism threats.
"Hardy Carroll Lloyd, 44, is a known white supremacist and is wanted by authorities after posting a series of threatening comments online," KHOU reported Friday. "In them, he talks about carrying a firearm onto the grounds of the Texas State Capitol this weekend and challenging any law enforcement officer who tries to take enforcement actions against him, Texas DPS said."
The man reportedly has ties to the Austin area.
"Lloyd is a convicted felon and cannot legally carry a firearm. He is described as being 5 feet and 11 inches tall and weighs about 250 pounds," the station reported. "Texas Crime Stoppers is offering a cash reward of up to $1,000 for information leading to Lloyd's arrest. Texas DPS said all tips are guaranteed to be anonymous."
Authorities say the man should be considered armed and dangerous and are asking for the public's help in locating the subject.
In 2021, CBS Pittsburgh reported there were fears of violence after Lloyd was released from prison.
Hardy Lloyd Released From Prison, Community Urged to be Vigilant www.youtube.com
Copyright © 2022 Raw Story Media, Inc. PO Box 21050, Washington, D.C. 20009 | Masthead | Privacy Policy | For corrections or concerns, please email corrections@rawstory.com.