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    Trump screwed up on 5 big things -- in June alone

    Terry H. Schwadron, DCReport @ RawStory
    June 27, 2019

    Thanks for your support!

    This article was paid for by reader donations to Raw Story Investigates.

    Donald Trump and Governor Mike Pence of Indiana speaking to supporters at an immigration policy speech at the Phoenix Convention Center in Phoenix, Arizona. (Gage Skidmore/Flickr)

    This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers. Not a subscriber? Try us and go ad-free for $1. Prefer to give a one-time tip? Click here.

    Terry H. Schwadron, DCReport @ RawStory

    As Donald Trump continues to find only wonderful things to say about himself, his words­—and actions—continue to belie an administration of lies and ineffectiveness, and bravado over solution. But all you need do is listen to the daily voices from the White House to feel as if you’ve entered a Twilight Zone episode.


    Almost across the board, there are signs of slowdowns in the economy, U.S. standing in the world is slipping, particularly involving Iranian and North Korean nuclear ambitions, the immigration situation on the southern border continues to worsen both in numbers of border crossers and in the treatment of those held in detention, and there are personal issues galore. Through all of it, Trump continues to tweet policy announcements rather than provide an explanation, and to fight with Congress rather than figuring out how to work together.

    The voices include Kellyanne Conway saying it is okay for her—not the average federal employee—to talk politics from the White House in violation of the law. The voices include Trump saying he did not assault or rape or even know columnist E. Jean Carroll, adding that “she’s not my type,” raising the question of what “type” Trump has in mind for sexual assault. The voices also express the bafflement of foreign leaders over policy-making and Trump executive time tweets in a time of pending war about his Democratic opponents.

    A few notable updates show the nature of the effect of having a Trump White House:

    Dealing with nuclear weapons foes: Yet more sanctions are on their way in a Trump attempt to squeeze cooperation out of Iran, while Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un have exchanged letters described as “beautiful” and “excellent.” Meanwhile, neither squeezing nor serenading recalcitrant leaders seems to be proving effective. After backing off the strike on Iran in retribution for downing a U.S. drone, news reports quoted sources saying America launched cyber-attacks on missile-launching codes in Iran. Iran says it didn’t work, and they can still knock drones—or planes—out of the air.

    And the new sanctions, which are in addition to the existing sanctions to ban the sale of Iran’s oil and other goods, are strange: They aim to block Ayatollah Ali Khomeini and others from reaching and using their international bank accounts. There is a threat to extend them to the foreign minister, whose job it would be to travel to different places to negotiate with Trump and European officials. The U.S. says it invites Iran to talk without pre-condition, but then lists 12 musts that start with stopping nuclear plans.

    Now President Hassan Rouhani says the door is closed to negotiation. It is unclear how exactly any of this puts pressure on Iran that will bring about the abandonment of its nuclear ambition.

    Appointing the Trump Team: From leaked memos, Axios disclosed an interesting array of bad hiring choices made by the transition team after firing former Gov. Chris Christie. What came across was that Trump generally favored those who had spoken well of him during the campaign over any measure of competence, that Trump specifically ignored red flags about people like Scott Pruitt and Tom Price, both Cabinet members who were dismissed or left under pressure.

    The transition team then was headed by Vice President Mike Pence; the documents show that Trump himself passed on doing deeper examinations of selected candidates before simply announcing them. The White House response was that “President Trump has assembled an incredible team throughout the federal government who—in spite of 93% negative news coverage—has accomplished undeniable successes like tax cuts, record employment levels, a booming economy…rebuilding the military and crushing ISIS.” Christie summed it up, saying, the process was a guarantee to bring ill-equipped people into top jobs.

    Judges join in criticizing migrant detention center cruelty: Judge William Fletcher asked Sarah Fabian, a Justice Department lawyer, “Are you arguing seriously that you do not read the agreement as requiring you to do anything other than what I just described: cold all night long, lights on all night long, sleeping on concrete and you’ve got an aluminum foil blanket? I find that inconceivable that the government would say that is safe and sanitary.”

    Nevertheless, Fabian said there had never been a readout of specific basic safety requirements. The White House said that unless Democrats in Congress agree to changes in asylum law, among other immigration changes, they have canceled soap, water and beds at centers where minors are being detained.

    It’s a position that raises questions once again for me about the gap in Trump policy between anti-abortion concerns and what happens to children once they are born.  Most of the young detainees have not been able to shower or wash their clothes since they arrived at the facility, those who visited centers told The New York Times. They have no access to toothbrushes, toothpaste or soap. “There is a stench,” said Elora Mukherjee, director of the Immigrants’ Rights Clinic at Columbia Law School, one of the lawyers who visited the facility. “The overwhelming majority of children have not bathed since they crossed the border.” The Trump response is to move the children to another facility, apparently in secret under cover of night—100 were either returned or replaced in the original facility—and to remove and replace another customs and border patrol chief. Again, how this is supposed to get Congress to consider changes in the law is unclear.

    Poor reception for the Middle East Peace Plan: As predicted, the general outlines of an economic approach to Middle East peace carried by presidential son-in-law Jared Kushner has fallen flat. Neither Palestinians nor Israelis will attend a meeting in Bahrain, where Kushner wants to float a plan to invest $50 billion in both sides if they buy into a peace plan. Palestinians said the plan was insulting, Israelis acknowledged internal political problems buying into easing access between occupied areas and Israel proper. We’re not even getting to step two, in which Kushner had hoped to introduce an outline of political cooperation.

    The Trump shrug: That murder of American resident and journalist Jamal Khashoggi by Saudi Arabian operatives in their Turkish embassy last year? Let it go, says Trump now, after months of saying he would go after anyone involved. Of course, the evidence by a UN team looked again to point to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the lynchpin of American foreign relations with the Saudis. We have bigger concerns in selling the Saudis $400 billion worth of military weapons, said Trump. So much for protecting Americans.

    Sometimes the voices in the news tell the story themselves.

    This article was paid for by Raw Story subscribers. Not a subscriber? Try us and go ad-free for $1. Prefer to give a one-time tip? Click here.

    Enjoy good journalism?

    … then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has slashed advertising rates, and we need your help. Like you, we here at Raw Story believe in the power of progressive journalism. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and legal efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. And unlike other news outlets, we’ve decided to make our original content free. But we need your support to do what we do.

    Raw Story is independent. Unhinged from corporate overlords, we fight to ensure no one is forgotten.

    We need your support in this difficult time. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you. Click to donate by check.

    Value Raw Story?

    … then let us make a small request. The COVID crisis has slashed advertising rates, and we need your help. Like you, we believe in the power of progressive journalism — and we’re investing in investigative reporting as other publications give it the ax. Raw Story readers power David Cay Johnston’s DCReport, which we've expanded to keep watch in Washington. We’ve exposed billionaire tax evasion and uncovered White House efforts to poison our water. We’ve revealed financial scams that prey on veterans, and efforts to harm workers exploited by abusive bosses. We need your support to do what we do.

    Raw Story is independent. You won’t find mainstream media bias here. Every reader contribution, whatever the amount, makes a tremendous difference. Invest with us in the future. Make a one-time contribution to Raw Story Investigates, or click here to become a subscriber. Thank you.

    Report typos and corrections to: corrections@rawstory.com.
    READ COMMENTS - JOIN THE DISCUSSION

    Should Trump be allowed back on social media?

    Gun-loving GOP congressman plans to sue over Capitol metal detectors

    Ray Hartmann
    April 12, 2021

    Georgia Congressman Andrew Clyde was rebuffed today by the House Ethics Committee over his refusal to walk through metal detectors installed in the wake of the January 6 Capitol riots.

    So Clyde, owner of the Clyde Armory in his hometown of Athens, GA (and one other store), now says he'll go to the courts to challenge the constitutionality of metal detectors. Here's Politico's reporting:

    "While my team and I continue to await an announcement of a fine levied on the Speaker, we are preparing for the next stage of this fight. I will take my case to federal court where I am confident justice will be served," Clyde said in a statement.

    "Clyde had previously stated that he had intentionally bypassed the metal detectors, which were installed after a throng of Trump supporters violently occupied the Capitol in early January for several hours, in order to set up a court challenge.

    "I did that so we would have legal standing to take the case to federal court, and that's exactly what I'm going to do," he told Fox News in March. "People have to stand for the Constitution.'"

    Among Clyde's pro-gun credits, he introduced a bill last month to shorten the waiting period for gun purchases from three business days to three calendar days. Clyde made so secret as to his motivation for the bill, as reported by the Gainesville Times.

    "Clyde in a recent media appearance said the bill is part of his 2020 campaign promise to "eliminate" the background check provisions under the Brady Act. "I really think the Brady background check system is looking at it backwards," Clyde told Fox News. "We need to be looking at it from the point of the Second Amendment is an inalienable right."

    Next to trying to eliminate all background checks, Clyde's stand against metal detectors seems to pale in importance. But Clyde is hardly alone in raging against even a basic security measure involving guns.

    ""A number of Republicans have bristled at the enhanced security measures installed by House leadership in response to the insurrection, arguing that they are unnecessary and intrude on their ability to carry out official duties. Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) has also been fined for going around House metal detectors and, like Clyde, has had his appeal rejected by the House Ethics Committee," Politico reported.

    "After the metal detectors were stationed outside the House chambers, several Republicans were observed trying to go around them, set them off without stopping or argue with Capitol security officials about the matter. U.S. Capitol Police also opened an investigation in January into whether one GOP House member had tried to bring a firearm onto the floor.

    "As part of the sweeping changes enacted by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi in the aftermath of the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol building, members can be subjected to hefty fines — $5,000 for the first violation and $10,000 for additional infractions —for avoiding the metal detectors. The fines are deducted automatically from lawmakers' paychecks."

    Clyde, a U.S. Navy veteran, is a freshman congressman, elected to the seat that Rep. Doug Collins vacated to run for U.S. Senate. His district adjoins that of Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene.

    'Everyone is going to need a lawyer': Leaked chats from Matt Gaetz 'wingman' show panic in wake of arrest

    Brad Reed
    April 12, 2021

    WhatsApp messages obtained by Politico show Joel Greenberg, the former "wingman" of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL), in a state of panic after he was arrested last June on a host of criminal charges.

    As Politico reports, the messages show that Greenberg was scrambling to figure out exactly what federal investigators knew about his allegedly illicit activities, including using his Venmo mobile payment account to pay for sex from a woman who at the time was 17 years old.

    "I'm trying to let everyone know who came into contact with any of these girls that the feds are going through my Venmo history and don't want anyone to be caught off guard," Greenberg wrote to an unidentified friend in one message.

    "Absolutely positively leave my name the f*ck out of any of this," the friend wrote in response. "I'm serious about this Joel."

    Greenberg also told this friend that "everyone is going to need a lawyer" to deal with the repercussions of Greenberg's arrest, but the friend again pushed back and told him he had nothing to do with any of his schemes.

    "I have nothing to do with any of this and think it is incredibly uncool you are trying to lawyer me up to be a part of it, Joel," he wrote.

    Read the full report here.

    'Accidental discharge': Minnesota police chief offers immediate defense of cop who killed Daunte Wright

    David Edwards
    April 12, 2021

    Brooklyn Center Police Chief Tim Gannon asserted on Monday that an officer who shot and killed 20-year-old Daunte Wright had done so accidentally.

    At a press conference, Gannon presented video of the killing, noting that the officer had verbally indicated that a Taser would be deployed instead of a firearm.

    "As you can hear, the officer while struggling with Mr. Wright shouts 'Taser, Taser' several times," Gannon pointed out. "That is part of the officer's training prior to deploying a Taser, which is a less lethal device. That is done to make her partners aware as well as the subject that a Taser deployment will be imminent."

    "During this encounter, however, the officer drew their handgun instead of their Taser," he continued. "As I watched the video and listened to the officer's commands, it is my belief that the officer had the intention to deploy their Taser but instead shot Mr. Wright with a single bullet."

    "This appears to me to me, from what I viewed and the officer's reaction and distress immediately after, that this was an accidental discharge that resulted in the tragic death of Mr. Wright," Gannon said.

    The police chief also revealed that the officer had been put on administrative leave pending the outcome of an investigation.

    Watch the video below from CNN.


     
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