June 13, 2017
The Sessions sessions.
Comment away. I'll be watching and will have something to say eventually.
ADDED: Sessions had a great mix of emotion and solid rational order. His opening statement hit every point and left nothing for the Senators to do but to act as if they hadn't heard him the first time. I kept saying "I know what he's going to say," and then he'd say it. He seemed to have it completely under control and yet he expressed anger and outrage with a keen edge.
I have one more thing I want to say, something I thought Senator Cornyn was getting at, but it didn't happen. I'll do a new post about that when I get a transcript.
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351 comments:
1 – 200 of 351 Newer› Newest»My prediction is that Sessions will say something that will "inadvertently" put more of the stink on Trump.
Does anyone doubt that Sessions informally talked with one of his old Senate colleagues before today? They want a President Pence while looking like they have clean hands.
Rush is not preempted. Our affiliate preempts Rush for everything. What's going on.
Why is Sessions being questioned?
I'm thinking this can only be an event to spew more fake news, and set the talking points agenda for the next several weeks.
Given that it is in Wisconsin this year, and the Golf Channel has already shown a cartoon of a snaggletoothed cheesehead, is there going to be a US Open thread?
"Why is Sessions being questioned?"
-- Because Comey said there may have been a secret third meeting.
I think the bigger news today is that there is documentary evidence of political interference in the Hillary investigation that disturbed Comey enough to give his infamous press conference, but let's pretend that we all hate the Russians. Rush used to play the Darth Vader theme from Star Wars every time he talked about Gorbachov, it was pretty funny. You guys can do that every time you bring up Putin, or as it is spelled in French "Poutine."
While all of the Dem Senators on this committee are unlikable, Warner really bugs me. "I hope you testify to the House [as we continue our summer of investigations and prevent POTUS from carrying out his agenda]."
Insinuation and innuendo is all they've got.
Sessions will not put a foot wrong. It's just not what he does.
Finally! Some anger by Sessions. About time and appropriate.
If I can post an off-topic link. One of America's best governors is North Dakota's Burgum. Now, running NoDak isn't anything like a big state with angry entrenched people, but this is a good read from Forbes.
The parts on his thoughts about education are good. This is what you get with a problem solver who has never been involved with government gets in charge. There is a bit of Walker in him as he doesn't accept the status que, but instead asks "is there a better way to do this".
https://www.forbes.com/sites/richkarlgaard/2017/06/13/americas-best-entrepreneurial-governor/12/#72f3190f7880
Once written said:
"Does anyone doubt that Sessions informally talked with one of his old Senate colleagues before today? They want a President Pence while looking like they have clean hands"
Sir, your profile says you reside in Argentina. Greetings. In case you do not know, removing an American president by way of impeachment in the House and conviction in the Senate has never been done. Also, then-Senator Sessions was the first member of the Senate to endorse Donald Trump and has said nothing but positive things about him ever since.
So impeachment as a storyline at this time is...not.
Blogger Once written, twice... said..."My prediction is that Sessions will say something that will "inadvertently" put more of the stink on Trump."
My prediction is that no matter what Sessions says, you and your ilk will say he said something that put more stink on Trump.
Because Comey said there may have been a secret third meeting.
Third? Man, this moving so fast I can't keep my scorecard straight. I just can't understand Comey's goals here. He appears to be undermining Trumps legitimacy, but he's also throwing a bunch of Obama admins under the bus.....as well as himself.
He's a real Eddie "Hello, Mrs. Clever" Haskell.
I wonder who tipped off the camera crew at Sky Harbor airport. My first guess is Comey.
That's fine Sessions, but you recused yourself from a counter intelligence investigation, not criminal.
You big dummy.
Sessions is such a good man. Cf, Lynch and Holder.
Tyrone Slothrop said...
Sessions will not put a foot wrong. It's just not what he does.
6/13/17, 1:56 PM
Dumbass got himself into a place where he had to recuse himself, which has done considerable harm to the Administration. I call that a foot wrong, no?
Can't see youtube at work.
Can someone tell me when it became bad for politicians to meet with foreign ambassadors of countries with whom we have relations? I thought that's what ambassadors were for.
"Can someone tell me when it became bad for politicians to meet with foreign ambassadors of countries with whom we have relations?"
-- It's not; several of the senators who called him out for meeting with the ambassador ALSO met with the ambassador. This is transparently a bogus investigation designed purely as a perjury trap for Sessions.
It would be sweet at conclusion of his testimony that Sessions announces that he has appointed a special prosecutor to investigate Lowrent Lynch.
A word that describes Democrats on this Russia thing, and the obstruction thing, is four flusher*.
* A four flush (also flush draw) is a poker hand that is one card short of being a full flush. Four flushing refers to empty boasting or unsuccessful bluffing, and a four flusher is a person who makes empty boasts or bluffs when holding a (worthless) four flush.
Another in a series of "big nothings"........
But, by all means, let us watch!
Call me when 1 single person, any person, gets indicted.
If you watch Trump's address to Congress a little while back, you will see strolling around on the Democrat side of the House chamber the Russian ambassador.
The Mayflower Hotel is the new Watergate Hotel.
Picture of Russian ambassador in a sea of Democrats.
Where's Inga?
Baawk Russia, cluck cluck Baawk! Russia! Russia!
Number of days for Trump to hit a 60% disapproval rating (per Gallup Daily Poll):
Carter: Never
Reagan: Never
H.W. Bush: Never
Clinton: Never
W. Bush: 1,756
Obama: Never
Trump: 144
SO MUCH WINNING. Way to go Trumpski's - backed a winner there.
Vice-Chairman Warner in a moron. He looks confused, and Sessions looks very much in control of the truth. This is a joke. I hope the Dems keep this up through 2018 and think people really care.
Hillary still not president, so yeah, we backed a winner by definition.
This questioning is absurd.
"Did you linger?"
Didn't we just learn a few months ago +10 Dem polls are worthless? Trump won the most important approval poll, and will again.
"We need to drill down of the Russia interference in our elections".
There's not enough pipe in N. America to drill to the depths you democrats want to go
Holy Crap! The Russia Ambassador looks like Fat Bastard!
Not only is Hillary not president, she barely has a political pulse. Half of her own party rightfully hates her. That was a fine day's work.
You know he has a white robe and pointy hat in his closet.
You know he has a white robe and pointy hat in his closet
You forgot that he is a double agent for Satan.
WTF ? Based on the Comey testimony bombshells, I thought the libruls had impeached and executed Trump by now??!!
More Lingering!
Sessions is a Lingerer!!
Executive privilege claimed? I guess so. AG Sessions didn't say; Sen. Feinstein didn't demand that specification.
Or is it a Department of Justice policy, apart from Executive Privilege?
I don't think this is a particularly good claim of Executive Privilege. Hard to claim "privilege," when there are interlopers (in this case, Comey and maybe others) involved.
Titus said...
You know he has a white robe and pointy hat in his closet.
No, you have him confused with Democrat Robert Bird, who was, in fact, a leader in the KKK. But his democrat buddies made excuses for this. You see, its ok if your on the "D" term.
Lowest form of humor: puns.
Lowest form of political commentary: polls.
You are welcome.
Oh, here we go-
Sen. Wyden launches from atop his soapbox.
He sick and tired of all this stonewalling!
Hard to claim Executive Privilege when other people who work for the Executive are in the room?
Face, meet palm. Palm, face.
Hipsters glued to Sessions? https://twitter.com/exjon/status/874711278505218048
Sessions is a star.
Sen. Wyden has introduced the stonewalling vocabulary.
Vice-Chairman Warner in a moron. He looks confused, and Sessions looks very much in control of the truth.
@Gusty, Warner has been that way for a while. I had a hard time convincing myself to vote for Ed Gillespie in today's primary, given that with just a little more effort Gillespie could have beaten Warner in 2014 and spared us Virginians the humiliation of having Warner and smarmy Tim Kaine representing us in the Senate. Gillespie ran a very lackadaisical campaign and still lost by less than 1%.
How many times does Sessions have to say it? Comey was fired because he made a prosecutorial decision about Hillary. Totally improper.
When Sessions was nominated for a federal district court judicial seat (a nomination that I would have supported), and he was treated badly (unfairly, really) by the Senate Judiciary Committee at the time, he had a fatally short fuse. And sort of blew up, when he was confronted repeatedly with the old stories about alleged office jokes etc. It hurt him in that case. His nomination was defeated.
Jeff Sessions (and remember I thought that Jeff Sessions was one of the good Trump early decisions) is not a good hearing witness. He does have an intemperate streak. I wish he was a lot more even-keeled.
"He sick and tired of all this stonewalling!"
-- What stonewalling? Comey and McCabe testified under oath the White House has NOT obstructed the investigation in anyway.
This is all coming down to the dems saying that Sessions and the Russian ambassador may have inadvertently been in adjacent stalls having a dump at the same hotel, which is the same as a meeting therefore perjury.
"And no, I'm no fan of Stone. Wall Street 2 was ridiculous, and he too much loves socialist dictators like Chavez and Castro. But that used to be ok with the left."
It still is, just so long as you also hate Russia.
But yeah, count me amongst those amused by the left's sudden love of McCarthy.
If executive privilege was being asserted with regard to conversations with James Comey and decisions about him, that privilege seems to have been waived for his testimony.
I am still not so sure that executive privilege is being claimed!
Has the phrase "executive privilege" been uttered yet?
the left's sudden love of McCarthy.
You mean like Tailgunner Inga?
Meanwhile Hillary is still waiting at a nearby hotel with Ruth Bader Ginsburg and a Bible.
The Dem questioning is pathetic. Losers.
They are grasping at straws. Wyden pushes stonewalling. Collins is trying to beat him over the head with the recusal. It's an absolute witch hunt. Wait until the newspapers spin this into a conspiracy.
Wyden is a granstanding prick.
See, we're getting to that privilege issue. I don't think Sessions is claiming executive privilege. He is claiming "DoJ policy" on private communications with the President.
It's not going to work with the office of the special counsel.
Titus said...
You know he has a white robe and pointy hat in his closet.
6/13/17, 2:39 PM
Uh,yeah. Sure.
@ UnknownNumber of days for Trump to hit a 60% disapproval rating (per Gallup Daily Poll):
Obama Disapproval Rating: 1/23/2009 = 12%
Trump Disapproval Rating: 1/23/17 = 45%
Obama Disapproval Rating: 6/10/2009 = 33%
Trump Disapproval Rating: 6/12/2017 = 60%
Obama Increase Disapproval Rating: +21%
Trump Increase Disapproval Rating: +15%
Winning!
Honestly, he should answer any question not about what he came there to talk about (the meeting he says didn't happen with): "That's unrelated."
How is Sessions not answering the question (paraphrasing) "Did Trump ever express his frustration to you over your recusal" "impeding the investigation"? What bullshit.
Chuck said...
It's not going to work with the office of the special counsel.
Very kind of you to remind everyone the Senate investigation is nothing but a clown show, and has no authority or bearing on anything whatsoever.
"SO MUCH WINNING. Way to go Trumpski's - backed a winner there."
He won on Nov. 8, didn't he?
And we're been listening to you overgrown babies cry and scream and blubber ever since.
So the strategy since before inauguration and going forward has been for the MSM, the Democratic Party (but I repeat myself) and many establishment Republicans is to keep throwing mud. Even my most left wing Facebook friends have stopped listening to the dog whistles. Is this all they got?
The John Birch Society used to argue that President Eisenhower and President Kennedy were colluding with Russia.
Now it's the Democratic Party that is arguing that our President Trump is colluding with Russia.
Prediction: Yet another baby hunt will end with Pro-Choicers exposing witches (and warlocks). Low level, unviable witches (and warlocks), who will be Planned for the Democratic good.
Did Lynch ever testify before a senate committee over Tarmac meeting? I don't think so. This is total and utter crap. Unfortunately the MSM is going to make sessions look very, very bad on the nightly news and the morning front pages.
So the strategy since before inauguration and going forward has been for the MSM, the Democratic Party (but I repeat myself) and many establishment Republicans is to keep throwing mud. Even my most left wing Facebook friends have stopped listening to the dog whistles. Is this all they got?
If history is any guide, if you dig long and hard enough, relentlessly scour, endlessly question every last administration official, any and every person in orbit of the president, sooner or later you'll get a scalp. Scoot Libby is the most obvious example, but there are others. Yes, they want Trump, but if they can't get him they'll get someone. They'll do everything they can to create enough chaos and FUD to stymie all forward momentum the President may have.
Okay, Angus King (as he did with the intel chiefs) is doing a good job of nailing down what the legal issue is or is not the legal issue with not answering committee questions.
This is really sloppy. If I were a judge overseeing Sessions' testimony, I'd be running out of patience and I'd be directing the witness to answer.
Trump has NOT claimed executive privilege, according to Sessions. And so far, Sessions hasn't provided any specific DoJ "policy" for non-disclosure. And he seems to be falling back to something like, "I am preserving the President's right and privilege to assert executive privilege at a later time if he chooses..."
Some of this stuff really does have extra meaning, in the context of a Congressional hearing. We need to maintain separation of powers and not let Congress invade the Executive.
But as I mentioned above, not much of these non-disclosure claims will fly, with the Special Counsel and his team.
How many times does Sessions have to say it?
As many times as it takes to put "stonewalling" in the title of tomorrow's NYT headline. The purpose of this hearing was a fishing expedition into private conversations between Sessions and Trump. If Sessions isn't going to answer questions about that, the whole thing is a waste of time.
You can see how upset the Dems are because most of their questions were blown away the minute Sessions said he wouldn't go there. So in looking down at all the questions with lines through them all they can ask is "why won't you answer again?"
There's King teeing up the soundbite for their accomplices in the press: " What is the basis for you to refuse to answer these questions." (paraphrase)
Sessions will leave this hearing understanding that a lifetime of honesty and good deeds add up to nothing among his former colleagues.
Bad Lieutenant, it's barely been more than a day since Althouse asked commenters not to take personal shots at other commenters by name.
This is (at least) your third strike, as far as I am aware.
cc: Ann Althouse
And so far, Sessions hasn't provided any specific DoJ "policy" for non-disclosure.
Sessions seems surprised that it's an issue, as he spoke to career DOJ attorneys in preparing his testimony and they told him it wouldn't be out of character for him not to respond.
Sessions thought he was there to testify on his own behalf about the claims that he perjured himself in prior testimony, not as a back-door way into "testifying" for Trump by revealing their conversations.
Nice of Lankford to remind people of Holder's own "stonewalling" in prior testimony.
Our Intelligence Community's analysts will never put the pieces together to prove that Russia meddled in our 2016 election.
Our President Trump should declassify absolutely all the Russiagate intelligence information, so that the entire US population can crowd-source the analysis.
Let us all read the Flynn-Kislyak transcript. Let us all read the intelligence about the INTERNET RESEARCH AGENCY. Let us all read the secret accusations that Trump's transition team violated THE LOGAN ACT.
Essentially all the intelligence information is leaked to Trump-hating journalists anyway. The only information that is not leaked is information that might exonerate our President Trump.
Manchin is the last honest Democrat in the Senate. He's more interested in getting the facts that scoring political points.
What do Trump's discussions with Sessions have to do with whether Sessions had a third meeting?
They're going to have to work hard cherry picking from his testimony on tonight's 5 o'clock news in order to make Trump and sessions look bad.
Chuck: Would a judge really let you interrogate a witness about an unrelated matter? I'm pretty sure you can object for relevancy.
Matthew I regard this as more akin to "discovery." Rather than a trial. Because the Senate can't indict anybody. And this isn't an impeachment.
So the "relevant" leeway is rather large.
But I don't agree with you that the questions that Sessions won't answer are unrelated or irrelevant. The effective "hearing master" for this proceeding is Senator Burr (R-NC). And I don't think he regards the questions as way out of bounds.
"If I don't quality it, you'll accuse me of lying."
That pretty much sums up the game that's going on.
Matthew I regard this as more akin to "discovery." Rather than a trial. Because the Senate can't indict anybody. And this isn't an impeachment.
Au contraire. It's all impeachment these days.
Kamala Harris-
The next Hillary.
Still, she persistently interrupted.
Now, now, Bad LT. We can abide by the simple rules our bloggress has asked us to follow.
It's not hard to reply to a commenter without naming the commenter. It might not be quite as satisfying when you press the "publish" button, but for the good of the thread it can be done.
Browndog: "Still, she persistently interrupted"
She better if she doesn't want Booker to outflank her on the left for 2020.
That's the second time in the last week the chair has had to instruct Harris to let the witness answer her questions.
Kevin said...
Now, now, Bad LT. We can abide by the simple rules our bloggress has asked us to follow.
It's not hard to reply to a commenter without naming the commenter. It might not be quite as satisfying when you press the "publish" button, but for the good of the thread it can be done.
6/13/17, 3:46 PM
Well, for YOUR sake, Kevin, I will self-censor. Besides, FullMoon says it so well...
"Mommie ! Mommie!, MOMMIE!"
Anyway,
"He does have an intemperate streak. I wish he was a lot more even-keeled."
really does speak for itself.
That's the second time in the last week the chair has had to instruct Harris to let the witness answer her questions.
Coming soon to a FB page near you: "Kamala Harris DESTROYS Jeff Sessions"
It will be about 6 seconds of video which won't contain any meaningful response from Sessions or the gaveling down of the Senator for her boorish behavior.
Corey Booker could not be reached for comment.
There. Cleanup on aisle Eddie Haskell, done. Now for a bath.
Well, for YOUR sake, Kevin, I will self-censor.
Thanks! We don't need Meade having to turn the car around...
So far, Sen Tom Cotton is the only one to approach this circle jerk with clear eyes.
Then again, he's new.
Meh. The admonition to not name those acting in bad faith is a coward's way of avoiding conflict. "Ignore the cheap shot, don't punch back, because brawling is unseemly and harshes the atmosphere of the joint"
That only works with sheep. If you don't like the drama, toss out the troublemakers. Enabling them while demanding the rest of us put up with their nonsense is not only dishonorable, it destoys your credibility - why should we take your warnings seriously when you allow the likes of Inga and Ritmo to stink up the joint?
Now Warner has jumped from "collusion" to "interference".
Look for "interference" to be in every MSM article tomorrow. Collusion has run it's course. It doesn't sound serious enough.
Poll tested, I guarantee.
LOL, Fen, I can't undelete. Maybe we should have a poll on whom to vote off the blog.
OTOH it is vaguely sweet to envision a certain poster's anguish.
"...I kiss her ass, I suck up to her every day, I can't even get a reach around! Does she even know I exist?...Oh well, suck harder I guess..."
FullMoon said...
Guaranteed, MSM gonna run with the number of times Sessions said "I don't recall" as if that is evidence of something nefarious.
6/13/17, 4:07 PM
Amateur. Hillary Clinton has been can't-recalling for decades. She may even mean it by now.
@Browndog Interference is a lesser word than "collusion". Collusion has a legal ring to it for the great unwashed. Interference,hell, everybody knows what that is; nothing legally dangerous about it. If the Dems are falling back on interference- which we can all be fairly certain the Russians tried - then they are into "garbage time".
I watched about 40 minutes of the hearings and did not hear Sessions say "I do not recall" once. There were questions he wouldn't answer, and I think his arguments there were sound. I am sure there were points where he said he could not recall, but nothing on the scale of John Mitchell.
Kamala Harris -- albeit a very attractive woman -- is an obnoxious twit, who kept interrupting. She is a budding authoritarian. I hope she runs for Prez in 2020, and gets thumped.
The only thing to come out of today's hearing is the need for more hearings. And investigations.
Sessions said "yes" to many questions, which raises more questions. Need to order more pipe to drill down to what these answers really mean.
It's not a witch hunt. They can't even flush out any snipes. It's a clown show. Check that, it's a weasel show. Both really.
Just saw a CNN commentator intimate Sessions was selling US space secrets to the Russians. Gag me with a spoon.
Laughable really if the stakes for our nation weren't so high. Turns my stomach.
What do Trump's discussions with Sessions have to do with whether Sessions had a third meeting?
Nothing. One concerns whether sessions shold have recused himself from anyting having todo with firing Comey (Sessions said he and Rosenstein felt for a long time, even before either was confirmed< that the FVI needed a new face) and the other has to so with "collusion."
As one Senator pointed out, the meeting in the hotel was not how collsions works in spy stories (well maybe it could mean something if they were in long term contact and Sessions was passed the location of dead drop in cided form) But the truth it wouldn't work that way, and it means nothing by itself
I'd be ashamed to call myself a Democrat.
The only thing to come out of today's hearing is the need for more hearings. And investigations.
The first question by Warner (paraphrased): Will you submit to endless sessions of interrogation by this and every other committee in the House and Senate?
The second questions by Warner (paraphrased): Will you to agree to submit any document requested, at any time, by this or any committee?
The intention was clear.
Blogger Chuck said...
"Bad Lieutenant, it's barely been more than a day since Althouse asked commenters not to take personal shots at other commenters by name.
This is (at least) your third strike, as far as I am aware.
cc: Ann Althouse"
She has to give those warnings because you come in here and personally attack people you pretend to agree with. Nobody levels the level of vitriol and bile you do.
One commenter is complaining to the teacher.
Snitches get stitches.
Sessions self-righteous indignation over any suggestion of his impropriety turned me off. So, I turned off my TV. Sorry, Jeff, but nothing can top Clarence Thomas's theatrical "high-tech lynching" accusation.
Personally, I hope there is a smoking gun, although I doubt one will be found. I believe his campaign associates and his cabinet are greedy buffoons in the main, but not traitors per se. Certainly, a terrible person like Nixon, or Trump should be removed from office by any legal means possible - preferably by his resignation like what happened in Watergate.
This investigation should continue if for no other reason than to indict Putin, a murderous thug, and a danger to the world.
Session's asked to testify to clear his own name. The committee could have refused to hear him, all the questions about President Trump has nothing to do with anything before the committee.
If the Senators want to get bent out of shape about something, how about the FBI refusing to furnish the names of those requesting unmasking of Americans? But that involves a real crime that incriminates the deep state, not some phony collusion snipe hunt.
The special counsel statute, states that one can only be appointed to investigate a crime, can someone please tell me what crime Mueller is investigating? We know as late as May, that no evidence exists that ties any Trump people to foreign powers. That's according to the IC, and Democrats on the various committees investigating...whatever.
So again, what is the stated Crime being investigated by Mueller.
After this session with Sessions:
1. Trump will get more votes in 2020 than 2016.
2. 2018 is going to net republicans at least 5 senate seats.
Sessions refused to reveal discussions with President Trump, goes back to the Reagan, and the precedent then, that the AG heads the justice dept, but also serves as a legal adviser to the President. Hence the privilege to refuse to talk about any communication.
Session's asked to testify to clear his own name. The committee could have refused to hear him, all the questions about President Trump has nothing to do with anything before the committee.
The opening statement by the ranking democrat remarked that the Committee was looking forward to his testimony, "just not so early in the process".
That should tell you everything you need to know.
Blogger Trumpit said...
"Sessions self-righteous indignation over any suggestion of his impropriety turned me off. So, I turned off my TV."
The beginning of disillusionment. Not even the dumbest of you fools can keep being stupid tools with absolutely no evidence of any wrongdoing.
What an utter joke. These Dem Senators are clueless, hapless and dishonest. They keep intentionally fogging up the issues, rather than trying to clarify.
1. The FBI has opened up a counter-intelligence investigation into Russia.
2. The FBI has not opened up a criminal investigation into Trump.
3. The firing of Comey: (a) doesn't stop the FBI from doing whatever it has been doing for nearly 11 months now and (b) is perfectly within presidential authority.
Have you heard of the expression, "Grasping at straws?"
The problem, and the Left/Dems know this, is that it will look real bad for Mueller to say, "Hey, we looked hard and found nothing there." That is why the Dems were pushing so hard for a special counsel -- to find something, anything. So, the odds are that Mueller will find some underling (Flynn, Page or Stone) to serve as a scapegoat to justify all this madness.
This is all because Hillary LOST an election, while the Dems are still struggling with the Kubler-Ross stages of grief, somewhere between "bargaining" and "acceptance."
@Achilles, deep breath, please. The 2020 elections are three and a half years away. A lot will happen. But if he wins the war in Afghanistan (whatever "winning" looks like after all this time) and defangs ISIS, and if the economy is roaring along as you and I think it will, he will be formidable.
Only five in 2018? I can see Manchin holding his seat -- I now live very near the West Virginia border and consequently I meet a number of West Virginians. I have the sense that they like him as long as he demonstrates independence from Schumer and the idiot left. But smarmy Tim Kaine is in more trouble than he imagines.
Trump fired Comey when he was 3000 miles away from his office and Sessions grabbed every tape and piece of paper that Comey had--and they were doozies. Enough tp put the feear of God in all the resistance forces all the way up to Obama. Nothing will come of this snipe hunt or any future ones.
Session's asked to testify to clear his own name. The committee could have refused to hear him, all the questions about President Trump has nothing to do with anything before the committee.
If the Senators want to get bent out of shape about something, how about the FBI refusing to furnish the names of those requesting unmasking of Americans? But that involves a real crime that incriminates the deep state, not some phony collusion snipe hunt.
It's the Intelligence Committee. Comey already testified nothing Trump did impacted the counterterrorism investigation. Leaks and unmasking are in the committee's wheelhouse. Trump's firing of Comey would be a matter for the Judiciary Committee.
So is Pence president yet?
Any minute now, Seeing Red.
If only Leftists would hold each other's breaths...
too long; didn't watch. Why would I? What in the world is this even about? "Did Sessions meet with the Russian ambassador a third time?" Is that it? Totally bizarre. Some of us are busy rewriting ACA or such.
Let me know if anything happened.
Kamala Harris -- albeit a very attractive woman...
She talks like the cast of Fox's "Empire", and thinks she sounds intelligent.
So is Pence president yet?
Not until January 2025.
I wish Republicans would be smarter.
Sessions is a good and decent man. But he needs to think and act politically. When he was asked if he would come back for more questioning, he should have said, "Are you kidding me?! Here I am, ready to answer questions and you're already asking me to come back again?! You never plan to end this charade, do you? It'll be endless hearings without evidence, just more innuendo. Fuck off."
I read the Forbes story on North Dakota Governor Durgum, and just watched the Trump/Walker forum in Waukesha on job training. Tech schools to train students for the more high tech manufacturing.
Neither mentioned drag queens in the girls bathroom. Neither mentioned free birth control pills. Neither mentioned "equal pay" (in the sense the left uses that term) or "gender equality" (in the sense the left uses that term). None mentioned the Ruskies. No one talked about "Making them pay their fair share".
But they did talk about was job training for the kind of jobs employers and manufacturers need. They talked about putting money into tech schools. They talked about looking at how things are done now and what can be done to make things (such as the school systems) better. No more status que just because. Using technology to improve the states. How to make government more effective and responsive. Not just bloated bureaucracy.
This is why I am a Republican.
The Dem flow chart showing how they can bring Trump down must be spreading into neighboring rooms by now. The viable options are getting slim to nonexistent. We need an investigation.
"and if the economy is roaring along as you and I think it will, he will be formidable."
This is the hill that Trump will live or die on. Everything the Dems do will be based on blocking his chance of improving the economy. Party before country. I wonder if they have to sign a secret oath. We need an investigation.
I heard Trump puts his underware on backwards sometimes. We need an investigation.
Why did he go, "no" when asked if he likes Jason Bourne series, then right on top of that, he shouts out, "Yes!"
I have a question for Inga, who is notably absent today. You claimed that Sessions would not testify today, or any other day. Was the guy we saw a doppelgänger? I am sure he did not testify to Inga's liking, but Sessions was there.
Ah, the poor Dems involved in grilling Sessions...they really don't want to be there nor need to be there do they? The whole reason now for continuing the "Russian meddling narrative" is to save face for Hillary. But who among those Dems really wants her again? They should look out for their own carers instead of dying on that Hillary.
The whole reason now for continuing the "Russian meddling narrative" is to save face for Hillary.
Too late.
I really would like an answer to the question, 'What crime in Mueller investigating?'
I keep paying attention, but I need help understanding Muellers job.
"Why did he go, "no" when asked if he likes Jason Bourne series, then right on top of that, he shouts out, "Yes!""
Humor.
Harris's interrupting was atrocious.
Kamala Harris -- albeit a very attractive woman -- is an obnoxious twit, who kept interrupting. She is a budding authoritarian. I hope she runs for Prez in 2020, and gets thumped.
She did not look attractive and was far too aggressive. If she wants to use the Obama playbook, she had better start acting less aggressive. She does have a smirk like his, though.
Chuck wrote: "Bad Lieutenant, it's barely been more than a day since Althouse asked commenters not to take personal shots at other commenters by name."
Are you serious? Chuck, the phony RINO?
You have insulted me numerous times in a vulgar and extremely unprofessional manner. I think you are a HS drop out pretending to be a lawyer and in need of anger management. It probably won't work because sociopaths rarely do well in therapy.
@ Althouse readers
I apologize for responding to Chuck. He annoyed me and I gave in.
I hope we can all learn to ignore this phony sociopath.
Dave from MN (6/13/17, 5:32 PM)
Try this on for size. It's why I have hope....
Tillerson: “The statement ‘show me your funding and I’ll show you your level of commitment,’ I do not agree with. Funding does not equal results. Show me your results, and I’ll tell you your commitment. What are the results, and then I’ll tell you what I need to deliver on those results. Giving me a pot of money and suggesting that confirms our success and commitment is just simply—I have to take exception to that, I’ve never had that experience.”
https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2017/06/13/senator-chris-coons-complains-the-u-s-state-dept-not-spending-enough-money/#more-134259
Thankfully for those of us who didn't see this for ourselves, not everyone (unlike Althouse) is auditioning for a speaking slot and the next WH Cabinet meeting:
"In sum, Sessions was remarkably unconvincing, defensive and downright snippy. If he is this shaken when questioned by former colleagues imagine how he may wilt under Robert S. Mueller III’s grilling."
https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/wp/2017/06/13/jeff-sessions-wilts-on-the-hot-seat/?hpid=hp_no-name_opinion-card-b%3Ahomepage%2Fstory&utm_term=.d1732bb572bd
"Are you serious? Chuck, the phony RINO?"
Chuck is correct, and I am serious.
If you disagree with Chuck, just make you points on the merits. Calling Chuck a "phony RINO" or something just sets up a boring back and forth. You say something to him, then he feels he needs to answer, then you answer that. It's completely stupid and boring! Stop using my blog as a platform for junk like that. If you don't like his points, counter them with your own points. Don't turn it into personal back and forth. I will delete that sort of crap, but I prefer for you to just show that you get it and act accordingly.
"Harris's interrupting was atrocious."
We know, the victimized white men of America are abused by uppity blacks, incl black gals.
At least old whitey witness man could rely on multiple old whitey man pals to teach that black lady a lesson about respecting old white men. They schooled her good.
Tomorrow is Trump's birthday. He had the presence of mind to be born on Flag Day. What a President!
"I apologize for responding to Chuck. He annoyed me and I gave in. I hope we can all learn to ignore this phony sociopath."
That's the kind of shit I will sometimes delete. But I will call attention to it here for the purpose of showing people what not to do. Quit making it personal. No one cares that it annoyed you. Who are you? People don't come here to find out who annoys you. We only care about YOU if YOU make good points (or are interesting in some way that doesn't set up the dull dull dull back and forth).
"We know, the victimized white men of America are abused by uppity blacks, incl black gals. At least old whitey witness man could rely on multiple old whitey man pals to teach that black lady a lesson about respecting old white men. They schooled her good."
That's racist and demeaning to not only Sessions but to Harris. The notion that she gets to go wild and attack everyone with impunity is patronizing. Shame on you.
"The notion that she gets to go wild and attack everyone with impunity is patronizing."
This did not happen.
I won't explicitly point out what it means for someone to falsely claim that it did.
We know, the victimized white men of America are abused by uppity blacks, incl black gals.
Althouse is not a white man. It helps your argument if you look at who you're arguing with before you just trot out the racism/sexism tripe.
magine how he may wilt under Robert S. Mueller III’s grilling.
OMG! You mean Donny Trump has lost the WaPo! Holy shit!
The entire leftwing democratic machine is a steaming pile of media corruption and lies.
BTW,
I did not watch this thing, but I did see the Harris clip at TPM. So I know that she did not go wild and attack everyone with impunity.
The Dem flow chart showing how they can bring Trump down must be spreading into neighboring rooms by now. The viable options are getting slim to nonexistent.
Looks suspiciously like Hillary's path to the presidency.
Ann wrote: "Quit making it personal. No one cares that it annoyed you. "
I do not disagree with that sentiment. However, you encourage dissenting opinions which morph into personal attacks. Did you forget the highly vulgar personal attacks that Chuck made against me and others? No one has talked to me like that in real life, since jr. HS.
I understand what you are trying to accomplish and it is a good thing. The mistake is that you allow Chuck to be personal and nasty and expect others not to respond. The other trolls tend to be somewhat different and somewhat less blatantly dishonest. Delusional? - Perhaps.
did not watch this thing, but I did see the Harris clip at TPM.
First the WaPo, now Talking Points Memo. This guy goes right to the primary source! No second hand interpretation of the facts for our intrepid analyst!
I didn't watch any of it, but it sure looks like it didn't go well for team impeachment.
I'm trying to see the point or purpose in Harris's multiple questions as to what the specific DOJ policy was in regard to confidentiality of discussions with the President and whether Sessions had reviewed that policy prior to the inquisition, and I can't come up with anything.
Also, I give McCain about six months.
I am glad TalkingPointsMemo provided a clip by which one could judge an entire exchange. No chance of confirmation bias there.
Racism, man! Is there nothing a Democrat won't blame on racism?
"No one cares if it annoys you"
Then why should we care if responding to trolls annoys others or you? This is exactly what Ace was on about last month - if you want rules or standards or some kind of social compact, they should be applied equally.
If you don't care what annoys us, how can you ask us to not annoy you?
Harris is more Brahmin than Black. Uppity is how those guys roll.
Sessions self-righteous indignation over any suggestion of his impropriety turned me off. So, I turned off my TV."
Denial is the first stage.
How dare that innocent man protest his innocence...
...said every good Soviet, ever.
She's our first Indian American Senator say some people. For some reason the Dems don't raise that point very often.
"Sessions self-righteous indignation over any suggestion of his impropriety turned me off. So, I turned off my TV."
-- I have yet to sit down and watch it; I've read bits and pieces. But, it seems like most of the straight reporters have reported it more as justified anger. People he worked with, who not that long ago considered him honest and decent turned and stabbed him in the back to score points calling him a liar, traitor and possibly worse.
He *should* be angry if he is innocent, and if he wants to let the people lying about him know it, that's up to him. I mean, remember how everyone thought it weird that Romney was so calm about the attacks on his character, and people used it to argue that the reason he wasn't angry was because it was true?
I get the feeling that some commentators in the news will use whatever fact presents itself to reach the same conclusions.
This investigation should continue if for no other reason than to indict Putin, a murderous thug, and a danger to the world.
Can't wait for them to slap the cuffs on old Vlad and frog march him to Guantanamo!
"What crime is Mueller investigating?"
Whether Donald Trump conspired with Russian agents to hack into Podesta's email account.
I don't think it's even been established that the Russians were behind the hack. The only evidence is that the hack used Russian malware, which is like blaming Russia because an AK47 was used in a shooting.
AS the story falls apart, the media are trying harder and harder to create the false narrative that the voting machines were hacked and Hillary really won. that's where all of this is going.
People he worked with, who not that long ago considered him honest and decent turned and stabbed him in the back to score points calling him a liar, traitor and possibly worse.
Right. He came back to refute the storyline that he perjured himself. That doesn't mean said something untrue. It means intentionally lying to prevent harm to yourself. It was people on the panel making those accusations and he was quite calm in answering them.
As Ann notes, he answered them all in his opening statement. Further questions were unnecessary for the purpose of the hearing. So when they started insinuating he was stonewalling, setting up the next whisper campaign, he was rightly upset at his former colleagues.
Seriously, why is Harris doing this to herself? She's looking really ugly inside.
"What crime is Mueller investigating?"
Obstruction of justice. Comey's testimony ended that investigation before Mueller could hire his staff.
https://curmudgeonlyskeptical.blogspot.com/2017/05/dnc-assassin.html
"I did not watch this thing, but I did see the Harris clip at TPM. So I know that she did not go wild and attack everyone with impunity."
She was admonished by the chair for her questioning. That probably didn't make it into the TPM video...
Stonewalling, that seems to be the latest crap thrown at the fence to see if it sticks. That is the leftist slant on MSNBC. Last week was the same, accussing President Trump of not cooperating. I havent seen any evidence of either. But, no one has seen evidence of anything that is under investigation, so the Dems are batting 100. I know the Republicans are in charge, but they are afraid of their own shadow, and half of them are wanting to get rid of President Trump too. The establishment is in real danger of losing power with any success by President Trump.
If I can post something that is completely off the point, let me point out that baseball has become really fun this year and a lot more fun than watching the DC shark tank. What's making baseball fun again is all the very long home runs, lead by rookie Aaron Judge (currently leading AL in BA, HR and RBI) and the Baby Bombers.
Of course they're stonewalling. The havent said anything to get impeached for. That's unacceptable!
"Why is Harris doing this to herself?"
She plans to run for a higher office. She needs campaign clips like "Harris DESTROYED Sessions with one question!"
Yes that's right, the bitch is willing to use the Senate Intelligence Committee and a fake impeachment as props to advance herself, and to tell with whatever damage it does to the nation.
"I did not watch this thing, but I did see the Harris clip at TPM."
And watching a clip at TPM convinced 3rd grader that it's all about Harris being "an uppity black woman" and not a rude and obnoxious questioner.
If you give a Dem any chance to play the racism/sexism card, by Gaia he's gonna do it.
"And I fear that some people may find that they wish they hadn't leaked."
- J. Sessions.
The squeaking noises heard in D.C. when he said that were sphincter related.
That's racist and demeaning to not only Sessions but to Harris. The notion that she gets to go wild and attack everyone with impunity is patronizing. Shame on you.
It's also true, Althouse. It might be racist, demeaning, and patronizing, but it's also true.
This place is beginning to sound like the Trump worship service, ooops I mean cabinet meeting.
Senator Cornyn -
Who's Senator Cornyn? Like a dyslexic version of Senator Crayon?
Into whom or what did he put his corn in?
7:27 and 7:28 - a take home test on the Professor's rulebook.
If you give a Dem any chance to play the racism/sexism card, by Gaia he's gonna do it.
Those Democrats! Always refusing to see the good side of racism/sexism and all the good it's done for our country!
Make America Unequal Again!
Shorter Inga: I buy wholesale all the lies pumped into my brain by the leftwing lie machine.
You icky Trump lovers.
That's racist and demeaning to not only Sessions -
Strictly speaking, I understand why it would seem improper to mention something less-than-praiseworthy about Session's race. Nevertheless, he attended segregationist schools and is the third generation in his family to be named after Confederate president Davis. I would think race issues should account for the power of historical continuity, legacy and resonance, no?
Nevertheless, your point is well-taken and this thing should be reviewed on the merits. It's highly interesting to watch. I don't know where it will lead but then again, neither did Ken Starr when he started investigating Whitewater.
Perhaps Trump will be Whitewatered.
See, even Ritmo's sockpuppets admit this is just a fishing expedition.
A coup, simply because they refuse to accept losing an election. How do we respond in kind?
My that sure is a pretty batch of candidates you have for 2020. Would be a shame if anything happened to them.
@3rd Grade I watched enough to get a flavor of the hearing. Sessions more than held his own. Whoever you are linking to at WaPo is full of shit. The best thing I saw Sessions say was that there were serious discussions with Rothenstein about Comey's inappropriate behavior in the Hillary investigation before either was confirmed. Session described Comey's actions as "usurping" the role of the Department of Justice in that investigation. He used that word several times. That certainly seems like grounds for firing - especially since it is not the first time Comey tried that.
"The whole reason now for continuing the "Russian meddling narrative" is to save face for Hillary."
No it isn't. Not a single trump voter has changed their mind.
There was only one election that was rigged in 2016. The democrat primary. And a Bernie supporter caught them and leaked it.
The people pedaling this story know that it is only fooling the idiots in their base. It is pure distraction to keep the democrat party from falling apart. The Bernie wing of the party is only staying because Bernie himself is keeping them there. But Bernie made $1,000,000 last year. $1,000,000. He sold nothing. Built nothing. Did not a single service for anyone. Or did he do one possibly?
Who out there would give Bernie a million dollars and why?
Harris's interrupting was atrocious.
A House/Senate hearing is definitely a good chance for something as political as it is juridical. Finally it's interesting to see one/both of these chambers become responsive to the people. So many court rulings - including one written by Gorsuch today - referred back to the responsibility of the legislature when it comes to neglected statutory text that SCOTUS was asked to fill in. They declined. Before the Congress returns to writing effective legislation, it's interesting and perhaps necessary to see it showcase all the corruption that the people of this greatest, laziest and most thwarted of democracies hate about the Trump administration
@ Eric
I wish Republicans would be smarter.
Sessions is a good and decent man. But he needs to think and act politically. When he was asked if he would come back for more questioning, he should have said, "Are you kidding me?! Here I am, ready to answer questions and you're already asking me to come back again?! You never plan to end this charade, do you? It'll be endless hearings without evidence, just more innuendo. Fuck off."
worth a repeat. This This This!
Kamala Harris is just another cog in the corruption machine herself. She can rot.
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