HouseOfRepresentatives

Diverting information foregrounds the developing investigations of Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-FL). The pattern is familiar, defenses that try to construct logical fallacies in preparation for lawfare. Schadenfreude builds as everyone waits for actual indictments. Yet the periphery is littered with a barrage of “facts” including a story reminiscent of Iran-Contra....

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  • March 31, 2021

Because armed struggle in the actual 1776 to cancel a monarchy wasn’t enough for one right-wing think tank, the Heritage Foundation’s usual reactionary silliness now extends to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, apparently because of Biblical miscegeny. x Heritage Foundation mocked for defending British monarchy from American 'radical left”...

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  • March 20, 2021

The measure passed by 398 to 14, with one voting “present.” All of the “no” and “present” votes came from Republicans. 14 House Republicans voted against a resolution condemning the military coup in Myanmar, per @kristin__wilson:Lauren BoebertAndy BiggsMatt GaetzTom MassieKen BuckMary MillerChip RoyJodey HiceAlex MooneyScott PerryAndy HarrisTed BuddBarry MooreMarjorie Taylor...

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  • March 19, 2021

Tuesday morning, I had the first of my two scheduled vaccinations for the coronavirus. I was apprehensive, at first, but once I passed the first phalanx of civilian volunteers, I was met by a battery of fresh-faced Marines, herding, asking me questions, screening me to avoid exacerbating any of my...

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  • March 19, 2021

CA-22 remember that treasonous cowpoke Devin Nunes voted against the $1,400 hitting your bank account.  x Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-NY) calls out Devin Nunes, Ron Johnson, Rudy Giuliani, and other Republicans in Congress for being Russian assets. pic.twitter.com/JTNP4lgFWv — Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 17, 2021 I’m proud that Chairman...

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  • March 18, 2021

The GOP hunt for unicorns continues as only the southern border seems to leak Middle Eastern terrorists (not). This fiction was floated during the “caravan” scare pimped during the midterm election and is a continuation of the “Muslim Ban” from the first month of the Trump regime. “Sir Lanka” (whoever...

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  • March 16, 2021

Marjorie Taylor Green, unburdened by House committee work, should put a bit more time into her trolling banter. Sadly, this was no different than the previous guy’s issues with thinking the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico weren’t part of the US, and his minions’ interest in giving Alaska back to Russia....

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  • March 12, 2021

On Friday, three hours of Castor and Schoen defending Trump, demonstrating that there will be very fine people on both sides in an insurrection somehow not connected to the incitement of Trump. Worse will be that somehow Trump had rights to foment violence as a clear and present danger to elected officials....

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  • February 11, 2021

The Trumpist GOP identifies its allegiances. Nice to see Philip Bump using DKos data. Eleven members of the House Republican caucus took the unusual step Thursday of supporting a Democratic-led effort to punish freshman Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.) for comments she made before coming to Congress. It was the latest...

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  • February 6, 2021

Marjorie Taylor Greene brings the John Birch Society and its conspiracy nonsense back to the foreground, reminding us how the Koch brothers kept the GOP, now GQP always strange. x House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy defends Marjorie Taylor Greene: “Denouncing Q-on, I don't know if I say it right, I...

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  • February 4, 2021

Living, working, and surviving as a black man in a national community that sees you as an inferior, from time to time the question is asked, ‘ do you think there will be a second civil war?’ In my lifetime, I remember the question being asked when my great-granny clutched...

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  • February 1, 2021

Howie Klein writes that Katie Porter was denied a waiver in order to serve on the financial services committee. There certainly will be plenty to do on the Oversight and Natural Resources committees, especially with post-Trump excesses and the climate initiatives, but she will be missed. On Thursday evening, I...

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  • January 15, 2021

For those watching it live, perhaps there’s something you’d like to share. x LIVE –> U.S. House: Debate & Vote on Impeachment Resolution Against President Trump https://t.co/hs4hOa7PcF https://t.co/UQdjoZAQHm— CSPAN (@cspan) January 13, 2021 It began easy enough, GOP talking about unity, Democrats bringing the articles forward reminding us that they...

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  • January 13, 2021

Even after getting past 6 January, the new Congress until the next election will have GOP members willing to repeat the same Trumpian foolishness. As Raffensperger’s response to Trump underscored, individuals who carried out duties faithfully — including some GOP senators who will count Biden electors and state legislatures that...

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  • January 5, 2021

Mooo.  The GOP “farmer” in the hell, gets his participation trophy at the Battle of Bowling Green. https://twitter.com/zachsdorfman/status/1346218438214234112?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients GW Bush: Nelson Mandela, Julia Child, Muhammad Ali Obama: Harvey Milk, Toni Morrison, Gloria Steinem Trump: Rush Limbaugh, Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan pic.twitter.com/OVRg6TiEmZ — ALT-immigration (@ALT_uscis) January 5, 2021...

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  • January 5, 2021

Unfortunately, the House will seat the 140 GOP representatives pledged to object to the election certification. 17 days left. “Trump Won.” Earlier, I filmed new Congresswoman @mtgreenee She is wearing a mask that says “Trump Won.” Earlier, I filmed new Congresswoman @mtgreenee. She is wearing a mask that says “Trump Won.”...

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  • January 3, 2021

We know for sure that Mo Brooks lives in the Phantom Zone, or is it on Bizarro World. The Post is asking every Republican member of Congress the same three questions today. We will report back their answers. The questions are: pic.twitter.com/P1ptrZU4cr — The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) December 3, 2020 Rep....

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  • December 3, 2020

William Barr’s opening statement has been released and apparently anarchists abound as the Mueller report signaled a “bogus Russiagate scandal”. Hopefully House questioners will ask Barr why sending DHS “contractors” to cities isn’t the kind of provocation where gaslight gets thrown on a fire.  x YouTube Video x In an opening...

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  • July 28, 2020

Bill Barr has refused to appear before the House Judiciary committee but other witnesses have not. This could be a bigger deal, if only to remind how Barr’s entire career as a Republican “fixer” might be laid bare. Not exactly impeachment but the basis for post-Trump prosecution might be created....

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  • June 17, 2020

Trump posted this before he went to bed this morning. Probably angry about the threat of wind turbine cancer. x This will never be approved by me, or any other Republican! https://t.co/jWcGaS2QZC— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 24, 2020 Considering there’s a # #MoscowMitchSlushFund and opaque accountability for where the $500...

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  • March 24, 2020

Colorado’s 4th congressional district seems to be in good hands as Ken Buck (R) selfies a cosplay SYG in his DC office, practicing negligent gun safety by pointing it at his poor intern. x .@RepKenBuck, had I seen this yesterday when in DC I gladly would have. My daughter died...

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  • March 6, 2020

The ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, ladies and gentlemen: x Devin Nunes asks if the Russians only like Republicans, why did they let the Republicans lose the House of Representatives pic.twitter.com/tPzzUSN6dZ— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) February 21, 2020 < p class=”is-empty-p”> “And you notice how, when they win elections,...

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  • February 21, 2020

Super Bowl calendars seem to rule the US Senate, much like bad faith. Susan Collins and Mitt Romney seem to be ready to ask for witnesses, but at this writing there’s no further information. Lisa Murkowski said that she will make an announcement tomorrow. Even if there’s a tie on...

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  • January 31, 2020

To the extent that fundraising can be seen as a bellwether for voter enthusiasm, this story from Politico is both eye-opening and encouraging: House Republican leaders privately conceded in a closed meeting Tuesday morning that they are in the midst of a full-blown fundraising crisis, which would imperil any chance...

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  • January 28, 2020

​Could there be a second impeachment: Impeachment2 The interlocked role of trials, evidence, and witnesses seems pretty clear, and no amount of GOP illogical reasoning can finesse it.  Since the M.O. of the GOP is to use some procedural wrangling to swiftly move IMPOTUS to brag about exoneration claims, Speaker Pelosi should continue to...

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  • January 9, 2020

OK, it’s not Kabuki as much as it is Shadow Puppetry. What makes anyone think Trump won’t run to court to get an injunction against Bolton, claiming executive privilege and national security, if Bolton receives a subpoena? Any competent court would rule against Trump, but Trump would appeal. That litigation...

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  • January 7, 2020

America’s stupidest congressional representative decided to test his ethical responsibility. NEW: GOHMERT became the first lawmaker to publicly name a person purported by some Trump allies to be the whistleblower. Schiff warned there could be ethics consequences for something like this, though his office is declining to comment. https://t.co/nzDXoovdtc —...

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  • December 12, 2019

Rep. Peter Welch to Jim Jordan: "I'd be glad to have the person who started it all come in and testify. President Trump is welcome to take a seat right there!" pic.twitter.com/YbCvHKfKeV — Matt Rogers 🎃 (@Politidope) November 13, 2019 The overheard voice of President Trump on the call Ambassador...

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  • November 13, 2019

Hand grenade and a “drug deal”. Updates to come, there is a lot of traffic at the links, so please be patient The transcript for Vindman can be found here, and Hill’s transcript is here. House investigators have released the deposition of Fiona Hill, who until earlier this year served as the top Russia...

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  • November 8, 2019

Trump seems to have only just realized that there will be public hearings in the House with today’s release of deposition transcripts for Fiona Hill and Alexander Vindman. Your administration sure seems to have an odd habit of covering up all your completely legal and "perfect" actions. https://t.co/7LbIQWfhus — John...

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  • November 8, 2019

The call was perfect, so perfect that unlike his written responses during the Mueller report, Florida Man should appear in open session and testify before Congress. Because isn’t he the stable genius, smarter than all his generals. He’s all about the stunts, and because short of dog-wagging, he’s now going...

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  • November 8, 2019

Adam Schiff announced the release of transcripts from closed door testimony by Yovanovitch (316 pages) and McKinley (156 pages). Volker and Sondland testimony transcripts to be released tomorrow. This release of depositions of Marie Yovanovitch and Michael McKinley offsets the absence of WH witnesses today as “no-shows” resisting subpoenas. BREAKING: House Democrats...

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  • November 4, 2019

Even if he’s still a war criminal, John Bolton will get his place in history perhaps for a less ignominious act. In June, national security adviser John Bolton warned U.S. diplomats that Rudy Giuliani would prove to be a problem, much like “Washington lobbyist Robert Livingston kept popping up and recommending...

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  • October 31, 2019

Even if he’s still a war criminal, John Bolton will get his place in history perhaps for a less ignominious act. In June, national security adviser John Bolton warned U.S. diplomats that Rudy Giuliani would prove to be a problem, much like “Washington lobbyist Robert Livingston kept popping up and recommending...

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  • October 31, 2019

“I don’t know if he’s guilty of treason,” she said. “But I do know…everything that he says, understand that he’s projecting his own” qualities. House leaders had hoped the Senate could hold a trial before Christmas. But with witnesses lining up to testify, a January trial is increasingly likely… “I...

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  • October 30, 2019

Holy Cow Patties, we didn’t even hear a peep from Devin during the storming of the SCIF, but he’s been a busy cowpoke. NEW: A top aide to Rep. Devin Nunes has been providing conservative politicians and journalists with information—and misinformation—about the anonymous whistleblower who triggered the biggest crisis of...

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  • October 29, 2019

Coming home to roost, no one wants to be caught being the scapegoat for the obvious movement toward impeachment. The music will stop, and there aren’t enough chairs. Neal Katyal says the House committees “have the goods” to move forward. Even Steve Bannon thinks Nancy Pelosi “will impeach the President”. MAYBE...

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  • October 28, 2019

  White House stonewalling and foot-dragging will be addressed by this resolution responding to the GOP stunts and whining about process. Procedures for assembling the articles for impeachment will be derived as well as the evidence that will correspond to the now 55% that favors impeachment and removal. A Thursday...

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  • October 28, 2019

Secrecy is still the only defense for Trump’s abuses of power and preventing testimony is now failing since the Arms for Dirt scandal is even more obvious than the events examined by the Mueller report. As the inquiry has plowed forward, Trump has expressed anger at the number of people who...

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  • October 26, 2019

In today’s House testimony, Philip Reeker helped fill in the story about how the Ambassador to Ukraine was unfairly removed, firming up the abuse of power argument, even if bribery and other actions were clearly evident. Notable—Trump ally Andrew McCarthy now argues that Trump should not deny the existence of a...

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  • October 26, 2019

John Bolton got a book deal after he was fired by Trump, so any appearances in favor of Democrats will be another in a lifetime of expedient acts. We can’t forget his history of what some would call war crimes, but so many such criminals continue to walk free in...

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  • October 26, 2019

The Wall Street Journal in an editorial tries to rationalize the GOP stunt of crashing the Capitol SCIF. Because like the GOP, they’ve got nothing but process objections. Apparently fitness for office is irrelevant because Trump’s infallibility assumes that shooting someone on Fifth Avenue requires hitting a barn door. An editorial...

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  • October 24, 2019

The protest is over, after delaying the hearing for five hours. Laura Cooper of the DoD is testifying. The sit-in was held by GOP House members not on the relevant committees in the SCIF facility. PIzza was ordered and apparently no one was arrested. Republicans forming a literal mob to obstruct...

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  • October 23, 2019

The road to the bunker seems a lot clearer after William Taylor’s testimony, in which he clearly describes the regular and irregular agenda channels in the Arms for Dirt scandal. Three “amigos” and Rudy are described clearly in Taylor’s opening statement. Of them, Sondland now appears to have perjured himself. Even...

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  • October 23, 2019

‘My most disturbing day in Congress so far’: Democrat leaves US diplomat’s hearing shaken by Ukraine testimony Bill Taylor, the Ukraine envoy, seems to have given the most devastating day’s worth of testimony. Mr. Taylor was alarmed about the efforts to recruit Ukraine to serve Trump politically, linking those efforts...

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  • October 22, 2019

Keeping it simple, even as there’s so much obstruction, self-dealing, and just basic corruption. x READ: Pelosi's 'fact sheet' on Trump impeachment Speaker Nancy Pelosi's office on Monday released a “fact sheet” detailing allegations against Trump amid House Democrats' ongoing impeachment inquiryhttps://t.co/tpKuSqtEb3— Indivisible Network (@IndivisibleNet) October 21, 2019 Trump Shakedown and...

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  • October 22, 2019

The Russians have always been there. Whether they’re political officials, hackers, or organized crime figures, we’ve never really left the Mueller report and the Steele dossier. Reminder: Mueller Report noted that Jared Kushner & Flynn met on Nov 30, 2016 w. Russian Ambassador Kislyak: they “discussed US policy toward Syria, and...

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  • October 19, 2019

If they’re innocent why are they not cooperating. Let's be clear: The President of the U.S. Senate – still a Congressional body – is rejecting a Congressional request for information. Pence is irredeemably conflicted. He either should resign as Senate President or follow the rules.https://t.co/wdywUvbTlA — Joel Rubin (@JoelMartinRubin) October...

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  • October 16, 2019

Axios reports that the twin pillars on which the impeachment inquiry will center is Ukraine and obstruction of justice. The advantage of the latter is that it also folds in as a structure the Mueller report when the bill of impeachment gets constructed. It also indicates where the cover-up will be...

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  • October 13, 2019

Such a wack letter refusing to cooperate did allow for the possibility that Trump reviewed it but the Daily Beast reports that Trump had a much deeper role, which explains the rhetorical craziness. The simplistic Trumpian lexicon did reveal itself in the use of adjectives like “powerfully” and phrases like...

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  • October 12, 2019