Here is Congresswoman Water's statement on this legislation:
Like so many of you, we have been shaken by events that have occurred over the last 11 days since Donald Trump was inaugurated. We have been shaken by the lies, the deception, and the stunning level of incompetence.
In just under two weeks, Donald Trump has unnerved our allies, challenged our values, and brought so much instability and chaos to our country. This chaos is sure to please at least one person – Vladimir Putin. For everyone Trump is quick to bully, from world leaders to gold star families, to disabled Americans, there seems to be one person on the world’s stage who can do no wrong in Trump’s eyes. A dictator and former KGB agent who armed Assad in Syria as he attacked innocent civilians appears to be the only man that Donald Trump will not disparage.
Given the extensive ties between Russia and individuals associated with Trump, we cannot ignore the possibility that there may have been collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign.
Both during his campaign and since his election, Donald Trump has surrounded himself with people who have extensive ties to Vladimir Putin and the Russian government.
Paul Manafort, Trump’s former campaign manager, was a paid lobbyist for Viktor Yanukovych, the pro-Russian politician in Ukraine who fled to Russia in 2014 and was subjected to U.S. sanctions related to Russian aggression in Ukraine. Manafort has also been involved in multimillion dollar business deals with Russian and Ukrainian oligarchs, which were reportedly the subject of an FBI inquiry.
Roger Stone, Trump’s longtime friend, is reportedly under investigation for possible links with Russia. He has denied ever visiting Russia but admitted he had worked in Ukraine. Stone announced in a speech last summer that he had spoken to WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, and Stone predicted that there would be additional leaked documents, a prediction that came true within weeks.
Michael Flynn, Trump’s National Security Advisor, did a paid series of events in Moscow, including a speech and appearance at a party for RT, a Kremlin-funded TV station, where he was photographed sitting right next to Vladimir Putin.
Trump’s nominee for Secretary of Commerce, Wilbur Ross, was a business partner of Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian oligarch and Putin ally, in a major financial project involving the Bank of Cyprus.
Finally, former ExxonMobil CEO Rex Tillerson, Trump’s nominee for Secretary of State, signed a multibillion dollar agreement with Russia in 2011 on behalf of ExxonMobil for an oil drilling project in the Arctic.
The project was brought to a halt in 2014 as a result of the sanctions that were imposed on Russia in response to Russia’s aggression in Ukraine. Putin personally awarded Tillerson the “Order of Friendship” in 2013. The financial dealings and alliances in this Trump-Putin circle present obvious conflicts of interest for the Trump Administration, and they are too significant to be ignored.
Why did Paul Manafort and the Trump campaign push for softer language on the Ukraine in the Republican platform last summer? What did Paul Manafort and Roger Stone know about the cyberattacks on their political opponents? Why would Donald Trump deny knowledge of Russian responsibility for hacking even as he encouraged cyberattacks on his political opponent?
We must find out just how involved the Trump campaign was in Russia’s interference in our election. That is why I am introducing a resolution to focus on what Congress must do to thoroughly investigate Trump’s connections with Russia and whether there was collusion between the Trump campaign and the Russian government to influence the outcome of the election.
We cannot allow any investigation led by the Republicans in Congress to whitewash Trump’s ties to Russia or avoid examining these critical questions.
At this point I don't see the Republicans letting this go forward, but it is still important for the Democrats to bang this drum right up until 2018 and continually demand an investigation and accuse their conservative counterparts of collusion if they fail to properly investigate.
In the words of our former VP, "This is a big fucking deal!"
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you Maxine Waters!
ReplyDeleteI have been saying the exact same thing as she so eloquently wrote! When is the investigation? I'm going to write her a note of encouragement today.
There are just so many "shock & awe" policies banged down every day by Trump that his "enemies" can't see straight. It's like a boxing match (including below the belt). Distracting, to say the least, but Dems must work together, but taking separate issues, not duplicating others' work.
DeleteThis is the 'nonlinear warfare'approach that Drumpf is taking, since he likes how it worked so well for Putin. Look it up on YouTube; or if you have the time, watch 'HyperNormalisation':
Deletehttps://youtu.be/tyop0d30UqQ
https://youtu.be/f9m2yReECak
12:37
DeletePowerful and oh so true words! We are doing dividing into groups that take on separate categories.
I had the pleasure of working with Maxine Waters a few years ago. She was in her early 70s then and a total dynamo; a real force of nature. Never met a problem she didn't want to solve. She's 78 now and could run laps around our flabby and flaccid POTUS (who RoguePOTUSstaff reports to be feeling tired lately [SAD]).
DeleteMaxine Waters. Hahahaaaaaa!
ReplyDeleteThe Trump Administration is going to have sleepless nights over Maxine Waters. Not. Hahahahahaaaa!
You don't know Maxine. She rocks. And Trump's a criminal in multiple ways and we all know it.
DeleteBahahahahahaaa Maxine Waters!
Deletehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BtuSioq-pU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hAFjq76Uz0k
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WLeSNNntRc0
Possibly a bigger bigger idiot and useless blowhard than John Lewis.
12;36 -- Shouldn't your post include an lol?
DeleteLet's see. That is four paid responses for you today. You might get enough pesos to tip the pizza guy. That is, if you eat ethnic.
DeleteI have some leftover borscht.
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2017/01/31/steve-bannon-builds-a-new-node-of-power-in-the-trump-white-house.html
ReplyDeleteTillerson was confirmed 56-43.
ReplyDelete"In the vote, 56 senators backed Tillerson, and 43 voted no. The tally was largely along party lines, with every Republican favoring Tillerson, along with four members of the Democratic caucus, Senators Heidi Heitkamp, Joe Manchin and Mark Warner as well as Angus King, an independent.
Democratic Senator Chris Coons did not vote."
Told you the Democrats don't have the balls or the backbone to unite as a block. In this the Republicans are far superior to the Democrats. The Dems will NEVER be able to hold or maintain any sort of obstruction.
Fractured and cowardly.
Manchin is with the GOP all the way b/c of coal. The topic's what fills his Senate website. I was there today to send an email. He's all in on anything to do with oil and coal. He said today that Robert Byrd must be spinning in his grave b/c of the way the GOP is acting regarding protocol, but I think Byrd's spinning in his grave at what a GOP stooge Manchin is.
DeleteRemember their names and get them replaced in 2018!
DeleteAnyone know why Coons didn't vote? He expressed objection in December and voted against him in committee last week.
DeleteI'm 1:33. I just read that Sen. Chris Coons of DE was at Dover and awaiting Trump's arrival. Good reason to miss the vote. The fallen.
Delete"Donald Trump's nomination of Betsy DeVos as education secretary could be in trouble.
ReplyDeleteTwo Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — announced their opposition to DeVos in speeches on the Senate floor Wednesday.
If she loses one more Republican — and all Democrats vote against her — the nomination dies."
But of course they'll fail to get one more Republican and some spineless Democrat will abstain or cross over.
If they can confirm Tillerson DeVos won't have any problems.
Our country is going down the toilet.
That change to the Republican platform was the ONLY one made. Trump was so needing to kiss Putin's ass that he had that single change made, one everyone saw and questioned. And now we know why.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/reuters-orders-reporters-to-cover-trump-like-an-authoritarian-regime-expect-physical-threats/
ReplyDelete"Reuters ORDERS reporters to cover Trump like an authoritarian regime: Expect ‘physical threats’"
Finally -- this bully's tactics are being exposed and expected, so journalists must decide where they draw a line in the sand and not to cross it.
DeleteWhat is happening to the 4 journalists on trial for covering the protests at the Inauguration? Will the ACLU with all their money be able to help them?
http://www.rawstory.com/2017/01/white-house-spokespeople-will-no-longer-appear-on-cnn-because-it-doesnt-promote-trump-agenda/
DeleteHallelujah!
http://www.politico.com/story/2017/02/mike-pence-no-honeymoon-media-234508
DeleteSounds more like CNN has decided not to invite or accept appearances by Conjob and Sphincter.
DeleteSo the White House is doing damage control by using sour grapes to say they don't want to go on that fake news program anyway, nyah nyah.
Spicer refusing to call on CNN during briefings? That's just to start. They'll continue until the others smell the way the wind is blowing and play ball or go home.
#6 on the Fascism hit parade. Control the media.
I hope everyone will write to their Senators and also House Reps. about stopping the media's obsession over the idea of the Dem senators' objections to Gorsuch being obstruction as payback. I especially wanted to strangle Andrea Mitchell this morn when she was interviewing WVA's Sen. Joe Manchin on the matter. He's conservative and has a tough reelection campaign coming. I get that he is from coal country and is one of the last red state Dems left. But he was going on on on, both on CNN and MSNBC, this morn about the Dems just obstructing to obstruct. He's not the fastest or best articulator, so it was easy for Mitchell to spin things and for her to keep pushing this idea of why the Dems are opposed to Trump's choices. The media really seems to be obsessing over the idea of retaliation. They bring up the topic now every chance they get. Soon, the Dems will look like the bad guys. I wrote to all my state's congresspeople to make my observations known. I also wrote to Manchin in case his state state would take an out-of-state email. After submitting it, I got a "thank you" and not a note saying that the email couldn't go through.
ReplyDeleteAnd right now on my TV, C-SPAN has on a vote to repeal regulations. Here are details on what the GOP's up to if anyone's interested.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.vox.com/energy-and-environment/2017/2/1/14459630/congressional-review-act-obama-regs
Keep tuned.
DeleteThey'll be selling 3.3 MILLION acres of National Park land soon.
Unbelievable! Number 5 on that list, the 'Social Security Gun Rule' is supposed to help prevent people with mental impairments (who also receive Disability payments) from being able to purchase a gun. How is that bad?
Deletehttp://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/war_stories/2017/02/steve_bannon_doesn_t_belong_on_the_nsc_that_s_what_the_law_says.html
ReplyDeleteWhy would Donald Trump allow the law to stop him from doing whatever he wants?
DeleteInteresting article, give me hope, question is has he sent it to any senators? or do we have to do all the work.
DeleteThis is our BENGHAZI and we need to be just as relentless with it.
ReplyDeleteNo, it is NOT our Benghazi because it is real and not manufactured.
DeleteKeep dreaming Gryphen.
DeleteI see the Russian Trolls are out in force
DeleteI am glad the democrats are fighting mad. But what I don't get is why now? All of this evidence and information was available 18 months ago. Is there not a vetting process? Why did the Democrats not scream 18 months ago on elevator day? WTF this was a dog eat dog election. They knew it. The DNC failed Hillary and America. They ran an honest campaign unlike criminals from gop/Russia.
ReplyDeleteOverconfidence.
DeleteHubris.
Tunnel vision.
They've been ignoring the people for years.
"Before President Donald Trump appeared before cameras Tuesday night to bestow his Supreme Court rose on Judge Neil Gorsuch, protesters were already gathering outside the Brooklyn office of Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D), demanding he take a firm stand against whichever man Trump nominated."
"The obstruction, defiance and stiff opposition came after a week of progressive outrage at Democratic elected officials, who activists said were too quick to cave to and normalize Trump’s presidency. Progressive activists, of course, have been criticizing elected Democrats for being too weak for decades. But this time the charge is actually landing, and it’s changing the way the party is positioning itself against Trump. "
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/democrats-progressive-base-trump_us_5892149de4b0c90eff016c9d?
"Progressives & other Democrats who possess even a moderate amount of courage and vision need to seriously consider forming a brand new Political Party.
Even those Democratic Leaders we've been able to rely upon in the past - like Elizabeth Warren & Sherrod Brown are rolling over or imitating Ostriches when it comes to the initial battle over Trumps Cabinet Nominees
Ben Carson is totally unqualified to lead HUD - but both Warren & Brown voted to approve his nomination
Millions of ordinary citizens all on their own - not Democratic Party Leaders - organized Anti-Trump marches all over the world"
https://community.aarp.org/t5/Politics-Current-Events/Democratic-Base-Ahead-of-Leadership-Again/td-p/1815651
Yep and waiting for the royal F up. And out they go. Lawsuit after lawsuit.
Deletehttp://www.thedailybeast.com/cheats/2017/02/01/dems-seek-dod-probe-of-flynn-russia-ties.html?via=desktop&source=copyurl
ReplyDeleteO/t, stupid djt going to do what? At slain vet. Then omg his daughter. What a 4 yr old. Can't do anything himself.
ReplyDeleteWe need a new REAL Leader of the free world!!!!!!!!!!
He can never do anything alone when it's something that involves having to show a human side. What a baby.
DeleteBTW, his hair that was dyed for last night's prime time announcement of his handsome and taller-than-Trump SCOTUS pick has already almost washed out. In the WH pics and pics of him walking w/ Ivanka, he was almost back to his old man head of hair. Why does he even bother with the occasional dye job? He uses a due that is meant to last just a couple shampoos. Bizarre.
Well, it's said that Melania and BLOTUS will be at Mar a Lago this weekend, so after two weeks they'll finally see each other. What a marriage. And what an interested FLOTUS--she has sooooo many ideas for what she'll do over the next four years to be of any use to this country. Hah.
$LIME BALL>
ReplyDeletehttp://www.rawstory.com/2017/02/billionaire-trump-appointee-attempting-to-purchase-airline-receiving-millions-in-government-contracts-report/
STOP 'President Bannon'
ReplyDeletehttps://twitter.com/search?q=stop%20president%20bannon&src=tyah
Good for Maxine Waters. I've read this week that there's been some trouble (?) in Ukraine. When Putin sends his tanks in to "help," it will be interesting to see the GOP's reaction and Trump's lack of reaction.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
I was just watching MSNBC talking about this as the first military test for Lardass.
DeleteAnd given that Iran and Russia are allies and both are anti-Isis, why would Trump have Flynn out there threatening Iran today.
So, yesterday night I read that Flynn had gone down in Trump's view since his days of being useful re Hillary taunts. Flynn, I read, had been left out of a meeting that included Bannon and other military/security people. He had to get rid of his Twitter account (as his son had done). People were saying his days could be numbered. But we know how Trump won't fire anyone loyal and doesn't ever admit to a mistake. Today, he had Flynn at the mic talking big. Why? Why, if Flynn's falling out of favor but he isn't going to leave, at least not yet, have Flynn at the mic making that Iran statement? Why him, and why did they have to make the statement? Yes, Iran had tested a ballistic missile, but Trump's people could have dealt with that another way. It just feels like for some reason it was all about making a show of Flynn. Who knows--maybe it was to send a mssg to Putin that all's well in the Trump camp and Putin's friend Flynn's job is safe.
ReplyDeleteThis needs to keep being re-introduced as soon as it is shot down. Change one word in the text, and it is a NEW BILL.
ReplyDeleteShe doesn't have the power and the backing to do any real investigation and enforcement, but bless her heart for actually paying attention.
ReplyDeleteShove the blessing bullshit cliche. (Alas, you people who use it are clueless.) If you had any real interest in civics and political science and understood how things work, you'd not be throwing out such inane comments.
DeleteJust what we want you to think. Paid troll.
Delete3:31 thinks she knows something about civics and poly sci. 2:46 is correct. This goes nowhere, and Maxine Waters is not doing anything but feeding her base and her ego useless calories.
DeletePolitical science and civics, lolol.
DEEP $HIT:
ReplyDeletehttp://foreignpolicy.com/2017/01/30/steve-bannon-is-making-sure-theres-no-white-house-paper-trail-trump-president/
ReplyDeleteFox News
Trump makes unannounced trip to honor fallen Navy SEAL
- 3 hours ago
TRUMP WHO KNOWS MORE THAN THE GENERALS, FEELING A LITTLE GUILTY ARE WE?
Your incompetence and ego cost a mother's son his life you filthy pig.
Yeah you know more than the generals Mr I Can't Go Into the Service because of some bone Spur or something
An Osprey helicopter had to be destroyed in Trump's first mission.
ReplyDeleteTrump you owe America a helicopter/plane and a life.
I sure hope this investigation gets traction.
ReplyDeleteMy one fear is they need the Attorney General's approval to get evidence from the FBI. Whether they can get it remains to be seen.
Gryph, thank you for this. We must keep our eyes on it despite all the WH generated distractions.
ReplyDeletedowl
The Trump Transition team is looking at replacing ALL of the Inspector Generals.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/trump-inspectors-general-firing_us_5890e1e2e4b0522c7d3d95be?section=us_politics
"It was a week before President Donald Trump’s inauguration, and hockey fans in D.C. were watching the Washington Capitals take on the Chicago Blackhawks. The Justice Department’s top watchdog, Inspector General Michael Horowitz, was in the crowd at the Verizon Center when he received a disturbing call.
Just a day earlier, Horowitz’s office had announced that he would be examining the actions of Justice Department and FBI officials in connection with the investigation of Trump’s Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton. FBI Director James Comey’s handling of that investigation had come under intense scrutiny, with many Democrats blaming Comey for Clinton’s election defeat.
Now, on the evening of Jan. 13, Horowitz answered a call from Inspector General John Roth, his counterpart at the Department of Homeland Security. Roth told Horowitz that he’d just been informed by the head of the Trump transition team’s Homeland Security landing team that his job was temporary.
That Trump official “had assumed that I was already in the process of looking for another job,” Roth testified before the House Oversight Committee on Wednesday.
Horowitz, who heads the independent Council of the Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency, was surprised by the call. Although the inspectors general serve at the pleasure of the president, politics aren’t supposed to come into play in the selection of these watchdogs. There is a long tradition of inspectors general sticking around through a presidential transition, and they are expected to play a crucial role in the Trump era."
"Horowitz isn’t the only IG currently conducting an investigation with considerable political consequences. The Intercept reported Wednesday that Roth’s office is looking into the botched rollout of Trump’s executive order banning travelers from seven Muslim-majority countries."