Robert Mueller version of "From Russia with Love."

Thought in light of todays news this would be very fitting.
This is amazing. #MuellerTime #Comeyday pic.twitter.com/67x9M76bUG

— AgentHades (@AgentHades) October 28, 2017

Yes, it's a little wishful thinking perhaps.

But you have to admit that it is well done.

Speaking of subpoenas here are the others also being asked to testify in the Russia investigations.

JUST IN: Mueller interviewed cybersecurity expert who claimed he was recruited to collude with Russia: report https://t.co/2xaHUS0X6T pic.twitter.com/PuzcneKAYV

— The Hill (@thehill) October 17, 2017

 Courtesy of The Hill: 

Special counsel Robert Mueller has interviewed a cybersecurity expert who claims he was "recruited to collude with the Russians" in the 2016 election, Business Insider reported Tuesday. 

Matt Tait, a former information security specialist for Britain's Government Communications Headquarters was interviewed weeks ago by Mueller, according to a source familiar with the investigation. 

Tait claimed that he was recruited by a longtime GOP operative tied to the Trump campaign, Peter W. Smith, to obtain emails deleted from Hillary Clinton's private email server that they believed were hacked by the Russians. 

Smith reportedly told people during his investigation that he was affiliated with President Trump's former national security adviser, Michael Flynn.

Actually Mueller and his team have been quite busy.

Courtesy of Politico: 

President Donald Trump’s former press secretary Sean Spicer met with special counsel Robert Mueller's team on Monday for an interview that lasted much of the day, according to multiple people familiar with the meeting. 

During his sitdown, Spicer was grilled about the firing of former FBI director James Comey and his statements regarding the firing, as well as about Trump’s meetings with Russians officials including one with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in the Oval Office, one person familiar with the meeting said.

Spicer was essentially that "fly on the wall" that we talk about who overhears everything, even things he should not be hearing.

And considering how he was treated there is no reason to think he is not perfectly willing to share all that he knows. 

And speaking of flies on the wall let's not forget that Mueller has already interviewed Reince Priebus.

Former adviser Carter Page has also been subpoenaed by the Senate Intelligence Committee. He of course has already spilled his guts to the FBI.

Yep things are most definitely heating up.

Is it any wonder that Trump is trying to get the whole thing shut down?

Russia investigation roundup.

Courtesy of CNN: 

The IRS is now sharing information with special counsel Robert Mueller about key Trump campaign officials, after the two entities clashed this summer over both the scope of the investigation into Russia's meddling in the 2016 election and a raid on former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort's home, people briefed on the matter tell CNN. 

Part of the concern centered on the far-reaching and broad requests from Mueller's team. In the case of Manafort, Mueller's investigators are reaching back 11 years as they investigate possible tax and financial crimes, according to search warrant documents. Mueller is bound by a written order issued by Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein in May which allows the special counsel to investigate "any matters that arose or may arise directly from the investigation." 

After several months of being at odds, one source said, the IRS Criminal Investigation division is now sharing information about campaign associates, including Manafort and former White House national security adviser Michael Flynn. The sharing happened after the two camps reached an agreement following consultation with officials at the Treasury Department.

The IRS had already been working with the FBI since even before the election, but now that they are also sharing information with Mueller's team I imagine that Trump's orange tinted anus just slammed shut hard.

However that is by no means the only avenue that Mueller and his team are exploring.

Also courtesy of CNN: 

Special counsel investigators could start interviewing current and former White House staff as soon as later this week regarding the Russian probe, two sources familiar with the matter tell CNN. 

One source cautioned it is still being worked out with Robert Mueller's office and said it might be delayed until next week. 

As CNN previously reported, among the people Mueller has expressed interest in speaking with are former and current White House staffers whom investigators consider witnesses, including former chief of staff Reince Priebus, former press secretary Sean Spicer, communications director Hope Hicks, White House counsel Don McGahn, communications adviser Josh Raffel and associate counsel James Burnham. 

Mueller's team also approached the White House about interviewing staffers who were aboard Air Force One for the creation of the initial response to news of Donald Trump Jr.'s Trump Tower meeting with a Russian lawyer, sources previously told CNN.

This news has inspired Spicey to finally hire a lawyer. But not just any lawyer.

Courtesy of the Daily Beast:  

The president’s former press secretary has tapped Chris Mead, a high-powered criminal defense attorney, to handle issues related to the special counsel Robert Mueller’s probe, The Daily Beast has learned. 

According to his bio page at the firm London & Mead, Mead specializes in white collar criminal defense and Congressional investigations, as well as issues related to the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act——a law that bars Americans from bribing foreign government officials. His law firm bio also boasts that he gained “extensive experience in money laundering” prosecutions when he was a prosecutor for the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland.

"Bribing foreign governments" and "money laundering," now isn't THAT interesting?

And Spicy may need that kind of high priced legal help, because according to Senator Blumenthal the first indictments are coming soon.

Courtesy of Politico:  

Criminal charges against two former top advisers to President Donald Trump are virtually certain, Democratic Sen. Richard Blumenthal said Tuesday. 

Michael Flynn and Paul Manafort are almost sure to be indicted as a result of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s probe into Russian interference in the 2016 election, the Connecticut senator told POLITICO. 

“I'm about 99 percent sure there will be some criminal charges from this investigation,” said Blumenthal, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee. Blumenthal has also served as a U.S. attorney and spent 20 years as his state's attorney general.

I have a feeling that this week is going to be very interesting indeed.

And by the way let me take a moment to address the Chicken Little's in the group who keep suggesting that we are allowing Trump to distract us from this investigation with his tweets and crazy ass comments to the press.

Chill the fuck out. We can absolutely entertain more than one thought in our heads at a time.

For my part I am never NOT thinking about this Russian investigation, but that does not mean I am unable to also post about a variety of other topics.

There is almost too much to cover in a single day, but we do our best.

However it cannot simply be Russia, Russia, Russia 24 hours a day.

That would be boring even to those of us with a laser like focus on those investigations.

Don't you worry when a new story breaks about the investigation you will most definitively see it covered here on IM.

Now if you will excuse me I have a Sarah Palin story to write up next.

Sean Spicer kept copious notes?

Courtesy of Axios:  

When Spicer worked at the RNC, he was said to have filled black books emblazoned with the party's seal. Spicer was so well-known for his copious notes that underlings joked about him writing a tell-all. 

One source familiar with the matter said that the records were just to help him do his job. 

"Sean documented everything," the source said. 

That surprised some officials of previous White Houses, who said that because of past investigations, they intentionally took as few notes as possible when they worked in the West Wing. 

When we texted Spicer for comment on his note-taking practices, he replied: "Mike, please stop texting/emailing me unsolicited anymore." 

When I replied with a "?" (I have known Spicer and his wife for more than a dozen years), he answered: "Not sure what that means. From a legal standpoint I want to be clear: Do not email or text me again. Should you do again I will report to the appropriate authorities."

Well that's an awfully defensive response.

Kind of makes one think that Spicer has already been legally required to hand those notebooks over, and is not allowed to discuss it.

Yes in case you are wondering Spicer is indeed one of the people identified as on Mueller's list of folks he wants to interview.

One White House official said that people are going to wish they had been much nicer to Sean Spicer because he was at a whole lot of meetings.

Methinks that Donald Trump might be one of those who will regret how he treated Spicer.

Lawyers for Trump aides advise them not to lie to protect their boss.

Courtesy of Politico:  

Lawyers representing Donald Trump’s current and former aides are giving their clients one simple piece of advice: Don’t lie to protect the president. 

As special counsel Robert Mueller and congressional investigators prepare to question high-ranking aides — including Hope Hicks, Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer — in the coming weeks, Trump’s long history of demanding his employees’ complete loyalty is being put to the test.

But Trump stalwarts know the president is closely following the media coverage of the Russia case — and the last thing they want is to be deemed a turncoat whose answers end up becoming further fuel for investigators. 

Several of the lawyers representing current and former aides told POLITICO they’re actively warning their clients that any bonds connecting them to Trump won’t protect them from criminal charges if federal prosecutors can nail them for perjury, making false statements or obstruction of justice. 

“What I always tell clients is you can’t protect anybody. You can only hurt yourself,” said a lawyer representing a client involved in the Russia probe. The attorney added that any overt attempts to protect Trump will raise wider suspicions of a cover-up, making matters “worse for everybody.”

At this point, considering the loyalty that Trump demands of his people, I would be willing to bet that somebody is going to get charged with perjury. I think is kind of baked into the process at this point.

They will either do it out of some sense of gratitude or loyalty, or because they actually believe that Trump will ultimately protect them.

I would suggest that neither Sean Spicer of Reince Priebus are among those in danger of facing jail time however, as I see both of them as having been around politics too long, and having been too mistreated by Trump, to sacrifice their freedom to protect him from what they likely see as his unavoidable fate.

The thing about this Mueller investigation in particular is that he is going to gather a ton of folks who have knowledge of certain events, and if a Trump loyalist's story does not match that of everybody else they are truly FUBAR'd.

I am not certain that a person like Hope Hicks completely appreciates the gravity of their situation however.

She would be my first choice as one who would go down with the ship.

Melissa McCarthy wins Emmy for her portrayal of former White House press secretary Sean Spicer. So well deserved.

Courtesy of The Hill: 

Melissa McCarthy brought home an Emmy this weekend for her memorable impersonation of former White House press secretary Sean Spicer on "Saturday Night Live." 

The actress won an Emmy for best actress on a comedy series at the Emmy’s creative arts awards Sunday, according to The Associated Press. The awards are a precursor to the main show next weekend. 

McCarthy’s impersonation of Spicer, featuring her driving a podium through New York City, firing a water gun at reporters and repeatedly threatening to run them over with the podium, drew wide praise.

There are very few positives to take away from the Trump presidency (And THAT'S an understatement if ever there were one.) but  McCarthy's impersonation of "Spicey" was certainly my favorite.

It pure joy watching what McCarthy did with these skits, and I firmly believe that the fact they upset Trump so much is part of the reason that Spicer ultimately got the big heave ho.

Here let's just take a moment to remind ourselves why she is so deserving of this honor.

Yep, still makes me laugh myself sick.

Made even better by the fact that you just know this is really fucking with Donald Trump's day. 

Robert Muelller wants to talk to White House aides. Including the ones that Donald Trump treated like crap.

Courtesy of WaPo:

Special counsel Robert S. Mueller III has alerted the White House that his team will probably seek to interview six top current and former advisers to President Trump who were witnesses to several episodes relevant to the investigation of Russia’s meddling in the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the request. 

Mueller’s interest in the aides, including trusted adviser Hope Hicks, former press secretary Sean Spicer and former chief of staff Reince Priebus, reflects how the probe that has dogged Trump’s presidency is starting to penetrate a closer circle of aides around the president. 

Each of the six advisers was privy to important internal discussions that have drawn the interest of Mueller’s investigators, according to people familiar with the probe, including his decision in May to fire FBI Director James B. Comey. Also of interest is the White House’s initial inaction after warnings about then-national security adviser Michael Flynn’s December discussions with Russia’s ambassador to the United States. 

The advisers are also connected to internal documents that Mueller’s investigators have asked the White House to produce, according to people familiar with the special counsel’s inquiry.

My favorite thing about this is the fact that Trump TOTALLY abused and humiliated both Reince Priebus and Sean Spicer, so you have know that they want to spill their guts big time.

That Hope Hicks woman might be a tough nut to crack, but both Priebus and Spicer look like the prison bitches in those movies who sing like canaries the second the screws bring them into the warden's office.

Mueller has others on his Christmas list as well.

In addition to Priebus, Spicer and Hicks, Mueller has notified the White House he will probably seek to question White House counsel Don McGahn and one of his deputies, James Burnham. Mueller’s office has also told the White House that investigators may want to interview Josh Raffel, a White House spokesman who works closely with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner. 

White House officials are expecting that Mueller will seek additional interviews, possibly with family members, including Kushner, who is a West Wing senior adviser, according to the people familiar with Mueller’s inquiry.

Kushner is another soft touch who will start talking the minute he learns the only food they provide during the interrogation is from a vending machine.

Once again, Donald Trump is fucked.

Donald Trump has the attention span of a toddler, unless he is being handed his twice daily folder of positive news about himself.

I knew I was doing a good job.

Courtesy of Vice News: 

Twice a day since the beginning of the Trump administration, a special folder is prepared for the president. The first document is prepared around 9:30 a.m. and the follow-up, around 4:30 p.m. Former Chief of Staff Reince Priebus and former Press Secretary Sean Spicer both wanted the privilege of delivering the 20-to-25-page packet to President Trump personally, White House sources say. 

These sensitive papers, described to VICE News by three current and former White House officials, don’t contain top-secret intelligence or updates on legislative initiatives. Instead, the folders are filled with screenshots of positive cable news chyrons (those lower-third headlines and crawls), admiring tweets, transcripts of fawning TV interviews, praise-filled news stories, and sometimes just pictures of Trump on TV looking powerful. 

One White House official said the only feedback the White House communications shop, which prepares the folder, has ever gotten in all these months is: “It needs to be more fucking positive.” That’s why some in the White House ruefully refer to the packet as “the propaganda document.”

No wonder this idiot thinks that any negative coverage he hears must be "fake news." He lives in a bubble of positive affirmations.

When Vice reached former spokesperson Sean Spicer he said this story was "not accurate on several levels," but did not clarify which levels those were nor refute the fact that Trump DOES receive these propaganda documents.

Vice also heard from Obama's White House officials who said that the President would have laughed out loud if they had tried to feed him bullshit like this: “His was a reality-based presidency.”

Yeah, remember those?

You know every morning I wake up thinking that I cannot think less of Donald Trump than I did the day before, and every day I am incorrect.

And they call liberals "snowflakes."

The Daily Show creates video homage to the now departed Sean Spicer.

Oh that was.....let's just say beautiful.

But I think we all know what we will miss most about Spicey leaving.

 Oh yeah, I feel a hole in my heart already.

Sean Spicer quits.

BREAKING: AP sources: White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has resigned over hiring of new communications aide.

— The Associated Press (@AP) July 21, 2017

I guess Spicey did not like the news that Trump is bringing in Anthony Scaramucci to do his job.

I'm telling you right now this is just the beginning.

Remember the spokesperson for Trump's legal team also just quit.

There are also rumblings that this is a temporary position for Scaramucci and that his ultimate job trajectory has him taking over for Reince Priebus.

Shit's getting real now. 

Late last night the White House issued a warning accusing Syria of preparing to gas its people. US defense officials have no idea why.

Statements from @PressSec on #syria pic.twitter.com/gEqPAf6WBk

— Sean Spicer (@PressSec) June 27, 2017

Okay so this was broadcast on cable news last night. (I personally saw it toward the end of the Rachel Maddow Show.)

And on the face of it this seems like kind of a crazy way to announce that the president of Syria is about to murder his own people again. Typically this would be addressed through diplomatic channels and the public would only become aware if there were an imminent military response planned by the United States. (And seriously what does "pay a heavy price" even mean?)

But then it gets even weirder.

Courtesy of The Independent: 

The White House has said it believes the Syrian government is planning a chemical weapons attack and warned Bashar al-Assad that his regime will “pay a heavy price” it it does so. However, several US defence officials have said they are not familiar with the intelligence that informed the statement.

White House officials did not respond to requests for comment on Monday night on the allegations or what form US retaliation would take. 

Several sources across the US State Department, Pentagon and Central Command, which oversees the country’s military operations in Syria and Iraq – said that they did not know what had prompted the unprecedented threat to the Assad regime. 

Okay, okay, let's back the fuck up here.

Are we to believe that the White House received intelligence that the Pentagon did not receive which justified a threat like this?

I call bullshit.

I am beginning to think that Donald Trump is becoming so desperate over those Russia investigations that he is literally considering plunging this country into a war simply to distract the public.

Spicey's out!

Courtesy of US News:  

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer will step back from giving reporters the daily press briefing and is searching for his replacement at the podium. 

"We have sought input from many people as we look to expand our communications operation. As he did in the beginning, Sean Spicer is managing both the communications and press office," White House officials said in a statement Monday.

Spicer will continue to fill the duties of the communications director – a post that has been empty since the end of May after the resignation of Mike Dubke.

This is almost anti-climatic after so many weeks of talk that Spicer was about to get the old heave ho.

Apparently they have reached out to Right Wing talk radio host and Fox News contributor Laura Ingraham who clearly has the soulless eyes and lack of conscience to do the job.

However I doubt even she can keep up with the constant avalanche of lies that pours from this administration, or the bosses Twitter tantrums.

My prediction is that whoever gets the job will almost immediately regret taking it and may not last terribly long on the front firing line.

I will also have fond memories of Sean Spicer's tenure at the podium.

In fact here is perhaps my favorite White House press conference of his.

(Okay I am being told that this is a clip of Melissa McCarthy doing an SNL skit, and NOT Sean Spicer. Still my favorite though.)

Sources suggest that Trump might fire Special Counsel Robert Mueller. Go ahead pretend you're surprised by this.

Chris Ruddy to @JudyWoodruff: President Trump is considering firing special counsel Robert Mueller, who he considered for another position. pic.twitter.com/X4IIHlh8at

— PBS NewsHour (@NewsHour) June 12, 2017

Courtesy of Vox: 

A friend of President Donald Trump says that Trump is “considering perhaps terminating” special counsel Robert Mueller — an action that, if carried out, would mean a crisis over the rule of law in the United States. 

The friend — Christopher Ruddy, founder of the conservative website Newsmax — told Judy Woodruff of PBS NewsHour that the president is considering firing Mueller, who is overseeing the Russia investigation. “I personally think it would be a very significant mistake.” 

Ruddy is a longtime friend of Trump and has reportedly been in touch with the president and his close aides at various points this year.

When asked about this White House spokesman Sean Spicer responded with this:

Spicer on Chris Ruddy claiming Trump thinking about axing Mueller pic.twitter.com/wLFq4PFEwc

— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) June 13, 2017

You will notice that Spicey did not bother to deny that Trump was thinking of firing Mueller.

However that statement irritated Trump's buddy Ruddy, who responded with this:  

Ruddy, the CEO of conservative news organization NewsMax, said Spicer’s statement doesn’t deny his claim and attempts to undermine him. “Spicer issued a bizarre late night press release that a) doesn’t deny my claim the President is considering firing Mueller and b) says I didn’t speak to the President about the matter — when I never claimed to have done so,” Ruddy told Politico. 

“Memo to Sean: focus your efforts on exposing the flim-flam Russian allegations against POTUS and highlighting his remarkable achievements! Don’t waste time trying to undermine one of your few allies.”

And with that I think we have officially found ourselves in the reality television version of the presidency.

All that is left is for a drunken Melania to turn over a table in the White House banquet room and accuse one of the dinner guests of making goo goo eyes at her man, and for a cat fight to break out between Stephen Bannon and Reince Priebus.

Personally I hope that Trump does fire Mueller, because after that there will be NO question that Trump is working to obstruct his Russia investigation.

Besides as Congressman Adam Schiff says, it would just be a waste of time.

If President fired Bob Mueller, Congress would immediately re-establish independent counsel and appoint Bob Mueller. Don't waste our time.

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) June 12, 2017

Nobody wants to be Trump's new FBI Director. White House becomes political version of "Lord of the Flies."

Courtesy of Reuters:  

The Trump administration's search for a new FBI director hit roadblocks on Tuesday when two high-profile potential candidates, a moderate judge and a conservative senator, signaled they did not want the job. 

Advisers to Judge Merrick Garland and U.S. Senator John Cornyn of Texas told Reuters they discouraged them from leading the Federal Bureau of Investigation, cautioning that they would be leaving important, secure jobs for one fraught with politics and controversy. 

The advisers, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, said the new FBI director would have little job security and heightened scrutiny by political observers following President Donald Trump's abrupt firing of James Comey on May 9. 

Garland and Cornyn distancing themselves from the selection process just three days before Trump has said he may make a decision, points to the difficulties the White House has in filling the FBI post amid turmoil in the administration.

Actually Trey Gowdy also took his name out of consideration.

And who can blame these people?

After all the White House has definitely hit the iceberg and is taking on water at an alarming rate.

In fact the entire thing might capsize at any minute.

This from the New York Times:  

The president’s appetite for chaos, coupled with his disregard for the self-protective conventions of the presidency, has left his staff confused and squabbling. And his own mood, according to two advisers who spoke on the condition of anonymity, has become sour and dark, and he has turned against most of his aides — even his son-in-law, Jared Kushner — describing them in a fury as “incompetent,” according to one of those advisers. 

As the maelstrom raged around the staff, reports swirled inside the White House that the president was about to embark on a major shake-up, probably starting with the dismissal or reassignment of Sean Spicer, the press secretary.

Yeah like Sean Spicer is the problem here.

But wait, there's more:  

Some of Mr. Trump’s senior advisers fear leaving him alone in meetings with foreign leaders out of concern he might speak out of turn. General McMaster, in particular, has tried to insert caveats or gentle corrections into conversations when he believes the president is straying off topic or onto boggy diplomatic ground. 

This has, at times, chafed the president, according to two officials with knowledge of the situation. Mr. Trump, who still openly laments having to dismiss Mr. Flynn, has complained that General McMaster talks too much in meetings, and the president has referred to him as “a pain,” according to one of the officials.

So now we are at the part of the movie where the mad king starts having his advisers beheaded as he slips further and further into the icy grip of madness.

You know the fifth season of House of Cards is scheduled to return at the end of this month, but I am wondering if there is even an audience for it anymore.

After all why turn our attention to a fictional account of a White House in crisis, when we have a real live version going on right before our eyes?

Several White House officials suggest that spokesperson Sean Spicer might soon be replaced with Fox News host.

Oh God, I hate my life.

Courtesy of The Hill: 

President Trump has reportedly considered replacing White House press secretary Sean Spicer, and has raised a Fox News host as a possible spokesperson. 

Six West Wing officials told The New York Times that the president is considering the most far-reaching shake-up of his first term after being dissatisfied with several top aides, especially Spicer. 

Trump has discussed Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle as a possible press secretary, according to the Times, which noted that the president has also spent several hours with Spicer this week praising his TV "ratings" during briefings.

Yes that is what Trump does. He talks you up to your face while searching for the perfect place to insert the knife in your back.

Think James Comey.

(This by the way is not unprecedented as George W. Bush also hired Fox host Tony Snow as HIS White House spokesperson briefly in 2006.)

It also kind of makes sense as Trump tends to blame everybody but himself when things go wrong, and Spicer has been struggling to keep up with the avalanche of lies coming out of the White House and failing to do so.

It perhaps is also not helping that SNL frequently pokes fun at Spicer every chance they get.

Oh yeah, that's going to leave a mark.

Speaking of Fox News it appears that Congressman, and recent recipient of Obamacare, Jason Chaffetz might be headed to that network as well:

Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-UT) has made no public announcement about what he plans to do after finishing out his final term in Congress, but he has been telling Capitol Hill colleagues he may soon head to Fox News, the Washingtonian reported Saturday. 

Two Republican lawmakers who have spoken to Chaffetz, as well as four House Republican aides, told the newspaper that he said he plans to take on a “substantial” on-air position for the conservative news channel. 

This move may come as early as July, according to the report—over a year and a half before his term in Congress would end.

Why doesn't Fox News simply end the charade and publicly identify themselves as a clearing house for former and future Republican politicians and White House staff members?

I mean it's not like we actually think they are a legitimate cable news station.

Donald Trump completely undermines the official White House story by admitting that he was going to fire James Comey "regardless of recommendation."

BREAKING: I was going to fire Comey anyway, Pres. Trump tells @LesterHoltNBC in exclusive interview at White House https://t.co/MAmo1PE1RL

— NBC Nightly News (@NBCNightlyNews) May 11, 2017

Did you hear that?

The official White House story was that Trump was only responding to recommendations from Deputy Attorney General Rod J. Rosenstein and Attorney General Jeff Sessions.

And that was repeated by various White House personnel, including Sean Spicer and VP Mike Pence.

As you might imagine this caused a virtual explosion on the internet.

Trump just took the White House's official account of Comey's ouster and lit it on fire.

— Jordan Fabian (@Jordanfabian) May 11, 2017

Trump's statement he "was going to fire regardless of recommendation" contradicts every on-the-record statement from WH aides in past 2 days

— Jennifer Epstein (@jeneps) May 11, 2017

PENCE yesterday: Trump chose to "accept" & "support" Rosenstein/Sessions rec.

TRUMP today: "I was gonna fire regardless of recommendation"

— Matthew Nussbaum (@MatthewNussbaum) May 11, 2017

Translated: Trump admits his administration has been intentionally lying to Americans for days. pic.twitter.com/T320IRO4nP

— Jon Negroni (@JonNegroni) May 11, 2017

And believe it or not that admission was only one of the bombshells in this interview.

Courtesy of WaPo:

President Trump said FBI Director James B. Comey told him three times he was not under investigation — once at a White House dinner when Comey was seeking to remain in his post and in two phone calls, including one initiated by the president, according to an interview with NBC News. “I said, ‘If it’s possible, would you let me know am I under investigation?’ He said, ‘You are not under investigation,’’’ Trump said. 

Trump said Comey came to eat dinner with him at the White House. “I think he asked for the dinner. . . . And he wanted to stay at the FBI, and I said I’ll, you know, consider and see what happens … But we had a very nice dinner, and at that time he told me, ‘You are not under investigation.’ ’’ 

The exchange as described by the president is remarkable since he said the FBI director was discussing an ongoing investigation with the president — something Justice Department policy generally prohibits — at the same time Comey was seeking assurances he would remain in his job.

That dinner was only one of the times that Trump demanded to know if he was under investigation, according to him he also asked Comey two other times on the phone and was told no both times.

Okay, why would you ask THREE different times if you were not worried that you WERE under investigation?

Now try to imagine how you would feel if you were being asked by the president of the United States whether you were investigating him or not.

If the answer was yes, would YOU answer truthfully?

Trump went on to claim that part of the reason that he fired Comey was this:

“Look, he’s a showboat, he’s a grandstander,” the president said. “The FBI has been in turmoil. You know that. I know that. Everybody knows that. You take a look at the FBI a year ago, it was in virtual turmoil, less than a year ago. It hasn’t recovered from that.”

While you are reading this please keep in mind the HUGE fit that the Republicans threw after learning that Bill Clinton boarded Attorney General Loretta Lynch's plane while the private server investigation was still going on.

This is a sitting president demanding to know if he is being investigated and then later firing the guy in charge of that investigation for no clear reason.

I patiently await the Republican outrage that is sure to follow.

A Huckabee stands in for Sean Spicer as White House spokesperson and claims that James Comey committed "atrocities." Wait, what?

The White House deputy press secretary just said Comey committed “atrocities.” Atrocities. pic.twitter.com/mVGnavpz49

— Bradd Jaffy (@BraddJaffy) May 10, 2017

Courtesy of Newsweek: 

Before President Donald Trump fired FBI Director James Comey on Tuesday, he had wanted to do so “since the day he was elected,” Deputy White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during Wednesday’s press briefing. 

Comey’s firing, which the White House blamed on his supposed mishandling of the Hillary Clinton email investigation, dominated Wednesday’s press briefing. Earlier in the day, Trump clarified the reason for Comey’s termination, saying: "He wasn't doing a good job. Very simply. He was not doing a good job." 

Sanders offered few new details about the events that led to Comey’s firing, but at one point described Comey’s handling of the Clinton emails as an example of the “atrocities” he committed as director. “Once you take over leading the department of just, that’s very different from being a candidate in a campaign,” she said. “I think also having a letter like the one he received and having that conversation that outlined the basic, just, atrocities in circumventing the chain of command in the Department of Justice.”

Look I have been just as critical of James Comey as probably anybody, but even I have not labeled anything that he has done as an "atrocity."

And as for Trump wanting to fire Comey "since the day he was elected," how does the Huckabee spawn explain this:

Trump just literally blew a kiss to James Comey at a WH reception for law enforcement pic.twitter.com/HwVq9DNdZd

— Richard Hine (@richardhine) January 22, 2017

You don't typically blow kisses to folks you are planning to get rid of, unless of course you are a Mafioso or something.

So if you are wondering why there was a Huckabee lying to the White House press today instead of the Easter Bunny, well it appears that somebody may have needed a little quiet time after announcing the firing of Comey yesterday.

This is what Newsweek reported took place after Spicer yelled to the press that Comey was kaput: 

Aides said he would speak to press about the termination, which was blamed on Comey's supposed mishandling of the investigation into Hillary Clinton's use of a private email server while secretary of state, then changed their answers and said he wouldn't. Outside, Spicer appeared on Fox Business with Lou Dobbs, at times stuttering and misspeaking, at one point saying the attorney general had been terminated before quickly correcting himself. Photographers could be seen at the edges of the frame taking pictures of Spicer as he spoke with Dobbs.

"What I can tell you is the president, when given these recommendations, made a decision to accept their conclusions and to remove director Comey and begin that restoration of confidence and leadership that needs to happen there," Spicer said. 

The Post detailed also that "Spicer spent several minutes hidden in the bushes" while his press assistants negotiated the terms of a briefing. He stepped out, and asked for the lights on set to be turned off. They were.

WH Press Secretary Sean Spicer speaks to reporters about the firing of FBI Director Comey as he walks into the West Wing. #FBIDirector pic.twitter.com/c2SNG63lIr

— Doug Mills (@dougmillsnyt) May 10, 2017

I'm sorry, Spicer hiding in the bushes, and then demanding that the lights be turned off before he agrees to talk to the press is just hysterical.

I would try to feel a little empathy, but he took this job knowing who he was working for, so all of this should not be coming as a surprise.

By the way Melissa McCarthy is hosting SNL this weekend, so perhaps it is time to start taking bets as to how long Spicey is going to be punching that time clock. 

White House spokesperson Sean Spicer calls Sally Yates a "Hillary supporter," and uses that as excuse for why her warnings about Flynn were not taken seriously.

Courtesy of HuffPo: 

Sally Yates’ warning couldn’t be fully trusted, press secretary Sean Spicer said, because she was “a political opponent” of Trump and a supporter of Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton. 

“Just because someone comes in and gives you a heads-up about something and says, ‘I want to share some information,’ doesn’t mean that you immediately jump the gun and go take an action,” Spicer said. “I think if you flip this scenario and say, ‘What if we had just dismissed somebody because a political opponent of the president had made an utterance?’ you would argue that it was pretty irrational to act in that matter.” 

Asked how he knew Yates was a Clinton supporter, Spicer said: “She was widely rumored to play a large role in the Justice Department if Hillary Clinton had won.” 

Spicer also repeatedly referred to Yates’ warning as “a heads up” about Flynn – a less urgent description than the one Yates outlined in her testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Monday.

It should be noted that Sally Yates offered evidence to support her allegation that Michael Flynn was compromised, but Trump fired her before he even saw that evidence. 

Dismissing a thirty year professional like Sally Yates, as simply a "Hillary supporter" is not only insulting but I think it smacks of misogyny. 

The facts are that Sally Yates did her job, and if the Trump White House had listened to her on the Michael Flynn matter, as well as the Muslim ban, they would have saved themselves a whole truckload of problems.

But why would they listen to her?

After all she was only a woman.

"That's a fence." Watch Sean Spicer desperately trying to convince White House reporters that some rinky dink fencing is the equivalent of Trump's promised border wall.

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

“Just one question about the photos,” Spiering interrupted. “Are those photos of fences or walls.” 

Spicer insisted that his photos were of walls, even though he referred to them as fences earlier. 

“There are various types of walls that can be built under the legislation that was just passed,” he opined. 

“That is a fence,” Spiering said. 

“That is called a levee wall,” Spicer replied. 

“It’s not the wall the president promised,” CNN correspondent Jim Acosta observed. 

“Hold on, Jim, we’re going to take turns,” Spicer said. 

“So you’re basically just telling the president’s supporters to be satisfied with this existing tough-guy fencing thing until he’s ready to build the wall?” Spiering asked. 

“No!” Spicer exclaimed. “What I’m telling anybody is that the president said he’s going to build a wall and he’s doing it. And he’s using the best technology.” 

“That’s what I’m telling you.”

Keep in mind that this Charlie Spiering is from Breaitbart news. So these answers were not even convincing to a news agency that is predetermined to agree with everything that comes out of this White House.

I have to admit that when I watched this exchange this morning it really cracked me up. 

As I watched Spicer almost turning himself inside out in an attempt to convince these reporters not to believe what their eyes were telling them but in what he was saying instead, all I could think is how much fun Melissa McCarthy could have with this on SNL.

In some ways this is a prime example of the difference between what Donald Trump promised on the campaign trail and what he can actually deliver in real life.

New investigation launched into Michael Flynn's ties to Russia. White House spokesperson now blaming Obama.

Courtesy of CBS News: 

The ranking member of the House Oversight Committee said he doesn't understand why the White House is "covering up for Michael Flynn" after President Trump fired him. 

At a Thursday morning press conference with members of the House and Senate, Rep. Elijah Cummings, D-Maryland, said that the office of the Defense Department inspector general will be launching its own investigation into former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn's dealings with the Russian government, specifically his apparent failure to disclose payments by a foreign source. 

"General Flynn's attorney says he discussed his trip to Moscow with the DIA (Defense Intelligence Agency), but we have no evidence, not a shred, that he disclosed his payments which is what he emoluments clause is all about, from RT, the Kremlin-backed propaganda outlet. And we have no evidence -- zilch -- that he obtained permission from the secretary of the Army and secretary of State to accept any foreign government payments as required by law," said Cummings. 

"[The White House] should be bending over backwards to help us. It does not make any sense, and it makes the American people think the White House has something to hide," he said. "Here is a paper trail that the White House does not want our committee to follow, but let it be known we will follow it and we will follow it with everything we got." 

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer has called the Oversight Committee's request for documents from the transition period "ridiculous," and he also said that everything under discussion occurred before he was employed by the Trump administration. 

That's right the newest White House strategy is to blame the Obama Administration for not vetting Michael Flynn better.

This was Sean Spicer yesterday.

In short the Trump Administration is blaming Obama for not doing the job that THEY should have done before appointing Flynn National Security Adviser.

However they are forgetting one important detail.

As Liar Sean Spicer tries to blame Mike Flynn's Russian dealings on President Obama, let us all remember, MIKE FLYNN WAS FIRED BY OBAMA! 👍

— Ricky Davila (@TheRickyDavila) April 27, 2017

Yes, yes he was.

So knowing this WHY would the Trump Administration not investigate why that happened and then conduct their own security clearance? 

Hmmm?