Jeff Sessions warns the White House that if Trump fires Rod Rosenstein he might have to quit as well.

Courtesy of WaPo: 

Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently told the White House he might have to leave his job if President Trump fired his deputy, Rod J. Rosenstein, who oversees the investigation into Russian interference in the 2016 election, according to people familiar with the exchange. 

Sessions made his position known in a phone call to White House counsel Donald McGahn last weekend, as Trump’s fury at Rosenstein peaked after the deputy attorney general approved the FBI’s raid April 9 on the president’s personal attorney Michael Cohen.

Sessions’s message to the White House, which has not previously been reported, underscores the political firestorm that Trump would invite should he attempt to remove the deputy attorney general. While Trump also has railed against Sessions at times, the protest resignation of an attorney general — which would be likely to incite other departures within the administration — would create a moment of profound crisis for the White House. 

In the phone call with McGahn, Sessions wanted details of a meeting Trump and Rosenstein held at the White House on April 12, according to a person with knowledge of the call. Sessions expressed relief to learn that their meeting was largely cordial. Sessions said he would have had to consider leaving as the attorney general had Trump ousted Rosenstein, this person said. 

Another person familiar with the exchange said Sessions did not intend to threaten the White House but rather wanted to convey the untenable position that Rosenstein’s firing would put him in.

Now this may seem as if Sessions is finally sticking his chest out to defy his president, but he might be doing exactly what Trump wants him to do. 

Trump has already been warned about firing Sessions by his Republican supporters, who like and support the former Senator.

But if he fires Rosenstein, who his cohorts are already vilifying, and then Sessions quits of his own accord, that leaves Trump free and clear to appoint a new Attorney General who will not have to recuse himself from the Russia investigation and can hobble Robert Mueller with new guidelines and restrictions. 

This would allow Trump to gain back a little control, enough that he might even successfully neuter Mueller and make it almost impossible for him to do his job effectively.

As much as it pains me to say, the best thing for this investigation is that Jeff Sessions stays right where he is.

Of course it would also be very helpful if he did not fire Rod Rosenstein but I feel the writing is already on the wall.

This almost got lost in all of the recent news lately, but yet another Republican is jumping ship.

After discussions with my family & careful reflection, I have decided to leave Congress in the coming weeks. Serving the people of #PA15 has been a tremendous responsibility & the privilege of a lifetime. pic.twitter.com/p8mik6s8ix

— Rep. Charlie Dent (@RepCharlieDent) April 17, 2018

Charlie Dent was actually one of the least odious Republicans, I think they called him a moderate or something like that.

Which I think in conservative circles means he was not one who masturbated with his gun while staring at a picture of Ronald Reagan. 

However he was a Republican so he has gotta go.

And now there is one more opportunity for Dems to pick up yet another House seat.

Looking good for 2018 my friends. 

Texas Rep. Blake Farenthold abruptly resigns amid sexual harassment allegations.

Courtesy of CNBC: 

Rep. Blake Farenthold resigned abruptly Friday, months after sexual harassment allegations against the Texas Republican surfaced. 

Farenthold, who has represented Texas' 27th District since 2011, said in December he would not seek re-election this year. The 56-year-old becomes only the latest member of Congress to resign in recent months following sexual misconduct allegations. 

"While I planned on serving out the remainder of my term in Congress, I know in my heart it's time for me to move along and look for new ways to serve," Farenthold said in a statement Friday. 

A 2014 harassment lawsuit brought by a former staff member against Farenthold was settled using $84,000 in taxpayer money. The congressman's former communications director, Lauren Greene, accused him of making sexually inappropriate comments. Other former aides have spoken to media outlets about a toxic work environment.

Pajama boy is out?

Aww. what a shame. 

Personally I have no idea how he lasted as long as he did.

I mean the guy's like a poster boy for inappropriate sexual behavior.

Some of the allegations about the conduct in his office, and among his staff, are quite shocking.

Looks like we can chalk up another win for the #MeToo movement, and the Blue Wave.

Cable news analyst quits and sends final message to his Fox News peers.

Courtesy of Buzzfeed: 

On March 1st, I informed Fox that I would not renew my contract. The purpose of this message to all of you is twofold: 

First, I must thank each of you for the cooperation and support you've shown me over the years. Those working off-camera, the bookers and producers, don't often get the recognition you deserve, but I want you to know that I have always appreciated the challenges you face and the skill with which you master them.

Second, I feel compelled to explain why I have to leave. Four decades ago, I took an oath as a newly commissioned officer. I swore to "support and defend the Constitution," and that oath did not expire when I took off my uniform. Today, I feel that Fox News is assaulting our constitutional order and the rule of law, while fostering corrosive and unjustified paranoia among viewers. Over my decade with Fox, I long was proud of the association. Now I am ashamed. 

In my view, Fox has degenerated from providing a legitimate and much-needed outlet for conservative voices to a mere propaganda machine for a destructive and ethically ruinous administration. When prime-time hosts--who have never served our country in any capacity--dismiss facts and empirical reality to launch profoundly dishonest assaults on the FBI, the Justice Department, the courts, the intelligence community (in which I served) and, not least, a model public servant and genuine war hero such as Robert Mueller--all the while scaremongering with lurid warnings of "deep-state" machinations-- I cannot be part of the same organization, even at a remove. To me, Fox News is now wittingly harming our system of government for profit. 

As a Russia analyst for many years, it also has appalled me that hosts who made their reputations as super-patriots and who, justifiably, savaged President Obama for his duplicitous folly with Putin, now advance Putin's agenda by making light of Russian penetration of our elections and the Trump campaign. Despite increasingly pathetic denials, it turns out that the "nothing-burger" has been covered with Russian dressing all along. And by the way: As an intelligence professional, I can tell you that the Steele dossier rings true--that's how the Russians do things.. The result is that we have an American president who is terrified of his counterpart in Moscow. 

I do not apply the above criticisms in full to Fox Business, where numerous hosts retain a respect for facts and maintain a measure of integrity (nor is every host at Fox News a propaganda mouthpiece--some have shown courage). I have enjoyed and valued my relationship with Fox Business, and I will miss a number of hosts and staff members. You're the grown-ups. 

Also, I deeply respect the hard-news reporters at Fox, who continue to do their best as talented professionals in a poisoned environment. These are some of the best men and women in the business.. 

So, to all of you: Thanks, and, as our president's favorite world leader would say, "Das vidanya."

Okay that last remark was right on target.

The above is a message from now retired Lt. Colonel Ralph Peters, and former Fox News "expert."

There has been virtually no time in the past where I have found anything admirable about this guy, but apparently there is an ethical line that even HE will not cross.

Now let's watch and see if any other Fox News folks reach there limit in the next few months. 

Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser, quits. Update!

Courtesy of New York Times:  

Gary D. Cohn, President Trump’s top economic adviser, plans to resign, becoming the latest in a series of high-profile departures from the Trump administration, White House officials said on Tuesday. 

The officials insisted there was no single factor behind the departure of Mr. Cohn, who heads the National Economic Council. But his decision to leave came after he seemed poised to lose an internal struggle amid a Wild West-style process over Mr. Trump’s plan to impose large tariffs on steel and aluminum imports. 

“Gary has been my chief economic adviser and did a superb job in driving our agenda, helping to deliver historic tax cuts and reforms and unleashing the American economy once again,” Mr. Trump said in a statement to The New York Times. “He is a rare talent, and I thank him for his dedicated service to the American people.” 

Mr. Cohn is expected to leave in the coming weeks. He will join a string of recent departures by senior White House officials, including Mr. Trump’s communications director and a powerful staff secretary.

"Another one bites the dust
Another one bites the dust
And another one gone, and another one gone
Another one bites the dust, yeah
Hey, I'm gonna get you too
Another one bites the dust"

I have never read an actual report on how long after the first rat jumped off of the Titanic before the last one joined him, but if this White House is any indication, it was not long after.

I would not be surprised right now to learn that the main activity inside Trump's White House involves staffers printing off copies of their resume.

Oddly enough this guy does not seem to recognize what is happening around him. 

Pres. Trump on White House turmoil: "Everybody wants to work in the White House. They all want a piece of that Oval Office." https://t.co/NkJuIoh4fP pic.twitter.com/PGBgv0JA6T

— ABC News (@ABC) March 6, 2018

You know the worst lie you can tell, is the one you tell yourself.

Update courtesy of Blomberg:

President Donald Trump demanded economic adviser Gary Cohn’s cooperation on tariffs in a meeting in the Oval Office Tuesday -- asking Cohn directly if he would support his decision to move forward with the plan. 

Cohn would not offer his support, according to two people familiar with the episode -- and just hours later, the White House announced Cohn’s resignation.

I figured something like this is what happened.

Some leaders like to surround themselves with experts to provide help with difficult decision making.

Trump surrounds himself with sycophants who are immediately fired once their lips dare to leave his ass. 

CNN reports that Hope Hicks suddenly decided to quit after being berated by Donald Trump.

Courtesy of Mediaite:  

On Tuesday, White House Communications Director Hope Hicks reportedly admitted to the House Intelligence Committee that she’s told “white lies” for President Donald Trump. On Wednesday, she announced her resignation. 

A new report suggests the two developments may not be unrelated. 

According to CNN, Trump was furious with the head of his communications shop following her testimony. In a report presented on OutFront with Erin Burnett, the host (citing an unnamed person identified as a Trump ally) said that the president “berated” Hicks following her testimony on Tuesday. 

“That source telling me Hicks departure was sudden,” Burnett continued. “The source saying Trump berated Hicks after her testimony to Congress yesterday, you know, the nine hours in which she admitted to telling lies on behalf of the president.” 

“According to the source, Trump asked Hicks after the testimony, how she could she be so stupid,” Burnett continued. “And apparently that was the final straw for Hope Hicks.”

Of course the official story is that Hicks has been planning this move for quite some time now, but no reporter had even hinted at that. And for the leakiest White House in America's history that simply did not pass the smell test.

So if this report is correct that Hicks was Trump's "last emotional crutch," and that she is abruptly leaving him high and dry after he berated her, I have no idea how much worse things are about to get inside that White House.

Hope Hicks is resigning as White House Communications Director.

Courtesy of the New York Times:  

Hope Hicks, the White House communications director and one of President Trump’s longest-serving advisers, said Wednesday that she was resigning. 

Ms. Hicks, 29, a former model who joined Mr. Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign without any experience in politics, became known as one of the few aides who understood his personality and style and could challenge the president to change his views. 

Ms. Hicks had been considering leaving for several months. She told colleagues that she had accomplished what she felt she could with a job that made her one of the most powerful people in Washington, and that there would never be a perfect moment to leave, according to White House aides. 

Her resignation came a day after she testified for eight hours before the House Intelligence Committee, telling the panel that in her job, she had occasionally been required to tell white lies but had never lied about anything connected to the investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 election.

I think that admission of telling "white lies" put a target on her back for the Mueller team and she knows it.

I also think that once she is out of the White House she is going to no longer be a reliable defender for Donald Trump and that she may start singing like a canary in order to get herself a deal like the one that Rick Gates just received.

Have to wonder who will read to Donald Trump, give him the bad news that he only wanted to hear from Hicks, and compose his tweets for him first thing in the morning with her now leaving?
I goddamn guarantee you that Trump is crapping his overweight adult size Depends right now. 

How the take down of Al Franken was orchestrated by the Right Wing and supported by Russian Twitter bots.

Courtesy of Newsweek:

While everyone has been focused on Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election to support Donald Trump, the Franken take-down originated in—and was propelled by—a strategic online campaign with digital tentacles reaching to, of all places, Japan. Analysts have now mapped out how the initial accusation against Franken by Hooters pinup girl and lad-mag model Leeann Tweeden was turned into effective propaganda after first being hinted at by right wing black ops master Roger Stone.

A pair of Japan-based websites, created the day before Tweeden came forward, and a swarm of related Twitter bots made the Tweeden story go viral—and then weaponized a liberal writer's criticism of Franken. The bot army, in tandem with prominent real live human right-wingers with Twitter followers in the millions, such as Mike Cernovich, spewed thousands of posts, helping the #frankenfondles hashtag and the "Franken is a groper" meme effectively silence the testimonies of eight former female staffers who defended the Minnesota Democrat before he resigned last year. 

The operation commenced on November 15, when Roger Stone— who is now banned from Twitter for racism and profanity—tweeted from one of his accounts “Roger Stone says it’s Al Franken’s ‘time in the barrel.’ Franken next in long list of Democrats accused of ‘grabby’ behavior.” 

On the same day, a web domain called realusa.site was registered in Japan by a developer named Atsufumi Otsuka. A fake-news website was then established at that web address, and then a second one was created a few days later, according to research shared with the voting rights research outfit Unhack the Vote. 

Tweeden’s account of being groped by Franken was first amplified by a network of right wing media, including KABC in Los Angeles, where Tweeden has a radio show, The Hill, Infowars and Breitbart, which mobilized within hours of Stone's tweet and the release of a picture of a Tweeden and Franken clowning around at a USO performance before he was a senator.

By November 17, the trending of “Al Franken” was officially also a Russia Intelligence operation, according to the Alliance for Securing Democracy, an organization tracking Russian social media accounts, based on a sample taken that day of 600 of the fake accounts.

There is apparently a sophisticated botnet called "The Voty botnet" that was instrumental in pushing a story by a liberal writer called “Dear Al Franken, I’ll Miss You But You Can’t Matter Anymore” out to millions of people.

That article provided legitimacy for actual liberals to pile on Al Franken as well, and before you knew it Democrats like Kirsten Gillibrand were calling for his resignation. 

The rest, as they say, is history. 

And this serves as yet another reminder that it is not only the Right Wing who can be manipulated by Russian tactics online, but also seemingly intelligent liberals.

We have to examine literally every bit of information we see to discover its roots, and to determine if it is indeed accurate, before we accept it as fact.

This puts a huge burden on each of us, but right now this is essentially our only defense against allowing ourselves to be used to spread and weaponize misinformation.

Yesterday Trump's director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention resigned after it was revealed she bought stock in tobacco companies while serving in that position.

Courtesy of Buzzfeed:  

Brenda Fitzgerald, the director of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, resigned from her role at the agency this week. 

Fitzgerald's departure was announced by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services in a statement on Wednesday morning, citing financial conflicts of interest. 

"Dr. Fitzgerald owns certain complex financial interests that have imposed a broad recusal limiting her ability to complete all of her duties as the CDC Director. Due to the nature of these financial interests, Dr. Fitzgerald could not divest from them in a definitive time period," HHS spokesperson Matt Lloyd wrote in the statement statement. 

On Tuesday, Politico reported that Fitzgerald had traded tobacco stock, including shares in an international tobacco giant Japan Tobacco, after assuming the lead role at the public health agency in July.

What a good idea for the person in charge of helping to protect Americans from preventable disease to attempt to benefit financially by purchasing stock in companies whose product causes the death of millions of people a year.

Seriously, what a great message that sends.


Is ANYBODY that Trump puts in charge of these agencies, actually qualified to be in charge of these agencies?

Okay sorry, I realize that is a stupid question.

Mike Pence is rapidly losing top aides while talk swirls about a possible interview with Robert Mueller.

Courtesy of CNN:

Vice President Mike Pence's chief lawyer and domestic policy director are leaving his office at the beginning of the new year, according to four sources familiar with the staff turnover. 

The moves come amid high tensions and staff turnover in the Trump administration thanks to the ongoing Russia probe and a new tell-all book about West Wing happenings. 

"These moves have been in the works for weeks," the vice president's communications director confirmed to CNN. 

CNN has learned that longtime senior staffers Mark Paoletta and Daris Meeks are leaving Pence's office. The announcement was made by chief of staff Nick Ayers in a staff meeting at the beginning of the week. 

Paoletta and Meeks' departures follow two other top Pence aides who have left the Office of the Vice President: chief of staff Josh Pitcock and press secretary Marc Lotter. The vice president's staff is considerably smaller than the West Wing, making the departures a more notable shift at the beginning of the new year.

There has been talk for over a month that Pence will soon have his time testifying before the Muller team, which of course makes sense since Pence was in charge of the transition, and has been present at a lot of meetings with Flynn, Jared, and Donald Jr..

Apparently this possibility really troubled Steve Bannon who tried to keep Pence insulated from some of the more troubling goings on in the Trump White House.

Courtesy of Raw Story: 

It’s been widely reported that former White House political strategist Steve Bannon thought that Donald Trump Jr.’s infamous Trump Tower meeting with Russian officials was “treasonous.” 

However, author Michael Wolff also claims that Bannon worried that Vice President Mike Pence was similarly attending problematic meetings — and he worked to protect him from them because he saw Pence as a solid backup plan in the event of President Donald Trump’s impeachment. 

Specifically, Bannon worried about Pence taking meetings with Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner and First Daughter Ivanka Trump, whom he’d decided were, in Wolff’s words, “Russia toxic.”

“Bannon observed a hapless Pence in a lot of ‘wrong meetings,’ and helped to bring in the Republican operative Nick Ayers as Pence’s chief of staff, and to get ‘our fallback guy’ out of the White House and ‘running around the world and looking like a vice president,'” writes Wolff.

Bannon apparently believed that at some point Trump would definitely be forced from office, and he wanted to keep Pence squeaky clean so that he could carry the agenda forward once Trump was no longer gumming up the works. 

Here's hoping that his attempts to protect Pence failed to work, and that Mueller has significant dirt on him as well.

Al Franken's last day in the Senate will be January 2nd.

Courtesy of Reuters:  

U.S. Democratic Senator Al Franken, who earlier this month announced his plan to resign following sexual misconduct allegations against him, will step down on Jan. 2, a representative for the lawmaker said on Wednesday.

The 66-year-old former comedian from Minnesota had been seen as a rising star in the Democratic Party, but faced growing calls from fellow Senate Democrats to step down as allegations against him mounted. 

Franken is one of several influential men who have lost their jobs after being accused of sexual misconduct, assault or harassment, including Hollywood executive Harvey Weinstein and journalists Matt Lauer, Charlie Rose and Tavis Smiley. 

He will be the third lawmaker facing misconduct allegations to depart from Congress following Democratic Representative John Conyers and Republican Representative Trent Franks. Two others, Democratic Representative Ruben Kihuen and Republican Representative Blake Farenthold, have said they will not seek re-election next year.

I'm just really saddened by this so I don't have much to add here. 

Al Franken was a much needed voice in the Senate and losing him will be devastating to the progressive cause.

Al Franken is now being urged to reverse his resignation.

Courtesy of Politico: 

At least four senators are urging Al Franken to reconsider resigning, including two who issued statements calling for the resignation two weeks ago and said they now feel remorse over what they feel was a rush to judgment. 

Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), who urged Franken not to step down to begin with — at least not before he went through an Ethics Committee investigation — said the Minnesota senator was railroaded by fellow Democrats. 

“What they did to Al was atrocious, the Democrats,” said West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin in an interview for POLITICO’s Off Message podcast to post on Tuesday. Subscribe here. 

Franken's unusual timeline — in his departure announcement he said he’d go “in the coming weeks,” without setting a date — has fed the fleeting hopes that there’s still time to reverse course. However, Tina Smith, Minnesota's Democratic lieutenant governor, was named last week as his appointed successor. 

People familiar with Franken's plans said he has not changed his mind and intends to formally resign in early January. He praised the selection of Smith and has begun working with her on the transition.

Look I like Al Franken just as much as the next progressive, but he can't go back on his word without damaging not only his reputation for all time, but also damaging the Democratic party in 2018.

There are no "take backs" when it comes to allegations of sexual misconduct.

Yes I think Franken was railroaded, yes I doubt the veracity of the statements by some of his accusers, but that really does not make a difference in the larger scheme of things.

The Democratic party has to be as squeaky clean, and as scandal free, as possible moving forward.

That is how they defeat the Republicans in the long term.

Donald Trump ran on "draining the swamp" in Washington, which of course never happened.

This time the Democrats need to run on draining the Washington sewer of pedophiles, sexual predators, and habitual pussy grabbers.

More than 700 employees have left the EPA since Scott Pruitt took over.

Courtesy of Think Progress: 

Since Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt took over the top job at the agency in March, more than 700 employees have either retired, taken voluntary buyouts, or quit, signaling the second-highest exodus of employees from the agency in nearly a decade. 

According to agency documents and federal employment statistics, 770 EPA employees departed the agency between April and December, leaving employment levels close to Reagan-era levels of staffing. According to the EPA’s contingency shutdown plan for December, the agency currently has 14,449 employees on board — a marked change from the April contingency plan, which showed a staff of 15,219. 

“There has been a drop of employees of 770 between April and December. While several hundred of those are buyouts, the rest of those are either people that are retiring or quitting in disgust,” Kyla Bennett, director of New England Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility (PEER), told ThinkProgress. “Is that number higher than it would normally be? I think it is.”

I imagine the number of exiting employees will only continue to grow. 

After all how many employees do you need at the Environmental Protection Agency if they have no intention of protecting the environment?

President Obama put a lot of effort into plans to protect this planet, so of course Donald Trump's focus is on undoing everything that he tried to accomplish even if it means the death of every creature in existence.

Blake "Ducky PJ's" Farenthold will not seek reelection amid accusations of sexual harassment.

Courtesy of the New York Times:

Representative Blake Farenthold, a Texas Republican who settled a lurid sexual harassment claim with his former communications director for $84,000 and faced accusations from other aides that he ran a hostile workplace, announced Thursday that he will not run for re-election, saying the allegations have become “a political distraction.” 

He is the fourth lawmaker in two weeks to announce his eventual departure from Congress amid the swirl of sexual allegations and the sixth this year. 

In a nearly five-minute long video posted on his campaign’s Facebook page, Mr. Farenthold denied the sexual harassment allegations from his former communications director, Lauren Greene. But he admitted, with unusual candor, that he had run an “unprofessional” workplace and that his own temper sometimes got out of hand, describing himself as “profoundly sorry” for his conduct. 

“I’d never served in public office before. I had no idea how to run a congressional office, and as a result I allowed a workplace culture to take root in my office that was too permissive and decidedly unprofessional,” Mr. Farenthold said. 

“It accommodated destructive gossip, offhand comments, off-color jokes,” he went on, adding, “and I allowed the personal stress of the job to manifest itself in angry outburst and too often a failure to treat people with the respect that they deserved. That was wrong.”

Gee ya think?

By the way that "I'd never served in public office before" excuse is extremely weak.

Farenthold was first elected in 2010, when he was about 49 years old.

He was a fucking adult! He was not some frat boy who suddenly got to play Congressman for a day.

By 49 years old you should know not to talk about your female employee's boobs, get shit faced on the job, and act like an out of control asshole to your staff.

As it turns out Farenthold may have been given a little shove by Speaker of the House, and Eddie Munster lookalike, Paul Ryan.

Courtesy of CNN: 

Rep. Blake Farenthold, who's under fire for accusations of sexual harassment, is not planning to run for re-election, a Republican source familiar with situation told CNN on Thursday. 

House Speaker Paul Ryan spoke with Farenthold, a Texas Republican, twice late Wednesday. Rep. Steve Stivers, who chairs the House campaign arm, also met with Farenthold. 

"Look, I had a couple of conversations with Blake Farenthold," Ryan said at his weekly news conference. "I think he's making the right decision to retire. There are new stories that are disconcerting. Unacceptable behavior has been alleged in those stories. And I think he's made the right decision that he's leaving Congress. And that reflects on the conversations we've had."

This is now becoming a thing with Ryan who also recently had to give the boot to Trent Franks, who was trying to get at least one of his female staff members to let him plant his demon seed in their womb.

This new role has Ryan talking about leaving Congress as well:  

House Speaker Paul Ryan has had soul searching conversations about his future with friends, some of his close friends tell CNN. 

Those people close to Ryan told CNN they believe it is possible that he could leave Congress after the 2018 midterm elections, if he can achieve his goal of passing GOP backed overhaul of the US tax system. Some say his departure could possibly happen even sooner. Some friends indicate that Ryan may be suffering from a bout of "Trump-haustion," but others believe there is serious contemplation of leaving Congress in 2018.

Ryan is now denying the accuracy of this reporting, but that is what they all say right before they resign.

So we will see.

Award winning US diplomat writes stinging resignation letter directed at Rex Tillerson and his State Department.

Elizabeth Shakelford in Somalia.

Courtesy of Foreign Policy: 

An award-winning U.S. diplomat who was seen as a rising star at the State Department has issued a scathing resignation letter, accusing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson and the Donald Trump administration of undercutting the State Department and damaging America’s influence in the world. 

Elizabeth Shackelford, who most recently served as a political officer based in Nairobi for the U.S. mission to Somalia, wrote to Tillerson that she reluctantly had decided to quit because the administration had abandoned human rights as a priority and shown disdain for the State Department’s diplomatic work, according to her letter, obtained by Foreign Policy. 

“I have deep respect for the career Foreign and Civil Service staff who, despite the stinging disrespect this Administration has shown our profession, continue the struggle to keep our foreign policy on the positive trajectory necessary to avert global disaster in increasingly dangerous times,” Shackelford wrote in her Nov. 7 letter. 

“With each passing day, however, this task grows more futile, driving the Department’s experienced and talented staff away in ever greater numbers,” she wrote. 

“She’s emblematic of what we’re losing across the board,” said one of Shackelford’s former State Department colleagues. “She is the best among us. We should not be losing the best among us. And that should concern people that we are,” the former colleague said. 

In her letter, Shackelford said she was leaving with a “heavy heart” as she recognized the potential of the State Department’s mission. She said she was “shocked” when Tillerson appeared to cast doubt on the importance of human rights in remarks to department employees on May 3.

Shackelford ended her letter with this:  

In the closing paragraph of her letter, Shackelford called on Tillerson “to stem the bleeding by showing leadership and a commitment to our people, our mission, and our mandate as the foreign policy arm of the United States. 

“If you are unable to do so effectively within this Administration, I would humbly recommend you follow me out the door.”

The sad truth is that career State Department staff and diplomats are left to question whether their presence within the agency is helping to slow down its slow disintegration, or if they personally are being damaged due to their association with it as it visibly falls to pieces.

If all of the truly talented diplomats and staffers like this woman leave the agency, then diplomacy is no longer available in our tool kit and all we have left is the threat of military action.

For decades the United States and presented itself as a champion of human rights around the world, but if the Trump Administration has its way, we will be reduced to the bully on the playground keeping the smaller kids off the swings and collecting the younger children's lunch money for ourselves.

And we all know what eventually happens to the bullies, don't we?

Arizona Congressman Trent Franks suddenly resigns as evidence emerges that he may have asked female staffers to have his baby. No, seriously. Update!

Always thought this dude looked like an extra on the Sopranos.

Courtesy of CNN: 

Arizona Republican Rep. Trent Franks announced in a statement Thursday night he will resign from Congress at the end of January, after the House Ethics Committee said it would investigate allegations against him of sexual harassment. 

The House Ethics Committee announced earlier Thursday that it will investigate Franks to determine if he engaged in "conduct that constitutes sexual harassment and/or retaliation for opposing sexual harassment." 

In his statement, Franks acknowledged he made staffers "uncomfortable" and that he discussed fertility issues and surrogacy with two female staffers, but denied having ever "physically intimidated, coerced, or had, or attempted to have, any sexual contact with any member of my congressional staff."

"But in the midst of this current cultural and media climate, I am deeply convinced I would be unable to complete a fair House Ethics investigation before distorted and sensationalized versions of this story would put me, my family, my staff, and my noble colleagues in the House of Representatives through hyperbolized public excoriation," Franks said in his statement. "Rather than allow a sensationalized trial by media damage those things I love most, this morning I notified House leadership that I will be leaving Congress as of January 31st, 2018."

Now it was not made clear if Franks was simply discussing surrogacy with his female staff members, you know like somebody might discuss the weather, or if he was asking them to actually volunteer their uterus to carry his satanic offspring, ala "Rosemary's Baby."

The first might seem a little icky, but evidence of the second would certainly inspire a Congressman to pack his bags and get the hell out of Dodge.

And don't forget that unlike Al Franken, Frank's peers were not yet coming out and calling for him to resign.

However resigning also means that any ethics investigation grinds to a halt, so one might think there is more to this story than Rep. Trent Franks wants the public to know.

Update: Aha! I knew it!

Courtesy of Politico:  

The sources said Franks approached two female staffers about acting as a potential surrogate for him and his wife, who has struggled with fertility issues for years. But the aides were concerned that Franks was asking to have sexual relations with them. It was not clear to the women whether he was asking about impregnating the women through sexual intercourse or in vitro fertilization. Franks opposes abortion rights as well as procedures that discard embryos. 

A former staffer also alleged that Franks tried to persuade a female aide that they were in love by having her read an article that described how a person knows they’re in love with someone, the sources said. One woman believed she was the subject of retribution after rebuffing Franks. While she enjoyed access to the congressman before the incident, that access was revoked afterward, she told Republican leaders.

Yeah surrogacy my ass. 

This old pervert was trying to get into the panties of his young staffers.

It's official, Senator Al Franken is resigning. Update!

"For a decade now, every time I would get tired or discouraged or frustrated, I would think about the people I was doing this for, and it would get me back up on my feet... I would do it all over again in a heartbeat." pic.twitter.com/wEI4EkMQ9s

— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) December 7, 2017

Courtesy of TPM:

After eight women came forward to accuse him of sexual harassment over the past few weeks, Sen. Al Franken (D-MN) took to the Senate floor Thursday morning announcing his resignation from his Senate in the “coming weeks.” 

“Serving in the United States Senate has been the honor of my life,” Franken said, choking up as he read his remarks, and vowing to stay active in public life. “I may be resigning my seat, but I’m not giving up my voice.” 

With his staff lining the wall of the Senate chamber, waving at him in support, and several of his Democratic colleagues watching his remarks with grim expressions, Franken noted that “all women deserve to be heard and their experiences taken seriously,” but claimed that “many” of the allegations against him are false. 

“I know who I really am,” Franken declared. 

In a brief speech that swung between contrition and frustration, the Minnesota senator noted bitterly that accused abusers in the Republican Party, including Alabama Senate candidate Roy Moore and President Trump himself, have yet to pay a political price. 

“I, of all people, am aware that there is some irony in the fact that I am leaving while a man who has bragged on tape about his history of sexual assault sits in the Oval Office, and a man who has repeatedly preyed on young girls campaigns for the Senate with the full support of his party,” Franken said, seconds after announcing his resignation.

I am heartbroken about this.

Even though I recognize that there really is no choice here. 

Update; The most important part of Al Franken's resignation speech.

"There is some irony in the fact that I am leaving" while Trump sits in oval office, and Roy Moore has support of GOP - Sen. Al Franken resigning from office pic.twitter.com/1YHkMc7veU

— TheBeat w/Ari Melber (@TheBeatWithAri) December 7, 2017

As Robert Mueller inches ever closer to the smoking gun, three GOP Congressmen demand his resignation.

Whoa Nelly, there Mr. Special Counsel. That is just about far enough.

Courtesy of Politico: 

Three House Republicans on Friday moved to pressure special counsel Robert Mueller to resign over what they contend are “obvious conflicts of interest,” the latest instance of rising GOP resistance to his Russia probe. 

Reps. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.), Andy Biggs (R-Ariz.) and Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), introduced a measure that, while nonbinding, would put the House on record describing Mueller, a former FBI director, as unfit to lead the probe because of his relationship with James Comey, his successor at the bureau. 

“[B]e it Resolved, That House of Representatives expresses its sense that Robert Mueller is compromised and should resign from his special counsel position immediately,” the resolution states.

Jesus! These three might as well start wearing t-shirts that say "Trump is guilty, guilty, guilty."

Innocent people, and their supporters, do not attempt to sabotage investigations.

Clearly Mueller is on the right tack if these assholes are trying to get him fired.

You knew this was coming, conservatives ramping up calls for Robert Mueller's resignation.

Courtesy of Fox News (Huge surprise.): 

Special Counsel Robert Mueller is facing a fresh round of calls from conservative critics for his resignation from the Russia collusion probe, amid revelations that have called into question the FBI’s own actions and potentially Mueller’s independence. 

This week’s bombshell that a controversial anti-Trump dossier was funded by the Democratic National Committee and Clinton campaign has Republicans asking to what extent the FBI – which received some of the findings and briefly agreed to pay the same researcher to gather intelligence on Trump and Russia – used the politically connected material. 

Hill investigators also are looking into a Russian firm’s uranium deal that was approved by the Obama administration in 2010 despite reports that the FBI – then led by Mueller – had evidence of bribery involving a subsidiary of that firm. 

Critics question whether Mueller’s own ties to the bureau as well as fired FBI director James Comey now render him compromised as he investigates allegations of Russian meddling and collusion with Trump officials in the 2016 race.

I really think this is less about the newly surfaced revelations that a Clinton attorney and the DNC helped finance Christopher Steele's investigation, and more about the fact that Mueller and his team are ready to start the indictments.

Things are getting much too hot, so of course Trump supporters are going to be going after Robert Mueller, Christopher Steele, Fusion GPS, Hillary Clinton, and anybody else associated with these investigations to deflect blame and distract from the indictments.

And the Republicans in Congress appear to be going along as well:

President Trump and Republicans in Congress are demanding new scrutiny of Hillary Clinton’s actions as secretary of state, potentially jeopardizing investigations of Russian meddling in the 2016 election just as the probes are closing in on Trump’s inner circle. 

In the span of a week, House and Senate Republican leaders announced two investigations into Obama-era decisions involving a uranium deal that increased Russia’s share of the U.S. nuclear market — and another into how the FBI handled Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of state. 

Trump has cheered on the new Republican-driven investigations, which have resurrected some of the president’s most- favored jabs against Clinton during the 2016 presidential campaign. 

Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein has seen all of this before.

Carl Bernstein: Trump ‘Trying to Sabotage’ Mueller Investigation https://t.co/EDncGpAINd (VIDEO) pic.twitter.com/8zDU61etGH

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) October 28, 2017

In the 70's the Republicans refused to allow the president to sabotage the investigation.

Do they still have that courage today? 

Word is that Trump's Chief of Staff has already resigned. Possible announcement in today's news dump.

Just heard from good source John Kelly has ALREADY resigned & announcement being held for Friday evening. Can’t confirm by 2nd source though

— Sarah Smith (@SarahLSmith677) October 5, 2017

Rumors swirling around D.C. that Chief of Staff John Kelly has already resigned&they're holding the announcement until the Friday news dump.

— Trump's not my Pres (@Nysteveo2AOLcom) October 5, 2017

John Kelly has resigned, I hear ... (not confirmed) waiting on official word. Another jumps ship. You can't even write this story

— Ac2alLivingScientist (@crktfrog) October 5, 2017

A White House reporter also tweeted this.

Gen. Kelly was originally going to be on AF1 to Vegas with Trump today but was pulled off flight, I'm told.
WH not answering Qs about it.

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) October 4, 2017

If this is true this would really signal that the White House is essentially falling apart at the seems.

Without Kelly there will be nothing to keep Trump reined in, and there is no telling what he will do once there is nobody controlling him at all.

P.S. By the way late yesterday we learned that Kelly's phone was hacked.