#mick’s 400 event | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

glitterypeanutmugnickel · 3 years ago

Text

March 30, 2022

Heather Cox Richardson

Mar 31

Comment

CBS News has hired Mick Mulvaney as a paid on-air contributor. In his first official appearance on Tuesday morning to talk about President Joe Biden’s budget proposal, anchor Anne-Marie Green introduced Mulvaney as “a former Office of Management and Budget director,” and said, “So happy to have you here…. You’re the guy to ask about this.”

Mulvaney was a far-right U.S. representative from South Carolina from 2011 to 2017, when he went to work for then-president Trump as the director of the Office of Management and Budget. While in that position, he also took over as acting director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the government organization organized by Senator Elizabeth Warren (D-MA) after the financial crisis of 2008. In its first five years, the CFPB recovered about $11.7 billion for about 27 million consumers, but in Congress, Mulvaney introduced legislation to abolish it. At its head, Mulvaney zeroed out the bureau’s budget and did his best to dismantle it.

While retaining his role at the head of the Office of Management and Budget, Mulvaney took on the job of acting White House chief of staff on January 2, 2019. This unprecedented dual role put him in a key place to do an end run around official U.S. diplomats in Ukraine and to set up a back channel to put pressure on newly elected Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky to announce he was launching an investigation into the actions of Joe Biden’s son, Hunter.

As director of OMB, Mulvaney okayed the withholding of almost $400 million Congress had appropriated for Ukraine’s protection against Russia. In May 2019, he set up “the three amigos,” Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, special envoy Kurt Volker, and Energy Secretary Rick Perry, to pressure Zelensky. When the story came out, Mulvaney told the press that Trump had indeed withheld the money to pressure Zelensky to help him cheat in the 2020 election. “I have news for everybody,” he said. “Get over it. There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.” He immediately walked the story back, but there it was.

This event was the basis for Trump’s first impeachment. While Republican senators refused to hold Trump accountable, the Government Accountability Office found that withholding the money was illegal. Ironically, the GAO report came out during Trump’s second impeachment.

And yet, CBS News hired Mulvaney and simply introduced him as a former director of the OMB, saying he was the guy to explain Biden’s budget. (After the episode, the CBS News standards department reminded staffers they should always identify people with their relevant biographical information.)

Jeremy Barr of the Washington Post tonight revealed that he had reviewed a recording of a phone call in which the co-president of CBS News, Neeraj Khemlani, suggested they had hired Mulvaney to guarantee access to Republican lawmakers. “If you look at some of the people that we’ve been hiring on a contributor basis, being able to make sure that we are getting access to both sides of the aisle is a priority because we know the Republicans are going to take over, most likely, in the midterms,” Khemlani told staff. “A lot of the people that we’re bringing in are helping us in terms of access to that side of the equation.”

People on the right have talked about a “liberal media” now for a generation. It has come to represent the idea that the media is slanted toward the Democrats. But initially, the phrase meant media based in facts.

In the 1950s, those eager to get rid of the government system instituted by the Democrats during the Great Depression of the 1930s grew frustrated because people liked that system, with its business regulation, basic social safety net, and promotion of infrastructure. In 1951, in God and Man at Yale: The Superstitions of “Academic Freedom,” William F. Buckley, Jr., rejected the Enlightenment idea that rigorous debate over facts would lead toward truth; the fondness of a majority of Republicans and Democrats for the newly active national government proved people could not be trusted to know what was best for them. Instead, he called for the exclusion of “bad” ideas like an active government, and for universities to push individualism and Christianity.

Three years later, Buckley and his brother-in-law, L. Brent Bozell, Jr., would divide the world into “Liberals,” by which they meant the majority of Americans from both parties who liked the New Deal government, and “Conservatives” like themselves, who were determined to overturn that government. Movement Conservatives lumped Soviet-style socialism and the New Deal government together.

With its focus on facts, the media, like the universities, was “liberal,” and Movement Conservatives wanted their ideology to be heard. In 1987, President Ronald Reagan’s appointees to the Federal Communications Commission killed the Fairness Doctrine, which had required public media to present issues fairly, and right-wing talk radio took off. In 1996, Australian-born Rupert Murdoch started the Fox News Channel, calling it “fair and balanced” because it presented the Movement Conservative ideology that fact-based media ignored.

Twenty-five years later, that ideology had become so powerful that true believers tried to stop a legitimately elected Democrat from becoming president, and in the year since, their conviction has only become stronger. Now CBS News has hired a member of the administration that urged the attack on our democracy.

“When, oh Lord, when will the elite political media treat the current Republican Party as the threat to the republic that it most obviously is?” asked Charlie Pierce in Esquire.

Here’s what’s at stake: On the one hand, Biden is trying to rebuild the old liberal consensus that used to be shared by people of both parties, instituted by Democrat Franklin Delano Roosevelt to protect workers from the overreach of their employers and expanded under Republican Dwight Eisenhower to protect civil rights. To this, Biden has focused on those previously marginalized and has added a focus on women and children.

Biden’s new budget, released earlier this week, calls for investment in U.S. families, communities, and infrastructure, the same principles on which the economy has boomed for the past year. The budget also promotes fiscal responsibility by rolling back Trump’s tax cuts on the very wealthy. Biden’s signature yesterday on the Emmett Till Antilynching Act, making lynching a federal hate crime in the United States, is the culmination of more than 100 years of work.

Biden and Secretary of State Antony Blinken are defending democracy against authoritarianism, working to bring together allies around the globe to resist the aggression of Russian president Vladimir Putin.

On the other hand, the Republican Party is working to get rid of the New Deal government. While Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell wanted to face the midterms without a platform, Senator Rick Scott (R-FL), who chairs the committee responsible for electing Republican senators, has produced an “11-point plan to rescue America.” It dramatically raises taxes on people who earn less than $100,000, and ends Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, and the Affordable Care Act.

With a 6 to 3 majority on the Supreme Court, Republicans have also taken aim at abortion rights and are now talking about ending other civil rights protected by the federal government after 1950: the right to birth control, interracial marriage, and same-sex marriage.

The Republicans have sided with authoritarianism as they back former president Trump and his supporters, over 2,000 of whom stormed the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021. This week, federal judge David Carter wrote that it was “more likely than not” that Trump committed a federal crime when he encouraged the attack, and yesterday we learned that there are more than 7 hours of phone records missing from the official White House logs of that day. At The Guardian, Hugo Lowell today reported that Trump made at least one call from the White House that day that should have been on the logs and was not, opening up the possibility that Trump’s people tampered with the phone records.

And while Putin has launched a war of invasion on our democratic ally Ukraine, just yesterday, Trump asked Putin to help him dig up dirt on a political rival, just as he did in 2016.

Voters cannot choose wisely between these two paths unless their news is based in facts. Earlier this week, fact triumphed over ideology on the Fox News Channel, when anchor John Roberts noted that Senator Rick Scott’s 2022 Republican platform calls for raising taxes on most Americans and ending Social Security. Scott said that Roberts was using “a Democrat talking point.” But Roberts stood firm on facts: “It’s in the plan!” he said. “It’s not a Democratic talking point. It’s in the plan!”

1 note · View note

undiscovered-horror-icon · 4 years ago

Text

SlipKnot Histrory

[This was from a french blogging website, post original publish in 2009. I think it’s instresting; All credit goes to the original poster. Posted linked at the bottom of this post.]

[Post copy and pasted below]

Note: This is a long hauled description of events; it shows how fate has brought Slipknot together and how this makes Slipknot more than an everyday band; the music is their life not just a ploy for fame. Slipknot are hard core expression and emotion that WILL rock the music industry! They are a band with an undying passion! Slipknot formed in the year of 1995 as a result of the work of Paul, Shawn and Anders Colsefni (ex-vocalist). (They had originally played with the idea of making a band as early as 1993 and even began writing songs; however the project fell through when Shawn became busy with his welding occupation.) These three along with guitarists Donnie Steele (ex- Body Pit guitarist) and Quan Nong began practising under the name of Meld. However, at some point Quan Nong left, this time is uncertain, but is expected to be following the first six practices due to his following of a more Alternative/Punk style. Following his departure the band started anew, with a project named, "The Pale Ones". During this period Shawn (a.k.a Clown) was the lead drummer. Paul was determined to get Joey involved with his new project, despite failing to receive his interest in earlier projects such as Body Pit. Paul met up with Joey at Sinclair's where Joey worked nights, there he tempted Joey to watch rehearsals within Anders' basement. Joey reluctantly agreed and despite missing two rehearsals due to work priorities, eventually made it down to the basement to view a practice session. This basement, was "largely, open spaced", not only was the area so small and cramped but for soundproofing the members used carpet samples and scraps from a nearby pet grooming centre, these made the whole basement smell of Cat piss. The first song that Joey heard them play was a song known as "Slipknot", followed by "Gently" and "Fur". Joey soon realised that he had to be in this band and soon began to play the drums; pushing Shawn onto percussion. A band had formed. Within the cramped basement new songs were being turned out by the minute, including titles such as "Killers Are Quiet", "Bitchslap", "Do Nothing", "Confessions", "Some Feel", "Part of Me" and "Tattered and Torn". Paul, Shawn and Joey also began to meet up at Sinclair's to discuss ideas and plans for the future. Here they planned everything, here they decided the rules that define the current Slipknot. 1. "We do not answer to anyone" 2. "We do not worry about trends" 3. "We play what we want" 4. "We would not allow people to have any sort of influence on the band" Shawn and Joey also decided that the band would require three drummers to provide a hardcore audio assault. Shawn wanted a drummer to the left and right with one at the back controlling it all, creating a wall of power, a fist layer... . Joey plays the main set and as a result is the main drummer who holds the band together. Shawn is the "Total Power Drummer" and is all aggression. The third element of percussion was often performed by Anders. Within Sinclair's Shawn and Joey also realised that the band would need another guitarist. Josh formerly of Modifidious and Inveigh Catharsis was called and he soon added himself to the band. Now there were six. Soon the band decided on a new title for themselves, they toyed with the name of "Pyg System" however agreed on the more simple name of "Slipknot", the title of their first song. The people of Des Moines knew that a new band was forming and they knew who was in it. However no one had heard or seen them. Soon a small performance was given, the band suited in Kiss styled makeup, fitting the music perfectly with the green glowing lights. This spawned the idea of the masks. This idea evolved and following discussions and Shawn turning up to a practice wearing his legendary Clown mask, the sextet decided almost unanimously, with the exception of Donnie, that masks should be worn. Joey came fully equipped with his moulded and expressionless Kabuki Mask and despite difficulty within practices the idea took off, the whole anti-image appearance which fitted so well with their rule of ignoring trends had a great appeal. Soon Shawn contacted Mike Lawyer, due to an interest in recording some studio work. Mike got an engineer/producer of his named Sean Mcmahon to meet up with them during a practice session. Sean, not only stunned by the wolf skin attire of lead singer Anders, was also blown away by the sheer sound of Slipknot. The band soon started work on their first project, dubbed, MFKR. "Mate Feed Kill Repeat". The band grabbed every available moment to practice, perform and record within the SR Audio Studios, customising the room with posters, lights and many other objects. Many happenings occurred around this studio, including the drawing of corpses on the road outside and a performance in the nude by Joey. Sean Mcmahon: "I was contacted by former members of a band called Body Pit to check out their new band at their rehearsal space. I did. I was Floored! That band was Slipknot." Within February of 1996 a great change occurred within Donnie Steele; he found God. He realised that he could not be within such a band as Slipknot with the beliefs he held and as a result withdrew himself from the group, the others respecting his descision. At this crucial point in time a new member was called up; a former member of Joey's band Modifidious, his name was Craig. He had been recommended by Jordison. During his arrival the MFKR album was already in its mixing stages. The mixing of MFKR was anything but smooth. Each song being remixed many times. Strain was added by different view that each member held and things often got intense. Not only was their problems with the mixing but the band was also unhappy with the mastering that was done on the CD, hence they insisted that Sean should do it. Slipknot's first major show in which they would unveil themselves to the people of Des Moines became booked for the 4th April 1996 at the locally known meeting place pronounced, "The Safari". On the day's arrival the room was packed with 200 people. The band arrived in Joey's car and each member sported their individual garments. Paul with a wore wrapped around his head, weaving in and out of his piercings, Josh showing off an executioners hood while Craig had placed pantyhose on his head. Joey and Shawn each used the masks they had always worn, the Clown and Kabuki. Before the band began to play Joey began to incessantly shout, "I need a little Christmas in my drink" repeatedly with each new phrase increasing in volume, energy and power. The band then slammed into their debut song, "Slipknot". By Slipknot's second performance at the club Paul had found a new "Pig" mask. Within this show the band played with another band named, "Stone Sour", Corey Taylor was the lead singer. The band played a total of seven shows at the club in one month alone. The band carried on playing their shows which were much more "insane" than we see these days (taming of the media,etc...), rather than the same uniform jumpsuits and regular masks the band played in different things, for example Shawn rented out a large purple "Barney" suit and others wore Nun dresses and even ballroom dresses or a Little Bo Peep outfit. The shows were really dark, underground and scary however they still carried an element of humour. The shows would start with strobe lights flashing and a sample from Craig, usually of a mad laugh and "ice cream" man chimes, Shawn would drop a power saw to create a series of sparks to fly over the crowd. Joey still felt that the band was incomplete. He wanted more; a different sound and a greater variety. Craig was promptly shifted onto samples, leaving an empty vacancy. Hence Mick arrived. MFKR was eventually finished on Halloween, 1996. The party had began and 400 people turnt up. The album was sent out to many people and a person named Sophia at a local station managed to hear it and liked it. This lead to the arrangement of Slipknot's appearance in the local battle of the band's contest. The on air tournament that spanned across several weeks soon began with the individual heats. Slipknot faced Corey's band; Stone Sour - they won. Slipknot also defeated "Maelstrom" and "Black Caesar" who came second. Slipknot conquered all. This was one of the band's highlights that fuelled them to their current stardom. The money from the win helped fund the heavily in debt band's new projects and demos. By this time several record companies had investigated the band, one of these being Roadrunner who felt that they should not pick up Slipknot due to their thought that the vocalist required more melody. This rejection continued and no where could they be signed. Sophia became their first manager due to her contacts and love for this new band. Things then seemed to get worse; Shawn bought the Safari which took time away from the band despite being a good investment. The band could no longer play in Anders' basement and things were falling apart. There were often tensions between Joey and Shawn and "Slipknot" had no where to play. However they still managed to make it onto the bill for the local "Dotfest" in June. There they played to the largest crowd in their history, a crowd of 12 000, containing many industry people. Not only was the sound dodgy and kept going out but the crowd began to throw chicken bones on stage. At the show Slipknot came out throwing Tampons into the crowd and had several "gimps". This was the first and last time for the "gimps". The gimps were Frank with a gas mask, Lanny with tribal markings in liquid latex, Greg covered with liquid latex and a ball gag in his mouth and Greg's friend Slick Rick in a latex hood. Slipknot had the original idea of having a professional stunt man, Rick, come out dressed as Shawn and then Shawn would come out and set him on fire. They had all the things to do it (for a long time it set in the cooler at Safari) but the city would not issue the permits to perform it so the event had to be abandoned. The set ended with them being cut off and an almost riot breaking out as Andy cut open his arms and tossed CDs over the fence to the fans. Joey quit. But he reconsidered and came back. Some good things did come out of this though, their performance left a mark, they made new fans and most importantly they discovered Sid Wilson (even though they did not speak to him). Slipknot looked for the success they were not getting and decided to enlist Corey Taylor of rival band Stone Sour, to join the line up. Joey, Shawn and Mick confronted him with the an ultimatum at his work place, "The Adult Emporium". They said, "Join the band or we will kick your ass!" Slipknot provided an opportunity not present in Stone Sour; the band could go places. The music over image policy also appealed. Corey began practising with the band and the first lyrics he wrote were to be used in the song, "Me Inside". This was a very experimental move and everyone was wondering how it would turn out. This change resulted in Anders being pushed back to percussion and back up vocals. Soon this new breed of the Knot performed a show; it turned out it was a charity event for a local hospital. The Safari was packed to the brim. Corey came out wearing a large amount of makeup that gave a dark appearance, this was added to by two latex crosses marked over his eyes. Despite this excitement the show was riddled with technical problems and was the show that resulted in Joey's nickname, "Superball". Their next show was on 17th September, again at the Safari. This show was a great improvement however nearly a year on from the MFKR release an announcement was to be made. Just before Slipknot were about to storm into their final song, "Scissors", Anders made an announcement, "This will be my last show" he stated. This stunned both band members and the audience. Following this sudden change the band returned to the studio to re-record the songs on their untitled second CD - minus Anders' vocals. Of these songs included, "Gently", "Do Nothing", "Slipknot", "Tattered and Torn", "Me Inside", "Carve", "Coleslaw", "Scissors", "Windows" and "May 17th" a song written by Shawn. To cope with Ander's departure a new member was brought in, he was named Greg a.k.a Cuddles (a tattooist @ axiom piercing). Cuddles was extremely insane and very much like Slipknot's DJ, Sid. He would smash up the sets and even throw his drum kit into the crowd. Cuddles joined the band despite warnings from family and friends and he is also responsible for the tribal "S" tattoo on Anders' leg. Cuddles had previously drummed for the "Havenots" a band which Joey and Paul had been in. Cuddles is the naked guy in the MFKR inlet. Cuddles played his lst show in the Summer of 1998, he was the only member of Slipknot to be sacked, this was due to his lazy attitude towards the band. He moved to South Dakota and started up the tattoo parlour, "The Ultimate Prick", this has since been shut down. Following Cuddles' departure there was one show in Malibu which took place wile auditions were occurring, hence there was a replacement and that was Brandon, he played one show and wore the "liar" mask. One night Joey and Shawn checked out a clan named "The Sound Proof Coalition" at the Safari containing the DJs, A-Rock, Loodachris, Phase II, Rek, Sub Two, Iniversoul and Starscream. Starscream, a.k.a Sid Wilson introduced himself to them and told them they rocked at Dotfest, Shawn said they needed a DJ, Sid said he was the man. Following pestering by Sid he was allowed to view a practice and following a session of head butting it was decided he was fit to be part of the group. Auditions were being carried out for a Cuddles replacement, these auditions brought about a person named Chris Fehn, he had seen the band played and had previously asked to become a roadie. He was soon added to the group, despite being put through a vigourous ordeal. This included his initiation test commonly known as the secret track on the self titled album. Soon after this event Slipknot came up with the barcode, number and coverall ideas. A new song was also written; it was called, "Spit it Out". Slipknot now had offers flying in from mainly internet reports. However the band really wanted Ross Robinson to work on the project and he was contacted through Sophia. Robinson checked out the demo tape and flew into Des Moines to view a practice session and a live show. After watching the practice (which very few are aloud to see) he knew the band would go far. Ross not only felt the vide of the music but the vide of the passion; a passion he himself had felt. This was the beginning of a wonderful creation. He then saw Slipknot perform live at the Safari on 2nd February 1998. Word soon got back to Slipknot that he was willing to record the album, label or not. Ross later signed them onto his own label, "I am recordings". Ross then got in touch with Roadrunner and the band publicly signed to Roadrunner Records outside of the Axion Studio (tattoo parlour) in Des Moines. Following a call on the 23rd September, Slipknot drove out to LA to begin the recording of their album. The band practised solid for a week and soon began the recording that left the band sore. They then travelled upto the legendary Indigo Ranch to carry on the recording. To add a necessary expression to this music, Ross got Corey to explain his lyrics to all the other members, so they could "feel it". This took the music to a higher level; it made it raw expression and emotion, it added an element not seen before. Despite the many changes that had occurred within the Knot, another was to occur. This time it was Josh's time for departure, he left due to "family life" and would not have been able to cope with the extensive touring that lay ahead. The band knew instantly who they wanted to replace him, the Atomic Opera star, Jim Root. Jim originally said no to the offer due to his desire to stay true to the band he was currently working in. However after a bad show he called Shawn and essentially joined the band.

Original Post: slipknotmetalmusik. skyrock. com /2381521055-slipknot. html

[spaces are only there because tumblr is being buggy]

#slipknot #slipknot history #sid wilson #joey jordison #paul gray #chris fehn #jim root #craig jones #shawn crahan #mick thomson #corey taylor #yeah its instresing i like it #fun to read

98 notes · View notes

orlando6445-blog · 4 years ago

Text

Need to Know About Website Design?

There are so numerous web architecture organizations dabbed far and wide, it appears to be each man and his canine is setting up such an organization, truth be told anybody with a PC appears to be ready to offer this administration, and the costs for such a help are dropping like flies, you can get a site for a couple hundred pounds and so forth

So what makes one web architecture organization unique in relation to another? What are the remarkable selling focuses that you must be watching out for to cause you to pick one organization over some other.

This inquiry truly relies on the kind of business that you are in, eg. on the off chance that you are an extravagant inn with various restuarants, you will require a site somewhat more upmarket than state a neighborhood merchant, for example, a handyman or a circuit repairman; this is clearly going to reflect in the value that is charged.

On the off chance that you will need customary updates to your site this will likewise be reflected in the value you pay either month to month or toward the start.

One of the most disregarded things when searching for a web specialist is whether any internet searcher optomisation (SEO) is incorporated, without this your site will never get seen by individuals/clients looking for the catchphrases identifying with your site/business, this is presumably the main factor when concluding who to will plan your site.

Planning sites today is moderately simple contrasted with 5 or 10 years prior, you have content overseen sites, for example, WordPress these can be worked by anybody with a middle information on PCs, you don't must have any web composition or html information. Thus the motivation behind why there are so numerous web composition organizations jumping up, what these organizations don't or can't do is the main activity with a site and that is SEO, the issue is that it requires some investment to do it right.

In the event that you are searching for a web architecture organization in your neighborhood type in to Google "web composition" + your territory, for instance web composition in Lincoln, this will bring you up a rundown of web specialists in Lincoln appearing with a guide in the upper right hand corner and minimal warnings indicating where the organizations are found, you should pick one of these organizations as there SEO abilities have been appeared by them being on the principal page of Google.

Presently you need to choose what you need to pay for being on the principal page of Google, I can basically ensure that 98% of web specialists will just need to manufacture you a site first at that point charge you an expense for accomplishing SEO work, what you need is the 2% of web architecture organizations that do everything as a bundle and that permit you to pay for it month to month and without marking any sort of agreement, allowed me to clarify.

In the event that you are new to the universe of web architecture, you are presumably uncertain regarding if it will work for you, it appears to be somewhat out of line to request that you pay £300 - £400 for an essential site not knowing whether it will make you any cash or possibly get your telephone ringing with enquiries Orlando Website Designer.

The 2% of web composition organizations that do what you need will do the accompanying, they will pay for your area name, they will construct you a site, they will have the site and they will get the site set on the main page of Google (for the most part in the best three spots) all FREE of charge, they will at that point permit you a timeframe to assess the measure of new business you have gotten in this time (ordinarily multi month from the time you get in to the best three spots).

Really at that time will they charge you for your site and SEO, this is somewhere in the range of £50 every month to £2,000 every month relying upon the kind of business you are in, what you need to recollect is that you have just observed the measure of benefit you have produced using your FREE month at the highest point of Google, its a few seconds ago a matter of wheeling and dealing for you to stay there, all things considered, it won't really cost you anything in all actuality as you're paying for your one months from now site at the highest point of Google from your earlier months benefit, benefit you would not have had you not been at the highest point of Google.

Mick Young works in web composition in Lincoln and has an organization considered Local Trades Website Design that spend significant time in planning sites for nearby exchanges, for example, handymen, circuit testers, painter and decorators and so forth, essentially pretty much any sort of business that your clients would ordinarily have utilized Yellow Pages or something like discover you and your business.

They at that point get it positioned on the principal page of Google. After you've seen the measure of new business your new site brings (you get approx multi month), at that point you choose if you need to get it. Snap here to visit their site.

1 note · View note

weneverlearn · 5 years ago

Text

The Last Time I Saw Lou Reed

In early October, 2013, my girlfriend and I went to the John Varvatos store on the Bowery -- formerly CBGB. Mick Rock and Lou Reed were there to have a sit down chat about Rock’s new book, a collection of images taken for and around Reed’s classic album, Transformer. It was one of those shmancy $400 tomes that I clearly couldn’t afford, but I could finagle myself on the press list for this event.

I first met Lou Reed after his show at the Palace Theater in Columbus, Ohio in March, 1989. It was the second time I’d seen him live, and a better show overall than the Cleveland appearance on the Mistrial tour. I was up in the the first row of the balcony, and by the encore I had my leg over the railing and was bashing my heel against it so hard, pieces of the old molding were cracking off and falling down on the fans below. Oh well, that’s rock’n’roll, in a big theater anyway. I was used to seeing favorite bands at dive bars.

A friend and I hung out by the backstage door with about 30 people, that then dwindled to about 12 by the time Lou came sauntering out about an hour and a half after the show. And despite all the infamous stories of his grumpiness, he walked over to a minivan, slid the door open, and sat there signing a stack of press glossies for the obsessives who remained. I asked him humbly, “So, what can you say about your relationship with Lester Bangs?” He simply responded, “Uh, we were very famous friends.”

youtube

“Busload of Faith” video, shot at the March, 1989 Columbus show

I also said hey to him at three different book reading/signing events in NYC in the 2000s, after I moved to Brooklyn in 2004.

And initially this Varvatos store event was just another chance to see Lou wax acerbic. But this one seemed immediately different. For one, it was a private event. And two, while I’d heard Lou had been sick, once he and Mick Rock sat down, it was obvious Lou was in rough shape. Pardon my crappy cell phone photos of the moment, but he looked distinctly gaunt and his face was very sallow. Also, the crowd wasn’t the usual fanboys and a couple Village Voice reporters. The place was packed with older friends and family, and some famous faces. The vibe in the room was noticeably, well, less promotional and more reverent.

I’m realizing as I write this that I may have written in my blog about this event before. I guess I’ll chalk up this revisit to its impression on me...

Once Rock and Reed sat down, the conversation started stilted and awkward, for two who’d known each other for 40+ years. But it quickly smoothed out, and for all the times I saw Lou speak, he was as chatty and upbeat as any of them. Unlike the usual Lou Q&As, this one was much more lovey-dovey -- not a descriptive usually used for Lou Reed. Every so often, one of the two would say something about, “...I really love this man,” and they’d stand up and hug. There was Laurie Anderson and Danny Fields, sitting about five feet away, never taking their eyes off Lou. I really just wanted to enjoy the discussion, but you couldn’t quell the impression you were at a living wake.

The reliably hilarious Handsome Dick Manitoba (the Dictators) was creeping around trying to get closer to the table and take phone pix. At once point Lou yalps, “Hey, you wanna hear what we have to say or just take pictures? Get the hell outta here!” And Manitoba was escorted out, as he yelled out, “Hey, I’ve known you for years, man!!” The whole moment was a kind of performance metaphor for Lou’s preeminence as a NYC icon, and Manitoba’s as a second-rung grasper. At the same time though, it worked as some needed levity, a perfect punk moment of denting the over-seriousness of the situation.

After it ended -- and it was a solid hour -- Mick and Lou ducked into some back room, but people hung around the shop, and there were more hugs and “How ya been?!”s. I even got to meet Salman Rushdie. Salman Rushdie does not show up at just any ol’ book release.

Not a month later, I was at a record show, perusing a crate, pulled out a Lou LP, and the dealer says, “Oh man, did you hear?”

As far as I know, that book event was Lou Reed’s last public appearance.

#loureed #lou reed #velvet underground #velvetunderground #mick rock #mickrock #cbgb #dictators #handsome dick manitoba #laurie anderson #john varvatos #the bowery

3 notes · View notes

turquoisemagpie · 6 years ago

Text

The Dark Mystery of Mark I. Plier Manor. (Part 1)

Ryan: This week on Buzzfeed Unsolved we investigate the dark mystery of Mark I. plier Manor as part of our ongoing investigation into the question: are ghosts real. (Shane lightly shakes his head.) Ryan: This case… it’s got everything. It’s got murder mystery, it’s got scandals, it’s got disappearances, and, more importantly, it’s got ghosts. Shane: Woah! How the heck are you going to title this, if it’s both Supernatural AND True Crime? Ryan: Yeah, this is one of the biggest cases I’ve ever looked into. There are so many theories out there for so many questions that come out of this. I think this is probably the largest number of theories we’re ever going to cover on this show. Shane: Wow. This is either going to be extremely intriguing or extremely boring, depending on what theories you’ve decided to give us, and, knowing you, I’m guessing it’s going to be the theories given by those people who wear tin foil hats. Ryan: Hahaha! Well, you’re about to learn all that is to know about it. Shane: Oh, goody(!) Let’s go.

At 12pm on the 12th October 1948, known romantic film ex-actor Mark I. Plier held a poker night at his manor in Northern LA. After over 12 hours of drinking, gambling, and all manner of activities that could be likened to a bachelor’s party, his guests went to their own private activities at 1:30am, some retiring to their rooms for the night, others heading off into other areas of the house, including Mark I. Plier. Exactly 7 hours later, at 8:30am, on Friday 13th, Mark I. Plier was found face first, on the floor of the stairway leading up from the parlour room, dead.

Shane: What is this fucking deal with Friday the 13th? Ryan: I think it’s just a thing where, because 13 is an unlucky number or part of the devil’s number it’s just- Shane: The devil has a number? Like a phone number? Ryan: No, I- (wheeze) Shane: We should call him up some time! See how he’s doin’! Maybe he can answer some of this spooky nonsense going on in the world. Ryan: The Devil! Call now! At 13 666- (wheeze) Shane: (wheeze) 13 666 69 69 69! Ryan: Hahahaha!

Strangely the police weren’t called to the scene until 33 hours later. And when they arrived on the scene they found only LAPD detective Abe Micks, bleeding from a bullet wound through the heart, and absolutely nobody else in the house.

Shane: Everyone left! They just got the heck outta there! Ryan: No... well, yeah, honestly if I was in a murder mystery situation and given the chance to leave, I wouldn’t hesitate. I’d get out of there too. Shane: But that makes you suspect number one, because everyone’s like ‘oh, why was he in such a hurry? He must have been the killer!’

Abe was investigated by the police through interrogation into the whereabouts of the other house guests, but throughout the questioning Abe remained silent, staring into the wood of the desk seemingly distracted in deep thought. It was only when one of the officers said the word murder that Abe reacted, claiming to quote “snap his head back up at the speaker, with a fearful look in his eyes.” It was also noted that whenever he did talk, he did everything he could to avoid the word murder, referring to it only as ‘the killing’. All that Abe could tell willingly was that quote “Colonel did it. He did it all. He’ll pay for what he did.”

Shane: ‘Colonel’? Colonel who? Ryan: Umm- Shane: Colonel Mustard!? Was it Colonel Mustard in the kitchen with the candle stick? Ryan: Hahaha! To be honest when you see the profile photos of all these people involve you are honestly going think this is all just a big game of Clue.

Abe was put in a psychiatric hospital for 2 months to recover and then discharged from the LAPD in late March 1950. Until then, the events that happened in the house and the whereabouts of the house guest remained a complete unanswered mystery, until, after the LAPD released a call out for anyone who knew information about the events at Mark I. Plier Manor to come forward, in which only one person came forth; the manor’s butler, Benjamin, who worked in the manor with it residents in its last 5 years. Almost 60% of the record for the case of the Mark I. Plier Manor are all from Benjamin’s court testimony, with under 20% the eyewitness testimony from the deranged detective.

INVESTIGATION: Outer Manor- 11pm

Ryan: Welp... There’s the manor. Do you know anything about the things that happened in this place, Shane? Shane: No. I’m more curious as to why it’s called ‘Mark I. Plier Manor’. Ryan: It’s the name of one of the victims of this house. He was an actor who owned the house and... just probably decided to name it after himself. Shane: He sounds like a douchebag. Ryan: Well, according to critics from his films and director who worked with him, he was known to be pretty much an asshole. But we’re not really here for him. We’re here to… hopefully get some answers as to what exactly happened the day after he was murdered. (Both men look up at the manor.) Shane: Sure looks ominous. Ryan: Yeah, this place is giving me the shivers. And we’re not even inside yet. Come on. (They head through the gates and up the path to the front door of the house. The gardens surrounding the place are overgrown and unkept. The exterior of the house has decaying wood and crumbling stone walls.) Shane: It’s a pity they haven’t bothered to maintain this place. It would make a great family home. Ryan: … You have a strange taste, you know that?

INVESTIGATION: Entrance

Ryan: So, we’re about to enter the manor now… And you remember what I told you about the word you’re not supposed to say? Shane: Oh yeah. Thanks for reminding me. Ryan: Oh shit, you’re gonna say it aren’t you? Shane: (shouting as he enters the house) MURDER! … Shane: What’s supposed to happen when you say it? Ryan: There’s supposed to be thunder, apparently. Shane: Well, it doesn’t seem to have worked. Ryan: Well, no, but considering it’s a clear night tonight, if you say it again, and we hear thunder, on a night when their no clouds in the sky, we can claim the curse may have some authenticity. Shane: But if I say ‘murder’, and there isn’t thunder every time I say ‘murder’, then that proves that on that particular day of the murder, there was probably a storm going on that just so happens to rumble every time someone said ‘murder’ out of coincidence. Ryan: Stop saying it! Shane: I can’t hear the thunder, Ryan. I’ve said murder several times now. Ryan: You probably can’t hear it because you haven’t stopped talking to try and hear for it- Shane: M-m-m-m-MUUUuuuuuURDEEEEErrr!! … Shane: Right! That’s a box ticked under ‘bullshit’. Moving on! Ryan: (wheeze) I hate you so much.

Let’s get into the events of Mark I. Plier Manor, starting with the Poker Night. Those invited, in order of arrival, were the then Mayor of the Northern LA region: Damien Lémieux, LAPD detective: Abe Micks, US Army Corp Colonel: William Jackson Barnum, and an unknown District Attorney. The Mayor and the Colonel were close friends with each other as well as with Mark, the detective was solely a friend to Mark. While the District Attorney wasn’t known to anyone but the Mayor, who had recently hired them in his community council, it is unclear how or why they got their own separate invitation. What’s further puzzling is that due to know one at the manor knowing clearly who they were, to this day the District Attorney has been unidentified.

Shane: Hmmm. Suspicious. Ryan: Oh ho! I’m just getting started, boy!

Other people involved in the gathering was Benjamin, and the manor’s chef. According to the bill of the party the police had found in the manor, Mark had spent $400 on music entertainment, $256 on banquet party food, and a shocking $870 on alcohol. Judging by the waste of the party that was left over, the men drunk the equivalent of 9 glasses of wine between them. Which is strange, considering the fact Mark I. Plier was allergic to alcohol.

Shane: Wow! That’s a lot of shots! I’m surprised ANY of them survived it. Ryan: Well, as you can tell by the fact we’re discussing this entire case, not many survived it… Shane: …because they died of alcohol poisoning. (wheeze) Case solved! Ryan: Haha! Yeah, that’s it, guys, thanks for watching!

INVESTIGATION: Parlour

Ryan: So, this is the parlour room. This is where the poker night took place. Shane: It’s a big room. Agreed, if everything wasn’t covered in dust and cobwebs, I think I would definitely hold a poker party in here myself. Ryan: … Are you not feeling that cold breeze right now? Shane: Nope. Ryan: It’s so cold in here. Shane: Probably because the window’s been smashed and the air from outside is coming in. Or you’re goin’ crazy. Ryan: I hope it’s not the latter. … Ok, If there’s anybody here with us?... Mark, are you here with us? … Ryan: (pulls out a whisky bottle) We heard you like to party, Mark… so err, let’s all have a drink! (Pours out whiskey into 3 glasses) Shane: Honestly the only plus side to believing in ghosts is the fact you have a… I wouldn’t say ‘good’ excuse… Ryan: (wheeze) Shane: … but a ‘reasonable’ excuse to just get wasted! Ryan: I’ll drink to that! (Takes a sip) Shane: (wheeze) I will to. (Takes his glass) Ryan: (holding glass aloft) So! We’ve poured you a glass too, Mark… Or anybody else who’s in this room. Anyone want to join us in a toast, lift the glass. … Ryan: A toast… to… friendship! … Shane: Your loss, boys. (Drinks) Ryan: Yep. (Drinks) Shane: Woah. That’s.. surprisingly weak. Ryan: Yeah, I watered it down, in honour of Mark. (wheezes) Shane: You son of a bitch!

The party went on from 12pm until very late into the night until the activity in the parlour spread all around the house after 1am. At 1:50am, with everyone passed out, the party officially ended. The next morning, at the foot of the stairs towards the parlour, Mark was found by all members of the party but the Colonel, face first on the floor, still in his red robe smoking jacket he had worn all through the previous night, blood dripping from a bullet hole in his back.

Shane: So, he was shot. Ryan: … if a bullet hole can indicate anything on a human body, then yeah, it indicates being shot. Shane: Mmhmm! Detective Madej is on the case. Ryan: … You didn’t do… you… never mind. Moving on.

An hour later, the detective set up forensics for the scene. Benjamin admitted at this time he insisted on calling the police, however the detective responded, according to Benjamin’s testimony quote “I AM the authorities.”

Shane: Hmmmm. I’m not sure about this guy. Ryan: Yeah, Abe is an interesting guy. His parts to play in this whole case sort of… jumps between ‘he’s innocent’, ‘he’s guilty’, ‘no, he’s innocent’. Shane: He’s like a light switch on the whole case. Ryan: (wheeze) A very poetic description there.

The detective then took a rectal test to determine that the body was killed around 1:30am.

Shane: Eww. Ryan: (wheeze) I know. To be honest I’m sure there was probably a better way to tell when the body died… than a rectal exam. Shane: Hahahaha! He just did it for kicks, probably! Ryan: Hahaha!

At this time, according to each suspects testimony given to Abe at the time, The District Attorney was in their room, and had coincidentally passed out at exactly 1:30am, while the Colonel, the Mayor and Benjamin all retired to their room between 12:30am and 1:00am, while the chef stayed up until 1:15am to clean up after the mess of the party beforehand.

With no one proving to be the killer, as if suspicions couldn’t get any higher, at 9:30am, an hour after the body was discovered, the detective came back to the crime scene to find the body was nowhere to be found.

Shane: Oh nooooooo! Ryan: Yep. This is about to get interesting. Shane: As if it wasn’t interesting before! Ryan: … Is… is that that sarcasm? Shane: No, I mean it. This is genuinely an interesting case. Ryan: Hmm. I detect a small bit of sarcasm in your voice. Shane: Nah, that’s just how I normally speak.

There was an entire house search by nearly all members in the house, but after a whole hour, the body was never found. The fruitlessness of solving who the killer was, plus the sudden disappearance of the body, became too much, and at 1pm, the detective and the Colonel pulled guns on each other, both accusing each other as the murderer. The duel came to a quick end as, at 1:02pm, Mrs. Celine Barnum, the Mayor’s sister and Mark’s wife, arrived at the house.

Shane: (gasps) The drama! - wait?... ‘Mark’s wife’? Ryan: Yep. Shane: Wouldn’t it be Celine Plier if she’s married to him? Ryan: They were married before he became and actor and changed his name. Just because he changed his surname doesn’t mean she had to change hers too. Shane: I see… but… like the reason I was confused is because… Barnum is the... Colonel guy’s surname, right? Ryan: Oh! Oh, buddy. Keep that thought in mind, for when we get to the juiciness of the theories. Shane: Oooh, I bet the theories are real juicy. Ryan: It’s a lot of juice. Seriously, this case has the most theories I think we’ve ever covered in Buzzfeed Unsolved history. Shane: Oh, Jeez…. ‘Oh, juice!’ (wheeze)

Celine Barnum had been married to Mark for over 4 years and worked as a spirit medium. Believing there were quote “darker forces at work”, Celine insisted that a séance needed to be conducted to get a better understanding as to why her husband was killed.

Shane: How... did she know her husband was killed? Ryan: She was told as she arrived at the house. Shane: Oh, right. Yeah, I was about to ask like who is she? She just bursts into the house, like, ‘I’m here now, fuckers!’- Ryan: (wheezes) Shane: ‘Y’all mother fuckers need Ouija!’

A séance was conducted between Celine and the District Attorney, then there was, according to Benjamin, a second séance conducted between Celine and the Mayor. During this time, the Colonel went to his room after feeling tired and enraged with a number of the other house guests, Benjamin returned to his duties in the kitchen, while the District Attorney, the detective and the chef went outside to discuss the events of the house with the only other employee of the manor, the groundskeeper: George Gardener. Suddenly, 10 minutes later a bright glowing light shown through every door and window in the house.

Shane: Oh no. Ryan: hehehe! Shane: Oh no no no no. Ryan: What’s wrong, Shane? Shane: You’re not going to try and sell me that the whole house is a fucking alien spacecraft, are you? Ryan: Hahahahahahaa! Shane: A fucking UFO? And it just takes off into the night sky? You are, aren’t you? Ryan: Haha. No. But, to be honest, you still won’t like what was actually happening.

All house members ran into the house to inspect the light, and found the light coming from the séance room, and standing in the doorway was something truly disturbing. As described by both Abe and Benjamin, they saw Celine Barnum standing in the light of the doorway, who, quote, “was surrounded in a red glow” and “had an emotionless, ice cold stare”. There was the sound of quote “pierced screeching” described as “the sound of an out-of-frequency radio”. The figured scared the men so much they remained motionless in shock as the door closed, Celine still inside the room, and no sign of the Mayor.

INVESTIGATION: Séance room

Ryan: So err… this is the room where Celine held her séances… Jeez, I don’t like this room at all. All the stuff is still left here, including the board and the... crystal ball. Shane: Did they leave it out of respect or… where they just… lazy? Ryan: I think they were more scared. Shane: Of what? What were they scared of? The glass ball? Ryan: I don’t know. - but, you have to admit, it’s scary looking to that ball, isn’t it? Shane: Nope. Ryan: Just imagine seeing a horrible like monster face screaming at you through the glass. Shane: That’s sounds dope, honestly. Ryan: … Ok. Let start… Is anybody here with us? … Ryan: Celine Barnum, Are you here? … Ryan: Damien Lémieux. Are you here? … Shane: … Ain’t much going on, Ryan. Ryan: Yeah, I know, but we’re just getting started. (Ryan takes out spirit box.) Shane: Miss Celine and Mr Damien, I apologise in advance, as my friend is taking out a screaming box that apparently you can try to talk through… Although you’ll have to speak over the voice on the radio, as Ryan is going to believe any nonsense that comes out of it as you. Ryan: Shuttup. (Ryan turn on spirit box, frequency buzzes through in bursts of white noise.) Ryan: Is there anyone here? /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* Ryan: If there’s anyone here, my name is Ryan, this is Shane. Can you say our names? /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* Shane: It’ll be better if you ask them questions that need an answer that’s more than one syllable long. Ryan: Yeah, good point. Shane: Then it’ll be more convince— /*/IS DEAD/*/* Ryan: … That sounds like a guy saying, ‘he’s dead’. Shane: Yeah… it also sounds like ‘BLEE BLEH’! Ryan: Who’s dead? /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* Shane: Well, they are. Ryan: I’ve told you before, not all ghosts know their dead. /*/GO BAC/*/*/O SLEE/* Shane: … ‘Go back’? Ryan: ‘Go back to sleep’! Shane: (wheeze) Sounds like a nanny! ‘Get back in bed and go back to sleep, you little shits!’ Ryan: Ha ha (!) /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*/* Ryan: Celine, are you here?... It’s believed you were possessed before you disappeared. Is the thing that possessed you here? /*/*/MAD/NESS/*/*/TO CHOOS/*/* Shane: I don’t think these ‘ghosts’ are the smartest in the world. Ryan: I’m going to turn the box off now. Last chance to speak. /*/*/*/*/*/*/*/*-- (Crystal ball rolls off table) Ryan: AAUGH! Shane: Jeez! (wheeze) That almost crushed my foot! Ryan: Did you knock it?! Shane: I didn’t. Maybe you did? I wasn’t paying attention. Ryan: It rolled off on its own! Something pushed it! Shane: No, it didn’t. Ryan: Well, how else could it have started rolling on its own? Shane: NOT by a g-g-g-ghost! It’s spherical. It rolls. It’s natural. Ryan: You can’t not admit that it’s strange. Shane: It’s strange, but it’s not... beyond the bounds of reason.

The groundskeeper, who before had never set foot in the building, locked the door. No one knew what happened in that room during the séance, nor what happened after the door was locked, but whatever happened, when the police finally unlocked the room, Damian Lémieux and Celine Barnum were gone, with no sign of any escape from the room and no evidence of any bodies. All that was left of the siblings was the broken bottom-half of Damien’s cane and Celine’s séance set up.

With this shocking event, the employees of the Manor handed in their contracts and left the house. From 5pm until 8pm, the detective, the Colonel and the District Attorney were the only ones left in the house. What happened during that time is unclear, but Abe claims that the Colonel and the District Attorney came to confront him, in which the Colonel pulled his gun out on him again and shot Abe. Abe was knocked out for over 10 hours and admits to this day that he has no idea what happened to the last two people in the house. At 9:31am on the 14th October Abe Micks finally called the police to the manor.

(to be continued... )

(’thumbnail’ by @septicstacheedits)

#magpie writings #who killed markiplier #buzzfeed unsolved #fanfic

907 notes · View notes

bountyofbeads · 5 years ago

Text

Attention turns to Bolton after former aide told impeachment probe he fought Giuliani’s shadow operation in Ukraine

By Karoun Demirjian and Rachael Bade | Published October 15 at 10:54 AM ET | Washington Post | Posted October 15, 2019 12:15 PM ET |

The House’s impeachment inquiry is turning attention toward former national security adviser John Bolton, after a former top aide delivered explosive testimony Monday describing how he was infuriated by a shadow operation being conducted by the president’s allies and his lawyer in Ukraine to dig up dirt on the president’s political rivals.

Fiona Hill, who was the National Security Council’s top Russia and Europe adviser under Bolton, told investigators that Bolton likened President Trump’s lawyer Rudolph W. Giuliani, a driving force behind the efforts, to a “hand grenade,” according to two people familiar with her testimony.

Hill also testified that Bolton wanted to make clear he was not involved and very opposed to the “drug deal” between the White House’s acting Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney and U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, who were also involved in the effort, the people said.

Some lawmakers and aides are already talking privately about the need to call Bolton to testify, though they deferred to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on next steps.

The revelations about Bolton’s stance, many of which were first reported by the New York Times, paint a picture of a White House bitterly divided not just over Ukraine, which has long been reliant on military aid and political support from the United States as it fights with Russian-backed separatists in its eastern territories, but also over which political appointees were calling the shots on foreign policy: the experienced national security staff, or a group of Trump loyalists and Giuliani.

According to one person familiar with her testimony, Bolton was so alarmed by the efforts of Giuliani, Sondland and Mulvaney to circumvent the NSC and diplomatic corps that he dispatched Hill to raise the concern with White House lawyers.

The order came after a meeting in early July between then-special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker, Bolton, Sondland, Hill and Energy Secretary Rick Perry. During the meeting, Sondland blurted out to the other officials present that there were “investigations that were dropped that need to be started up again” in Ukraine, according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The officials understood him to be referring to Burisma, the energy company, and former vice president Joe Biden’s son Hunter Biden, who sat on its board.

Bolton went “ballistic” after the meeting, the official said.

Hill herself got into a confrontation with Sondland over his involvement in Ukraine affairs, according to one person familiar with her testimony, as Ukraine is not in the European Union and thus not part of his ambassadorial portfolio. Sondland said he had been put in charge by Trump, the person said — something Hill likened to the bravado of when former secretary of state Alexander Haig said he was in charge after an assassination attempt on former president Ronald Reagan.

Sondland, who obeyed State Department orders not to show for a planned deposition last week, is expected to testify in the House’s impeachment inquiry Thursday under subpoena. Text messages provided to the panel by former special U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker showed it was Sondland who defended the president in early September, when other diplomats expressed concern that Ukraine military assistance was being withheld to push Ukrainian leaders to conduct a politically motivated investigation into energy company Burisma.

Hunter Biden served on Burisma’s board for five years; Joe Biden is currently making a 2020 White House bid.

Hill’s testimony about Bolton may also ensnare Mulvaney in the impeachment investigation. Trump told Mulvaney in mid-July to hold back almost $400 million in congressionally approved military aid for Ukraine. That order came the same week Hill resigned from the NSC; it also took place one week before Trump spoke with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky by phone July 25, when he appeared to pressure Zelensky to investigate the 2016 elections and the Bidens.

The panels have already subpoenaed Giuliani for documents — a subpoena he has promised to disregard.

Greg Miller contributed to this report.

*********

The revenge of John Bolton?

By Aaron Blake | Published October 15 at 9:40 AM ET | Washington Post | Posted October 15, 2019 12:15 PM ET

Former White House Russia expert Fiona Hill testified Monday that John Bolton likened Rudolph W. Giuliani to a “hand grenade.” Giuliani responded overnight by likening Bolton to an “atomic bomb.”

Giuliani may be right — just perhaps not in the way he intended.

As evidence builds in House Democrats’ impeachment inquiry, signs keep pointing to Bolton, who has not yet been scheduled to testify. But in Bolton, House Democrats have a potential witness with a trifecta of utility: (1) Proximity to the alleged scandal, (2) motivation to tell his story and, perhaps as important as anything, (3) a true-believer mentality.

Hill testified Monday that Bolton was “furious” over Trump aides’ Ukraine maneuvering, and she indicated that he was one of the people involved in national security officials lodging their concerns with a White House lawyer (as previously reported by The Washington Post):

Bolton and [European Union Ambassador Gordon] Sondland met in early July with then-special envoy for Ukraine Kurt Volker, Hill and Energy Secretary Rick Perry. During the meeting, Sondland’s agenda for Ukraine began to become clear, when he blurted out to the other officials present that there were “investigations that were dropped that need to be started up again,” according to a U.S. official familiar with the matter. The officials understood him to be referring to Burisma, the energy company, and Biden — something that made Bolton go “ballistic” after the meeting, the official said.

Hill told lawmakers that after the meeting, Bolton instructed her to go raise their concerns about the shadow Ukraine operations with White House lawyers. Bolton said he didn’t want to be part of any “drug deal” that was being cooked up on Ukraine, one person familiar with Hill’s testimony said.

To this point, we’ve known that Bolton wasn’t happy about his acrimonious White House exit, given his public back-and-forth with Trump over it. What we didn’t know was how much his disenchantment might have extended to the Ukraine story. There are plenty of indications, after all, that Bolton was frozen out of White House processes toward the end of his tenure, as his rift with Trump grew. And reporting indicates that the Ukraine policy often went around the National Security Council, which Bolton led and Hill served on.

But Hill paints a picture of a Bolton who was in the room for at least some key Ukraine events, which would matter in any testimony he would offer.

Bolton’s motivation is also important here. In addition to his dissatisfaction with the circumstances of his departure, he has already spoken out against some of the policies of the administration he left behind — more gently in public and in a more unvarnished manner privately.

Trump supporters’ will cast him as a disgruntled former aide if he testifies against the White House, but it’s also true that aides with more loyalty might bend their version of events in a more favorable light. Bolton appears to have no great motivation to do that, based on how he views this episode and how he exited the White House. And whatever he says, if he testifies, will be under oath.

And last is a related point. Not only is Bolton a potentially motivated witness with little loyalty to Trump, he actually has something pulling him in the opposite direction: An almost-religious view of foreign policy. Bolton has often been criticized as strident and overly militaristic, but regardless of the substance of his foreign policy, the point here is that he has strong beliefs that appear to outrank other concerns.

That’s important, especially in this moment, because Trump’s foreign policy has veered significantly away from Bolton’s vision — most recently with his decision to withdraw from northern Syria, which is a decision many hawkish Republicans speak about in dire terms. They speak of Trump having left the United States’ Kurdish allies for “slaughter” at the hands of Turkey, as well as a possible resurgence of the Islamic State. And if those Republicans are speaking out against Trump like never before, just imagine what Bolton must be thinking right now.

One of the great ironies here is that Bolton is perhaps the last person you would expect to be a key witness for Democrats in their impeachment inquiry, given that they have derided him for so long. And the thing that could give him extra motivation to speak out is a shift away from Republican Party orthodoxy on foreign policy.

Much remains to play out, and Bolton still has not even been called to give a deposition. But Giuliani seems genuinely concerned that Bolton viewed his and the Trump team’s Ukraine actions in such a light. And the table seems to be set for Bolton to figure prominently in whatever comes next.

**********

Giuliani was paid $500,000 by company founded by arrested associate

By Josh Dawsey and Rosalind S. Helderman | Published October 15 at 10:29 AM ET | Washington Post | Posted October 15, 2019 12:15 PM ET

President Trump’s personal attorney Rudolph W. Giuliani was paid $500,000 last year by a company founded by one of his business associates who was arrested last week and charged with campaign finance violations.

Giuliani told The Washington Post late Monday that he was confident the money he received for work conducted on behalf of the Florida-based business called Fraud Guarantee, which was co-founded by Lev Parnas, was legitimate and originated in the United States.

“I know exactly where the money came from. I knew it at the time,” he said. “I will prove beyond any doubt it came from the United States of America.”

Giuliani had previously said he worked for Fraud Guarantee in 2018 and 2019 but had not confirmed how much he was paid. The figure was first reported by Reuters.

The payment means Giuliani’s firm was earning $500,000 from Parnas just as Giuliani began working closely with Parnas and a business partner, Igor Fruman, to dig up dirt on Democrats in Ukraine. The information the three men collected prompted Trump to press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate former vice president Joe Biden, which has led to the Trump impeachment inquiry by the House.

Parnas and Fruman were arrested last week and charged with illegally routing foreign money to U.S. political candidates and committees and using corporate accounts to hide the source of the funds. They have not yet entered a plea in the case.

Parnas has said he began working with Giuliani in Ukraine late last year, introducing him to current and former Ukrainian officials who said they had information about alleged interference by Ukraine in the 2016 election and an energy company on whose board Biden’s son Hunter Biden used to sit.

Parnas and Fruman, both emigres from former Soviet republics, had little history of involvement in Republican politics but shot into the upper echelon of Trump supporters after Parnas made a $50,000 donation to Trump’s campaign and the Republican Party in 2016 and a pro-Trump super PAC reported receiving a $325,000 donation from a different company incorporated by the two men in May 2018.

Giuliani said he was introduced to the two men by a lawyer. He said he was interested in Parnas’s company, which he said conducted background analysis on firms, because he had worked previously for a different company that invented technology that Parnas was going to use at Fraud Guarantee.

“They were building this business with two technologies, one of which I was very familiar with. I knew the investor of it,” Giuliani said. He declined to name the other company.

He said his firm was paid in two installments last fall, and he downplayed the $500,000 contract. “Some of our contracts are 2 or 3 million dollars. This was not an extraordinarily large contract,” he said.

*********

Live updates: Trump complains about closed-door depositions as another witness testifies

By John Wagner | Published October 15 at 12:00 PM ET | Washington Post | Posted October 15, 2019 12:30 PM ET

President Trump complained Tuesday about a lack of “transparency” in the accelerating Democrats-led impeachment inquiry as House investigators heard from another key State Department official behind closed doors at the Capitol.

George Kent, the deputy assistant secretary of state responsible for Ukraine, has been summoned to testify about a campaign by Rudolph W. Giuliani, Trump’s personal lawyer, to pressure Ukraine into investigating the president’s political rival, former vice president and 2020 Democratic candidate Joe Biden, and his son Hunter.

In a television interview that aired Tuesday, Hunter Biden conceded that it might have been a mistake to serve on the board of a Ukrainian gas company while his father was vice president, but insisted that he did not have an “ethical lapse.” He accused Giuliani and Trump of pressing “a ridiculous conspiracy” related to his tenure.

House Democrats are scheduled to huddle behind closed doors later Tuesday about the status of the inquiry.

● Trump’s ex-Russia adviser told impeachment investigators of Giuliani’s efforts in Ukraine.

● “Disruptive diplomat” Gordon Sondland, a key figure in Trump impeachment furor, long coveted ambassadorship.

● House Democrats express greater confidence about impeachment showdown with Trump.

The whistleblower complaint | The rough transcript of Trump’s call with Zelensky |The letter from White House counsel to House leaders

11:35 a.m.: Trump points to household income, employment numbers

Trump suggested that rising household income and employment numbers should be considered amid the effort to impeach him.

“Just out: MEDIAN HOUSEHOLD INCOME IS AT THE HIGHEST POINT EVER, EVER, EVER!” he tweeted. “How about saying it this way, Ind. THE HISTORY OF OUR COUNTRY! Also, MORE PEOPLE WORKING TODAY Ind. THE USA THAN AT ANY TIME Ind. HISTORY! Tough numbers for the Radical Left Democrats to beat! Impeach the Pres.”

11:15 a.m.: Trump takes aim at Bidens in a late-morning tweet

Trump took aim at Hunter Biden hours after his interview aired on “Good Morning America” and suggested that it would negatively impact his father’s 2020 Democratic presidential bid.

“Hunter Biden was really bad on @GMA. Now Sleepy Joe has real problems!” Trump wrote in a tweet that also referenced his 2016 Democratic opponent, Hillary Clinton, and the controversy over her use of a private email server while secretary of state.

“Reminds me of Crooked Hillary and her 33,000 deleted Emails, not recoverable!” Trump said.

11 a.m.: Attention turns to Bolton after former aide told impeachment probe he fought Giuliani’s shadow operation in Ukraine

Hill, who was the National Security Council’s top Russia and Europe adviser under Bolton, told investigators that Bolton likened Giuliani, a driving force behind the efforts, to a “hand grenade,” according to two people familiar with her testimony.

Hill also testified that Bolton wanted to make clear that he was not involved and very opposed to the “drug deal” between the White House’s acting chief of staff Mick Mulvaney and U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, who were also involved in the effort, the people said.

Some lawmakers and aides are already talking privately about the need to call Bolton to testify, though they deferred to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) on next steps.

— Karoun Demirjian and Rachael Bade

10:45 a.m.: Kent is appearing under subpoena

Kent was subpoenaed to appear Tuesday morning after an attempt by the State Department, in coordination with the White House, to block his testimony, according to an official working on the impeachment inquiry.

The official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door session, said Kent is complying with the subpoena issued by the House Intelligence Committee and answering questions from both Democratic and Republican lawmakers and staff.

10:15 a.m.: Former Pompeo adviser set to testify Wednesday

Michael McKinley, the former senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, will testify before House investigators leading the impeachment inquiry on Wednesday morning, according to people familiar with the decision.

McKinley resigned last week amid worsening morale at the State Department and widespread concern that Pompeo has done little to defend diplomats who became ensnared in efforts by Trump to get Ukraine to investigate the Bidens.

McKinley will come to the Hill with an intimate understanding of how Pompeo wielded power in the highest echelons of the State Department, given his proximity to the top diplomat on his many trips abroad.

The format for the testimony is a “transcribed interview,” said a congressional aide who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss matters not yet made public, which places fewer restrictions on the interview process than in a formal deposition.

McKinley is one of several current and former State Department officials who have defied White House orders to avoid testifying before House investigators. On Tuesday morning, Kent arrived on Capitol Hill to testify. On Thursday, the U.S. ambassador to the European Union, Gordon Sondland, is scheduled to appear.

— John Hudson

10 a.m.: Giuliani was paid $500,000 by company owned by an arrested associate

Giuliani was paid $500,000 last year by a company owned by one of two men arrested last week and charged with campaign finance violations.

Giuliani told The Washington Post late Monday that he was confident the money he received for work conducted on behalf of the Florida-based business called Fraud Guarantee and its owner Lev Parnas was legitimate and originated in the United States.

“I know exactly where the money came from. I knew it at the time,” he said. “I will prove beyond any doubt it came from the United States of America.”

Giuliani had previously said he worked for Fraud Guarantee in 2018 and 2019 but had not confirmed how much he was paid, a figure that was first reported by Reuters. The payment means Giuliani’s firm was earning $500,000 from Parnas just as Giuliani began working closely with Parnas and a business partner, Igor Fruman, to dig up dirt on Democrats in Ukraine.

The information the three men collected prompted Trump to press Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to investigate Biden, prompting the Trump impeachment inquiry by the House.

— Josh Dawsey and Rosalind S. Helderman

9:45 a.m.: Trump complains about lack of ‘transparency’ in proceedings

President Trump took to Twitter on Tuesday morning to complain that witnesses in the impeachment inquiry are being deposed behind closed doors.

“Democrats are allowing no transparency at the Witch Hunt hearings,” Trump tweeted. “If Republicans ever did this they would be excoriated by the Fake News. Let the facts come out from the charade of people, most of whom I do not know, they are interviewing for 9 hours each, not selective leaks.”

House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam B. Schiff (D-Calif.) has said that transcripts of depositions will be released and that some witnesses may be called back to testify publicly.

Democrats argue that private depositions are advantageous because it is harder for witnesses to coordinate their accounts.

9:40 a.m.: Kent arrives at Capitol ahead of scheduled testimony

Kent made no comment to reporters as he arrived at the Capitol. He has been summoned to testify about a campaign by Giuliani to pressure Ukraine into investigating the Bidens.

9:10 a.m.: Zeldin claims coverage of depositions are based on ‘cherry-picked leaks’

Republicans renewed complaints Tuesday morning about depositions being held behind closed doors and again called for opening the process to the public.

Rep. Lee Zeldin (R-N.Y.) said that media coverage of what occurred Monday was based on “cherry-picked leaks” by Democrats and that House investigators should “at least release the transcripts” of those being deposed.

Appearing on Fox News, Zeldin also took aim at Schiff (D-Calif.).

“Adam Schiff is making it up every single morning as he goes along,” Zeldin said. “There are no rules.”

During an appearance Monday night in New York, Schiff said lawmakers “are going to be releasing all of these transcripts” of the depositions.

He said some witnesses who have testified behind closed doors may be brought back for an open hearing.

8:45 a.m.: Sean Spicer says scrutiny of Hunter Biden is justified

Former White House press secretary Sean Spicer said Tuesday that scrutiny of Hunter Biden’s business dealings is justified, citing the scrutiny that the business dealings of Trump’s children has received.

“We’ve seen the scrutiny with the Trump family and all of their business dealings. If it’s fair for the Trumps, it’s fair for the Bidens,” Spicer said during an appearance on Fox News’s “Fox & Friends” that focused mostly on his tenure as a contestant on “Dancing With the Stars.”

“This is politics. This is fair game,” Spicer added.

Spicer said he sees a “big difference” between the business activities of the Trump children and the service of Hunter Biden on the board of a Ukrainian gas company.

“There’s no expertise in the field,” Spicer said. “There’s nothing except for your last name, and frankly, not just your last name, but your connection to the sitting vice president, who’s overseeing the policy in that country.”

8 a.m.: Top State Department official expected to face questions about Ukraine and Giuliani

Kent is expected to testify Tuesday morning in the House impeachment inquiry of Trump. He is a key witness on whether Giuliani tried to push out the former ambassador to Ukraine, Marie Yovanovitch.

The longtime Foreign Service official has been summoned for a deposition in the investigation, with Democrats expected to question him behind closed doors about a campaign by Giuliani to pressure Ukraine into investigating Biden and his son.

A lawyer for Kent did not respond to emails asking whether he intended to answer the summons — though Democrats were ready to subpoena him if he did not.

Giuliani accused Yovanovitch and Kent, formerly the No. 2 ranking diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Ukraine, of trying to protect the Bidens from an investigation by Ukrainian prosecutors. Yovanovitch adamantly pushed back on those accusations during testimony before investigators on Friday. Kent also is likely to be asked about those assertions.

— Rachael Bade

7:30 a.m.: Bolton declines comment on testimony that he was alarmed by Giuliani

John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, declined to comment Tuesday on reports that Fiona Hill, the White House’s former top Russia adviser, told impeachment investigators Monday that he was alarmed by Giuliani’s activities in Ukraine.

Hill testified behind closed doors Monday that Bolton was furious over Giuliani’s politically motivated activities in Ukraine, according to two officials familiar with her testimony. She recounted how Bolton likened the former New York mayor to a “hand grenade who’s going to blow everybody up,” one of these people said, after Bolton learned about Giuliani’s Ukraine campaign.

House investigators are now considering summoning Bolton, who was Hill’s direct superior at the National Security Council, according to people familiar with the matter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss closed-door deliberations.

— Anne Gearan

7:25 a.m.: George Conway pushes back on Republican demands to hear from whistleblower

George Conway, the husband of White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, pushed back against Trump and fellow Republicans who have expressed alarm in recent days that Democrats may not seek testimony from the whistleblower whose complaint sparked the impeachment inquiry.

“Someone calls 911 because they hear shots down the street at the bank,” tweeted Conway, a conservative lawyer and frequent Trump critic. “The cops show up at the bank, and, sure enough, it’s been robbed, and there are numerous witnesses there who saw the crime. The suspects confess. Normally, at this point, no one cares about who called 911.”

7:15 a.m.: RNC highlights effort aimed at House Democrats in swing districts

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel highlighted the RNC’s expanded efforts to target Democrats in swing districts for their support of the impeachment inquiry.

“Democrats in Congress are hiding their baseless impeachment ‘hearings’ behind closed doors, but they can’t hide from their constituents!” McDaniel wrote in a tweet that included a link to a Washington Examiner piece detailing a $2.3 million RNC effort that includes online ads with a “Stop the Madness” theme targeting 30 House Democrats.

7:10 a.m.: Jordan takes aim at Hunter Biden

As ABC was airing its Hunter Biden interview, Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), a key Trump ally, appeared on Fox News, where he criticized Biden’s tenure on the board of a Ukrainian gas company while his father was vice president.

“This wasn’t fair. This wasn’t proper. This wasn’t right,” Jordan says. “We just know that this stuff smells.”

Jordan also took issue with Hunter Biden’s assessment in the interview about whether he would have been offered the position on the board of Burisma Holdings if his last name weren’t Biden.

Hunter Biden told ABC “probably not.”

“Not probably not, definitely not,” said Jordan, who went on to criticize the Democratic-led impeachment proceedings as “an all-out attack on the president.”

2 notes · View notes

plusorminuscongress · 5 years ago

Text

New story in Politics from Time: Pressure Builds on President Trump As New Revelations Emerge About His Dealings with Ukraine

As Donald Trump flew to Texas Thursday for a fundraiser and rally, the revelations about the President’s involvement in Ukraine escalated into a full-fledged crisis.

Mick Mulvaney, the acting White House chief of staff, undercut the President’s denial of a quid pro quo when he told reporters that Trump withheld military aid as leverage to push Ukraine to investigate Democrats’ activity during the 2016 election—and then reversed himself hours later. Energy Secretary Rick Perry said he contacted Trump’s personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani at the president’s behest to talk about Ukraine—and then resigned. And European Union Ambassador Gordon Sondland told House investigators that Trump had delegated power over U.S. foreign policy in Ukraine to Giuliani, and added that it was “wrong” to link political requests to actions on Ukraine.

It’s not yet clear how Trump’s mounting troubles will affect the impeachment proceedings in Congress. Even if the Democratic House votes to impeach the President, the Republican-controlled Senate must vote to convict him in order to remove him from office. But the events of the past 24 hours have turned up the pressure on an increasingly embattled Trump.

In the White House briefing room Thursday, Mulvaney publicly confirmed that Trump wanted Ukraine to investigate Democratic Party actions during the 2016 election in exchange for releasing the flow of military aid. “The look back to what happened in 2016 certainly was part of the thing he was worried about in corruption with that nation, and that is absolutely appropriate,” Mulvaney said, explaining why the aid to Ukraine was delayed. “Get over it. There’s going to be political influence in foreign policy.”

“Did he also mention to me in [the] past the corruption related to the DNC server? Absolutely,” Mulvaney said, confirming that Trump had also brought up the debunked conspiracy that Ukrainian individuals were involved in the investigation into the Russian hacking of the DNC server in 2016. “No question about that. But that’s it, and that’s why we held up the money.”

After Trump’s senior-most aide announced publicly that political considerations influenced Trump’s foreign policy, Trump allies scrambled to do damage control. Trump’s personal lawyer Jay Sekulow told TIME Trump’s legal counsel “was not involved” in Mulvaney’s briefing, and a senior official in the Department of Justice also distanced DOJ from Mulvaney’s comments. “If the White House was withholding aid in regards to the cooperation of any investigation at the Department of Justice, that is news to us,” the official wrote in a statement.

The reaction was swift. Within hours, Mulvaney had walked back his comments, repeatedly asserting that the White House decision to hold up nearly $400 million in military aid had nothing to do with an investigation into hacking the Democratic National Committee’s server and whether that server ended up in Ukraine. “Let me be clear, there was absolutely no quid pro quo between Ukrainian military aid and any investigation into the 2016 election,” he said in a statement. “There never was any condition on the flow of the aid related to the matter of the DNC server.” Mulvaney’s carefully-worded statement pointedly did not mention any other investigations into Democrats, including Trump’s fixation on Burisma, the Ukrainian gas company that once employed former Vice President Biden’s son.

While Mulvaney said during the press briefing that the delay in military aid “had absolutely nothing to do with Biden,” his subsequent statement did not mention Burisma or Biden at all. The omission was conspicuous in part because text messages made public by House investigators last week made it clear that Ukrainian officials believed that the White House visit they sought was dependent on their opening a probe into both the DNC server and Burisma. “Once we have a date we will call for a press briefing,” a Zelensky aide texted the U.S. envoy to Ukraine Kurt Volker. The briefing would announce “among other things Burisma and election meddling in investigations,” he wrote. Volker responded, “Sounds great!”

While Mulvaney’s comments exploded onto cable news chyrons, Trump’s hand-picked ambassador to the European Union, GOP donor Gordon Sondland, began speaking to House investigators. He told them it would have been “wrong” to withhold military aid in an effort to pressure Ukraine to take on a political investigation. “Let me state clearly: Inviting a foreign government to undertake investigations for the purpose of influencing an upcoming U.S. election would be wrong,” Sondland said. “Withholding foreign aid in order to pressure a foreign government to take such steps would be wrong. I did not and would not ever participate in such undertakings.”

Jordan Tama, an associate professor at American University who specializes in foreign and national security policy decision-making, said the distinction lies in whether the White House used military aid to pressure a foreign country to act to advance U.S. interests, or whether it did so to advance the president’s political interests. “Ukrainian cooperation with the Trump administration’s investigation regarding what happened to the DNC server in 2016 is not a legitimate reason to hold up military aid to Ukraine because the investigation is being conducted to advance the president’s political interests, not U.S. national interests,” he says. “It is appropriate to tie U.S. aid to a foreign government’s cooperation with the United States in areas such as counterterrorism or nuclear non-proliferation, but it’s not appropriate to tie U.S. aid to a foreign government’s cooperation with an investigation being carried out to assist the president’s reelection campaign.”

Sondland also confirmed the central role Giuliani has been playing in Trump’s dealings with Ukraine. “It was apparent to all of us that the key to changing the president’s mind on Ukraine was Mr. Giuliani,” Sondland said. “Our view was that the men and women of the State Department, not the president’s personal lawyer, should take responsibility for all aspects of U.S. foreign policy toward Ukraine.”

Trump’s outgoing Energy Secretary Rick Perry also amplified Giuliani’s rarified status as it relates to Trump and Ukraine. Perry, who resigned Wednesday evening, told the Wall Street Journal that Trump personally told him last spring to work with Giuliani to get the Ukrainians to “straighten up their act” on investigating 2016 before Trump would agree to meet the country’s new president.

“The fact that this was about corruption in Ukraine and had nothing to do with politics defies credulity,” says Brett Bruen, a former National Security Council official under President Obama. “The FBI isn’t in Kiev investigating the matter, instead [Trump] has his personal attorney out looking for dirt.”

This cascade of new revelations came as Senate Republicans publicly objected to Trump’s decision to withdraw U.S. troops from Syria in the face of a Turkish invasion and the slaughter of Kurdish fighters who were fighting alongside U.S. soldiers a few weeks ago. White House officials are concerned that Republican outrage over Trump’s Syria decision could weaken their support for the President in the impeachment proceedings.

So far, Trump has enjoyed strong support among Republican lawmakers, making it unlikely that they would vote to convict him in an impeachment trial. The Republican-controlled Senate Intelligence Committee is quietly gathering information on Trump and Ukraine, but so far, hasn’t decided to take an adversarial approach to Trump.

The pace of recent revelations could threaten that solid support in the Senate. “The idea that President Trump is right because he’s a Republican and I am a Republican will only hold so much water,” says Dan Eberhart, a GOP donor. “At some point Republicans have to reexamine the facts and consider it’s time to break the glass, and just change your mind.” Democrats are gambling that their investigations, and the steady drumbeat of revelations resulting from them, will tilt the scales of public opinion on Election Day 2020.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has started to walk through the nuts and bolts of a Senate trial with his caucus to “normalize” the process, according to a Senate leadership aid. McConnell used a PowerPoint presentation on Wednesday at the caucus lunch to help familiarize his fellow Republicans with the rules of impeachment, including a required starting time each afternoon and a ban on senators speaking during the trial. The same leadership aide says McConnell has suggested working out a deal with Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer that would allow lawmakers to meet on legislation during the mornings, so they can focus on impeachment in the afternoons.

The impeachment process may still be in early stages, but the president finds himself in an increasingly precarious spot.

-With reporting by Alana Abramson, Vera Bergengruen, Philip Elliott and John Walcott/Washington

By Brian Bennett and Tessa Berenson on October 17, 2019 at 08:35PM

#Time #politics #PlusOrMinusCongress #±Congress #Indega±#IndegaPlusOrMinus #TimeMag #TimeMagazine

1 note · View note

trunewsofficial · 5 years ago

Text

Kushner, Perry Met With Zelensky Before Ukraine’s $400M Military Aid Was Delayed

More than a month before President Trump’s now heavily scrutinized phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, and at the same time an almost $400 million U.S. military aide package was being discussed and ultimately delayed, two senior administration officials, Special Advisor Jared Kushner and U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry, met privately with the comedian-turned-leader, and discussed issues related to energy and security. The meeting took place at a tax-payer funded VIP dinner on June 4th, 2019 at the Brussels residence of U.S. Ambassador to the European Union Gordon Sondland, and was part of the embassy’s annual celebration of Independence Day, which though hosted one month early, included a glitzy event at the Autoworld vintage car museum in the heart of Belgium’s capital. Texas’ former Governor and Kushner attended both events, and were personally pictured with President Zelensky at the dinner, at which President Trump’s son-in-law was sat directly next to the foreign leader. Also in attendance at this invite-only dinner, according to records published by the U.S. Mission to the European Union, were other foreign leaders such as Romanian Prime Minister Viorica Dăncilă and her Vice Prime Minister Ana Birchall; Polish President Andrzej Duda; Georgian Prime Minister Mamuka Bakhtadze; Belgian Interior Minister Pieter De Crem; Ukrainian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs for the European Integration, Olena Volodymyrivna Zerkal; European Commissioner for Climate Action and Energy Miguel Arias Cańet; European Parliament President Antonio Tajani; and EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Federica Mogherini. The U.S. delegation was no less robust and included U.S. State Department Counselor Ulrich Brechbuhl; Acting Assistant for the Bureau of European and Eurasian Affairs Secretary Philip T. Reeker; U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Belgium Ronald J. Gidwitz; U.S. Ambassador to Poland Georgette Mosbacher; and NATO Special Operations Headquarters Commander, Vice Admiral Colin J. Kilrain. In addition to diplomatic officials, a lone entertainer was invited, comedian Jay Leno. At the time of the dinner, President Zelensky was on his first foreign trip as leader of Ukraine, and Kushner had just departed London, where President Trump was making a state visit. Both officials were on a quest to secure support from the European Union, Kushner for the long anticipated Israeli-Palestinian peace plan, and President Zelensky for accession to membership in the bloc, a move he described at the time to European Council President Donald Tusk as a “powerful blow against Russian authoritarianism,” and their “imperial project.” An unnamed source in President Zelensky’s administration quoted by Interfax-Ukraine and the Kyiv Post confirmed that Kushner spoke to Ukraine’s leader during the trip, and said that “they discussed a wide range of issues, ranging from security to energy.” Additionally, a report published by the Financial Times on June 5 also asserts President Zelensky met with Kushner as well as with Secretary Perry, but gives no detail as to what was discussed. It is not clear if these reports were referring to an additional meeting aside from the U.S. EU embassy event where photos confirm direct interaction between President Zelensky, Secretary Perry and Kushner. A White House official with knowledge of the dinner told TruNews that this dinner was the meeting being referenced, and that President Zelensky arrived late and left early, and no additional meetings took place. Secretary Perry’s role in the Brussels dinner is made clearer when examining his mention in the whistleblower complaint released Thursday morning by the House intelligence Committee. According to the complaint, unnamed U.S. government officials allegedly told the whistleblower that Secretary Perry was sent to President Zelensky’s inauguration on May 20 in place of Vice President Mike Pence at the instruction of President Trump, who ordered the VP to cancel the trip to make it clear that President Trump himself would not meet with the Ukrainian leader until he saw how he “chose to act” in office. While in Ukraine on this state directed visit, Secretary Perry told reporters to expect a sanctions bill to materialize soon penalizing companies involved in Russia’s Nord Stream 2 pipeline, the gas pipeline being construction across the Baltic Sea to Germany which directly threatens the profits and domestic siphoning of the Gazprom Soyuz pipeline which traverses Ukraine. Other members of the U.S. delegation led by Secretary Perry, who returned on May 23 to brief President Trump at the White House, included Wisconsin Republican Senator Ron Johnson; U.S. Special Representative for Ukraine Kurt Volker, who also presently serves as executive director of the McCain Institute for International Leadership; and Ambassador Sondland, who also attended the Brussels-Kushner-Zelensky dinner. These same officials gathered at the White House on July 10th along with National Security Advisor John Bolton and his Ukrainian counterpart Oleksandr Danylyuk, who directly advises President Zelensky on national security, to “discuss opportunities for increased energy security cooperation.” On July 26th, one day after the infamous Trump-Zelensky phone call, envoy Volker, Ambassador Sondland, and former U.S. ambassador to the Ukraine, William B. Taylor, met in Kiev with National Security & Defense Council Secretary Danylyuk and President Zelensky. According to Ukrainian television outlet Hromadske the parties discusses the “current situation in the area of Operation of the Joint Forces,” referring to military cooperation between the U.S. and it's most strategic ally in Eastern Europe. It is of note that envoy Volker reportedly resigned following the publication of President Trump's July 25th phone call with President Zelesnky, and other White House officials are seeking independent legal counsel related to their role in the negotiations with Ukraine. On the subject of military aid, the Kushner-Perry-Zelensky-Brussels dinner in June eerily coincides with what the Washington Post, quoting unnamed administration officials, described as the beginning of “discussions about Ukrainian aid.” As noted by the Post, President Trump has frequently requested the withholding of aid from foreign governments when he concludes they are “not doing their part,” with past examples being Central American countries failing to sufficiently halt the inflow of illegal immigrants through America’s southern border. Relevant congressional officials were notified on February 28th and May 23rd, the last being only one week before Kushner and Secretary Perry’s meeting with President Zelensky, that President Trump intended to release large contingents of military aid to Ukraine to support their ongoing civil war against separatists in the North Eastern region of their country, and deter further alleged Russian provocations. As part of the $693 billion U.S. Defense Department budget for Fiscal Year 2019, which ends October 1st, Congress approved a total of $391 million in military aid for Ukraine, and this was split into two funds; the larger administered by the Pentagon for the delivery of sniper rifles, counter-artillery radar systems, ammunition and grenade launchers; and the other by the U.S. State Department for maritime security and NATO interoperability. This money reportedly sat dormant in U.S. accounts and was not transferred to Ukraine until September 11th, 2019. Quoting three unnamed senior administration officials whose accounts cannot be independently verified by TruNews, the Post reported that President Trump directed his acting chief of staff, Mick Mulvaney, to “hold back” the money “at least a week” before the infamous phone call between he and President Zelensky on July 25. Officials at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), previously overseen by Mulvaney, conveyed President Trump’s order to the U.S. State Department and the Pentagon through an interagency meeting, according to an anonymous source quoted by the Post who was aware of the “internal deliberations.” During these deliberations, the Post’s unnamed source noted that officials explained that the president had “concerns,” and wanted to analyze whether the money even needed to be spent before it was sent to Ukraine. Additionally, the Post claims that Trump Administration officials were then instructed to continuously lie to Congress about the status of the almost $400m military aid package, by telling them delays were part of an “interagency process,” without providing any additional information. This “pattern” as the Post describes it, continued from July to September 11, when the funds were finally released, just under two months from the Trump-Zelensky phone call, and just over three months from Jared Kushner and Secretary Perry’s meeting with the Ukrainian President in Brussels. This date also coincides with the resignation of former national security adviser John Bolton, who according to the Post fought unsuccessfully with President Trump to release the almost $400 million military aide package to Ukraine sooner, after President Trump and his embattled lawyer Rudy Giuliani had said they were instead “primarily concerned with corruption.” It is also one month after top Pentagon official, Undersecretary of Defense for Policy John Rood, wrote to four congressional committees that the Department of Defense had “certified that the Government of Ukraine has taken substantial action to make defense institutional reforms for the purposes of decreasing corruption and increasing accountability." This verification was required by law to release $250 million of the congressionally approved military aid package to Ukraine. Two unnamed U.S. officials told Reuters that the Trump administration expects that $220 million of the $250 million of the Pentagon-portion of the congressionally approved military aid package for Ukraine for fiscal year 2019 will be spent by Monday, September 30th, the official deadline before the money defaults back to the U.S. and requires a re-approval by Congress for the FY2020. The Pentagon has confirmed that the majority of the $250 million Ukrainian military aid package would be committed before the deadline, but U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper has refused to comment on why the White House decided to delay the funds since June. Though no records have yet been provided, the Pentagon’s NATO Foreign Military Sales office is required by law to publish the name(s) of the companies which have agreed to fulfill these weapons contracts, deals which would have been rushed and incurred at an inflated cost for both the governments of the Ukraine and U.S., yet be incredibly profitable for anyone aware of the delay, short term spending need, and stocked to fulfill them. According to Congressional records the U.S. has provided $1.5 billion in security assistance to Ukraine since 2014, when Russian forces were deployed to secure the strategic port of Sevastopol in Crimea, following the elections calling for annexation. At the time, Joe Biden, the focus of the now-infamous July 25 Trump-Zelensky call, by his own admission made a similar threat to halt congressionally approved military aide to Ukraine if Obama administration demands were not met. According to Connecticut Democratic Senator Chris Murphy, who visited Ukraine in early September and spoke directly with President Zelensky and his administration, the “entire” administration was concerned “that the aid that was being cut off to Ukraine by President Trump was a consequence for their unwillingness, at the time, to investigate the Bidens.” “I don’t think it really matters . . . whether the president explicitly told the Ukrainians that they wouldn’t get their security aid if they didn’t interfere in the 2020 elections,” Senator Murphy said. “There is an implicit threat in every demand that a United States president makes of a foreign power. . . . That foreign country knows that if they don’t do it, there are likely to be consequences.” (Photo credit: U.S. Embassy to the European Union) source https://trunews.com/stream/kushner-perry-met-with-zelensky-before-ukraines-400m-military-aid-was-delayed

#TRUNEWS - Rick Wiles

1 note · View note