Breaking News From CNN

Ken AshfordBreaking NewsLeave a Comment

CNN Poll: Six in 10 Americans say Trump doesn’t deserve a second term. Fewer said the same of Obama or George W. Bush at the same stage of their presidencies. https://t.co/rjvv755jrk pic.twitter.com/0A0DZRqLsi — CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 10, 2019

Breaking News From CNN

Ken AshfordBreaking NewsLeave a Comment

Trump and John Bolton got into a heated argument Monday, according to two people familiar with what happened, over the President’s plan to host Taliban leaders at Camp David. Follow live updates: https://t.co/uTc6MPDsVP pic.twitter.com/Ev0gXI3ZdI — CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 10, 2019

Breaking News From CNN

Ken AshfordBreaking NewsLeave a Comment

President Trump fires John Bolton and says he “strongly disagreed” with many of his national security adviser’s suggestions https://t.co/2WMkL2Uhhn pic.twitter.com/BOwNi8XoXi — CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 10, 2019

Bolton Gone

Ken AshfordBreaking News, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

And of course, we learn this by tweet: ….I asked John for his resignation, which was given to me this morning. I thank John very much for his service. I will be naming a new National Security Advisor next week. — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 10, 2019 I suspect this may have something to do with all the leaks … Read More

NC-9 Special Election Today Is A Bellwether

Ken AshfordElection 2018, Local InterestLeave a Comment

Remember North Carolina 9th District? They are having a special election today. Remember why? If not, here’s what happened… Essentially, there was a  a ballot fraud scandal which led the state elections board earlier this year to invalidate the 2018 results and overturn what had appeared to be a Republican victory In February, the state election board, after hearing four days … Read More

Trump Destroying National Security Apparatus As CIA Loses Critical Asset Due To Trump

Ken AshfordL'Affaire Russe, Russia, Trump & Administration, White House SecrecyLeave a Comment

The Washington Post has the goods on the spy who came out of the cold: In 2017, the United States extracted from Russia an important CIA source who had provided information about the Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 presidential election, according to current and former officials. The operation, known as an exfiltration, followed mounting concerns among U.S. officials that the individual could be … Read More

Nothing To Do With Me?

Ken AshfordEmoluments Violation, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

NYT: WASHINGTON — Back in 2014, soon after acquiring a golf resort in Scotland, Donald J. Trump entered a partnership with a struggling local airport there to increase air traffic and boost tourism in the region. The next year, as Mr. Trump began running for president, the Pentagon decided to ramp up its use of that same airport to refuel … Read More

Breaking News From CNN

Ken AshfordBreaking NewsLeave a Comment

President Trump says evacuees will need “totally proper documentation” to enter the US from the Bahamas, where dozens of people died, hundreds are missing and 70,000 are homeless in the wake of Hurricane Dorian https://t.co/1nm2NgvTtv pic.twitter.com/GpQgsPUFdP — CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 9, 2019

This Won’t Fly

Ken AshfordGun Control, Mental Health, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

Not the answer: The White House is considering a controversial proposal to study whether mass shootings could be prevented by monitoring mentally ill people for small changes that might foretell violence. Former NBC Chairman Bob Wright, a longtime friend and associate of President Trump’s, has briefed top officials, including the president, the vice president and Ivanka Trump, on a proposal to create … Read More

I Got Nothing

Ken AshfordTrump & Administration, War On ChristmasLeave a Comment

Sometimes Trump does shit that is so alarming that you just can’t get your head around it. Here are Trump’s tweets on… well, read them. Unbeknownst to almost everyone, the major Taliban leaders and, separately, the President of Afghanistan, were going to secretly meet with me at Camp David on Sunday. They were coming to the United States tonight. Unfortunately, … Read More

Trump Turnberry Resort Brings Emoluments Clause Back Into Focus

Ken AshfordEmoluments Violation, Political Scandals, Trump & AdministrationLeave a Comment

Hmmmmm: The U.S. Air Force has ordered a world-wide review of how it chooses overnight accommodations on long flights following revelations that air crews had occasionally stayed at President Donald Trump’s Scotland resort while refueling at a small commercial airport nearby. The review comes as additional instances of military personnel staying at Trump properties have been uncovered. The C-17 crew’s … Read More

Whither Weather

Ken AshfordDisasters, Trump & Administration, WeatherLeave a Comment

Last week, I largely avoided the controversy about Trump and Hurricane Dorian, mostly because it was such a small thing that I didn’t believe it would turn into a big thing. But that, of course, is why the Hurricane Dorian controversy — or “Sharpiegate” — is actually relevant: it shows the chaotic and psychotic nature of Trump, who was unwilling … Read More

Weekly List 147

Ken AshfordWeekly ListLeave a Comment

This week is not the longest list with Congress out on summer break for the sixth and final week, but it is perhaps the most alarming in terms of the irreverent authoritarian actions by Trump, who continues to push boundaries having suffered no consequences for anything yet. Examples of his power base expanding were reported, including the Pentagon refusing to … Read More

Breaking News From CNN

Ken AshfordBreaking NewsLeave a Comment

President Trump says he canceled a secret meeting at Camp David tomorrow with Taliban leaders and Afghanistan’s President https://t.co/sm3oQsx27c pic.twitter.com/CduzGMpzni — CNN Breaking News (@cnnbrk) September 7, 2019