Bernie-Bannon 2020?

The White House's resident economic populist lays out a tax plan:

STEVE BANNON PUSHING FOR 44 PERCENT MARGINAL TAX RATE ON THE VERY RICH

That would kick in on incomes over $5 million. That is in contrast to Wild Bill Clinton's famous "millionaires tax", which kicked in around $250K. And do let me add - few things gall me more than Democratic rhetoric about yachts, private jets, billionaires and people buying the political system when their policy answer is a tax on people earning more than $250K. For those who were promised there would be no math, it takes a lot of years at $250K per to make it to a billion and buy a few Congressfolks.

TOP WHITE HOUSE adviser Steve Bannon is pushing for tax reform to include a new 44 percent top marginal tax rate, hitting people who earn more than $5 million a year, with the revenue paying for tax cuts for the rest, according to three people who’ve spoken to him recently.

The top rate is now 39.6 percent and most Republicans have been planning to lower it significantly as part of tax reform. The plan Trump put out previously would have only three brackets, with the top one brought down to 35 percent.

Raising taxes on the very rich has been a rare policy that President Donald Trump has publicly espoused throughout much of his life. On Tuesday, he told the Wall Street Journal, “if there’s upward revision it’s going to be on high-income people.”

“I have wealthy friends that say to me, ‘I don’t mind paying more tax,’” he said. White House spokesperson Sarah Huckabee Sanders was pressed on Trump’s comment at a televised briefing Wednesday, and said that further specifics of the plan would be released shortly, with an emphasis on tax cuts for the middle class.

If I were advising Trump (If? Say What?!?) I would back Bannon on this. It's outside the box of thirty-seven years of Republican orthodoxy and appeals to the people who voted for Trump, rather than his contributors.

As to whether the numbers add up, I will be surprised to learn that a tax with a $5 million threshold raises all that money to be sprinkled amongst lesser earners. Per the article it takes in maybe $18 Billion per year.

We have roughly 140 million taxpayers. $18 billion spread evenly over 100 million taxpayers is $180 per taxpayer per year.

This is sort of the Willie Sutton problem - taxing the extremely high earners is not where the money is. I should add that after transfers our current system is already progressive, per the CBO. I don't think tax policy has been driving the rise of income inequality here, but I am not feeling a strong commitment to the current approach either.

As to the economics, supply-siders will abhor this. But I am old enough to remember backing Reagan when he wanted to cut the top rate from 70% to 50%, as well as reduce government regulation. 

Obviously if you believe this will be a jobs killer you advise Trump to stay away from this. But if you suspect it will be jobs-neutral at worst, the politics are appealing. Despite his character defects Bannon is shrewd enough to see this.

 

Comments

[Account Deleted]

Primo

[Account Deleted]

Otta get congress offitz azz.

[Barbara]

From the end of the last thread.

As Chief of Staff, Priebus would be at the heart of many if not all of these issues. Stories have not been favorable about him since the inauguration.

Perhaps the President wants a new Chief of Staff. Doesn't require Senate approval.

Just a wild idea, but most presidents have an inner circle, a kitchen cabinet. With all the inaction by the Congress and the sub par performance of a certain cabinet secretaries and his assistant, maybe it's time for the President to go around them all. Secretary Zinke showed how that works last night with his calls to the two Alaska Senators. I wouldn't be surprised if the President turned the tables on all of them and shook up their little trades union.

If President Trump can get an investigation going into leaks working through Scaramucci and the FBI, and follow that trail back to the known suspects, he won't need Sessions. He and Rosenstein and Mueller can play gin rummy while the President cleans up the town and makes them look like fools. Resignations would be their only way out; the public would demand it.

Posted by: Barbara | July 27, 2017 at 09:44 AM

[henry]

that's almost a pure Hollywood / NBA tax.

[henry]

Local Racine reaction to Foxconn news. The bar was full at 4 pm on a Wednesday... it is on Highway 20 a couple miles East of 94. Very close to one spot mentioned as the location of the Foxconn megaplex.

[lurkersusie]

Truth will come out

Arthur Schwartz @ArthurSchwartz
Wasn't available when Politico started asking about it. And your story had plenty of other information that was not public. It was leaked.

Lorraine @Woellert
Wow, sorry I slept through all the fun! FWIW, Mr @Scaramucci's Form 278e is publicly available from ExIm. Just ask. https://t.co/Io2ed5IEuj?amp=1

[Old Lurker]

TM "Obviously if you believe this will be a jobs killer you advise Trump to stay away from this. But if you suspect it will be jobs-neutral at worst, the politics are appealing."

My problem is not about the jobs nor about the dollars raised. To me this idea perpetuates the scam that if only the rich would pay their fair share, all would be good. And that of course hammers that wedge into our society even deeper. The problem is that our governments take and waste too much of our cash on things that the government should not be doing, that too much is taken from Peter to give to Paul, that the burden is already overwhelmingly on a small slice of the population and that already garners votes from the Pauls because they so outnumber the Peters. And so on and so forth.

[Sue]

I kind of like the idea of hitting democrats with a higher tax. Because most people earning that much income per year are democrats. Go ahead POTUS, and watch them howl.

[rich]

good morning. got the coffee going and trying to catch up.

[narciso]

Has bannon publically expounded on this in the past? He's very clear about what his priorities have been.

House of spies was very dissapointing, there are so many tropes silva is channelling here? Including at least one dig at basenghi pompeo.

[Old Lurker]

Awww Narc, that's too bad. I was saving that one for the next read.

[JimNorCal]

Another bit worth passing is to remove any deduction for payment of state income tax. Don't reward Dem big spenders!

Here in CA we have huge increases in the pipeline, per HJTA.org. (Howard Jarvis anti tax, Prop 13 organization).

[Jim Eagle]

I think Mooch is another guy who is off his tracks. If the disclosure is publically available and you want to pretend it isn't and leaked then why go to the FBI and DoJ in order to get further embarrassed?

But he is not as sleazy as Blumenthal of CT.

[James D.]

OL @ 10:00

I agree with you. And I don't like it being sold with “I have wealthy friends that say to me, ‘I don’t mind paying more tax.’"

But on the other hand, this is just adjusting brackets (as opposed to a special surtax or something else that's deliberately punitive), and as long as we have a progressive income tax, that's going to be part of the process.

[Captain Hate]

What a load of shit. The only thing missing is some idiot talking about a car in a ditch and drinking slurpees.

[James D.]

Having said my previous comment, before we raise any taxes on individuals, I think there ought to be a huge, confiscatory tax on university, foundation and nonprofit endowments. Say, 90%.

Surely the money raised could be put to tax relief for the citizenry, or for building more aircraft carriers and submarines, or for infrastructure projects.

Heck, if all we did was convert the money into $100 bills, load them onto pallets, and burn it all up in the world's largest bonfire, we'd still be better off as a society.

[JimNorCal]

Agree OL 10:00 and JamesD 10:20.
The morality is questionable but the politics is rock solid.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/07/donald_trump_the_unmasked_magician.html

[exdemocrat]

The only thing worse than a know-it-all troll is a know-it-all troll posting links that were already posted long-ago.

[Extraneus]

Interesting interview with 33-yr-old Trump at that link, MM.

[rich]

Miss Marple (from a few threads back)-

>>>I want another explanation by daddy in Mystery Science Theater 3000 format.

I feel like I have to have post-it notes on the wall, or a chart or something.<<<

I don't have the talent to do that.

>>>Anwans: Were they an intelligence operation by the Pakistanis, or just freelancers who figured out how to get sellable information through blackmail?<<<

I think over time he became a source for Pakistan but I am doubtful it started that way. I also don't think it was about the dirt he knew, I think it was he had a scheme to bring in money to campaigns.

>>>If they were running a blackmail operation, what information did they get that democrats were willing to hand over national security information in order to keep them quiet?<<<

I think finding and accesses the dirt was the byproduct of other stuff he was doing. The other stuff being, he was the channel for material nonpublic information to be disclosed to people who could make money on it.

>>>As an aside, they collected enormous amounts of money from various democrats, all of which came from the taxpayers. Why hasn't this aspect been investigated, even if you leave out the potential for national security problems.<<<

Fake employment (ie no-shows and fake work) are part of the US Capitol Police investigation. The original part of it-double billing for IT equipment looks to me like there was a catastrophic breach in his secret network and he was trying to tear out all the tainted equipment and replace it with new equipment without anyone noticing. His "secret network" was were he was giving those favored access to material non public information.

>>>Why did the democrats allow foreign nationals to run their IT operation? Isn't keeping foreigners from having access to classified information a no-brainer? Who thought this was a good idea?<<<

Ex-dem mentioned that the immigration status is clouded. I suspect that he was originally here on a student visa, did an OPT/H-class stint, and falls into a vague class of legal permanent resident. By all appearances it looks as if his father had been naturalized at some point and I think it is a lock that his kids at least are US citizens. And as an aside-he would have been in his early 20s when he started in DC (est. 2003) and at that time ethnic politics being what it is the Dems would have brought him to the front of the line-the face of moderate, modernizing Islam and another feel good story about immigration.

[exdemocrat]

lol http://i.imgur.com/763cow2.jpg

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 1h1 hour ago

"One of the things that has been lost in the politics of this situation is that the Russians collected and spread negative information.....

s Tweets, current page. Tweets & replies Media

Donald J. Trump‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump 1h1 hour ago

...about then candidate Trump." Catherine Herridge @FoxNews. So why doesn't Fake News report this? Witch Hunt! Purposely phony reporting.
704 replies 553 retweets 2,126 likes

[Dave (in MA)]

RIP Rocky, Chatty Cathy and Granny.

[Dave (in MA)]

'Mucci should hire Woods to help run the @realDonaldTrump feed.

[Marlene]

Good Morning! Thanks for the link Dave,she was an unknown part of our childhoods with all those voices. I had a Chatty Cathy doll.
I saw the you tube you posted last night. Isn't that just another day driving in Mass.? :)

[henry]

Gee thanks Obama...

The Associated Press @AP

BREAKING: Iranian media say that Iran has successfully launched a rocket carrying a satellite into space.

[narciso]

It really does feel like they live, there is no news in any of the papers. So they sentenced an 53 yr nonviolent protester to 68 years, you want militias this is how you get militias.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

My youngest sister just called me because she is gleeful about Debbie Wasserman-Schultz circling the drain, as DWS is my sister's most hated dem on TV.

I got her up to speed on the Paki IT people with as much as I knew, also incorporating Rich's info which I had just read (thanks Rich!).

[rich]

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2017/07/cracks_developing_in_awan_dam.html

[Ralph L]

The second best thing about low tax rates for the rich is that it lowers the value of the loopholes that Congress sells to them. The best thing is that punishes success less, so there's more wealth created, which helps everyone.

[Dave (in MA)]

Marlene, pretty much. Now that I have a dash-cam, I feel as though I should learn some Russian curse words.

[narciso]

It's not his best work, jib mY disagree? The main stratagem allon employs seems a little coals to new castle.

So we're basing the russian sanctions on that silly crowdstrike report surely.

[narciso]

Here's a hint dave, winning the future in the Che blyad. Which is the proper rejoinder to much of the news

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

From the last thread, which Dave notes in this one;

June Foray who was the voice of Rocky the Squirrel and Natasha on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show has died at the age of 99.

What's weird is I happened on her bio looking for something just a couple of days ago and was surprised to see she was still alive and would be a hundred in a month or two. I was going to comment with a link, but then figured, "eh, how many people know who June Foray was?"
She was pretty cute back in the Rocket J Squirrel days.

[Jane (Stand against the Coup)]

IMO if the uber rich were tasked to pay their "fair share" they would pay nothing, since they create all the jobs in this country.

[Jane (Stand against the Coup)]

To take the worst first, for those who do not know the ISI, if you Google "Which intelligence service is the best in the world?" Pakistan's ISI is number one, followed by India's RAW, Israel's Mossad, the CIA, and MI6. Russia's FSB doesn't make the cut.

Interesting!

[sbw]

Lest we get out of the habit. Last page.

[narciso]

Actually the source I consulted disagrees, a more affirmative statement is eto piz dez, instead of the query, transliteration not being an exact science.

[Jane (Stand against the Coup)]

WOuldn't it be interesting if we found that Pakistan hacked the election, and DWS and her criminals are behind the whole thing.

[GUS]

What was George Bush's largest budget.
How large has every budge been since.
We were at approx. $2.5 trillion under Bush.
In the following 9 years, we have been at 3.5 t 4.O Trillion.
WE DON'T HAVE A TAXING PROBLEM, WE HAVE A SPENDING PROBLEM.
No focking rocket surgery.
Where did this extra 10 trillion dollars go. What did WE get for it. Who approved it??

[Janet the expert 🚬]

Wretchard - "So Russia may be spelled Pakistan."

http://insider.foxnews.com/2017/07/26/debbie-wasserman-schultz-staffer-scandal-mark-steyn-collusion-russia

FTA: Mark Steyn said all the aspects of "collusion" the Democrats and Robert Mueller are searching for regarding President Trump can be found in the ongoing story of a former IT staffer to Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Fla.).

Steyn reminded Tucker Carlson that Wasserman Schultz was head of the DNC during the Clinton email scandal.

He said Americans mustn't worry about whether Vladimir Putin gave DNC data to WikiLeaks, because Awan had Wasserman Schultz' passwords.

"Mueller can wrap this thing up in the next 48 hours" if he investigates it, Steyn said.

Listen to Steyn here

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

The Fed and the government are "creating" wealth through irresponsible spending, crony capitalism and trillions in fake, free money that is showered inordinately on the already wealthy.
Vast fortunes are being made, not in the old fashioned way of discovering hidden value or providing needed products cheaper than someone else or even innovations that truly have value, but by borrowing huge sums or simply creating them out of thin air and pumping up the value of assets and simply distributing truckloads of cash.
Until that system of capitalism is pulled out root and branch, and it is a form of capitalism which is why I never defend capitalism or capitalists, 44% seems pretty low to me, including on cap gains.
The insane Dem policies at the state level in NY and CA, among others, are enabled and kept afloat by income and cap gain taxes on this fake, transitory wealth. I'd just as soon see Trump gobble it up at the Fed level and spend it on anything besides filling the pockets of our new ruling class.

Should we ever decide to go back to a free market economy then we should go back to a system of taxation that supports and encourages it.
Until then, clawing back some of the trillions that are currently being poured into vintage Ferraris, the Amazon Post, vast leftwing foundations, Manhattan and Palo Alto mansions and a hundred other perks for the modern day mandarins running shell games [and our lives] doesn't bother me too much.

[exdemocrat]

http://dailycaller.com/2017/05/21/house-it-aides-fear-suspects-in-hill-breach-are-blackmailing-members-with-their-own-data/

[Dave (in MA)]

narciso, from watching youtube, I guess “suka, blyad” is the phrase I need to memorize.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--IMO if the uber rich were tasked to pay their "fair share" they would pay nothing, since they create all the jobs in this country.--

No they don't. In a healthy, relatively free economy the majority of jobs are created through small businesses and their owners, very few of whom are "uber rich".

In a sick, distorted economy the uber rich create all the hedge trimming and pool cleaning jobs because the free market engine of the economy that normally creates jobs and wealth is crushed.

[narciso]

Well it might be misunderstood, curiously it's similar to the Spanish cognate.

So Freeman Heller, voted to keep robertscare along with Shelley and veruca salt

[cathyf]

This is sort of the Willie Sutton problem - taxing the extremely high earners is not where the money is.

And to point out a little math that always seems to get lost in this discussion, we are talking about two different tax rates, both of which are far from zero.

Take a hypothetical Ritchie Rich who makes $15million... 44% vs 39% on the $10million above the $5million threshold is $4.4million vs $3.9million. $3.9million ain't chump change...

[Captain Hate]

Marcia Fudge, who ostensibly represents me, is much dumber than she is crooked; and she's very very crooked. I've given up on Jeff "Mr. Peepers" Sessions doing anything effective about donk corruption but just having Fudge be humiliated along with Debbie Downer will have to suffice.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

exdemocrat's link at 11:35 is most important, and everyone should read it.

[henry]

from our chitown lurker:

Congrats to cathyf for new job

[Frau Reisepass]

Posted by: rich | July 27, 2017 at 10:46 AM -

Imran Awan was reported to be an American citizen but another news report said that his passports (!) had been taken by authorities.

How many passports do you carry when out of the country?

As for "foreigners" working in government, the more foreign the name*, the more brownie points earned for diversity.

*NTTAWWT

[Captain Hate]

https://mobile.twitter.com/ladygaga/status/890325967595606017?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=http%3A%2F%2Facecomments.mu.nu%2F%3Fpost%3D370873

[Frau Reisepass]

Jane - I'm for taxing the rich like Warren Buffett who is always complaining that he is not taxed more and should be.
Selective, punitive high taxes for the loud mouths and evil doers (Daddy Soros).

[Jane (Stand against the Coup)]

I'd rather jail them and seize their assets Frau.

[rich]

Posted by: Frau Reisepass | July 27, 2017 at 11:56 AM

I suspect he has a Pakistani passport, which was why I was wondering if the Pakistani embassy had made a consular visit after he was arrested.

[Narciso]

The gist is clear enough

http://www.france24.com/fr/20170726-libye-khalifa-haftar-groupes-terroristes-al-sarraj-accord-cessez-feu-macron?ref=tw

[Captain Hate]

Most of us figured this out:

http://tammybruce.com/2017/07/former-house-majority-leader-eric-cantor-obamacare-repeal-was-tactic-to-win-elections.html

[Frau Reisepass]

CH - is it sure that Ms. Fudge will be humiliated or will she attain victimhood--the democrat version of sainthood?

Jane - I'm sure we can work something out that will incorporate both our suggestions.

[Frau Reisepass]

cathyf - congratulations. I hope the new job will not mean seeing less of you.

[narciso]

Congrats Cathy f

[narciso]

This will seem to come out of left field

https://www.google.com/amp/www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/white-house-warns-of-end-of-democracy-in-venezuela-as-u-s-imposes-sanctions/

[rich]

I suppose I should revise and extend my comment. I think the term "blackmail" in this context is to broad and to narrow. The members they worked for all knew they were entering into a criminal conspiracy by employing the Awan bros, but only a few know the extent of it. Imran is one, Debbie is another. Keeping him quiet is the goal, so showing an unusual level of loyalty is a way to ensure he keeps quiet.

[Jane]

So it's the 27th. Any word on the big news?

[maryrose]

Cathy:
Congratulations on the new job!
What are you responsible for in your new position?
Sue:
Great to see you!

[Captain Hate]

Frau,

Nothing is certain but in Fudge's case there are a lot of Kucinich fans still upset that their hero was tossed when Ohio lost a seat after the census because the Uniparty wanted to show that Black Pols Matter. Dennis has been remarkably lucid since being sold out.

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

Before we raise taxes, go to the link exdemocrat put up at 11:35.

"A manager at a tech-services company that works with Democratic House offices said he approached congressional offices, offering their services at one-fourth the price of Awan and his Pakistani brothers, but the members declined"

IMO, the complete national debt could be paid off in a couple of years by putting someone who cares in charge of spending Federal money. The same with states and their money.

Plus the manager who said they would do the job for much less, might not steal all the nation's secrets.

[GUS]

So, we're all OK with spending an xtra 1.5 trillion each year? No problem, just TAX more.

[Porchlight]

If the disclosure is publically available and you want to pretend it isn't and leaked then why go to the FBI and DoJ in order to get further embarrassed?

JiB,

If I am reading correctly, the disclosure was not publicly available when Politico and others first started talking about it. It then became publicly available after that. I think someone (exdem?) said there is a 30-day embargo.

So there was a leak.

[Porchlight]

Jane,

I think it may be the Imran arrest/DWS laptop story. WH anon said something would break on social media, then FOX, then the big networks would eventually have to cover it. It is a huge, huge story.

But I'm enjoying the side stories too: Priebus, State, etc.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

There is a hashtag on Twitter #AwanBrothers.

https://twitter.com/hashtag/AwanBrothers?src=hash

Looks like people are dumping everything they find onto Twitter with that hashtag.

Most interesting to me is that the private eye who was investigating the Seth Rich murder hints that it might be connected.

[Extraneus]

Wretchard - "So Russia may be spelled Pakistan."

Has Trump tweeted about this yet?

[Frau Reisepass]

BERLIN (AFP) -
Le ministre allemand des Transports a ordonné jeudi le rappel d'environ 22.000 véhicules de marque Porsche après la découverte d'un système permettant de minimiser le niveau de leurs émission polluantes.

Is Tesla to be the new Fahrvergnügen?

[pagar, a bacon, ham and sausage supporter]

My guess is that anyone on the Clinton list would do well to increase their life insurance, before they get lined off.

[maryrose]

Pagar:
Bingo!

[Frau Reisepass]

Thomas Lifson hits *above* the belt in his description of DWS in "Cracks Developing in the Awan Dam" -

Wasserman Schultz has a combative personality and doesn't photograph well.

Someone commented elsewhere that Debbie always looks as if she is wearing a cocker spaniel on her head. Ouch...

[maryrose]

Now all we have to do is prevent someone hired by Dems from killing the IT guy before he spills his guts.
Do we have an extradition agreement with Pakistan?
We could prosecute the whole gang if this guy Awan doesn't cooperate.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Frau,

It does seem to me that by now she should have had enough money to get her scary teeth fixed.

[jimmyk]

An increase like this is purely symbolic and punitive. Whatever revenue is projected is surely an exaggeration. Add in state taxes and the marginal rate becomes in excess of 50% for a lot of people. And 44 percent becomes the new floor from which Democrats will raise it further when they are in office.

What is the point? Do they think that Democrats will like them more? Once again Republicans don't learn the lesson that they will get no 'credit' from the left for enacting leftist policies.

[maryrose]

He like CH's description of DSW.

[James D.]

I'm for taxing the rich like Warren Buffett who is always complaining that he is not taxed more and should be.

As Janet likes to point out, Buffett (and anyone else who feels undertaxed) can voluntarily pay more taxes than the law requires, any time they want to.

[maryrose]

Should be I and DWS.

[maryrose]

When is Sessions going to announce the leak investigations?
Will any names be given?

[exdemocrat]

i agree with you, Porch, that Wassergate is potentially huge. And remember that WHanon also said there would be a number of distractions, which could include all the noise about leaks and leak investigations (and taxes on richie rich).

[henry]

Awan's lawyer expects more charges.

[lurkersusie]

Then get off your asses and confirm the rest
of his appointments. Work longer hours, work weekends.

Washington Examiner @dcexaminer
·
Senate GOP blocking Trump from all recess appointments

https://t.co/TbYcScJ9XD?amp=1

[daddy]

Good Morning!

Here's the first headline I saw this AM:

---Harvard: 59% want to 'recall and replace' Trump

Immediately that reminded me of this Ivy League Poll headlining the 1939 NYTimes:

---HITLER IS 'GREATEST' IN PRINCETON POLL; Freshmen Put Einstein Second and Chamberlain Third

Mark Twain was right:

“History never repeats itself but it rhymes,”

Better yet:

"I never let schooling interfere with my education."

[Frau Reisepass]

"A manager at a tech-services company that works with Democratic House offices said he approached congressional offices, offering their services at one-fourth the price of Awan and his Pakistani brothers, but the members declined""

Some of my favorites: Jim Costa, Joaquin Castro, Jackie Speier, Peter Aguilar and Ted Lieu
who grinds out continuous anti-Trump Twitter carp.

[Porchlight]

test?

[DrJ]

Off.

[Porchlight]

My great great great great great grandparents' house is for sale in Woodruff, SC:

http://www.carolinarealestatecompany.com/search/Historic-Property/South-Carolina/Spartanburg-County/HISTORIC-NICHOLLS-CROOK-PLANTATION-HOUSE-WOODRUFF-SC/940955

Thomas Williamson purchased the land in 1785 and completed the house in 1793.

I wish we could buy it, but, too rich for our blood. :)

[Jim Eagle]

Read this and you will understand why Bannon wants to raise the wealthy's tax rate.

http://the-toast.net/2017/07/26/harvard-alumni-magazine-personals/

Talk about elitist. Probably hasn't got a penny to rub between her fingers but the guy she's looking for most likely does.

A sample:

"Trim widow – fit, energetic, health-conscious, Grace-Kelly-like, sylvan, sylphlike, Hepburnesque (Audrey), could probably fit through two fence slats, svelte, as heavy as fifteen Vogues stacked together, could be cast as a tree nymph in a play about Greek mythology, I’m hiking right now actually, could fit into Julian Casablancas’ from the Strokes’ jeans circa 2002 – seeks Harvard grad who has been on an airplane with a staircase and was allowed to climb that staircase, never has to wear the loaner jacket they keep behind the hostess podium at Per Se, has the same last name as someone from the 1600s, wouldn’t look out of place if for some reason the Reagan Administration took over tomorrow due to a rift in the space-time continuum, has had reason to correct someone’s pronunciation of the word “veldt,” has completed at least two lecture tours outside of Continental Europe, can see the ocean right now from his office, has had bottles of wine opened with a sword for him more than three times, could be cast as a background character in an Agatha Christie adaptation without needing to make significant wardrobe alterations."

[lurkersusie]

Judiciary hearing

Nick Short 🇺🇸 on Twitter: "Renaissance Captl connected to Russian govt through ex-FSB employees paid Bill Clinton $500K for speech in Moscow while HRC was at StateDept https://t.co/dddN9elz6m"

[Marlene]

This question has probably been answered,but the Awan Bros had access to all the computers of the Dems listed on a couple of previous links? I read here (or somewhere) that they had access to the offices of those congresspeople? The Awan brother who tried to leave is under house arrest,correct? Is someone babysitting him?
I think rich mentioned that some of the congresspeople maybe weren't aware of the extent of hiring the Awan bros. But,if you look at the names on the list,I don't think they are the sharpest minds in Congress.

[henry]

Yes Marlene. Plus per Rep King they had access to the entire Foreign Intelligence Committee (one of those Foreign committees anyhoo)

[exdemocrat]

good catch, henry. but notice how the lawyer is trying to elide and box in the issue, saying : "six months of federal investigation into the IT work in the House had “turned up nothing on procurement.”

the investigation for most of that 6 months has been by Capitol police (at DWS's insistence) who are not capable of investigating hacking and leaking etc. - just the ho-hum double-billing charges etc.
unless i'm wrong, the feds got only got involved more recently via the bank/fraud angle.

if Sessions has not now launched a much broader investigation into the data breach/espionage issues, i'd be very disappointed.

[daddy]

Surber: LOL Trump got Schumer to love Jeff Sessions

[lurkersusie]

Porchlight,

Beautiful home.

[exdemocrat]

Porch - i'll pay as much as DOUBLE what your great great great great great grandparents paid for it! ;-)

[Porchlight]

Thank you, lurkersusie. I knew the family history, but wasn't aware of the name or exact location of the home until my mom's cousin sent us this. My family home growing up in Louisville was a modest 1920s copy of this Federal style, so I dig it.