House Republicans To Build The Wall!

Lest you had a moment of hope that Washington dysfunction might be about to ebb, we are here to help you despair:

House Intel Republicans plan to wall off their aides from Democratic staffers

In a sign of increasing partisan hostilities, Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee plan to construct a wall – a physical partition – separating Republican and Democratic staff members in the committee's secure spaces, according to multiple committee sources. It's expected to happen this spring.

So encouraging. What's next - formal adoption of the Talking Stick?

 

Comments

[Captain Hate]

Pssst--no one will be able to force the President to spend all the money allotted. I'm glad we have a pragmatic president.

In this case yes but as a good practice any deviation from a budget in either direction should be discouraged. Budgets exist as an organized plan for advancing the interests of an entity. My wife's boss used to infuriate me by always striving to end the year with a budget surplus and I told her he either doesn't understand the purpose of a budget or the budgeting process is flawed.

[Man Tran]

JNC,

One of my pals that used to work for me has been living out there for close to ten yrs (first near you and now in Walnut Creek). After about a half dozen different jobs, he now has one that will allow remote participation and that will likely be Cincinnati.

Also a cousin that will commute one day a week from Fresno where the rest of his family lives.

[Threadkiller]

Sorry to ask again.(hopefully there is no rule against this)

Where did the screenshot of Warner's text come from?

Who saved it?

It was either Warner, the other party to the conversation, or a spy. I am not seeing this info in the stories I am reading.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

I am almost positive that when relatives donate a body for medical science, they think it is going to an American medical school. As this article shows, that is usually not the case.

http://dailycaller.com/2018/02/08/chinese-tanker-container-dead-americans/

[Captain Hate]

There is something seriously wrong with that woman.

Again the MFM is covering for just how out of it she is. The GOPe, specifically McTurtle, let everyone down by torpedoing McDaniel in favor of Cochran, who from what I've read is pretty far gone. At least the GOP has the common decency to not let him make a fool of himself in public but it should've never come to this.

[Clarice Feldman]

Rasmussen:Just 42% Think Russia Meddled More in 2016 Election Than FBI

[Buckeye]

Currently, 1 in 20 working age adults in the USA are on disability payments from SS. Even in a strong economy.

JiB, I am sure your comment yesterday that most at my Social Security office were there to apply for disability is accurate.

What is the real pisser, is that no one was in a wheelchair, and there was plenty of parking in the handicap spots.

[Clarice Feldman]

http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2018/02/sudden_fbi_departures_indicate_that_the_jig_is_up.html

FBI jig is up

[Threadkiller]

Treytor Gowdmouth is jumping ship at the same time as the FBI rats?

[narciso]

ok, this makes more sense:

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/08/john-kelly-rob-porter-security-clearance-400987

so how did he remain on hatch and previously lee's staff

[matt - deplore me if you must]

It would seem that we have a culture of evasion of the rules in DC these days that goes all the way down. Fake e mail addresses, using throwaway phones, off site servers, destruction of evidence, using fake dossiers and all sorts of other scams.

I think we may have a RICO case against most of Congress ,the Obama administration and a lot of top agency employees.

The most transparent administration ever!

[Marlene]

Good Morning! I've been searching everywhere for a response from Susan Collins and Angus King (both on intel) about Mark Warner's texts. The only thing that I read (somewhere) is that Warner told the intel committee about the texts four months ago?! So maybe a pi**ed off staffer on the intel committee leaked the texts? Who knows? Both Collins and King called the Nunes memo partisan.After all,there are two sides to every story. *eyeroll*

[fdcol63 🇺🇸]

I can't stand Collins.

[Davod]

Of course the agreement will include $28 billion to build the wall. Or maybe hidden in the deep dark recesses of the agreement is clause putting off any money for at least two years.

[Marlene]

Oh,this makes everything okay. Rubio tweeted that Warner disclosed the texts four months ago. Nothing to see,move along.

[James D.]

The MFM's prime directive has always been to protect Cock Curious. What's funny is that he knows that and holds them in contempt for it, knowing full well those spineless quislings won't change.

The self-loathing (or masochism, or whatever other flavor of mental illness it is) of most MSMers is amazing to me. Zero didn’t just hold them in contempt, he was open about his contempt, and treated them like dirt (and sometimes much worse than that). As did Curb Dive. And yet they happily, proudly, enthusiastically support them, and keep coming back for more mistreatment, over and over and over again.

[Davod]

Just wait until the massive reconstruction project is signed by Trump.

[lurkersusie]

TK

An aide to Warner confirmed to Fox News that the text messages are authentic. The messages, which were obtained from a Republican source, are all marked "CONFIDENTIAL" and are not classified. They were turned over to the Senate panel by Waldman last September.

http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2018/02/08/democratic-sen-mark-warner-texted-with-russian-oligarch-lobbyist-in-effort-to-contact-dossier-author-christopher-steele.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true

[jimmyk]

I told her he either doesn't understand the purpose of a budget or the budgeting process is flawed.

But surely the federal government budget process IS flawed, so I would think underspending is good practice. I've also been in too many circumstances where the attitude is "use it or lose it," meaning "We've really got to find some way to spend all our budget or they might cut it next year!"

[Threadkiller]

Thanks, LS.

So we have no idea who did the screenshots?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

narciso,

Regarding Porter, I have a few questions.

1. As you said, how did he remain on Hatch's staff with that record?

2.Why did it take until NOVEMBER for Kelly to be notified that Porter wouldn't get a clearance? If the clearance was denied because of the protective order which was already in force and on the record, shouldn't the FBI have notified the White House a lot sooner?

3. Who else will be denied clearances? Does Kelly have those names yet? If not, why not?

My personal opinion is that Porter was known about immediately, and the FBI HELD that information until they could use it to make a big controversy to make Kelly and Trump look pro-spousal abuse and incompetent.

I want to know when the background check was done, and who held it until last November.

[DebinNC]

It's beyond farce that Mueller and his anti-DT hating cabal are mute, as irrefutable proof of Dem collusion with Russians rises to form a wall around them.

[Old Lurker]

Did not Obama make a habit of using budgeted money from one line item to fund some other dream of his? I recall we went nuts over that but GOPe snoozed through it.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/373080-trump-called-priebus-to-complain-about-kelly-report

I don't believe this for a second.

[Marlene]

One of Porter's ex-wives went to the FBI a year ago.

[Old Lurker]

.Did not Obama make a habit of using budgeted money from one line item to fund some other dream of his? I recall we went nuts over that but GOPe snoozed through it.

[Old Lurker]

.Did not Obama make a habit of using budgeted money from one line item to fund some other dream of his? I recall we went nuts over that but GOPe snoozed through it.

[Old Lurker]

Now you know what I think about Blog Hogging. and virtue signaling.

[Davod]

"The messages, which were obtained from a Republican source, are all marked "CONFIDENTIAL" and are not classified."?????

"The U.S. classification of information system has three classification levels -- Top Secret, Secret, and Confidential -- which are defined in EO 12356. ... (2) "Secret" shall be applied to information, the unauthorized disclosure of which reasonably could be expected to cause serious damage to the national security..."

https://fas.org/sgp/library/quist2/chap_7.html

[henry]

Davod, "confidential" to make sure the public doesn't know about his sneaky behavior?

[maryrose]

OL:
Noted.
Suggestion rejected.Will no longer read the end of a thread.

[Porchlight]

Rubio tweeted that Warner disclosed the texts four months ago.

That makes it even worse, since Senate Intel knew and didn't do anything about it.

Rubio said it "had zero impact on our work." Pfft.

[Jim Eagle]

DJIA turbulent today. Some pretty wild swings.

I think the programmers have been called to add a couple of new metrics and triggers. I still think it is over-valued by 30% and wouldn't surprise me to see it retreat to pre-election levels. Hope I am wrong since a lot of 401k are going to take a beating.

Buckeye,

Those handicap license plates or mirror hangers are some of the biggest frauds in the country. All you need is a doctor's order. I see perfectly fit people use handicap parking everyday. No one has to even fake a limp:)

[maryrose]

Deb:
They have the irrefutable evidence of collusion by the Demorats with the Russians
I await charges to be brought.

[Old Lurker]

MR..."Will no longer read the end of a thread."

But then you will miss some good posts since not every end of thread post is repeated on the new thread, plus how would you know where the end was?

"Noted" would have been sufficient without the snark.

[Porchlight]

JiB,

A dear friend of mine, whose cheating habits make me angry, fraudulently obtained a handicapped tag AND has registered a non-service pet as a service animal. Total BS.

Oh and did I mention she pays less than $80/month for her Obamacare policy. I have a very good idea of her income and this is also BS.

[Old Lurker]

You need better friends, Porch.

Try me. Try me!

:-)

[Appalled]

Did not Obama make a habit of using budgeted money from one line item to fund some other dream of his?

I wonder if Obama is quiet these days because so much of what he did is empowered Trump.

If Obama had not created DACA by easily reversible executive fiat, a lot of the leverage the GOP and Trump have on immigration right now would dissolve.

[Davod]

"Rubio said it "had zero impact on our work." Pfft."

Htf would he know!!!!

[exdemocrat]

meanwhile, the real work continues ...

http://www.thetower.org/5915-watch-tillerson-says-u-s-and-argentina-will-cooperate-to-fight-hezbollahs-illicit-activities-in-latin-america/

[Threadkiller]

Did not Obama make a habit of using budgeted money from one line item to fund some other dream of his? I recall we went nuts over that but GOPe snoozed through it.

While Congress clearly retains powers, its members are increasingly finding that discretionary funds and powers blunt efforts to change government programs. Even Congress’ power of the purse has become discretionary with the president. When Congress resisted demands of the president on health care, Obama simply shifted $454 million in funds from the purpose mandated by Congress to his own purpose. When he decided not to consult with Congress on the Libyan war, he simply spent roughly a billion dollars on a war neither declared nor funded by Congress.

https://www.legion.org/magazine/222394/question-power-imperial-presidency

[Captain Hate]

Appalled,

I have no idea what happened between when he said, honestly for once, that he couldn't do anything unilaterally on immigration and subsequently when it was just another EO. Even with his extremely stunted intellect he had to know it could be just as easily undone

[Threadkiller]

Doesn't that mean that the nation that resisted Obama's immigration policies empowered Trump?

[Old Lurker]

Thanks TK. I did not dream it.

[exdemocrat]

Lol: latest prototype for The Wall as submitted by the Reddit gang:

https://imgur.com/DGr7XlE

24/7 real time camera feed also proposed

[Threadkiller]

Here is the paragraph that precedes the one I posted above:

Obama has made it clear that he simply will not take “no” for an answer. When Congress recently refused to pass the DREAM Act to change immigration laws to protect potentially millions of deportable individuals, he simply ordered the very same measures on his own authority. The same unilateral measures were ordered in health care, drug enforcement, online gambling and other areas. The failure of Congress to consent to executive demands was followed by the same measures being ordered on the basis of Obama’s inherent authority. Under this approach, Congress is being reduced to an almost decorative element in governance – free to approve but not to block presidential demands.

[Porchlight]

OL, I hear you, but this is someone who took care of our kids so she is close in a special way.

But feel free to come down to Austin anyway! Donn's Depot is going to be the perfect spot for drinks. They have a nice porch, I mean verandah. :)

[narciso]

instead of the phony heroes, we hear too much about,

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/02/huge-comey-forced-tell-congress-weiner-emails-george-toscas-doj-found/

[Captain Hate]

Wouldn't it be nice if "the power of the purse" was more than a 2010 campaign slogan.

[Old Lurker]

Porch, our Austin pals were with us in NZ and AU and they were pressuring us to do the same.

[Dave (in MA)]

exdemocrat | February 09, 2018 at 11:30 AM they could have Sinkers and Floaters in the Rio Grande, and have to get past the Green Tea Bagger.

[narciso]

that's odd, all the links are dead:

https://www.zoominfo.com/p/George-Toscas/1092429602

[maryrose]

Narciso:
Good link with reference of Comey being the The Director of Investigative Matters.
OL:
No snark in saying what I plan to read or not read.

[narciso]

I couldn't go cold cheddar even if I tried:

https://www.standard.co.uk/lifestyle/foodanddrink/cheese-triggers-the-same-part-of-the-brain-as-hard-drugs-say-scientists-a3141936.html

[maryrose]

Thread ends when someone states New Thread.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

The Winter Olympics opening ceremonies will be broadcast tonight (tape delay of course).

So far on Twitter, I have seen a form of a snowboarder formed by drones which reconfigures into the Olympic rings and hovers over the stadium,, a torchlighting ceremony which looms like a giant phallus emerging to light a torch on top of carved ice, and a shirtless Tongan carrying his country's flag.

Not to mention VP Pence sitting in the box right in front of the North Korean sister and giving her the cold shoulder.

Daughter and I will be watching. It's a family traditions.

[Porchlight]

Oh noes! Trump actually likes to be briefed in person so he can ask questions!

http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/373124-trump-prefers-oral-report-to-reading-daily-intel-briefing-report

It was Zero who broke precedent by insisting on reading his PDBs, if he actually even read them. No doubt he didn't want to look like a dummy.

W famously absorbed information rapidly and asked tough questions. Pretty sure that's Trump's mode as well.

[narciso]

that's another reason why they got rid of general Flynn, he could see why they are handing you a bunch of bunkum,

[James D.]

No doubt he didn't want to look like a dummy.

Well, that didn't work out, did it?

[Dave (in MA)]

The latest meme being spewed around on my hometown opinion page is about Trump's in-laws being chain-migrating Communists.

[Dave (in MA)]

like a giant phallus emerging

People need psychological help.

[Old Lurker]

Mary Rose:

"No snark in saying what I plan to read or not read.

Thread ends when someone states New Thread."

If you had not intended it to be snark, there was no purpose in saying it. Unless it was to establish victimhood. One or the other.

As to when the thread ends, when did any JOM thread end when some poster says "new thread"? How many have gone on for dozens of posts past that?

[Old Lurker]

I'm not trying to be difficult. I'm just looking out for JimNJ who posted a series of great posts but got smacked for repeating one or two in the move from one thread to the next.

[Threadkiller]

Thread ends when new rules make it no fun.

[GUS]

NEW THREAD!

[Threadkiller]

If Scorekeeper Hall-monitor were still here, and he actual acted fairly for once, he would announce that the technical end of a thread is when the comment section gets closed by the software.

Or something like that.

[Threadkiller]

...actually acted..

[Dave (in MA)]

LIAR

[Old Lurker]

Got punked by GUS, Dave?

[Dave (in MA)]

Not really; I just scrolled to the top and saw that there was no new thread, but speaking of getting Punk'd: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2018/02/09/boston-herald-looking-into-hoax-pulls-ron-borges-column/

[glasater]

Captain was correct yesterday that the black athlete Ceasar's Palace greeter was Joe Louis. He was by the poker room when I saw him.

[Jane]

I really liked Jim NJ's posts.

I'm taking bets on which liberal media source is the first to report (honestly if possible) what is going on with Hillary, Russia, etc.

To a certain degree it reminds me of the Monica scandal which no one would talk about until Drudge screeched it.

But 1000x worse.

[maryrose]

OL:
You misinterpret what I said.
I made a suggestion.
You didn’t like it and said so.
I stated my future plans.
I don’t killfile anyone.
Some really long posts I skip over.

[Beasts of England]

Let's start an office pool of which DoJ/FBI official will be the first to cut a deal! We could also predict when (not if) it happens. :)

[Extraneus]

It's common to squeeze small-time crooks until they give up bigger ones.

So who will be the first indicted?

[maryrose]

TK:
Who is Scorekeeper/ Hall Monitor?

[Extraneus]

GMTA, Beasts.

[maryrose]

Beasts:
I think Priestap has already given up the ghost.

[Beasts of England]

lol, Extraneus!!

[Beasts of England]

Ya know, maryrose, I would go for that. Haven't heard his name much lately. Funny how that works!! :)

[Rocco]

I think there was speculation that Priestap flipped.

[Extraneus]

Priestap flipping might explain emo Comey's weird tweets.

[Rocco]

Sorry maryrose, didn't see ya there.

[GUS]

Page has destroyed a lot of lives thus far. She'll flip.

[Old Lurker]

"Flipping" requires a prosecutor with authority to deal to negotiate the flip in return for something.

So who is awake that meets that requirement?

Someone in the n Dimension?

[joan]

I hope Page does flip, but I think she's hard. I've wondered about her several times. I think I read in one of their text back-and-forths linked this morning about release of information to congress that her conclusion was: F Them.

She and Strok talked about hillbillies, she's the one who looks inbred for sure. You don't get gums like that in a good lineage. :)

[joan]

So, OL, speaking of prosecutors to 'flip' to, do you not think Priestap flipped? What do you think is going on with these last few names, i.e., Kortan, David Laufman, announcing departure?

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Old Lurker,

Federal prosecutors aren't only in Washington, D.C. I also am remembering that there are all of those sealed indictments in many jurisdictions around the country.

If I were putting Priestap in front of a federal grand jury, I might fly him to some place like Dallas or Indianapolis.

[Extraneus]

Dem Senator Mark Warner Responds to Backlash Over His Attempt to Secretly Meet With Steele – Thanks Little Marco!

[Extraneus]

No prosecutorial authority, but I imagine Horowitz is able to squeeze some of these lower-level perps. Surely he'll make recommendations in his report.

[Sue]

==She and Strok talked about hillbillies, she's the one who looks inbred for sure. You don't get gums like that in a good lineage. :)==

LOL

[maryrose]

Ext:
Great link!

[maryrose]

Joan:
Totally agree wrt Page.
She will go down fighting, but she is a logical sacrificial and Hill and Obama won’t think twice about letting her take the fall.
Look at Susan MacDougal for former reference.

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Of possible interest to Wisconsin folks:

https://www.greenbaypressgazette.com/story/news/2018/02/08/jerry-bader-cites-trump-coverage-loss-wtaq-radio-show/320904002/

[Old Lurker]

Joan, I just don't know.

I am just cautioning us against jumping ahead to assume a prosecution and then further ahead to negotiating a flip.

Correct me if I am wrong, but is it not true that the only thing we know for sure is that the DoJ IG is investigating some things, as are various congressional committees?

[Old Lurker]

MM " I also am remembering that there are all of those sealed indictments in many jurisdictions around the country."

Again, hoping and hoping but the fact is those could all be for unpaid parking tickets.

[Extraneus]

So the #MeToo parade gets around to this CA assemblywoman. Here are the accusations:

Daniel Fierro of Cerritos told POLITICO that in 2014, as a 25-year-old staffer to Assemblyman Ian Calderon, he was groped by Garcia, a powerful Democratic lawmaker who chairs the Legislative Women’s Caucus and the Natural Resources Committee.

He said she cornered him alone after the annual Assembly softball game in Sacramento as he attempted to clean up the dugout. Fierro, who said Garcia appeared inebriated, said she began stroking his back, then squeezed his buttocks and attempted to touch his crotch before he extricated himself and quickly left.

-and-

[A prominent CA lobbyist], who represents a major industry association, said that Garcia appeared to have been drinking heavily at a fundraiser hosted by Governor Jerry Brown for state Senator Josh Newman at the de Veres bar in Sacramento. He said he was heading out the door in part to avoid the assemblywoman — who had been increasingly “flirtatious” and had called him on a few occasions before for late night drinks which he repeatedly declined.

She spotted him and said,“Where are you going?” the lobbyist said.

“She came back and was whispering real close and I could smell the booze and see she was pretty far gone,’’ he said. “She looked at me for a second and said, “I’ve set a goal for myself to fuck you.”

At that point, Garcia “stepped in front of me and reaches out and is grabbing for my crotch,’’ he said. That was “the line in the sand,” according to the lobbyist, and he stopped her. “I was four inches from her, eyeball to eyeball -- and I said, ‘That ain’t gonna happen.’”

Maybe I'm not woke enough, but are these crimes?

https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/08/cristina-garcia-california-metoo-398985

[Old Lurker]

Oh Ext, we are so far past, you know, crimes and laws and stuff when the SJW wants to take you down.

[Extraneus]

Mattis would be in charge, correct?

Liberals Are Already Planning on Standing in Front of Tanks if Military Parade Happens

[Miss Marple the Deplorable]

Old Lurker,

I am well aware that many of those indictments have nothing to do with DC. Many are probably MS-13, drug dealers, etc.

However, federal indictments do not cover parking tickets, as I am sure you know.