Sessions Out

Embattled Jeff Sessions out. Do we presume a replacement will be confirmed during a lame duck session? Mueller probably has things he wants to move on post-election - it would be nice to know who is boss is.

But forget about Russia - Sessions was aboutthe last man standing in opposition to marijuana reform:

Bucking a bipartisan trend to support less harsh tactics for drug offenders, Sessions instructed federal prosecutors to file the most serious charges possible, and to seek the death penalty when appropriate. He moved to pull back on the department’s work on reforming abusive police departments.

And while not exactly declaring war on states with legal marijuana — still an illegal drug under federal law — Sessions made clear he was eager to roll back the growth of the cannabis industry.

I think we can do better.

TWEETING: From the boss:

We are pleased to announce that Matthew G. Whitaker, Chief of Staff to Attorney General Jeff Sessions at the Department of Justice, will become our new Acting Attorney General of the United States. He will serve our Country well....

Well, "Acting" AG.

Comments

[Extraneus]

We linked that earlier, lyle. I know you probably have a gourmet thing going on right now, but you have to read it.

http://thefederalist.com/2018/11/07/incoming-democrat-chairman-dems-will-go-all-in-on-russia-impeach-kavanaugh-for-perjury/

Nadler is apparently not as smart and dangerous as I used to think, and I've known about him a long time.

[JMHanes]

Tom R:

" I wonder if all the people here who are glad Sessions is gone understood he did the legally proper thing?"

He may have done a legally proper thing, but he went about it in an entirely improper way. When he decided he needed to recuse himself, he should have informed the President and offered him his resignation at that time. No President should have to accept an Atty. General whose power to oversee the DoJ is so seriously constrained. I do not know why the President allowed him to stay on as long as he did, but I can imagine any number of tactical reasons he might have done so.

Miss Marple:

"Since Whitaker was already confirmed, could he fill the AG slot without another confirmation vote, avoiding the filibuster?"

I believe the "Acting" Attorney General remains in office till the President nominates his replacement, so Trump can effectively appoint him by not nominating someone else if he chooses. I could be wrong, but I don't think there's a time limit on how long someone can serve in an acting position, nor any restriction of his Atty. General powers.

[Extraneus]

No kidding, bb. I was so happy to read that. The new Judiciary Committee chairman. Ex fat-boy from NY, formerly thought of as a smarter Weiner.

[Captain Hate]

What kind of fool thinks like that, and worse, lets reporters listen to him while he blathers about it? At least Chucky Schumer is somewhat clever and devious. Nadler is a frikken buffoon.

Have you ever heard that lint head talk? Extremely annoying is the starting point and with many more increments.

[Dave Seville]

Wretchard jumps the cat.

[henry]

CH, Nader intends to get lots of camera time. He and the MSM can produce the equivalent of a cage match for worlds most annoying human.

[boatbuilder]

I don't know whether it is comforting or not to know that the other side is led by people like Nadler and Patty Murray and Ed Markley. We're losing to these people? Really?

[lyle]

All the right jerks are saying that Whitaker is “dangerous.” The increasingly ridiculous Judge Nap claiming this acting AG will incite a constitutional crisis. Please.

[Extraneus]

So Wretchard thinks Trump is a Nazi.

Oooo-kay.

[lyle]

This is for you, Nappy: 🖕

[derwill]

Best of all an acting attorney general can appoint special prosecutors, and it sounds like this guy Whitaker just might do so. No wonder the Dems are acting all scared poop-less. They’ve all been breaking all kinds of laws with impunity for years, and that includes Mueller himself. And Trump just reminded them of that in his presser today.

[Extraneus]

John Brennan Warns After Sessions’ Firing: ‘Constitutional Crisis Very Soon’

Better known as your arrest, asshole?

[lyle]

I thought TM™ cleaned up the dung in this place.

[Jack is Back!]

Jerry Nadler is the New York Times investigate journalism section on audio when he speaks. He will bring out every debunked accusation, insinuation, fake news, and slander ever uttered by the UWS. It really will be comedy royal.

I don't know who the loyal Trumers are on the committee but the need o about 4 or 5 hard asses to embarrass him and his lemmings everytime he opens his mouth. Who are they?

[Jack is Back!]

That's it for me. Off to bed.

Slaap lekker, tot morgen.

[henry]

Chitown Lurker informs us:

Acosta’s access privileges suspended

[daddy]

Thankfully we don't carry durian:

Indonesian passenger plane is grounded and fights break out over smelly fruit brought on board by a passenger

[boatbuilder]

Jack--who or what is UWS?

[Miss Marple]

henry,

Was just going to post that!

I am very happy about that!

[Tom R]

As annoying as the Dems winning the House is, did everyone take the opportunity to point at TomR and laugh?

Myself and quite a few others here predicted the GOP would maintain control of the House. What does it say about you that you think we should be ridiculed for having that confidence?

[daddy]

Breaking News on LOU Dobbs.

White House suspends the hard pass of Jim Acosta to the White House Press pool.

[lyle]

Upper West Side, boatbuilder.

[JimNorCal]

Someone mentioned Beto will move to Louisiana to make use of his Cajun roots?

[jimmyk]

boatbuilder--you can say that again!

UWS = Upper West Side, from one who knows.

[DrJ]

Wretchard -- love him as I do -- just do not understand Trump. Living in Australia probably does not help.

[Extraneus]

They should accuse him of assault.

[daddy]

White House also demands apology from Jim Acosta and criticizes Acosta for touching the White House intern who was trying to take the mike from him and give it to the guy Trump called on.

[Miss Marple]

Full @PressSec statement on the decision to revoke Jim Acosta’s White House press credentials: pic.twitter.com/XS0e7A8MnV

— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) November 8, 2018

Full statement at link.

[Eye Doctor .]

There are so many other things to better ridicule Tommy boy over.

[Free James D!]

Wow, that Wretchard piece is embarrassing.

I thought he was supposed to be intelligent.

[boatbuilder]

Thanks for the UWS info.

Good to see that Wretchard's commenters ain't buying it. At all.

[Eye Doctor .]

Tommy boy

What 4d fantasy are you selling now?

[narciso]

He writes from a foreign perspective, its filtered through Australian broadcasting and the Sydney herald, this fellow buwaya on alehouses side another fellow Filipino, living in San Francisco. Has as sharp a perspective as the senior montes Bradley.

[DrJ]

JamesD,

Wretchard used to be great, and yes, he is very, very bright. He also has cultivated a wonderful community of commenters, sort of like here.

I used to link his new work when it came out. Some months ago (three? six?) he lost his depth, his writing became flat, and I stopped linking.

Iggy picks it up once in a while (some still are worthwhile), but I think Wretchard has other priorities at the moment. It happens.

[Dave Seville]

--Nadler is apparently not as smart and dangerous as I used to think, and I've known about him a long time.--

Well, they say the brain is made largely of fat and he lost about two people's worth of it so I figure his brain should be about one third the size it used to be.

[Eye Doctor .]

Tommy boy

Are they planning an October 2020 surprise on the bad guys.

[Sue]

Former AG Gonzales said Whittaker hadn’t been through senate confirmation.

[Porchlight]

I stopped reading Wretchard years ago.

[Eye Doctor .]

Does anyone care what Gonzales thinks?

[jimmyk]

Nadler is a frikken buffoon.

I've probably said this before, but he reminds me of Senator Snort from the great old "Grin and Bear it comic strip:

[Dave (in MA)]

Porchlight is trying to get us all killed.

[Porchlight]

The_Donald is erupting over the Acosta news. Funny stuff.

https://www.reddit.com/r/The_Donald/comments/9v5cxu/press_slayer_sarah_huckababe_sanders_as_a_result/

"Press Slayer Sarah Huckababe Sanders," lol.

[Janet]

Acosta's tantrum/lecture reminded me of Jorge Ramos's meltdown when Trump was just a candidate.

Both were yelling & lecturing like THEY were the elected official & THEY could take up other journalists time to give their personal speeches.

[Dave Seville]

I think that's the first time I left three comments at his place and all sharply disagreeing.
I think it's more than just not getting Trump, Doc. I think he's wary of populism overall but doesn't fully grasp the stark differences between the US and Western Europe, nor has he acknowledged just how deep the New Left has penetrated the Dems in this country.
Sauce for the goosesteppers is not sauce for our gander.

[Pinandpuller]

Jim Acosta

[daddy]

Local Talk Show is making callers call in and say something nice about Mark Begich before they get to their point:)

[Porchlight]

Haha, watch out, Dave (in MA).

[DrJ]

Iggy, I agree. I don't think his view on the US is very clear any longer. I've no idea about how his understanding of Europe corresponds at all with reality either.

I don't know if it is because he has changed or that I have.

[lyle]

I rarely read Wretchard anymore but I’ve marveled at his prescient take on the collapse of globalism. I do envy him for living in Australia.

[Porchlight]

Brilliant comment.

[–]DarthEdgeman SAVAGE 141 points 18 minutes ago

Trump is now a wartime president

[Eye Doctor .]

DC WHISPERSREPORT: Rosenstein To Resign In 48 Hours, No Longer In Charge of Mueller Probe
https://bigleaguepolitics.com/report-rosenstein-to-resign-in-48-hours-no-longer-in-charge-of-mueller-probe/

[Janet]

old post -

Look at this video from Aug. 2015 & you can see why Trump was elected POTUS. The content of what Trump said wasn't amplified. Jorge Ramos's rude, out-of-control behavior wasn't amplified. The stories of Americans (all races & backgrounds) killed by citizens of other countries that are here illegally wasn't amplified.
No, ...the take-away from this press conference by all the lousy OLD media was: 'Univision Anchor Thrown Out of Trump Event'. The WaPo headline was: 'Donald Trump kicked TV’s most influential Latino newsman out of a press conference'.
Thank heaven for NEW media sources.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XimwGe0ThbA

[Clarice Feldman]

I disagree with some of what wretchard writes, but I find him generally well-written and thoughtful and worth reading YMMV.

[Barbara]

John Acosta and CNN should lose their White House Press Credentials. The same should apply to every single person in the Press Corps who does not show respect for the President of the United States and the honor of attending a press conference in the White House. No excuses. No exceptions.

[Eye Doctor .]

Tommy boy

Why is Trump getting rid of your white hats?

[Porchlight]

Janet,

The Jorge incident was the first time I truly began to appreciate Trump's genius.

The Mexican dude is being obnoxious and disrespectful and taking advantage of the situation to serve his own ends.

Trump kicks the Mexican dude out.

After a period of time, the length of which is at Trump's discretion, Trump allows the Mexican dude to come back in, but only so long as the Mexican dude behaves himself.

Get it?

[derwill]

Only the executive branch, the attorney general or the acting attorney general can appoint a special prosecutor.

[daddy]

Tucker reports that they asked Sessions staff if Sessions would run for his former Senate seat in 2 years, and the spokesperson said probably not.

[Tom R]

What’s the JOM consensus on this Trump tweet? Does Trump truly consider the midterms a success or is he not being truthful?

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1060148982968733696?s=21

[narciso]

In other news,

https://mobile.twitter.com/abdbozkurt/status/1060234570828783616?p=v

Remember I was referring to the colonial expeditions in khartroum and omdurman

[Eye Doctor .]

What's your point Tommy boy?

[Eye Doctor .]

Is Tommy boy being truthful?

[Tom R]

Tucker reports that they asked Sessions staff if Sessions would run for his former Senate seat in 2 years, and the spokesperson said probably not.

John Merrill just won re-election as Secretary of State. He has been grooming himself for either a run for governor or Senator starting back with his time as SGA President when I was in school at Bama. He is in his early 50s so the timing is right for him to make his move.

[Porchlight]

He does, Tom R. Watch the presser, he explained it. He is looking forward to negotiating. Not naively - he's ready for the fight - but because he thinks he can maneuver the Dems into cooperation for the good of the country, even if only to serve their own political interests.

Of course, he's also ready to smash their faces in (politically speaking of course) if they try to eff him.

I think he's excited, honestly. Trump LOVES making deals and this is a structural change that gives him new opportunities.

Think he was getting tired of the House GOP anyway because they were screwing him over and he had to rein himself in for party's sake.

He doesn't have that problem with the Dems. It's a new chess game. :)

[derwill]

Tom, I think Trump thought there was a good chance we would lose the House. It’s basic math. 98% of incumbents get re-elected, Burt when 45 GOP reps chose nut to run, that right there put 45 seats in play that wouldn’t have been necessarily. So Trump concentrated on keeping the Senate and helping out the governors where he could, and it worked.

[Pinandpuller]

Dennis Hoff won his race but he failed the course.

[sbw]

Does Trump truly consider the midterms a success or is he not being truthful?

Tom, none of us can know what Trump considers, but I do. He staved off more House losses than any president since 1946 and increased his freedom to move in the Senate.

You obviously don’t think so, but politics is the art of the possible.

[derwill]

Yikes sorry for all those typos. On my iPad.

[Eye Doctor .]

Tommy boy is looking for a way to spin the fact that his 4d fantasy was complete bullshit.

[Pinandpuller]

Things could be worse Jim

[narciso]

I hadn't noticed this, but a character re my work in progress, ibrahim asiri, is apparently according to Michael Morrell, two months ago. Of course knowing morels track record he may well be alive.

[Tom R]

You obviously don’t think so, but politics is the art of the possible.

What makes you think I believe Trump is not telling the truth? I just asked what everybody else thought about his comment.

[jimmyk]

Does Trump truly consider the midterms a success or is he not being truthful?

Yes, he was pretty clear in the presser. He said that midterms are usually tough for the party in the WH, so all things considered, gaining in the Senate was a big victory, and losing the house vs having a narrow majority of a few seats is not a big deal.

[Eye Doctor .]

Tommy boy is testing the water before rolling out his next line of bullshit

[Miss Marple]

I think I have hit the wall. I am heading to bed.

Nytol!

[Bernardi Dr la paz]

The trail of wanted fugitives of various stripes from nazi war criminals to terrorists is long and winding, one learns for example that wiesenthal had at best been right 50% of the time as with aloud Brunner who was suspected of dying in 1992 but he lived at least a decade longer.

[Janet]

One other thing that needs to be done immediately is to STOP giving PBS/NPR/CPB ANY taxpayer money.

They shouldn't be getting one dime.

One of the PBS stations here shows "Democracy Now!".
Why in the world should Americans have to subsidize that crap?

They need to make it on their own like other stations.

[Eye Doctor .]

Let Soros find them

[Alex]

Trump is happy with the House loss since he is a profligate spender as the DEMS and can blame them for the continuing resolution. GOP in lame duck session will ask Trump to appoint second counsel for FISA abuse and cleaning out DOJ and FBI and dare DEMS to shut the second counsel down next term.

[sbw]

What makes you think I believe Trump is not telling the truth?

You had reason to ask the question.

[Eye Doctor .]

Tommy boy

Was Trump faking his disappointment in Sessions, like you said?

[Tom R]

How does everyone else interpret this tweet?

https://twitter.com/realdonaldtrump/status/1060141780878979072?s=21

I interpret the statement as a direct warning to the GOP Establishment types still in Congress, especially any Senators who were not up for re-election this year. If they want to get re-elected in 2020 or 2022, they need to embrace and support the MAGA agenda. If they do, he will help them get re-elected. If they refuse to support the MAGA agenda, they are on their own. Anyone have a different interpretation?

[Dave Seville]

Here is the Nic Lewis post that kim was referring to earlier in which Mr Lewis dismantles the recent ballyhooed paper claiming the oceans were absorbing 60% more heat than anyone thought!
First did the math in his head after looking at the first page for a few minutes of a paper that passed peer review for inclusion in Nature.
Embarrassing if they were capable of it.
I would point out this basic math mistake was made by a girl but I might get hurt so I won't.

[Janet]

A mob of Antifa protesters is currently outside the DC-area home of Fox News personality Tucker Carlson.

https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2018/11/breaking-antifa-mob-currently-outside-home-of-tucker-carlson/

[Bernardi Dr la paz]

As I pointed out elsewhere this operation to evade the tripwire is the only way to do it, Whittaker certainly has the right attitude but the deep state and their minions will certainly try to polarize and isolate him in typical alinski style.

[Clarice Feldman]

narciso apparently dead?

[Eye Doctor .]

Tommy boy

You seem to be of the mind that it is time to move on and let bygones be bygones.

No surprise there.

[narciso]

Sorry every time I try to go back, it reverts to the last handle.

[Tom R]

You had reason to ask the question.

Of course I had a reason for asking it. So far everyone who has answered it has said they believe he was telling the truth when he said the midterms were a success. Don’t know if that is the popular opinion, the minority opinion, or whether the split between success and failure closer to 50/50.

[lyle]

Dear gawd, yer an asshole, Eye Dude.

[sbw]

And, narc, if you clear cookies, you might not have anything autofill at all.

[Tom R]

narciso apparently dead?

I prefer Bernardo De La Paz over Narciso since the Moon is a Harsh Mistress is my favorite sci-fi novel of all time.

[Pinandpuller]

He was definitely fired, Trump just gave him the opportunity to resign to save face. Trump tied the noose and put the rope around his neck, he just let Jeff kick the chair out.

[sbw]

Tom, that kind of quest is why I switched my major from Political Science to History. Poli Sci was interested in little-T truths. Perhaps true, but not necessarily useful. Don’t do polls, either.

[sbw]

Trump just gave him the opportunity to resign to save face.

... which Sessions threw back in Trump’s face by saying it was at the President’s request.

[narciso]

Thanks trump certainly tried to work around this set up that Rosenstein had created but it just isn't possible: Mueller is a rolling star chamber unimpaired by any authority except that who he admits, so let's get rid of the bull hockey of 4d, you see what a wretched nazgul like nadler is willing to do to justice Cavanaugh. As an abject lesson, regardless whether he succeeds ultimately.

[Eye Doctor .]

And you are a dumbass, lyle

[sbw]

So, Steph, are Romney’s old nicknames like Mitt and Mittens are out the door?

Henceforth will he be known as Dick Romney?

[Pinandpuller]

I heard about Latinx but I forgot what it means already. The first one was elected in TX.

[JMHanes]

Rocco:

"JMH, tis hunting season here, not sure about your area but in any event, don't wear white!"

Never thought about what I wear, as it's my own little neck of woods. Thanks for the advice, though, because I did discover a deer stand up a tree in a back corner, so close to the property line, that I'm not sure whose tree it is. I give a neighboring bow hunter permission to hunt, but there are really too many families around to allow any hunting with rifles. Not that you can't hurt someone with a bow, but I think bow hunters generally tend to be more careful with their shots. And it doesn't hurt that the neighbor also happens to be a doctor in the emergency room at a local children's hospital. Alas, no success, so far. Lots of does & youngsters, but I only see antlers when I'm driving at night.

Ralph:

"It's after Labor Day, she won't."

I laughed so hard at that!