Back To The Law Books

The DoJ releases the memo we were promised in April backing SecTreas Mnuchin's refusal to cough up Trump's tax returns.

As I argued last May their argument was no doubt previewed in Mnuchin's 52 page letter of April 23 to House Chair Neal. However, I have yet to compare the two and, per the Times, a bit of legal water has passed under the bridge since April:

Mr. Engel’s argument that Congress lacked a legitimate legislative purpose in seeking Mr. Trump’s tax returns dovetailed closely with tracked arguments made by Mr. Trump’s legal team in lawsuits over congressional subpoenas to financial firms like Mazars USA for his financial records.

Two Federal District Court judges last month rejected that argument, refusing to block congressional subpoenas to such firms. One wrote that it was because Congress had put forth a valid argument for why it wanted them for legislative purposes and that it was “not for the court to question whether the committee’s actions are truly motivated by political considerations.” Mr. Trump is appealing the rulings.

One might wonder how the court can decline to assess the legitimacy of a Congressional legislative purpose in light of Watkins. My guess: In Watkins the Supreme Court found no legislative purpose was offered at all; in the current case, the Congress is offering a transparently pretextual one and daring the court to laugh out loud (OK, that is my humble editorial opinion).

Of course, the courts are often happy to swallow their whistle when the other two branches slug it out.

BONUS PEDANTRY: The Department of Redundancy Department loves the Times phrasing here:

Mr. Engel’s argument... dovetailed closely with tracked arguments made by Mr. Trump’s legal team".

This online publishing world moves so quickly - who has time to edit? Eventually that will get a correction but not a formal "Correction", being well within any gray/grey area. It took me a week to get this real one. Yeah, I keep score.

Comments

[Pinandpuller]

Trans-Americans GUS. I feel like identifying like a Guatemalan today. Don’t they sit back on their heels and have calves the size of cantaloupes? No me importa.

[Another Bob]

“LOVELY HENRY“

NTTAWWT

;)

[GUS]

I want to wish my HISPANIC TRANNIE friends well.
With a song..

Each morning a wake up,
Before I put on my make up,
I say little prayer for you....

[Gentlejim]

I hear Henry can be quite fetching as he strolls through his fields after a long day at the office.

I won’t mention whether or not I heard a sun dress is involved with his fetchedness.

:)

[Extraneus]

Transgender Rikers inmate found dead allegedly ignored by guards

(Click to open.)

[MissMarple2]

Size od Biden's crowds:

Without right click:
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/D9IlPIgXoAAxbW2.jpg

[GUS]

Transgender?? If you had a transplant, it would mean that your "organ" had been removed and replaced by the same type of "organ".

It seems to me that many of these new VICTIMS are merely mentally ill cross dressers.

Someone help me with this one.
And....No, Henry does not where wymyns clothing.
That I know of.

[MissMarple2]

https://www.theindychannel.com/news/working-for-you/marijuana-use-kills-indiana-teen-mother-speaks-out

[Jim Eagle]

ALERT:

Brooks Koepka goes to -6 two behind the leader Gary Woodland. Willie Anderson may have company.

[Gentlejim]

MM,
I get bigger crowds at traffic stops than Slo Jo gets at his events.

I’d like to hear from the Polanco family attorney as to why the brawling, disorderly, drug using, prostituting transgender should not have been incarcerated in the first place. Asshat...

I know I should be more sensitive especially since I’ve recently had cultural awareness and cultural diversity training. Pfffttt...

[Another Bob]

Interesting piece, probably understood by most here though.

“Understanding the Left”

https://thezman.com/wordpress/?p=17777

[MissMarple2]

Conflict News
‏ @Conflicts
15m15 minutes ago

BREAKING: Saudi crown prince accuses Iran of twin tanker attacks - @AFP

[Pinandpuller]

How is this "pride" parade not a CPS case for the parent of this poor kid?

Oh look, it’s Bring Your Child To Hell Day. Some folks call it Hades.

[Pinandpuller]

Take away their silk stockings, don’t hang them over the shower rod.

[Pinandpuller]

Idiosyncratic and inconsistent are the terms I would use for the odd Mr Unz

Sounds like he and I were separated at birth. He’s a Jew that follows Jesus so he’s definitely going against the tide.

[Extraneus]

That Zman site seems pretty cool, Bob. 121 comments to the post you linked so far, and from the few I read, seems like smart people there, talking bluntly about things.

[mike in houston]

Romeo and Juliet” director Franco Zeffirelli dies at 96

https://www.apnews.com/a05dc1bad5774b049fdaf254ef909206

[henry]

GentleJim, I might just stroll through the fields of grain mud bog after a fetching figure in a sun dress. Or a tasty looking deer/turkey/duck. As for me, I’m sure Gus was referring to “Mr Congeniality.” As far as attire, camo cargo shorts, Sig tee, SA 40 in the holster at the moment.

[Jim Eagle]

Catsmeat,

When you check in: Certain campaigners in the UK are trying to keep “Plum” out of Westminster Abbey since they believe he was a Nazi collaborator. Story in Daily Torygraph behind a paywall.

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump

After 3 1/2 years, our wonderful Sarah Huckabee Sanders will be leaving the White House at the end of the month and going home to the Great State of Arkansas....
====================================

Sarah Sanders
‏Verified account @PressSec
Jun 13

I am blessed and forever grateful to @realDonaldTrump for the opportunity to serve and proud of everything he’s accomplished. I love the President and my job. The most important job I’ll ever have is being a mom to my kids and it’s time for us to go home. Thank you Mr. President!

[MissMarple2]

The Spectator Index
‏ @spectatorindex
2m2 minutes ago

BREAKING: 7.4 magnitude quake northeast of New Zealand

[MissMarple2]

Now we have tornado watches and warnings.

[henry]

@realDonaldTrump

He is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!

=======
Retweeting a tweet about London Mayor Kahn

[henry]

Miss M, it was supposed to rain today, but didn’t. It did drop from 75 to 60. Very nice here. Hope the tornados skip past you.

[MissMarple2]

henry,

Miserable weather here. Low 60's with pouring, cold rain.

Hope that it doesn't move into your area or Buckeye's!

[MissMarple2]

Jessica Fletcher
‏Verified account @heckyessica
Replying to @realDonaldTrump

Khan is the reason I don’t feel like visiting London anytime soon.

================================

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
17m17 minutes ago

He is a national disgrace who is destroying the City of London!

[MissMarple2]

Catherine Curzon
‏ @MadameGilflurt
8h8 hours ago

The Duchess of Richmond's famed ball was held #onthisday in 1815, on the eve of the Battle of Quatre Bras. "With the exception of three generals, every officer high in [Wellington's] army was there to be seen". #gloriousGeorgians

[Gentlejim]

Henry,
I knew it. Quick question, do you tuck your cargo shorts into your muck boots as you stroll through the mud bog?

[henry]

Now 55 here. Breezy, but dry. Wonderful weather. The farmer I lease to still can’t plant anything, the only crops I see in this part of Wisconsin are last fall’s wheat... in the few fields that got it in. Last fall was too rainy as well.

Trade wars etc are nothing compared to cool wet weather (global warming my hairy butt). This year looks a total loss around here.

[henry]

GentleJim, muck boots are for cold weather, bare feet in summer. And no, I don’t tuck pants into boots. If it is that bad, I have waders.

[Pinandpuller]

I had no idea it was common for people to get stents in their leg arteries.

[Pinandpuller]

If you combine ZZ Top and Pantera you might get Texas Hippie Coalition- Moonshine:

https://youtu.be/1OMdKpt2aPg

[Narciso79]

Some context here:

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.nytimes.com/2019/06/04/books/wodehouse-world-war-ii.amp.html

[Gentlejim]

Waders would have worked over here today. Someone needs to turn the water off soon or I’m going to have to start felling some trees and measuring by cubits.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--He’s a Jew that follows Jesus so he’s definitely going against the tide.--

He's also a Jew who comes pretty close to denying the holocaust and partly endorsing the Protocols of the Elders of Zion and publishes nutjobs like Paul Craig Roberts who used to be indispensable on economics, that Finkelstein goof and that retard Giraldi who was instrumental in the insipid VIPS bullshit.
When you're publishing guys some creep like Valerie Plame loves maybe you oughta go back to software and finance.

[henry]

Pin, I have both ZZTop and Pantera on vinyl. That was great!

[MissMarple2]

henry,

The crops are not in here, either, so I have taken to buying a few extra things every time I go to the grocery.

Seems prudent to me.

[Narciso79]

He does have that strsngelovian reflex, which isnt encouraging

[henry]

Since I read Gundry and others, I don’t eat grains. Most concern is corn, soy, wheat. All things I avoid. The dandelions in my yard provide excellent salads. And I have plenty of rabbits and squirrels... don’t need DNR tags for meat. Plus I can grow foods I eat year round (plant lights are great). My neighbors are dairy farms, raise chickens, etc. I live where the food is. So I am less worried than I once would have been.

Given that, inflation measured by food prices will spike. I need to up my home brew volume to have trade goods.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Certain campaigners in the UK are trying to keep “Plum” out of Westminster Abbey since they believe he was a Nazi collaborator.--

He was a hopelessly naive and good natured soul who no more would have helped the Nazis than Gussie Fink Nottle would have been chums with Roderick Spode.
Soulless, humorless, intolerant progs must at some point be tolerantly purged from the planet.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

--Since I read Gundry and others, I don’t eat grains.--

Isn't beer liquid grain?

[Jim Eagle]

narc,

Thanks for relinking that NY Slimes article on Plum. Asshats at the Slimes and in the UK. Never understanding Wodehouse and his sense of presence and humor.

[henry]

Ig, grain yes. But Barley, not corn, soy, or wheat.

Major breweries aside.

[Gentlejim]

Iggy,
Maybe his beer is made with almond flour.

:)

[Another Bob]

Ext, Zman is an interesting place.

He calls himself “dissident right”. The crowd mostly thinks Trump talks big but is fundamentally a phony. Most are some somewhere on the “race realist” spectrum and acknowledge the inherent “tribalism” of people.

Not sure that all “normies” are prepared to handle it.

[Gentlejim]

Pin,
I agree with Henry. That THC video was quite enjoyable.

[henry]

almond flour

When that costs less than two row barley, I’ll let my yeast loose on it. Until then, German Beer purity law applies. ;)

[Another Bob]

Oh, a proportion of the Zman crowd is tuned into the “JQ”. Z himself seems to think there are better things to worry about.

[Jim Eagle]

Plus Plum was a great friend of my grandfather. The library in Southampton has all of his works. All autographed. He died here in our hospital back in 75.

His grave in Remsenberg is worth visiting. It's behind the communal church.

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

Today was Impeach Trump Day with rallies... anyone see any news coveage locally? Portland reported a small crowd per FB which reminded me that it was today. Must have been a bust as that was the first reporting on it I have seen.

[Captain Hate]

Woodland, Rose and Koepka are putting on an incredible show.

[clarice]

https://www.frontpagemag.com/fpm/273963/conservative-civil-rights-movement-end-internet-daniel-greenfield

Stephanie, I saw a pic of the crowd in Naples--about 6 people.

[Narciso79]

He attended dulwich college like Farage.

[Jim Eagle]

Plum's memorial in Remsenberg where he is buried.

[Narciso79]

How do you say heh in farsi:

https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/How-Iran-Was-Swindled-Out-Of-32-Trillion.html

[MissMarple2]

Prayer request:

A small boy who is a neighbor of my daighter's husband in Mexico has been kidnapped.

Please pray that he will be found. As you guys know, children are stolen for all sorts of reasons down there.

Thanks!

[Narciso79]

Prayers for him miss marple.

[henry]

Miss M, prayers en route. For the boy, and all of Mexico.

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
14m14 minutes ago

I enjoyed my interview with @GStephanopoulos on @abcnews. So funny to watch the Fake News Media try to dissect & distort every word in as negative a way as possible. It will be aired on Sunday night at 8:00 P.M., and is called, “President Trump: 30 Hours” (which is somewhat....

....misleading in that I personally spent only a small fraction of that time doing interviews. I do have a few other things to do, you know!). Think I will do many more Network Interviews, as I did in 2016, in order to get the word out that no President has done what I have in...

....the first 2 1/2 years of his Presidency, including the fact that we have one of the best Economies in the history of our Country. It is called Earned Media. In any event, enjoy the show!

[Jim Eagle]

Wheels coming off for Woodland. If he doesn't par 15 and Koepka birdies 17 or 18, then it is Katy-bar-the-Door tomorrow.

[Catsmeat]

Jack, that's disgusting about PGW. What swine. They should know better. He made fun of fascists again and again--and was pro-England to the core. He just didn't know about Nazi atrocities (or the Holocaust) when he made those broadcasts to what he wanted to be his many friends in the States (then neutral--he'd been interned as a neutral citizen).

[Narciso79]

It's crazy isnt it, but that's what passes for normalcy over there, ot there was an argument at althouse over whether the music man by robert Preston was considered disparaging of small town folk.

[Jim Eagle]

Why he came here, Catsmeat. Even when the Queen knighted him, he didn't want to go back. Not a way to treat a national treasure.

[Another Bob]

MM, I’ve forgotten how it turned out. Did daughter move to Mexico or did SIL move here?

[Captain Hate]

That Woodland guy is pretty resourceful...

[Jim Eagle]

Those are two unbelievable pars by Woodland. 13 and 15 could win the Open for Woodland. But can his luck hold tomorrow?

[Narciso79]

I think they should go back to the generals they couldn't muck it up any further?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2019/06/guatemalas-elections-5-190615150744593.html

[Catsmeat]

Yes, Jack, and I also second Ig's verdict.

A. A. Milne, an old friend of PGW's, behaved disgracefully in the immediate wake of PGW's having been released. Malcolm Muggeridge plays a better part. Plum was an innocent of innocents (though not when people were trying to cheat him out of money--that he noted acutely!).

[Narciso79]

The guy behind winnie the poo, turned out to be a louse,

[henry]

@LindseyGrahamSC

When it comes to Iranian attacks on other natIons’ oil pipelines and tankers, enough is enough.

President @realDonaldTrump is not to blame for these attacks, the blame lies with the Ayatollah and his henchman.

Iran is trying to disrupt shipping and oil supplies for their own benefit.

We must be prepared to make Iran pay a heavy price by targeting their naval vessels and, if necessary, their oil refineries.

Mr. President, when it comes to Iran stay strong!

[MissMarple2]

Another Bob,

Neither. He is still in Mexico and she is here. She waffles between wanting to wait for him to get up here and getting an annulment.

She said she is worried about him doing something stupid and I blew my stack and told her that he shouldn't come up here illegally or try to smuggle drugs for the cartels.

Of course it got her all upset but I am NOT going to have some MS13 gang member moving in.

Whenever you guys read about the immigration problems, keep in mind that it affects people like me.

[clarice]

I'm thinking what if we picked a certain day--say the Fourth of July when every one fed up with social media censorship stayed away from UTube, Twitter and Facebook?

[Jim Eagle]

MM,

MS-13 are Salvadorans, not Mexicans. But there are other bad actors in Mexico. If he can't pass muster for legal immigration, then she has a big decision to make.

[MissMarple2]

Donald J. Trump
‏Verified account @realDonaldTrump
4m4 minutes ago

Do you believe that the Failing New York Times just did a story stating that the United States is substantially increasing Cyber Attacks on Russia. This is a virtual act of Treason by a once great paper so desperate for a story, any story, even if bad for our Country.....

.....ALSO, NOT TRUE! Anything goes with our Corrupt News Media today. They will do, or say, whatever it takes, with not even the slightest thought of consequence! These are true cowards and without doubt, THE ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE!

[jimmyk]

RIP Franco Zeffirelli. He created some of the most amazing over-the-top sets for the Metropolitan opera, a couple of which are depicted here:

http://www.playbill.com/article/italian-director-franco-zeffirelli-dies-at-96

The pics don't compare to seeing it live.

[Narciso79]

What kind of work does he do if you can say,

Under legal channels it took 6 years to get an exit Visa from Cuba, it took 7 for my grandfather, it took 11 for my father.

[jimmyk]

I'm thinking what if we picked a certain day--say the Fourth of July when every one fed up with social media censorship stayed away from UTube, Twitter and Facebook?

Good idea, clarice, but once/year isn't enough. I think Burge suggested once/week a while back.

[President-Elect Jim,SunnyvaleCA]

If we took out Kharg Island, would anyone be Iran's friend?
They only act nice to get oil. If the oil were no longer available they might be angry the US took it out, but they'd have precious little sympathy for Iran until/unless the oil could be delivered again

[MissMarple2]

Jack,

I know. My son worked with his brother at a restaurant and said that he was a good guy.

However, as we all know that doesn't mean jack squat.

I have had lots of Mexicans work for me, and they were great guys. I don't want anyone to think that I have bad feelings about them.

This is just such a terrible situation and I don't know what to do to help her.

[clarice]

Now to find a site where dissidents can go--I've asked Roger Simon if PJ Media could host an open page. Any other ideas?

[clarice]

I think Zeferilli's Romeo and Juliet was utterly charming.

[Jim Eagle]

It's going to be another late night tomorrow if you are watching the US Open. I see it going down to the wire.

[MissMarple2]

Narciso,

He works landscape and restaurant.

I would not have advised her to marry him but she went down to Mexico last summer and did so without telling me. I have no control - she is almost 40.

[lurkersusie]

Great article

RAY McGOVERN: DOJ Bloodhounds on the Scent of John Brennan – Consortiumnews

So Brennan and his partners, FBI Director James Comey and National Intelligence Director James Clapper were making stuff up and feeding thin but explosive gruel to the hungry stenographers that pass today for Russiagate obsessed journalists.

Is the Jig Up?

With Justice Department investigators’ noses to the ground, it should be just a matter of time before they identify Brennan conclusively as fabricator-in-chief of the Russiagate story. Evidence, real evidence in this case, abounds, since the Brennan-Comey-Clapper gang of three were sure Hillary Clinton would become president. Consequently, they did not perform due diligence to hide their tracks.

Worse still, intelligence analysts tend to hang onto instructions and terms of reference handed down to them by people like Brennan and his top lieutenants. It will not be difficult for CIA analysts to come up with documents to support the excuse: “Brennan made me do it.”

https://consortiumnews.com/2019/06/13/ray-mcgovern-doj-bloodhounds-on-the-scent-of-john-brennan/

[clarice]

MM, remind her this mess is of her own doing, Had she gone to an immigration lawyer, he'd have advised that she obtained a finance visa for him, he could have come here to marry and then she could have filed for a green card for him. Really, I don't know how you have patience for all this.

[Captain Hate]

Fox's golf coverage has become outstanding. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow and am *so* glad there's not a competing NBA game,

[MissMarple2]

clarice,

My patience is because SHE owns the house and my contribution is paying the utilities.

My sisters are besides themselves because their attitude is much as yours. I cannot get her to get this straightened out although I have repeatedly tried to get her to go to an immigration lawyer.

I am going to quit talking about it as all I can do is complain.

[Narciso79]

This a some what fairer account of the contest
https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.aljazeera.com/amp/news/2019/06/guatemalas-elections-5-190615150744593.html

A corrupt first lady, a candidate who has served time for abuses of prisoners, another guy is the entitled scion of a previous president

[Jane]

Boy the leaders are amazing. 1 shot lead going into the final round. Very cool.

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

Thanks Clarice... I haven't seen anything else other than a blurb about Move on on Drudge. If it had any legs, it would have been the headliner there, I'm sure.

[Jim Eagle]

Off to bed. Slaap Lekker, tot morgen.

It will be a humdinger tomorrow plus you have the Women playing Chile before the big guns tee off. But if that skank Rapinoe is still captain of the team I will tune them out. What an embarrassment to our country.

[joan]

Good idea, Clarice. And make it once a week (that someone suggested.)

Also, skip ABC, NBC, CBS, etc., too. We've quit watching all of their morning and evening news broadcasts (and practically all of their evening lineups.

[clarice]

We already drove down Hollywood, CNN and MsnBC--they Need out traffic, why give it to them?

[Stephanie Nene Not Your Normal Granma]

NOT July 4th. That would rain on Trump's new all out fantastic Fourth of July celebrations that he is concocting for this year.

Maybe Labor Day.

[President-Elect Jim,SunnyvaleCA]

clarice: "what if we picked a certain day--say the Fourth of July when every one fed up with social media censorship stayed away from UTube, Twitter and Facebook?"

I'm in.
I deleted my FB and Twitter but I can boycott YouTube.

[Narciso79]

The aliens in dr. Who seen more genuine:

https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2019/06/15/mexico-threatens-tariff-retaliation/#more-165088

What do they buy from us, except spare part for the cars they make down there

[MissMarple2]

https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/448687-franklin-graham-i-think-god-was-behind-the-last-election

[joan]

I wish I had an idea about a site to go to avoid twitter, fb, etc., but I don't. PJ Media has quite an assortment of writers and pages. Maybe there will be a place or page there for 'dissidents'. :)

What about American Thinker? It has so many different contributors.

[henry]

If we pick a day to boycott, can we stick with all days ending in “y”? We can scan the interwebs for news.

[Ignatz Ratzkiwatzki]

Zefferelli's Jesus of Nazareth is my favorite spiritual/religious movie [TV mini series technically I guess].