Tuesday, February 12, 2019
THE RUSSIAN INVESTIGATION
- Qatar admits it ‘unwittingly’ bailed out New York skyscraper owned by Jared Kushner’s family
- Qatar revamps investment strategy after Kushner building bailout
- Thread by @jedshug: “Qatar now says it “unwittingly” bailed out Jared Kushner and his 666 5th Ave. disaster. Excuse me? Many of us have been explaining for a yea […]”
- MSW Podcast: Now the Qataris are lubing the truth….
“Qatar started looking into how its name got involved into the deal and found out it was because of a fund it co-owned,” said one of the sources. “So QIA ultimately triggered a strategy revamp.”
The QIA declined to comment.
Canada’s Brookfield Asset Management Inc bailed out 666 Fifth Avenue via its real estate unit Brookfield Property Partners, in which the QIA acquired a 9 percent stake five years ago. Both parent and unit declined to comment.
The QIA’s strategic shift was made late last year, according to the sources. It offers a rare insight into the thinking of one of the world’s most secretive sovereign wealth funds.
The revamp could have significant implications for the global investment scene because the QIA is one of the world’s largest state investors, with more than $320 billion under management.
So let me get this straight…
The Qataris, after being approached by the Kushner family for a loan on 666 Fifth Ave and turned it down and had their country blockaded until they worked out a deal for the building, ACCIDENTALLY lent $1.3 billion for a 99 year lease on a building?
Are you fucking kidding me? Giving out over a billion dollars isn’t something one accidentally does. I’ve accidentally left my wallet at home, or accidentally said those inside voices on the outside, but I’ve never accidentally paid off a billion dollar loan to remove an extortion racket.
But the next question is, why now? Why would Qatar Investment Authority make this announcement now? Why announce that this transaction was a mistake right after it’s completed? Why wait until the mystery company’s case heads to the Supreme Court.
I think that’s why. There’s some news about the mystery case coming down the pipeline, and QIA is neck deep in the whole thing.
- Senate: No direct proof of conspiracy between Trump campaign, Russia
- Senate Intelligence Committee Democrats Dispute Claims Russia Probe Found No Collusion
- Tea Pain: Tea Pain is startin’ to get the feelin’ that Mueller is goin’ to drop an “interim report” on obstruction of justice charges. This explains why Senator Burr announces “no direct proof of collusion” prematurely. Trump can say “How can I obstruct if there is ‘no collusion?'”
- PostimusMaximus: Maybe someone should ask @SenatorBurr what WOULD be considered “collusion.” Do you need someone on tape saying “I’ll pay you to hack to help us win the ellection?” “I’ll lift sanctions if you do?”
- Emptywheel: Mueller: Trump’s campaign manager shared highly detailed polling data w/a GRU asset at a meeting where he discussed sanctions relief. Aaron, Glenn, & their minions: Hey look at what Richard Burr says!!! For those of you repeating NYT’s errors in my TL, claiming Manafort shared public polling data: Here’s Manafort’s OWN lawyer saying sharing the data couldn’t have benefitted Manafort bc it was so complex.
“If we write a report based upon the facts that we have, then we don’t have anything that would suggest there was collusion by the Trump campaign and Russia,” said Sen. Richard Burr, R-N.C., the chairman of the Senate Intelligence Committee, in an interview with CBS News last week.
Burr was careful to note that more facts may yet be uncovered, but he also made clear that the investigation was nearing an end.
“We know we’re getting to the bottom of the barrel because there’re not new questions that we’re searching for answers to,” Burr said.
On Tuesday, Burr doubled down, telling NBC News, “There is no factual evidence of collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.”
Sen. Mark Warner, D.-Va., ranking member of the committee, told reporters in the Capitol Tuesday that he disagrees with the way Burr characterized the evidence about collusion, but he declined to offer his own assessment.
“I’m not going to get into any conclusions I have,” he said, before adding that “there’s never been a campaign in American history … that people affiliated with the campaign had as many ties with Russia as the Trump campaign did.”
Democratic Senate investigators who spoke to NBC News on condition of anonymity did not dispute Burr’s characterizations, but said they lacked context.
“We were never going to find a contract signed in blood saying, ‘Hey Vlad, we’re going to collude,'” one Democratic aide said.
Are you fucking kidding me?
I’ll wait until the final report from them, but something’s up. I’m not sure what, but something’s up.
- Donald Trump Should Be Impeached If He Obstructed Justice Or Colluded With Russia, More Than 60 Percent Of Americans Say In New Poll
- A third of Republicans think Trump should be impeached if he obstructed justice
- Americans view Mueller as more credible than Trump, but views of his probe are scattered
- Yes, the Mueller investigation is costly. But the millions seized from Manafort have it on track to break even
- Mike Pompeo warns Vladimir Putin is threatening democracies everywhere, says West took its eye off Russia
COHEN, NEW YORK, AND THE OTHER LAWSUITS
TRUMP THE RUSSIAN ASSET A.K.A. INDIVIDUAL-1
TRAITOR TOTS
- Greg Olear: Let’s talk about Donald Trump, Jr. It’s time. [THREAD]
- Thread by @gregolear: “Let’s talk about Donald Trump, Jr. It’s time. [THREAD] 1/ I’ve given Junior something of a pass in this space, because I feel sorry for him. […]”
- Countercheckist: Torshin was accused of being a leader of RU organized crime by the Spanish govt. Barcelona sent USIC tapes of him and money launderer Alexander Romanov, who referred to Torshin as “El Padrino” (The Godfather). As for what’s on these tapes: “Mr. Trump’s son should be concerned.”
- Donald Trump’s Biggest Cheerleaders At Fox News Are Seeing Big Drops In Ratings And Advertising Revenue
FIGHTING BACK
- Eric Idle: When Reality stars fade…. the President of the USA visited what he said was a danger zone, promoted his visit heavily and only 6,000 citizens turned up to see him. Sad.
- Brian Klaas: 13 years ago, today, the sitting Vice President of the United States shot someone in the face.
- This grievance board for federal workers has one person left — and he’s about to leave
CONGRESS
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Is Under Fire Because She’s Right – A new generation of leaders is rising that just may be ready to take on the plutocrats. Like AOC, they will come under intense fire. They will succeed only if we build a popular movement strong enough to overcome the resistance.
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s ‘Corruption Game’ Speech Is Now the Most Viewed Twitter Video of Any Politician
- Superstar freshman Dems replace Pelosi as GOP targets
SHUTDOWN & IMMIGRATION
- After Shutting Down The Government, Trump’s Getting Even Less Wall Money Than Democrats Originally Offered
- In government shutdown aftermath, federal workers still hurting, survey finds
- Mark Warner: Startling new numbers from the shutdown: – 62% of federal workers depleted all or most of their savings – 42% took on debt – 25% tapped their retirement accounts – 25% visited a food bank
- Trump’s failed shutdown strategy produced an even worse deal than he started with
- Trump’s Followers Believe His Lies About the Wall
- Trump pretended that Congress hadn’t just demolished his wall
- Trump criticizes bipartisan border deal to avert another government shutdown
- The ‘accidental bra fairy’ has helped homeless women for years. Now, she’s helping women affected by the shutdown.
- Devastated by one shutdown, dreading the next
- Congress Agrees To $1.3 Billion For Protective Border Fencers
- “My daughter is not the same:” Families separated at the border are seeking millions in damages
- Sean Hannity is “co-president” with Donald Trump and doesn’t love proposed border deal, CNN host says
El Paso
- Trump seemed very interested in Beto O’Rourke’s evidently larger crowd during his El Paso rally
- Trump, O’Rourke face off at border as 2020 campaign gears up
- Nearly 15,000 Counter Trump Event With El Paso Rally to Reject ‘Hatred and Bigotry’ – “We’re standing together to show them the truth about our border community. A border wall is not needed, there is no immigration crisis, and asylum seekers have rights.”
- El Paso Fire Department denies Trump’s crowd claim at rally
- El Paso fire department says Trump’s crowd size claims were false
- Trump Lied About Getting Special Permission From El Paso Fire Dept, Says Fire Dept
- Beto O’Rourke gets under Trump’s skin in El Paso
- Irrelevant and incoherent Trump is upstaged in El Paso
RIGHT WING TERRORISM & WHITE NATIONALISM
- Multiple White Supremacist Gang Members among 54 Defendants Charged in RICO Indictment
- A West Virginia lawmaker is facing calls to resign after comparing LGBT people to the KKK
- This Republican lawmaker said he would drown his own kids if they’re gay
El Paso Violence
- Maggie Haberman: Attack came after POTUS led the crowd in anti-press rhetoric
- BBC asks White House to review media security after cameraman shoved at Trump rally
- BBC cameraman shoved and abused at Trump rally in El Paso
- BBC cameraman ‘violently attacked’ during Trump rally
- BBC cameraman was ‘violently pushed and shoved’ by man in MAGA hat at Trump rally
- Why the attack on our cameraman was no surprise
- MAGA-Hat-Wearing Rally Goer Attacked A BBC Cameraman In El Paso
- Trump supporter ‘violently attacks’ BBC cameraman at rally after US president whips up anger over media
- A Trump Supporter Attacked Journalists After The President Blasted The Media At His Texas Rally
- Trump sends Sarah Sanders out to denounce BBC cameraman beating: ‘President Trump condemns all acts of violence’
DEALING WITH RACISM
- One out of 3 Americans say wearing blackface on Halloween is acceptable, Pew survey finds
- Appeals court orders grand jury testimony unsealed in the 1946 case of the ‘Last Mass Lynching in America’
- Cops used blackface to go undercover in 1993. Now police are apologizing.
- What Ilhan Omar Said About AIPAC Was Right
#METOO & WOMEN’S RIGHTS
- Critics call on Apple and Google to shut down Saudi app that can restrict women’s travel
- Upskirting becomes criminal offence as new law comes into effect
- These sexual assault survivors felt betrayed by America’s justice system, so they passed their own laws – The Lily
COLD WAR 2.0
- Bill Browder: BREAKING: I will testify at U.K. Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee Wednesday at 2:45pm on U.K. sanctions policy and how the U.K. has failed to implement the Magnitsky Act (passed in 2018) against Russian torturers and murderers
- Foreign Affairs Committee
- US and EU close to agreeing to new sanctions on Russia
- How Britain’s new naval plan doubles down on America
#NEVERAGAIN
FIXING THE INTERNET
There is a very easy way to stunt the growth of tools and networks currently being used to destroy democracy.
Step 1: Require notification to individuals via email every time details of that person are transferred to a “partner”, “affiliate”, “subsidiary”, or similar entity.
Step 2: Make the penalties for violating that rule hurt like a motherfucker. Meaning in terms of both financial consequences and personal freedom (i.e. Put executives in prison for repeat violations. Yes, it is that serious.)
The simple requirement of forcing companies to send an email saying “Hey, here I am, sharin’ yer datas with these shady d00ds over here!” will put a stop to much of it.
THE PROPAGANDA MACHINE
- The West is losing today’s infowars and must hit back hard
- Lincoln’s Bible: P-R-O-P-A-G-A-N-D-A M-A-C-H-I-N-E A very real weapon of war – based on a century of knowledge on how to hack into the minds of entire populations. And now built on/ with the most powerful delivery platforms in mankind’s history. I spell it out, b/c very few even acknowledge it.
- Julia Davis: #Russia’s state TV proudly quotes senior Kremlin aide Vladislav Surkov, who writes that “Putin’s big political machine is only gaining momentum” and essentially admits that Russia interferes not only in elections and referendums across the globe, but alters Western consciousness.
- Trump aide Sarah Sanders ridiculed for suggesting Mexico border wall would have stopped El Chapo
- A hedge fund’s ‘mercenary’ strategy: Buy newspapers, slash jobs, sell the buildings
TRADE WAR, HEALTH CARE, AND ECONOMY
- A record 7 million Americans are 3 months behind on their car payments, a red flag for the economy
- California Governor Proposes Digital Dividend Aimed at Big Tech
- Basically Everything Trump Said About the Economy Was a Lie
- If it weren’t for the estate tax, the majority of the superwealthy’s money would never be taxed
- Marco Rubio rolls out his own plan to limit stock buybacks
- National debt hits new milestone, topping $22 trillion
GOP: THE PARTY OF LINCOLN IS DEAD
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT
- Drug lord Joaquin ‘El Chapo’ Guzman found guilty on all counts in federal trial
- Trump aide Sarah Sanders ridiculed for suggesting Mexico border wall would have stopped El Chapo
- Three decades ago, she begged for her 3-year-old’s safe return. She’s just been charged with his murder.
- Michelle Carter, convicted in texting suicide case, is headed to jail
ENVIRONMENT & SCIENCE
- Harrison Ford slams President Trump and those who ‘denigrate science’
- David Hogg: GOP’s plan to deal with climate change is ‘thoughts and prayers’
- Ocasio-Cortez says we need World War II-scale action on climate. Here’s what that looks like.
- Aaron Rupar: .@SenJohnBarrasso: “There’s another victim of the Green New Deal – it’s ice cream! Livestock will be banned. Say goodbye to dairy, beef… American favorites like cheeseburgers & a milkshake would become a thing of the past. Living this green dream is actually a natl nightmare.”
- Dan Rather: I believe the anti-science GOP (a relatively recent development) and a president who baths with glee in his own ignorance will pass into the realm of historical anomaly. What’s sad and dangerous is this recklessness on science couldn’t have come at a worse time for our planet.
- PostimusMaximus: If you want to nay-say the Green New Deal that’s fine. But show me your alternative proposal that actually does what we need to do to combat Climate Change. Its incredibly ambitious because we’ve spent 30 years not addressing it at all.
- PostimusMaximus: Climate Change and the Green New Deal
If the Climate Change conversation was framed more like “A giant meteor is going to hit and cause a series of terrible things in 12 years if we don’t stop it” I have a feeling GND would look more like it was the bare minimum required and less like a radical pipe-dream
But that is the reality. We hit seemingly impossible goals, or we suffer the consequences of a world that is fundamentally different that we won’t be able to fix. Its up to us to decide.
Scientists have been warning about this for 30 years now. Blame the people who chose to ignore the warnings. We wouldn’t need to meet such impossible expectations had anyone done their jobs this entire time.
- Measles outbreak: Anti-vaccination misinformation fueled by Russian propagandists, study finds
- Caroline Orr: Twitter should revoke the verified status of accounts that spread disinformation about vaccines. The checkmark conveys a sense of credibility & legitimacy, thereby making others more likely to uncritically accept these false claims as true. This is literally killing people.
- A Fox News host said he hadn’t washed his hands in 10 years. Was it a joke? We can’t tell.
- A U.S. trophy hunter paid $110,000 to kill a rare mountain goat in Pakistan
- At this Westminster Dog Show competition, it’s the humans who are judged
- Want your dog to win at Westminster? You might need to cut off its ears or tail.
- The Senate just passed the most sweeping conservation legislation in a decade, protecting millions of acres of land
- The crisis in America’s maternity wards
- An atmospheric river could bring torrential rainfall to California over several days this week
ELECTIONS
- Dem Files for Do-Over Election in N.C. Due to Alleged GOP Ballot Fraud
- Northam restores voting rights for over 10,000 Virginians previously convicted of felonies
THINKING AHEAD
- Astronaut Mark Kelly announces run for McCain Senate seat in Arizona
- Former astronaut Mark Kelly, husband of Gabby Giffords, announces Senate bid in Arizona
- NASA Astronaut Mark Kelly Announces Run For McCain Senate Seat In Arizona
- Retired astronaut Mark Kelly to run as Democrat for John McCain’s Senate seat in 2020
- Retired astronaut Mark Kelly, husband of former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, to run for John McCain’s Senate seat
- Trump, O’Rourke face off at border as 2020 campaign gears up
- The Note: Trump show upstaged by Beto O’Rourke and congressional realities
- Schumer recruits famed fighter pilot to challenge McConnell in 2020
- Trump Just Stole Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Campaign Slogan, And People Have Noticed
- RNC uses Hillary Clinton’s ‘Stronger Together’ slogan for Trump
- Clinton on GOP promoting Trump ‘stronger together’ quote: Now copy my policies too
IN OTHER NEWS…
- International Spy Museum: We mark #WomenInScience Day by celebrating inventor and actress #HedyLamarr – Icon. Immigrant. Inventor. Mother of Wi-Fi. Her most recognized work came from co-inventing with George Antheil, a frequency-hopping wireless signal for guiding U.S. Navy torpedoes to their targets.
- A chaotic style has this high school team topping 100 points — and driving opponents crazy
RUMOR MILL
- Ming: ICEW-S status: underway
- Tim Hogan: Almost certain Mueller doesn’t want Cohen in Congress right now. He likely has targets among @SenateGOP and @HouseGOP Intelligence Committee members. I expect Nunes to be charged soon. Anyone know if FBI ever interviewed him? He was deep in Trump 2016. At Mayflower and Trump DC.
- Felix Sater’s Email Dump- Why Now?
- In Moscow, There’s No Longer Any Line Between Spies, Lies & Terrorists
- Tea Pain: The media is so eager for any scrap of news about the Mueller investigation they drool all over themselves repeatin’ anything Republican hacks and Trump lackeys are willin’ to spew. The media is doin’ the nation a great disservice by not vettin’ this sillyness.
- Tim Hogan: I reported earlier today that two new sealed cases were filed in DC today. I spoke to soon. Make that three new cases today. 19-cr-47 just filed. 😎
- Ming: Did Maria Butina finger @NikkiHaley ?
Are we not doing phasing anymore? How is that not a thing?
That’s it for Tuesday. In the next few weeks, things are going to happen. Too many events line up for the end of the month for nothing to happen. I’m not guaranteeing anything, but don’t be surprised, either.
Thank you, and have a good one.
“Without Journalists, it’s just propaganda.”
– Katy Tur
None of this is Normal 