July 31, 2022
Afternoon Update:
Ryan Reilly of NBC News: "Although the House Jan. 6 committee has presented evidence of the carnage law enforcement faced at the Capitol that day, it has devoted little time to law enforcement's failure to predict and prevent the attack -- at least not publicly. But behind the scenes, sources tell NBC News, those failures have not been forgotten. As the committee prepares for an additional round of public hearings in September, it's expected to put more focus on the intelligence and law enforcement failures at the FBI and Department of Homeland Security that left police woefully underprepared for the mob that stormed the Capitol. Those failures will also be a key component of the committee's final report on Jan. 6."
Some people have been wondering how Donald Trump would profit off Ivana Trump's death. Well, here's one rather macabre way:
Fore! Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert & Isabella Zavarise of Business Insider, republished by Yahoo! News: "The location of Ivana Trump's grave -- near the first hole of the golf course at Trump National Golf Club -- may have tax implications for the business owned by the former president. Tax documents from the Trump Family Trust, published by ProPublica, show the trust sought to designate a property in Hackettstown, New Jersey, as a non-profit cemetery company, though the course itself is 20 miles away in Bedminster. Ivana Trump..., Donald Trump's ex-wife, is the first person known to have been buried at the Trump-owned golf course. Under New Jersey state tax code, any land that is dedicated to cemetery purposes is exempt from all taxes, rates, and assessments." The has modified his cemetery proposal several times. The latest-known plan is for "a 284-plot cemetery, which would have gravesites available for sale." MB: Nice. I wonder if Donald will charge Ivana's estate for the lovely plot. Thanks to Bobby Lee & Akhilleus for the lead. ~~~
~~~ MEANWHILE, TMZ picked up a photo of Ivana's grave, and, well, it's a hole in the ground labeled with a small, possibly slate slab engraved with Ivana's name & dates of birth & death. MB: In fairness to the Trumps, it is common practice to place a simple marker on a grave while a more elaborate one is being designed & made.
Meghan Mistry of ABC News: "Arizona House Speaker Rusty Bowers may lose his Republican primary for an open state senate seat this week, after he testified to the Jan. 6 committee about the pressure campaign from ... Donald Trump and his associates to undo the presidential election results in the state.... After his testimony, Bowers faced criticism for telling a reporter that he would vote for Pres. Trump in 2024. He told Karl that's absolutely not the case.... 'I'll never vote for him,' Bowers [said]. 'But I won't have to, because I think America's tired....'... In an unusual move for a state legislature race..., Trump has campaigned against Bowers in Arizona. 'Rusty Bowers, he's a RINO ... coward who participated against the Republican party in the totally partisan unselect committee of political thugs and hacks the other day, and disgraced himself, and he disgraced the state of Arizona,' he told a crowd in Prescott Valley, Arizona, on July 22.
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So far, today is pretty much a no-news day. Let's keep it that way.
Peter Baker of the New York Times: "President Biden tested positive for the coronavirus again on Saturday morning, a rebound attributed to the Paxlovid treatment he was taking, but he has not experienced a recurrence of symptoms, the White House physician said. Mr. Biden 'continues to feel quite well,' the physician, Dr. Kevin C. O'Connor, said in a memo released by the White House. 'This being the case, there is no reason to reinitiate treatment at this time, but we will obviously continue close observation,' he added. The positive test, however, means that Mr. Biden will resume 'strict isolation procedures,' as Dr. O'Connor put it, in keeping with medical advice." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) Politico's report is here.
From Prima Donna #1 to Prima Donna #2. Hans Nichols of Axios: Sen. Kyrsten "Sinema [D-Az.] has given no assurances to colleagues that she'll vote along party lines in the so-called 'vote-a-rama' for the $740 billion [Schumer-Manchin] bill next week, according to people familiar with the matter.... Not only is Sinema indicating that she's open to letting Republicans modify the bill [during the vote-a-rama], she has given no guarantees she'll support a final 'wrap-around' amendment, which would restore the original Schumer-Manchin deal.... [For instance,] the private equity industry, which has contributed heavily to Sinema, is hopeful that she'll knock [out the $14BB provision on carried interest]." That could kill the deal. (Also linked yesterday afternoon.)
And to Big, Fat, Phony Liar #1. Thanks to Rockygirl for the lead. ~~~
Well, we lost all the texts about Trump telling Cuccinelli to collect all the votng machines & Secret Service agents assuring the director they had cuffed Trump in the limo & were returning him to the White House on January 6, but we do have Matt Gaetz caught on tape revealing state secrets to Roger Stone. ~~~
~~~ Jon Swaine & Dalton Bennett of the Washington Post: "As Roger Stone prepared to stand trial in 2019, complaining he was under pressure from federal prosecutors to incriminate Donald Trump, a close ally of the president repeatedly assured Stone that 'the boss' would likely grant him clemency if he were convicted, a recording shows. At an event at a Trump property that October, Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.) predicted that Stone would be found guilty at his trial in Washington the following month but would not 'do a day' in prison. Gaetz was apparently unaware they were being recorded by documentary filmmakers following Stone.... The lawmaker also told Stone during their conversation that Stone was mentioned 'a lot' in redacted portions of Mueller's report, appearing to refer to portions that the Justice Department had shown to select members of Congress confidentially in a secure room.... The committee's agreement not to discuss the redacted material with outsiders was formalized in a written deal with the Justice Department.... 'They're going to do you, because you're not gonna have a defense,' Gaetz told Stone.... At the time of the conversation, the committee was investigating whether Trump might have obstructed justice by floating possible pardons to Stone and other allies who were swept up in Mueller's investigation of Russia's interference in the 2016 election.... Trump, who publicly praised Stone for not 'flipping' on him, commuted his prison sentence before it began and eventually pardoned him." (Also linked yesterday afternoon.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: This should, at the very least, get Matty Bumppo bumped off the Judiciary Committee.
Beyond the Beltway
Indiana. Arleigh Rodgers & Rick Callahan of the AP: "Indiana state senators narrowly passed a near-total abortion ban Saturday during a rare weekend session, sending the bill to the House after a contentious week of arguments over whether to allow exceptions for rape and incest. The Republican-controlled Senate voted 26-20 after about three hours of debate, passing the bill with the minimum 26 votes needed to send it on to the House, which Republicans also control. The bill would prohibit abortions from the time a fertilized egg implants in a uterus. Exceptions would be allowed in cases of rape and incest, but a patient seeking an abortion for either reason would have to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to the attack.... Only eight of Senate's 50 members are women.... Ten of the Senate's 11 Democrats voted against the bill, with the 11th member absent for Saturday's debate." ~~~
~~~ Marie: I wonder how many of these misogynistic control freaks realize they are making their states inhospitable to educated young people. If you were a new college grad, would you start your career in Indiana?
Way Beyond
China. Kenneth Chang of the New York Times: "Debris from a large Chinese rocket re-entered Earth's atmosphere over the Indian Ocean at 12:45 p.m. Eastern time, according to the U.S. Space Command. In an update posted on the social networking site Weibo, the Chinese Manned Space Agency said most of the debris had burned up on re-entry over the Sulu Sea, a body of water between the island of Borneo and the Philippines. The possibility, however slight, that debris from the rocket could strike a populated area had led people around the world to track its trajectory for days. The administrator of NASA, Bill Nelson, issued a rebuke on Saturday, saying that China 'did not share specific trajectory information as their Long March 5B rocket fell back to Earth.'"
Ukraine, et al. The New York Times' live updates of developments Sunday in Russia's war on Ukraine are here. The Guardian's live updates for Sunday are here. The Guardian's summary report is here. ~~~
~~~ The Washington Post's live updates for Sunday are here: "Putin said Zircon hypersonic missiles 'have no equivalent in the world' and could ... evade any defense, and vowed to respond 'with lightning speed to anyone who decides to encroach on our sovereignty and freedom.'... The attack on Russia's Black Sea fleet headquarters, in the Crimean city of Sevastopol, sent a defiant message on Russia's Navy Day. The attack forced the cancellation of celebrations of Navy Day in Crimea, the peninsula annexed by Russia in 2014 where the Black Sea Fleet in headquartered. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky issued a mandatory evacuation order for civilians still living in the war-torn eastern region of Donetsk, saying many were refusing to leave.... Russia says it has invited representatives of the United Nations and the Red Cross to investigate the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war -- many of whom were members of the Azov Regiment who surrendered in Mariupol -- at a detention center in Olenivka, in a Russian-occupied sector of Donetsk. Kyiv insists Russia was behind the deaths while Russian-backed separatists allege more than 50 prisoners of war were killed in a Ukrainian missile attack."
U.K. Stephen Castle of the New York Times: "Prince Charles ... faced new scrutiny over the financing of his charities on Saturday after a report found that one organization had accepted a donation of 1 million pounds ($1.21 million) from the family of Osama bin Laden. As first reported by The Sunday Times of London, The Prince of Wales's Charitable Fund received the donation in 2013 from the brothers Bakr and Shafiq bin Laden, half brothers of Osama bin Laden, the founder of Al Qaeda and architect of the Sept. 11 attacks. News of the payment follows a series of recent royal scandals, including a report in June that Prince Charles had accepted $3.1 million in cash donations from a Qatari billionaire between 2011 and 2015, some of which was received personally in a suitcase and shopping bags."
News Ledes
New York Times: "A fast-growing wildfire fueled by strong winds from thunderstorms and high temperatures in Northern California has grown to more than 51,000 acres in two days, becoming the state's largest wildfire so far this year and forcing evacuations in rural neighborhoods. The blaze, named the McKinney fire, began burning through dry timber on Friday in the Klamath National Forest in Siskiyou County, Calif., near the Oregon state line, the authorities said."
AP: "Samuel Sandoval, one of the last remaining Navajo Code Talkers who transmitted messages in World War II using a code based on their native language, has died. Sandoval died late Friday at a hospital in Shiprock, New Mexico, his wife, Malula told The Associated Press on Saturday. He was 98. Hundreds of Navajos were recruited from the vast Navajo Nation to serve as Code Talkers with the U.S. Marine Corps. Only three are still alive today: Peter MacDonald, John Kinsel Sr. and Thomas H. Begay."
New York Times: "Nichelle Nichols, the actress revered by 'Star Trek' fans everywhere for her role as Lieutenant Uhura, the communications officer on the starship U.S.S. Enterprise, died on Saturday in Silver City, N.M. She was 89."
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Reader Comments (9)
Simpleton’s supercillious suquedry supersedes self awareness; so sad…or narcissism makes you stupid.
Trump’s whiny baby response to Rupert giving him the hook (or a partial hook, anyway) in favor of other debased and dangerous dementos like DeSantolini, demonstrates the irony of Transactional Man’s lacking the ability to appreciate the essential quid pro quosiness behind Fox’s decision to make him share the stage on their querulous quotidian Punch and Judy shows.
Whether it reflects a certain level of Fatty Fatigue on the part of the traitor class, or Murdoch’s sense that the drooling viewers who deserted Fox for the crazier climes of OAN, Newsmax, and even more unadulterated purveyors of political poison might return to the fold if he offers shinier objet d’assholes for their consideration, doesn’t much matter. It’s all about the money, honey.
If Fatty can start shoveling more shekels Rupe’s way, maybe he can re-hog the spotlight.
Until then, it’s dance for your dinner, motherfucker.
Marie,
Re: your comment from yesterday, you take a backseat to no one when it comes to smarts and consistently cogent (and swipe-worthy) commentary. Many days, before I have time to go back read through all the posts you provide, I scan down the list pausing only at your comments. Ain’t no one dies it better, my sister. Your hard work is much appreciated!
I'd like to add to the well deserved accolades for Akhilleus and Marie, all the rest of our R.C. commenters whose diversity and cogent comments enrich us daily. This site––which I have coined as our "Oasis in the Desert" is so appreciated beyond words and we are so grateful for all the work Marie puts into it.
I thank Rocky for the Jon Stewart clip. He's on top of the list for being one of the true blue Americans who can, like nobody else, express the hypocrisy and bullshit that continues to permeate the Republican Party whose shelf-life should be exposed as rotten to the core but it continues its stink to high heaven and beyond.
The oppressive heat has finally dissipated here in my neck of CT woods and we can breathe again. One wishes that for those other states that aren't as lucky.
I snorted at the news that Ivana was buried on Trumps golf course, and dirty old man that I am thought of a dozen "hole in one jokes". That was before I saw where under New Jersey law he can get a tax break from this. The man is a staggering, bellowing Ka-ching machine.
It's 91 degrees already (12:15) on the local weather screen. We had 102 yesterday and I won't bet against it hitting there again today. I just love these folks who move down here and then kvetch about the heat. So glad global warming is a hoax!
Just when you think Trump couldn’t possibly be any more appallingly avaricious and scheming, he has his ex-wife, on whom he cheated repeatedly before unceremoniously and publicly dumping, buried on his golf course in order to MAKE MONEY OFF HER CORPSE.
Why not stick her in a Vladimir Lenin style glass box and charge admission to see her?
The pale keeps receding for this incredible monster.
What do his holy roller Evangelical MAGA fans think about him using his ex-wife’s dead body to line his pockets?
They probably cheer. “Just what Jesus would do!”
Yeah. Satan too.
Whoever said GOP is Greed Over People on Huffpost has it right. I'm sure they planned to throw the former Mrs. Trump in the golf course a long time ago and just lucked out that she fell down the stairs while he is always begging to be in the news...or was it accidental? I put nothing past these criminals, both in that family and surrounding it, and the cult itself.
It seems the governor of Tex-A** stayed for more than three hours at the fundraiser, while his brave stormtroopers bungled the school shooting and then lied about all that, too, all of 'em. There is not one person with a sterling reputation in the disgusting party. As they have plans to export the homeless to the least hospitable areas of the country, I recommend confining anyone with an R after his or her name in the same areas. It's gotten so decent people shouldn't have to put up with them anymore.
One other thought about the Ivana-graveyard-golf course-no tax zone scam (a plot, in more ways than one).
As her philandering, nasty-ass divorced ex, I’m pretty sure Fatty Scrooge had no say (or should not have had) in the burial plans, unless he was the executor (executioner?). That should have been the purview of her kids (aka the Amoral, Greedy Idiot Trump Spawn). This means that the scheme to bury their mother in such a way they could all profit off (since they all leech off their rat bastard, grasping old man) had to have been approved by these soulless moochers.
It’s one thing for an evil fuck like Trump to make money off his dead ex-wife, he treated her like shit when she was alive. But for her kids to break out the calculator to see how much they can scrounge off mom’s corpse????
Jesus fuckin’ A Christ, these people are disgusting greedy pigs beyond the power of words to formulate an adequate description of such debauchery.
“Hey! Mom kicked. How can we make a buck off her bones?”
@Akhilleus: Somehow or other, the kids will inherit Bedminster & its tax-free "plot" for 283 more lucky stiffs, including no doubt the gilded shrine to our first president*. So give the kids a little credit for planning ahead. It's not something they usually do.
Another thought: Ivana certainly had a will, and one would think she expressed in writing, either in the will or elsewhere, her wishes on where she would be interred. I'd be right surprised if it were near the first hole at Bedminster.
Marie,
Given the fact that Fatty would likely often use the excuse of “going golfing” to boink some underage Jeffrey Epstein “protégé”, while thinking he was putting one over on Ivana, I’ll bet you’re 100% kee-rect about her desire to self-inter next to the first hole at Bed-monster where Fatty’s pals could walk over her decomposing body in their $1,000 golf shoes, making jokes about how many women Trump raped while married to her.