From the Times scoop by Maggie Haberman and Michael Schmidt:

President Trump told his national security adviser in August that he wanted to continue freezing $391 million in security assistance to Ukraine until officials there helped with investigations into Democrats including the Bidens, according to an unpublished manuscript by the former adviser, John R. Bolton.

The president’s statement as described by Mr. Bolton could undercut a key element of his impeachment defense: that the holdup in aid was separate from Mr. Trump’s requests that Ukraine announce investigations into his perceived enemies, including [the two Bidens].

So why hasn’t Bolton testified? The trumpies told him not to of course but they can’t stop him. He doesn’t work for them any … Read the rest

Well that’s interesting.

SCOOP: Bolton book draft, circulated to associates and sent to WH for review process, describes a convo w POTUS where he says he doesn't want to release withheld aid till Ukraine turned over material related to investigations @nytmike and me https://t.co/N3Tsce4gR7

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) January 26, 2020

So…the White House will say no, but it’s too late?

But the Republican Senators will look fixedly in the other direction so it still won’t matter.… Read the rest

I saw the news of the CPS “pack” via LGB Alliance, who have apparently read it (someone has a password).

The new CPS Guidance on “hate crime” in schools has been issued but only teachers and schools can request a password to receive it. Here’s an example of hate in the Guidance. Lesbians may not reject someone who asserts they are a trans woman. This is now officially “hate”: / 1of4

— LGB Alliance (@AllianceLGB) January 26, 2020

EXCUSE me? How are they defining “reject”?

This is just one example of undefined behaviour that can be classed as a hate incident if a victim or bystander asserts that it is so. The Guidance suggests that bullying trans kids is much

The Crown Prosecution Service has issued a new “schools pack” on ” LGBT+ Bullying and Hate Crime.”

Before we even get to the content, I have to say I don’t understand what prosecutors are doing issuing such things in the first place. Prosecutors prosecute, they don’t teach or preach or create content for schools (or hospitals or factories or any other institution). I don’t get it. Do UK schools have whole rows of “packs” that tell children what they can’t do if they want to stay out of the slammer?

So now for the content of this bizarre CPS news item:

“Hate incidents and hate crimes can have a devastating effect on the individuals and communities who are targeted for

Welllllll that’s scary.

“We command all satanic pregnancies to miscarry right now” — Special Adviser to the White House Faith and Opportunity Initiative Paula White pic.twitter.com/gtdZyGfkxy

— Guthrie Graves-Fitzsimmons (@GuthrieGF) January 25, 2020

… Read the rest

In today’s snake eats its own tail story, NPR reports on Pompeo’s abuse and lies aimed at NPR’s reporter.

Notice I simply assume Pompeo’s claims are lies. I do, yes. He has form in this area. He works for the colossal shameless brazen liar Donald Trump. He backs Trump’s lies. Kelly works for a reputable news organization, one that has its flaws (way too much fake “balance” in my view) but doesn’t just peddle lies the way Fox does. Between the two of them, it’s not Pompeo I’m going to believe.

One day after a contentious interview that was followed by an expletive-filled verbal lashing of NPR host Mary Louise Kelly, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is publicly accusing

Originally a comment by G Felis on The caucus has become a mob.

An interesting fact about cognitive dissonance development theory: From the start (Leon Festinger in the late 50s), it was more or less just an article of faith that the unpleasantness of cognitive dissonance is a spur for people to resolve it, and so a direct cause of cognitive developments such as attitude or belief change. Eventually, someone came along and asked the obvious question: whether cognitive dissonance is actually unpleasant for everyone, or if it’s variable like most psychological phenomena. It turns out, it’s the latter. Discomfort at cognitive dissonance is not universal, it’s distributed across the population in slightly skewed bell curve, just like nearly … Read the rest

Behold the disgusting blob of flesh who pretends to be a real boy.

Our case against lyin’, cheatin’, liddle’ Adam “Shifty” Schiff, Cryin’ Chuck Schumer, Nervous Nancy Pelosi, their leader, dumb as a rock AOC, & the entire Radical Left, Do Nothing Democrat Party, starts today at 10:00 A.M. on @FoxNews, @OANN or Fake News @CNN or Fake News MSDNC!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) January 25, 2020

… Read the rest

For completeness, here is Pompeo’s nasty stupid childish “statement” in full, on official State Department letterhead.

NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly lied to me, twice. First, last month, in setting up our interview and, then again yesterday, in agreeing to have our post-interview conversation off the record. It is shameful that this reporter chose to violate the basic rules of journalism and decency. This is another example of how unhinged the media has become in its quest to hurt President Trump and this Administration. It is no wonder that the American people distrust many in the media when they so consistently demonstrate their agenda and their absence of integrity. 

It is worth noting that Bangladesh is NOT Ukraine. 

He … Read the rest

The other day in Quebec:

A man charged with killing a Quebec City sex worker was allowed to have what the Parole Board of Canada deemed “inappropriate” sexual relations with women — despite the “serious and worrisome risk.” 

Eustachio Gallese had been allowed to meet women “only for the purpose of responding to [his] sexual needs,” since he was granted day parole in March 2019, according to parole board documents.  

What was he in prison for? Murdering a woman.

He was in prison for murdering a woman, so they gave him day parole so that he could get his “sexual needs” met…by another woman. Whom he murdered.

Heads up: there is no such thing as “sexual needs.” Wants, yes, … Read the rest

Pompeo thinks we don’t yet understand what a pig he is, and he wants to make sure we grasp the true depth of his piggishness.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Saturday attacked an NPR correspondent who reported that he berated and cursed at her following questioning over Ukraine, claiming “she lied to me” and describing her actions as “shameful.”

“NPR reporter Mary Louise Kelly lied to me, twice. First, last month, in setting up our interview and, then again yesterday, in agreeing to have our post-interview conversation off the record,” Pompeo said in a statement. “It is shameful that this reporter chose to violate the basic rules of journalism and decency.”

Kelly says she told them what … Read the rest

Oh puhleeeeze.

NBC reports:

Senate Republicans said lead impeachment manager Rep. Adam Schiff insulted them during the trial on Friday night by repeating an anonymously sourced report that the White House had threatened to punish Republicans who voted against President Donald Trump.

Bull. shit. Republicans can’t be insulted any further than they already have been by their own slavish surrender to the evil lying shit befouling the Oval Office.

Schiff, who delivered closing arguments for the prosecution, was holding Republican senators rapt as he called for removing Trump from office for abusing his power and obstructing Congress. Doing anything else, he argued, would be to let the president bully Senate Republicans into ignoring his pressure on Ukraine for political

Originally a comment by Claire on Fairly judging the facts.

There comes a point where those in power no longer seek to maintain or increase that power for a reason but simply for the sake of power itself. It’s a black hole, the power sucks you in and once you’ve passed that event horizon, it’s pretty much impossible to get back out. Backing out means coming to terms with what you did to get there in the first place. For most people that is unbelievably painful because cognitive dissonance is agonizing.

Related to my comments on another post, I’m fascinated by cognitive dissonance, how it works and the way it is capable of drawing ordinary people into doing extraordinarily … Read the rest

We all knew Pompeo is awful, but…yikes. CNBC reports:

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo cursed out an NPR reporter after she pressed him to answer questions about the removal of former U.S. ambassador Marie Yovanovitch from her post in Ukraine, the outlet reported Friday.

The reporter, “All Things Considered” co-host Mary Louise Kelly, interviewed Pompeo on Friday amid President Donald Trump’s impeachment trial in the Senate, which centers around the president’s dealings with Ukraine.

He refused to answer all her questions about Ukraine, saying he’d agreed only to talk about Iran.

Mike Pompeo — who refused a House subpoena — would be a top witness for Democrats in the impeachment trial.

He is not set to testify, but

But however good Schiff is at making the case, this is what we’re dealing with:

I could not disagree more strongly with Schiff and his managers that we can't trust American voters to decide who should be their president. They could do without his disdain for opinion of the American people and for the durability of our representative republic. https://t.co/vbfG8vuY2q

— Martha McSally (@SenMcSallyAZ) January 24, 2020

Malicious contemptuous lying, is what we’re dealing with. Schiff didn’t say “we can’t trust American voters to decide who should be their next president.” He said “we cannot be assured that the vote will be fairly won,” meaning, we can’t be assured of that because Trump and his gangsters and Putin will cheat… Read the rest

I watched this as it happened last night. It’s extraordinary. Dude’s got rhetorical chops.

Also, he kept saying Truth Matters.

Donald Trump must be convicted and removed from office.

Because he will always choose his own personal interest over our national interest.

Because in America, right matters. Truth matters.

If not, no Constitution can protect us.

If not, we are lost. pic.twitter.com/USfx6v9KsT

— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) January 24, 2020

… Read the rest

In ordinary criminal trials, the jurors have to stay where they are and listen. They’re not allowed to just get up and wander off when they get bored.

Republican Senators not so much.

Despite making public assurances that he would fulfill their Constitutional obligations as impartial jurors in President Trump’s impeachment trial, Louisiana Senator Bill Cassidy joined a large number of GOP Senators in leaving the Senate Chambers for prolonged periods of time, while crucial evidence was introduced against the President.

I guess the thinking is that he doesn’t need to listen to the evidence because nothing is going to make him vote to remove Trump from office.

But you wouldn’t think he would want to advertise that in … Read the rest

Remember Selina Todd? She was told by students last year that there was going to be a campaign to have her sacked from her job being a professor of modern history at Oxford. More here and here and here.

Now she has to have a security detail.

Prof Selina Todd, a historian who specialises in the lives of women and the working class, said that she has now been provided with “routine security” to ensure she is not attacked.

The academic – who has been accused of being a “transphobe” for her involvement in women’s rights advocacy – was told by her students that she was potentially in danger.

“Two students came to see me and said they

The Guardian Live is reporting on the impeachment.

Jerry Nadler talked about the history of impeachment:

[Andrew] Johnson, who took office after the assassination of Abraham Lincoln, was the first president to be impeached but was narrowly acquitted by the Senate.

Johnson’s impeachment ostensibly centered on his violation of the Tenure of Office Act, a law that was later ruled unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

But Johnson’s impeachment was actually the culmination of the president’s bitter feud with Republican lawmakers, who accused Johnson of trying to nullify the Union’s victory in the Civil War by being lenient toward former Confederate leaders and opposing the expansion of political rights for former slaves.

Reconstruction failed, and former slaves continued to be … Read the rest