by Lowell
Here are a few national and Virginia news headlines, political and otherwise, for Thursday, May 17. Also check out the video as “Ronan Farrow, contributing writer at The New Yorker, talks with Rachel Maddow about his reporting on the source of the Michael Cohen financial documents posted on line last week by Michael Avenatti, and two other reports that appear to be missing.”
- Critics fear Trump’s desire for a legacy-making deal eclipses substance on N. Korea
- Trump Shows Flexibility on North Korea Talks (“White House distances itself from Bolton’s ‘Libya model’” Bolton, as usual, is a menace.)
- President Trump ‘Doesn’t Think He Needs’ to Prepare Much for His Meeting With North Korea’s Kim Jong Un (Yeah, that will work out well. Not.)
- These are the revelations from Don Jr.’s extraordinary testimony about his meeting with the Russians (“Breaking down the document dump.”)
- In new disclosure, Trump reports apparent payment through Cohen to Stormy Daniels (“The payment by Michael Cohen, the president’s personal attorney, to the porn star was made in the last weeks before the 2016 presidential election, meant to ensure Daniels would not speak about the alleged affair publicly.”)
- Trump refers to some undocumented immigrants as ‘animals’ at roundtable (“The president also said that the Democratic mayor of Oakland, Calif., had obstructed justice by tweeting about an impending raid by Immigration and Customs Enforcement.”)
- Call It ‘Crossfire Hurricane’: The Early Days of the Trump Inquiry (“President Trump has described an investigation as a political effort to undermine him. But agents repeatedly took steps that ultimately benefited him.”)
- In Rebuke of Trump, Tillerson Says Lies Threaten Democracy (“Former Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson warned that American democracy is threatened by a ‘growing crisis in ethics and integrity.'”)
- The Lingering Mysteries of a Trump-Russia Conspiracy (“A year of dizzying developments have bolstered both Mueller’s critics, who say he’s on a ‘fishing expedition,’ and his defenders, who believe he’s leaving no stone unturned.”)
- Breaking With Trump’s GOP, Koch Brothers Praise Democrats On Immigration
- Cambridge Analytica whistleblower says Bannon wanted to suppress voters
- Michael Cohen’s efforts to build a Trump Tower in Moscow went on longer than he has previously acknowledged
- Crank up the siren. Scott Pruitt has an emergency. (“The EPA administrator’s abuses of office are catching up with him.” How can he still be there???)
- Trump attorney fed statement to publicist for Russians about Trump Tower meeting (“Senate judiciary committee released 2,500 pages of testimony with Trump’s son and others who met with Russian attorney at Trump Tower”)
- Rudy Giuliani is still confused about basic facts of Stormy Daniels hush payment (“He and Trump still have some straightening out to do.”)
- Trump’s Jerusalem Horror Show (“This Jerusalem “ceremony” will live on not as a positive step in Israeli history but as a shabby rogue’s gallery panorama of mobsterism at the top of both the American and Israeli governments.”)
- GOP builds massive shadow army in fight for the House (“A super PAC bankrolled by casino mogul Sheldon Adelson tears up the standard playbook of drowning voters in ads.” Sheldon Adelson is such a scumbag.)
- Senate votes to save net neutrality rules
- GOP split on immigration is a crisis for Ryan’s team
- Giuliani says Mueller has informed him that Trump cannot be indicted
- The Michael Cohen Bribery Scandal Is Now a Trump Bribery Scandal
- Watch Scott Pruitt accidentally admit to violating federal law (“Oops.”)
- 2 Republicans revolt against Paul Ryan, sign onto effort to force DACA vote (“The Speaker, who has blocked action to protect immigrant kids, doesn’t want Republicans to ‘disunify our majority.'” Paul “Lyin'” Ryan, wrong as always.)
- Virginia Sen. Mark Warner Weighs In On Why He Supports CIA Nominee Gina Haspel
- Mark Warner Let Gina Haspel Off The Hook For Covering Up Torture (Yep, that’s the bottom line here.)
- Facing Farm Bill Vote Problems, GOP Leaders May Have To Make A Deal (This bill is a disaster in so many ways, including for the environment and for animal welfare. Kill it.)
- Emails Show Dunbar Campaign Supporting Delegate Challenges to RPV Leadership
- CASEY: Guns not allowed at convention that’s shaping up as a freak show (“Many Republicans are livid at what they view as attempts to rig Saturday’s Sixth District Republican Convention in Harrisonburg. And it’s possible that many of the delegates will be kicked out before it even begins.” Wait, I thought Republicans believed more guns made them safer, that “guns save lives,” etc. Why would they not allow them at their 6th CD convention, then?)
- Lawsuit questions treatment of Mountain Valley Pipeline protester
- Editorial: The Democrats’ diminishing moderation (Yesterday, it was James Hohmann spewing out dumbassery. Today, it’s Bart Hinkle of the Republican Times-Disgrace. In Hinkle’s view, if you believe Trump should be impeached – as something like 41% of Americans want – or if you want Medicare for All or attend a forum moderated by an environmental activist or think the NRA is evil, which of course it is, then you are extreme or something. Of course, Hinkle is a far-right wingnut, so keep that in mind.)
- I teach at George Mason. The Kochs didn’t cause our ideology problem. (“And it’s bad for students.”)
- It’s not just Amazon: Apple quietly explores Northern Virginia for 20,000 workers
- U.S. and Virginia join case against Silver Line contractor accused of manufacturing 1,500 defective concrete panels
- Virginia government seeks drone operators to take pretty pictures, fight crime and survey disaster zones
- Virginia Law Allows More Recess, Unstructured Time For Elementary Students
- Did court ruling stop Atlantic Coast Pipeline construction? Depends on whom you ask. (“FERC does not reveal the exact locations of where the pipeline route crosses threatened or endangered species habitat. The Fish and Wildlife Service said habitat of the Indiana bat, one of the species listed in the statement, that was proposed to be cleared by the project encompassed 4,447 acres in Virginia and West Virginia. ‘If you assume it’s a linear corridor, that’s 290 miles of pipeline just from Indiana bat,’ Gerken said.” Hey Dr. Ralph, isn’t that what’s known as “science?” Shouldn’t you pay attention to it, especially since you have PROMISED MULTIPLE TIMES to do so???))
- Discrepancy breeds distrust (“Virginia must consider redistricting reform to eliminate errors such as the ones in the 94th District last November”)
- Editorial: On elections, no room for errors (“While the outcome of that race has haunted Democrats, who cannot help but imagine what might have been had one more vote been cast for Simonds, their concern should be shared by the whole of the commonwealth”)
- Richmond courthouse will no longer turn away people with cellphones after New York Times story
- Judge refuses to declare Portsmouth owner of Confederate monument
- This adds up to perfection: 5 Va. students got every question right on AP exam
- Heavy rain at times into Saturday, with a risk of flooding
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