Mujahideen-e Khalq (MEK) is a notorious cult-like group of Iranian exiles which appears to have close to literally zero support inside Iran but has for years cultivated significant ties to DC Iran “regime change” advocates as well as a bipartisan list of shills willing to take their money (of which they have quite a lot).
It’s an odd group which mixes Islam, Marxism and neocon-inflected DC Pay-to-Play values into a bizarre amalgam run by current cult leader Maryam Rajavi. Until just a few years ago the US State Department listed them as a terrorist organization. They appear to be mainly out of the terrorism business now. But they’re still a treacherous and dangerous group. With all this you’ll be glad to learn that one of their biggest backers is none other than Trump National Security Advisor John Bolton. And perhaps they’re most high profile and ardent supporter (and recipient of their cash) is Rudy Giuliani. Read More
House Chaplain ‘unresigns’, says Ryan aide objected to his being Catholic.
Late Update: Speaker Ryan caves almost instantly, unfires Chaplain, says his decision was based on “what I believed to be the best interest of this institution”
Read what this person says. I cannot identify the person but I can vouch for the expertise.
I know everyone has a take on this Rudy/Cohen shit-show, but I thought I would give you some perspective from someone steeped in anti-corruption enforcement (both domestic and foreign) on the prosecution and defense side.
Here’s a Rudy Giuliani Golden Oldie from the TPM Video Vaults. Watch. You’ll be glad you did. After the jump … Read More
Rudy G’s big revelation leaves so many questions unanswered. In fact, the extent of the key missing information highlights what a total clusterf*** Giuliani’s TV appearances over the last 13 hours have been. Here are the top questions (for Prime subscribers) that we’re framing our coverage around.
When Rudy Giuliani calls Jared Kushner “disposable,” all bets are off.
I’ve heard from a lot of people this morning claiming that Rudy’s revelation last night was all by design, and a logical new legal strategy at that. Not likely. Read More
After Rudy Giuliani clumsily stumbled into a new legal firestorm last night on Hannity’s show, President Trump is on Twitter this morning with a more detailed explanation of his payments to Stormy Daniels, what they were for, and more slashing and focused denials that the two ever had sex. Read More
Giuliani went on Hannity this evening and stumbled into saying that President Trump paid Michael Cohen back the $130,000, something Trump has denied. Hannity tried to walk him back. But it didn’t go really well.
Rudy: Yes, Trump paid Cohen back the $130k.
Hannity: But wait, the President didn't know about.
Rudy: Well … pic.twitter.com/4ltYwBZwh2— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) May 3, 2018
Last year, the Missouri ethics commission investigated how Gov. Eric Greitens came to possess a donor list from a veterans’ charity he founded. If Greitens took the list, it would be a major campaign finance violation. Greitens, a Republican elected in 2016, swore in a consent decree with the commission that his campaign got the list via an in-kind contribution from its campaign manager, Danny Laub.
But now, Laub has testified that Greitens was lying about that. And Laub says he was duped by Greitens’ team into taking the fall. As we already knew, it looks like Greitens himself directed someone to send the list to the campaign. Allegra Kirkland has all the details.
But that’s not all…