This isn’t necessarily a popular position among critics of the President. But it could scarcely be more important to have a proper opinion on this question. There is a huge pent-up desire and collective push among Democrats to impeach President Trump. That’s a mistake. By any rights, the President should have been removed from office months ago, not only for discrete offenses but on the grounds of simple temperament and misrule, things the context of the constitutional debates make clear can be grounds for removal from office. It makes perfect sense that Democrats want to impeach President Trump. But having that be the big agenda if the Democrats take back the House will be a big mistake. Read More
This is a very key story from the AP. Bruce Ohr, a DOJ expert on Russian organized crime who has been relentlessly vilified and attacked by President Trump, had a July 30th, 2016 breakfast with Christopher Steele, then just started his sleuthing on candidate Trump’s relationship with Russia. This week Ohr discussed that meeting with lawmakers in a private interview. From the AP: “Among the things Ohr said he learned from Steele during the breakfast was that an unnamed former Russian intelligence official had said that Russian intelligence believed “they had Trump over a barrel,” according to people familiar with the meeting.” Read More
In little over two months, we’ll face one of the most consequential elections of our lifetimes. That phrase is so often an empty cliche. Now it’s true. With all other possible checks on the President’s actions failing, a check at the ballot box is the only option remaining. Assuming the Democrats wrest control of the House of Representatives, the first order of business needs to be subpoena and take possession of the President’s tax returns. Read More
Feds bring new Russia-related FARA charges. Guilty plea expected within the hour.
The perennial question of whether Dems need to moderate or go full lefty may be moot in Florida this time around where the nomination of uber-progressive Andrew Gillum for governor could be a huge boost for Democrats’ chances of holding the Senate. Allegra Kirkland explains.
Adam Kidan of Jack Abramoff and SunCruz fame is plowing money into the House GOP ahead of the midterms. If you don’t know the backstory, you should! Cameron Joseph talked to him.
Earlier today I explained that we’re trying to get to 1000 new Prime members by the end of the first week of our sign-up drive. As of earlier this afternoon, we were 20 sign-ups shy of 800. Well we blew through that number. We’re now at 836 so far in this drive. That’s just 174 short of 1000. We have three days. We can totally do this. Glory awaits a lucky 174 TPM Readers who choose this moment to come on board. Seriously, this is super important. Join us. Click here.
Trump lashes out at DOJ and FBI in Indiana rally tirade, threatens to takeover investigations, turn fire on Hillary. pic.twitter.com/beNgLWixFo
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 31, 2018
Trump: "They want to raid Medicare to pay for socialism." pic.twitter.com/fo43oziAmU
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) August 31, 2018
The US Postal Service has now stepped forward to take responsibility for an egregious breach not just of privacy but some of the most basic confidentiality rules in the US government. This is the case of Democrat Abigail Spanberger who is running against Rep. Dave Bratt in Virginia’s 7th congressional district. They released her whole government personnel file, including her SF-86 (the mega disclosure form Jared Kushner is still trying to figure out how to complete.) The Postal Service says the mistake was due to “human error”. Here’s the full story, along with Spanberger’s statement in which she notes the GOP oppo group the Post Office gave the documents to is still using it.