Good Tuesday morning.
Here is what’s on the President’s agenda today:
- The President receives his intelligence briefing
- President Trump meets with the Secretary of State
- The President has lunch with the Secretary of State and the United States Ambassador to the United Nations
- President Trump meets with labor union leaders
- The President participates in a roundtable with supporters in Charleston, West Virginia
- President Trump hosts the Make America Great Again Rally in Charleston, West Virginia
Day 3 Manafort trial: No verdict yet. Manafort team reportedly “very happy” the jury is taking so long.
Trump continues to threaten security clearances
Following an appearance on CNN, some guy no one has heard of caught the attention of Trump and we got this tweet:
Just watched former Intelligence Official Phillip Mudd become totally unglued and weird while debating wonderful @PARISDENNARD over Brennan’s Security Clearance. Dennard destroyed him but Mudd is in no mental condition to have such a Clearance. Should be REVOKED? @seanhannity
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 21, 2018
Why is the President watching CNN? No one else does. Trump target Phill Mudd worked at the FBI under Robert Mueller and also worked for the CIA. He appeared on the tabloid news channel with Paris Dennard, a CNN analyst who agreed with the President’s decision to revoke Brennan’s clearance. I’ve lost count at how many “former intelligence community officials” have come out against Trump yanking Brennan’s clearance but most of these people have their livelihood on the line. Many of them are employed based on their security clearances so if Trump decides to just wipe out their access they will be in a world of hurt. Mudd denies his security clearance gets him private sector work but if so, that’s even more reason he doesn’t need a clearance. Just wipe them all out already, this news narrative is getting tired.
Like a breath of fresh air, Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) spoke to FNC’s Neil Cavuto yesterday and said:
“I think John Brennan’s actually a national security risk to the country and we are safer because his security clearance’s gone,” Paul said. “The reason I say that is in 2012 he actually released information to other CIA agents who went on TV and said, ‘oh, we have a double agent in Yemen.’”
“Their life was put at risk because of John Brennan’s releasing information that he shouldn’t have,” Paul explained.
“He shouldn’t be within a mile of classified information because he’s a national security risk — he doesn’t know how to keep his mouth shut,” Paul concluded.
Also countering Brennan’s pity tour yesterday was presidential lawyer, Rudy Giuliani:
To John Brennan: Today President Trump granted our request (Jay Sekulow and me) to handle your case. After threatening if you don’t it would be just like Obama’s red lines. Come on John you’re not a blowhard?
— Rudy W. Giuliani (@RudyGiuliani) August 20, 2018
Why would Brennan sue, doesn’t that open up discovery? Does he really think that is a smart move? He’s all hype.
President Trump also jumped on Brennan:
I hope John Brennan, the worst CIA Director in our country’s history, brings a lawsuit. It will then be very easy to get all of his records, texts, emails and documents to show not only the poor job he did, but how he was involved with the Mueller Rigged Witch Hunt. He won’t sue!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 20, 2018
I sure hope the president just yanks them all and is done with it.
Related:
Trump: I’m ‘totally allowed’ to get involved in Mueller probe — but won’t
Congressmen Seek to Link John Bolton to Alleged Russian Spy’s NRA Infiltration
Media Outlets Choose Not To Cover Dem. Congressman Joking About The President Drowning
Microsoft sez: RUSSIANS tried to hack conservative groups, Senate
Microsoft said it successfully thwarted an operation tied to RUSSIAN military intelligence that targeted conservative think tanks and the U.S. Senate.
The company said it executed a court order giving it control of six websites created by a group known as Fancy Bear. The group was behind the 2016 hack of the Democratic National Committee and directed by the GRU, the Russian military intelligence unit, according to cybersecurity firms.
The websites could have been used to launch cyberattacks on candidates and other political groups ahead of November’s elections, the company said.
The RUSSIAN targets included the Hudson Institute and the International Republican Institute.
Microsoft said the domains were “associated with the Russian government and known as Strontium, or alternatively Fancy Bear or APT28.” The company said it has no evidence that the domains were used in successful attacks but that it was working with the potential target organizations.
Hackers could have used the domains to send emails to Senate staffers or people working for the Hudson Institute or the International Republican Institute in an attempt to trick them into handing over information, like their passwords.
Microsoft is launching a new service called Account Guard to protect campaigns and political groups. Stay vigilant, people!
There was an awards show last night
I don’t care, but if you do, here are the winners.
Related:
VMAs: Kevin Hart faces boycott threats from Trump supporters after ‘kneeling’ jab
VMAs: Madonna bashed over Aretha Franklin ‘tribute’
Historical picture of the day:
American television chef Julia Child shows a salade nicoise she prepared in the kitchen of her vacation home in Grasse, southern France, on August 21, 1978. Julia Child, who brought the intricacies of French cuisine to Americans through her television series and books, died on Aug. 13, 2004. She was 91. (AP Photo)
Other morsels:
U.S. deports its last known Nazi collaborator
Gertz: China’s ‘Influence Operations Have Been Extremely Effective’ on U.S. Policy
Protesters topple Confederate soldier statue in North Carolina
He’s precious. David Hogg wants to run for Congress: ‘Older Democrats just won’t move the f*** off the plate’
Venezuela issues new currency, amid hyperinflation and social turmoil
Clinton to headline trio of DNC fundraisers: report
Adelsons shell out $25 million to keep Senate in GOP hands
Priest abuse hotline inundated with over 400 calls after report
Trump Supreme Court nominee and top Senate Democrat to meet Tuesday
And that’s all I’ve got, now go beat back the angry mob!
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