The Morning Briefing: The House Passes Resolution About Lotsa Stuff and Much, Much More

Good Friday morning.

Here is what’s on President Trump’s agenda today:

The president participates in a joint fundraising committee roundtable in Palm Beach, Florida

The House passes a resolution about a bunch of stuff

Yesterday, the House of Representatives passed a resolution that condemned hangnails, broken shoelaces, and paper cuts in a brave and bold moral stance against hate. Controversy surrounded some members’ desire to include condemnation of pistachios with shells that won’t open and flyaway hair that sticks to your lip gloss. Or something like that. The resolution changed so many times, I expected the nutters to throw in a tax hike. Are we sure there isn’t a tax hike hidden in there somewhere?

The resolution was crafted after Rep. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) repeatedly barked about anti-Semitic stereotypes in her out-loud voice to the point where it became a little uncomfortable for the Democrats. Impotent Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said about the resolution: “It’s not about her. It’s about these forms of hatred.” It should be about Ilhan Omar — she’s the proximate cause of the entire effort.

The resolution approved Thursday condemns anti-Semitism, anti-Muslim discrimination and bigotry against minorities “as hateful expressions of intolerance.” Omar, a Somali-American, and fellow Muslims Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Andrew Carson of Indiana, issued a statement praising the “historic” vote as the first resolution to condemn “anti-Muslim bigotry.”

The seven-page document details a history of recent attacks not only against Jews in the United States but also Muslims, as it condemns all such discrimination as contradictory to “the values and aspirations” of the people of the United States. The vote was delayed for a time on Thursday to include mention of Latinos to address concerns of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. It was inserted under a section on white supremacists who “weaponize hate for political gain” over a long list of “traditionally persecuted peoples.”

So much courage. So much.

Garbage person Rep. James Clyburn (D-S.C.) threw some gasoline on Omar’s fire: “I’m serious about that. There are people who tell me, ‘Well, my parents are Holocaust survivors.’ ‘My parents did this.’ It’s more personal with her,” Clyburn told The Hill.

Can you all just shut up about this ancient Holocaust thingy you keep mentioning because Omar is facing real-life, personal strife? Like right now. Really? She’s a sitting U.S. congressperson? How bad does she have it? This is an interesting standard Clyburn is introducing. Now do reparations for slavery.

Some Republicans voted against this sham resolution.

“What makes this so dangerous, and the reason I will vote against this resolution, is because we came here because of an anti-Semitic remark, and we came here to condemn anti-Semitism, but this resolution, as changed up over the last hour, now condemns just about everything. And the reason that is so dangerous is that anti-Semitism, hatred for the children of Israel, is a very special kind of hatred that should never be watered down,” Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas) said.

“There has never been a persecution of a people like the Jewish people from 1933 to 1945, over six million killed. And it started with little things: hateful remarks made about the children of Israel that grew and grew and, as if it was okay because it was made by somebody who had a grudge, it was let go. And it built until it led to the death of six million Jews, and we have to say ‘no, we will not let it go on.’ And that’s why I’ll vote against it. It’s watered down the sentiment,” Gohmert continued.

And Rep. Ted Deutsch, a Democrat, was not pleased either.

Deutch, who is Jewish, co-chairs the Bipartisan Task Force for Combating Anti-Semitism. The congressman has pushed for the rapid and direct condemnation of Omar’s remarks. He was joined by Reps. Nancy Pelosi (D., Calif.), Steny Hoyer (D., Md.) and Jerry Nadler (D., N.Y.) in quickly and strongly condemning Omar’s remarks. House leaders announced the chamber would vote on a resolution condemning anti-Semitism. Shortly after, however, the tide in the party turned.

I don’t think the controversy is going away for the left. We are two months into the Democrats’ control of the House, and they have a nasty anti-Semitism scandal on their hands, a massive hate crime hoax all over the headlines, two sitting Democrat politicians wearing blackface, and one with some #metoo allegations. Heckuva job, guys.

Rep. Omar Is ‘Tremendously Proud’ Of Anti-Hate Bill

Jones (D) Deflects on Omar’s Anti-Semitism: We Should Be ‘Moving On’ to Talk About Other Issues

Omar retweets post blasting Meghan McCain for ‘faux outrage’ in response to Omar’s remarks on Israel

Manafort sentenced

A Virginia judge has sentenced wheelchair-bound, unrepentant former campaign manager Paul Manafort to 47 months in jail and tens of millions in restitution and fines for a cornucopia of financial crimes. Mueller’s witch hunters had asked for a much longer sentence.

Mueller’s team had asked for a 19-25 year jail term for a tax and finance fraud conviction arising from Manafort’s lavish lifestyle as a sharp suited uber-lobbyist who spun his dark arts for pro-Russia politicians in Ukraine.

That would have sent the 69-year-old Manafort to jail likely for the rest of his life. But the less than four year term shocked many legal observers and sparked looks of astonishment among prosecutors in Judge T.S. Ellis’s courtroom.

“There is absolutely no evidence that Paul Manafort was involved in any collusion with any government official from Russia,” said Manafort lawyer Kevin Downing. That’s right. Manafort is not being punished for anything related to the Trump presidential campaign and RUSSIA. He was a target of Mueller because he worked for Trump. The Mueller team conducted a forensic examination of Manafort’s life until they found some crimes.

“The American people would be justified in feeling that there has been some miscarriage of justice here in the leniency of this sentence,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.). Sorry, you didn’t get the vengeance you wanted, Dick.

Manafort gets 47 months in prison for financial fraud

Washington Post petitions court to open sealed, redacted records in Manafort case

Judge tosses Stormy Daniels’ lawsuit against Trump over hush money agreement

Cops looking for Smollett leaks

This story disappeared quickly, eh? Police are looking for the person or persons who leaked information about the Jussie Smollett case. Thank goodness for the leakers! We would probably not have heard anything more about this farce, including that it was a hoax, if some gracious police person hadn’t leaked the behind-the-scenes developments. You just know that the lefty Chicago politicos would rather this hate crime spectacle stay hidden. We would have been left with something like “the suspects are still at large” and we would be subject to unbearable finger-wagging and grandstanding about right-wing racism. Do you ever notice how so many of these alleged hate crimes happen in blue cities?

Edward Wodnicki, chief of detectives for CPD’s Area Central, started the probe after disorderly conduct charges were filed against the actor in February after a nearly month-long investigation that began when Smollett reported he had been attacked by two men in Streeterville early on Jan. 29 who beat Smollett and shouted racial and homophobic slurs, CPD spokesman Anthony Guglielmi.

Meanwhile, Queen Latifah is standing by Smollett’s report.

Historical picture of the day:

Robin Williams – “Mork” – gives his patented naive expression for an alien from outer space to the delight of Pam Dawber – “Mindy” – both of the TV series “Mork and Mindy”, during the fifth annual People’s Choice Awards in Los Angeles, March 8, 1979 – Williams and Dawber were named favorite male performer and favorite female performer in a new TV program. (AP Photo/Reed Saxon)

Other morsels:

U.S. court says immigrants can challenge quick deportations

The new normal. Disruptive Protester Shuts Down College Republicans Event — Campus Police Watch In Silence

Fox News Defended CNN Against The White House — CNN Didn’t Return The Favor Over DNC Ban

Fearing mass GOP defections, Trump leans in to emergency fight

Writer wants boycott of Girl Scout cookies because of Ocasio-Cortez support

Muslim call center gets hundreds of hate calls for promoting hijabs on billboard

Too late. Facebook details plan for new focus on privacy

Nevada judge rules online journalist must reveal sources, not protected by shield law

Dangerous bill. ‘Honoring our Democracy’: House set to pass a broad anti-corruption and voting rights bill

The video is wild! Giant ‘glory hole’ swallows California duck, sparking debate over its survival

The goat is probably more effective than other elected officials. Vermont town elects 3-year-old goat to serve as honorary mayor