Scoop: Republicans secretly study their coming hell
Source: Axios
Congressional Republicans are getting ready for hell. Axios has obtained a spreadsheet that's circulated through Republican circles on and off Capitol Hill including at least one leadership office that meticulously previews the investigations Democrats will likely launch if they flip the House.
Why this matters: Publicly, House Republicans are putting on a brave face about the midterms. But privately, they are scrambling to prepare for the worst. This document, which catalogs requests Democrats have already made, is part of that effort.
It has churned Republican stomachs. Here are some of the probes it predicts:
President Trumps tax returns
Trump family businesses and whether they comply with the Constitution's emoluments clause, including the Chinese trademark grant to the Trump Organization
Trump's dealings with Russia, including the president's preparation for his meeting with Vladimir Putin
The payment to Stephanie Clifford a.k.a. Stormy Daniels
James Comey's firing
Trump's firing of U.S. attorneys
Trump's proposed transgender ban for the military
Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin's business dealings
White House staff's personal email use
Cabinet secretary travel, office expenses, and other misused perks
Discussion of classified information at Mar-a-Lago
Jared Kushner's ethics law compliance
Dismissal of members of the EPA board of scientific counselors
The travel ban
Family separation policy
Hurricane response in Puerto Rico
Election security and hacking attempts
White House security clearances
Read more: https://www.axios.com/2018-midterm-elections-republicans-preparation-investigations-180abf7b-0de8-4670-ae8a-2e6da123c584.html
Sounds as if they're just scratching the surface.
thegoose
(3,115 posts)And the majority of us aren't interested. What the fuck do they expect? Lyin' Ryan and McLipless can cower all they want, but we're gonna barbecue their asses, come hell or high water.
Achilleaze
(15,543 posts)to paraphrase a famous prophet that republicans "claim" they respect, and whose teachings they "claim" to follow.
* especially KGOP scumbags who took the filthy darkside russian moneybucks pumped through the NRA
keithbvadu2
(36,906 posts)CrispyQ
(36,509 posts)not fooled
(5,801 posts)Working' overtime, methinks.
Of course, you can't shred electronic communications.
And the list? Sanity and patriotism might just prevail, after all. And after we all vote.
kimbutgar
(21,188 posts)And I hope they get caught in the act and someone tapes them discussing how they did it the previous times.
I really want Mitch mcConell to go down with this sinking ship and is indicted, convicted and jailed.
Stuart G
(38,445 posts)NCjack
(10,279 posts)What did Trump and Repugs do to protect elections?
Who in Congress took Russian money?
Selling of Federal properties, esp. by Interior.
Malfeasance in EPA.
stopwastingmymoney
(2,042 posts)SunSeeker
(51,694 posts)certainot
(9,090 posts)if his paying for inquirer help is campaign related then what about paying limbaugh - he says "trump" an average of once every second.... good branding
donkeypoofed
(2,187 posts)Luv this list !!
Auggie
(31,186 posts)2naSalit
(86,775 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)2naSalit
(86,775 posts)grantcart
(53,061 posts)Would be very high, for good reason.
The previous Twitter leak about it was from a dubious source months ago.
2naSalit
(86,775 posts)more solid about it in the past three or four days, can't recall where. Hell there's been so much to sift through this week... Maybe I didn't hear it but thought that I heard that he and someone else.
I think that the guidelines are for normal times which these are not, so I hope that the guidelines are no observed at this time. Haven't other members been investigated and charged while in office?
ETA: Oh look here... https://www.govtrack.us/misconduct
In 2018, the Federal Elections Commission (FEC) announced it was investigating Nunes for receiving campaign contributions in excess of limits and from prohibited entities.
Mar. 20, 2018 Federal Elections Commission sent a letter to Nunes' campaign treasurer
In 2017 Nunes was investigated for unauthorized disclosures of classified information. The investigation is closed as of 12/07/2017.
Apr. 6, 2017 House Committee on Ethics opened an investigation
Dec. 7, 2017 House Committee on Ethics concluded that the information was not classified
Hmmm.
grantcart
(53,061 posts)Many if not all campaigns get contributions from people who a) should not contribute but the campaign doesn't know it in real time and b) lawful contributors who unintentionally contribute past the maximum (think of a husband and wife who make regular contributions and lose track of the amounts). The campaign is tasked with keeping track and returning the money but if you don't do it in time you get a fine. This is what Trump is talking about when he talks about the FEC fine for President Obama.
I am guessing that you saw this thread:
https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211045074
Which posted an old rumor from an unsupported source from June but still got 85 recs
It actually has been getting easier to figure out what rumors are valid and which are not because whoever is leaking these are using the well established media to leak them, NYT, WSJ, WP, LAT as well as CNN MSNBC etc
Usually they are citing "multiple sources".
The whole point of having DOJ SOP is to give guidelines in the difficult situations, not when it is easy.
Any investigation of an elected Congressman or Senator would have severe Constitutional ramifications and Sessions and Rosenstein would be following the established guidelines to a "T".
2naSalit
(86,775 posts)I didn't check the link. Oh well, won't be long until they are. I'm expecting/hoping a bunch of Congress to be in jumpsuits by the end of the year.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,440 posts)If they would do their fucking job as a check and balance to THIS Executive Branch, then maybe, just maybe, they wouldn't have to "prepare for the worst".
They certainly found enough time to not only investigate the previous administration, but to actually manufacture fictional things TO investigate against that previous administration when they decided they had nothing better to do... AND they did so at an inordinate waste of taxpayer dollars.
keithbvadu2
(36,906 posts)"check and balance"?
GOP Rep. Defends Devin Nunes By Claiming He Works For The President
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/devin-nunes-ted-yoho-trump_us_58dd24b8e4b05eae031dad44
When MSNBC host Craig Melvin asked Rep. Ted Yoho (R-Fla.) if it was appropriate for Nunes, the House Intelligence Committee chairman, to meet with a source on White House grounds the day before announcing he had reason to believe the Trump team was subject to incidental surveillance, Yoho insisted it was fine because Nunes works for the president.
Youve got to keep in mind who he works for, Yoho said. He works for the president. He answers to the president.
BumRushDaShow
(129,440 posts)Here is a working link - https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/devin-nunes-ted-yoho-trump_us_58dd24b8e4b05eae031dad44
I remember that last year.
keithbvadu2
(36,906 posts)BumRushDaShow
(129,440 posts)jay1124
(29 posts)if we do take the senate, I'm sure all of that would be included plus putting the brakes on any judgeship and cabinet nominees that dope 45 puts forth!
dalton99a
(81,570 posts)Wellstone ruled
(34,661 posts)behind Little Lindsey Graham's comments as well as what Nunes has been peddling. ie: our Criminal operation is abut to end if lose in November.
Lot's of special Elections in 2019.
LiberalLovinLug
(14,176 posts)Its all off the table!
Because we might frighten off the elusive fence sitting Republican, for 2020, that would be insulted by our insistence on making his party look bad.
groundloop
(11,522 posts)If they gave one iota of a shit about America they'd already be looking into all of these things instead of stonewalling and burying their heads in the sand.
FakeNoose
(32,748 posts)There's a lot missing from this list. But don't worry, we've got it all written down and it can't be deleted.
chowder66
(9,080 posts)Raphe M
(59 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)So a leak seems unlikely to me.
Raphe M
(59 posts)Let's chill and focus. GOTV.
empedocles
(15,751 posts)Cons have a lot of motivation. Wish we had more unity.
cstanleytech
(26,319 posts)working with the Russians to tamper with our elections.
Most in Congress should be safe but Mitch, Nunes, Ryan and Cruz might want to obtain the services of a good defense lawyer.
Kablooie
(18,641 posts)None of them feel like partisan political fake investigations.
Haggis for Breakfast
(6,831 posts)The people in Puerto Rico are still living amongst the ruins of that hurricane. That American citizens are deprived of the basic necessities STILL, is shameful. If this had happened in Arizona or Virginia, and the government dragged their way (of coourse, they wouldn't have) in the same fashion, the outrage would be national and constant. But brown people . . . Hispanic in origin . . . on an island (in a BIG ocean) . . . out of sight . . . out of mind, not so much.
This should sicken every one of us.
Yavin4
(35,445 posts)getagrip_already
(14,837 posts)they are going to need a real database server. A spreadsheet won't hold all the crimes.
Yavin4
(35,445 posts)May need some sort of cutting edge cloud-based solution.
dbackjon
(6,578 posts)Voters wouldn't be so angry with them.
Would love to see every sitting GOP Congresscritter arrested for treason. Because they all have committed it.
TeamPooka
(24,254 posts)Gidney N Cloyd
(19,847 posts)sandensea
(21,664 posts)Cheat.
dem4decades
(11,304 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)grumpyduck
(6,255 posts)or indicate specifically where it's been circulated. I want to believe this story because it sounds "right," but, as of right now, I have to consider it hearsay. I'm not putting any stock in it until they cough up some specifics.
kyburbonkid
(251 posts)All the GOP like to brag how conservative they are in the who is the most conservative pissing matches they like to have. But after 2 years, look at the pile of broken laws left to clean up and correct. And look at how conservatives are so pleased with having a Russian agent in charge. Come Nov, we need both houses cleaned out.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)We'd even think of pursuing. Never heard a Dem talk about most of this
Chemisse
(30,817 posts)They richly deserve to roast in the hell of their own making.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)happen again. Accountability, painful and thorough and transparent, is the only remedy to the Cons infection and that can only happen with the Democratic Party in power. The GOP groveling before this giant bone spur has created this hell.
And if the issues on this list are like the cowbell in the song Dont fear the Reaper, I say we need more cowbell!
ThoughtCriminal
(14,049 posts)if they weren't complete cowards and deeply colluding with efforts to cover it all up.
RockRaven
(14,998 posts)just a few of the items missing from the above list:
Nunes - coordination w/ WH to derail HPSCI investigation and mishandle classified info
Wilbur Ross - insider trading, and the Bank of Cyprus and money laundering
Kushner - Saudis, UAE, Qatar and Jared's desperate 666 bailout effort (goes beyond ethics law, involves classified intel handling and unduly influencing US foreign policy)
Pence - Manafort's role in convincing Trump to select as VP, his brother's business connections to Russia
Trump Foundation - tax fraud and self-dealing
Trump kids' charities - also tax fraud and self-dealing
Hatch Act violations - Trump routinely conducts campaign actions during official Presidential trips
Stormy Daniels beyond the payment - someone *threatened her life* in Las Vegas
Flynn - the kidnapping-the-Turkish-cleric plot, and the plan to build nuclear reactors for several ME nations
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)Julian Englis
(2,309 posts)ck4829
(35,091 posts)Docreed2003
(16,875 posts)Fuck You!!!
regnaD kciN
(26,045 posts)radical noodle
(8,013 posts)Wilbur Ross. Looks like they will be very busy and may have to pick priorities. VOTE Democratic!
duforsure
(11,885 posts)How to get by in prison because that's where some are going to be heading after they're exposed and indicted.
SteveMO
(24 posts)And of course, Donald Trump.
Omaha Steve
(99,708 posts)lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)kickbacks for the tax scam (every Greedy Old Pervert in Congress), NRA Roubles (every Russiapublican took either financial or sexual favors from Mariia Butina), ...
rtracey
(2,062 posts)Actually, the sad part is......LOOK AT THIS FUCKING LIST... THATS THE FUCKING SAD PART, THE RIGHT WINGERS ARE UP TO THEIR ASSES IN CORRUPTION.....VOTE THEM OUT, PUT HIM IN JAIL
Texin
(2,597 posts)They went into maximum overdrive with the gas chambers and crematoriums to cover up evidence of their human slaughter.
Neema
(1,151 posts)Russian interference, GOP dirty tricks, and the idiocy of MAGA-ites, third party voters, and non-voters.
kimbutgar
(21,188 posts)The repukes know Russia will help them retain the house and they are doing this to lull us into not voting.
Grins
(7,228 posts)And if Dana Rohrbacher loses getting reelected in Nov., he will be a private citizen with NO FRIENDS in Washington.
God, you could add so much more tho this list....!
CrispyQ
(36,509 posts)What did the Russians get on GOP leadership & lieutenants when they hacked the RNC?
duforsure
(11,885 posts)now they've realized they don't like it. He has destroyed their party. The American people are running from them now.