NRA

In the first hour, I went solo and talked about some recent developments in the West African nation of Burkina Faso. I started off with the recent hostage rescue operation by French special forces which freed 4 tourists. I talked about the political instability that Burkina Faso has been facing over the past several years. I also talked about the rumors that the hostages were going to be handed over to the Macina Liberation Front in Mali. I spoke about the rise of jihadi groups across West Africa and how much of it unfolded in 2012 with the ouster of Mali’s president Amadou Toumani Toure.

This morning, NPR reporter Tim Zak noted that on the same day Russian spy/saboteur Maria Butina, who has admitted to infiltrating the NRA on behalf of the Kremlin, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, Señor Trumpanzee, on whose behalf the Kremlin sent Butina to work on the NRA, spoke at the NRA convention in Indianapolis.That the Butina/NRA case is redacted from the Mueller report indicates that the evidence she provided the FBI-- so that her sentence was 18 months rather than 18 years-- is part of the on-going investigation into the NRA.

The NRA sent a letter begging its members to send money to rescue the organization's collapsing finances. Wayne LaPierre blames Andrew Cuomo, who is threatening the NRA's tax exempt status and has told New York state regulators to encourage insurance companies, banks and financial services companies to stop doing business with the NRA.

Gillibrand rarely gets out of zero percent in any presidential polls and when she does, it's to briefly hit one percent before sinking back to where she richly deserves to be. Democratic primary voters don't want her as president (or vice president) but she doesn't want to see it. Awesome; she has earned the frustration she must be feeling now.

Yesterday, the whole country was focused on Michael Cohen's testimony at Elijah Cummings House Oversight Committee. The early afternoon break in the questioning was so that the members of the committee could head off to the floor so they could vote on the first of two gun control bills. That first bill passed, comfortably. H.R.

The Los Angeles City Council voted to require companies to disclose National Rifle Association (NRA) ties in order to be eligible for city contracts. In addition, the companies wishing to work with the city must also disclose any ties “their subsidiaries have with the NRA” as well.

What's crazier-- Trump's furious twitter stream howling at the moon about his legal jeopardy (above)-- much of which was certainly written by his current lawyer-- or the very timely Trump Code of Dishonor (below).

Liberty Revisited by Nancy OhanianLast month, North Carolina Democrats didn't come close to winning with chamber of the state legislature but they did accomplished something very important in both chambers-- they broke the Republican supermajority in each.

Authored by Philip Giraldi via The Strategic Culture Foundation:

by NoahSee Brett Kavanaugh. See Brett Kavanaugh, the great sub-standard, nihilistic hope of the fascist Republican Party.When it comes to having one picture of a man that illustrates our government's callousness and addiction to turning its backs on the American people and walking away from its responsibilities, this one more than serves the purpose. Republicans have their man in Brett Kavanaugh.