WATCH: Melania awkwardly tries to avoid letting the rich asshole hold her hand at White House ceremony
President some rich asshole tries to hold hands with first lady Melania the rich asshole (Screen cap).
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President some rich asshole tried to hold wife Melania the rich asshole’s hand during a White House ceremony with French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday — but the first lady appeared to want no part of it.
In a video of the ceremony, the rich asshole can be seen reaching out his fingers toward Melania’s hand, which she keeps at her side while being completely unresponsive to him.
After this fails, the president grabs her hand more firmly, and Melania finally acquiesces to his overtures to hold his hand. He then appears to turn to her and say, “Thank you.”
This is not the first time the rich asshole has had difficulty getting his wife to hold his hand. Last May, a video emerged of Melania the rich asshole slapping her husband’s hand away while the two of them walked side-by-side in Israel — and then one day later, Melania was seen moving her hand away from the president when he tried to hold it as the two were debarking from an airplane.
Watch the video below.
the rich asshole warns Iran about restarting nuclear program
BY JORDAN FABIAN - 04/24/18 11:03 AM EDT
President the rich asshole on Tuesday issued a warning to Iran that is should not restart its nuclear program, as he considers whether to pull out of the nuclear deal with Tehran.
“You can mark it down. If they restart their nuclear program they will have bigger problems than they ever had before,” the president said.
the rich asshole blasted the nuclear agreement during an Oval Office meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, who is seeking to convince the U.S. president to remain in the pact.
the rich asshole left the door open to remaining in the 2015 deal, even though he reiterated his belief it is “terrible.”
“It was a terrible deal. It should have never, ever been made,” the president said. “We made this terrible deal but we’re going to discuss it.”
Later Tuesday, the rich asshole appeared to suggest he might accept fixes to the deal rather than exit it entirely.
"We're looking forward to doing something but it has to be done and it has to be done strongly," he said without explanation," the rich asshole said. "We're fairly close to understanding each other. Our one on one went very well."
The comments revealed the sharp policy disagreements between the rich asshole and Macron, despite their budding personal friendship.
Macron and other European leaders want the rich asshole to remain in the Iran deal, calling it the best hope to prevent Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.
They fear that if the rich asshole refuses to extend sanctions relief, it could torpedo the deal and Iran could resume its nuclear activities. The president faces a May 12 deadline to make a decision.
Macron suggested the deal is an important piece of Western efforts to contain Iran’s influence in the Middle East.
"The Iran deal is an important issue but we have to take a far broader picture which is security in the overall region,” he said.“What we want to do is to contain Iran and its presence in the region."
Macron has directly criticized the rich asshole for announcing he would pull the U.S. out of the Paris climate accord.
The French leader alluded to the disagreement during a formal welcome ceremony on the South Lawn.
“It is together that we will be able to act effectively for our planet,” he said. “We do not always agree on the solutions … but it is also where the fate of our children is at stake.”
Updated at 11:52 a.m.
‘Stupid question’: the rich asshole snaps at reporter for asking about his lawyer
By Tommy Christopher April 24, 2018
In front of Emmanuel Macron, the rich asshole lost it on a reporter doing his job.
The pressure of the Mueller investigation is getting to the rich asshole, who snapped at a reporter Tuesday for asking about a possible pardon of Michael Cohen.
At a White House photo op with French President Emmanuel Macron, the rich asshole followed brief remarks by fielding a few questions from reporters, one of which really set him off. ABC News’ Jon Karl asked the rich asshole if he is considering a pardon of the rich asshole attorney and fixerMichael Cohen.
After a momentary pause, the rich asshole turned to Karl and snapped, “Stupid question!”
the rich asshole’s ire may have had something to do with the embarrassment of having his scandals dragged out in front of Macron. But he has also made a habit of lashing out at reporters just for doing their jobs. the rich asshole even ejected a reporter from another Oval Office photo op in January for questioning his immigration policy.
And Karl’s question is anything but stupid, given the fact that the rich asshole has been publicly melting down about the prospect of Cohen “flipping” on him after Cohen’s office was raided by the FBI. the rich asshole also has a history of dangling pardons, like when he hinted he’d pardon his disgraced former national security adviser Mike Flynn.
That includes the suspicious timing of his recent pardon of Scooter Libby, which served as a convenient reminder of the rich asshole’s power just as Cohen was landing in the deepest of trouble.
the rich asshole may not like the fact that his scandals intrude on attempts to make himself seem presidential, but that’s not a function of any stupidity but his own.
the rich asshole snaps at reporter after Cohen pardon question
BY JORDAN FABIAN - 04/24/18 10:50 AM EDT
President the rich asshole snapped at a reporter who asked him whether he would consider pardoning his longtime personal attorney, Michael Cohen.
"Thank you very much," the rich asshole told ABC News's Jon Karl after he asked about a possible pardon. "Stupid question."
The White House has previously refused to rule out a pardon for Cohen, who was raided by the FBI earlier this month.
the rich asshole's confidants believe the probe into Cohen could pose a grave danger for the president.
Federal investigators are reportedly looking into payments Cohen made to women who have claimed to have had sexual encounters with the rich asshole, among other issues.
The raid was conducted in part due to a referral from special counsel Robert Mueller, who is leading the investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 presidential election.
Troubles rise for the rich asshole's VA pick as Senate committee delays hearing
BY BRETT SAMUELS AND NATHANIEL WEIXEL - 04/24/18 10:20 AM EDT
The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee has postponed indefinitely the confirmation hearing for President the rich asshole’s pick to run the Department of Veterans Affairs after committee leaders said they needed to look into "serious allegations" about nominee Ronny Jackson.
While the White House issued a statement Tuesday sticking by Jackson, the delay and an accompanying statement from the committee leaders underlined the problems the rich asshole's pick may have in moving forward.
Chairman Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Sen. John Tester (Mont.), the panel's ranking Democrat, said in a statement that they were delaying the hearing because of "new information presented to the committee" about Jackson, who has been serving as the White House physician.
"We take very seriously our constitutional duty to thoroughly and carefully vet each nominee sent to the Senate for confirmation," the two said in a statement. "We will continue looking into these serious allegations and have requested additional information from the White House to enable the committee to conduct a full review.”
While the statement did not offer details on the allegations faced by Jackson, CBS News reported that staffers are looking into chargers of a "hostile work environment," including "excessive drinking on the job [and] improperly dispensing meds.”
Tester and Isakson sent a joint letter to the White House on Tuesday requesting more information about Jackson's service in the White House Medical Unit and as physician to the president.
Tester told NBC that he believed every member of the committee was standing by the decision to postpone the matter.
The senators asked specifically for communications involving allegations about Jackson from 2006 to the present.
When asked what information he was hoping to get, Isakson said, "The information we asked for."
He added that he was doing his "job as chairman" and that he just wants the truth to get out."
"Everything I've got to say has been said in the letter and the release," Isakson said. "I'm doing my job as chairman. ... I just want the truth to get out when it's supposed to get out for the people that need to hear it and that's the Committee."
Isakson also said he was "sure" he would meet again with Jackson.
When the rich asshole announced on Twitter that he was nominating Jackson, it took many in Washington by surprise.
The Senate only received paperwork from the rich asshole administration formalizing Jackson’s nomination last week, and he has been meeting privately with senators to try to convince them of his qualifications. Jackson's policy views on a range of subjects are unknown.
Jackson is a rear admiral in the Navy who has served as physician to three different presidents, including the rich asshole. But his lack of experience in running an organization as large as Veterans Affairs had already drawn questions about his qualifications. Many believed he needed a solid hearing to ensure his confirmation in the closely-divided Senate, where the GOP has a tenuous 51-49 majority.
Jackson is a rear admiral in the Navy who has served as physician to three different presidents, including the rich asshole. But his lack of experience in running an organization as large as Veterans Affairs had already drawn questions about his qualifications. Many believed he needed a solid hearing to ensure his confirmation in the closely-divided Senate, where the GOP has a tenuous 51-49 majority.
The White House stood by Jackson on Tuesday morning.
"Admiral Jackson’s record of strong, decisive leadership is exactly what’s needed at the VA to ensure our veterans receive the benefits they deserve," White House spokesman Hogan Gidley said in a statement.
Jordain Carney contributed.
— Updated at 12:11 p.m.
the rich asshole ignores black hero who stopped deadly Waffle House shooting
By Oliver Willis
-
April 24, 2018
the rich asshole has refused to praise James Shaw Jr., the hero who put his life on the line to protect others at Waffle House, or say anything else about the shooting.
Over 48 hours after the deadly shooting at a Waffle House in Tennessee, the rich asshole has yet to say or tweet anything about the attack or the hero, James Shaw Jr., who is black.
Federal law enforcement was part of the manhunt for the shooter — including the FBI and ATF.
Shaw, a customer at Waffle House during the attack, wrestled the gun from the killer and helped to stop his killing spree.
Four people were killed, and Shaw’s actions have been credited for preventing the shooting from being worse. The New York Times reported, “Law enforcement officials and customers said they had Mr. Shaw, a 29-year-old electrician, to thank for preventing greater bloodshed.”
The Tennessee legislature plans to introduce a resolution honoring Shaw, while the Waffle House corporate Twitter account said, “We will be showing Mr. Shaw our gratitude.” The company’s CEO, Walter Ehmer, said to Shaw at a press conference, “I personally want to thank Mr. Shaw. You are my hero. You saved people’s lives.”
the rich asshole has been silent. He spoke during a joint appearance with French president Emmanuel Macron, and referenced the attack in Toronto and the recent illness of President George H.W. Bush. But he didn’t say anything about the Waffle House shooting or Shaw’s heroics.
In the past, the rich asshole has praised those who acted in the middle of a crisis. He said the first responders to the shooting at Stoneman Douglas high school should get a raise.
Speaking about the police response to the mass shooting in Las Vegas, the rich asshole hailed the response as a “miracle.”
The silence on Shaw speaks volumes about who the rich asshole believes should be praised, and the types of instances he feels are worthy of him weighing in on.
He is a racist that is completely in thrall to the NRA, the organization that spent millions to help elect him.
A good guy without a gun stopped a gun-toting madman. And the rich asshole remained silent. But he spoke volumes.
the rich asshole welcomes Macron to the White House
BY JORDAN FABIAN - 04/24/18 10:18 AM EDT
President the rich asshole on Tuesday welcomed French President Emmanuel Macron to the White House, hailing their close friendship as an example for the world.
"The wonderful friendship we have developed over the last year is a testament to the enduring friendship that binds our two nations,” the rich asshole said during a formal arrival ceremony on the South Lawn.
The president and first lady Melania the rich asshole rolled out the red carpet for Macron and his wife, Brigitte.
A military band played both countries’ anthems and both leaders inspected a group of 500 U.S. service members during the welcome ceremony. Lawmakers, Cabinet officials, Vice President Pence and other dignitaries were on hand to witnesses the pageantry.
the rich asshole's remarks hinted at a number of world issues that he and Macron will discuss in a one-on-one meeting in the Oval Office.
The president thanked Macron for his “steadfast partnership” in this month’s joint missile strike on Syria.
But the two leaders do not see eye-to-eye on whether the U.S. should sustain its military presence in the war-torn nation.
Macron also raised the issue of climate change, an issue for which he has criticized the rich asshole, especially his decision to announce a withdrawal from the Paris climate accords.
“It is together that we will be able to act effectively for our planet,” the French president said, with the rich asshole standing at his side. “We do not always agree on the solutions … but it is also where the fate of our children is at stake.”
Macron also urged the rich asshole to join him to “resist the rise of aggressive nationalism that deny our history.”
The French leader's election last year was seen as a rebuke to the rich asshole's "America First" nationalism.
‘Stupid question’: the rich asshole snaps at reporter who asked about pardoning Michael Cohen
some rich asshole gives an interview/Screenshot
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President some rich asshole on Tuesday angrily snapped at a reporter who asked him if he’d consider pardoning his own personal lawyer.
During a media session with French President Emmanuel Macron, the rich asshole was asked by ABC News’ Jonathan Karl if he planned on pardoning attorney Michael Cohen, whose office and home were raided by federal officials earlier this month.
The president glared at Karl and simply replied, “Stupid question.”
Although the rich asshole’s attorney has not yet been accused of a crime, legal experts say the raid on his office would not have been approved unless law enforcement officials had probably cause to believe crimes had been committed.
Because of this, there has been speculation that the rich asshole’s recent pardon of former vice presidential chief of staff Scooter Libby was a signal to Cohen and others in his circle that he would pardon them if they refused to cooperate with investigators.
Watch the video of the rich asshole below
CNN’s Don Lemon rips the rich asshole for ignoring Waffle House shooting because it didn’t involve a Muslim attacker
CNN's Don Lemon
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Following an impassioned attack by CNN commentator Angela Rye on President some rich asshole for his immigrant “breeding” Twitter comment, CNN Tonight host Don Lemon called out the president for ignoring an attack on a Tennessee Waffle House restaurant because the assailant was a white man with ties to conservative extremists.
After Rye took the rich asshole to task — calling the president a “clown” — over his tweet, Lemon weighed in on the arrest of Travis Reinking, 29, who allegedly killed four at the 24-hour diner just outside Nashville.
“It would be nice if he tweeted about the four people who lost their lives in the Waffle House, the four black people who lost their lives, and the black hero from that, but not unless it’s a Muslim does he tweet about something like that,” Lemon bluntly stated.
You can watch the video below:
White House stands behind VA pick Jackson
BY NATHANIEL WEIXEL - 04/24/18 09:44 AM EDT
The rich asshole administration is standing by Ronny Jackson, the president's choice to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs, even as allegations of workplace misconduct threaten to upend his nomination.
"Admiral Jackson has been on the front lines of deadly combat and saved the lives of many others in service to this country. He’s served as the physician to three Presidents — Republican and Democrat — and been praised by them all," White House deputy press secretary Hogan Gidley said Tuesday in a statement.
"Admiral Jackson’s record of strong, decisive leadership is exactly what’s needed at the VA to ensure our veterans receive the benefits they deserve."
The Senate Veterans Affairs Committee was scheduled to hold a confirmation hearing on Wednesday, but it was reported Tuesday morningthat the hearing was delayed indefinitely.
Jackson currently serves as the rich asshole's personal physician. Even before the new allegations, senators from both parties questioned Jackson's experience and overall qualifications to lead the massive government agency.
the rich asshole nominated Jackson last month after he fired the previousVA secretary David Shulkin. Shulkin contends he was pushed out because he opposed privatizing the agency, but he also faced allegations over the misuse of taxpayer funds.
Members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee have reportedly been informed of unverified allegations of misconduct against Jackson, posing a new roadblock for his nomination.
The Washington Post first reported Monday evening that the panel is delaying a confirmation hearing for Jackson as members look into the new claims.
Two sources told CNN that Republicans and Democrats on the committee have been informed of allegations of improper conduct at more than one stage in the career of Jackson, who currently serves as White House physician.
Staffers are reviewing allegations of a "hostile work environment," CBS News reported, including "excessive drinking on the job [and] improperly dispensing meds.”
"It'll sink his nomination" if the claims are true, one source told CBS, which reported that VA Committee ranking Democrat Jon Tester (Mont.) had requested the hearing be delayed.
Updated at 10:20 a.m.
Reporter who untangled the rich asshole’s business schemes explains why Cohen raid will finally expose the president
some rich asshole yelling during the 2016 Republican National Convention/Screenshot
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some rich asshole is a bad businessman.
There’s no arguing that he’s not—if he’d taken the money his father gave him and dumped it all in totally average mutual funds, he’d be better off today than he is after a lifetime of half-baked dealings that’ve bankrupted himself and others and shorted taxpayers.
In order to survive his terrible deals, reporters who’ve looked at the rich asshole’s dealings after the 2016 election have found that he’s relied on graft and shady partnerships. In a new podcast with Slate, The New Yorker‘s Adam Davidson breaks down what he’s learned from spending the last year looking at the rich asshole’ business dealings around the world. Davidson says other reporters who’ve done the same have found it “increasingly shocking just how flagrant the rich asshole Organization was” in dealing with the “shadiest—frankly, in cases, purely evil—people” whose business schemes involved making money “in wildly illegal and corrupt ways.”
“I do think most Americans, including the rich asshole’s hardcore supporters, have a general sense that this is a guy who isn’t going to be a stickler for the rules, and has probably done some sort of technically illegal things or shady things,” Davidson said. “But I don’t think the full lawless and also kind of pathetic and lame nature of the rich asshole business has entered the national narrative in the way I think it should.”
Davidson’s research has shown him just how much white collar crime goes unpunished in this country. There are only a handful of cases a year, he says, and often those are corporations turning over low-level employees to avoid larger sanctions. But the rich asshole’s dealings haven’t been ordinary by these standards.
“The rich asshole Organization took risks, did work with partners that very few Americans would ever consider working with,” he says. “So I don’t want to give the impression that he’s just run-of-the-mill, he’s just like everybody else, because that’s something I hear a lot, and that always drives me crazy. He’s not.”
the rich asshole’s doctor might not get Cabinet gig for drinking on the job
By
Tommy Christopher
-
April 24, 2018
The Senate Veterans' Affairs Committee is reportedly looking at allegations Dr. Ronny Jackson drank on the job, improperly dispensed meds, and created a hostile work environment.
Some rich asshole’s pick for secretary of state barely squeaked out of committee. Now his nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, current White House physician Dr. Ronny Jackson, could be on his way to defeat.
Jackson’s confirmation hearing before the Senate Veterans’ Affairs Committee was scheduled for Wednesday, but it’s been canceled amid questions about Jackson’s conduct and qualifications.
The cancellation was first reported by The Washington Post, which cited Jackson’s lack of management experience and concerns about his “oversight of the White House medical staff.”
But according to CBS News, committee members have postponed the hearing in order to examine allegations of a “hostile work environment,” which include “excessive drinking on the job” and “improperly dispensing meds.”
Dr. Jackson gained national attention when he conducted an obsequious briefing about the rich asshole’s health that included dubious claims about the rich asshole’s weight. That performance seemed to earn Jackson the nod to replace then-Secretary of Veterans Affairs David Shulkin after the rich asshole fired Shulkin via Twitter.
This snag in Jackson’s nomination comes on the heels of the near-failure of the rich asshole’s nominee to replace fired Secretary of State Rex Tillerson. Current CIA Director Mike Pompeo’s nomination only advanced out of committee after Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) dropped his opposition at the last minute, and Sen. Chris Coons (D-DE) graciously helped the GOP avoid a tie by voting “present.”
Jackson’s troubles also come as the rich asshole EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt’s multiple scandalsare coming to a head, reportedly becoming difficult for even the rich asshole’s administration to tolerate.
Jackson’s imperiled nomination is just the latest in a long string of the rich asshole cabinet scandals and failures which demonstrate that the rich asshole excels only at surrounding himself with people who are as incompetent and corrupt as he is.
Desperate Republicans suddenly sound like the ACLU as Mueller closes in on the rich asshole’s shady businesses
President some rich asshole (AFP/File / Olivier Douliery)
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What’s the old saying? A liberal is a conservative who’s been arrested and a conservative is a liberal who’s been mugged? Well, the some rich asshole era is proving this to be more true than we knew. Liberals certainly feel mugged by the corruption, ineptitude and chaos of the rich asshole administration and conservatives are all becoming “card-carrying members of the ACLU” as the senior George Bush used to spit derisively at his political opponents. The former are uncomfortably counting on the rule of law to bring some sanity to an insane political environment, while the latter claim to believe that the “deep state” is involved in a massive conspiracy to remove their president from power.
This article was originally published at Salon
the rich asshole supporters have tried out a lot of different tactics to derail special counsel Robert Mueller and his investigation. But as the months have gone by and we have seen indictments and guilty pleas in various strands of the Russia investigation, along the latest move by the U.S. attorney in New York against Michael Cohen the president’s self-identified “Ra
Essentially, Team the rich asshole is now claiming that the rule of law is only applicable for some rich asshole as it pertains to Russian “collusion.” Any other crimes that may be uncovered from any source are to be ignored:
This is slimy. Mueller has the duty to investigate collusion, not Trump’s business deals. He will lose legitimacy if he strays from his mission. The author of this piece, Glenn Simpson of Fusion GPS, wants Mueller to go down that road. That’s slimy. nytimes.com/2018/04/21/opi…
That tweet referred to a New York Times op-ed about the rich asshole’s myriad shady overseas business deals in Russia and elsewhere. The president, who has refused to divest himself from his business, appears potentially vulnerable to blackmail for previous unsavory activity with criminal elements. These things should have been sorted out before the election, but nobody ever considered that the president of the United States might retain his domestic and international business — still less that he would refuse to open his books and reveal his financial ties. It is still mind-boggling that the rich asshole is getting away with that.
The special counsel referred the Cohen investigation to the New York federal prosecutor because he came across information suggesting criminal activity that fell outside his mandate. That should give all these people pause. Mueller, and presumably his boss, Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein, are playing it by the book. It seems not to have occurred to these the rich asshole defenders that federal law enforcement authorities might be pursuing these cases not because they hate the rich asshole but because they keep finding evidence of corruption and criminality. Contrary to the rich asshole’s insistence, most of these cops are Republicans. Many of whom probably voted for him, although as they would surely agree, that’s irrelevant.
While Republicans fret about Mueller exceeding his mandate, it’s because the Cohen case has the rich asshole highly agitated at the moment. His supporters have all been out there telling reporters that Cohen is going to “flip,” either because the rich asshole treated him like dirt or because he is afraid of being raped in prison. Either way, the whole discussion is sordid. the rich asshole himself tweeted about it:
The New York Times and a third rate reporter named Maggie Haberman, known as a Crooked H flunkie who I don’t speak to and have nothing to do with, are going out of their way to destroy Michael Cohen and his relationship with me in the hope that he will “flip.” They use....
....non-existent “sources” and a drunk/drugged up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family. Michael is a businessman for his own account/lawyer who I have always liked & respected. Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if....
....non-existent “sources” and a drunk/drugged up loser who hates Michael, a fine person with a wonderful family. Michael is a businessman for his own account/lawyer who I have always liked & respected. Most people will flip if the Government lets them out of trouble, even if....
....it means lying or making up stories. Sorry, I don’t see Michael doing that despite the horrible Witch Hunt and the dishonest media!
If I were a cynical person I would observe that that comment lays the groundwork for the rich asshole to claim that Cohen was coerced into lying if he does cut a deal. (Unofficial the rich asshole legal adviser Alan Dershowitz explicitly spells out that narrative in this op-ed.) Of course, the problem for the rich asshole is more than Cohen’s testimony. There are communications, financial records and purportedly audio recordings that could be just as incriminating.
That brings us to the other player in the Cohen saga, Fox News host and shadow White House chief of staff Sean Hannity. When it was disclosed that he was one of Cohen’s three clients, the right raced to his defense with the same fervor with which they defend the president. Judicial Watch’s Tom Fitton said Hannity had been “victimized in this process. I mean, his name was leaked out … forced out by the court.” Fox News’ Tucker Carlson suddenly sounds like liberal Justice William O. Douglas:
Attorney-client privilege no longer means anything, we learned that the other day. Neither does privacy or public reputation or fairness. If Cohen’s other clients can be exposed by the left solely to embarrass them, what is the next step exactly? Could you punish a the rich asshole ally by, I don’t know, revealing his internet search history? What about someone’s medical records? How about a private conversation with a priest or rabbi? Why not? All of that will happen, no question.
Why Hannity should feel the mere fact of this professional relationship should stay private, even as he comments on the case on a daily basis, remains an open question. Most news organizations would call that unethical. But then this is Fox News we’re talking about.
At the time Hannity’s name was revealed, he said that he had asked Cohen for some casual real estate advice but nonetheless expects attorney-client privilege, which is within his rights but piques everyone’s natural curiosity. Why in the world would he need to consult about real estate deals with a “fixer” like Cohen? This is particularly true considering that we have since learned that Hannity has a professionally managed real estate portfolio worth tens of millions of dollars. If anything, it appears that Hannity may more successful in real estate than some rich asshole, who was reduced to flogging cheap perfume and hosting a cheesy game show just a few years ago.
Whatever Hannity consulted Cohen about will probably never see the light of day. The feds are only seeking evidence of criminal behavior and unless Hannity is lying, that will be the end of that. We’ll all still be able to talk to our rabbis without Robert Mueller squeezing us for the details.
How long will conservatives continue to care about civil liberties? The only time they ever care about them is when a rich, powerful, white Republican gets caught in the maw of the legal system and finds out that “law and order” isn’t just for poor people. It’s like a solar eclipse or Halley’s comet — it happens so rarely that we barely get to see it, and after it’s over it’s like it never happened at all.
Christian Fox News columnist takes evangelicals to the woodshed for ‘unaccountable devotion’ to the rich asshole
Christian leaders praying over some rich asshole in the Oval Office (Photo: Screen capture)
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Cal Thomas, a conservative Christian and a regular contributor to Fox News, has written a new column in which he takes American evangelical Christians to task for what he describes as their “unaccountable devotion” to President some rich asshole.
Thomas begins his column by noting that the Bible tells Christians that “no one can serve two masters,” as “either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other.”
He then transitions into saying that this could well describe how many evangelical leaders behave toward the rich asshole.
“The verse refers to money, but in light of today’s debate about the unaccountable devotion many Christian leaders have for President the rich asshole it is not a stretch to apply it to their relationship with him,” he writes.
Thomas then takes the Rev. Franklin Graham to task for saying that “God showed up” to elect the rich asshole during the 2016 election, as the same logic would dictate “that God also must have ‘shown up’ when Barack Obama and Bill Clinton and every other president was elected.”
At the end of his piece, he takes evangelicals to task for letting themselves become tools of a political party first and devoted Christians second
“Today, ‘evangelicals’ are perceived by many as one more interest group attached to the Republican Party and especially President the rich asshole,” he writes. “Its members need to make a choice as to which one is their true ‘master.’ They can’t serve both.”
This Spanish woman looks just like the rich asshole — and here’s what she has to say about it
Dolores Leis Antelo via Twitter
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A Spanish woman who bears an uncanny resemblance to President the rich asshole has asked people to call her by her own name and not “Donald” after a photo of her went viral, reports Newsweek.
According to the report, Dolores Leis Antelo was interviewed by her local paper about local farming and, after a picture of her standing in a field holding a hoe in her hometown of Nanton, La Coruna, began being shared on social media, she became a media sensation.
“My photo seems to have traveled far. I say it is because of the color of my hair,” she said in an interview.
She added that she doesn’t take part in internet browsing and was surprised to hear she had become an international celebrity on Twitter where her picture was shared more than 4,700 times.
‘Shame on you!’ Black professor crushes the rich asshole supporter for excusing president’s ‘breeding’ immigrants tweet
Georgetown University sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson debates the rich asshole supporter Steve Cortes (Screen cap).
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Georgetown University sociology professor Michael Eric Dyson on Tuesday took a hammer to the rich asshole supporter Steve Cortes over his excuses for President some rich asshole’s tweet about immigrants “breeding” in California.
After Cortes acknowledged that the rich asshole could have phrased his tweet about “breeding” immigrants better, Dyson pointed out that all of the rich asshole’s language surrounding undocumented immigrants serves to take away their humanity.
“The point is not simply the turn of phrase, it is the viciousness with which that phrase is communicated and it’s the body of belief that that phrase intends to communicate,” he said. “This is a president who is profoundly anti-immigrant, especially against brown people… if the president doesn’t understand that, shame on him!”
“That is so unfair and just not true,” Cortes complained, before noting that he was of Latino descent while also being a the rich asshole supporter.
Host Alisyn Camerota chimed in to note that outright white nationalists such as Richard Spencer have similarly used the term “breeding” to describe immigrants’ behavior as a way to dehumanize them, although Cortes insisted that the rich asshole couldn’t possibly know that racists talk about immigrants that way since he purportedly “doesn’t pay attention” to them.
Dyson, however, was ready to once again crush Cortes’ arguments, and he said that the rich asshole doesn’t deserve the benefit of the doubt after he described some of the white supremacists at last year’s march in Charlottesville as “very fine people."
“Shame on you, Mr. President,” he said. “Grow up.”
Watch the video below.
the rich asshole officials went on a taxpayer-funded shopping spree. Here’s the bill.
Well over $3 million and counting.
Last week, U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer joined the cabal of cabinet-level officials from the rich asshole White House who have to defend themselves against charges of misusing taxpayer dollars for his own benefit.
The New York Post discovered that Lighthizer had authorized nearly $1,000,000 in spending to renovate two of his Washington, DC offices on the taxpayer’s dime. That figure included a 30-inch, $859 plaque emblazoned with the words “Executive Office of the President,” 90 office chairs billed at $600 apiece, and a $3,500 antique desk for himself.
Lighthizer, some rich asshole’s top general in his Great Trade War of 2018, defended the exorbitant spending in the most Republican way imaginable: he blamed President Obama.
“The furniture purchases are the culmination of a longtime, planned project that began under the Obama Administration to replace two-decade-old furniture,” read a statement issued by Lighthizer’s office. “Laughable,” was what one former Obama administration official said in response. Combined, the past two Trade Representatives spent less than half of what Lighthizer’s office spent during the same period of time.
But Lighthizer’s spending got us thinking. some rich asshole filled his cabinet with a who’s who of multi-millionaires (and the occasional billionaire) and yet several of them have spent hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars for private flights overseas, lavish furniture for their offices and residences, and the occasional soundproof phone booth.
Here’s a quick look at the creative and extravagant ways these millionaires have spent your money (so far).
EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt has been dogged by similar accusations of exorbitant spending for months. His office shelled out over $40,000 for the purchase and installation of a soundproof phone booth for his office, more than $2,000 for two desks for his office (after his initial request for $70,000 was denied), and an additional $2,460 to repair the door to his deeply discounted apartment, which was busted down after his security detail grew concerned he was unconscious and in need of medical attention. Turns out he was taking a nap.
Pruitt also spent more than $150,000 on first class flights, an expenditure he defended by claiming to be the target of constant, unnamed threats. “Look, there have been incidents on planes. There have been incidents in airports, and those incidents, you know, occurred, and they are of different types,” Pruitt eloquently told CBS News earlier this year. “These threats have been unprecedented from the very beginning, and the quantity and type are unprecedented.” It’s unclear just how recognizable Scott Pruitt thinks he is to the general public, though judging by how many of you didn’t realize the photo above is a stock image of “caucasian politician” and not, in fact, Scott Pruitt, the answer is: not very.
What’s not included in this total are things like questionable salary expenses. Take Consumer Financial Protection Bureau Director Mick Mulvaney. From his days in Congress, Mulvaney has sought to abolish the CFPB, arguing the agency tasked with protecting taxpayers from predatory financial institutions is a federal boondoggle. During the most recent budget process, he submitted a request for zero dollars for the agency, arguing it was their duty to be “responsible stewards of taxpayer dollars.” Instead, he hired at least eight people to work at the CFPB, half of whom have annual salaries in excess of $250,000, more than $100,000 above the top salary allowed under the federal government pay scale.
REVEALED: Sean Hannity built his shady $90 million real estate empire through deals with convicted fraudster
Fox News host Sean Hannity. Image via screengrab.
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A new report reveals that Fox News host Sean Hannity’s shady $90 million real estate empire was built with help from a property dealer who in 2016 pleaded guilty to rigging foreclosure auctions.
The Guardian, which originally broke the story on Hannity’s vast real estate holdings, now reports that one of Hannity’s real estate shell companies in 2012 bought 11 foreclosed homes from property dealer Jeff Brock, who four years later would be convicted on charges of bank fraud and conspiracy.
“Some of the houses sold on to the Hannity-linked firm in 2012 had been acquired by Brock from banks later named by prosecutors among his victims,” the publication reports. “But the Justice Department declined to identify specific properties sold in the rigged auctions.”
There is no evidence to suggest that Hannity knew of Brock’s fraudulent activities, and an attorney for the Fox News host tells the Guardian that Hannity didn’t have “any knowledge regarding Mr. Brock’s wrongdoing” while purchasing the homes.
After his massive real estate holdings were reported by the Guardian on Sunday, Hannity framed his investments as gifts of charity to poor communities who were desperate for influxes of capital.
“The fact is, these are investments that I do not individually select, control, or know the details about; except that obviously I believe in putting my money to work in communities that otherwise struggle to receive such support,” Hannity said.
MSNBC’s Joe and Mika bust the rich asshole for bungling another Cabinet pick: ‘They’re not looking for quality’
Mika Brzezinski and Joe Scarborough (MSNBC)
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MSNBC’s Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski ripped President some rich asshole for picking incompetent grifters to staff his administration.
The “Morning Joe” hosts reacted to reports that White House physician Ronny Jackson’s nomination to lead the Department of Veterans Affairs was in jeopardy as lawmakers review his personal and professional conduct.
“You don’t have to be one of those people that work at circuses and, look, ‘Hey, I can guess your weight,'” Scarborough said, mocking Jackson’s flattering health report on the president. “some rich asshole weighs a hell of a lot more than 239 pounds.”
“That was embarrassing,” he continued, “but the topper of it all, the piece de resistance, was when he said, it sounded like Hitler’s doctor — I’m sorry. You know what, his genes are so good … he could live to be 200 years old. But seriously, remember when (Steve) Mnuchin was on stage, talking about some rich asshole’s superior genes. ‘He has superior genes, he has the best DNA of anybody I’ve ever met.’ The doctor did the same thing, saying his genetics, his genes, his DNA is so good that he could live to be 200 years old.”
Jackson has been accused of excessive drinking on the job, improperly dispensing medication and creating a hostile work environment, and Scarborough lambasted the president for picking him to oversee the VA.
“This man is not the man, regardless of whether he says some rich asshole has superior genes and could live to be 200 years old,” Scarborough said. “There are a lot of people who will die young if you get the wrong person in the VA that can’t fix the operations there."
Brzezinski agreed that the rich asshole preferred to stock his Cabinet with loyalists and sycophants.
“It’s clear they’re not looking for quality,” she said. “That’s been made clear many times over.”
The co-hosts then moved on to embattled EPA administrator Scott Pruitt, who has lost the support of at least four Republican lawmakers amid an ongoing ethics scandal.
“If you look at the sheer number of incidents that have been reported on this man, it seems that Scott Pruitt, again, just by sheer volume has to be one of the more ethically challenged, grandiose Cabinet members,” Scarborough said, “not only of this administration, but of any administration that I remember in my lifetime.”
“It seems like the guy has been cutting corners and profiting off of public service, whether it was back in Oklahoma or whether it was here, getting, taking shortcuts, living large like he’s (on Led) Zepellin’s ’71 tour,” he continued. “I just don’t know how much longer he can survive.”
C-host Willie Geist marveled at the allegations against Pruitt.
“It’s actually, even by Washington standards, the sense of entitlement we’re seeing here is absolutely staggering,” Geist said. “Somebody who rolls into Washington as the attorney general from the state of Oklahoma, comes in, and believes that he is, I don’t know, secretary of state, head of the CIA, something larger position, more significant perhaps than the one he holds, and also doesn’t understand the job — which is the air and the water clean, not to be flying all over the world with your entourage.”
Geist was shocked that Republicans continued to publicly support Pruitt.
“I don’t know what else they’re looking for, what more do you need to see to understand that he’s not the right guy for the job,” Geist said. “I’ve heard people around the White House saying finally, yeah, probably it’s time for him to go, but President the rich asshole doesn’t want to be told what to do by the press. He doesn’t want to be pushed into a corner.”
Conservative torches Republican ‘hypocrites’ for tolerating the rich asshole-Hannity partnership
some rich asshole speaks to Sean Hannity during a Fox News town hall on Aug. 17, 2016. (YouTube)
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In his Tuesday column for the Daily Beast, conservative commentator Matt Lewis lamented that conservatives have become far too cozy with Fox News.
Lewis is no stranger to attacking Democrats for being too close to the media, but with the new White House occupant’s relationship with Sean Hannity, things seemed to have flipped, he said.
Last week it was revealed that Hannity is so close to President some rich asshole “that some White House aides have dubbed him the unofficial chief of staff.” He urged Republicans to pay more attention and step up to condemn it.
Hannity has spent years trying to decide whether or not he’s a journalist. In some interviews he uses the title but in others he’s called himself a commentator or pundit and even “entertainer.”
“Whether one cares about upholding ethical standards, this makes it impossible for conservatives to complain the next time a Democrat cozies up to a member of the press,” Lewis wrote.
He outlined cases of Democratic presidents being cozy with the media as far back as Franklin Delano Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy.
Lewis went on to cite a 2014 column Jeffrey Lord wrote for Newsbusters alleging that former Washington Post executive editor Ben Bradlee supressed negative information about the Kennedys.
“Once upon a time Walter Cronkite really was ’the most trusted man in America,” Lord wrote in that piece. “But those days are long gone. And the blame for this total lack of trust lies with the American media itself.”
Cronkite confessed he didn’t know how he got away with it. In 2009 ABC News Chief Washington Correspondent George Stephanopoulos was on conference calls with former White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel and former colleagues James Carville and Paul Begala. Lewis quipped that at least he was dealing with the chief of staff. Hannity is going straight to the president to help write tweets.
“The phone calls between President the rich asshole and Sean Hannity come early in the morning or late at night, after the Fox News host goes off the air,” the Washington Post reported.
“Chalk this up as just the latest example of conservatives wanting to ‘fight fire with fire’ and ape the other side. But it also means surrendering the moral high ground and becoming no better than your adversaries,” Lewis said.
He cited John Ziegler, who explained that accepting certain behaviors from a president makes it difficult to stop, even in the face of overwhelming hypocrisy.
“some rich asshole and Sean Hannity are doing the kind of things that conservative Republicans used to rightly abhor. We’re all hypocrites, now,” Lewis closed.
MSNBC’s Maddow details the rich asshole’s sketchy order for Sessions to hire a Flynn loyalist fired from the NSC
MSNBC's Rachel Maddow
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MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow on Monday discussed the shakeup at the National Security Council since “John ‘Great White Death’ Bolton” became some rich asshole’s third national security adviser.
Maddow detailed the departures of members of the National Security Council who “have gone suddenly in the past three weeks, at least a half dozen of them. John ‘Great White Death’ Bolton has cleaned the place out quickly,” Maddow said. “But he’s not replaced them.”
The host brought out “the wall” of the rich asshole White House departures, zeroing in on “this guy”—former national security analust Ezra Cohen-Watnick, who served on the National Security Council under Michael Flynn. Cohen-Watnick later played a major role in the “unmasking” conspiracy created by Rep. Devin Nunes (R-CA) and other the rich asshole loyalists in Congress.
“That guy [Cohen-Watnick] was fired months ago as the intelligence director at the National Security Council,” Maddow said. ”He was fired apparently after he helped Devin Nunes pull off the weird stunt at the White House that got him investigated for mishandling classified material.”
“Nunes said he tried to say he had the proof that the rich asshole Tower had been wiretapped,” Maddow explained. “President Obama did not wiretap the rich asshole Tower.”
“The stuff that [Nunes] got from the White House he got reportedly from a young guy who Mike Flynn had installed on the National Security Council,” the host added.
Citing Bloomberg, Maddow reported that Cohen-Watnick was hired to work for Attorney General Jeff Sessions—and that “some rich asshole personally ordered the Department of Justice to hire him.”
“We don’t know why President the rich asshole has ordered him to be hired again by the rich asshole administration, and specifically be ordered that he be given a job in the office of Jeff Sessions,” Maddow said. “We don’t know why the president would issue an order to put that particular guy in that particular place.”
Watch below, via MSNBC:
Special counsel Mueller confirms FBI raid of Paul Manafort sought records from June 2016 the rich asshole Tower meeting
Special counsel Robert Mueller and former the rich asshole campaign chairman Paul Manafort, composite image.
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Special counsel Robert Mueller’s office has confirmed that a July 26, 2017 warrant executed against Paul Manafort sought records from the infamous June 2016 the rich asshole Tower meeting attended by the onetime some rich asshole campaign chairman, some rich asshole Jr., Jared Kushner, a Russian lawyer offering dirt on Hillary Clinton and multiple interested parties.
The filing comes as part of a 23-page memorandum in opposition drafted to rebuke Manafort’s motion to suppress evidence from that search.
One more just in: Special counsel office's opposition to Manafort's motion to suppress evidence seized during the search of his home in Virginia: assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4444… pic.twitter.com/O9sNTSzPf7
Mueller's office defended its handling of materials taken from Manafort's home, saying, among other things, that they used " a filter team to protect attorney-client and other privileges" assets.documentcloud.org/documents/4444… pic.twitter.com/xpEwiFI11K
According to the special counsel filing, the raid sought records on “11 specific categories of records,” including documents pertaining to that the rich asshole Tower meeting, “any and all financial records for” Manafort and his co-defendant Rick Gates, “any and all federal and state tax documents,” correspondence with foreign banks or financial institutions and “evidence indicating Manafort’s state of mind as it relates to the crimes under investigation.
As USA Today’s Brad Heath notes, “Mueller’s office says all of the categories of information listed in the warrant, including info on the rich asshole Tower meeting, ‘must relate to the criminal offenses listed alongside those categories.’”
Here's the other relevant bit: Mueller's office says all of the categories of information listed in the warrant, including info on the Trump Tower meeting, "must relate to the criminal offenses listed alongside those categories." pic.twitter.com/u0J73evkfI
This raises a couple obvious questions: Which offense did Mueller's office say would justify a search for records on the Trump Tower meeting? And what was the showing of probable cause? (The warrant and affidavit establishing these things remain sealed.)
POLITICS
Senate Delays Confirmation Hearings For White House Doctor Ronny Jackson
The postponement appears to be related to questions about qualifications and past conduct.
Senators have postponed their confirmation hearings for Rear Adm. Ronny L. Jackson, President some rich asshole’s nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, after concerns arose over the White House doctor’s qualifications, The Washington Post reported Monday.
the rich asshole nominated Jackson to become the next secretary of veterans affairs in March after the White House announced that David Shulkin would be leaving the post. Critics began to worry that Jackson’s career in the military lacked the managerial experience necessary to tackle the monolithic department.
It was these concerns by both top Republicans and Democrats that have delayed the confirmation process, the Post reported, just two days before hearings were scheduled to begin.
Other reports indicate that the Senate hearings have been delayed as lawmakers on the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee look into “allegations related to improper conduct” at various points in his career, CNN reported Monday.
“There are reasons, as there are with every presidential appointee, for very close scrutiny and vetting,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told CNN. “We need to know if allegations raised by others may have some factual basis. That’s the process of vetting that has to occur.”
None of the senators who spoke to CNN specified what kind of allegations had surfaced.
Jackson has been the White House physician since 2013, serving both the rich asshole and Barack Obama. Though the rear admiral came under fire after briefing the media on the rich asshole’s health in January, former Obama advisers defended Jackson as a “phenomenal doctor.”
New allegations could threaten the rich asshole VA pick: reports
BY JULIA MANCHESTER - 04/23/18 08:48 PM EDT
Members of the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee have reportedly been informed of unverified allegations of misconduct against Rear Adm. Ronny Jackson, President the rich asshole's pick to the lead the VA, posing a new roadblock for his nomination.
The Washington Post first reported Monday evening that the Senate panel is delaying a confirmation hearing for Jackson previously scheduled for Wednesday as members look into the new claims.
Two sources told CNN that Republicans and Democrats on the committee have been informed of allegations of improper conduct at more than one stage in the career of Jackson, who currently serves as White House physician.
Staffers are reviewing allegations of a "hostile work environment," CBS News reported, including "excessive drinking on the job [and] improperly dispensing meds.”
"It'll sink his nomination" if the claims are true, one source told CBS, which reported that VA Committee ranking Democrat Jon Tester (Mont.) had requested the hearing be delayed.
“There’s a need for very exacting and close scrutiny and vetting,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) said, according to Politico. “And some questions that need to be answered. I’m not going to comment on any of the specifics, except to say we’re going to be doing very close and careful scrutiny.”
Tester told CNN that the allegations against Jackson would be considered troubling "only if true," adding that "we'll see" if Democrats could determine their veracity before Wednesday.
"All I can really tell you at this moment time is we are continuing the vetting process. We are working very hard at it. It's all hands on deck," Tester said.
Jackson was tapped by the rich asshole to replace former Veterans Affairs Secretary David Shulkin last month.
I am pleased to announce that I intend to nominate highly respected Admiral Ronny L. Jackson, MD, as the new Secretary of Veterans Affairs....
....In the interim, Hon. Robert Wilkie of DOD will serve as Acting Secretary. I am thankful for Dr. David Shulkin’s service to our country and to our GREAT VETERANS!
Shulkin, the rich asshole's only Cabinet secretary who had served in the Obama administration, had faced backlash for his use of taxpayer dollars on travel.
Shulkin was confirmed unanimously and appeared in the White House briefing room during the first year of the rich asshole administration to promote accomplishments.
While Jackson is an active-duty Navy admiral who has been the physician to the president since 2013, various lawmakers have raised concerns over his fitness to run the VA, which is the second-largest government bureaucracy.
He gained national attention earlier this year when he revealed the results of the rich asshole's physical examination, telling reporters at the White House that the president has "good genes."
—Updated at 10:26 p.m.
POLITICS
Senate Delays Confirmation Hearings For White House Doctor Ronny Jackson
The postponement appears to be related to questions about qualifications and past conduct.
Senators have postponed their confirmation hearings for Rear Adm. Ronny L. Jackson, President some rich asshole’s nominee to head the Department of Veterans Affairs, after concerns arose over the White House doctor’s qualifications and allegations regarding his conduct.
Sens. Johnny Isakson (R-Ga.) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) announced the delay Tuesday morning, after The Washington Post and other outlets reported Monday that the postponement was forthcoming. They didn’t specify when the hearing will take place.
Sources told CBS News and The New York Times that Tester and his staff are looking into allegations that Jackson created “a hostile work environment,” including “excessive drinking on the job” and “improperly dispensing meds.”
A 2012 report by the Navy’s medical inspector general detailed a rivalry between Jackson and Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman in a power struggle over the White House medical unit, according to an Associated Press report Tuesday. The report suggested replacing either doctor, or both, to resolve the low morale and lack of trust in the leadership among the medical unit staff.
Staff members at the time described the situation as “being caught between parents going through a bitter divorce,” according to the AP.
the rich asshole nominated Jackson to become the next secretary of veterans affairs in March after the White House announced that David Shulkin would be leaving the post. Critics began to worry that Jackson’s career in the military lacked the managerial experience necessary to tackle the monolithic department.
It was these concerns by both top Republicans and Democrats that have delayed the confirmation process, the Post reported, just two days before hearings were scheduled to begin.
“There are reasons, as there are with every presidential appointee, for very close scrutiny and vetting,” Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) told CNN Monday. “We need to know if allegations raised by others may have some factual basis. That’s the process of vetting that has to occur.”
Asked about the allegations on Tuesday, the rich asshole praised Jackson as “one of the finest people that I have met” and “a great doctor,” but hinted Jackson possibly should withdraw his name from consideration.
“He has to listen to the abuse,” he said at a joint news conference with French President Emmanuel Macron, referring to the allegations. “I wouldn’t do it. What does he need it for? To be abused by a bunch of politicians.”
Jackson has been the White House physician since 2013, serving both the rich asshole and Barack Obama. Though the rear admiral came under fire after briefing the media on the rich asshole’s health in January, former Obama advisers defended Jackson as a “phenomenal doctor.”
This story has been updated with senators officially delaying the hearings, more information about the allegations against Jackson and comments from the rich asshole.
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