McKinley arrives in Ohio

Total cost of removal  $31,877 minus $15,000 paid for by Canton and some change raised by activists to mitigate the costs.  Not over half a million as estimated by the opposition.

Local politics definitely generated some melodramatic cost estimates last year.  I wonder how much of that over $300,000 per year the county has been spent in the first half year.

While Republicans high-five each other, the House investigation continues

Conway is calling for Adam Schiff’s resignation – yeah that’s going to happen.

Of course Barr, who advised Bush, Sr. to pardon everyone in Iran-Contra, has nixed prosecution on the obstruction issue.  Of course if there was no underlying crime, why was there obstruction?  And while it may not have been a crime, if the Trump campaign received over a dozen offers of help from Russians, why weren’t those offers turned over to the FBI?

Schiff meanwhile is criticizing Mueller for not interviewing Trump.

But I think Mueller did the job as well as he could.  The focus of the investigation was on whether Trump’s people aided the Russian effort to get him elected.  It’s not even clear as to whether such actions are illegal.  For instance, Manafort giving the Russians polling data wasn’t a crime.

I look forward to reading the report.  And let’s see where the remaining investigations go.

Meanwhile Nunes wants the report destroyed.  What does he know about what’s in it?

“I’ve thought for a long time that the working template for presidential scandals is not Watergate, but Iran Contra. Protect the president at all costs, and go to the base to say it’s a witch hunt. Worked for Bill Clinton eventually, too.”

—Dave Wiegel

 

“While this report does not conclude that the President committed a crime, it also does not exonerate him.”

From Barr’s four page letter.

Honestly, that’s about the worst possible outcome.  I was kind of hoping for some resolution, one way or another.

So apparently the report, according to Barr, finds no evidence of conclusion and declines to make conclusions on obstruction.  Of course, Congress is going to demand the full report, and that fight will take weeks if not months if Barr is unwilling.  The House Intelligence Committee wants to know if there is evidence of a compromised Presidency.  Everyone wants to know why Manafort provided the polling data to the Russians.  Even the Republicans want the supporting documentation so they can determine if Obama or his staff did something wrong with the FISA warrants.  And everyone wants to know what is happening with the investigations by Federal prosecutors in New York, Virginia, and Washington DC.

It basically appears that Mueller punted.

Buju Banton takes the right step

For those of you who were around for the Buju Banton controversy which rocked the Mateel and later northern Humboldt – this is major!  Banton is removing Boom Boom Bye from his catalog and promises not to perform it again.

This could actually save the genre of Reggae – if others follow his lead.

Here are some of the old posts.  One.  Two.  Three.  Four.

“I recognize that the song has caused much pain to listeners, as well as to my fans, my family and myself. After all the adversity we’ve been through I am determined to put this song in the past and continue moving forward as an artist and as a man,” he continued. “I affirm once and for all that everyone has the right to live as they so choose. In the words of the great Dennis Brown, ‘Love and hate can never be friends.’ I welcome everyone to my shows in a spirit of peace and love. Please come join me in that same spirit.”

 

Affirmation

Thanks to those who voted for this and the other Thursday night hosts.

As it happens, my show is tonight on KMUD at 7:00.  Chuck Rogers to talk about the national news of the day.

Sandy Hook parents can sue Remington

A few details here.

As I’ve said, I’m for gun control, but I also take the position that if you weaken the Second Amendment you run the risk of weakening the entire Bill of Rights. So I have mixed feelings about this result, and especially I would be grateful to know what they mean by “Remington’s calculated and profit-driven strategy to expand the AR-15 market and court high-risk users.”

I need more details.

Venezuela

This is about where I’m at.  Basically, the current government is corrupt and out of control.  But let the Venezuelans handle it.   Anything we or any other country does other than offer moral support is going to aggravate the situation.  We don’t have a good history in any case, and our current Presidency is completely inept.

Darryl Cherney event in Arcata on Sunday evening

John Hickenlooper!

You will all remember for the rest of your lives where you were when you first heard that John Hickenlooper declared his candidacy for President!

RBG Deathwatch on hold?

Or maybe you want to suggest that she’s in a hurry?