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JUNE 7,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:55 P.M. ET: 

SISTER MAXINE SPEAKS – FROM INDEPENDENT JOURNAL REVIEW:  Rep. Maxine Waters (D-Calif.) derided President Donald Trump on Wednesday when she claimed that women nationwide didn't want to be alone with him.  Women “across the country,” Waters said, shared former FBI Director James Comey's request not to have private meetings with Trump.  Waters was referencing a recent report that Comey told Attorney General Jeff Sessions that private meetings with Trump were inappropriate and that he didn't want them to happen again. Comey confirmed that report in his prepared Congressional testimony, which was released on Wednesday.  I wonder how Maxine knows what women across the country are thinking.  Maybe she has supernatural powers, like all Democratic leaders.

MADNESS – FROM NEWSBUSTERS:   Former FBI Director James Comey has not said a single word in public, but the liberal media have been salivating for days over his upcoming testimony on Thursday. Case in point: from noon on Thursday (June 1) when the date for the testimony was set, until noon today (June 7), CNN has already devoted more than 10 hours of coverage to testimony that has yet to even occur. Their "Comey Countdown” logo first appeared at 3:01 AM on Monday – a full three days before the hearing was slated to start.  Think of it like the endless pre-game coverage of the Super Bowl. The massive anticipatory coverage is a not-so-subtle signal to the public that what’s about to happen is really, really, really important. And, instead of waiting to hear what Comey actually says in this hearing, airtime is spent on conjecture, speculation, and innuendo about the potential damage he might cause to the Trump administration.  On CNN Tonight on June 1, host Don Lemon suggested, “this is going to be the most watched thing – at least hearing – since Watergate.”   I can confirm the observation.  CNN has become unwatchable.  All credibility is gone.  Major stories aren't even covered.  It's all Trump impeachment all the time.  And most sources are unnamed.

ANCESTORS – FROM THE WALL STREET JOURNAL:  The bones of ancient hunters unearthed in Morocco are the oldest known specimens of the human species, potentially pushing back the clock on the origin of modern Homo sapiens, scientists announced Wednesday.  Found among stone tools and the ashes of ancient campfires, the remains date from about 300,000 years ago, a time when the Sahara was green and several early human species roamed the world, the scientists said. That makes them about 100,000 years older than any other fossils of Homo sapiens—the species to which all people today belong.  And because they didn't vote, Hillary lost the election.

June 7, 2017       Permalink

GREAT MOVE – AT 10:05 A.M. ET:   The Trump Justice Department is ending a racket, er, practice from the Obama administration that allowed liberal "cause" groups to shake down corporations.  From Fox: 

The Justice Department announced Wednesday it will no longer allow prosecutors to strike settlement agreements with big companies directing them to make payouts to outside groups, ending an Obama-era practice that Republicans decried as a “slush fund” that padded the accounts of liberal interest groups.

In a memo sent to 94 U.S. attorneys' offices early Wednesday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions said he would end the practice that allowed companies to meet settlement burdens by giving money to groups that were neither victims nor parties to the case.

Sessions said the money should, instead, go to the Treasury Department or victims.

“When the federal government settles a case against a corporate wrongdoer, any settlement funds should go first to the victims and then to the American people—not to bankroll third-party special interest groups or the political friends of whoever is in power,” Sessions said in a statement.

Conservatives have long fought the policy introduced under the Obama administration. Earlier this year, Republican lawmakers introduced legislation that would prohibit the Department of Justice from requiring defendants to donate money to outside groups, after concerns that the settlements bypass congressional appropriations processes.

“This bill is oversight and action. Congress must not tolerate Justice Department political appointees using settlements to funnel money to their liberal friends,” Chairman of the House Judiciary Committee Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., who introduced the bill, said in a statement. “This is also an institutional issue. Once direct victims have been compensated, deciding what to do with additional funds recovered from defendants becomes a policy question properly decided by elected representatives in Congress, not agency bureaucrats or prosecutors.” 

COMMENT:  A terrific move.  No more shakedowns, at least in federal cases.  Of course, the Justice Department will now be accused of racism.  It should simply ignore the accusation and stick to its new policy.

June 7, 2017       Permalink

TERROR ATTACK IN IRAN – AT 9:34 A.M. ET:  There has been a major terror attack in, of all places, Tehran, Iran.  Add this to the many terror attacks that have occurred recently.  From CNN: 

Tehran, Iran (CNN) Attackers have mounted simultaneous gun and suicide bomb assaults on Iran's parliament building and the tomb of the republic's revolutionary founder, in one of the most audacious assaults to hit Tehran in decades.

At least 12 people were killed and dozens more injured in the twin assaults on the Iranian capital, state media reported. A third attack was foiled, Iran's Intelligence Ministry said.

ISIS issued a swift claim of responsibility. Its media wing, Amaq, claimed "fighters with the Islamic State" carried out the attack, but did not offer evidence.

By choosing the burial site of Iran's revered revolutionary leader, and the national legislative forum, the attackers picked highly symbolic targets.

The attack shocked Tehran: Until now, Iran has largely escaped the regular assaults launched against other participants in Syria's civil war. In a region plagued by sectarian violence, residents of the Iranian capital have lived in a peaceful oasis.

The violence unfolded at about 10 a.m. local time (2 a.m. ET) when gunmen apparently dressed as women stormed the main gate of the parliament building in central Tehran and opened fire, Iran's Deputy Interior Minister Mohammad Hossein Zolfaghari told state television.

The attackers took a number of hostages and at least one detonated a suicide bomb. Sporadic gunfire was heard before Iranian authorities declared the situation under control about four hours later. All four attackers were killed by security forces, the semi-official Fars news agency reported.

COMMENT:  This is one of those situations where you root for both sides to lose.  The danger, of course, is that an angry Iran will now strike out wildly, even at the wrong target. 

Iran is called by many American officials the world's chief sponsor of terrorism.  Which terrorists will it now call on to stage a spectacular retaliation?

June 7, 2017       Permalink

HOORAY FOR WRAY – AT 9:24 A.M. ET:  The president has made his choice for a new FBI director.  He will have to be confirmed by the Senate.  From Fox: 

President Trump on Wednesday said he intended to nominate former assistant attorney general Christopher Wray to be the next FBI director.

Wray, currently a litigation partner at King & Spalding, would replace Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe, who took over when James Comey was fired by Trump in May.

“I will be nominating Christopher A. Wray, a man of impeccable credentials, to be the new Director of the FBI. Details to follow,” Trump tweeted.

And...

Wray was nominated as assistant attorney general in charge of the DOJ's criminal division in 2003 and served in that role until 2005. After he left the Justice Department, Wray returned to private practice, focusing on "white collar and internal investigations," according to his DOJ biography.

During his time at DOJ, Wray became known for overseeing the Enron prosecution task force and playing a major role in the department's post-9/11 response.

In private practice, Wray also served as New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie's lawyer during the "bridgegate" saga. Christie has been a close confidant of Trump's, however, it's unknown if the two discussed the pick.

And...

Wray graduated from Yale in 1989 and received his law degree from Yale Law School in 1992, where he served as the Executive Editor of Yale Law Journal. He joined the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia in 1997 and began working at Main Justice in 2001.

Wray received the Edmund J. Randolph Award, the DOJ's highest award for public service and leadership, when he left the Justice Department in 2005.

COMMENT:   Very solid background, although I'm guessing the Democrats will figure out a way to oppose him.  There was already some sniping this morning at CNN, the first name in views.

The president's announcement stole some thunder from the hearings underway on Capitol Hill in the "Russian influence" matter, hearings that will culminate tomorrow in the appearance, in a starring role, of James Comey.

June 7,  2017     Permalink

JUNE 6,  2017

SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:54 P.M. ET: 

THERE'S DUMB AND THERE'S REALLY DUMB – FROM THE JERUSALEM POST:   Jordan is considering banning the film “Wonder Woman” because star Gal Gadot served in the Israel Defense Forces. Jordan’s Communications Commission is currently reviewing the film to determine whether it meets the country’s standards and laws, the Israeli news website Ynet reported. The review comes in the wake of Lebanon’s decision to ban the film as part of its total boycott of all things Israeli. Lebanon is officially at war with Israel and bans Israeli products.  The Mideast is in flames, Arabs are killing each other by the thousands, and Jordan and Lebanon are worried about Wonder Woman?  There are reasons why some civilizations die. 

FIGHTING BACK – FROM COLLEGE FIX:   BOSTON – EMERSON COLLEGE – They’re called racist. They’re told their opinions don’t matter. They’re afraid to speak out in class for fear of being lambasted by professors or peers.  And they’re sick of it.  Right-of-center students said the attacks at the small liberal arts college were enough to drive them to meet with several campus leaders and demand change.  This fall a new conservative thought class debuts, one which will host guest speakers at talks open to the campus community. And a student-led effort is underway to bring even more conservative speakers to campus.  This comes after students addressed leaders at the downtown Boston college about what they described in recent interviews with The College Fix as a vicious and even “hateful” form of progressivism on campus. We see more and more stories of conservative students fighting back against the totalitarians and academic terrorists.  Sometimes they're successful.  It's good to see.

NO CLASS – FROM MEDIAITE:   Shakespeare in the Park, an annual summer program by The Public Theater that puts on plays by William Shakespeare in Central Park, kicked off May 23 with a performance of Julius Caesar.  But this rendition of Shakespeare’s tragedy comes with a twist — Caesar is played by a character that bears a striking resemblance to President Donald Trump...It describes the Roman leader as “Magnetic, populist, irreverent,” and “bent on absolute power.” The description also notes that a “small band of patriots, devoted to the country’s democratic traditions, must decide how to oppose him.”... Those who have read Shakespeare’s play know how that opposition manifests itself (brace for spoilers): a group of conspirators — including his friends Cassius and Brutus — stab Caesar to death on the Senate floor.  Do these "artists" have any decency left at all?  They represent the maturity crisis that has befallen America.

June 6, 2017       Permalink

SOCIALISM PAYS WELL – AT 12:18 P.M. ET:  Bernie Sanders, socialist senator from the People's Republic of Vermont, is becoming very, very rich – from socialism.  What an American success story!  From Heatstreet: 

Bernie Sanders made more than $858,000 in royalties for two new books last year, according to the 2016 financial disclosure the senator quietly filed on Sunday.

And he’s keeping the money.

The disclosure provides new insight into how Sanders’ presidential campaign affected his own personal finances. It was due on May 15, but Sanders failed to file, instead seeking an extension. The book royalties were the most noteworthy new source of income Sanders reported in the election-year filings.

Most of that money, $795,000, comes from Our Revolution: A Future To Believe In, a book Sanders wrote for St. Martin’s Press. Published on Nov. 15, the book included Sanders’ account of the 2016 election. Hardcover copies sold for $27—the average amount contributed to Sanders’ presidential campaign.

Sanders also made 14 stops on a book tour to promote Our Revolution, receiving reimbursement from the publisher for airfare, ground transportation, lodging and meals, the financial disclosure says.

COMMENT:  See, if only you deplorables out there would recognize that socialism can make you rich, you'd stop resisting the ideas of Karl "Moneybags" Marx. 

Bernie also has a couple of homes, by the way.  Like many of the party officials in the old Soviet Union, he knows how to take care of himself.

June 6, 2017       Permalink 

BULLETIN:  ATTACK IN PARIS – AT 11:06 A.M. ET:  The early reports are sketchy, and the incident is apparently over, but there has been a hammer attack on a police officer near Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris.   It resembles other single-person attacks that have occurred recently in France.  From Fox: 

A man attacked a French police officer with a hammer before being shot outside the famed Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris on Tuesday, according to reports.

Paris police wrote on Twitter that there are a "number of police" at the square in front of the cathedral. They urged people to avoid the area. 

The officer defended himself from the attacker by firing his gun twice, police told Fox News. The attacker was reportedly wounded. 

The French U.S. embassy alerted American citizens to "avoid the area and follow advice of authorities" following the incident. 

Large numbers of police cars filled the area on the Ile de Cite island in the River Seine in the center of Paris. The city is under high security after a string of Islamic extremist attacks in recent years.

COMMENT:   We don't have any word on the motivation of the attacker, or whether he acted alone.  There is an assumption among those covering the story that this is an act of Islamist terror, but we caution that this hasn't been confirmed.

Europe has been hit repeatedly over the last few years, and of course we have had several incidents ourselves.   If it turns out that this is another Islamist at work, some will dismiss the attack as the work of a "lone wolf."  There is no such thing as a lone wolf.  Someone doesn't get up one day and decide to launch a terror attack.  So-called "lone wolves" are radicalized by someone, whether online or in person.  And the radicalization is not an accident.

We go through a ritual of defiance after every attack, and within two weeks the attack is forgotten, the dead buried, and the pseudo-intellectuals out in force telling us we just must learn to understand.

June 6, 2017       Permalink

A NEW BATTLE – AT 10:19 A.M. ET:  Today is the 73rd anniversary of D-Day, the invasion of northern France by the United States and its allies, an invasion that led to the end of Nazi Germany less than a year later.

Now, today, another military operation is underway, this time in the Mideast, part of President Trump's pledge to destroy ISIS.  From the Daily Mail: 

US-backed forces are closing in on one of Islamic State's most important cities as pressure is piled onto the jihadists whose self-declared caliphate is in retreat across Syria and Iraq.   

The Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) said today it launched a battle to capture Raqqa, Islamic State's de facto Syrian capital, as heavy shelling and airstrikes were heard in the area.

Spokesman Talal Silo said fighting would be 'fierce because Daesh (Islamic State) will die to defend their so-called capital'.  

The assault overlaps with the final stages of the U.S.-backed attack to recapture the Iraqi city of Mosul from Islamic State. 

It follows months of advances to the north, east and west of Raqqa by the SDF, which includes Arab and Kurdish militias.

Islamic State fighters were jubilant after they captured Raqqa from rebel groups in 2014 and it has been used as an operations base to plan attacks in the West ever since.

Silo said the assault had begun from the north, east and west of the city, which is bordered to the south by the River Euphrates.

'The coalition has a big role in the success of the operations. In addition to warplanes, there are coalition forces working side by side with the SDF,' Silo said by phone from the Hukoumiya farms area, 10 km (6 miles) north of Raqqa, where the SDF later declared the start of the assault.

COMMENT:  Americans don't seem very interested in the struggle in Syria, and former President Obama didn't do too much to explain the stakes.  After all, intellectuals don't deal with us common folk.  But if Trump can smash ISIS, it will be a major accomplishment, and an astonishing victory.  It can change the face of the war on terror.  We'll follow the battle.

June 6,  2017     Permalink