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July 2017

Senator Lindsey Graham (R-SC) told Fox News and CNN that the Senate Judiciary Committee learned from Bill Browder, the CEO and co-founder of Hermitage Capital, that Fusion GPS, the firm behind the dossier that contained false information about President Donald Trump, also worked for the Russians. He said:
"What we learned today is that the Russians were behind the organization that tried to get dirt on Trump. The dossier against Donald Trump was created by Fusion GPS and their organization and, guess what, the Russians were helping them. This man said the Russians were behind Fusion GPS.

Marine Gen. Joe Dunford, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has announced that the military will not change its transgender policy until President Donald Trump sends the Pentagon direction on changes and Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis implements it. From Politico:
“I know there are questions about yesterday's announcement on the transgender policy by the President,” Dunford wrote in the message, a copy of which was provided to POLITICO. “There will be no modifications to the current policy until the President's direction has been received by the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary has issued implementation guidance.”

EU’s highest court, the European Court of Justice (ECJ), may be set to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Hungary and Slovakia to challenge the EU’s migrant quota scheme, European media reports suggest.

The Advocate General for the European Court of Justice, Yves Bot, who is advising the judges on the case, proposed to dismiss the lawsuit filed by Hungary and Slovakia. His recommendations are not binding, but the top EU court usually follows the opinion presented by the advocate general. Earlier this year, Hungary and Slovakia approached the top EU court to challenge the Brussels’ decision to impose a continent-wide migrant relocation scheme. “Europe's top court looks set to throw out Eastern European objections to enforced migrant quotas,” reported the UK’s Daily Express. “EU strikes double blow against Poland, Hungary and Czech Republic over refugee quotas,” wrote the London-based Financial Times.

Is Mika Brzezinski predicting that President Trump won't serve out his term? Sounds like it, judging by her observation on today's Morning Joe.

"If you are losing Republicans every step of the way because you've proved to be not trustworthy, and you've failed them miserably on health care . . . [and] undermining someone who's been incredibly loyal to you . . . isn't he playing the person who ends up getting fired on The Apprentice, instead of being the person who says "you're fired?"

What's happening with Obamacare repeal, you ask? That is a fantastic question. But at this point, it's quite clear that Republicans who campaigned on repealing the ACA have zero intention of doing so now that the opportunity has presented itself. Seven Republican Senators voted against a so-called "clean repeal" bill Wednesday. Sens McCain, Murkowski, Capito, Lamar Alexander, Collins, Portman, and Heller are responsible for tanking the latest repeal effort. The bill offered no replacement but promised to delay full repeal, giving lawmakers time to figure out the rest.

Israeli, Jewish and Conservative media have been widely reporting about a Davis, California, Imam who called for the annihilation of Jews in a sermon after the Israelis installed metal detectors then entrances to the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. The mainstream media has almost completely ignored the story. But it turns out there is a second Californian Imam who engaged in similar incitement. As we have reported, the metal detectors were installed after three Islamic terrorists murdered two Israeli policemen with weapons hidden in the al-Aqsa mosque on the Temple Mount. After Palestinian violence, including the murder of three Israelis having Sabbath dinner, and Jordan effectively holding Israeli diplomats hostage, Israel agreed to the hostage release in exchange for removing the metal detectors. That move did nothing to satisfy the Palestinians, who have announced yet another day of rage and called for a widespread uprising on Friday.

The entire country needs a lesson in parliamentary procedure. As I blogged yesterday, Senate Republicans, with the assist of Vice President Pence finally cobbled together enough votes to pass a motion to proceed (MTP), which simply allowed for debate on proposed Republican health care reform. To watch Democrats, progressives, and everyone under the impression that health insurance saves lives, John McCain was single-handedly responsible for killing off some 22 million people. Never mind the other 50 votes or the that Sen. McCain already said he'd support a MTP. And let's not even bother considering the CBO estimates of health insurance losses are due to an inordinate amount of people choosing to abstain from purchasing health insurance once the individual mandate ceases to be. In any case, in the minds of many, McCain became a veritable killing machine.