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December 2017

Posted by William A. Jacobson on December 01, 2017 54 Comments
Today was another spectacular speculative day on Twitter and in the media due to Michael Flynn's guilty plea to one count of lying to the FBI regarding Flynn's communications with the Russian Ambassador in late December 2016. A somewhat moribund Russia-collusion conspiracy community sprang back to life instantaneously.The treason-choir found its voice again. Pundits speculated endlessly about what it all means -- in a distinctly binary manner: Trump is a gonner, or it's a big nothing burger.

Posted by Mary Chastain on December 01, 2017 64 Comments
The Department of Justice has unsealed an arrest warrant for Jose Garcia Zarate, the illegal immigrant just acquitted of killing Kate Steinle in California. This arrest warrant is in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas for a supervised release violation.

Posted by Mary Chastain on December 01, 2017 29 Comments
Ever since The Washington Post posted about the Office of Compliance doling out $17 million since 1997 to settle different violations across the Hill everyone has demanded the government unseal the deals. Slowly it's been happening! Politico has now reported that Rep. Blake Farenthold paid $84,000 towards a sexual harassment settlement in 2014.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on December 01, 2017 8 Comments
During the campaign and transition, Donald Trump was clear in his promise to move the U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem, Israel's capital. As with prior administrations, there was walk-back in reality, and the Embassy still is in Tel Aviv. In the past week there has been much speculation that an announcement about moving the Embassy was near, but that speculation was denied by the administration.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on December 01, 2017 18 Comments
Welcome to Texas, where politics are a blood sport and nothing, and I mean nothing is off limits, including crepes. Sid Miller, the current Agricultural Commissioner is up for re-election next year. Miller has a new primary challenger, Austin-based lobbyist, ethics advisor, attorney, and self-professed conservative, Trey Blocker.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on December 01, 2017 13 Comments
Earlier this year, I noted that the latest pollutant being targeted by environmentalists was microplastics from polymer-based fabrics. This proved troubling to many climate justice warriors, as activist essentials such as yoga pants was contributing to the flow of small, plastic particulates to the ocean.

Posted by William A. Jacobson on December 01, 2017 59 Comments
As predicted, Robert Mueller's investigation was more likely to find process crimes, such as making false statements to federal investigators, or crimes unrelated to alleged Russia collusion, than crimes related to actual collusion. Mueller just charged Michael Flynn with lying to the FBI during a January 2017 interview (which predated Mueller) about conversations with the Russian ambassador in late December 2016, during the transition. Media reports are blurring this timeline, implying it was during the campaign.

Posted by Vijeta Uniyal on December 01, 2017 11 Comments
German Intelligence Agency (BND) is concerned about the Islamist ideology increasing its influence in the Balkan region, German newspapers report. The main focus of Germany's foreign intelligence agency is the Muslim-majority country of Bosnia-Herzegovina. The agency has been alarmed by massive investments being made by Saudi Arabia and other Arab countries in the religious and Islamist infrastructure of the country.
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