Washington Is Out to Get Steve Bannon  . . . "Reporters and pundits are also stepping up the effort to portray Bannon as the puppet master in the White House. Last week, MSNBC’s Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski said, “Legitimate media are getting word that Steve Bannon is the last guy in the room, in the evening especially, and he’s pulling the strings.” Her co-host, Joe Scarborough, agreed that Bannon’s role should be “investigated.”
     "I’m all for figuring out who the powers behind the curtain are in the White House, but we saw precious little interest in that during the Obama administration." . . .

Flynn's Son Condemns 'Disinformation' Campaign Against His Father   . . . "Following Flynn's exit, Democrats are demanding an investigation into his relationship with the Russians."

David Gregory tries to do to Trump what he did often to George W.

Surprise: Obama joins the attack on Trump's presidency . . . "He is actively engaged to oppose the policies of President Trump.  The civility during the inauguration was all for show. 

"There is a political civil war in progress.  The Opposition Party of the Democrats/MSM does not accept Trump as the legitimate president.  It opposes  his Cabinet appointees on party lines and criticizes every move he makes.  Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer has announced that the Democrats will oppose Supreme Court nominee Gorsuch by demanding sixty (60) votes to confirm.

"The Hollywood/Entertainment wing of the Opposition Party viciously attacks Trump as Nazi, as Hitler, at every opportunity. " . . .

Bill Clinton Tries To Wear A Yarmulke At Shimon Peres’ Funeral

Daily Caller   "When you’re an ex-president, paying your respects to a fellow world leader is the right thing to do.

"But something seems to have gone terribly wrong with the positioning of Bill Clinton‘s yarmulke at former Israeli President Shimon Peres‘ funeral.

"Pretty sure this is not how it’s worn.

"If Clinton glances to his left, he can get a sense of the proper perch."

http://www.lucianne.com/

Maxine Waters Falls For Pranksters Posing As Ukrainian PM Seeking Her Support Against Putin And His “Hacking” Of Fictitious Country…

Weasel Zippers

. . . "Two Russian pranksters have called US Congresswoman Maxine Waters posing as the Ukrainian PM seeking reassurances in the wake of Moscow’s most recent “invasions” across the globe and impudent “hacking” of presidential elections in a fictitious country. […]

"The pranksters then proceeded to exploit the seriously lacking geography knowledge of Congresswoman Waters, who had recently claimed that Russia was “advancing in Korea.”

"Speaking about the most recent “development” in Ukraine, the duo claimed that “Putin’s regular army” had “simultaneously occupied” both Donetsk in Eastern Ukraine and Lvov, which is in the West. In addition, the pranksters said that Russia had “invaded Gabon” to support President Ondimba.

"As a final blow, the pranksters claimed that Moscow had “hacked the election system” in a fictitious country of Limpopo, completely reversing the outcome and installing their puppet Ai Bolit as a president. Since the situation there has become even “worse than in the US,” the ousted president of Limpopo was considering fleeing to Ukraine, they said" . . .

Activists Warned Officials About Oroville Dam 12 Years Ago (But Nobody Listened)

The problem with Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway

Zero Hedge

Officials were warned twelve years in advance about potential safety hazards at the Oroville Dam in Butte County, California, which now faces the risk of flooding nearby residential areas as a result of a broken spillway and increased rainfall.

Local outlet Mercury News reports:

“Three environmental groups — the Friends of the River, the Sierra Club and the South Yuba Citizens League — filed a motion with the federal government on Oct. 17, 2005, as part of Oroville Dam’s relicensing process, urging federal officials to require that the dam’s emergency spillway be armored with concrete, rather than remain as an earthen hillside.”

"That never happened. The aging Oroville dam, which exceeded capacity on Sunday, began to overflow and spill over the earthen emergency spillway after the main spillway was severely damaged. These developments prompted flood warnings and a declaration of a state of emergency from Governor Jerry Brown. The spillway is on the verge of collapse, a potential disaster that prompted mass evacuations. Over 188,000 residents have been displaced." . . .

Map of the flood zone.

The stunning destruction at Oroville Dam and the work ahead

A craterlike hole that has surfaced in the middle portion on Oroville Dam’s main spillway, a 3,000-foot structure lined in concrete. (Kelly M. Grow/ California Department of Water Resources via Getty Images)

"When authorities were forced to use Oroville Dam’s emergency spillway, as recent storms caused the adjacent reservoir to swell, they expected to let water flow for at least 32 hours, 58 at the most.

"But after just less than a day, the emergency spillway in California’s gold country was at risk of failing. A craterlike hole had surfaced Sunday. Officials feared the worst: That further erosion would cause the spillway to collapse, clearing the way for a 30-foot-wall of water from the overfull reservoir to engulf surrounding areas." . . .

Busted: 75 Percent Of Illegal Aliens Rounded Up Over The Weekend Had Criminal Records

Matt Vespa

"Over the weekend, immigration enforcement agents rounded up hundreds of illegal aliens from across the country. It was not a Trump initiative—the wheels for these raids were set in motion before he was sworn in—but it was certainly in the spirit of one. Immigration activists noted that the nature of these raids was harsher—whatever that means. The Department of Homeland Security said that 75 percent of those who were rounded up had criminal records (via The Hill):

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Monday said that 75 percent of the people detained last week in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids were “criminal aliens.”

. . . "After eight years of dithering or outright negligence, you can see how this—and many other issues—could give rise to a political outsider, like Trump, to win an election. When a Democrat, like New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio, says that illegals wouldn’t be deported if they were caught drunk driving, you see why voters trust Republicans on law and order and national security issues. " . . .

On Mike Flynn being under the bus

WikiLeaks: Flynn leaving due to 'destabilization campaign' by Dems, media
"WikiLeaks on Tuesday blamed a “destabilization campaign” by the media and Democrats for national security adviser Michael Flynn's resignation." . . .

Thomas Lifson: CIA broke the law to take out its critic General Flynn  . . . "This last point is critical.  The entire "scandal" is based on innuendo.  Flynn tripped over his own feet by misinforming Vice President Pence on the nature of his call and allowing the veep to issue a too sweeping denial of any discussion.  If Flynn had said in his conversation with the Russian ambassador that we will discuss the sanctions after Trump takes office, he might well have told Pence that they did not discuss the sanctions.  And the CIA leakers could have used the appearance of the word "sanctions" in their transcript to brand Pence a liar.  We don't know, and for some reason, nobody is gaining access to the actual transcripts so that we may see the content.  Perhaps the congressional investigations to come will gain access.  But Flynn is now gone, and media memes have been firmly planted in the public mind." . . .

Ryan: When Trump Saw White House 'Being Misled' by Flynn, Resignation Requested

"House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) told reporters today that President Trump "was right to ask for" former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's resignation while GOP senators want more answers about his contacts with Russia.

"White House counselor Kellyanne Conway told the Today show this morning, though, that Flynn was the one to offer his resignation.

" 'He knew he had become a lightning rod and he made that decision," Conway said." . . .

Sally Yates' White House warning may have set Michael Flynn's resignation into motion  . . . "As for Yates, the Trump administration sacked her days after she met with the White House on Jan. 30 for ordering the Justice Department to not enforce the unscrupulous travel ban.
. . .
" 'Ms. Yates is an Obama Administration appointee who is weak on borders and very weak on illegal immigration," a White House spokesman said." . . .

The Political Assassination of Michael Flynn  . . . "A better explanation here is that Flynn was just thrown under the bus. His tenure as national security adviser, the briefest in U.S. history, was rocky from the start. When Flynn was attacked in the media for his ties to Russia, he was not allowed by the White House to defend himself. Over the weekend, he was instructed not to speak to the press when he was in the fight for his political life. His staff was not even allowed to review the transcripts of his call to the Russian ambassador." . . .  

Trump after Flynn resignation: 'The real story here is why are there so many illegal leaks coming out of Washington?'

CNN’s Henderson: Some Might View Flynn Resignation as the Press Having Scored Points Against the WH  The comical Don Lemon was part of this panel.

In CA, billions for high speed rail and illegal aliens, nothing for Oroville Dam

Rick Moran   "The massive evacuation of the area surrounding California's Oroville Dam would not have been necessary if state officials had heeded the warnings of experts a decade ago.

But defenders of Governor Brown claim that fixing the emergency spillway that is now threatening to collapse and cause catastrophic flooding was never a priority and the massive rainfall that has led to the crisis could not have been forseen.

  

"That may be true. But it is also a fact that the state spent billions for the $100 billion high speed rail system and billions more were spent on caring for illegal aliens. A tiny fraction of that spending - $200 million - could have been used to shore up the dam and avoid what could be the most serious flooding in modern California history.

"Washington Times:

In 2005, advocacy groups led by Friends of the River urged the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission to order the state to reinforce the dam’s earthen walls with concrete, citing the erosion risk, the San Jose Mercury News reported.
The agency rejected the request on the recommendation of the state Department of Water Resources and local water agencies, which would have been on the hook for improvements that could have cost as much as $100 million.

NYT TV critic cautions SNL on Trump-hating skits

Thomas Lifson  "Make no mistake: Mike Hale, TV critic of the New York Times, despises Donald Trump.  But even he sees the problem with Saturday Night Live's relentless attacks on the Trump administration.  In a Sunday edition article titled "Review: 'S.N.L.' Targets Trump Again, With a Hint of Exhaustion," he outlines his concerns that mere weeks into the Trump presidency, the hatred may be entering counterproductive territory with last Saturday's show.
. . . "Leftists are outraged at Trump, but there is no evidence that the country as a whole is outraged.  Pussy hats and riots are not attracting new adherents.  A majority supports the visa pause for terror hotspot countries, while the left fulminates.  And the longing for Trump to be impeached, to be assassinated, or to die in office – not to mention a military coup as hypothesized by a former Obama administration official in a "serious" journal – reveals full-blown Trump Derangement Syndrome."

“Saturday Night Live” and the Limits of Trump Mockery

. . . "There was, on Saturday and into Sunday morning, a feeling that this all couldn’t go on much longer. It’s not that the performers and writers are running out of ideas—Melissa McCarthy’s Spicer impression was still wildly funny (this time in high heels!), and a recorded sketch in which the White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway (McKinnon, brilliant again) and the CNN host Jake Tapper (Beck Bennett, with an unkind hairline) are trapped in a “Fatal Attraction”-style relationship of violent attraction and revulsion was a risky, frankly terrifying bit of comedy that also dramatized Trumpism’s sickening allure." . . .

#FakeNews: Muslim Athlete Detained Under Travel Ban Actually Detained Under Obama’s Ban, Not Trump’s

RedState  . . . "Ibtihaj Muhammad became a media star during the summer Olympics when she became the first female Muslim-American to medal in the Olympics for the United States. The New Jersey. . .  made headlines last year when she became the first female Muslim-American to win an Olympic medal for the United States.

"Winning international attention for wearing a hijab during competition, Muhammad’s bronze came as a member of the winning U.S. team in the Women’s Team Sabre competition.
"Muhammad was recently back in the headlines when the drooling mainstream media highlighted her story of being detained at an airport because of Trump’s recent “travel ban”. There’s only one problem…it was Obama’s “ban” that caught her in the red tape, not Trump."
. . .
"She either doesn’t say or doesn’t know. Without any further verification, the hysterical press used her story to push the narrative that Trump’s very narrow (and now halted) travel measures were affecting scores of innocent Americans.

"Of course, the details of the story are irrelevant. A narrative must be pushed, journalism be damned."

General Flynn still on rocky ground

Trump is 'evaluating' adviser Flynn, avoids show of support

"President Donald Trump is evaluating U.S. national security adviser Michael Flynn over his Russian contacts, Trump's spokesman said on Monday, pointedly declining to make a public show of support for his embattled aide. security adviser Michael Flynn over his Russian contacts, Trump's spokesman said on Monday, pointedly declining to make a public show of support for his embattled aide." . . .

Michael Flynn talked sanctions with Russia before Trump took office: Reports
"National Security Adviser Michael Flynn discussed U.S. sanctions against Russia with the Russian ambassador before President Trump took office, according to new reports that prompted the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs Committee to call for Mr. Flynn’s immediate firing.

"Mr. Flynn denied he had discussed the sanctions with Ambassador Sergey Kislyak to The Washington Post on Wednesday before a spokesman said Thursday that while Mr. Flynn had no recollection of discussing sanctions, he “couldn’t be certain” that the topic never came up.

"The Post said its report relied on “nine current and former officials” who were in senior positions at multiple agencies at the time of the calls.

"Mr. Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One Friday that he hadn’t seen the report, but that he’d “look into that.”

"Former President Barack Obama’s administration slapped new sanctions on Russian officials in December in response to alleged Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election." . . .

Mike Flynn Is Not Worried About His Job  . . . "So, honestly, who really knows what Trump will do? Flynn, for his part, believes he is safe. The rumor mill is churning out this and that. We’ll just have to see what Trump’s temperament is on the day a decision is made." . . .

"Hillary Clinton Is Running Again; Here's the Proof"

Politico  "Hillary Clinton will run for president. Again.

"No inside information informs this prediction. No argument is advanced as to whether her run is a good or a bad idea—there are many ways to make a case either way. Instead this is just a statement of simple facts (if facts mean anything anymore, that is). And the facts are clear that the former secretary of state is doing everything she needs to do to run for the White House one more time. If she finds a path to do so, she will take it. And I can prove it.

"Consider. Since Clinton’s shock-the-world, hysteria-inducing defeat last November, the Clinton Global Initiative has dramatically scaled back its operations. The CGI—the most scandal-plagued arm of the Clinton Foundation—was a ground zero of grief for the Clinton campaign. Labeled a slush fund for political operations, paid for by foreign governments, it was an endless and easy target of complaints about conflicts of interest and graft. Yet despite pleas to do so by various supporters throughout the 2016 campaign, the Clintons time and again refused to shut it down or shrink its mandate until Bill Clinton made the announcement just weeks before Election Day. Which raises the question: What advantage, other than a political one, is there to actually going through with it now?"  . . .

Updated: American silliness: Sarah Silverman

American Thinker

Lunatic Sarah Silverman Mistakes Utility Marks For Swastikas…

Silverman inspired some fun responses:

Liberal leftists write our material for us, don't they?