First Lady Melania Trump Visits U.S. Military and Families…

The Last Refuge  "Earlier today First Lady Melania Trump visited Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Joint Base Langley-Eustis and the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush. Continuing to blaze her own trail, our First Lady actually flew on a v-22 Osprey."

Melania Trump

✔@FLOTUS

An incredible flight today on a V-22 to visit the service members aboard the USS George HW Bush. Thank you to ALL who serve!

Clinton Whistleblowers: Thursday’s Public Hearing to Reveal “Explosive” Information

Sara Carter  "A trove of documents on the Clinton Foundation alleging possible pay for play and tax evasion have been turned over to the FBI and IRS by several investigative whistleblowers, who will be testifying in an open hearing before the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee Thursday, according to the committee and lawmakers.

"Roughly 6,000 documents that are expected to reveal the nearly two-year investigation by the whistleblowers with a private firm called MDA Analytics LLC, which allegedly turned over the documents more than a year and a half ago to the IRS, according to John Solomon, who first published the report last week in The Hill. 

"The whistleblowers are former federal criminal investigators, who allege that the Clinton Foundation was “engaged in illegal activities and may be liable for millions of dollars in delinquent taxes and penalties,” according to Solomon.

"The Department of Justice and the FBI’s Little Rock, Ark. field office, which is believed to be investigating the foundation, have allegedly obtained the documentation from the whistleblowers as well, according to lawmakers who’ve spoken with the whistleblowers.

"Clinton Foundation officials could not be immediately reached for comment.

"However, a former whistleblower, who has spoken with agents from the Little Rock FBI field office last year and worked for years as an undercover informant collecting information on Russia’s nuclear energy industry for the bureau, noted his enormous frustration with the DOJ and FBI. He describes as a two-tiered justice system that failed to actively investigate the information he provided years ago on the Clinton Foundation and Russia’s dangerous meddling with the U.S. nuclear industry and energy industry during the Obama administration." . . .

Fear the left Incoming NY State AG admits her plan to find a crime by Trump or 'anyone in his orbit'

WITCH HUNT: NY Attorney General Says She'll Investigate Everyone Around Trump

New York Attorney Gen.-elect Letitia James is buttressing President Trump’s claims that there is a “witch hunt” pursuing him; she told NBC News that she intends to investigate not only the president, but also his family and "anyone" in his circle who may have violated the law.  . . .

Thomas Lifson  "Another Democrat has revealed her totalitarian impulse under the malign influence of Trump Derangement Syndrome.  Letitia James, who will take office as attorney general of the State of New York, has just admitted to the friendly folks at NBC News that she is channeling Lavrenty Beria, Stalin's notorious secret police head, who famously said, "Show me the man, and I'll find you the crime."

"I think within the first 100 days this bill will be passed," she said, adding, "It is a priority because I have concerns with respect to the possibility that this administration might pardon some individuals who might face some criminal charges, but I do not want them to be immune from state charges."

"With Rep. Ted Lieu admitting his frustration with the First Amendment, yesterday saw two prominent Dems revealing the inner tyrants.

It seems to me a safe bet that once the Democrats take control of the House of Representatives, they will spiral even faster into a frenzy to "get" Trump and will present a spectacle to the American public that will be a sobering lesson.  But in the month ahead, I would not rule out more auto-unmasking of tyrant-wannabes."

Dem Rep. Ted Lieu says that he'd 'love to be able to regulate the content of speech'

Now, the second clause of his second sentence is curious.  That Congressman Lieu thinks that in the long run, free speech is a good idea suggest that right now, he doesn't think it's a good thing.  Does this mean that during the Trump presidency, free speech would be suspended if he had his druthers?  Would the "long run" be when Democrats have imported enough impoverished foreigners to guarantee perpetual rule?  Or maybe just when Trump is out of office?
Last March, I noted that TDS is driving what I called "the great unmasking of the left."

The Trump border reality show edition

Bookworm Room
"Trump turned the debate over funding a Southern border wall into a brilliant reality show, with Pelosi and Schumer as his hapless foils . . . and much more.

Cartoon added by TD

. . . "Even at the reliably Left-leaning Daily Beast, Matt Lewis explained that Trump walked away the undisputed victor: . . ."

. . . "But do you want to know how I know with certainty that Trump was the victorious alpha in that room? This is how: The Left focused obsessively on the fact that Trump interrupted Pelosi. The horror!Trump interrupted Nancy Pelosi 15 times in the Oval Office. Watch her coolly shut it down. (Leftist sexism overflowed!)

How Nancy Pelosi Masterfully Dismantled Trump : Do not mansplain to the former — and likely future — Speaker of the House.

Commentary: Pelosi-Trump exchange put the rudeness of ‘talking over’ on full display

Congresswoman, Interrupted : President Trump’s interruptions of House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi are part of a long tradition of men talking over female colleagues.

"If the only thing you can say after a televised debate about a matter of enormous importance to Americans is “he was mean to the most powerful woman in America,” you’ve conceded that you’ve lost the substantive argument." . . .

That Oval Office sit-down? Pelosi and Schumer got skunked.  "There are thousands of families in the U.S. who have lost children and family members to illegal aliens in a variety of horrific ways.  In that sure-to-go-down-in-history Oval Office confab, Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer effectively let us know that they don't care about us or our losses.  They need Democrat voters; that is their abiding goal."
. . . 
"That Oval Office sit-down with the Beavis and Butt-Head of the House and Senate will go down in history as the best of political theater and a demonstration of presidential genius."

Earl of Taint

France: Understanding the Gilets Jaunes Uprising

"The vast majority haven't been told the truth about life for ordinary citizens, in France. As a result, they don’t understand the significance of the violent ‘gilets jaunes’ protests across the country. Having lived in France for years, REX explains why these are the most important protests in France since 1968 - and likely a beacon for citizens all across Europe."

Rich Terrell

Quod Verum  "Millions of French citizens have been violently demonstrating across France for the last month.

"They are known as the gilets jaunes, or "yellow jackets". The protestors wear the yellow high-viz jacket, that is common on building sites and airports.

"It’s a powerful totem for the French deplorables, a unifying symbol of ordinary, working class folk across the nation.

"France is no stranger to organized protests, or as they are called, manifestations. These are a dime-a-dozen in France. Typically they are union-engineered strikes, used as a weapon in the never-ending negotiation between organized labor and the French state.

"Forget what FakeNews is telling you. This is no ordinary manifestation.

"This is a genuine uprising by millions of city and country folk, young and old, crossing different ethnic and cultural lines.

"Macron’s diesel tax hike wasn’t the cause of the gilets jaunes movement. It was the spark detonating a bomb, that has been building for decades.

"It is the first time since 1968, that France has seen such a genuine and uprising popular uprising, against the French state.

"This protest is different. And it has very specific, historic reasons, as this article will reveal." . . .

"Even as Paris burns, America’s media and other Democrat establishments demand that America institute the socialist policies that are destroying Europe."

Identity Politics Poses a Genuine Threat to America. Here’s Why

Is identity politics reaching a breaking point?

. . . "Hudson’s Fonte outlined what has become the framework for identity politics on the left.“Multiculturalism, the diversity project, and critical theory” are the three major cornerstones of this creed, Fonte said."In a 2013 article in National Review, Fonte described the “diversity project” as: “[T]he ongoing effort to use federal power to impose proportional representation along race, gender, and e.thnic lines in all aspects of American life.”

"Multiculturalism comes in a hard version and a soft version, he said."The soft version celebrates ethnic subcultures, examples being St. Patrick’s Day and Cinco de Mayo."The hard version, Fonte said, has damaged society. He concisely summed up its tenets:The United States is a multicultural society in which different cultures—African-Americans, Hispanic-Americans, Asian-Americans, Native Americans, and women—have their own values, histories, and identities separate from and sometimes in opposition to dominant Anglo, white, male culture.

"This creed divides America into many peoples and has become the dominant ethos taught in American schools." . . .

Democratic Sen. Mazie Hirono of Hawaii called on the men in America to “just shut up and step up” . . .

Government Indicts Ham Sandwich: Michael Cohen Pleads Guilty

Ann Coulter  . . . "This is how they lure you into arguing about something that doesn’t matter.

"In the 1990s, Chinese nationals were literally dragging duffel bags of money into the Democratic National Committee as President Clinton allowed sensitive ballistic-missile guidance technology to be transferred to the Chinese government.

"No charges. No independent counsel.

"Clinton held illegal campaign fundraisers at the White House, where Chinese citizens handed checks directly to White House staff.

"Still no charges and no independent counsel.

"Videotapes of the White House fundraisers surfaced, featuring the president and vice president glad-handing campaign donors on federal property.

"And again, no charges, no independent counsel.

"The New York Times’ response to Attorney General Janet Reno’s refusal to assign an independent counsel to these textbook campaign finance violations was a forceful editorial lightly ribbing Reno for her “blunders.”

"Saturday Night Live was tougher on Reno.

“Weekend Update With Norm Macdonald,” Nov. 8, 1997:

With the release of over 100 hours of videotape of President Clinton at campaign fundraisers, the pressure continues to mount on Attorney General Janet Reno to name an independent counsel to investigate the president. In addition, some senators are said to be furious that, instead of watching the videotapes, Reno has been taping over them with episodes of “Xena: Warrior Princess.”

"But now we’re supposed to care that Trump’s personal lawyer lied about a legal payment to, depending on your point of view, a mistress or an opportunistic grifter — AND HE USED A TRUMP ORGANIZATION EMAIL ADDRESS."

Meadows: Three Clinton Foundation whistleblowers with ‘EXPLOSIVE’ info will testify this week

Ian Macfarlane

National Sentinel  "Hail Mary: The chairman of the House Freedom Caucus said Tuesday that no fewer than three whistleblowers with “explosive” information regarding the Clinton Foundation are set to testify before a House committee this week.

"During an appearance on Fox News with host Martha McCallum, Rep. Mark Meadows, R-N.C., discussed the year-long investigation of Utah federal prosecutor John Huber, whom former Attorney General Jeff Sessions tasked earlier this year to look into alleged nefarious activities involving the foundation.

“ 'They [whistleblowers] have 6,000 pages of evidence that they’ve gone through,” McCallum said. “The foundation raised $2.5 billion, and they’re looking into potential improprieties. What’s next on this investigation?”

“ 'Well, I think for the American people, they want to bring some closure, not just a few sound bites, here or there, so we’re going to be having a hearing this week, not only covering over some of those 6,000 pages that you’re talking about, but hearing directly from three whistleblowers that have actually spent the majority of the last two years investigating this,” Meadows said." . . .

Trump sprang three traps on Pelosi and Schumer yesterday

Thomas Lifson  "President Trump clearly shocked House speaker-to-be Nancy Pelosi and Senate minority leader Chuck Schumer yesterday with his televising of the Oval Office sit-down over his demand for $5 billion in funding for border security, including funding of critical mileage for his border wall.  Knowing well that Pelosi had already vowed publicly that "transparency and openness" would characterize the Democrat-run House starting next month, her plaintive request to speak in private scored points for Trump and revealed her hypocrisy before any substance at all was considered.

"The remarkable body language during the meeting tells the story of Trump's dominance.  Here is the full video of the press gaggle . . .:

. . . 

"Chuck Schumer took the bait on the second trap, and after the Oval Office meeting, he employed triumphantly the term "Trump Shutdown" as if he had won a victory through Trump's surrender.  Thus fortified, he is more likely to take Trump's dare and refuse funding for adequate border security and metaphorically throw Bre'r Trump into the briar patch.

The third trap is maneuvering the Senate Democrats into standing for open borders, or at least ineffective border security.  The current House of Representatives will pass the funding.  It is the Senate, where a 60-vote filibuster could be employed, that would be the obstacle.

Never forget that Trump was the most successful producer of reality television in the history of the medium.  He understands drama and a story arc.  Chuck Schumer leading a Senate filibuster right before Christmas to stymie border protection is exactly the story Trump wants the nation's TV-viewers to absorb.  

Disgrace: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Attacks Gold Star Father John Kelly as a Coward

Katie Pavlich  

Woke 29-year-old Congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez went after White House Chief of Staff John Kelly yesterday. Why? She wants him to apologize to Democrat Rep. Frederica Wilson for supposedly "lying" about her to reporters.  . . .

. . . "Cowardice." Quite a big word to use against a four-star Marine Corps general whose son was killed in Afghanistan.

"Wilson's spat with Kelly came last year when she alleged President Trump disrespected a military family during a phone call. Kelly disputed her characterization and gave a briefing to the White House press corps on how the military handles casualties.

"Most Americans don’t know what happens when we lose one of soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines, our Coast Guardsmen in combat. So let me tell you what happens," Kelly said. "Their buddies wrap them up in whatever passes as a shroud, puts them on a helicopter as a routine, and sends them home. Their first stop along the way is when they’re packed in ice, typically at the airhead. And then they’re flown to, usually, Europe where they’re then packed in ice again and flown to Dover Air Force Base, where Dover takes care of the remains, embalms them, meticulously dresses them in their uniform with the medals that they’ve earned, the emblems of their service, and then puts them on another airplane linked up with a casualty officer escort that takes them home."

Photos added by TD

"While that’s happening, a casualty officer typically goes to the home very early in the morning and waits for the first lights to come on. And then he knocks on the door; typically a mom and dad will answer, a wife. And if there is a wife, this is happening in two different places; if the parents are divorced, three different places," he continued. "And the casualty officer proceeds to break the heart of a family member and stays with that family until — well, for a long, long time, even after the internment."  More below:

Four days earlier, 2nd Lt. Robert M. Kelly, 29, had stepped on a land mine while leading a platoon of Marines in southern Afghanistan. He was killed instantly.

White House adviser Kellyanne Conway called out congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on Tuesday for her assertion that Gen. John Kelly is a “coward.”

Ocasio-Cortez: John Kelly is a coward for refusing to apologize to Dem lawmaker

Kelly responded by blasting [Rep. Frederica Wilson (D-FL)] for politicizing the call and claimed he was the one who suggested the President make that statement, an obvious reference to her husband’s bravery in the face of danger.

People who supported putting the Clintons back in the White House have no credibility talking about law and order

Jack Hellner  "I agree with the Washington Post's Catherine Rampell that it is a shame that the government doesn't prosecute white-collar criminals enough." . . .

"But she is tremendously confused when she pretends journalists like her and other Democrats have ever cared about pardons by Democrat presidents and criminal activity by powerful Democrats.  She and other Democrats absolutely can't stand it if Trump pardons Manafort and they say Trump is guilty of campaign finance law violations.

"The Epstein story was out there when Hillary was running, but the mainstream media didn't care about it.  Putting Bill and Hillary back in the White House was more important.  But now, all of a sudden, journalists care about the case.

"Hillary, her aides, and Obama repeatedly violated the nation's security laws, and Democrats, including the media, didn't care.

"White-collar scientists have repeatedly committed fraud on the public by manipulating climate data, and not only don't Democrats care, but they just repeat the fraudulent numbers as if they are true." . . .

Jeff Flake is aching for a Trumpenfreude

Pinterest

Don Surber  "Jonathan Kobes became the 30th appellate judge appointed by President Donald John Trump to win Senate confirmation. Jeff Flake the Fake Republican tried to embarrass Kobes by forcing Vice President Mike Pence to cast the tie-breaking vote. History will record that Judge Kobes was the first circuit judge to be confirmed by a tie-breaker.
"So what?
"This is Senator Flake's final attempt to capture relevance after a one-and-done term as a senator. Elected in 2012 from Arizona after six terms in the House, he was a rising star -- who burst into flames immediately.
"Spectacularly, I might add.
"And long before a Trump presidency was a gleam in Melania Trump's eye.
""How Jeff Flake Became the Most Unpopular Senator in America," Atlantic magazine reported on April 23, 2013.
"It wasn't easy dethroning Mitch McConnell as America's least favorite Senator, but Flake has done that in just three short months, a new poll out Monday reveals — and his fall from rising-star grace is not quite the head-scratcher you might think."
"Donald Trump didn't break him.
"Flake shattered himself. He ran as a social conservative, but once seated in the Senate he pushed for more gun control as well as gay marriage. He also joined the Gang of Eight who wanted immigration laws liberalized.
"His family did not help.
""Sen. Jeff Flake of Arizona, a devout Mormon and family man, has apologized for homophobic, racist and anti-Semitic comments posted online by his teenage son," the New York Daily News reported on June 13, 2013.
"Media reports say he has spent time in New Hampshire this year for a possible presidential run.
"That's nice. Democrats need all the candidates they can get."