Criminals and partisans, accusing others of criminality and partisanship

Victor Davis Hanson "Robert Mueller’s legal team may write a damning report on Trump’s ethics, based mostly on flipping minor former business associates of Trump’s and transient campaign officials by threatening them with long prison sentences.

"So far, we know that the U.S. government decided to intervene in a political campaign to help one candidate and to smear the other — under the pretext of Russian “collusion.” And so it hired or made use of spies and informants including Hank Greenberg, Stefan Halper, Felix Sater, and others to contact Trump campaign officials to catch them in supposed collusion traps. It enlisted the help of foreign intelligence agencies, specifically the British and Australians. It misled FISA courts into granting warrants to spy on Americans and, post factum, threatened long prisons sentences with those surveilled and interviewed. And as a result, it has so far found no collusion but may well find some misleading statements in hundreds of hours of testimonies from the likes of Michael Cohen, Michael Flynn, Paul Manafort, George Papadopoulos, and perhaps Jerome Corsi and Roger Stone. 

"Mueller cannot fulfill the hype of the past 18 months, which forecast that the “all-stars,” the “dream-team,” and the Mueller “army” would make short work of the supposedly buffoonish Trump by proving that he colluded with Russia to swing an election. Collusion, remember, was hyped as doing what the Logan Act, the emoluments clause, the 25th Amendment, impeachment, media frenzy, and assassination-chic rhetoric had not. By indicting a number of minor characters on charges that so far have nothing to do with collusion — for purported crimes mostly committed after the special-counsel appointment — Mueller has emphasized the quantity rather than the quality of indictments." . . .

CNN . . . falsely reported a number of damaging Trump stories: that transition official Anthony Scaramucci had colluded with a Russian financial official about easing sanctions; that Donald Trump knew in advance of a meeting that his son had agreed to with a Russian operator; that Trump Jr. knew in advance of the contents of the WikiLeaks Podesta trove; and that James Comey would testify to Congress that he never had assured Trump he was not under investigation.

Tony Branco

Coming to California soon! French Middle Class Riots Against Macron’s Carbon Tax

Rush Limbaugh  "Now, I want to move to what’s happening in France. Have you seen at all in the last week any video out of France, what’s happening over there? Just a few seconds, huh? Here’s the thing about this. Isn’t Europe utopia? Isn’t Europe showing us the way? Don’t our elites tell us that our future is emulating Europe, from trains to climate change to immigration, the Europeans are doing it right. The Europeans have got it down pat, right?

"Well, in this case, the Europeans, the French, are doing exactly what the global climate change political movement wants done! This young little whippersnapper president has put a massive tax on carbon, which has driven the price of gasoline to over seven bucks a gone. Now, they want you to believe, to the extent that they’re reporting this, that interestingly the media wants you to believe, that it’s extreme leftists that are wearing the yellow vests and are protesting. That’s not who’s protesting."  . . .    

. . . You know, I’m wondering why this is isn’t a bigger story in the Drive-By Media. Riots in utopian Europe over fuel taxes. Yeah, yeah, don’t let that become a thing. See, fuel taxes like this are part and parcel of saving the planet. Fuel taxes, carbon tax, gasoline prices way over seven bucks. That’s what we have to do, folks, to save the planet. That’s what these global climate change, global warming people are after.

Bay Area exodus: Here are the companies that have moved headquarters or opened offices out of California

San Francisco Business Times  "Every week brings news of yet another Bay Area company that plans to move its headquarters out of the region — essentially saying enough is enough.

"Enough with drug-users shooting up across from Twitter’s San Francisco headquarters. Enough with walking by someone defecating in the street in the city’s Financial District, enough with avoiding confrontations with the homeless who appear mentally ill.

"Those quality of life issues are on top of the escalating housing costs, growing traffic congestion and higher taxes that are likely to only get worse as President Trump’s tax overhaul means many of the Bay Area’s most successful residents will be paying more to the IRS." . . .

Here are just a few of the companies leaving the area. Many others are listed at this link.

Company Name	Bay Area HQ	New HQ Location	Satellite office/ HQ2 location
Bechtel	San Francisco	Reston, Virginia
Charles Schwab	San Francisco		New or expanded offices in Denver, Dallas and El Paso
Jamba Juice	Emeryville	Dallas, Texas
McKesson	San Francisco	Dallas, Texas
Pandora	Oakland		Atlanta, Georgia
			Hat tip to Harley Standlee; Ca.

Business Exodus From California Is More Troubling Than Sanctuary Policies

ChiefExecutive

. . . “I moved for three reasons – taxes, regulations and quality-of-life,” said Joseph Vranich, president of the boutique consulting firm. “First, I’ll have greater freedom in my business now that I’m free of California’s notorious regulatory environment and threats of frivolous lawsuits that hurt small businesses like mine,” he said. . . .

Nestle and others in California quietly admit that they are overtaxed and over-regulated, and elected officials treat them not as honored members of the community but as rapacious pirates. Apart from having higher taxes, absurd housing costs and more regulations than nearly any other state, says IBD, California’s wacky laws have turned the Golden State into a venue of choice for activist groups to file costly class action lawsuits — or to launch anti-corporate PR campaigns against big, wealthy targets like Nestle.  (vexatious litigants)

"California is facing a bigger issue than its tussle with the Federal government over sanctuary cities. According to a November report from the U.S Census Bureau, the Golden State has had 142,932 more residents exit to live in other states than people arriving from other states. This domestic outmigration was the second largest outflow in the U.S. behind New York and New Jersey. It was up 11 percent (13,699 net departures) compared to 2015.

Added by TD

"The state’s net outmigration has been continuing for over two decades, yet the state’s population continues to grow owing to foreign immigration. According to  census numbers  some 108,301, or 0.3 percent immigrants came to California as new residents from other countries. That and more births than deaths contributed to limited population growth. To everyone else the state has become a hard sell to people who presently live elsewhere in the country.

"What is more serious is the number of California-based companies that have left or signaled their intention to leave the state. Last year marks the first anniversary of the announcement that Carl’s Jr., a California burger icon for more than six decades, was relocating its headquarters to Nashville. It’s a symbol for what’s become a stream of businesses that have quit California. What was once an almost quiet exodus of companies now looks more like a stampede." . . . (Hat tip to Harley Standlee; Ca.)

The dead-broke Clintons need your help

Steyn on Clintons: They 'Raked in Big Bucks from Kazakh Oligarchs, But Can't Get People to Give Them $10'  . . . "Steyn said the Clintons are a "contrast" to the late President George H.W. Bush, who was lying in state at the Capitol rotunda on a split-screen.
"He called Bush a "model of a dignified political life" and praised the late Republican's choice to remain largely out of the spotlight during his successors terms.
"The Clintons, Steyn said, were the opposite: "They're on a perpetual hamster wheel.' "

Bill and Hillary Clinton’s National Tour Features Seas of Empty Seats
"No one is exactly sure why the Clintons have decided to do a national tour. They’re not running for anything that anyone knows of, and they certainly don’t need the money. The optics aren’t great for them, either. They’re playing to lots of empty seats." . . .

Clintons on sale: 90% off  . . . "When the tour was announced two months ago, the cheapest seats were $70.

"Now, $6 gets you in.
"The cheapest Cleveland Cavaliers ticket is $24 -- and that's without LeBron James on the team." . . .

"They have receded from a power couple to a couple of the powerless.

"I am sure they got paid upfront. My hope is whoever put this wingding together loses money. Bigly." . . .

If the ladies in this choir showed up in support of Hillary, perhaps the crowd would double:

Snowflakes' Effect on American Culture

Liberals suck every ounce of pleasure out of any room

Women Now Claim This Popular DISNEY Song Promotes Sexual Assault "An all-male a cappella group at a prestigious university will no longer sing one well-known Disney song because some audience members — and one sophomore who wrote an article about it for the student newspaper — found it to be “uncomfortable.”  
"Of course, this is all happening at an Ivy League college: Princeton University."

Phrases like 'bring home the bacon' and 'take the bull by the horns' will go out of fashion to avoid offending rising numbers of vegans, academic claims  . . . "Dr Hamzah said the influence of veganism will raise awareness of animal cruelty and push people towards using less meaty metaphors." . . .

Vegan scolds go Orwellian with proposal to eliminate meat metaphors




‘Whiteness’ Forum Denounces The Christian Cartoon ‘VeggieTales’ As Racist

How they look without their white sheets and hoods

. . . According to The College Fix, Cal State San Marcos held a so-called “Whiteness Forum” last Thursday where a variety of topics pertaining to America’s systemic racism was discussed. The two-hour event featured more than a dozen poster board projects critiquing various aspects of society. On top of lambasting the NFL and white women for perpetuating racism, the cartoon where talking vegetables perform biblical stories for children somehow found its way into the discussion, with speakers alleging it portrays racial stereotypes.
“ 'The Christian cartoon ‘VeggieTales’ is racist because the villains are vegetables of color,” The College Fix reports the forum as saying.

"A female student who worked on the forum told The College Fix that the villains in “VeggieTales” have ethnic accents, such as Latino, while the heroic characters sound white.

“ 'When kids see the good white character triumph over the bad person of color character, they are taught that white is right and minorities are the source of evil,” the project stated. – READ MORE

CNN Panel Trashes Trump After He Goes To Capitol To Quietly Visit And Honor George H.W. Bush

Another reason why I protested to our local McDonalds about CNN being their constant station. Last time I was in there they had a home improvement show on.

Weasel Zippers  "When everyone is putting politics aside, watch CNN try to be divisive, yet again. Trump gave a very nice statement, sent the plane to bring him to Washington, D.C. and tries to quietly pay his respects, but it’s never enough for these folks.

"Via Fox News:

A CNN panel blasted President Donald Trump on Monday immediately following his visit to the U.S. Capitol where he paid his respects to former President George H.W. Bush.

Before President Trump and first lady Melania Trump appeared in the rotunda, CNN special correspondent Jamie Gangel began by insisting that the celebration of Bush’s life “sends a message” to Trump that “this is how it’s done.”

“Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, two Democrats- they called Bush 41 a gentleman, total class. This is the embodiment of just how different it can be,” Gangel told CNN anchor Anderson Cooper. “And that’s a message to Trump.”

Gangel criticized the current president moments after he stepped out of the rotunda, saying he doesn’t “mend fences” in the wake of the open hostility that took place between Trump and the Bush family.

Keep reading…

Dick’s Sales Continue To Plummet As Company Promotes Anti-Gun Message

The Common Constitutionalist  "I hear Dick’s Sporting Goods is branching out. Now that they sell virtually no guns anymore at their “Sporting Goods” stores, they’ve decided to fill those empty shelves with scented candles, potpourri and dream catchers, in addition to camping and fishing equipment. And with every purchase during this holiday season, of $50 or more, the patron receives a free Michael Bloomberg, gun control bobblehead. Well…that’s what I heard!
"Obviously, this is nonsense. I mean the scented candles, potpourri, dream catchersand bobbleheads, not the fact that Dick’s Sporting Goods is yanking virtually every gun and all ammunition off their shelves.
"Yes, Ed Stack, CEO of Dick’s, and his fellow corporate executives have decided they will no longer be the purveyors of any instruments of death.
"But it’s not just that. Oh no – it goes much further than merely refusing to sell guns anymore.
"If you recall, I chronicled Dick’s original decision to pull just the “scary” weapons, like the AR-15, off their shelves in February this year, and worse, even hired anti-gun lobbyists last April.
"This all came about when CEO Stack claimed he was so moved by the outcry for stricter gun control after the Parkland school shootings. It was revealed that the murderer, Nikolas Cruz, had purchased a firearm from one of their stores. Of course, Cruz didn’t use the Dick’s weapon during his rampage, but he could have. This was the logic and impetuous for Stack’s decision." . . .

UC Berkeley will pay $70G to conservative group to settle free speech lawsuit

Fox News

"After more than a year of litigation, the University of California, Berkeley, has settled a lawsuit with the Young Americas Foundation and the UC Berkeley College Republicans.

"Campus conservatives accused the university of bias in the process of bringing high-profile speakers to campus. The original lawsuit revolved around the cancellation of an event with Ann Coulter. An amended version of the lawsuit included roadblocks initiated by the university for an event with Ben Shapiro.

"The Department of Justice filed a statement of interest backing the campus conservatives. The crux of their argument revolved around two campus policies that they claim violate students’ First and 14th Amendment rights: an unspoken "High-Profile Speaker Policy" and an on-the-books "Major Events Policy."

“ 'This Department of Justice will not stand by idly while public universities violate students’ constitutional rights,” Associate Attorney General Rachel Brand said at the time.

In the settlement, UC Berkeley agreed to the following terms set by YAF:

1. Pay YAF $70,000.2. Rescind the unconstitutional “High-Profile Speaker Policy.”3. Rescind the viewpoint-discriminatory security fee policy.4. Abolish its heckler’s veto — protesters will no longer be able to shut down conservative expression.

"Under these terms, UC Berkeley will no longer be allowed to place a 3 p.m. curfew on conservative events or relegate conservative speakers to remote or inconvenient lecture halls on campus while giving left-leaning speakers access to preferred parts of campus." . . .

MS-13 Gang Member Busted in AZ Says He Used Migrant Caravan for Cover

Breitbart

. . . "Agents assigned to the Ajo Station apprehended an illegal alien on November 27 after he crossed the border from Mexico. The agents transported the migrant to the station for a biometric background investigation, according to information obtained from Tucson Sector Border Patrol officials.
"During the investigation, the agents identified the man as 30-year-old Wuilson Lazo-Ramos, a Honduran national. Agents reported the man has tattoos indicating membership in the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang. He also has a conviction from a court in Maricopa County, Arizona. The court sentenced Lazo to 30 days in jail and two years probation on the weapons offense.
"Officials reported that Lazo claimed he traveled through the “dangerous parts of Mexico” with the migrant caravan “for his safety.” He said he left the group at the border and crossed illegally on his own because “he has a criminal record” in the U.S., officials stated.
"A few days earlier, El Centro Sector agents arrested another MS-13 gang member who traveled through Mexico with the migrant caravan. The agents came upon the Honduran national east of the Calexico Port of Entry after he illegally crossed the border from Mexico." . . .

Six members of the MS-13 gang are accused of butchering a Massachusetts teenager with a knife as if they were “chopping wood.”
. . . "One of the six suspects, a 19-year-old Salvadorean national named Henri Salvador Gutierrez, had evaded deportation the month before the murder.

"Authorities say Salvador successfully convinced an immigration judge that he was not a threat to public safety or involved in a gang.' . . .

Nancy Pelosi Promises to Pass Illegal Alien Amnesty via Dream Act  "House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) promised over the weekend to pass the Dream Act in the new Congress, which would provide amnesty to millions of illegal immigrants." . . .

Curtains for the Clintons; When They Lose MoDo, They've Lost Their MoJo

Kind of a neat update at the bottom.

Maureen Dowd (MoDo) 

Empty seats at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto last week during Bill and Hillary Clinton’s speaking event.

"I’m feeling something foreign, something I’ve never felt before. It takes me a moment to identify it."I’m feeling sorry for the Clintons."In the 27 years I’ve covered Bill and Hillary, I’ve experienced a range of emotions. They’ve dazzled me and they’ve disgusted me."But now they’re mystifying me."I’m looking around Scotiabank Arena, the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs, and it’s a depressing sight. It’s two-for-the-price-of-one in half the arena. The hockey rink is half curtained off, but even with that, organizers are scrambling at the last minute to cordon off more sections behind thick black curtains, they say due to a lack of sales. I paid $177 weeks in advance. (I passed on the pricey meet-and-greet option.) On the day of the event, some unsold tickets are slashed to single digits."I get reassigned to another section as the Clintons’ audience space shrinks. But even with all the herding, I’m still looking at large swaths of empty seats — and I cringe at the thought that the Clintons will look out and see that, too. It was only four years ago, after all, that Canadians were clamoring to buy tickets to see the woman who seemed headed for history.
"It’s a sad contrast with the sold-out boffo book tour of Michelle Obama, who’s getting a lot more personal for the premium prices. But introspection has never been within the Clintons’ range."I can’t fathom why the Clintons would make like aging rock stars and go on a tour of Canada and the U.S. at a moment when Democrats are hoping to break the stranglehold of their cloistered, superannuated leadership and exult in a mosaic of exciting new faces."What is the point? It’s not inspirational. It’s not for charity. They’re not raising awareness about a cause, like Al Gore with global warming. They’re only raising awareness about the Clintons." . . .

UPDATE: Tickets for Clintons' stadium speaking tour now marked down 90%

. . . "Obviously, the humiliation of facing a crowd in Toronto last week that filled fewer than 17% of the seats in the giant hockey-basketball arena was more than the Clintons could bear.  Even with a theater about one third as big, the danger of a sea of empty seats was so big that drastic markdowns were necessary.

"Everyone who paid the original prices is now officially a sucker." . . .

Putin developing fake videos to foment 2020 election chaos: 'It's going to destroy lives'

Ben Wolfgang  "U.S. leaders say Vladimir Putin used a familiar cyber playbook to “muck around” in the midterm elections last month, but intelligence officials and key lawmakers believe a much more sinister, potentially devastating threat lies just down the road — one that represents an attack on reality itself.
"Policy insiders and senators of both parties believe the Russian president or other actors hostile to the U.S. will rely on “deep fakes” to throw the 2020 presidential election cycle into chaos, taking their campaign to influence American voters and destabilize society to a new level.
"The eerie process, which relies on cutting-edge, deep-learning algorithm technology, produces high-quality audio and video of individuals saying things they never said or doing things they never did. The phony video, analysts say, will be virtually indistinguishable from real footage, mimicking voices, speaking patterns, facial expressions and surroundings to a frighteningly realistic degree.

"U.S. officials attending a high-level national security forum last week say the technology is the next major threat to American elections and potentially to democracy itself, and analysts say the nefarious possibilities are virtually endless." . . .

What Pooty-poot wants, he gets: