Sunday Criming: Three Noteworthy News Articles From Our Weekly Day Of Rest

As America tried to kick back and enjoy a day of sportsball viewing on Sunday, Donald Trump and his cabal of criminals proceeded to cement their legacy for being the most corrupt administration in our country's history. Among Sunday's highlights:

Oh Lordy, There Are Tapes! 

From ABC News, it was revealed that the House Intelligence Committee is in possession of audio, video recordings, and photographs from Lev Parnas, one of Rudy Giuliani's close personal friends who was actively engaged in Giuliani's efforts to undermine American foreign policy in Ukraine by seeking dirt on the Bidens. From the article:

We have subpoenaed Mr. Parnas and Mr. [Igor] Fruman for their records. We would like them to fully comply with those subpoenas," House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff told CNN Sunday, with a committee spokesperson adding they would not elaborate beyond the chairman's comments. 

An attorney for Parnas, Joseph A. Bondy, also declined to comment, directing ABC News to a statement released earlier in the day Sunday reading in part, "Mr. Parnas has vociferously and publicly asserted his wish to comply with his previously issued subpoena and to provide the House Intelligence Committee with truthful and important information that is in furtherance of justice, not to obstruct it." 

The statement goes on to say, "His evidence and potential testimony is non-partisan, and not intended to be part of a battle between the left and the right, but rather an aid in the determination by our government of what is in the best interests of our nation.

As we know, Rudy Giuliani is not the sharpest knife in the drawer. In fact, he's closer to a spork at this point. But luckily, this means that he is a terrible, terrible criminal whose "friends" will turn on him in a heartbeat. This seems to be the case here for Parnas, who it seems is going the route that won't end up with him sharing a cell with Paul Manafort. Whether Parnas ends up testifying in the impeachment hearing remains to be seen but it bodes well that he is already singing like a bird to Adam Schiff and friends.

Navy Secretary Richard Spencer Fired Over Respecting The Rule Of Law 

Late last week, Trump injected himself into the American military justice system when he pardoned two servicemembers found guilty of war crimes and then proceeded to order the promotion of Navy Seal Edward Gallagher, who had been found not guilty in July of killing an ISIS fighter in Iraq but had been found guilty of wrongfully posing for an unofficial picture with a human casualty. Trump decided to intervene in the three cases not by a comprehensive review of each case with a series of military experts but rather by a segment on Fox News hosted by Pete Hegseth. Never being shy to take advice from nonqualified television personalities, Trump caved to Hegseth and his Fox News viewing audience and his decision set off a firestorm of criticism from those across the political spectrum.

Despite Defense Secretary Mark Esper and others making the case for Moron Hitler to allow the military justice system to play itself out and to do a full review of the case of Gallagher specifically, Twitter Dumb simply couldn't help himself and sent out a Thursday evening decree by Tweet where he stated that the Navy would NOT be demoting Gallagher for his actions. This put Navy leadership in quite a bind and Navy Secretary Richard Spencer spoke to reporters on Friday and said that he believed Gallagher's review process should go forward and he allegedly privately stated that a Tweet wasn't an official order and if Trump wanted Gallagher reinstated, he had to formally do it in writing. However, as we know, we have an illiterate White House usurper so that request was ignored, putting Secretary Esper in the unenviable position of having to fire Spencer for his perceived insolence on Sunday. Spencer's resignation letter is currently making the rounds, but it includes the following paragraph showing just how badly Trump's boneheaded pardons are impacting on our Armed Forces:

[...] The rule of law is what sets us apart from our adversaries. Good order and discipline is what has enabled our victory against foregin tyranny time and again, from Captain Lawrence's famous order "Don't Give up the Ship", to the disclipline and determination that propelled our flag to the highest point on Iowa Jima. The Constitution, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice, are the shields that set us apart, and the beacons that protect us all. Through my Title Ten Authority, I have strived to ensure our proceedings are fair, transparent and consistent, from the newest recruit to the Flag and General Officer level. 

Unfortunately it has become apparent that in this respect, I no longer share the same understanding with the Commander in Chief who appointed me, in regards to the key principle of good order and discipline. I cannot in good conscience obey an order that I believe violates the sacred oath I took in the presence of my family, my flag and my faith to support and defend the Constituion of the United States...

And the "law and order president" once again screws over a lifelong military member who had the audacity to publicly disagree with His Excellency.

Trump Has Been The Driving Force Behind The Blockage of the Armenian Genocide Bill

File this third and final news article under the title of "No Shit, Sherlock." 

As reported by Axios, both Lindsey Graham and recently Georgia Senator David Perdue were approached by the White House and specifically asked to block the bipartisan resolution that would formally acknowledged Turkey's role in the Armenian genocide. We've long known just how far up Donald Trump's ass Lindsey Graham has been but wasn't known up until Sunday was that Graham was called back to the Oval Office and the meeting with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and was specifically asked to block the resolution. The same ask was made of Perdue a week later when the resolution was reintroduced. The Axios article mentions how the Trump White House does not want to offend the Turks while they are in the process of trying to convince them to give up their Russian-made S-400 air defense system. Both Graham and now Perdue see no problem in carrying the president's water while an overwhelmingly bipartisan resolution sits on the Senate floor.

These are two "men" who will be serving on the jury of Donald Trump once impeachment reaches the Senate. Yet, as we've seen, they are already more than willing to do the president's bidding. It makes one wonder what Trump (or Russia) has on these senators that make them such willing pawns for a king with no conscious. From Mitch McConnell blocking everything under the sun to Rand Paul's suddenly libertarian love for authoritarian Russia to now Graham and Purdue doing Erdogan's, and by proxy, Putin's bidding, there can be no doubt that a large swath of the Republican Party is compromised. We may never know the full extent of the kompromat that Russia has on these Republican senators and other Republicans in Congress but it is certain that their loyalties run much deeper for the red, white, and blue of Russia than for the United States of America. The only remedy for their treason is a resounding victory in 2020 and when each and every Republican senator is up for reelection over the next 5 years.

Anyone else need a drink?

(By the by, LL here: If you like what this young rapscallion Trevor has to say, do show your appreciation here. Really, top shelf liquor doesn't buy itself.)