Tornado Alley (PROG)

[fuagf]

Part 166, some of Russian meddling, and related, material from F6 big ones. These from Saturday, 03/17/18,
headed, Modern-Day Redlining: Banks Face Probes for Refusing Home Loans for People of Color
https://investorshub.advfn.com/boards/read_msg.aspx?message_id=139363779

The fifth

Senators Demand Russia Pays For Meddling In 2016 Election At Cybersecurity Hearing

Published on Feb 28, 2018 by wwwMOXNEWScom [ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqVeMUffsoeo9idMRcse0lQ / https://www.youtube.com/user/wwwMOXNEWScom , https://www.youtube.com/user/wwwMOXNEWScom/videos ]
President's 2019 Cyber Command Budget Request
February 27, 2018
U.S. Cyber Commander Admiral Michael Rogers testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee to discuss the military’s cybersecurity posture. He told lawmakers that he has not received specific direction from the White House to take additional steps to respond to Russian interference in U.S. elections. Admiral Rogers, also the NSA director, acknowledged that the current U.S. response to Russia has not been enough. “They haven’t paid a price, at least, that’s sufficient to get them to change their behavior,” commented Admiral Rogers, who was scheduled to retire in the spring of 2018 with Army Cyber Command Chief Lieutenant General Paul Nakasone set to replace him.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?441677-1/nsa-chief-testifies-fiscal-year-2019-budget [with embedded video, and transcript]
Senate Armed Services Committee
United States Cyber Command
Tuesday, February 27, 2018 09:30 AM
Room SH-216, Hart Senate Office Building
https://www.armed-services.senate.gov/hearings/18-02-27-united-states-cyber-command
[for the moment at least at] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGj8_5Cr8cU [with comments]

Twenty-fourth and fifth, about a third down

Why Kushner “Can’t Do His Job”
The Beat with Ari Melber
2/27/18
Former senior CIA official, John Sipher joins The Beat responding to Jared Kushner’s stripped access to top secret documents.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari-melber/watch/why-kushner-can-t-do-his-job-1172159555846

*

Did Putin want to get caught? Kremlin TV offers clues

The Beat with Ari Melber
2/27/18
Putin still formally denies Russia interfered in the U.S. 2016 election,
but inside the country, state TV still jokes about Russia ‘owning’ Trump.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/the-beat-with-ari-melber/watch/did-putin-want-to-get-caught-kremlin-tv-offers-clues-1172202563644 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X891KydTiy0 [with comments]

Leave three to this pair

NSA Chief: Trump hasn't asked me to stop Russian meddling
All In with Chris Hayes
2/27/18
Admiral Mike Rogers says America isn't doing enough to counter ongoing Russian
election interference - and suggests the president doesn't see that as a problem.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/nsa-chief-trump-hasn-t-asked-me-to-stop-russian-meddling-1172223555774

*

Jared Kushner just lost his access to highly classified info
All In with Chris Hayes
2/27/18
Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and other White House staffers who’ve had interim security clearances
will no longer have access to highly classified information – including the presidential daily briefing.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/all-in/watch/jared-kushner-just-lost-his-access-to-highly-classified-info-1172226115905

To halfway, these four

News day inundated with Trump scandals
The Rachel Maddow Show
2/27/18
Rachel Maddow rounds up the overwhelming number of major news stories that broke over the course of the day, including the NSA director's Senate testimony,
the Trump 2020 campaign manager's ties to a sketchy company, new contacts exposed between Roger Stone and WikiLeaks, and more White House departures.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/news-day-inundated-with-trump-scandals-1172385347695

*

Kushner eyed over foreign contacts, vulnerability to manipulation

The Rachel Maddow Show
2/27/18
Shane Harris, intelligence and national security reporter for The Washington Post, talks with Rachel Maddow about
new reporting about concerns over Jared Kushner's interactions with foreign officials and efforts to manipulate him.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/kushner-eyed-over-foreign-contacts-vulnerability-to-manipulation-1172335171597 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hwCEeMLUEFA [with comments]

*

Potential for blackmail an obstacle to Kushner security clearance

The Rachel Maddow Show
2/27/18
Nicolle Wallace, former White House communications director for George W. Bush, talks with Rachel Maddow about why
Jared Kushner's security situation in the Trump White House is not only unusual and politically awkward, but dangerous.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/potential-for-blackmail-an-obstacle-to-kushner-security-clearance-1172307523766 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cEOP8s6S1Tc [with comments]

*

Trump scandal Russia legal defense fund files official papers
The Rachel Maddow Show
2/27/18
Rachel Maddow reports on the official creation of the Patriot Legal Expense Fund Trust, which is meant to help cover legal expenses
of Trump staffers caught up in the Trump Russia scandal - though details of where the money comes from or goes to are not clear.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-scandal-russia-legal-defense-fund-files-official-papers-1172363843693

Leave three to these five

Hope Hicks reportedly admits telling 'white lies' for Trump

The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell
2/27/18
Hope Hicks reportedly told House investigators she is required to tell white lies as part of her job in the Trump W.H. Jill Wine-Banks
reacts and Natasha Bertrand joins Lawrence O'Donnell with new reporting on Wikileaks' contacts with Trump associate Roger Stone.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/hope-hicks-reportedly-admits-telling-white-lies-for-trump-1172312131725 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txfDBDYcs9g [with comments]

*

Mueller's new questions about Jared Kushner

The Last Word with Lawrence O'Donnell
2/27/18
Jared Kushner has lost access to some intelligence amid his trouble getting a security clearance — which leakers were eager
to talk to reporters about. And now Robert Mueller is reportedly asking about Jared Kushner's meetings with foreign leaders.
©2018 NBCNews.com
http://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/mueller-s-new-questions-about-jared-kushner-1172312131729 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J4GSNNpB8r4 [with comments]

--

Rpt: Foreign officials have discussed how to manipulate Kushner

The 11th Hour with Brian Williams
2/28/18
On the same day Jared Kushner lost his high-level White House security clearance, The Washington Post reports - citing
multiple current & fmr. U.S. officials - that foreign officials from four countries sought to manipulate the president's son-in-law.
©2018 NBCNews.com
[originally aired February 27, 2018]
http://www.msnbc.com/brian-williams/watch/rpt-foreign-officials-have-discussed-how-to-manipulate-kushner-1172358723957 , https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_qR-WwjmtHY [with comments]

*

NSA boss: Trump hasn't told me to fight Russian meddling
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams
2/28/18
The head of the NSA, Admiral Mike Rogers, faced a lot of frustration and anger from Democrats when he revealed
on Capitol Hill that Trump has not directed him to do more to stop meddling from Moscow. Our panel reacts.
©2018 NBCNews.com
[originally aired February 27, 2018]
http://www.msnbc.com/brian-williams/watch/nsa-boss-trump-hasn-t-told-me-to-fight-russian-meddling-1172366403611

*

NYT: Hope Hicks says sometimes she lies for Trump
The 11th Hour with Brian Williams
2/28/18
The New York Times reports while speaking to the House Intelligence Committee, Trump aide Hope Hicks admitted
she's told white lies for her boss, but said never anything dealing with the Russia probe. Our panel reacts.
©2018 NBCNews.com
[originally aired February 27, 2018]
http://www.msnbc.com/brian-williams/watch/nyt-hope-hicks-says-sometimes-she-lies-for-trump-1172365379840

Colbert sums much of the White House slapsloppy show up

Jared Kushner Lost His 'Top Secret' Privileges

Published on Feb 28, 2018 by The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
Jared Kushner is now an out-of-
the-loop in-law after his security clearance was downgraded from 'top secret' to just 'secret.'
[originally aired February 27, 2018]
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dedZtI355i8 [with comments]

To "stashed February 27, 2018:"

Panamanian police handcuff a guard at the Trump hotel as standoff escalates
PANAMA CITY — Panamanian police on Tuesday handcuffed a security guard working for President Trump’s hotel here, in the midst of a dispute in which the hotel’s majority owner has tried to fire the Trump Organization — and Trump employees have refused to leave.
The guard was brought down an elevator by police who arrived at the luxury hotel Tuesday morning, and driven away in a patrol car.
The guard was detained for denying officers access to hotel offices, according to two witnesses who spoke on the condition of anonymity because of the ongoing legal dispute. It was unclear whether he had been formally arrested.
That detention came on a day when a long-running standoff over the fate of the Trump hotel — pitting the majority owner against the Trump Organization, which manages the property — escalated sharply.
There were physical altercations between rival groups of security guards, the visit by the police officers, and a triumphant piano performance by the majority owner, Orestes Fintiklis.
As the day went on, it appeared that Fintiklis’s strategy — to short-circuit a drawn-out legal battle over the hotel by showing up and asserting his power as owner — might be working.
[...]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/panamanian-police-arrest-a-guard-at-the-trump-hotel-as-standoff-escalates/2018/02/27/800151ce-1bd1-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html

more: https://www.google.com/search?q=panamanian+police+handcuff+a+guard

Sweden is taking on Russian meddling ahead of fall elections. The White House might take note. - the WH might take note!? - you've got to be kidding
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/sweden-looks-at-russias-electoral-interference-in-the-us-and-takes-steps-not-to-be-another-victim/2018/02/21/9e58ee48-0768-11e8-aa61-f3391373867e_story.html

more: https://www.google.com/search?q=sweden+is+taking+on

Roger Stone's Secret Messages with WikiLeaks
Transcripts obtained by The Atlantic show Donald Trump's longtime confidante corresponded with the radical-transparency group.
https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/roger-stones-secret-messages-with-wikileaks/554432/

The Atlantic Publishes Campaign-Era Messages Between Wikileaks, Roger Stone
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/the-atlantic-publishes-campaign-era-messages-between-wikileaks-roger-stone

more: https://www.google.com/search?q=roger+stone

White House Has Given No Orders to Counter Russian Meddling, N.S.A. Chief Says
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/27/us/politics/michael-rogers-nsa-cyber-command-russia-election-meddling.html

Cyber chief says Trump has given him no new authority to strike at Russian interference threat
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/cyber-chief-says-trump-has-given-him-no-new-authority-to-strike-at-russian-interference-threat/2018/02/27/41185978-1c24-11e8-ae5a-16e60e4605f3_story.html

NSA Chief: U.S. Response 'Hasn't Changed The Calculus' Of Russian Interference
https://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2018/02/27/589143771/nsa-chief-u-s-response-hasn-t-changed-the-calculus-of-russian-interference

NSA Chief Says Trump Hasn’t Ordered Agency to Disrupt Russian Hacking
Adm. Mike Rogers tells Senate panel agency isn’t targeting ‘the origin of these attacks’
https://www.wsj.com/articles/nsa-chief-says-trump-hasnt-ordered-agency-to-disrupt-russian-hacking-1519778019

Trump Still Hasn’t Given the Green Light to Counter Russian Hacking
Have the president’s hurt feelings hamstrung American counterintelligence?
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/2018/02/trump-still-hasnt-given-the-green-light-to-counter-russian-hacking

NSA director Mike Rogers’s remarkable comments about Trump’s Russia efforts — or lack thereof
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-fix/wp/2018/02/27/nsa-director-mike-rogerss-careful-indictment-of-trumps-anti-russia-efforts/

Mueller team asks about Trump's Russian business dealings as he weighed a run for president
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/27/politics/trump-russia-investigation/index.html

more:
https://news.google.com/news/story/dmTh8zcopimKlvMIdbNPbjPI8B35M?ned=us&gl=US&hl=en
https://news.google.com/news/story/dy_RfNxWoqc4opMdWxS4hlV7EDSmM?ned=us&gl=US&hl=en

In Russia probe, Hope Hicks refuses to answer questions about Trump administration
https://www.washingtonpost.com/powerpost/house-russia-probe-investigators-set-to-question-hope-hicks-but-will-she-answer/2018/02/27/3b2c5dfe-1b78-11e8-9de1-147dd2df3829_story.html

Hope Hicks draws line on Russia testimony
The Trump confidant's appearance may escalate tensions between the House Intelligence Committee and the West Wing over interview ground rules.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/27/hope-hicks-testify-russia-426636

more:
https://news.google.com/news/story/dlwKsaV_sCkhuzMJvdv-myozMXpYM?ned=us&gl=US&hl=en
https://news.google.com/news/story/dw3oJOBXP1WAK7MZzm0kaFoH8NtAM?ned=us&gl=US&hl=en

Hope Hicks Acknowledges She Sometimes Tells White Lies for Trump
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/27/us/politics/hope-hicks-house-intelligence-committee-testimony.html

Hope Hicks says working for Trump requires her to tell white lies: report
http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/375949-hope-hicks-says-working-for-trump-requires-her-to-tell-white-lies

Hicks acknowledges white lies, but won't talk White House in testimony
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/26/politics/hope-hicks-house-intelligence-committee/index.html

more: https://www.google.com/search?q=hope+hicks+white+lies

Scoop: Josh Raffel leaving White House
https://www.axios.com/scoop-josh-raffel-leaving-white-house-1519758344-420c51f4-093a-4457-afce-595c50236061.html

Kushner Spokesman Josh Raffel Is Set to Leave White House
Aide plans to return to private sector and address family obligations
https://www.wsj.com/articles/kushner-spokesman-josh-raffelis-set-to-leave-white-house-1519765399

Josh Raffel, senior communications aide, is leaving the White House
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/post-politics/wp/2018/02/27/josh-raffel-senior-communications-aide-is-leaving-the-white-house/

more: https://www.google.com/search?q=josh+raffel

Kushner loses access to top-secret intelligence
A memo sent Friday downgraded the presidential son-in-law and adviser and other White House aides who had been working on interim clearances.
https://www.politico.com/story/2018/02/27/jared-kushner-security-clearance-downgrade-427178

Kushner’s overseas contacts raise concerns as foreign officials seek leverage
https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/kushners-overseas-contacts-raise-concerns-as-foreign-officials-seek-leverage/2018/02/27/16bbc052-18c3-11e8-942d-16a950029788_story.html

Officials from four countries discussed exploiting Jared Kushner
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/27/politics/jared-kushner-manipulation-mexico-israel-china-uae/index.html

more: https://www.google.com/search?q=kushner

Trump campaign chief lends name to penny stock tied to felon - AP
WASHINGTON — The political strategist and online guru who was named President Donald Trump’s 2020 campaign manager Tuesday has a close financial relationship with a penny-stock firm with a questionable history that includes longstanding ties to a convicted fraudster, according to an Associated Press investigation.
Brad Parscale, who played a key role in Trump’s 2016 election victory, signed a $10 million deal in August to sell his digital marketing company to CloudCommerce Inc. As part of the deal, Parscale currently serves as a member of California-based company’s management team.
The company touts itself as “a global provider of cloud-driven e-commerce and mobile commerce solutions.” Records reviewed by the AP raise questions about its current finances and its rocky past.
CloudCommerce’s operations have not turned a profit in nearly a decade. The company’s most recent quarterly earnings showed it has spent more than $19 million in investor money since its creation nearly two decades ago and has only $107,000 in cash on hand.
In 2006, a top executive at the company, which was operating under a different name at the time, was caught in an FBI bribery sting and later pleaded guilty to securities fraud. Documents reviewed by the AP indicate he remained involved in CloudCommerce’s major corporate decisions in recent years.
Parscale did not answer written questions from the AP about the sale of his company to CloudCommerce and his role in the company.
The owner of an obscure web development firm before the 2016 presidential race, Parscale parlayed commercial website work for Trump family businesses into a role as the public face of Trump’s highly successful digital campaign.
A press release announcing Parscale’s hiring as Trump’s new campaign manager included Eric Trump calling him “an amazing talent” who has the Trump family’s “complete trust.”
When Parscale’s CloudCommerce deal was originally announced last August, the price of the company’s shares surged.
[...]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-campaign-chief-lends-name-to-penny-stock-tied-to-felon/2018/02/27/9941a2d8-1c17-11e8-98f5-ceecfa8741b6_story.html
original https://apnews.com/5bdc810e38c94b119e2e0c2d206c4486

more: https://news.google.com/news/story/d0IIXBsZ0lSGU0MId6cQ7qim9Gc7M?ned=us&gl=US&hl=en

Russians Reportedly ‘Compromised’ Systems In 7 States Before 2016 Election
Intelligence officials say no ballots or information had been changed.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/russians-hacking-seven-states_us_5a95e717e4b09c872baed775
citing (but not linking) (. . .):
U.S. intel: Russia compromised seven states prior to 2016 election
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/elections/u-s-intel-russia-compromised-seven-states-prior-2016-election-n850296?cid=sm_npd_nn_tw_ma

Trump’s A ‘Wuss’ Who’s Afraid To Challenge Russia, CNN’s Paul Begala Says
“Our president is compromised and we want to know why,” the commentator said.
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/paul-begala-trump-wuss_us_5a96240ce4b09c872baefa95

Trump Organization says it has donated foreign profits to U.S. Treasury, but declines to share details
The Trump Organization announced Monday that it donated the profits from “foreign government patronage” at its hotels last year to the U.S. Treasury, but declined to identify those foreign customers or the amount of the contribution.
President Trump’s company made the donation on Thursday, according to George A. Sorial, the Trump Organization’s chief compliance counsel.
“Although not a legal requirement, this voluntary donation fulfills our pledge to donate profits from foreign government patronage at our hotels and similar business during President Trump’s term in office,” Sorial said.
The Washington Post asked for more details: How much was donated? Which Trump properties were included in this accounting? Which foreign entities had paid money to Trump’s businesses?
“We have nothing further to share at this time,” Amanda Miller, a Trump Organization spokeswoman, wrote in an email.
The Treasury Department also did not immediately respond to questions about the donation.
[...]
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/trump-organization-says-it-has-donated-foreign-profits-to-us-treasury-but-declines-to-share-details/2018/02/26/747522e0-1b22-11e8-ae5a-16e60e4605f3_story.html