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Monthly Archives: January 2017

HB 797: no confidence in the legal opinion of Attorney General Josh Hawley (r)

31 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Missouri General Assembly, Missouri House

≈ 4 Comments

Tags

Attorney General, General Assembly, HB 797, Josh Hawley, missouri, Nick Marshall, residence

“…Okay, that’s plain language. Live in Jefferson City, keep your main office in the Supreme Court building, get paid for the job, and no moonlighting…”

Not according to Josh Hawley (r). The live in Jefferson City part, that is.

Questions raised about where new Missouri attorney general is living
By Kurt Erickson St. Louis Post-Dispatch
JEFFERSON CITY • In one of his first acts as Missouri’s new attorney general, Republican Josh Hawley decided he doesn’t have to live in the capital city.[….]

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

Josh Hawley (r) [2016 file photo].

A bill introduced today:

HB 797  
Changes the law regarding the residency requirement for the attorney general
Sponsor: Marshall, Nick (013)
Proposed Effective Date: 8/28/2017
LR Number: 1641H.01I
Last Action: 01/31/2017 – Introduced and Read First Time (H)
Bill String: HB 797
Next Hearing: Hearing not scheduled
Calendar: HOUSE BILLS FOR SECOND READING
[….]

The bill text:

FIRST REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 797 [pdf]
99TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE MARSHALL.
1641H.01I D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk

AN ACT

To repeal section 27.010, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the attorney general.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 27.010, RSMo, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu 2thereof, to be known as section 27.010, to read as follows:
27.010. The attorney general for the state of Missouri shall be elected at each general election at which a governor and other state officers are elected, and his term shall begin at 12:00 noon on the second Monday in January next succeeding his election, and shall continue for four years, or until his successor is elected and qualified. The attorney general shall [reside at the seat of government and] keep his office in the supreme court building, and receive an annual salary of sixty-five thousand dollars plus any salary adjustment provided pursuant to section 105.005, payable out of the state treasury. The salary shall constitute the total compensation for all duties to be performed by him and there shall be no further payments made to or accepted by him for the performance of any duty now required of him under any existing law. The attorney general shall devote his full time to his office, and, except in the performance of his official duties, shall not engage in the practice of law.

It would appear that Representative Marshall (r) has a different opinion about the meaning of the current statute than the Attorney General. Fancy that.

Previously:

Attorney General Josh Hawley (r): the pepul of Misoori our stoopit (January 23, 2017)

Already looking for another job, eh? (January 28, 2017)

McCaskill did good today – let her know you appreciate her.

31 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by willykay in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

cabinet, Claire McCaskill, Confirmation hearings, Democrats, Finance Committee, missouri, Senate, Steve Mnuchin, Tom Price

I just called the office of my Missouri Democratic Senator, Claire McCaskill, to thank her – and you should too. Her Washington number has been busy (a good sign?), but I got through to her St. Louis office with no trouble (numbers for her Washington and regional offices can be found here).

Why did I want to thank Senator McCaskill so urgently? Today she stood up for Americans who are revolted by the cabinet nominations of the rabid circus MC that the Russians put into the American presidency. She along with all the Democratic members of the Senate Finance Committee boycotted the Committee meeting where votes on the nominations of Goldman Sachs financier Steve Mnuchin to be Secretary of the Treasury, and of Rep. Tom Price (R-GA) to head Health and Human Services, were slated. This maneuver deprived the Republican majority of the quorum necessary to ram the two manifestly unfit nominees through the committee.

McCaskill is a cautious woman who represents a state that went for Trump by 19 points – a fact that seems to weigh heavily on her mind – and for good reason since she’s up for reelection in 2018. Standing up to the bullies who’ve tried to pressure her to go along to get along – making big local ad buys targeting her, for instance –  can’t be easy. She deserves a little love for putting principle before comfort.

But resisting the Trump-GOP combine as McCaskill  did today – and, we hope, continues to do – is essential. In this particular case the two men slated for leadership positions in government are not only ideological disasters, they, in the words of the ranking Committee member Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), “misled the public and held back important information about their backgrounds.” He added that:

Until questions are answered, Democrats believe the committee should not move forward with either nomination. […] This is about getting answers to questions, plain and simple. Ethics laws are not optional, and nominees do not have a right to treat disclosure like a shell game.

We may not be able to stop the nominations when all is said and done, but Democrats have got to be clear that they won’t support corrupt and unfit nominees for any office.  Republicans may be scared spineless by Trump’s Twitter, but Democrats had better not be if they want to survive as a party.

Price is not only guilty of capitalizing on his privileged position as a congressman to violate insider trading laws, but is accused of explicitly lying about the nature of his questionable financial ventures during the Committee’s initial hearings. Mnuchin was part of the financial cartel that employed illegal robo-signing practices to made big bucks off the 2008 foreclosure crisis, but when called on the practice during the hearings, he gave false testimony about his bank’s use of the abusive practice. In essence, we have a president who comes from the dregs of the business world and who has dredged up some more bottom-feeders to run government agencies for him.

But worse is coming – tonight President Carnival Barker will announce his nominee for the Supreme Court. All three putative favorites are horrible. Not only are the stakes high, but the nomination of anyone other than Merrick Garland cannot be accepted by Democrats given the fact that inexcusable GOP stonewalling stole the office from this well-qualified candidate.  We can only pray that Democrats will be willing to take up the burden of possibly  prolonged opposition. We need to show them that we’re on their side when they do – and we can do that starting now by  letting our Missouri Democrat, Claire McCaskill, know that we appreciate what she did today. Make that call.

Roy Blunt plays the odds

30 Monday Jan 2017

Posted by willykay in Uncategorized

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Bigotry, Donald Trump, executive order, immigration, Muslims, Roy Blunt, Steve Bannon, Terrorism

So we’re two days into the fallout from The Donald’s Muslim ban (and, dear folks, all his denials aside, it is a Muslim ban). We’ve always known that he would feel compelled to pander to anti-Muslim bigotry and that his efforts would be in character, that is, cruel, unnecessary and stupid, but did this particular effort need to be so inept? Harold Pollack sums up the shear incompetence embodied in the President’s Executive Order (EO):

The President’s team had months to prepare this signature immigration initiative. And they produced…an amateurish, politically self-immolating effort that humiliated the country, provoked international retaliation, and failed to withstand the obvious federal court challenge on its very first day.

Given the despicable nature of this effort, I’m happy it has become a political fiasco. It also makes me wonder how the Trump administration will execute the basic functions of government. This astonishing failure reflects our new President’s contempt for the basic craft of government.

Given the scope of the mess our amateur hour president and his flunkies – racist Bannon’s dirty fingerprints are all over the EO – have made, don’t you think that those Republicans who moaned and whined about Obama’s relatively modest executive orders might have something just a little harsh to say about what Mr. Trump has produced? And some do. Some can only manage to whimper a little about how it’s “too broad” or offer some other anodyne criticism. Some, however, like Pennsylvania’s Charlie Dent, have enough intestinal fortitude to make a reasonably strong statement condemning the nasty little exercise.

Of course, a few GOPers think this EO is just what the doctor ordered. Missouri’s own Republican Senator Blunt, for instance. He thinks the EO is just hunky-dory:

He is doing what he told the American people he would do. I would not support a travel ban on Muslims; I do support increased vetting on people applying to travel from countries with extensive terrorist ties or activity. These seven countries meet that standard. Our top priority should be to keep Americans safe.

Blunt just holds his nose and pretends that Muslim-baiting isn’t the real goal and he’s good to go. You gotta admit, this old boy knows who butters his bread.

But is that greasy bread worth demonizing a few million Muslim Americans? Or turning one’s back on desperate people fleeing death and chaos? Especially when it was another bad American president, George W. Bush, who pushed Humpty Dumpty off the Middle Eastern wall. Don’t we owe these people something besides lies about the need for “very, very strict vetting” that are used to cover up the fact that President Orange Buffoon needs to fire up the bigots who voted for him?

Kevin Drum suggests that the turmoil over the EO is just what Steve Bannon wanted:

… Bannon wanted turmoil and condemnation. He wanted this executive order to get as much publicity as possible. He wanted the ACLU involved. He thinks this will be a PR win. [… ]  Liberals think middle America will be appalled at Trump’s callousness. Bannon thinks middle America will be appalled that lefties and the elite media are taking the side of terrorists. After a week of skirmishes, this is finally a hill that both sides are willing to die for. Who’s going to win?

It’s pretty clear where Roy Blunt is putting his money.

Trump Muslim ban protest at Kansas City International Airport – January 29, 2017

29 Sunday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist

≈ 8 Comments

Tags

#resist, Donald Trump, Kansas City International Airport, missouri, Muslim ban, protest

Not this time...

Not this time…

Yesterday, from LivingBlueinRedAmerica:

I watched Jewish, Muslim and Christian protesters side by side. Fighting for people they have never met and would never know.

I saw America.

This afternoon over a thousand people showed up at Terminal C, the international terminal, at Kansas City International Airport to protest Donald Trump’s Muslim ban.

I watched a Jewish man, wearing a head covering, stand with the crowd. I watched two women hug another woman who was wearing a hijab – she was overwhelmed by the demonstration of support she was witnessing. I watched Christian ministers in their collars move among the protesters.

I watched the Police doing their job, protecting the First Amendment. I watched an officer carefully escorting protesters in the crosswalk. I watched another officer taking photos of protestors with their phone cameras at the barrier at their request and handing their phones back with a smile.

I watched a self satisfied troll at the edge of the crowd shout, “Build that wall!”. I watched a journalist give him a look, shake her head, and reply, “whatever.”

I watched a young Muslim woman walk along the barrier and joyfully thank everyone for their signs and for being there.

20170129-606a2869

Racism is UnAmerican.

Racism is UnAmerican.

No Muslim ban.

No Muslim ban.

20170129-606a2968

Anne Frank was turned away, too.

Anne Frank was turned away, too.

Make America kind again.

Make America kind again.

Thankful.

Thankful.

Make America 2008 again.

Make America 2008 again.

Trump is a national security risk.

Trump is a national security risk.

20170129-606a3565

Jesus loves refugees.

Jesus loves refugees.

20170129-606a3570

I watched a few people leave and enter the terminal in grim silence. This is what Democracy looks like. They should get used to it.

I watched other travelers happily take cell phone photos and selfies with the demonstration in the background.

I listened to two hours of non-stop chanting.

I watched the real America.

Previously:

Funeral for Democracy – Warrensburg – January 20, 2017 (January 20, 2017)

Anti-Trump march in Kansas City – January 20, 2017 (January 20, 2017)

Anti-Trump march in Kansas City – January 20, 2017 – part 2 (January 21, 2017)

Anti-Trump march in Kansas City – January 20, 2017 – part 3 – marching (January 21, 2017)

Women’s March – Kansas City – Washington Square Park – January 21, 2017 (January 21, 2017)

Women’s March – Kansas City – Washington Square Park – January 21, 2017 – part 2 (January 22, 2017)

Women’s March – Kansas City – Washington Square Park – January 21, 2017 – part 3 (January 22, 2017)

Who we are

29 Sunday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Muslim ban, social media, Twitter

Last night:

hillaryclinton012817

Hillary Clinton ‏@HillaryClinton
I stand with the people gathered across the country tonight defending our values & our Constitution. This is not who we are.
9:49 PM – 28 Jan 2017

A little later:

ivankatrump012817

Ivanka Trump ‏@IvankaTrump
[….]
11:07 PM – 28 Jan 2017

Qu’ils mangent de la brioche.

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r):

28 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, Donald Trump, executive order, missouri, Muslim ban, social media, Twitter, Vicky Hartzler

Today, from Representative Vicky Hartzler (r):

gray

On Twitter:

glennthrush012817

Glenn Thrush ‏@GlennThrush
Haven’t seen GOP Congressional twitter feeds this silent since the last positive jobs report under Obama
10:07 AM – 28 Jan 2017

Almost five years ago:

Representative Vicky Hartzler (r): …and this president has done more executive orders than any other president…

It wasn’t true back then. No hand wringing now, is there?

Already looking for another job, eh?

28 Saturday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Uncategorized

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Claire McCaskill, Josh Hawley, missouri, poll, robocall, U.S. Senate

You think the nameplate is on the door in the Supreme Court building yet? Just asking.

At the Missouri Attorney General web site:

"Bio will be posted soon."

“Bio will be posted soon.”

Maybe not.

Last night we were on the receiving end of a short robocall poll for the 2018 U.S. Senate race in Missouri. Think about that.

We were asked to choose between [press 1] a republican and [press 2] the Democrat, Claire McCaskill. The republican choices, in the order they were presented, were: Ann Wagner, the retired NASCAR guy [?], Josh Hawley, and Vicky Hartzler.

So, Josh Hawley (r) has been in office, what, just under three weeks? Go figure.

Previously:

Attorney General Josh Hawley (r): the pepul of Misoori our stoopit (January 23, 2017)

Rep. Vicky Hartzler (r): the magic is gone

26 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

4th Congressional District, Donald Trump, missouri, social media, Twitter, Vicky Hartzler

In one week.

Today, via Twitter from Representative Vicky Hartzler (r):

Rep. Vicky Hartzler ‏@RepHartzler
Encouraged & excited to hear Pres Trump’s vision for America–“Return power to everyday Americans”! @realdonaldtrump
1:49 PM – 26 Jan 2017

And, then, came the responses:

Mary Ellen Hill ‏@yasmin5235 3h
@RepHartzler @realDonaldTrump a communist plant. An atheist, who pretends to believe, is your leader. Destroying lives bit by bit. Happy?

Sadly, she appears to be so.

Nicole Garner Meeker ‏@nlgarner 4h
@RepHartzler How are you working to empower your district’s citizens? Making abortions less accessible isn’t the answer.

Ignatius J. Reilly ‏@jaguar06_rick 4h
@RepHartzler @realDonaldTrump Disenfranchisement of millions at the ballot box is the antithesis of returning “power to everyday Americans.

Kate Sills ‏@kate_sills 4h
@RepHartzler @realDonaldTrump You’re supposed to be a check on the President. Do your job.

Heh. Right.

JeffreyBruce ‏@jeffreywbruce 4h
@RepHartzler @realDonaldTrump Nice sound bite but what does that really mean? Which Cass County citizens really feel like they have more “power”? And how so?

Probably not going to get an answer.

Mallory Brock ‏@mallorybrock
@RepHartzler @realDonaldTrump You are both a joke. His cabinet is so “everyday Americans”

Eau de swamp.

Jessi Hall ‏@whitneyj75
@RepHartzler You’re either in on it, or you’ve been duped. Either way, I can’t support you.

MikeD ‏@MichaelDuran72
@RepHartzler @realDonaldTrump You and your ilk are enablers to a psychopath.

We knew that already.

Heather Mulligan ‏@heather650101
@RepHartzler @realDonaldTrump Returning power to the people via over reaching executive orders? You’re ridiculous.

Yeah, there’s an interesting silence about that Presidential Executive Order thingy. It didn’t used to be that way.

When they open their mouths…

26 Thursday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Donald Trump, Lies, Resist, social media, Twitter

This:

bersin012517

Michael Bersin ‏@MBersin
Q: How can you tell the Trump administration is lying?
A: It’s the Trump administration.
9:59 PM – 25 Jan 2017

Well, now is that time.

25 Wednesday Jan 2017

Posted by Michael Bersin in Resist, social media

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

#resist, Donald Trump, social media, Twitter

Today:

clintsmith012517

Clint Smith ‏@ClintSmithIII
Remember all the times you read about national crises in your history books & said “if I were alive I would’ve…”

Well, now is that time.
6:57 AM – 25 Jan 2017

#resist

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