Something rotten in Denmark Trumpland

For a time, the optimists in the president*’s camp were pitching as a worst case scenario that Robert Mueller’s investigation into the Russian ratfcking of the 2016 presidential election would end up at worst delivering obstruction prosecutions with no underlying offenses—essentially, that some underlings, in an effort to help out the president*, were too vigorous in their efforts, and less than vigorous about telling the truth. I mean, hell, it’s an argument. It’s the “third-rate burglary” argument gussied up for our times, but it’s an argument nonetheless. However, that dog no longer chooses to hunt.

It was quite a night. First, The New York Times puts longtime Trump confidante – and White House communications director—Hope Hicks right in the middle of things.

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The[n], Rep. Adam Schiff, ranking Democratic member of the House Intelligence Committee, announces that committee chairman—and ranking White House lawn ornament—Devin Nunes barbered the text of Nunes’s now-infamous memo before sending it to the White House.

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Is it even necessary any more to point out that, if he so desired, the president* could declassify those parts of the memo that are classified and release the thing in 10 minutes? The only people keeping the memo from being released are the people bellowing the loudest about releasing it at all.

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There is too much energy being expended in too many directions here for there not to be something seriously wrong at the bottom of this affair.

  Charles P Pierce

...but hey, do what you want...you will anyway.