Paul Manafort shared 2016 polling data with Russian employee, according to court filing

Paul Manafort shared presidential campaign polling data with Konstantin Kilimnik, a Russian employee whom the FBI has said has ties to Russian intelligence, according to a court filing from his defense attorneys.

The former Trump campaign chairman on Tuesday denied in a filing that he broke his plea deal by lying repeatedly to prosecutors working for special counsel Robert S. Mueller III.

But in doing so, he exposed details of the dispute that were apparently meant to be redacted, including that the special counsel alleges he “lied about sharing polling data with Mr. Kilimnik related to the 2016 presidential campaign.”

The unredacted filing in D.C. federal court says Manafort also discussed a Ukrainian peace plan with Kilimnik, a former employee of his consulting firm who the FBI assessed as having ties to Russian intelligence.


https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/local/legal-issues/paul-manafort-shared-2016-polling-data-with-russian-employee-according-to-court-filing/2019/01/08/3f562ad8-12b0-11e9-803c-4ef28312c8b9_story.html

Tweet of the Day

Schiff plans to make interview transcripts 'fully available' to Mueller

Washington (CNN)House Intelligence Committee Chairman Adam Schiff said Sunday that he plans to move quickly to provide the panel's interview transcripts to special counsel Robert Mueller.

"We hope, as one of our first acts, to make the transcripts of our witnesses fully available to special counsel for any purpose, including the bringing of perjury charges if necessary against any of the witnesses," the California Democrat told CNN's Jake Tapper on "State of the Union."

Schiff declined to name who among the committee's witnesses he believed might have committed perjury, but he said he had concerns about "multiple witnesses."

"I think Bob Mueller, by virtue of the fact that he has been able to conduct this investigation using tools that we didn't have in our committee, meaning compulsion, is in a better position to determine, OK, who was telling the truth, who wasn't, and who could I make a case against in terms of perjury?" Schiff said.

The move from Schiff would follow a vote by the House Intelligence Committee last month to send Mueller the transcript of a 2017 interview with Trump confidant Roger Stone.


https://www.cnn.com/2019/01/06/politics/adam-schiff-house-intelligence-mueller-cnntv/index.html?utm_medium=social&utm_term=image&utm_content=2019-01-07T00%3A42%3A03&utm_source=twCNNp

'Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse' wins Best Animated Film

New DCCC chair Bustos vows to stay on offense in 2020

Rep. Cheri Bustos (D-Ill.) rose to prominence as one of just a handful of House Democrats from Trump districts. Now, it’s her job to protect — and even expand — that growing caucus.

Bustos, the newly elected chair of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, ran through the numbers of the new House of Representatives in an interview: Democrats captured a whopping 22 out of 25 GOP-held districts that Hillary Clinton had won in 2016, but they also expanded their ranks in districts President Donald Trump carried from 12 to 31, cementing a House majority.

Bustos’ primary task is to defend that majority. But the four-term Democrat says there is also room for her party to expand: Fully 50 House members won by less than 5 percentage points in 2018 — 24 Democrats and 26 Republicans — and Bustos intends to press into those marginal districts in the next two years.

“Look, I’m not going to be satisfied until half of Congress is women,” Bustos said at the DCCC’s headquarters near the Capitol.

Bustos has ambitious plans for the DCCC, vowing to create a structure unlike any House Democrats have ever “seen in history.” She plans to unveil the first round of members in the DCCC’s Frontline program, which protects incumbents in vulnerable districts, as early as January.

“There will not be one battleground district, not one, that we will leave unprotected or uncontested,” Bustos said. “Any chance we have to pick up a seat, we will go in full force. For all of what we call our Frontline members, the brand new members who are in these tougher districts, we will go in full force.”




https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/06/dccc-chair-cheri-bustos-2020-1058174

Trophy hunter who killed endangered elephants and lions 'eaten by crocodiles'

Scott van Zyl disappeared last week after he went on a hunting safari in Zimbabwe. Accompanied by a pack of dogs and a Zimbabwean tracker, the professional hunter who organises trips for foreign clients is thought to have been eaten by crocodiles on the bank of the Limpopo River.

It is believed Mr van Zyl and his tracker left their truck and walked in different directions into the bush. The dogs later returned to the camp without Mr van Zyl, whose belongings were found inside the vehicle. Rescue teams were sent to search for the hunter and helicopters, trackers and divers all scoured the region.

His tracks were later spotted leading to the banks of the river and his backpack was located nearby. Sakkie Louwrens, a member of one of the search teams, said police suspected two Nile crocodiles may have eaten Mr Van Zyl.

“We found what could possibly be human remains in them,” he told The Telegraph. Forensic experts are currently testing whether the remains belong to Mr van Zyl.

The SS Pro Safaris website, owned by Mr van Zyl, states the company "has conducted numerous safaris" throughout Southern Africa. These include "elephants in Botswana to the smallest blue duiker in KwaZulu Natal".



http://www.whitewolfpack.com/2017/12/trophy-hunter-who-kills-endangered.html

Warren regains footing in Iowa blitz

But on Saturday, her early-out-of-the-gates visit looked more than promising. Here, hundreds of people snaked around one block then wrapped around another, waiting outside for her evening appearance. In all, more than 1,000 people packed into the venue and spilled into an overflow area.

“The bad news is I’ve got a cold. The good news is: nevertheless, I persist,” she said to roaring applause.

If there’s a message from the vibrant crowds, it’s that Iowa Democrats are far from weary of an impending 2020 campaign, despite a bruising midterm election fight. Instead, 2020 cannot get started soon enough, according to nearly two dozen people who attended Warren events and talked to POLITICO.

While some already backed Warren, many who showed up at the senator’s organizing stops were just starting their examination of what’s to be an extensive Democratic roster. Many expressed deep frustrations over Trump administration policies and described a readiness to begin hearing from what’s expected to be a sprawling Democratic field.

“I take nothing away from Sen. Warren’s visit, I think people are genuinely excited to see her,” said Penny Rosfjord, a state central committee member and Iowa Democratic Party 4th congressional district chair. “But honestly, I think everybody is ready. They’re saying: We’re Iowa, we’re ready. Come on down. We want to meet you. We want to know about you. We’re going to challenge you.”


https://www.politico.com/story/2019/01/05/elizabeth-warren-iowa-democrats-2020-1082574

Question re. Medicare for All

If my 83-year old dad needs to pay $500/month to fill the 20% coverage gap, how is "Medicare for All" the best way to get to universal coverage?

History is made in Nebraska

A 400-year first: Filler-Corn breaks many barriers as new Democratic leader in Virginia's House

RICHMOND — From her old office, Del. Eileen Filler-Corn could lean against the window and look hard left along the General Assembly building for a glimpse of Virginia’s white-columned State Capitol.

But Filler-Corn (D-Fairfax County) is on the move, and her new digs look straight out at Mr. Jefferson’s temple on the hill. It’s a historic step for Filler-Corn, taking over the office suite of the minority leader of the Virginia House of Delegates — the first time in 400 years that a woman has held such a position.

“I’ll tell you, there has been an outpouring of excitement and energy around that,” Filler-Corn said in an interview. “Everyone is just kind of surprised to think that it’s taken so long.”

She also will become the first delegate from Northern Virginia to ascend to a top House leadership post in about 40 years, as well as the first Jew.


https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/virginia-politics/a-400-year-first-filler-corn-breaks-many-barriers-as-new-democratic-leader-in-virginias-house/2018/12/27/b9322b14-0472-11e9-b5df-5d3874f1ac36_story.html?utm_term=.d5a0dcbd1d28