Swalwell(D) And Gonzales(R) Will Resign Their Seats In Congress - Good Riddance To Both!

 

Most Voters Think Hegseth Should Resign

The chart above is from the Daily Mail / J.L. Partners Poll -- done between March 25th and 27th of a nationwide sample of 1,001 registered voters, with a 3.4 point margin of error. 

Trump Said Zelensky Had No Cards - He's WRONG

During his Oval Office temper tantrum, Donald Trump told Ukraine's President that he was in a bad position and had no cards. Trump was trying to extort Ukraine's minerals, and thought bullying would get the job done. He was wrong!

The same claim could have been made to another country back in 1776 - that the fledgling United States held no cards. But it did hold some very valuable cards. They had four aces:

Ace of Hearts - they loved their country and were willing to die fort.

Ace of Spades - they were fighting for their freedom from a foreign power.

Ace of Clubs - they believed they could win because of the bravery of their soldiers and leaders.

Ace of Diamonds - they had the help of another country (France).

And they played those four aces in a winning hand!

Ukraine holds those same four aces. They love their country. They're fighting for freedom and democracy. Their citizens, soldiers, and leaders are incredibly brave. And they have the help of other countries (even if the United States abandons them).

Don't underestimate Ukraine. They have already surprised the world with their resistance to the Russian invasion. Like the United States did against a world power hundreds of years age, they could win!

I think they will.

Most New Yorkers Want Santos To Resign Now

The chart above reflects the results of the Marist Poll -- done between November 13th and 15th of 1,780 New York adults, with a 3 point margin of error.

U.S. Envoy To Haiti Resigns Over Inhumane Deportations

The U.S. Special Envoy to Haiti has resigned. The letter above is the resignation letter he sent to Secretary of State Blinken. Special Envoy Daniel Foote was just appointed to his position in July by President Biden.

He is right! The current administration policy of deporting people back to Haiti is cruel and inhumane. We are sending these desperate people back to a country in turmoil -- a country that is mired in poverty and lawless disorder. Sending them back puts them in danger.

It would make more sense to give these people permission to stay in our country. They are truly refugees, and deserve the chance to make a life for themselves and their families. The truth is that we need more immigrants to keep our economy healthy (since our own population is not growing enough to do so). And these people, willing to brave numerous hardships to get to the U.S., are the kind of hard-working people we need here.

I have no problem with weeding out the dangerous criminals and sending them back, but the rest should be allowed to stay in the United States. They will help our economy by taking the low-wage and dangerous jobs that U.S. citizens don't want.

We are a nation made up almost completely of immigrants and their descendants. It makes no sense to dent entrance to this new group -- especially when sending them back may well cause their death, either through violence or neglect.

I support President Biden, but the U.S. needs a more humane policy toward the Haitian refugees.

Cuomo Resigns - New Democratic Governor Is Kathy Hochul

The long torturous nightmare is over -- both for Governor Cuomo and the Democratic Party. 

On Tuesday, Cuomo announced that he is resigning. He said, "Given the circumstances, the best way I can help now is if I step aside and let government get back to government, and therefore that is what I'll do, because I work for you, and doing the right thing, is doing the right thing for you." 

He really had no choice. It was either resign or be impeached and removed -- and resignation was obviously the better choice.

Democrats had no choice either. After the ruckus they raised over the sexual aberrations of Donald Trump and Brett Kavanaugh, it would have been hypocritical to then excuse the sexual harassment committed by Cuomo.

Cuomo's resignation will be effective in two weeks. At that time, Democratic Lt. Governor Kathy Hochul will be sworn in as the new governor of the state of New York. She will be the first female governor of New York.

New York Voters Want Governor Cuomo To Resign

Since the Attorney General's report on the Cuomo investigation came out, there has been a lot of discussion on social media about whether the governor of New York should resign or not. Most say he should resign (and I concur). 

But there are some Democrats who would rather make excuses for the governor rather than face the facts detailed in the report. Some say he should stay in office because Trump was not held responsible for his illegal actions. That makes no sense to me. Would you let a murderer go free because another one got away with his crime? Besides, it would be hypocritical of Democrats to try to hold Trump responsible by impeaching him, but let a Democrat get away with violating the sanctity of his office. That would put Democrats down in the gutter with the Republicans.

Others are saying that Cuomo should be forgiven because he's Italian, and Italians are just a demonstrative and touch-feely group of people. That makes no sense either. That infers that Italians are too dumb to understand there's a difference between appropriate and inappropriate touching. I don't believe that's true. I've known many Italian-Americans, and they all understood that difference.

Governor Cuomo is a sexual harasser. He should resign. 

The voters in New York understand that. As the chart above shows, about 70% of them say he should resign, while only 25% say he should not -- and that includes a significant majority of Democrats (57%). In addition, 65% say Cuomo sexually harassed multiple women. And 55% believe he should be charged with a crime.

The charts on this page reflect the results of a new Quinnipiac University Poll -- done on August 4th and 5th of a sample of 615 registered voters in New York, with a 4 point margin of error.

NY Doesn't Want Cuomo To Resign Or Run For Re-Election

 The charts above reflect the results of a new Siena College Poll -- done between March 8th and 12th of 805 New York State registered voters, with a 4.1 point margin of error.

Poll Shows Support For Cuomo Is Dropping Rapidly

 

The charts above are from an Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between March 6th and 9th of a national sample of 1,500 adults, with a 2.7 point margin of error.

Democrats Are Different Than GOP - Cuomo Must Go!

Governor Andrew Cuomo of New York was riding high on the basis of his response to the pandemic in his state. He was popular with Democrats across the nation -- and was even being discussed as a possible future presidential nominee for the party.

But that was before it was learned that he had hidden many nursing home deaths from the public in an effort to make his administration look good.

That was before at least seven women came forward with credible accusations of sexual harassment.

And that was before it was learned that he created a tacit work environment for his employees -- attacking them and calling them names at meetings infant of other employees. 

Some Democrats have come to his defense. But sadly, their argument seems to be that Cuomo should not resign because Trump (and some other Republicans) got away with even more egregious wrongdoing.

That is true. Republicans seem to be indifferent to the wrongdoing of their officials -- believing retaining power is more important than values or morality. 

But Democrats are different. They actually have values, and they expect their politicians to adhere to those values. That is why Governor Cuomo needs to resign (or at least assure voters he will not run for another term). He is an embarrassment to the Democratic Party.

The following is part of an excellent op-ed by Jennifer Rubin in The Washington Post:

While it is possible that New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo (D) will ride out the burgeoning scandal involving multiple complaints of sexual harassment and concealment of nursing home deaths due to covid-19, Democrats are trying their level best to dump him. More than a dozen members of his state’s Democratic delegation, including Reps. Jerrold Nadler and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, demandedFriday morning that Cuomo leave office. By the end of the day, New York’s two U.S. senators, Majority Leader Charles E. Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand, had also called on Cuomo to step down. This echoed similar calls from Democratic state legislative leaders.

This is what a responsible party does. Its members assess the magnitude of credible evidence of wrongdoing, the severity of the alleged conduct, and the moral and political cost of defending a scoundrel, and then put decency and good governance ahead of tribal loyalty. This is not a weakness; it affords them moral authority and reaffirms the trust that voters place in elected officials.

The Republicans time and again have shown that they would never do such a thing. They exonerated disgraced former president Donald Trump twice despite replete evidence of impeachable conduct. They did not demand he leave the race in 2016 after the “Access Hollywood” tape surfaced; they supported him again in 2020 despite learning he had made payoffs to women with whom he allegedly had extramarital affairs and was accused of rape by E. Jean Carroll (Trump denies Carroll’s allegation). The same Republicans who dinged Neera Tanden, President Biden’s withdrawn nominee to head the Office of Management and Budget, for spicy tweets excused four years of vile, racist, misogynistic language from the head of the party. And, despite his role in sparking a violent insurrection, Republicans still support him as the leader of their party. . . .

The irony is that the GOP used to fancy itself as the party of personal responsibility and public rectitude. Now it is a party of professional victims, wallowing in the myth of anti-White racism, incensed when presented with the concept of implicit bias and ready to smear women of color nominated for key posts for the same conduct that Republicans tolerated from White men. . . .

It is not hard to see why the difference between the parties regarding their willingness to police their own has become so stark. Democrats embrace and rely upon multi-racial democracy, so they feel compelled to defend it. They think government can be a force for good; they therefore have an interest in throwing out the crooks, the louts and the serial liars. . . .

Sadly, we have only one major party that is fit to govern in a constitutional, multi-racial democracy that demands accountability and self-control from elected officials. The other party has deteriorated into a group of apologists for sexual violence, racism, insurrection and habitual lying.

New York Newspaper Calls For Gov. Cuomo To Resign

The problems just continue to grow for New York Governor Andrew Cuomo.

Four women have now come forward to accuse him of sexual harassment, and many of his ex-staffers are now accusing him of promoting a toxic environment among those working in his administration.

But perhaps most important is the charge that his administration hid many nursing home deaths from COVID-19 to avoid making the governor look bad.

That's what the Albany Times-Union details in their editorial asking the governor to resign. Here is part of what the newspaper's editorial board had to say:

First Gov. Andrew Cuomo hid the truth about deaths of nursing home residents from the public. Then his administration lied about why. Then, pretending to come clean, it lied about why it lied. 

Enough. Mr. Cuomo has squandered the public’s trust at a time when it’s needed more than ever. Amid an enduring pandemic, it is vital that people can believe what their governor and their government are telling them, and that the rules they’re asked to follow and the sacrifices they’re asked to make are truly in the interest of public health. It is time for Mr. Cuomo to resign, and for those who helped him deceive the public to go, too.

We do not say this lightly. We endorsed Mr. Cuomo for governor three times. He has brought to fruition a host of important progressive goals. But between his manipulation of state ethics bodies, multiple allegations of sexual harassment and these latest revelations on nursing home deaths, he has lost the credibility he needs to lead this state, especially in the midst of a public health crisis.

As we wrote in our last endorsement of him: “New York still matters. It's the fourth-largest state and the financial center of the world. It's the birthplace of women's rights and LGBT rights. It embodies the American melting pot. With its wealth, its legacy and its diversity come a special responsibility to stand as a moral voice in America.”

Mr. Cuomo can no longer be that voice.

Trump Refuses To Resign - Doesn't Trust Pence To Pardon

I have said on this blog that the smart move for Trump would be to resign, and let Pence pardon him. That is not going to happen.

I think the main reason is Trump's rampant narcissism. He cannot be seen as giving in to his enemies or being weak. But their has emerged another reason. He doesn't trust Mike Pence to pardon him!

Frankly, I don't blame him. The way he has treated Pence in the last couple of weeks could well encourage the Vice-President to withhold a pardon.

Trump tried to pressure Pence to break the law and throw out electors from states that voted against Trump. When Pence said he could not legally do that, Trump bad mouthed him to his MAGA followers. Then sent them to Capitol Hill together Pence, and the rioters could be heard chanting "Hang Pence".

Why should Pence pardon a seditionist who put his life in danger?

Here's a tiny part of how CNN.com is covering Trump's last few days in office.

Trump has been consumed by the unraveling of his presidency during his last days in office, according to people around him, which included a casual discussion among advisers recently about a possible resignation.

Trump shut the idea down almost immediately. And he has made clear to aides in separate conversations that mere mention of President Richard Nixon, the last president to resign, was banned.

He told one adviser during an expletive-laden conversation recently never to bring up the ex-president ever again. During the passing mention of resigning this week, Trump told people he couldn't count on Vice President Mike Pence to pardon him like Gerald Ford did Nixon, anyway.

Eager for a final taste of the pomp of being president, Trump has asked for a major send-off on Inauguration Day next week, according to people familiar with the matter, before one last presidential flight to Palm Beach.

But the signs of his impending departure are everywhere -- including right outside his window. Workers hung bunting Thursday that read "2021 Biden-Harris Inauguration" from temporary stands across from the White House North Portico. It was visible from his third-story residence.

Inside the building, Trump has been weathering a second impeachment and growing isolation from his onetime allies in sullen desolation. He has grown more and more worried about what legal or financial calamities may await him when he is no longer president, people who have spoken to him said, fueled by warnings from lawyers and advisers. He is weighing pardons, including for himself and his family, as he attempts to muster a legal team for another impeachment trial. And he is resentful of Republicans who he feels abandoned him in his hour of need, including the GOP leaders of the House and Senate.

Aides have pleaded with Trump to deliver some type of farewell address, either live or taped, that would tick through his accomplishments in office. But he has appeared disinterested and noncommittal.

The Smart Move For Trump Would Be To Resign

I know that Donald Trump is not very smart. I know that he is a raging narcissist. And I know that he is desperately trying to hold on to power. Those things together make it very unlikely that he would resign his office.

But he should. Not because it would be the best thing for the country. He doesn't care about this country or its citizens (except for a few family members and some rich friends). But because it would be in his own best interest.

Trump is in some serious legal trouble. I'm not talking about his Russia problems (although that could still bounce back on him), but his more recent actions -- things he has done after losing the election to Joe Biden. Specifically, trying to pressure election officials and legislatures into overturning the will of the voters, and urging his supporters to attack the Capitol to force lawmakers into keeping him in power (promoting a coup).

These are serious charges, and unless he is given a pardon, could result in years in a federal prison.

It is reported that he is considering many pardons for his family and aides to be announced a day or two before leaving office -- and that one of those pardons would be for himself. That's not going to work.

A self-pardon would be immediately challenged in Court, and likely be voided. Allowing a president to pardon himself would mean he was above the law. No one is above the law in this country. While the president is powerful, and cannot be arrested or charged with a crime while in office (according to a ridiculous Department of Justice ruling), it would be unconstitutional to allow him to be above the law after leaving office.

A self-pardon could also bounce back on him. By pardoning himself, he would be admitting that he thinks he has broken one or more laws -- and that could be used against him at a trial.

He does need a pardon, but there's only one way to get one that wouldn't be overturned by the Supreme Court. He would have to resign, and hope Pence would give him one (like Ford pardoned Nixon). Of course this would mean mending his fences with Pence -- after condemning him for not breaking the law to keep Trump in power, and urging a mob of supporters to go after Pence.

He brought Pence to the White House on Monday, and aides said the two men had a pleasant talk. This makes me think he is trying to get back in good with Pence -- in case he needs him for a pardon.

Will Trump resign? Would Pence pardon him if he did? I don't know, but it is the only path Trump has to get what he needs -- a pardon. We'll have to wait and see if he has enough sense to realize that.

Opposition Grows For Lawmakers Voting Against Election

Several senators and more than a hundred House members voted against certifying the Electoral College results after rioters broke into the Capitol Building and desecrated the building -- putting lives in danger.

This is not being taken well in their home districts and states. Opposition to them is growing, and many of their hometown newspapers are now demanding their resignation.

Here is part of how Jeffrey Collins reports this for AP News:

Republican members of Congress who voted against certifying Joe Biden’s presidential victory, even after a mob broke into the Capitol, are being denounced by critics in their home districts who demand that they resign or be ousted. 

Protesters, newspaper editorial boards and local-level Democrats have urged the lawmakers to step down or for their colleagues to kick them out. The House and Senate can remove members with a two-thirds vote or censure or reprimand with a majority. . . .

In St. Louis on Saturday, several hundred people protested against Sen. Josh Hawley, the first-term Missouri Republican who led efforts in the Senate to overturn Biden’s election. The protestors painted “RESIGN HAWLEY” in large yellow letters in the middle of the street.

A caravan of about 40 cars circled Sen. Ron Johnson’s office in Madison, Wisconsin, urging him to resign. Johnson initially supported Trump’s baseless claims of election fraud, but after the riot, he voted in favor of Biden’s win. Johnson condemned the violence but did not back off voter fraud allegations.

The editorial boards of two of Wisconsin’s biggest newspapers called for Johnson to resign, joining with editorials published across the country that targeted GOP politicians.

The Houston Chronicle, long a critic of Sen. Ted Cruz, said in an editorial that the Republican knew exactly what he was doing and what might happen when he took to the Senate floor to dispute the election results.

“Those terrorists wouldn’t have been at the Capitol if you hadn’t staged this absurd challenge to the 2020 results in the first place,” the newspaper wrote.

In Alabama, the Decatur Daily called for local Rep. Mo Brooks to resign. The York Dispatch in Pennsylvania said congressman Scott Perry is “a disgrace to Pennsylvania and our democracy,” and if he still believes Biden’s election is fraudulent, he should resign because that means his election was bogus too. . . .

The Danville Register & Bee in Virginia said its representative, Bob Good, needs to go because his words struck the matches that led to the destructive mobs.

Over 1100 Former DOJ Officials Ask For Barr's Resignation

(Cartoon image is by Dave Granlund at davegranlund.com.)

Traditionally, the Attorney General is the people's lawyer. He is to see that government officials follow the Constitution, and that justice in the United States is meted out equally and without prejudice.

William "Whitewash Willie" Barr is different. He sees himself as Donald Trump's lawyer (even though Trump already has both White House and personal lawyers). He acts to cover-up Trump's misdeeds and attack his perceived enemies. He is the antithesis of a good Attorney General.

That is why more than 1,100 former prosecutors and other Department of Justice officials (from both political parties) have signed a petition demanding the resignation of Barr, and urging current officials to refuse to carry out his illegal demands.

Here is that petition:

We, the undersigned, are alumni of the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) who have collectively served both Republican and Democratic administrations. Each of us strongly condemns President Trump’s and Attorney General Barr’s interference in the fair administration of justice.

As former DOJ officials, we each proudly took an oath to support and defend our Constitution and faithfully execute the duties of our offices. The very first of these duties is to apply the law equally to all Americans. This obligation flows directly from the Constitution, and it is embedded in countless rules and laws governing the conduct of DOJ lawyers. The Justice Manual — the DOJ’s rulebook for its lawyers — states that “the rule of law depends on the evenhanded administration of justice”; that the Department’s legal decisions “must be impartial and insulated from political influence”; and that the Department’s prosecutorial powers, in particular, must be “exercised free from partisan consideration.”

All DOJ lawyers are well-versed in these rules, regulations, and constitutional commands. They stand for the proposition that political interference in the conduct of a criminal prosecution is anathema to the Department’s core mission and to its sacred obligation to ensure equal justice under the law.

And yet, President Trump and Attorney General Barr have openly and repeatedly flouted this fundamental principle, most recently in connection with the sentencing of President Trump’s close associate, Roger Stone, who was convicted of serious crimes. The Department has a long-standing practice in which political appointees set broad policies that line prosecutors apply to individual cases. That practice exists to animate the constitutional principles regarding the even-handed application of the law. Although there are times when political leadership appropriately weighs in on individual prosecutions, it is unheard of for the Department’s top leaders to overrule line prosecutors, who are following established policies, in order to give preferential treatment to a close associate of the President, as Attorney General Barr did in the Stone case. It is even more outrageous for the Attorney General to intervene as he did here — after the President publicly condemned the sentencing recommendation that line prosecutors had already filed in court.

Such behavior is a grave threat to the fair administration of justice. In this nation, we are all equal before the law. A person should not be given special treatment in a criminal prosecution because they are a close political ally of the President. Governments that use the enormous power of law enforcement to punish their enemies and reward their allies are not constitutional republics; they are autocracies.

We welcome Attorney General Barr’s belated acknowledgment that the DOJ’s law enforcement decisions must be independent of politics; that it is wrong for the President to interfere in specific enforcement matters, either to punish his opponents or to help his friends; and that the President’s public comments on DOJ matters have gravely damaged the Department’s credibility. But Mr. Barr’s actions in doing the President’s personal bidding unfortunately speak louder than his words. Those actions, and the damage they have done to the Department of Justice’s reputation for integrity and the rule of law, require Mr. Barr to resign. But because we have little expectation he will do so, it falls to the Department’s career officials to take appropriate action to uphold their oaths of office and defend nonpartisan, apolitical justice.

For these reasons, we support and commend the four career prosecutors who upheld their oaths and stood up for the Department’s independence by withdrawing from the Stone case and/or resigning from the Department. Our simple message to them is that we — and millions of other Americans — stand with them. And we call on every DOJ employee to follow their heroic example and be prepared to report future abuses to the Inspector General, the Office of Professional Responsibility, and Congress; to refuse to carry out directives that are inconsistent with their oaths of office; to withdraw from cases that involve such directives or other misconduct; and, if necessary, to resign and report publicly — in a manner consistent with professional ethics — to the American people the reasons for their resignation. We likewise call on the other branches of government to protect from retaliation those employees who uphold their oaths in the face of unlawful directives. The rule of law and the survival of our Republic demand nothing less.

Sarah Sanders Leaves As 2nd Biggest Liar In U.S.

Sarah Huckabee Sanders told Americans at the end of last year that she would be leaving her post as the Trump administration's press secretary. Now, six months later, she is actually leaving that post -- although she hasn't held a press conference in the last three months.

When asked how she would like to be remembered, she said as "transparent and honest". That has to be a joke. The only person that has lied more to the American people in the last couple of years is Donald Trump. Sanders has told outrageous lie after outrageous lie in trying to defend her dishonest boss. And she even admitted to investigators working for Robert Mueller that she made up statements about the FBI. And she did it all with a straight face, acting as though she was telling the truth.

I would say her leaving was a good thing for the American people, but it is unlikely to make much difference. Trump will undoubtably replace her with another consummate liar.

Bill Weld Of GOP Says "It's Time For Trump To Resign"

(Photo of Bill Weld, from Wikipedia, is by Gary Johnson.)

Not every Republican is a brain dead supporter of the criminal in the White House. A few have refused to abandon their conscience, and still cling to their honesty. One of these is former Republican Governor William "Bill" Weld.

I don't usually agree with Weld, especially on economic issues, but I admire his courageous stand against Donald Trump. Here is the op-ed he wrote in thebulwark.com asking Trump to resign:

If Donald Trump is an American patriot, he should resign from office.

In the 2016 campaign, Senator Ted Cruz described Trump as a “pathological liar.” The Mueller report carefully documents the truth of Senator Cruz’s description. The relationship between a democratic government and its citizens is based on mutual trust and respect. How can a president function if he instinctively lies to not only the public but to his own staff? There is one essential truth that leaps from the pages of the Mueller report: No one can trust Donald Trump.

Following the release of the Mueller report, Trump claimed with his usual arrogance and ignorance that he has been vindicated. In truth, the Mueller report revealed that Trump is a one-man crime wave.

Time and again, Trump tried to use the power of the Oval Office to protect himself and his associates from the consequences of their actions. The only defense Trump has to obstruction of justice is that he was too incompetent to carry it off. Over the past two years, several Trump aides derailed his criminal conspiracies by distracting the president, or simply ignoring him. Trump’s failure to stop Bob Mueller does not negate how hard he tried.

The Mueller report lifted up the rock and left Trump’s minions scurrying for cover. Already, five Trump associates have been convicted of serious crimes, including his former campaign manager, his longtime personal attorney, and his former national security advisor. And we don’t yet know the extent of criminality within the Trump campaign or the Trump White House because he Mueller report includes 12 criminal referrals that have been redacted to protect ongoing cases.

Trump pressured then-FBI Director James Comey to go easy on National Security Advisor Michael Flynn, hoping Comey could “see your way clear to letting this go, to letting Flynn go.” When Comey refused to put Trump and his inner circle above the law, Trump fired him. Flynn pleaded guilty to lying to the FBI about his contacts with Russia.

When Mike Pompeo was running the CIA, Trump pushed him to tell the public that Trump had had nothing to do with Russia’s interference with the 2016 election. He bragged to Russian diplomats that firing Comey had taken off “great pressure because of Russia.”

Fortunately, Bob Mueller was able to do his job despite Trump’s constant interference. But it is worth noting that those aides who pushed back against Trump’s worst instincts have since been pushed out of the White House. Who is left to stop Trump from abusing his authority to benefit himself and his cronies now?

For two years, Trump tried repeatedly to derail Mueller’s investigation and repeatedly lied to the public about his own words and actions. He even dangled pardons for witnesses who were telling Mueller exactly what Trump had been doing in the Oval Office. In total, the special counsel found ten instances of possible obstruction of justice.

Whether this clear pattern of obstruction warrants impeachment is the purview of the House of Representatives. But regardless of what they decide, the facts revealed in the Mueller report confirm that Donald Trump is not to be trusted. There is no reason to believe a word he says about anything, and the American people deserve better.

Just as concerning, the report reveals his tenuous grasp on government and the chaos within his administration. No one in his administration trusts him, they feel free to ignore his orders, and they are as dishonest with him as he is with them. No government can function effectively this way. There is a crisis of trust in this presidency. It cannot stand.

Donald Trump lies to his own staff. He lies to the American people. He lies to our allies. Strangely, the only time Trump seems capable of telling the truth is when he’s in the company of dictators and tyrants. He seems to envy their approach to power.

As the damning truths of the Mueller report became public, Trump went on a Twitter rant against those former aides who told the truth. Trump’s rampant dishonesty and paranoia render him incapable of serving as president. For once, he should put the good of the United States ahead of his own ego and resign.

The American public, our international allies, the very rule of law itself would all be better served with a President Mike Pence.

So, the question is a basic one: Is Donald Trump truly an American patriot?

Virginia Governor (And Democrat) Northam Must Resign

The photo above (from The Virginian-Pilot) is from the Eastern Virginia Medical School yearbook page of Ralph Northam. Mr. Northam is currently the governor of Virginia. He was elected on the Democratic Party ticket. This yearbook was not published in the 1950's (when racism was commonplace in Virginia), but in 1984 when any decent American should have known that appearing in Blackface or a KKK costume was inexcusable.

When the photo was first made public, Northam owned up to it and apologized, saying:

"Earlier today, a website published a photograph of me from my 1984 medical school yearbook in a costume that is clearly racist and offensive. . .decision I made to appear as I did in this photo and for the hurt that decision caused then and now. This behavior is not in keeping with who I am today and the values I have fought for throughout my career in the military, in medicine, and in public service."

Sadly, he has now backtracked. Now he claims that he was not in either the Blackface or the KKK costume, that the photo was placed on his page in error, and that he did not know what appeared on his page (since he did not buy a copy of the yearbook). I find that very hard to believe. Even if he did not buy a copy, he very likely knew what appeared on his own page.

Is Northam a racist? I don't know. But at the very least, he has an extreme lack of sensitivity regarding racial issues. And either racist beliefs or the lack of sensitivity to racial issues would be grounds for a resignation.

The Republicans have called for Northam to resign. That's more than a bit disingenuous, since they have spent the last few years defending actions as bad, or worse, by their own politicians (lying, pedophilia, racism, religious bigotry, homophobia, rape, drunkenness, sex abuse, etc.). If Northam was a Republican, I have no doubt they would be defending him.

But I am not a Republican. I am a Democrat. And being a Democrat, I must demand the same high standards of politicians from all political parties (and Independents). This yearbook page is indefensible, and his lying about it just makes the situation much worse.

Governor Ralph Northam MUST RESIGN!

Mattis Resigns Over Serious Policy Differences With Trump

Resignations from Trump's cabinet and White House staff are not unusual. His administration has been chaotic since the beginning, and the staff turnover has been huge. But the latest resignation may be the most important, and damaging to Trump's administration yet.

On Thursday, Secretary of Defense James Mattis (pictured), submitted his resignation to Trump. And instead of using the time-worn phrase of wanting to spend more time with family, Mattis made it clear in his resignation letter that he was leaving because of serious policy differences with Trump.

Mattis believes that this country should back our allies and oppose our enemies -- which all presidents in the past (of both parties) have tried to do. But Mattis finally had to admit that Trump is different. Trump has made a point of attacking our allies and coddling our enemies. Mattis could no longer go along with that, and realized that Trump could not be deterred from that crazy and dangerous policy.

In his resignation letter, Mattis said Trump deserved to have a Secretary of Defense that agreed with his policies (which Mattis could not do). Frankly, I find that thought frightening -- a Secretary of Defense that agrees with attacking our allies and coddling our enemies.

Here is the text of Mattis' resignation letter:

Scott Pruitt "Resigns" (Was Fired) As EPA Administrator

 (Cartoon image is by Steve Sack in the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.)

On Thursday, Trump sent the tweet above, announcing that he had accepted the resignation of Environmental Protection Agency administrator Scott Pruitt. Make no mistake though. Pruitt was fired from that job. He loved the job, and would never have resigned on his own.

Pruitt had piled up a list of ethical lapses that was pages long, and at least 15 investigations into his conduct were under way. Under any ethical presidential administration (of either party), Pruitt would have been fired many months ago. But ethics is not a concern of the Trump administration, and Pruitt was doing what Trump wanted done -- trashing regulations that prevented corporations from fouling our air and poisoning our land and water -- so Trump kept him in the job and ignored the numerous ethical violations.

Pruitt was a friend to the fossil fuel industries and corporate polluters, and he was a climate change denier. That was what Trump liked about him, and putting him in charge of the EPA was like putting a fox in charge of the henhouse. It may take decades to undo the damage Pruitt has done to our environment.

So, why did Trump fire him? If it wasn't for the ethical violations and Trump was happy with him trashing the environment, why was he fired? Simple -- he had become an embarrassment that Trump could no longer ignore. Pruitt was in the headlines too much, taking up headlines and air time that Trump thinks only he has the right to. Trump was getting tired of making excuses for Pruitt and afraid that Pruitt's corruption was starting to taint the Trump administration (even though Trump is the most corrupt individual in Washington).

In the end, Pruitt learned what many other former Trump employees have learned. While Trump demands loyalty, that loyalty is a one-way street (and is never returned). Trump will happily toss an employee under the bus to save himself. On Thursday, Pruitt got tossed under that bus.