Beltway Insider: Looking Back/Fifty Days of Trump; Cyber/Wiretapping; US AG’s Fired; Russia; Germany; Biden SXSW

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Category: Beltway Insider

Published on Sunday, 12 March 2017 20:15

Written by Janet Walker

The Trump Presidency has recently passed Day 50 with it a tale of two presidencies vividly emerge one of appointments, executive orders, foul ups and tweets followed by resignations, criticisms, impeachment efforts, media bans, great solidarity, and, of course, Russia.

According to Gallup, President Trump's job approval, over the past week, decreased ten percentage point to 45% of those polled who approve of his effectiveness as President and those who disapprove of his effectiveness as President increased eight percentage points to 49%. 

Trumps First Fifty Days Fact Verses Fiction

Donald Trump's first fifty days have become a matter of debate as historians and scholars not to mention the media, consider the rare combination of mass demonstrations, public rejection, upheaval, along with unfounded accusations, determined destruction, stumbles, and mounting public distrust.

From the beginning of his employment as the President of the United States, the legitimacy of Mr. Trumps' presidency has been in serious question.

His relationship with Russia, his lack of experience, repeated appointees who have had similar ties to the Kremlin, his bulldog efforts to dismantle every policy, good, bad or blatantly destructive, which remained from the previous administration, not to mention his unusual and unorthodox choices at entertaining foreign heads of state and dealing with national security issues have only added to a accepted conclusion that he was unfit to serve and more importantly dedicated to other goals and even other gods.

With all these missteps, the singular issue that remains and will continue to dog the President throughout his term will be his relationship to Russia and the allegations, to the degree of which have not been established, of the Kremlin's assistant in securing the presidency.

Nation State Cyber Election Attribution

Cyber Security, a nation state cyber terror attack, may be the stuff fantasies and block buster movies thrive on and for the general public, and hopeful impeachment watchdogs, the Trump White House would prefer everyone believe cyber warfare is a non threat. The facts are, of course,polar opposite to the message we, the general public receive.

Nation State Cyber warfare is an extremely effective choice in handling covert or uncontrollable fanaticism from the comfort of the National Security Agency or any other allied partners cyber fortresses.

The United States and under the direction of former President George W. Bush's White House has been conducting covert operations from the safety and security of the NSA since the beginning of the 21st Century.

With research, development and testing necessary the programs were probably initiated in the 1990's with the rise in Silicon Valley and the continued escalation of terrorist threats from foreign entities. 

The first publicly known nation state targeted by allied partners and global operatives was Iran and the mass destruction of their Nuclear program which was handled from the National Security Agency offices in Washington D.C., with partners from other nation states. No person is debating the necessity of dismantling the Iranian nuclear program.

What government would want, desperately hope, is that all who knew and those who have since found out believe with a blindly that government has put away their super spy tools and techniques after this one clandestine operation.

No person who have had knowledge of the Stuxnet operation or code name "Olympic Games" will believe the NSA went to sleep and ended all contact with those global covert security branches of governments.

The issue remains how deeply involved with the Russian Cyber intelligence pre-election were members of the Trump Family and any close associates. On a cursory examination it is clear there has been some and probably greater involvement than has been revealed. 

Donald Trump has solidified his position as Big Business First as he, in the name of the good of the American people, have reversed several of the key initiative of the previous administration. And of course there is no bigger business with long term payoffs than oil. The never ending tap which produces barrels of cash.

The Russia-Trump Association is more than manipulating the system to elect an unfit president; the expected complacency of the American people sent a glitch in the plan and now reaping the harvest of joint efforts is delayed. The questions become the who, what when, where, why and how of first year journalism students.

Wiretapping Accusations

President Trump is also fighting dissension within his own party as former Republican Presidential candidate Arizona Senator John McCain appeared on the Sunday Morning Talk Show circuit addressing the unfounded allegations made by President Trump that former President Barack Obama wiretapped his home and headquarters during the last days the 2016 campaign.

Former President Obama has emphatically denied the allegations.

Since Senator McCain addressed the wire tapping allegation President Trump has stated the wiretapping allegation were meant in a "broader" context.

The unfounded allegation has become the standard for the president who has maintained his social media involvement and turned twitter into an acceptable form of source news gathering.  

Russia: Kremlin Cries Wolf

Russian President Vladimir Putin has gone on the offensive. Fifty days into the presidency and still the American people have not lost their will to fight the validity of Donald Trump and blindly agree with his policies and plans.

Now the Kremlin is working the media American style unleashing the Kremlin's spin doctor, Dmitry Peskov, to convince the American press, and subsequently the people of the facts. Which, are of course, that Putin is a loyal and lawful leader and any possible involvement in the 2016 Election is ludicrous.

Peskov, who has been Putin's top spokesperson for more than two decades, explain to CNN's Fareed Zakaria, "the United States is humiliating itself by accusing Russian of interfering with the U.S. Election. He continued by adding, "The fact is Russia is being demonized in that sense cones very strange to us and we are very sorry about this," as reported on CNN.

As the Trump administration is moving past the 50 day mark the timing of the Russian spin campaign seems suspicious. Many members of the media, especially those who continually face the White House wrath, have uncovered many instances of meetings with many members of the Russian delegation.

National Security Adviser Michael Flynn was asked to resign after his relationships with the Russian President Vladimir Putin created a firestorm of second guessing and assessments of the misplaced loyalties, proven associations with Russia and direct ties to the Kremlin.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions Lies Under Oath Over Russia Ties

While the President's last 50 days have been met with an arsenal of allegations of Russian ties the most damaging occurred when sitting Attorney General Jeff Sessions recently recused himself from investigations into Russian meddling in the 2016 Campaign.

Trumps' first Attorney General Sally Q. Yates, was terminated for her refusal to defend his demagogic executive order which had since been deemed non-constitutional, and after repeated attempts to fight the ban, its unconstitutionality has been upheld.

Nominating Jeff Sessions was expected to be the opportunity for the Trump White House to distance itself from the growing scandal and belief of involvement with the Russians secured the presidency for Mr. Trump.

Sessions immediate refusal sent the White House into a melt down with several media reporting through unnamed sources that Trump went "ballistic" and created the appearance of impropriety, and a willingness to continue to endure humiliations of poor choices and bad decisions for the prize that hasn't been revealed yet.

Wall Street: Trump Continues to Clean House; Fires Top NY Prosecutor; Demands Resignation from 45 others

Mr. Preet Bharara, arguably the most recognizable name among the list of 46 federal prosecutors appointed under former President Barack Obama has been fired from his position as the top U.S. Attorney for the New York Southern District.

The demand for his resignation had been ongoing beginning on Thursday when President's assistant left a message requesting Bharara to call. Over the course of the next 72 hours an assistant to the president and an adviser to Attorney General Jeff Sessions, each attempt contact with the illusive Bharara.

Protocol does not allow for professional involvement, telephone conferences or other contact, between federal prosecutors and the President of the United States and Bharara informed the White House of the procedures that stopped him from returning the president's telephone call.

"The calls from the acting deputy attorney general arose a day after Sean Hannity, the Fox News commentator who is a strong supporter of President Trump, said on his evening show that Mr. Trump needed to "purge" Obama holdovers from the federal government. Mr. Hannity portrayed them as "saboteurs" from the "deep state" who were leaking secrets to hurt Mr. Trump. It also came the same week that government watchdogs wrote to Mr. Bharara and urged him to investigate whether Mr. Trump had violated the emoluments clause of the Constitution, which bars federal officials from taking payments from foreign governments," as reported in The New York Times.

As appointed Federal Prosecutors who are given their employment from a former President and clearly in this case as the current administration has continued on his campaign pattern of mudslinging and denigrating the past administration, the removal of holdover employees is simply part of the 100 days plan.  

Even one who appears to have been objective in his choice of cases to handle, investigating Democrats, and Republicans, without prejudice. He did however, pass on several other cases which would have exposed deeply buried secrets from Wall Street Law firms.

His post Southern District employment has not been announced although it is assumed any one of the top New York Corporate Law firms will offer him a Partner position, and all the benefits that go along with the position especially for someone with Bharara's loyalty.  

The Eastern District of New York which comprises Kings, Nassau, Queens, Richmond, and Suffolk counties, and concurrently with the Southern District, the waters within the counties of Bronx and New York also lost the top U.S. Attorney. Robert L. Capers submitted his resignation Friday.

Beltway Insider: Trump Bans Media; Russian Cyber Trail; Travel Ban; Rachel Dolezel

Former Vice-President Joe Biden Speaks at SXSW

Former Vice-President Joseph Biden spoke, to a sell-out crowd, at the expanding South by South West Film Festival, the annual gathering of film buffs and studio executives who roll out sneak peaks and introduce the spring line up, and has become the gathering for tech innovators, media, and consumer products of the southwest.

The former VP, ever passionate about politics, family and leading the country, albeit at arm's length through this troubled times, spoke of the Moonshot Cancer Initiative which began during one of the darkest seasons in his life in which his son, Beau, died of Brain Cancer.

Looking tanned and healthy, Biden spoke to the crowd as one who could rally the innovators to action. His challenge for the tech apps builders centered on creating an interchangeable system where medical records could be sent with the click of a button and maintained by the patient with the downloading of an application.

The idea that this generation, and as we face a continued reminding of American's Greatest Generation, we can become the greatest generation to ever live and become the generation that found a cure, created a longer life span, found the tools to manage, and found the medicine the right balance of drugs that stop the debilitating side effects.

We the app builders, the gamer's, yes, even those called the slackers, we have the ideas, we've been raised on the technology, we can do it and Biden would say, "Let's do it together."

Germany: German Chancellor Angela Merkel Plans White House Visit

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accepted President Trump's offer to visit the White House where the two governments will hold a series of bi-lateral meetings will be held as the two nations continue to move together to solidify friendship of the two nations.

President Trump has also stated the interaction of Germany and the leadership of the Chancellor will be necessary and significant in resolving the conflict in the Ukraine. The continuing conflict in Syria and the 66 Nation coalition which both leaders remain dedicated to escalating the destruction of the Islamic State.

Deborah L. Walker, Sister of Haute-Lifestyle.com Publisher, Janet Walker, Has Died

Deborah L. Walker, the sister of Haute-Lifestyle.com Publisher, Janet Walker, died March 5, 2017 after a short illness that required intensive medical treatment from which she did not recover.

Ms. Walker, 58, who recently returned from a six-month sailing trip, was diagnosed with Leukemia during a follow up visit at OhioHealth Med-Central Hospitals and over the course of twelve days, five days into her first round of chemotherapy, passed away.

Debbie was a mother of three daughters, whom she loving spoke of and often denied herself empty nest pleasures to remain near her children.  Her greatest joy, was seeing her two girls who were the light of her life grow and become talented, educated, professionals.

A Master Gardner, Debbie had a knack for making things grow. She could turn limp, nearly dead, sagging plants into a thriving, living, lush, flora. A contributing writer for Haute-Lifestyle.com, she wrote on the procrastinating Gardner. 

Often understanding that action is movement, she motivated her sister with two simple words "Writer's write," and with that cut through all the hurdles that stood in the way.

Born April 28, 1958, Debbie grew up in Mansfield, Ohio, attended St. Peter's High School, lived for some time in North Carolina, loved the Carolina coastline, the ocean, beaches, collecting sea shells, and simply walking on the shoreline. A voracious reader, avid Gardner, mother, sister, grandmother, friend. She was loved and will be missed by those who knew her.

She is survived by her sister, Ms. Janet Walker, of Los Angeles, two daughters, Ms. Amy Jones of Mansfield, Ohio, and Ms. Emily Worthington of Wilmington, North Carolina and five grandchildren, Courtny, Sebastian, Anna, Lyla and Molly and various aunts, uncles, and cousins.

She is predeceased by one child, Anna-Marie, her parents, L. Norman Walker, the former Finance Director of Mansfield, Ohio and Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Mrs. Pauline Walker, who passed away in 2008 after a short illness, her grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Desmond and Nedra Walker, and several aunts and uncles. 

Funeral arrangements are pending. In lieu of flowers donations can be made in the name of Deborah L. Walker to Werner-Gompf Funeral Services.

For more information on President Donald Trump: www.whitehouse.gov

Sources: Whitehouse.gov, Wikipedia.com,