By Robert A. Vella
Rachel Maddow‘s interview with indicted Rudy Giuliani associate Lev Parnas, which was widely viewed (see: Rachel Maddow Once Again Draws Huge Ratings for MSNBC), implicated a large cast of characters – at home and abroad – in President Trump‘s scheme to coerce the Ukrainian government for personal political gain. Among them is congressman Devin Nunes (R-CA) who – as the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee – led the aggressive Republican effort to discredit the witnesses and their testimonies before the impeachment inquiry last November. As I offered in commentary earlier this week, the vehemence Republicans displayed in their defense of Trump strongly suggested complicity in the scheme as if they were trying to protect themselves as much as they were trying to protect Trump. The documentary evidence supplied to the House of Representatives has so far corroborated much of Parnas’ allegations including Mr. Nunes’ involvement.
Today in Washington D.C., the annual Women’s March is being held, and the National Archives has been caught altering photos of their event in 2017 which protested against the election of Donald Trump.
In more news, Monday’s planned demonstration by pro-gun and white supremacist groups at the Virginia state capitol is causing a lot of concern about a repeat of the deadly violence which struck Charlottesville in August of 2017. Former New York Republican congressman Chris Collins has been sentenced to serve over two years in federal prison for insider trading and lying to the FBI. A three-judge panel of a federal appeals court has thrown out the so-called “Children’s Lawsuit” which sought redress for U.S. government inaction on climate change. The Trump administration is trying to change the school lunch program to prioritize pizza over vegetables (yes, you read that correctly). Trump’s speech before donors at his Mar-a-Lago resort last night which addressed the assassination of Iranian general Soleimani contradicted his publicly-stated rationale that it was necessary to prevent an “imminent threat.” Trump is also delaying negotiations to continue two consecutive iterations of the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START) between the U.S. and Russia (which will expire next year) causing military analysts around the world to worry about a resurgence of nuclear arms proliferation. Political unrest is increasing in Lebanon, and tensions are building between Indonesia and China over the South China Sea.
Parnas interview exposes Devin Nunes
From: Analysis: New text messages put Devin Nunes on the hot seat
A month ago, when phone records showed contact between Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) and Lev Parnas, Nunes said he didn’t recall Parnas’s name and couldn’t confirm the call. On Wednesday, with Parnas about to appear on TV for the first time, Nunes suddenly offered a (very conveniently timed) confirmation, but he downplayed the call as being about “random things.”
Now, Nunes’s claims about his ties to Parnas are even more questionable.
Newly released documents Friday night showed Parnas in repeated contact with a Nunes aide, Derek Harvey. He appeared to be looping Harvey into the Ukraine effort led by Rudolph W. Giuliani, and the messages show the three of them met at the Trump hotel in Washington. Parnas also set up calls for Harvey with the same Ukrainian prosecutors who were working with Giuliani.
Today’s Women’s March
From: What you need to know about today’s Women’s March
Thousands of women first swarmed the streets of Washington on January 21, 2017, to march for women’s rights in the wake of Donald Trump’s inauguration as the 45th President of the United States. More than 1 million people participated nationwide in the 2017 march.
That march, the largest single-day protest in American history, has since become an annual event.
[…]
The Women’s March began as a reaction to President Trump’s election and transformed into a movement to elect more women to public office and show their power at the polls. A wave of volunteers and activists joined different strands of the women’s movement, contributing to unprecedented wins for the Democratic Party by women of color in the midterms.
According to the Women’s March website, organizers adhere to eight “unity principles:” ending violence; protecting reproductive rights, LGBTQIA rights, worker’s rights, civil rights, disability rights and immigrant rights; and environmental justice.
From: National Archives exhibit blurs images critical of President Trump
The Archives acknowledged in a statement this week that it made multiple alterations to the photo of the 2017 Women’s March showcased at the museum, blurring signs held by marchers that were critical of Trump. Words on signs that referenced women’s anatomy were also blurred.
[…]
A placard that proclaims “God Hates Trump” has “Trump” blotted out so that it reads “God Hates.” A sign that reads “Trump & GOP — Hands Off Women” has the word Trump blurred out.
[…]
Archive officials did not respond to a request to provide examples of previous instances in which the Archives altered a document or photograph so as not to engage in political controversy.
More news
FBI official expresses ‘fair sense of worry’ over Monday’s pro-gun rally in Richmond
Men discussed opening fire at pro-gun rally in Richmond, say officials
Virginia Supreme Court upholds Northam’s temporary ban on weapons on Capitol grounds
Former Rep. Chris Collins sentenced to just over two years in federal prison
Appeals court throws out lawsuit by children seeking to force action on climate crisis
Trump privately detailed the Soleimani airstrike to donors at Mar-a-Lago fundraiser
Lebanon police fire tear gas at protesters in violent ‘week of rage’
In South China Sea Confrontation, Indonesia Resists China—Cautiously
The Secular Jurist 
And the *crap* goes on … and on … and on.
At least you always have LOTS of material for your blog! 😉
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Way too much material! I’d much rather blog about other issues and topics.
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What’s unsettling in your reporting is that our technological advance in altering images and videos is being used to create and bolster an alternative reality.
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Indeed, and the National Archives were caught with their pants down!
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