March 23, 2019--Rats: Hope Springs Eternal

Let's hope Alexander Pope has it right because if Hope cooperates with the House Judiciary Committee, considering what she likely knows, a pack of frenzied rats will be pushing others out of the way as they race to the gangplank of the sinking SS Trump.

I am referring to Hope Hicks. Trump's most devoted aide. Whatever her title, at the White House she was Communications Director, her real job was to be Trump's unquestioning, totally loyal, always available, willing to do anything right-hand "girl."

Only 29 when she left him, in effect she grew up in his offices, brought there by daughter Ivanka for whom she also worked. Over time she became Trump's favorite "daughter." Many say he trusted her even more than biological Ivanka.

Ivanka knew what would work for Daddy, what he required. She, after all, before venturing forth, played pretty much the same role. She also knew he liked his women glamorous, with full faces of makeup, and well plastic-surgeried. (Melania, Stormy Daniels, Karen McDougal, and of course Ivanka herself.)

When working for the Trump Organization, Hope was situated right outside his open office door and would show up in a instant when he would bellow, "Get in here." They had a similar set up and arrangement in the Oval Office.

Now the Democratic leadership of the House Judiciary Committee is interested in seeing everything she has--personal and work diaries and note books, emails, texts, and phone logs as it investigates possible obstruction of justice and conspiracy.  

The committee is also interested in any materials she may have that pertain to Michael Flynn, any evidence that Trump paid hush money to former girlfriends, potential notes and documents about the firing of James Comey, and any information she may have about the infamous June, 2016 meting with the Russians at Trump Tower. Again, where she was prominently ensconced. 

Rather than resist the committee's request for documents, which, by claiming executive privilege she could do and thereby slow down the investigative process, Hope herself has apparently agreed to willingly turn over whatever she has directly to the Nadler Committee. She isn't having her attorneys nor the White House counsel serve as obstructionist intermediaries. At least this is how it looks at the moment.

These are ominous signs for Trump because if she flips or even just voluntarily turns over what she has, a smoking gun could easily turn up. 

It is clear she does not want to spend years in an orange jumpsuit. 

As often is the case when conspiracies are investigated it is the "little people" who contribute most to exposing and bringing them down. The Michael Cohens, the Hope Hicks, the John Deans, and soon Trump's personal accountant, Allen Weisselberg.

March 16, 2019--Rat's Non-Denial-Denial

For the second week in a row Matt Whitaker muscled his way to the top of the gangplank, desperate to abandon the listing SS Trump and in the process hoping to save his own tokhes.

Last Saturday I reported there was much competition among a number of rats but that Whitaker won. He comes in first again this week because he realized that if he doesn't try to clean up the lies he told under oath to the House Judiciary Committee he could find himself in a jumpsuit up the proverbial river.

In spite of his promise to "jump on a grenade" for Trump, for which he was rewarded by being named acting attorney general after poor Jeff Sessions was fired (on Election Day, no less), when he realized the extent of his exposure, including possible disbarment, he disappeared for a couple of weeks to wander in the wilderness to think things over, only to resurface on Wednesday when he agreed to meet with Judiciary Committee chair, Jerry Nadler, ranking member, Georgia Republican congressman, Doug Collins, and a few staff members to go over some of the untruths he told when testifying about Trump's allegedly leaning on him to pull the plug on the Southern District of New York prosecutor who was hot on the Michael Cohen Trail. 

Trump knew that if Cohen continued to flip he might pose a mortal threat to the president. 

The U.S. attorney the president wanted to run the Cohen investigation is a Trump loyalist. In spite of this he is also an ethical jurist and thus recused himself. Trump wanted him un-recused and pressured the acting attorney general to make that happen.

The acting AG subsequently lied under oath to the Nadler committee when he denied he had ever spoken to Trump about this preposterous idea. There is no such thing, even in Trump World, as un-recusals. 

But that lie and a related possible perjury charge hung over Whitaker and thus he sought a follow-up meeting with Nadler on Wednesday.

When they met this time Whitaker offered a classic non-denial-denial, saying he wouldn't deny nor admit that he spoke with Trump about rigging the investigation in Manhattan. 

The next logical step, under relentless pressure, will likely be for Whitaker to tell more of the whole truth. And so, when he comes fully clean, expect him again to be named rat of the week.