Perjury Panic at the White House

I can't overstate the level of anxiety among sources close to Trump after the president told the NYT's Maggie Haberman last week he was willing and eager to submit himself to a live interview under oath with Special Counsel Robert Mueller.

What I'm hearing: One source, who knows Trump as well as anyone, told me he believes the president would be incapable of avoiding perjuring himself. "Trump doesn't deal in reality," the source said. "He creates his own reality and he actually believes it." (The president's attorney, Ty Cobb, did not respond to a request for comment.)

A number of people in the president's orbit have read this article by Bloomberg's Timothy O'Brien: "I've Watched Trump Testify Under Oath. It Isn't Pretty."


https://www.axios.com/trump-white-house-worry-about-talking-to-mueller-93acd452-a053-47bd-87fd-7deb8c9c6883.html

FL-18: Holy crap

Navajo lawmaker harassed by Arizona Trump supporters accusing him of being here illegally

upporters of President Donald Trump used racist language against dark-skinned public servants while rallying against immigration, the Arizona Capitol Times reported Saturday.

“Supporters of President Donald Trump singled out dark-skinned lawmakers, legislative staffers and children at the Capitol on Jan. 25 as they protested congressional efforts to pass immigration reform, according to staffers of the Arizona Legislature and two Democratic legislators, AZ Capitol Times reported. “Waving large flags in support of Trump while standing between the House and Senate buildings, the protesters, who were also armed, asked just about anyone who crossed their path if they ‘support illegal immigration.’”

One dark-skinned Arizonian who was asked if he was in the country “illegally” was Rep. Eric Descheenie (D-Chinle).

Rep. Descheenie is a Navajo lawmaker.

“I’m indigenous to these lands,” Rep. Descheenie said. “My ancestors fought and died on these lands. I just told them, ‘Don’t ask me that question.’”


https://www.rawstory.com/2018/01/get-country-navajo-lawmaker-harassed-arizona-trump-supporters-accusing-illegally/

Former Colorado GOP chairman sentenced for voter fraud

GREELEY, Colo. -- The former chairman of the Colorado Republican Party was sentenced to four years of probation and 300 hours of community service for voter fraud. Steve Curtis blamed a "major diabetic episode" for causing him to vote his ex-wife's absentee ballot in October 2016.

Curtis, 57, told District Judge Julie Hoskins Friday it was "a customary thing" for him to fill out his wife's ballot and he didn't know it was illegal, but he said he didn't remember doing it.

In October of 2016, Kelly Curtis called the Weld County Clerk and Recorder's Office to obtain her mail-in ballot. She was told she had already voted, CBS Denver reports.

The Weld County District Attorney's Office investigated and, using DNA evidence and handwriting analysis, alleged that Steve Curtis forged his wife's name on her ballot and mailed it to the clerk's office.

"He knew exactly what he was doing," said Deputy District Attorney Tate Costin during the trial's closing arguments. "He received it in the mail, opened it, voted, signed it, sealed it back up and sent it in. If he were going to sign a name during this confused diabetic state, wouldn't he sign his own name? Why her name? She hadn't even lived in the house for 11 months."

During the sentencing hearing Friday morning, Curtis shared a lengthy history of mental and physical ailments, and continued to claim he still doesn't remember signing his ex-wife's ballot.


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/steve-curtis-former-colorado-gop-chairman-sentenced-for-voter-fraud/

Kansas intern confidentiality rule: What happens in a lawmakers office stays there

TOPEKA - Interns in the Kansas Statehouse are required to sign a sweeping confidentiality agreement that employment law attorneys warn could have a chilling effect on their willingness to report harassment or illegal activity.

Anything that takes place or is said in a lawmaker’s office stays there, the document says, under threat of immediate termination.

Sneha Verma, 18, thought it seemed sketchy when she was asked to sign the three-paragraph agreement as part of her internship in the Kansas Legislature last year.

“It made me feel like there was like some very dark politics,” Verma said.

Caroline Cundiff, who also interned in the Legislature during the 2017 session, said having interns sign a confidentiality agreement “seems very questionable.”

“Just among all the scandals that have broken out and things like that, I don’t see the need to have interns sign a confidentiality agreement just for the offices,” Cundiff said.

The confidentiality agreement came to light through an open records request by The Kansas City Star as the Legislature tackles concerns about transparency, sexual harassment and the treatment of interns.

Employment law experts who reviewed the document at The Star’s request criticized it as a potential shield to discourage student interns from reporting sexual harassment. They also said it might violate the First Amendment.


http://www.kansascity.com/news/politics-government/article196934054.html#storylink=cpy

PA-18: Unemployed Trump voter hands $25 check to Democrat Connor Lamb

Local Democrats Face Cash Crunch

Politico: “At a time when many Democratic candidates and groups are reporting record-breaking fundraising, the top state party officials gathered here for the meeting of the Association of State Democratic Committees say their local parties are cash-starved, raising the prospect that they won’t be able to take full advantage of what could be a historic opportunity in the midterm elections.”

“Local committees are in desperate need of more money if they’re going to support the costly precinct-level organizing and political groundwork needed to win back the House of Representatives, compete for the Senate and governor’s mansions, and swing back state legislatures, they say.”


https://politicalwire.com/2018/01/27/local-democrats-face-cash-crunch/

Local Democrats Face Cash Crunch

Politico: “At a time when many Democratic candidates and groups are reporting record-breaking fundraising, the top state party officials gathered here for the meeting of the Association of State Democratic Committees say their local parties are cash-starved, raising the prospect that they won’t be able to take full advantage of what could be a historic opportunity in the midterm elections.”

“Local committees are in desperate need of more money if they’re going to support the costly precinct-level organizing and political groundwork needed to win back the House of Representatives, compete for the Senate and governor’s mansions, and swing back state legislatures, they say.”


https://politicalwire.com/2018/01/27/local-democrats-face-cash-crunch/

RNC finance chair Steve Wynn to resign after sexual harassment allegations

Las Vegas casino mogul Steve Wynn on Saturday stepped down as Republican National Committee finance chairman, according to three senior Republicans briefed on the decision.

The decision followed a Friday report in the Wall Street Journal alleging that Wynn engaged in sexual harassment.

"Today I accepted Steve Wynn’s resignation as Republican National Committee finance chair," said RNC chair Ronna Romney McDaniel.

Wynn, 73, was President Donald Trump's handpicked choice for the finance position. It has not yet been determined who will replace Wynn.


https://www.politico.com/story/2018/01/27/steve-wynn-resign-rnc-finance-chair-sexual-misconduct-accusations-373768

Help turn New Mexico a little bluer on March 6.