In 2016 the Trump campaign solicited foreign aid from other countries besides Russia. It was reported at the time.and confirmed by the people he solicited. I wonder why nobody has mentioned it as a pattern considering the current impeachment discussions.

In 2016, Trump and his sons e-mailed British members of parliament soliciting aid for his US election campaign.
They targeted UK MP's who supported Brexit on the assumption that they shared a common view of governance with Trump. They also sent solicitation e-mails to elected representatives in Canada, Australia, and Iceland according to a BBC article.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-36599724

Recipients considered it bizarre and rejected the solicitations. Even the Brits knew it was against US law.

The act of solicitation was illegal, even though it was rejected.

Glad that DU does not allow conspiracy theories because I think I have heard them all and do not want to hear any more.

I bring up this anniversary only out of respect for his memory.

Don't let it be forgot
That once there was a spot
For one brief shining moment
That was known as Camelot.

Thete are lots of you tube videos of cats watching videos but I've had dogs who viewed and reacted to scenes on TV, too.

My cat loves a video made for cats called Cat Sitter. It is by far her favorite and she watches the entire thing totally mesmerized.

But she also likes scenes from human movies. She loves the Harry Potter flicks. (Yes I still have them.) I think the owls and strange creatures attract her attention. She recognizes planes and helicopters on screen from seeing them through my window. She looks at the window as if to ask "How did they get in here?"

She loved a Natiional Geographic wildlife video until it showed lions taking down a zebra. Ran from the room and I found her under the bed.

She knows the sound of the DVD tray opening and the clicking sounds of the VCR starting up. (Yes I still have that and some old videocassettes too.) When she hears them she hops onto a chair or footstool to watch the screen and decide whether to stay for the film.

call and all of the distortion and spin that Nunes et. al. are promoting will be the core of the defense in the Senate trial. The defense will be about Hillary and Biden in 2016 and not about Trump in 2019.

They will claim that Trump had a valid reason for investigating both Hunter and Joe as well as Hillary due to what they call Ukrainian intervention in 2016.

The entire position that Nunes preached in his opening remarks will be the foundation of the defense.

Edited to add:

This line of defense will be the justification for the irregular channel secrecy with Guiliani abd the rest.

Now that snow is falling, my cat, Ember is patrolling the window. It happens every winter.

Like most cats, she loves window browsing on the outside world. The inside window ledge is roomy enough to hold her. Ordinary snow showers that fall in a straight direction get a warning stare, but she doesn't move into action until the whirly flurries begin. Those are rhe larger flakes that swirl in all directions, up, down, sideways, and in loops and circles, often banging up against the window. To Ember, that is a personal affront that requires retaliation.

BAM! A right paw slams the window. Then a left. Then the upright position, both paws battering the pane. POW! POW! Take that you rogue snowflakes. If only I could reach through the glass I would capture the whole lot of you.

But of course she can't. The glass holds up, thank God, because my apt is on the 5th floor of my building. But her strength and persistence worry me. She races from one end of the ledge to the other in mad pursuit while I rush to remove plants to a safe location. The vertical blinds sway and clang against each other.

She can't stop herself, even though the flakes are outside her reach. She is hard-wired to chase things that move.

I distract her with toys but in seconds she is back at the window. I close the blinds so she can't see out. She pushes her nose between them.

I lift her away with soothing words and lots of petting. More distraction with her favorite videos. There is one that is specially designed for cats which she loves. But she will watch scenes from other movies, too. I think she considers them an alternate window view of the world. The blinds remain shut and the battle of the snowflakes fades in her memory. I sigh in relief and go back about my businesd -- until the next time.

Latest report says the procedure was completed with no complications. He will remain in the hospital as long as necessary for his recovery.

and talked with the Election Board supervisor for my district. End result is that I will be working the polls in 2020 for both the primary and the general election.

My 4 year old female cat, Ember, has rarely met a food she does not like. The kitchen counter is off limits but she is all feline when it comes to fast and sneaky.

While I focus on what I am doing, she sneaks unseen into a dark corner of the counter to make a quick grab and getaway. She has snatched walnuts, sunflower seeds, pecans, toast, a muffin, etc. She once plunged her whole face into a mixing bowl of flour. I have caught her licking the outside of a canola oil bottle.

I have raised several cats over the years. They learned to stay off the counter (at least while I was home) and not to snatch food. But Ember is incorrigible despite my resorting to spray bottles. She has broken 2 spray bottles by tossing them to the floor when she saw them on the counter without me.

She knocks margarine to the floor so the lid pops off, then helps herself. Of course then I have to throw it out so she has taught me to put it away immediately after using.

Ember has perfected the skill of knowing when I am distracted and vulnerable to a sneak food grab. So I am on the laptop and absent-mindedly put a potato chip to my mouth.. Poof! Faster than lightning she grsbs it and runs. I chase her down to grab it back so she does not benefit from her theft, but that does not deter her from the next time.

I have also seen her walk across my desk and stick her tongue into my bottled water as she passes, without missing a beat. Now I use snap lids to close after I sip. (But how many times did she do that before I caught her?)

She is not underfed. She has cat snacks besides her regular cat food, snd kitty grass to nibble on. But now when I cook or prepare food, Ember gets put into a room with the door closed until I finish.

I think she enjoys the challenge as an outlet for an indoor cat's hunting instinct. Is that possible?

Just want to say hi and that I'm glad to be here. I lurked here for a while and finally registered so I could respond to some of the interesting posts that i've seen.

I'm a lifelong Dem from a Dem family. It's good to have a troll free place for discussions.