To anyone with an interest in politics, or who feels the necessity to participate in keeping America “free,” or who believes in the spread of “freedom” around the globe, it’s hard to purge Trump from your mind – at least until he’s wherever his “next stop” is after the “White House.”  Sadly, Trump dominates the news and that’s apparently just the way he likes it.  I guess the world’s #1 NARCISSIST wouldn’t have it any other way.  Today, along the Atlantic Coast, Hurricane Florence was wreaking havoc and, yet, much if not MOST of the “news” was centered on Trump and his “troubles” which appear to be growing day by day.

“We the people” are hearing more and more “experts” each day – meaning former FBI agents, former U.S. Attorneys, etc. referring to Trump and the investigation into his campaign and, essentially, into his “business” as similar to an organized crime investigation.  Personally, it dawned on me about 8 to 10 months ago Trump is like a La Cosa Nostra “boss.”  I started pointing this out the more I kept hearing Michael Cohen being referred to as his “fixer” and listening to Trump, himself, express his disdain for “his” Attorney General Jeff Sessions because Sessions wasn’t “protecting him like Holder did Obama.”  Of course, what Trump doesn’t understand is there was NOTHING for Holder to protect Obama from.  Other presidents haven’t operated like Mafia bosses – well, except the president of Russia, Vladimir Putin.  Does it make you wonder why Trump has such an affinity for Putin?

Well, today, Paul Manafort – who’s got clear ties to Russian and Ukrainian mob “figures” – decided he’d rather take his chances with Robert Mueller than with Trump and agreed to a “cooperation agreement” in the “Russia Investigation.”  This was a big enough story to “nudge” Hurricane Florence to the side as, clearly, I’m not the only American on the “edge of my seat” waiting for Trump to get his “just rewards.”  Even if Trump didn’t “collude” with the Russians, which has been unclear based on his dealings with Mueller’s investigation (he’s not acting like an innocent person), it is clear, at least to me, that Trump has REPEATEDLY obstructed justice.  If you’re not familiar with what that means – it’s just that if you attempt to interfere with an ongoing criminal investigation you are “obstructing it.”  For example, if Trump was “dangling a pardon” in front of Manafort, as it’s been reported, that would be obstructing an ongoing investigation – even if you’re the so-called president.  What’s the old saying? “Rules are rules.”

For anyone old enough to remember the Watergate scandal, Nixon was “undone” by the cover-up.  I’m still not sure what Trump is covering up, but it appears to be something.  And, it also appears his son and son-in-law may be in Mueller’s “crosshairs.”  That should cause Trump to “blow a bigger gasket” than he’s routinely been “blowing” of late.

I started this post a few days ago, and as old people are likely to do, I got a bit sidetracked – plus, my fingers are sore from all the typing I’ve done of late.  So, since I last wrote – and sent my prayers to my friends in North Carolina – a lady who claims Trump’s nominee for the Supreme Court, Brett Kavanaugh, sexually attacked her when they were in high school has come “forward.”  (She really didn’t want to)  Of course, this is an allegation that very likely will end up being a “he said, she said,” but the circumstances remind me of ladies I’ve known over the years who have experienced sexual abuse who NEVER come forward because doing so just exacerbates the TRAUMA they’ve experienced.  So, in Congress, it’s likely republicans will believe Kavanaugh and democrats will believe the accuser (who, I believe has now become identified).

The reason I pointed out she’s “now become identified” is because the reason given for this accusation not coming out until now is because the lady making the accusation did NOT want to be publicly identified.  Well, now she’s been identified and has, therefore, agreed to testify before Congress.  We can all imagine how that will go.  Remember, the republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee are ALL white and ALL male.  (Some are actually “holdovers” from the Anita Hill inquiry)  I can just picture how they will question this lady and how that’s going to go over in this “me too” era.  Democrats didn’t even give Al Franken the opportunity to defend himself against possibly “trumped up” – pun intended) allegations.  Franken was accused of touching women inappropriately while having pictures taken at the state fair – aside from the original complaint involving the lady sleeping while Franken mocked groping her.  This allegation involves Kavanaugh forcibly attacking a young lady at a party while in high school – all during some apparently heavy drinking.

Of course, republicans will attempt to somehow continue their “full court press” to get Kavanaugh confirmed.  If they succeed, it will place TWO of the five “conservatives” on the court with MUCH in common.  If you’re old enough, this is almost like deja vu all over again – considering the confirmation hearings for Clarence Thomas.  Thomas is a great reminder that, if confirmed, Kavanaugh will likely be on the court when my daughters (ages 40 and 42) are my age – 71.  And, that will make TWO judges with credible accusations against them regarding sexual impropriety voting to determine the reproductive rights of MILLIONS of American women.  It’s certainly not hard for me to understand why so many women are concerned about this nomination.  (Reminder, it’s a bunch of white men – all republicans – who will determine if this man gets an “up or down” vote in the Senate – and, then, it will be incumbent on the two republican women in the Senate to decide what place they want in the history books.)

Republicans have totally shown their “hand” as they’re dealing with this – what one commentator on MSNBC called a “late hit” – because, the allegations have come out toward the end of the process.  (albeit, a process they’ve been RUSHING through)  These appointments are totally political at this point in America.  I heard one comment supposedly coming from the “White House” which said, “If they (democrats) succeed in blocking Kavanaugh, we’ll just nominate someone even more conservative.”  Apparently, what that means is should these allegations prove credible enough to derail the nomination there will be retribution with an even less palatable nominee.  That is, the “pay back” will be someone despised by women even MORE than Kavanaugh.  That tells me, judges are no longer expected to be “a-political.”

And, of course, there’s a plethora of reasons to the claim Kavanaugh should not be on the Supreme Court (or the Appeals Court where he now sits) based on his testimony on previous occasions – along with what he’s said in these hearings.  Clearly, Kavanaugh is ambitious.  Read HERE if you want to understand why democrats are so upset that republicans are cramming this process through as quickly as they can.  It really is unsettling feeling as if politics is the driving force in the nominating process of Supreme Court justices – and, you have to give republicans credit for that phenomenon.

From what I’ve heard, Diane Feinstein had the accusation last July but was willing to honor the accuser’s wishes to remain anonymous.  I’ve read many people point out Feinstein could have handled this much better – although, she did refer the allegations to the FBI which does the background checks (and, of course, they didn’t pursue the allegations).  Feinstein didn’t even share the allegation with her fellow democrats.  However, this does put republicans in a bit of a bad spot as much as they want to “jam” this nominee through.  If republicans don’t fully “vet” these allegations and cram Kavanaugh’s nomination through, he will be FOREVER tainted as long as his judgeship lasts.  (I believe, when democrats retake the Senate and House and ALL the info which republicans are blocking regarding Kavanaugh’s time in the Bush “White House” becomes public he will be in danger of impeachment.)

Yes, it was Joe Biden as head of the Judiciary Committee when Anita Hill’s accusations were essentially ignored, but if the Senate does this again, and with republicans in “charge” at this point in time, America’s women will rightfully feel a major sense of disgust.  (More-so than many already do – remember, around TWENTY women have been called LIARS by a so-called president who is LYING at a record pace and who actually ADMITTED to being a sexual predator on the Access Hollywood tape)  I guess the question becomes, how many judges do we want on the Supreme Court with allegations of sexual assault levied against them.  (In Anita Hill’s case it was “sexual harassment”)

I certainly don’t believe all this Kavanaugh “stuff” was pre-planned to take the spot light off of the “Russia thing” and the FACT Paul Manafort is now a cooperating witness to a president who comes across to people like me as a mob boss.  Trump’s stuffing the courts with right wing judges is what keeps his “Christian” base giving him “mulligan after mulligan” – but, as the person in the “White House” was quoted above as saying, “We’ll just nominate someone more conservative” – and, short of taking control of the Senate in November, there’s little democrats can do to stop the confirmation of these judges.  Republicans believe they can “weaponize” the courts while Trump is in office.  But, the reality facing Trump is the “Russia thing” is closing in around him and Manafort may well be the last part of the noose.  2019 should be really interesting!

Last night I started Reading “House of Trump/ House of Putin” by Craig Unger – it was hard to put it down when it was time for me to sleep.  This is the second book I’m reading/read that clearly shows Trump’s LONGTIME connection to the Russian “mafiya.”  I’m not sure why it’s so hard for our “liberal media” to be “educating” their audiences to the reality Trump’s connection to Russia goes back at least 30 years.  Trump’s businesses would have failed without Russian money bailing him out of bankruptcy after bankruptcy.  It’s alleged Trump allowed over a BILLION dollars to be “laundered” through his real estate businesses.  Rachel Maddow did use the example of a property Trump had purchased in Florida and subsequently sold a couple years later to a Russian “Oligarch” for $90 MILLION ($45 MILLION profit) in CASH!  Russians routinely take “ill gotten” gains and turn them into American real estate holdings which appear to be legitimate.  And, Trump clearly was a willing “partner” in this charade.

And, these Russian mafioso have been duly connected to the La Cosa Nostra families who were skimming MILLIONS (likely BILLIONS) from New York taxpayers in the 80’s and 90’s – and, Trump appears to have been connected to many of them over the years.  Additionally, Michael Cohen appears to have connections to the mafia which run deeper than has been reported by the “main stream media.”  (At least, I haven’t seen reporting on the “connection.”)

Trump is in deep with the Russians and Robert Mueller knows it all.  Trump’s family is involved and Mueller knows it all.  I believe Jared Kushner’s family may be involved as well – and Mueller knows it all.  That appears to me why Trump is NOT acting like an innocent man – as Trey Gowdy suggested he should – IF HE’S INNOCENT!  It’s obvious to many more than myself that he’s NOT!  Why republicans in Congress are willing to “sink” with this “deplorable” person is beyond me.  So far, there’s NOT ONE willing to put his/her career on the line based on “principle.”  So, now, as Manafort spills his guts to Mueller and Congressional republicans cram an accused sexual assaulter into a position on the Supreme Court, if “we the people” don’t understand the IMPORTANCE of voting republicans OUT of Congress in November – we deserve the consequences!  It really is time for “we the people” to make a stand!

Again, my apologies for publishing this without taking the time to re-read it.  Maybe later!