Designated Scapegoat

The Stormy Chronicles:  The Stephanie Clifford/Stormy Daniels case continues to gain traction.  Yesterday a definitive link back to the Trump Organization was revealed.  Apparently, too cheap to hire local California counsel, Lawrence Rosen, the lawyer representing Trump’s personal lawyer Michael Cohen, enlisted the help of Jill Martin, a California based  assistant general counsel at the Trump organization holding company.  Martin, who previously appeared on TV defending Trump against claims that he ever mistreated women, is listed as counsel in the February arbitration filing for the holding company that was formed to pay the $130,000 to Stormy in exchange for her silence. The​ Federal Election Commission​ is reviewing complaints by interest groups alleging that the hush money agreement violated campaign finance law. Proving any violation would require evidence of coordination between Cohen and Trump or his campaign, Martin’s involvement probably provides proof of that link.  As to Martin, she claims that she wasn’t acting on behalf of the Trump organization, but was just trying to fill some time between work and her next Soul Cycle class so she stepped up to help her friends Cohen and Rosen.  As a result of all the publicity around the Stormy case,  Michael Avenatti, the lawyer representing Stormy Daniels, may have picked up a few more clients.  Although he won’t reveal the number of women or their names, yesterday Avenatti confirmed that several women recently came to him seeking help building their legal cases against Trump. Despite author Michael Wolff’s assertion that Steve Bannon claimed that Trump’s lawyers had made at least one hundred “women” related problems go away, Avenatti said that at this point his new client roster is somewhere in the single digits.  Stormy, Avenatti’s one verified client, has figured out how to pay his fees.  She has established an account at crowdjustice.com, one day in she has already raised over $110,000.  It’s unlikely that Stormy’s mother is planning to contribute, this morning a Dallas newspaper reported that she is on team Trump.     

The Revolving Door:  Yesterday, after hearing reports that he had retained economic pundit Larry Kudlow as his new economic advisor Trump went ahead and formally announced Kudlow’s appointment.  Kudlow’s economic skills are somewhat questionable but he good in front of camera, and at this point Trump, who pretty much serves as his own economist, believes that he needs someone good at spreading his message.  Kudlow, who previously criticized Trump’s new tariffs has already proven his willingness to tow the Trump party line.  He now says that Trump’s tariffs are okay because deep in his soul the protectionist Trump is really a committed advocate of free markets who is only using the threat of tariffs as a negotiating tool. In an effort to smooth his security review Kudlow, who was forced out of a position with Bear Stearns due to a drug and alcohol addiction problem, is being very upfront about his troubled past, asserting that those days are far behind him. Hopefully, he’s clean enough to withstand some unscheduled drug testing.  With Kudlow in place Trump is ready to move on to a few other White House changes.  Reports are that an announcement about security advisor HR McMaster is imminent and that Trump is seriously considering firing Attorney General Sessions, replacing him with EPA Head Pruitt.  Pruitt, who was not a member of Trump’s campaign staff and who is probably not a subject of the Russia investigation would then take over as Special Counsel Mueller’s boss.  Suffice it to say that this would not be a good thing and is likely to provoke a firestorm of protest. At least for now Jared and Ivanka still have their jobs in the White House, yesterday Jared hosted a meeting focused on the Gaza economic and security crisis, a meeting that included representatives from a number of Arab countries, Europe and Israel, but no Palestinians.  Despite his efforts on the diplomatic front, Kushner’s problems continue to grow.  Yesterday, Bloomberg reported that two months after Kushner joined the White House his family’s firm sold a stake in a Brooklyn building to a unit of a company whose largest shareholder is the government of Japan. Legitimate or not, the optics of the $103 million transaction is raising eyebrows because of when it took place with some suggesting that the Japanese government, aware that Trump had spent years criticizing its US trade policy was seeking to curry favor by getting involved with the Kushners. Vanity Fair reports that Trump is tiring of the Kushner stories and thinks that sending him back to NY would be one way to solve the problem, even if that means that Ivanka leaves too. Others on the chopping block may include Chief of Staff Kelly and VA chief Shulkin. There has even been a suggestion that Trump would like to replace HUD head, surgeon extraordinaire Ben Carson with a FOX commentator.  In other words everyone, with the possible exception of Trump, may be on their way out.  

Pennsylvania 18:  Though everyone says that he won, Conor Lamb’s victory has not yet been officially recognized. Citing irregularities that probably didn’t happen, Rick Saccone, his Republican opponent is considering calling for a recount.  Though the margin between the two candidates was “razor thin,” experts believe that it will withstand any recount.  Republicans are spooked by Lamb’s victory in Trump territory, however their official position is that he won because he was really a Republican in drag and that he would have won by much more if it hadn’t been for Trump’s last ditch efforts to bolster the chances of his competitor.  Democrats are savoring the victory.  Nancy Pelosi can’t be happy that Lamb did his best to distance himself from her, but at the end of the day a win is still a win and she’s known to be a wily strategist, so even she is probably smiling.

Russia and Other Stuff:  Though Trump has stayed quiet, Sarah Huckabee Sanders finally stepped up and released a statement affirming that the US agrees with Britain’s conclusion concerning Russia’s involvement in the poisoning of ex-spy Sergei Skripal and his daughter.  For her part UN Ambassador Nikki Haley slammed Russia’s actions, raised concerns that similar attacks could occur in the US and called for the UN Security Council to take action. Also, it looks like former Deputy FBI Director Andrew McCabe hasn’t escaped Trump’s wrath.  His formal retirement is due to go into effect this weekend but there is a good chance that he will be fired beforehand.  An internal FBI report has concluded that he didn’t show enough candor during an interview about permitting FBI agents to talk to the press about an investigation into the Clinton Foundation.  Though lack of candor is a fireable offense at the FBI, ordinarily it would take months before any action would be taken.  However, Attorney General Sessions is feeling pressure from Trump to act fast in order to insure that McCabe gets screwed out of his pension.  In an effort to preserve his job, Sessions is expected to bend to Trump’s will.  Trump wants his pound of flesh and McCabe appears to be his designated scapegoat.