Good morning.

Wednesday in Whitewater will be partly sunny with a high of thirty-three.  Sunrise is 7:10 AM and sunset 4:20 PM, for 9h 10m 15s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 2.9% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Parks and Rec Board meets at 5:30 PM.

On this day in 1879, the Humane Society of Wisconsin is organized.

Recommended for reading in full:

  Quinta Jurecic and Benjamin Wittes describe A Flynntriguing Sentencing Memorandum:

First, the document is chiefly interesting for what it doesn’t say. It doesn’t say that Flynn has breached his plea agreement and lied to investigators, as Mueller has said about Manafort. It doesn’t say that he failed to provide substantial assistance to the investigation, as Mueller said in the George Papadopoulos sentencing memorandum. It says, rather, that Flynn began cooperating early, that his early cooperation was important in encouraging other witnesses to be candid, and that he has provided substantial assistance to the probe in a number of areas.

Second, Flynn’s cooperation with federal authorities has been diverse and extensive. The document says he has met 19 times with the Special Counsel’s Office and other components. His cooperation appears to involve not merely the Russia probe but also other matters as well. Putting this point together with the absence of complaints about Flynn’s behavior, the affirmative statement that he has given substantial assistance, and the recommendation that he get as little as no jail time, the only conclusion is that Mueller has gotten everything he needs from Flynn.

….

Third, because the addendum to the sentencing memo is mostly redacted, one is left reading tea leaves in the document’s redactions. Some of these are reasonably legible. It seems that Flynn is cooperating in at least three ongoing investigations: a criminal investigation about which all details are redacted; Mueller’s investigation into “any links or coordination between the Russian government and individuals associated with the campaign of President Donald J. Trump”; and at least one additional investigation about which all information is redacted.

As BuzzFeed News’s Chris Geidner noted, it appears likely from the length of the redaction bar that the first criminal investigation is not a matter being conducted by the special counsel’s office—though, of course, it’s impossible to know for certain. Notably, however, the addendum does state that Flynn has “participated in 19 interviews with the SCO [Special Counsel’s Office] or attorneys from other Department of Justice [“DOJ”] offices,” which would be consistent with significant cooperation in a matter not under Mueller’s jurisdiction (emphasis added).

See Sentencing Memorandum and Addendum.

The Fall And Rise Of A Fearless Fox:

Good morning.

Tuesday in Whitewater will be cloudy with a high of thirty-one.  Sunrise is 7:09 AM and sunset 4:21 PM, for 9h 11m 23s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 7.6% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Common Council meets at 6:30 PM.

On this day in 1864, the Wisconsin 10th Light Artillery fights in the Battle of Waynesborough, Georgia.

Recommended for reading in full:

  Justin Glawe reports Facebook Lets Users Post About Killing Immigrants and Minorities:

Facebook users freely post about killing immigrants, minorities, and public figures in spite of the company’s terms of service that clearly prohibit threats of violence and hate speech.

The company just two weeks ago touted new technology it says detects 52 percent of hate speech before anyone reports it. (Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg claimed the technology caught 90 percent of pro-ISIS and al Qaeda content.) Yet that technology didn’t catch more than 100 instances in the last six months of Facebook users advocating to shoot or kill others, according to a Daily Beast review.

….

“Just shoot them as they cross. Ammo is cheaper than barbed wire,” wrote a police officer in Oklahoma.

“Just shoot them,” wrote a Maine man wearing a Make America Great Again hat in his profile picture. “Line up a few dead ones as well,” added the safety supervisor at the Maine Yankee Nuclear Power Plant.

Jennifer Rubin observes Trump’s not winning anything, anywhere:

This is what comes from nationalistic know-nothingism, from deploring the very institutions and relationships that have kept us from world war and spread prosperity since the end of the WWII. It’s what flows from a foreign policy that amounts to a series of discrete gestures to please his base (move the embassy to Jerusalem, get out of the JCPOA and Paris accord) but lacks an answer to the question that follows each of these moves: What next?

  Julia Davis writes Putin’s Media Roasts Trump: Russia ‘Should Spit’ on Him and the United States:

“Rossiya 1” news anchor Kirill Kleymenov pulled no punches, asserting that by canceling his G20 meeting with Vladimir Putin, “Donald Fredovych Trump” subjected the world to a roller coaster ride, everyone in the Trump administration needs tranquilizers, and Donald Trump himself could use a teleprompter—after all, he’s “pushing 80.” (Trump is 72.)

  Mike McIntire, Megan Twohey and Mark Mazzetti report How a Lawyer, a Felon and a Russian General Chased a Moscow Trump Tower Deal:

When Donald J. Trump took a run at building a tower in Moscow in the middle of his 2016 presidential campaign, it was the high point of a decades-long effort to plant the “Trump” flag there.

The role his former lawyer Michael D. Cohen played in the endeavor entered the spotlight again on Thursday after he pleaded guilty to misleading Congress. But the effort was led in large part by Felix Sater, a convicted felon and longtime business associate with deep ties to Russia.

 The Last Chess Shop in New York City:

Good morning.

Monday in Whitewater will see morning flurries with a high of thirty-three.  Sunrise is 7:08 AM and sunset 4:21 PM, for 9h 12m 34s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 14.4% of its visible disk illuminated.

Whitewater’s Urban Forestry Commission is scheduled to meet at 4:30 PM.

On this day in 1947, Wisconsin’s first television station, WTMJ-TV, is established.

Recommended for reading in full:

  Craig Gilbert observes Wisconsin undergoes striking political shifts, even as it remains a ‘purple’ battleground:

The Democratic Party’s gains have occurred almost entirely in the Milwaukee and Madison media markets. In fact, they have occurred chiefly in four places: the city of Milwaukee, the suburbs of Milwaukee, the city of Madison, and the suburbs of Madison.

In these four areas combined, Democrats saw a net gain of nearly 130,000 votes from the 50-50 elections of 2000/2004 to the 50-50 elections of 2016/2018. That’s a big number. It’s the equivalent of 4 percentage points or more in a major statewide race

Pema Levy writes Why Has It Taken California So Long to Count Ballots? Because It Actually Wants Every Vote to Count:

In reality, it takes a long time for California to count votes because the state—unlike most others—makes sure to count every legitimate voter’s ballot.

California’s approach to election administration is to accept and count as many ballots as possible, including late-arriving absentee ballots and provisional ballots, even if it takes weeks to determine a winner. This stands in stark contrast states like F

Florida, which flew through a preliminary count and two recounts and then certified its results within 14 days of the election—all before [California Democrat TJ] Cox even pulled ahead in his race.

  Jonathan Martin reports Despite Big House Losses, G.O.P. Shows No Signs of Course Correction:

President Trump has brushed aside questions about the loss of the chamber entirely, ridiculing losing incumbents by name, while continuing to demand Congress fund a border wall despite his party losing many of their most diverse districts. Unlike their Democratic counterparts, Republicans swiftly elevated their existing slate of leaders with little debate, signaling a continuation of their existing political strategy.

And neither Speaker Paul D. Ryan nor Representative Kevin McCarthy, the incoming minority leader, have stepped forward to confront why the party’s once-loyal base of suburban supporters abandoned it — and what can be done to win them back.

Julian E. Barnes and Eric Schmitt report Intercepts Solidify C.I.A. Assessment That Saudi Prince Ordered Khashoggi Killing:

The C.I.A. has evidence that Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, communicated repeatedly with a key aide around the time that a team believed to have been under the aide’s command assassinated Jamal Khashoggi, according to former officials familiar with the intelligence.

  What’s Up for December 2018:

Good morning.

Sunday in Whitewater will see a mix of rain and light snow, with a high of thirty-nine.  Sunrise is 7:07 AM and sunset 4:21 PM, for 9h 13m 49s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 22.5% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1804, Napoleon confirms his dictatorial ambitions when he crowns himself Emperor of the French, placing a crown on his own head.

Recommended for reading in full:

  Sharon LaFraniere reports Mueller Exposes the Culture of Lying That Surrounds Trump:

Paul Manafort and Rick Gates, former senior Trump campaign officials, lied to cover up financial fraud. George Papadopoulos, a former Trump campaign aide, lied in hopes of landing an administration job. And Michael T. Flynn, another adviser, lied about his interactions with a Russian official and about other matters for reasons that remain unclear.

If the special counsel, Robert S. Mueller III, has proved anything in his 18-month-long investigation — besides how intensely Russia meddled in an American presidential election — it is that Mr. Trump surrounded himself throughout 2016 and early 2017 with people to whom lying seemed to be second nature.

Marc Fisher observes Trump borrows his rhetoric — and his view of power — from the mob:

An affinity for mobsters and their rhetoric has been a consistent thread through Trump’s adult life. From his early professional mentor, the New York lawyer and power broker Roy Cohn , to his many years of dealing with mob-connected union and construction industry bosses, Trump has formed close alliances with renegades and rogues who sometimes ended up on the wrong side of the law. He’s long learned from and looked up to tough, street-smart guys who didn’t mind breaking some rules to get things done. Trump also admires mobsters’ no-nonsense language and bais for action; he cites “The Godfather” and “Goodfellas” among his favorite movies.

  Matt Viser and Michael Scherer report Trump-led GOP grows increasingly tolerant of racially divisive politics:

The GOP’s challenge came into focus earlier this week when Rep. Mia Love (R-Utah), the only black female Republican in Congress, delivered a scathing rebuke to her party during a concession speech after learning she had come up short in her reelection bid following a drawn-out process of vote counting.

….

“This election experience and these comments shines a spotlight on the problems Washington politicians have with minorities and black Americans — it’s transactional. It’s not personal,” Love said.

The National Resources Defense Council reports In a Blow to Marine Life, Trump Administration Greenlights Seismic Blasting in Atlantic:

The National Marine Fisheries Service’s five new permits, or Incidental Harassment Authorizations, will allow airgun blasting for one year in large undersea areas off the Atlantic coast. The blasts are as loud as dynamite and fired every 10 seconds for weeks, sometimes months. Blanketing the ocean, the noise disrupts the vital behaviors of marine life, including finding food, selecting mates, avoiding predators, and navigating.

  The Sweetest Market in the World:

Good morning.

Saturday in Whitewater will be rainy with a high of thirty-nine.  Sunrise is 7:06 AM and sunset 4:21 PM, for 9h 15m 07s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 32.6% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1955, Montgomery, Alabama police arrest Rosa Parks for refusing to yield her seat to a white passenger:

Parks moved, but toward the window seat; she did not get up to move to the redesignated colored section.[30] Parks later said about being asked to move to the rear of the bus, “I thought of Emmett Till and I just couldn’t go back.”[31] Blake said, “Why don’t you stand up?” Parks responded, “I don’t think I should have to stand up.” Blake called the police to arrest Parks. When recalling the incident for Eyes on the Prize, a 1987 public television series on the Civil Rights Movement, Parks said, “When he saw me still sitting, he asked if I was going to stand up, and I said, ‘No, I’m not.’ And he said, ‘Well, if you don’t stand up, I’m going to have to call the police and have you arrested.’ I said, ‘You may do that.'”[32]

Recommended for reading in full:

  Molly Beck and Patrick Marley report GOP seeks to limit Wisconsin early voting, strip powers from Tony Evers and Josh Kaul in lame-duck session:

Republican lawmakers are seeking to limit voter turnout and want to take away key powers from the incoming Democratic governor and attorney general before GOP Gov. Scott Walker leaves office in January.

The sweeping plan — to be taken up Tuesday — would remove Gov.-elect Tony Evers’ power to approve major actions by Attorney General-elect Josh Kaul and give that authority to Republican lawmakers.

The legislation is wide-ranging and would limit Evers’ power in a host of ways. His agencies would have less freedom to run their programs. He would not be able to ban guns from the state Capitol without the OK of lawmakers.

The power of the incoming attorney general also would be greatly diminished.

The Legislature — not the attorney general — would have control of how to spend money from court settlements. The recently created office of the solicitor general, which oversees high-profile litigation, would be eliminated.

Legislators would gain the power to intervene in any litigation when a state law is challenged, and they would have the ability to appoint their own private attorneys — at taxpayer expense — to handle the case instead of the attorney general.

“This bill is a full-employment bill for Republican law firms,” said Madison attorney Lester Pines, who often defends Democrats. “It will drive up the cost through the roof.”

Legislators would also have the ability to sign off on court settlements.

In another change that has broad implications for the lawsuit over the Affordable Care Act, the Legislature’s budget committee — rather than the governor —would get to decide whether to continue or drop legal actions.

  Lightning Struck Apollo 12…Twice – Here’s How Mission Control Reacted:

Good morning.

Friday in Whitewater will be partly sunny with a high of thirty-seven.  Sunrise is 7:05 AM and sunset 4:22 PM, for 9h 16m 30s of daytime.  The moon is a waning crescent with 43.2% of its visible disk illuminated.

On this day in 1874, Winston Churchill is born.

Recommended for reading in full:

  Anthony Cormier and Jason Leopold report The Trump Organization Planned To Give Vladimir Putin The $50 Million Penthouse In Trump Tower Moscow:

President Donald Trump’s company planned to give a $50 million penthouse at Trump Tower Moscow to Russian President Vladimir Putin as the company negotiated the luxury real estate development during the 2016 campaign, according to four people, one of them the originator of the plan.

  Carol D. Leonnig and Josh Dawsey report ‘Individual 1’: Trump emerges as a central subject of Mueller probe:

In two major developments this week, President Trump has been labeled in the parlance of criminal investigations as a major subject of interest, complete with an opaque legal code name: “Individual 1.”

New evidence from two separate fronts of special counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s investigation casts fresh doubts on Trump’s version of key events involving Russia, signaling potential political and legal peril for the president. Investigators have now publicly cast Trump as a central figure of their probe into whether Trump’s campaign conspired with the Russian government during the 2016 campaign.

Together, the documents show investigators have evidence that Trump was in close contact with his lieutenants as they made outreach to both Russia and WikiLeaks — and that they tried to conceal the extent of their activities.

  Mikhaila Fogel, Quinta Jurecic, Matthew Kahn, and Benjamin Wittes explain How to Read Michael Cohen’s Latest Plea and Its Revelations About the Trump Organization:

The account of Cohen’s conduct in the criminal information tracks closely with a May 2018 report by BuzzFeed News Jason Leopold and Anthony Cormier on the Trump Tower Moscow project. Politico suggested Thursday, almost certainly correctly, that the person identified as “Individual 2” in court documents is Sater, the Russian-born businessman and former Trump associate whom Cormier and Leopold report was intimately involved in efforts to build Trump Tower Moscow. The only major piece of the story included in the criminal information that is missing from the May Buzzfeed article is the fact that Cohen successfully connected with Peskov’s office when he sent a blind email to Peskov’s general address for press inquiries.

  Peter Baker reports Trump Cancels Meeting With Putin, Citing Naval Clash Between Russia and Ukraine.  Yesterday: Trump, Putin have agreed to meet at G-20 summit on Saturday. 

(Russia seized these vessels on the 25th – there was no justification for agreeing to a meeting in the first place.) 

  Why Do Roosters Crow in the Morning?: