Tag: Street Art

POLITIKS OF GRAFFITI 32: WOULD I LIE TO YOU?

Published on by jacquelinemhadel1 Comment

Week 31 of trump’s presidency: Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you’ll remember.

June 17, 2017 https://medium.com/@Amy_Siskind/week-31-experts-in-authoritarianism-advise-to-keep-a-list-of-things-subtly-changing-around-you-so-dd293e0dd49b

Another week for the history books: Trump is under investigation for obstruction of justice — a fact he confirmed through a tweet. With his increasingly erratic behavior, Trump has become his own worst enemy. While investigations by the House, Senate, FBI, federal investigators and special counsel into Trump-Russia steam ahead, Trump’s continued efforts to interfere with investigations may prove to be his ultimate undoing.

This week the tentacles of the Trump-Russia probe reached new members of the Trump regime, and several chose to lawyer up. Congress is singularly focused on Trump-Russia, save for McConnell’s odd, clandestine AHCA efforts.

  1. Trump canceled his UK visit, saying he didn’t want to come until the British public supports him. Large-scale protests were expected.
  2. Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, NJ has been coined “the summer White House,” and similar to Mar-a-Lago, offers access — such as Trump crashing parties – as part of the marketing plan.
  3. Since taking office, Trump has been at one of his properties every 3.5 days, and at one of his golf courses every 6.2 days.
  4. On Sunday, Trump attorney Jay Sekulow, said Trump is considering firing Mueller.
  5. Trump allies, including Gingrich and Conway, attacked Mueller, claiming he was biased for Comey, and that members of his staff have donated to Democrats of liberal causes.
  6. Gingrich also accused Mueller of being part of the “deep state” plot to undermine Trump.
  7. Bharara told ABC Sunday that Trump called him three times. Bharara was fired the day after he did not return the third call. Bharara noted Obama did not call him once while he served.
  8. Bharara also described his contact as “a little bit uncomfortable, and said reading about Trump’s contact with Comey “felt a little bit like deja vu.”
  9. Kasowitz bragged that he was behind the firing of Bharara. According to a ProPublica source, Kasowitz told Trump, “This guy is going to get you.”
  10. In response to a FOIA request, the Secret Service said it has no audio or transcripts of any tapes made in the WH. Trump has still not verified if he lied about the existence of tapes, despite promises to do so soon.
  11. Hundreds of Kremlin critics were arrested amid anti-corruption protests, including opposition leader Navalny who was detained near his home.
  12. A Moscow court sentenced Navalny to 30 days in prison for staging an unsanctioned rally. The WH and State Dept were silent on all of this.
  13. Gianforte was sentenced to a 180-day deferred sentence, and ordered to complete 40 hours of community service and 20 hours of anger management counseling for assaulting reporter Ben Jacobs.
  14. The 9th Circuit upheld an injunction blocking part of Trump’s second Muslim Ban. In their ruling, the judges cited Trump’s own tweets.
  15. Trump changed the expiration date of the Muslim Ban in an effort to prevent the Supreme Court from declaring it moot.
  16. Monday, in a bizarre display in front of cameras, Trump’s cabinet members took turns praising him.
  17. A journalist noted: “ Putin televises the beginnings of his cabinet meetings.”
  18. Rep Quigley introduced the “COVFEFE Act,” to require the preservation of Trump’s tweets. The original covfefe tweet was deleted.
  19. Also of note, Trump has been actively blocking users on Twitter, despite using his Twitter account for policy and other announcements.
  20. Trump’s approval sunk again in a new AP/NORC poll, with his net favorability falling to -29 (approve 35, disapprove 64).
  21. The AP/NORC poll also found that 7 in 10 Americans are at least moderately concerned that Trump or his campaign associates had inappropriate ties to Russia.
  22. A survey of CEOs, business execs, government officials and academics at the Yale CEO summit found that 50% gave Trump a “F” and 21% a “D” for his first 130 days in office.
  23. Bloomberg reported that Russian cyber hack of the US electoral system was far wider than reported — including 39 states in all. The attacks included incursions into voter databases and software system.
  24. Further, in Illinois, which became known as “Patient Zero” in the government probe, Russian hackers gained access to personal information on 15mm people, half of whom were active voters.
  25. Cindy McCain agreed to join the State Dept, after being aggressively courted by Trump.
  26. Dana Shell Smith, the US ambassador to Qatar, resigned.
  27. Trump’s EPA head, Pruitt, skipped much of the G7 environmental summit.
  28. The Dept of Energy said it will close an office that works with other countries to develop clean energy technology.
  29. At a Senate Appropriations hearing, Tillerson said he would not be staffing the State Dept until next year.
  30. Trump’s Commerce Dept removed sexual orientation and gender identification from its anti-discrimination policies.
  31. Trump appointed loyalist Lynne Patton, who planned Eric’s wedding and golf tournaments at Trump courses, to run the office that oversees federal housing programs in New York. She has no housing experience.
  32. OGE director Shaub responded to a request from four Senate democrats, saying Steve Bannon had in fact violated WH ethics rules, noting Bannon’s ethics waiver was retroactive and neither dated nor signed.
  33. USA Today reported that in the last 12 months, 70% of Trump property buyers have been LLCs, compared to 4% two years ago.
  34. China approved nine Trump trademark requests which were previously rejected. Intellectual property lawyers suggested “special treatment.”
  35. AP reported a company that partners with both Trump and Kushner is a finalist for a $1.7bn contract to build the new FBI headquarters.
  36. While Ivanka has made attempts to reset her public image, Guardianreported at her clothing factory in China workers complain of verbal abuse, impossible targets, and poverty pay.
  37. During Sen Judiciary Comm testimony, Rosenstein said he now agrees that Russia interfered in our election. Rosenstein had not taken a position during his confirmation hearings.
  38. On Tuesday, reporters at the Capitol were told they were no longer allowed to interview senators in the hallways, contrary to years of precedent.
  39. Karen Tumulty, a reporter for WAPO, was expelled from the Capitol for doing just that.
  40. Following a backlash, later that day Senate Republicans backed off from their restrictions on the media.
  41. DC police said they will charge 12 of Erdogan’s security guards for assaulting protestors outside the Turkish embassy.
  42. In response to a FOIA requests, a DC judge ordered the DOJ to produce Sessions’ clearance form, on which he was required to disclose contacts with Russians, within one month.
  43. The DC judge also ordered the DOJ and FBI to release any records of Priebus reaching out to the FBI to request they refute reports of communications between the Trump campaign and Russia.
  44. Tuesday, Sessions testified in front of the Senate Intel Comm, but largely refused to answer important questions. He did not mention any further contact with Russian officials, nor confirm the third meeting.
  45. McCain asked Sessions if he had “any contacts with any representative, including any American lobbyist or agent of any Russian company” at the hearing Tuesday. Sessions said, “I don’t believe so.”
  46. Guardian reported that Richard Burt, a lobbyist for Russia who helped craft a foreign policy speech for Trump, said he attended two dinners hosted by Sessions during the 2016 campaign.
  47. Burt also served on the advisory board of Alfa Capital Partners, a private equity fund in which Alfa Bank was an investor. Per Week 21, the FBI is looking in links between Alfa Bank and Trump during the campaign.
  48. Sen Kamala Harris was interrupted by McCain and then Burr during her questioning of Sessions. Harris was also scolded by Burr for not being “courteous” in the hearing last week of Coats, Rogers and Rosenstein.
  49. By a 98–2 vote, the Senate passed a new Russian sanctions bill which would impose additional sanctions, and limit Trump’s ability to lift them.
  50. WIRED reported on Mueller assembling a “dream team” of lawyers, including attorneys who specialize in money laundering and organized crime, and a former prosecutor for the Watergate investigation.
  51. On Wednesday, a lone gunman, who had volunteered for Bernie Sanders, shot at Congressional Republicans who were practicing for a baseball game at a park in Alexandria, VA. Extreme rhetoric was blamed.
  52. The next night as the bi-partisan game was being played, the Trump regime rescinded Obama’s protections for parents of ‘Dreamers,’ and reduced protections for ‘Dreamers.’
  53. In Ossining, NY, ICE detained a 19 year-old on the day of his prom and weeks before his high school graduation.
  54. On Wednesday, WAPO reported that Mueller is investigating Trump for obstruction of justice.
  55. WAPO also reported that Mueller will interview Coats, Rogers and Ledgett as part of the investigation.
  56. In a poignant moment on primetime TV, Lester Holt said on NBC Nightly News, “NBC News has learned the president of the United States is now under criminal investigation.”
  57. Late Thursday, Rosenstein issued an odd statement prodding the media for “anonymous allegations” on Russia, and saying “Americans should exercise caution before accepting as true” anonymous sources.
  58. Pelosi predicted that Trump will “self-impeach.”
  59. On Friday in a tweet, Trump acknowledged he was under investigation, and described it as a “Witch Hunt.”
  60. Trump’s tweet also took a swipe at Rosenstein, raising questions of whether Trump would fire him. Doing so could make it possible for Trump to put in place a process to fire Mueller.
  61. Sen Feinstein said she is increasingly concerned that Trump will fire Mueller. In a strong statement she noted, “We’re a nation of laws that apply equally to everyone, a lesson the president would be wise to learn.”
  62. AP reported Trump advisors and confidant describe him as increasingly angry over the investigation and yelling at televisions carrying coverage.
  63. NYT reported that Trump’s private attorney, Kasowitz, has advised WH staffers not to hire private lawyers yet.
  64. Kasowitz was hit with ethics complaints in NY and DC over this advice.
  65. WAPO reported that Mueller is investigating Kushner for his finances and business dealings. This is in addition to previously reported investigations of Kushner’s meetings in December with Kislyak and Gorkov.
  66. WAPO also reported that the FBI and federal prosecutors are investigating the financial dealing of Flynn, Manafort and Page.
  67. CNN reported the House Intel Comm is planning to call Brad Parscale, the digital director for Trump’s campaign, in their investigation of possible collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia.
  68. CNN also reported that Kushner is under federal investigation for his role in overseeing Trump’s data operations, and is expected to talk to Senate investigators about the campaign’s data operation.
  69. Pence hired big-name experienced, top dollar lawyer with Watergate experience to represent him in the Russian probe.
  70. Pence’s PAC held a fundraiser in Indianapolis Friday night. When Rachel Maddow’s staff asked whether funds go towards legal costs, the response was: “His legal fees will be paid by non-tax dollars.”
  71. Trump personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, hired counsel for the Russian probe. Cohen is under investigation by the special counsel, and will testify in front of the House Intel Comm on September 5.
  72. Michael Caputo, a Manafort ally who served as a senior communications adviser on Trump’s campaign, hired a lawyer. Caputo lived in Moscow, and in 2000 worked to improve Putin’s image in the US.
  73. Manafort and Page also hired counsel for the Russia probe.
  74. CNBC reported that the Trump regime is touting that they created coal jobs which might not actually exist.
  75. Putin offered Comey political asylum in Russia, continuing to publicly insert himself into US politics.
  76. BuzzFeed reported that 14 recent deaths in the UK appear tied to Russia.
  77. Frustrating House Republicans, Trump called their version of AHCA/Trumpcare — which he had celebrated in the Rose Garden — “mean,” and said he hoped the Senate would pass a better version.
  78. McConnell has been leading an oddly closed-door effort to pass AHCA in the Senate with no hearings or input. Open frustration was expressed by Democrats, some Republicans, and major patient advocacy groups.
  79. The OGE released Trump’s most recent financial disclosure Friday. Trump reported $315mm of loans, including $130mm from Deutsche Bank, the bank known for Russian ties which refused Democrats request for info.
  80. The 98 pages of financial disclosure showed a sharp rise in revenue at places Trump frequented including Mar-a-Lago and nearby golf courses.
  81. Trump also made $20mm at the newly opened Trump Hotel DC. Despite early promised to turn over payments from foreign government to the US Treasury, Trump is not tracking all payments.
  82. The Attorneys General for DC and Maryland sued Trump for breaching his constitutional oath by accepting millions in payments and benefits from foreign governments.
  83. Nearly 200 Congressional Democrats filed an emoluments lawsuit against Trump saying he has violated constitutional restrictions on taking gifts and benefits from foreign leaders.
  84. A Russian oil tycoon parked his giant yacht in front of the Statue of Liberty. The yacht was a gift from a Roman Abramovich, who in Week 20 was skiing in Aspen at the same time as Kushner and Ivanka.
  85. In an early sign of cracks from unfilled key roles in the executive branch, after the USS Fitzgerald collision, Trump was criticized for leaving the positions of US navy secretary and ambassador to Japan unfilled.
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Artist’s March in Wynwood Art District. Miami, FL. Photo: Alessandro Abate
Abdalla Al Omari
Syrian Artist Abdalla Al Omari depicting trump as a REFUGEE.
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Artist Christophe Verdon in Paris, France. Photo: Frederic Steimer

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POLITIKS OF GRAFFITI 31: TWITTER TWAT

Published on by jacquelinemhadel1 Comment

Week 30 of donald trump’s presidency: Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you’ll remember.

June 10, 2017 https://medium.com/@Amy_Siskind/week-30-experts-in-authoritarianism-advise-to-keep-a-list-of-things-subtly-changing-around-you-so-9705fea03cc9

This week all eyes were on the Comey testimony, which opened the door for what could be obstruction of justice, an impeachable offense. Despite Republicans controlling the House, Senate and White House, legislative progress has largely come to a halt amid weekly and sometimes daily bombshells, as all eyes turn to the Trump-Russia scandal. Also of note is the complete disarray of the Trump regime, and the difficulty Trump is having hiring staff and even finding legal representation.

  1. In the aftermath of terrorists attacks in London Saturday night, Trump attacked the Mayor tweeting, “At least 7 dead and 48 wounded in terror attack and Mayor of London says there is “no reason to be alarmed!”
  2. The US ambassador to the UK contradicted Trump, tweeting from the embassy account we “Commend the strong leadership” of the Mayor.
  3. Trump used the attack as an opportunity to promote his Muslim Ban, “I am calling it what we need and what it is, a TRAVEL BAN!” Ironically, the Trump regime spent months denying it was a “ban.”
  4. Trump also criticized Sessions, tweeting the DOJ should have stayed with the first Muslim ban, “not the watered down, politically correct version.”
  5. Experts said Trump’s tweets would likely hurt the chances on appeal at the Supreme Court.
  6. NYT reported that Trump is fuming at Sessions, especially over his decision to recuse himself from the Russia investigation.
  7. Mattis tried to reassure allies at a conference in Singapore, asking them to “bear with us” after Trump’s disastrous foreign trip.
  8. POLITICO reported that Trump’s national security team was blind-sighted when he left out the planned language reaffirming US commitment to Article 5 from his NATO summit speech in Brussels.
  9. A noose was found at a construction site in DC, marking the third noose found in the DC area this week.
  10. The Ku Klux Klan applied to hold a rally in Charlottesville on July 8th.
  11. Reuters reported that the Trump regime is seeking to reopen hundreds of cases of illegal immigrants who were granted a reprieve under Obama.
  12. Buzzfeed reviewed more than 50 reports of school bullying, and found that kids nationwide are using Trump’s words to taunt their classmates.
  13. Kim Weaver dropped her run for Congress against Trump ally, Steve King, after receiving multiple death threats.
  14. POLITICO reported that Tillerson has made himself largely inaccessible to staff and outsiders, funneling all inquiries through two staffers.
  15. The Mayor of Los Angeles said ICE’s aggressive raids could cause high tensions in his city to boil over: “I fear a tinderbox out there.”
  16. Canadian searches for flights to US cities have dropped by 43% since Trump’s first proposed Muslim Ban.
  17. Ivanka continued her efforts to reset her image, appearing on the cover of US Weekly with a headline, “Why I Disagree with My Dad.”
  18. Questions arose of whether it is constitutional for Trump to block users, given he Twitter communicate about domestic and foreign policy.
  19. Trump filed a 6 month extension for filing his 2016 taxes. His rationale for the extension is unknown.
  20. WSJ reported Saudi Arabia’s lobbyists and consultants spent $270k at the Trump Hotel DC as part of an effort to lobby Trump against a bi-partisan Act that lets Americans sue foreign countries over terrorist attacks.
  21. The DOJ argued Trump can accept payments from foreign governments, saying the emoluments clause doesn’t apply to “fair-market commercial transactions” like payments for hotel rooms and golf club fees.
  22. As questions remain on why Kushner met with VEB’s Gorkov, Bloombergreported that Kushner is seeking a $250mm loan to pay back Chinese investors for a New Jersey luxury tower. US banks are wary to lend.
  23. WNYC reported the Kushner family is set to lose $6.5mm in annual tax credits for a property in Jersey City.
  24. The acting US ambassador to China resigned over Trump’s decision to withdraw from the Paris Accord.
  25. The head of the US Patent Office resigned.
  26. 85% of the top science jobs in Trump’s executive branch remain unfilled and do not have a nominee.
  27. The chief executive of Newseum warned that Trump’s denigration of the media would lead to the “delegitimization of journalists,” and encourage authoritarians to target reporters and newspapers around the world.
  28. Rep Gianforte agreed to pay $50k to the Committee to Project Journalists in a civil settlement for assaulting journalist Ben Jacobs.
  29. Mueller brought in several, well-known attorneys with relevant experience to join his special counsel Russia probe, including Michael Dreeben, the DOJ’s top criminal law expert.
  30. Yahoo reported four top law firmed turned down requests to represent Trump citing his unwillingness to listen to advice, potential harm to recruiting and client relationships, and his history of not paying bills.
  31. Forbes reported that at a charity golf tournament run by Eric Trump for St. Jude Children’s Research, $1.2 million of expenses paid to the Trump Organization had no documented receipts.
  32. Additionally, $500k was re-donated to other charities (4 of whom subsequently held tournaments at Trump golf courses), and $100k was funneled though the Eric Trump Foundation to the Trump Organization.
  33. The NY Attorney General’s office said it will look into these payouts by Eric Trump’s Foundation.
  34. Flynn turned over more than 600 pages of documents to the Senate Intel Comm. Most are business records, but also some personal documents.
  35. The Intercept published a leaked top-secret NSA document which detailed the efforts of Russian hackers to target a voting-software supplier and more than 100 local election officials just prior to Election Day.
  36. The FBI arrested the leaker: 25 year-old Reality Winner, a federal contractor in Augusta, Georgia. The FBI was able to track the leak to Winner after The Intercept provided a copy to the NSA for comment.
  37. Warner, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Intel Comm said Russian attacks on our election were broader and targeted more states than reported in The Intercept.
  38. Sen Klobuchar asked that the Senate Rules Comm get a classified briefing on the Russian vote hacking attempts.
  39. Deutsche Bank ignored the House Democrats’ request for information on Trump’s accounts and possible ties to Russia.
  40. Thursday, Deutsche Bank blamed privacy laws for preventing the bank from disclosing the information requested.
  41. At a Senate Intel Comm hearing Wednesday, Coats, Rogers and Rosenstein largely refused to answer senators’ questions. One conservative journalist called it contempt of Congress.
  42. A pro-Trump PAC ran ads attacking Comey as a “showboat” and a failure on the day of his testimony.
  43. WAPO reported Coats told associates Trump asked him to intervene to get Comey to back off the FBI’s investigation of Flynn in its Russia probe.
  44. Sources said the ask was made at the end of a briefing at the WH, when Trump asked everyone to leave the room, except Coats and Pompeo.
  45. NYT reported the day after Trump asked Comey to end the investigation of Trump, Comey told Sessions not to leave him alone with Trump.
  46. ABC reported that Trump lashed out repeatedly at Sessions in private meetings about recusing himself from Russia, and that Sessions in turn suggested he could resign.
  47. After allegations Nunes was behind the House Intel subpoenas on “unmasking,” Nunes refused to confirm if he had stepped aside in the Russia probe.
  48. VOX reported that Comey had spoken to three senior FBI officials (Rybicki, Baker, McCabe), who could vouch for his story that Trump asked him to shut down the Flynn investigation.
  49. Trump’s approval hit a new low in a Quinnipiac poll: approve 34%, disapprove 57%. Of note, Trump is almost underwater with white men!
  50. A senior State Dept official will travel to Russia to help solve the “irritants” in our relationship.
  51. Putin threatened Sweden with a military response to “eliminate the threat” if the country joins NATO.
  52. Former DNI Clapper said “Watergate pales” compared to what the US is confronting now.
  53. Ahead of his testimony Thursday, on Wednesday the Sen Intel Comm released seven pages of Comey’s testimony.
  54. Highlights include: unusually frequent contacts with Trump, Trump requested a loyalty pledge, Comey documented all contact, Trump focused on Russian hooker report, and Trump asked him to let Flynn off.
  55. Trump’s pick for FBI director, Wray, works for a law firm that counts among it’s clients Russian-state oil companies Rosneft and Gazprom
  56. Comey testified in an open session Thursday. Major networks covered the testimony as over 19 million watched. Many in DC caught “Comey fever” and played hooky to watch at restaurants and pubs.
  57. Among the highlights: Comey said Trump lied about him and the FBI; that Sessions had no choice but to recuse himself; and that he was fired because of the Russia investigation.
  58. Comey said he took notes starting directly after the first meeting on January 6 because he was concerned Trump “might lie.” Comey did not feel the need to take notes with Obama or W Bush.
  59. On Trump’s threat of having taped his conversations, Comey said, “Lordy, I hope there are tapes.” This spurred another round of demands by Democrats for Trump to produce the tapes, or admit he lied.
  60. Comey said Sessions seemed uncomfortable when Trump asked him to leave the room, “My sense was the attorney general knew he shouldn’t be leaving.” Comey said the same of Kushner.
  61. Comey said he leaked a memo about his meeting with Trump through a friend at Columbia to the NYT in hopes of getting a special counsel appointed.
  62. Comey testified he has given his memos to Mueller, and suggested the special counsel is investigating Trump for obstruction of justice.
  63. Comey said there was no doubt that Russia interfered in our election, saying, “they’re coming after America” and “they will be back.” He also noted this is an attack on our democracy, not a particular political party.
  64. Trump’s lawyer, Kasowitz responded, included a written statement where he misspelled President. He also got the timeline of the Comey memo wrong, and falsely accused Comey of leaking classified information.
  65. After the Comey testimony, Republicans mostly shied away from the camera this week, while Speaker Ryan offered a tepid defense for Trump’s actions: “he’s just new to this.”
  66. Numerous Trump surrogates spent the days surrounding Comey’s testimony by trying to smear him as a liar and attention seeker.
  67. NBC reported that during the Senate Intel Comm’s closed hearing, senators learned about a third, undisclosed meeting between Sessions and Russia. This confirms an item in Week 29, which the DOJ denied.
  68. PM May suffered a major setback in the UK elections, as her Conservative Party lost the majority. Her party’s loss also could spell trouble for Brexit.
  69. Senate Intel Comm staff will interview Kushner next week. NBC reported that Congress wants to ask Kushner if he was seeking funding for his NYC tower.
  70. Pelosi told MSNBC that she is looking into why Trump picked Saudi Arabia as his first country to visit. Past presidents, going back to Reagan had visited close allies Canada or Mexico first.
  71. Pelosi also said she is looking into why while at the visit in Saudi Arabia, Trump had cleared the room.
  72. Trump and Tillerson had an embarrassing difference in foreign policy on Qatar as Tillerson said there should “be no further escalation by parties in the region,” and Trump sided with Saudi Arabia and others, slamming Qatar as a sponsor of terrorism.
  73. Trump’s attorney said he would file a complaint against Comey for leaking his memo to his friend at Columbia.
  74. According to a letter from the US Office of Special Counsel, Trump’s social media director Scavino violated the Hatch Act in April when he tweeted a call to oust a member of the House. He was issued a warning.
  75. In a Friday speech with the president of Romania in the Rose Garden, Trump switched course again and said he would support Article 5 of the NATO pact.
  76. Trump also called Comey a liar and a “leaker,” and that Comey’s testimony showed there was “no collusion, no obstruction.”
  77. Trump also said he would be willing to tell his side of story under oath, “100 percent,” but still would not confirm if the “tapes” really exist.
  78. Top Democratic donor Tom Steyer called for impeachment hearings over obstruction of justice.
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Artist NYChopper: work in progress at Welling Court in Queens, NY. 10june 2017. Photo: Nicole Gordon
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Artist NYChopper: work in progress at Welling Court in Queens, NY. 10june 2017. Photo: Nicole Gordon
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Artist SubDude London in East London, UK. 

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SubDude London. June 2017. London, England, UK.
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SubDude London. June 2017. London, England, UK.19030262_2289888577902385_8856758324072423941_n19059288_2289888727902370_6814893311459251430_n18952809_2289888714569038_7478800350446585725_n

COCOA BEACH, FLORIDA STREET ART: MERMAID by DAVID ROTHMAN

Published on by jacquelinemhadel4 Comments

“I must be a mermaid, Rango. I have NO FEAR of depths and a great fear of shallow living.” ~ Anais Nin

More information on this artist can be found at: https://www.drothmanart.com

DCIM100GOPROG0095638.IMG_2654IMG_2277IMG_2656IMG_2278IMG_2279DCIM100GOPROG0025703.IMG_2284IMG_2283IMG_2281IMG_2280IMG_2330IMG_2401IMG_2326IMG_2318IMG_2657DCIM100GOPROG0015702.IMG_2662IMG_2663IMG_2665 This mural is located prominently on the outside wall of Coconuts Fresh Catch Market at 33 S. Atlantic Avenue. Thank you, Coconuts, for a bold move forward in the acquisition of street art in this great little beach community. Keep it up!

may2017. Cocoa Beach, FL

 

POLITIKS OF GRAFFITI 26: FXCK THE PRESIDENT

Published on by jacquelinemhadel1 Comment
DCIM100GOPROG0325590.
New York City, NY. March 2017.

Week 25 of donald trump’s presidency: Experts in authoritarianism advise to keep a list of things subtly changing around you, so you’ll remember.

May 6, 2017 https://medium.com/@Amy_Siskind/week-25-experts-in-authoritarianism-advise-to-keep-a-list-of-things-subtly-changing-around-you-so-c9e266046627

The fabric and values of our country are transforming before our eyes. The Trump regime of billionaires and sycophants – with most Republicans cowering along in lock-step — continue to act and take actions that are greedy and cruel. As we hit Week 25, every subgroup of Americans not white, straight and male has been a target.

The beat of Trump-Russia continues, as does Trump’s mentally imbalanced leadership — for which there is increasing concern. This week the authoritarian themes of silencing dissent, and consolidating power and wealth were also front and center.

  1. Trump delivered a campaign speech in Harrisburg, PA to mark his first 100-days. One pundit called it “the most hate-filled in modern history.”
  2. Frustrated by his failures in the first 100-days, Trump took to Twitter and Fox News to demand changes in to “archaic” rules of the House and Senate, so he could consolidate his power.
  3. Trump called for a government shutdown in September to fix what he called a ‘mess.’ Republican leaders rejected this idea.
  4. Trump also blamed constitutional checks and balances for the chaos of his first 100 days, saying “It’s an archaic system … It’s really a bad thing for the country.”
  5. Trump said he is open to meeting Kim Jong Un, saying “ I would absolutely be honored to do it.”
  6. Trump ally Erdogan fired 3,900 from the civil service and military as “threats to national security” in his second post-referendum purge. Trump has filled 5% of key roles in the executive branch.
  7. Tillerson sent a survey to employees ahead of a major State Department overhaul involving significant job and budget cuts. Tillerson has yet to name a deputy, or fill the key roles vacated by early resignations.
  8. In a CBS interview, Trump denied that Russia hacked our election, saying it “could’ve been China, could’ve been a lot of different groups.”
  9. A massive coordinated hack and online leak of Macron’s emails occurred just 1 1/2 days before the French presidential election. Macron’s campaign blamed Russia for the attack.
  10. The leaks came within an hour of the midnight campaign blackout, during which politicians, media and citizens are legally required to pull back from any public election discussion.
  11. The head of Germany’s domestic intelligence agency accused Russia of gathering large amounts of political data in cyberattacks ahead of Germany’s September election.
  12. Sparking shock and outrage, Trump invited Philippines President Duterte, an authoritarian known for brutality, to the WH. Trump did not clear the invitation with the State Department.
  13. According to Duterte’s spokesman, Trump praised Duterte saying “you’re doing a great job.”
  14. Amid concern with Trump’s embrace of authoritarian rulers, Tillerson said American values, such as human rights, should not be a condition for US foreign policy.
  15. Trump Tower in the Philippines continues to use videos of Trump and Ivanka as a key selling point.
  16. The Moscow Times reported that someone is throwing chemicals at Russian opposition, causing them to go partially blind.
  17. USA Today compiled a list of 38 Russians opposed to Putin who were victims of unsolved murders or suspicious deaths in the past three years. Two such deaths were related to the Steele dossier/Trump-Russia ties.
  18. McCain said he was “looking at other options” after Trump ally Corker backed off from imposing more sanctions on Russia.
  19. In violation of the Hatch Act, Secretary Ross accompanied Trump to Pennsylvania for a campaign event to raise money for Trump’s 2020 campaign, and WH staffer Sandra Sanders tweeted about it.
  20. On Tuesday, without taking questions, Spicer walked out of a room full of reporters, as the Trump regime was forced to accept most of the Democrats’ wish list in order to avoid a government shutdown.
  21. The OGE sent a letter to the WH and executive branch agency heads asking for copies of any waivers for Trump regime members from ethics rules. According to the NYT, at least two such waivers have been granted.
  22. The OGE says it wasn’t consulted about Ivanka’s job, saying she should be considered a federal employee and subject to those rules.
  23. Voice of America, a government-funded news agency, posted a story and tweeted about Ivanka’s new book, raising questions about the Trump regime’s use of government sources to promote private business interests.
  24. A State Department account (@GenderAtState) also likely violated federal rules by retweeting a post promoting Ivanka’s book.
  25. After pushback from his Cabinet, Trump started to dismantle his “shadow Cabinet” — young, inexperienced spies placed at federal agencies.
  26. The IRS is demanding $7 billion in back taxes from the Mercer’s hedge fund. The Mercers’ donations and ties to the Trump regime make it unlikely they will pay.
  27. Congress allocated a whopping $120 million for the Trump Family’s security costs. Costs include business trips to Vancouver and Dubai by Trump’s sons, and ski weekends in Aspen and Whistler for Ivanka.
  28. The WSJ uncovered that Kushner had failed to report $1bn of loans in his financial disclosure. He also omitted his stake Cadre, a tech startup with ties to Goldman Sachs, George Soros and Peter Thiel.
  29. POLITICO reported that at least nine members of Trump’s transition team have registered as lobbyists, despite a five-year lobbying ban.
  30. Wilbur Ross said the Syria strike — which he viewed with Trump and Chinese President Xi at Mar-a-Lago — was “after-dinner entertainment.”
  31. Priebus told ABC that the Trump regime “looked at” changing libel laws to go after the media for articles “that have no basis or fact,” and “writing stories about constant contacts with Russia…”
  32. A Code Pink activist who briefly laughed during Sessions confirmation hearing was convicted in Virginia. Two others will also face charges.
  33. Trump’s new FCC Chairman Pai said the FCC would investigate Colbert for a joke made about Trump and Putin and “take appropriate action.”
  34. AP reported that Republican House Chair Hensarling told dozens of government agencies to exclude communications with his committee from FOIA requests. He was widely criticized.
  35. Citing emails obtained under the FOIA, CBS reported that Trump had direct involvement in hunting the National Park Service official who tweeted photos of Trump and Obama’s inauguration crowds.
  36. Seemingly to counter his unpopularity, Trump has mentioned the election results on 39% of the days since November 8th.
  37. In an article in New Yorker, writer Evan Osnos reported that Trump’s fitness to service is “officially part of the discussion in Congress.”
  38. Breaking a tradition of 18 years, a school district in Seattle canceled its international field trip over concerns of Trump’s border enforcement.
  39. Trump did away with a 16-year-old tradition of celebrating Cinco do Mayo at the WH.
  40. Sen Casey blasted Trump and his regime for deporting a mother and her 5-year-old son back to Honduras, where they would face grave danger. Despite Casey’s efforts to intervene, the deportation is moving forward.
  41. According to the ACLU, Texas is about to become the first “show me your papers” state.
  42. The Trump regime fired chief usher Angella Reid, the first woman and second African American to hold the job. The job typically involves a long tenure, so this Friday afternoon firing was viewed with curiosity.
  43. Trump said he may not fund historically black colleges, a 25-year-old program, saying the funding may be unconstitutional.
  44. In a memo, Trump ordered his regime to end Michelle Obama’s girls education program, “Let Girls Learn.”
  45. After campaigning on cracking down on drugs, a line of attack that seemed racially based, Trump proposed cutting funding for the Drug Control Office, the agency charged with cracking down, by 95%.
  46. Rape charges were dropped against an immigrant teen in Maryland. Fox News had devoted days of coverage to the case, using it to validate Trump’s immigration agenda.
  47. Several outlets reported that Gorka would accept a role outside the WHafter being denied security clearance and over his associations with a Hungarian hate group. Gorka said these reports were “very fake news.”
  48. The Daily Beast reported that Trump and Bannon intervened to save Gorka, and for now, he will remain.
  49. On Wednesday, POLITICO reported that Lewandowski’s firm, Avenue Strategies, quietly signed a deal to represent Citgo, a US-based oil company owned by Venezuela, in its proposed sale to Russia’s Rosneft.
  50. Citgo has donated $500k to Trump inauguration. According to The Daily Beast, that money may have come from the Kremlin, at least indirectly.
  51. The owner of the 19.5% stake in Rosneft sold shortly after Carter Page’s July meeting with Putin allies in Russia, is still not known.
  52. A bi-partisans group of Senators called on Trump to block Citgo’s sale to Rosneft, citing concern that with control of Citgo, Russia could use its influence to counter US trade sanctions imposed in 2014.
  53. Amidst reports on Citgo and other questionable dealings, Lewandowski resigned from the Avenue Strategies, the firm he co-founded.
  54. Friday afternoon, Mark Green, Trump’s second pick for Army Secretary, withdrew as a nominee. Senators had expressed alarm at Green’s public homophobic statements, something Trump vetting missed or ignored.
  55. Rachel Maddow cited that Trump has yet to fill 57 of 58 senior level Pentagon positions which require Senate confirmation.
  56. Trump reportedly speaks to Rupert Murdoch almost every day. Some had speculated that Murdoch may be the biggest winner of Trump firing Bharara, as Fox News is under investigation in the Southern District.
  57. As the Senate Intel Committee got back on track, the Committee sent letters to several Trump insiders including Flynn, Manafort, Page and Stone, requesting records of their communication with Russia.
  58. Page said he planned to cooperate, but his records as a private citizen would be ‘minuscule in comparison’ to what the FBI had collected under a FISA warrant. Page was asked to list any Russian official or business executive he met with between June 16, 2015 and Jan. 20, 2017.
  59. WAPO reported that Trump transition staffers warned Flynn about contact with Kislyak. Flynn was warned on both Kislyak’s background and that contact with him would likely be monitored.
  60. WAPO reported Billingslea was among a small group of national security hands in the Trump transition team who were concerned about Flynn and Trump’s pro-Russia stance.
  61. AP reported the Obama administration was concerned about the request for info on Kislyak, and about Flynn’s contact with Russia. They also delayed telling the Trump team about planned sanctions against Russia.
  62. One punishment was to close two Russian compounds. AP reported the Obama administration feared if they told the Trump regime too far in advance, they might give Moscow lead time to clear information out.
  63. NBC further reported that the Obama administration gave the Trump regime only hours notice about closing Russian compounds.
  64. AP reported the Obama administration was also concerned about sharing info with the Trump transition team after classified documents were copied and removed from a secure facility.
  65. Sally Yates will testify Monday before the Senate that she gave a formal warning to Trump’s WH that Flynn was lying three weeks before he was fired. This contradicts the Trump regime’s version of what happened.
  66. Nine weeks have passed since Trump’s tweet accusing Obama of wiretapping Trump Tower. This week Trump said it has “been proven very strongly.”
  67. Rand Paul, a supporter of Trump’s false claim, also said he thinks Obama spied on him. Paul tweeted that he has requested info on whether he “was surveilled by Obama admin” or the Intelligence community.
  68. At an open Senate hearing, Comey reiterated that there was no spying on Trump Tower.
  69. On Thursday, Trump and the GOP passed a series of measures, including passage of Trumpcare/AHCA in the House, a watering down of Dodd Frank, and a ‘Religious Liberty’ EO which allows religious institutions to participate in politics, and power to decide on covering birth control.
  70. Beer was rolled in as the votes on Trumpcare were cast in the House, followed by a celebration at the WH — this, as more than 24 million Americans stood to lose healthcare coverage.
  71. After the vote and celebration, it became apparent that many House members never read Trumpcare or considered how it would impact their state/district. As House members returned home for an 11 day vacation, many hid and/or turned off their phones.
  72. Jason Chaffetz, who in Week 24 was noted to have left DC and halted his investigation of Flynn in order to get foot surgery, slithered back to DC to vote for Trumpcare.
  73. After Trumpcare passed the House, the non-partisan Cook Political Reportsaid the vote hurt the re-election prospects of 20 Republicans.
    DCIM100GOPROG0145572.
    New York City, NY. March 2017
    artist Stahler Skam, based in Portland, Oregon.
    Artist: Stahler Skam. Portland, Oregon.

    oddo & subdude
    Artist: Subdude. Photo: Oddo Personnosrep. London, England. May 2017.

Stay tuned for next week’s artistic expressions of political discontent from around the globe…