Breitbart Admits Role As Trump Enforcer, Showing Why It Should Be Denied Congressional Press Credentials

The following article by the Media Matters staff was posted on their website December 21, 2016:

Breitbart Editor Says Republicans Should Fear The Website If They Cross Trump

In a Politico article detailing how President-elect Donald Trump’s “horde of enforcers” — Breitbart.com listed prominently among them — are scaring Republican lawmakers away from criticizing him, a Breitbart editor said Republicans are right to fear the right-wing website, which was previously run by Trump senior counselor Stephen Bannon. This admission from Breitbart that the outlet plans to support Trump, rather than objectively cover his incoming administration, further demonstrates that the website is not editorially independent enough to warrant permanent Capitol Hill press credentials. Continue reading “Breitbart Admits Role As Trump Enforcer, Showing Why It Should Be Denied Congressional Press Credentials”

Donald Trump is holding a government casting call. He’s seeking ‘the look.’

The following article by Philip Rucker and Karen Tumulty was posted on the Washington Post website December 22, 2016:

Donald Trump believes that those who aspire to the most visible spots in his administration should not just be able to do the job, but also look the part.

Given Trump’s own background as a master brander and showman who ran beauty pageants as a sideline, it was probably inevitable that he would be looking beyond their résumés for a certain aesthetic in his supporting players. Continue reading “Donald Trump is holding a government casting call. He’s seeking ‘the look.’”

Cybersecurity firm finds evidence that Russian military unit was behind DNC hack

The following article by Ellen Nakashima was posted on the Washington Post website December 22, 2016:

The Post’s Ellen Nakashima goes over the events, and discusses the two hacker groups responsible. (Jhaan Elker/The Washington Post)

A cybersecurity firm has uncovered strong proof of the tie between the group that hacked the Democratic National Committee and Russia’s military intelligence arm — the primary agency behind the Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 election.

The firm CrowdStrike linked malware used in the DNC intrusion to malware used to hack and track an Android phone app used by the Ukrainian army in its battle against pro-Russia separatists in eastern Ukraine from late 2014 through 2016. Continue reading “Cybersecurity firm finds evidence that Russian military unit was behind DNC hack”

5 Trump Abominations This Week (December 17, 2016)

Donald Trump is making America dumb again — an an “unpresidented” way.

The following article by Janet Allon was posted on the Alternet website December 17, 2016:

While atrocities played out in Syria, Trump visited homegrown tragedies and travesties upon America. The week began with his appointment of Exxon chief Rex Tillerson as Secretary of State, continued with wild dissembling about Russia’s hacks on his behalf and ended with him calling his own supporters “vicious and nasty.” It was all completely “unpresidented,” as Trump might say—in fact, as he did say about China’s seizure of a U.S. Naval Underwater Drone.

Here are just 5 of the low points in Trump world this week. Continue reading “5 Trump Abominations This Week (December 17, 2016)”

For a president-elect who touts ‘America first,’ Russian hacking poses a problem

The following article by Dan Balz was posted on the Washington Post website December 17, 2016:

President-elect Donald Trump speaks in Hershey, Pa., during his “thank you” tour. (Don Emmert/Agence France-Presse via Getty Images)

Presidents often are tested early, by unexpected crises or provocations by foreign adversaries. President-elect Donald Trump’s first test has come even before he is sworn in, and so far, he has responded with denial, equivocation and deflection.

The test has come over Russia’s brazen intrusion into the U.S. election process through its hacking of the servers at the Democratic National Committee and the email account of John Podesta, Hillary Clinton’s campaign manager. Continue reading “For a president-elect who touts ‘America first,’ Russian hacking poses a problem”

Trump’s Twitter falsehoods fire up his base, provoke opponents and distract from larger issues

The following article by Cathleen Decker was posted on the L.A. Times website December 15, 2016:

Dawn had barely broken Thursday when Donald Trump once again broadcast via Twitter a provably false claim: that the Obama administration had not raised an alarm about Russian interference in the presidential election until after Hillary Clinton’s defeat.

In fact, on Oct. 7, the administration issued an official statement accusing the Russians of being behind the cyberattacks that appear to have harmed Clinton’s campaign. Continue reading “Trump’s Twitter falsehoods fire up his base, provoke opponents and distract from larger issues”

FBI in agreement with CIA that Russia aimed to help Trump win White House

The following article by Adam Entous and Ellen Nakashima was posted on the Washington Post website December 16, 2016:

FBI Director James B. Comey and Director of National Intelligence James R. Clapper Jr. are in agreement with a CIA assessment that Russia intervened in the 2016 election in part to help Donald Trump win the White House, officials disclosed Friday, as President Obama issued a public warning to Moscow that it could face retaliation. Continue reading “FBI in agreement with CIA that Russia aimed to help Trump win White House”