Brenda Lawrence on Impeachment

The United States is composed of three separate, yet equal branches of government and relies on a system of checks and balances to ensure cooperation and accountability. Congress has the authority to create and pass legislation, as well as conduct oversight of the Executive Branch. As a member of the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, I take this responsibility very seriously. President Trump continues to impede our constitutionally mandated oversight responsibilities. I am now calling for an impeachment inquiry into his conduct so that Congress can obtain the documents necessary to fulfill our duties. 
 

The Trump Administration has made every attempt to prevent this Congress from performing its constitutional duties of oversight. They have blocked witnesses from testifying, ignored our subpoenas, and refused to turn over documents essential to our justified investigations. Administration officials have objected to precedents that have been in place for decades, while making baseless arguments to avoid complying with congressional requests. On the rare occasions that Administration officials have agreed to testify, they have stalled, obstructed, and disrespected the legislative process. 
 

Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s report laid out evidence that describes several instances in which President Trump obstructed justice by either trying to change the scope of the investigation or attempting to end it altogether. Given the heavy redactions made to the report, it is impossible to understand the full scope of the investigation. Special Counsel Mueller has stated on multiple occasions that his findings did not exonerate the President of a crime. The report made clear that any accountability would have to come from Congress when he explicitly wrote: “The conclusion that Congress may apply obstruction laws to the President’s corrupt exercise of the powers of office accords with our constitutional system of checks and balances and the principle that no person is above the law.” I look forward to hearing Special Counsel Mueller’s testimony in the House after months of misleading statements by the Attorney General and others in the Trump Administration. 
 

The Trump Administration is challenging the power of a separate, yet equal branch of government, a precedent established by our Founding Fathers centuries ago. The House of Representatives has been hard at work in the 116^th Congress passing landmark legislation, but President Trump continues to stand in the way of conducting meaningful oversight of his administration. I believe that we must launch an impeachment inquiry to fulfill our constitutional duties. No one is above the law, not even the President.
 

Serving as your representative in Congress is a great privilege. You can visit my website at  www.lawrence.house.gov  to send me an email or learn more about my voting record and positions on the issues that matter most to you.

Sincerely,



Rep. Brenda Lawrence
Member of Congress
MI-14

BIDEN and Healthcare

THINKING ALOUD ALLOWED: FINALLY A CANDIDATE WHO UNDERSTAND HEALTHCARE AND THE ACA: ,,,,,,,,,BIDEN KNOWS that after spending billions of tax dollars to establish the foundation of the ACA (Obamacare), that even with Trump's (and the Republican Congress) efforts to destroy the ACA healthcare for 20 million Americans, it still LIVES, because Americans want it.
He also knows that for this existing culture of healthcare in America, the SPH (Single Payer Healthcare) is not anywhere as popular as ACA for many reasons.

A. We know that ACA WORKS, but needs repair, but not enough to scuttle a health program that actually works well for millions and millions of people.
B. ONE EXAMPLE: If congress (Democratic) could change the insurance market to enable people in Wyoming, who have only one source to buy healthcare, and must pay higher premiums, to buy their healthcare insurance from Michigan or Ohio, or California or New York, where there are multiple insurance carriers, it would FORCE insurance rates to go down, and more people could enroll for more coverage at a lesser cost.

C. Preexisting Conditions, need I say more?

D, No sound thinking person would destroy a working business, without another working business already to replace it, and SPH cannot do this until such time as our government agrees on it's total concept of coverage. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO DO THIS NOW, OR IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BECAUSE WE HAVE THIS FRACTURED REPUBLICAN SENATE, A SPLIT DEMOCRATIC HOUSE, AND A PSYCHOTIC PRESIDENT WHO PROMISED THE BEST AND CHEAPEST HEALTHCARE IN THE WORLD, BUT KNOWS NOTHING ABOUT HEALTHCARE EXCEPT THE ACA WAS CREATED BY A MAN HE DESPISES, BARAK OBAMA

E. COST; There are no estimates on the cost of SPH, or how much, and in what manner will the funding of SPH be created.

But, we know exactly what Obamacare cost over the last 9 years, and how to fund it.

 

This alone is reason enough for me to support BIDEN for president, because with a great healthcare system you'll have a happy and great America

 

Of course it might take a few more issue like the environment, wage disparity, immigration to bring a smile to the 51% who win, hopefully Democrats

Jerry Soble

Puzder, Acosta, Epstein,Dershowitz, Trump and Vance,

  Let me try to connect the dots between all of these miscreants.  Alex Acosta, tRUMP's  labor secretary, is all over the news for the giveaway deal he made with Epstein,  the pervert monster.  Until all of this hit the fan, I had forgotten that Acosta was tRUMP's second pick for labor secretary.  His first pick was Andrew Puzder, best known for having bikini clad models eating giant hamburgers in ads for his Carl's   Jr. hamburger chain.  

              Puzder withdrew from consideration when it came out that his ex wife had publicly accused  him of multiple acts of abuse.   Those allegations were first made public when it came out that she had twice called the police  alleging abuse.   She actually went on the Oprah show in disguise to talk about how powerful men get away with beating their wives.  She said that the bruises are never visible.  A number of years later she vehemently claimed that she had made the whole thing up.

              Does this sound familiar?  Ivana tRUMP said that she made up the allegations in a sworn complaint for divorcee that tRUMP had raped her.  When she did her disavowal , she said that she did not understand the definition of rape.  All  she needed to do is to look at the facts she alleged in her  complaint for divorce which she signed under oath to understand the definition. Recanting most assuredly was a condition for getting a massive divorce settlement.

              Acosta claims that the deal he made was a good deal because it guaranteed that Epstein would do jail time.  If it was such a good deal, why did he not tell the victims as required by law?  Equally damning, why was the deal made in secret and put under seal? 

             Epstein was charged pursuant to a 53 page  federal indictment.  In order to do the deal, the federal prosecutor had to dismiss the federal charges and get the Palm Beach County district attorney to file far less serious State charges.    The deal then had Epstein plead guilty to the State charges.  

            This is an incredibly ingenious way  to minimize Epstein's penalty.   Only a Harvard professor could think of such a thing.  Lo and behold it was a Harvard Professor, namely Allen Dershowitz.  I have not heard a single legal commentator say that he or she has ever heard of such an deal.

            Rumor has it that the Palm Beach police officers who worked on the case, and the Federal prosecutors who wrote the indictment were outraged by the result.  Why did Acosta do the deal.  So far only he knows.  There has not  been a suggestion that he was paid off.  Maybe he merely succumbed to Epstein's high powered lawyers.  Maybe they made some kind of threat. No matter the reason, this case shows that Epstein got the best representation that money could buy.  It also shows that Acosta should never again be allowed to collect a penny of taxpayer money. 

           A few words about Dershowitz.  His client list includes Claus Von Bulow, and O.J. Simpson both of whom killed their wives.  Now add Epstein to the list.  As far as I know he has not killed a wife.    I don't believe that Dershowitz has been  officially retained by tRUMP, another member of the rogue's gallery.  But he is certainly acting as an unofficial member of tRUMP's team.  He is all over TV making up absurd defenses of tRUMP.

          So how does Cyrus Vance Jr. get in my subject line.? Vance is the district  attorney for Manhattan.  His staff lawyers recommended charging Ivanka and Jared with criminal fraud for duping investors in one of their buildings.    Vance rejected their recommendation.  This rejection occurred after a tRUMP fixer dropped off a $25,000 check for Vance's reelection campaign.  

   

            Fast forward to Epstein.  Vance filed a petition in a New York court to have Epstein's sexual misconduct status changed from Level 3 (highest) to level 1 (lowest)  There has never been an explanation for this petition.  Fortunately the judge who heard the request was appalled and refused to grant it.  So we now know that Vance prevented tRUMP's  daughter and son in law from being criminally charged, and tried to make a deal for tRUMP's old  pervert buddy.  

           I will always remember Michael Cohen's poignant statement to tRUMP enablers that if they continue to support him they will end up like Cohen.  So Puzder stinks, Acosta stinks,  Dershowitz stinks and Vance stinks.  Boys, join the crowd.

             As always, thanks for listening.

                                                                   Richard