TGIF 4/5/19

Friday again? Already?

I'm thinking the folks who handle security at the president's private club down there in Florida had a kinda bad week. How else would you describe letting someone into the club just because they had the same name as another member?  Especially after all of the hullabaloo we just went through with a Chinese woman offering photo ops and access to with Trump personally, as well as with other of the rich and famous who hang out at the president's private club.

And of course, the president isn't the least bit concerned with security at his club - or with stopping the influence-peddling there. So, maybe I'm wrong, maybe the security folks had a good week, if their boss isn't concerned?

Well, maybe not so fast. Because Mike Pompeo, he's concerned, noting that, while he can't talk specifically to the incident, it

tells the American people the threat that China poses the effort they're making here inside the United States, not only against government officials, but more broadly. 

Whew -- that's clear as mud now. I guess we can describe it as a badly good or goodly bad week, or something.

Mitch McConnell had a good week, I guess - as long as the Republicans stay in control. Otherwise, all these little attacks he's made on the on the Senate, which was once expected to be (or at least considered to be) a deliberative body, will come back to bite him in the Kentucky blue grass. I mean, we need another totally partisan governing body like we need, I don't know, people wandering around Mar-a-Lago with multiple passports, cell phones, and malware...

It's possible he's going to cut and run - he's not polling all that well back at home, even if he's doing what the Rs want in DC.

Per the poll, only 33 percent of registered Kentucky voters approve of his job performance. 56 percent disapprove and 11 percent of those polled are unsure. In addition, 32 percent of the people polled think that McConnell “deserves to be reelected” while a staggering 61 percent feel that it’s “time for someone new.”

We'll have to wait and see what will happen there.

Another thing we're waiting to see?  The president's taxes.

Yep. The Dems on the House Ways and Means Committee have demanded the IRS turn over Trump's taxes from the past six years. Trump's not concerned with this so much, either. Referring to the request, he said

Is that all? Usually it's 10, so I guess they're giving up... I'm always under audit, it seems. Until such time as I'm not under audit, I would not be inclined to do that. 

So, who'll end up with the best week coming out of this?  It might take some time, but I'm guessing it'll be the law firm Trump's hired to handle this particular legal issue. William Consovoy, of the "boutique law firm" Consovoy McCarthy Park, LLC advised the IRS that the request for Trump's taxes is

a transparent effort by one political party to harass an official from the other party because they dislike his politics and speech.

Um, no -- it's more likely because one party is concerned that an official at the highest level of the United States Government is so riddled with conflicts of interest that he is incapable of acting in the best interests of anyone other than himself -- but sure, you can call that "politics and speech" if you like, I guess. And you can make a pretty penny fighting the request, too.  As an aside, Consovoy McCarthy Park partner Michael Park is a Trump nominee for the 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals.

And speaking of lawyers and money, let's talk about guns, too, while we've got a minute.

The NRA is not having a good week. Take a look at these headlines.

After Parkland, NRA contacted Florida's relentless Sandy Hook conspiracy monger

House votes to reauthorize Violence Against Women Act, despite GOP opposition

NRA's Wayne LaPierre warns that group may be "shut down forever" thanks to Democrats

President Trump to speak at 2019 NRA Convention in Indianapolis

Oops - my bad. They probably think that last one is a good thing.

And finally, it was a good week for members of the Mormon faith, when their church made some changes.  They will now allow baptism of children of LGBTQ members, and will no longer expel married gay members.

TGIF, everyone.