I just want to give you a heads up that Paul Manafort is gonna be on teevee again, just so you can boo and hiss.

My Bubba says this could be many things.  It could simply be arraigning  him on the new charges, setting discovery deadlines so lawyers can throw paper at each other, setting motions hearings … you know, normal yackety yak lawyer stuff.

There is also the possibility that the new charges are of such severity that the judge will impose bail increases or throw his prissy butt in jail.

Warning you when to get popcorn is just another of the free, friendly services at Juanita’s.

Thanks to Deb T for the heads up.

Mexico ain’t gonna pay for the damn wall.

This ain’t difficult.  They are not paying.  Trump had a 50 minute phone conversation with Mexican President Enrique Peña Nieto last week.

Peña Nieto was planning a trip to the US but has cancelled it because Trump might steal his wallet and build the wall. Then Peña Nieto couldn’t get back home.  Because there’s a damn wall.

Here’s Trump’s reasoning.

One Mexican official said Trump “lost his temper.” But U.S. officials described him instead as being frustrated and exasperated, saying Trump believed it was unreasonable for Peña Nieto to expect him to back off his crowd-pleasing campaign promise of forcing Mexico to pay for the wall.

Holy damn cow. What a narcissist! Yeah, it’s Peña Nieto’s job to keep Trump’s insane campaign promises. You know, especially one that’s insulting to his country and they can’t afford any more than we can.

But I tell you what, I’d pay good money to watch Trump try to debate former Mexican President Vicente Fox.

He don’t take no crap off no bullies.

PS – Please feel free to correct my Spanish in the headline.

Here’s a shout out to some new people who may be joining us this week.  Last night, the Walker County Democrats (think way north Houston) held their annual First Amendment Celebration and Molly Ivins Banquet.  It was a packed house with fancy tablecloths, centerpieces, real napkins, three forks, and a whole bunch of Democrats ready to give ‘um hell.

The keynote speaker was Mike Collier, a Democratic candidate for Lt. Governor.  I love Mike and, even though he’s a CPA, he told a joke or two.

I was invited to give a speech to this unruly, but well-dressed crowd.  It was a blast and I hope they invite me back sometime.

So welcome, Walker County!  I know most people have to lurk here a while before they post, so ya’ll be on your best behavior now.

Last September the Republican National Committee came under pressure for paying Trump and Trump Jr’s legal bills for the Mueller investigation from Republican campaign funds, money meant to be spent on helping get Republican elected across the country.

So, they quit paying it.

Meet John Pence

But … as we have learned, Republicans are real good at exchanging money under the table.  A few months ago, the RNC quietly started shuffling the money.

The RNC is using campaign funds to pay Trump’s company more than $37,000 a month in rent, and to pay thousands of dollars in monthly salary to Vice President Mike Pence’s nephew, John Pence, party officials confirmed this week. The rent pays for office space in the Trump Tower in New York for the staff of Trump’s re-election campaign. John Pence is the Trump campaign’s deputy executive director.

Yeah, it’s weird and “unusual” but it is legal. Can you imagine what it costs to pay a lawyer to find that loophole.

A guy from the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center says, “One would think the RNC could be spending their money more effectively right now on the 2018 campaign, rather than spending it to pay Trump’s rent.”  Yeah, that’s what one would think and one would be wrong.

By the way, John Pence is being paid $12,000 a month by the Republican National Committee.  Nice work if you can get it, but you can only get it if your uncle is vice president.

Hell, even Bill Kristol is cringing ….

Thanks to Alfredo over at the Dairy Queen for the heads up.

Yep.  It happened in Utah.

A teacher in Utah accidentally shot herself in the leg Thursday inside an elementary school building.  In the bathroom of the teacher’s lounge.  She’s a sixth grade teacher.

State law allows individuals to obtain a concealed-weapons permit and carry firearms onto school campuses, following the completion of a safety training course.

Obviously she did not listen at the training course.  Nor did she do her homework. And the dog ate her good sense.

Last week a professor at Idaho State University shot himself in the foot as he was strolling across campus.

Maybe Wayne LaPierre can come up with a better solution.  A solution that doesn’t, you know, require guns.

.

.

.

.

Clay Bennett, Chattanooga Times Free Press

.

.

.

.

.