Who’s keeping count?

Paul Ryan is O-U-T.

Republican House Speaker Paul Ryan will not run for re-election, people close to the Wisconsin lawmaker said Wednesday.

Ryan’s plans have been the source of much speculation amid Republican concerns over keeping their majority in the House of Representatives. Ryan had made tax cuts a centerpiece of his legislative agenda, and Congress delivered on that late last year.

Ryan is not saying why he’s not seeking reelection but I think it’s because of all that stuff about winning so much in Congress that he got tired of winning.

Or, it could be that he expects to be President by November.

Here’s a dandy reminder to your Republicans friends who keep calling this a witch hunt.

It’s hard to call an investigation a “witch hunt” when it has already resulted in 19 individuals being charged with crimes, including five who pleaded guilty and one who’s been sentenced to jail (for 30 days). That’s quite a rap sheet for an ongoing probe.

Lemme see, the Benghazi investigation lasted 17 months and found … diddle squat.

And, in not hardly surprising news, after yesterday’s events Trump says he is “less likely” to be willingly interviewed by Mueller.

And, the hits just keep on coming.   White House national security spokesman Michael Anton stepped down Monday, the first day John Bolton took over as director of the National Security Council, and Tom Bossert, Trump’s top homeland security adviser, handed in his resignation today.  It’s amazing the number of people who don’t want to go to jail.

FBI agents who raided Cohen’s office were looking for additional evidence of payoffs to other women.

Scott Pruitt.

Y’all, Pruitt took lying lessons from Trump.

Remember when he said that he did not know about the enormous raises two of his staffers got? He was totally unaware of it.

Turns out, it was through his urging.

In mid-March, Sarah Greenwalt, senior counsel to the administrator, wrote to HR in an attempt to confirm that her pay raise of $56,765 was being processed. Greenwalt “definitively stated that Pruitt approves and was supportive of her getting a raise,” according to an administration official who has seen the email chain.

Can you even imagine if Pruitt was serving in the Obama administration?  Sean Hannity would be outraged. Outraged, I tell you.

The question is how does the swamp get worse than ever?

The answer, of course, is that the Pruitts, the Trumps (and the Tom Prices and on and on) are people who serve interests far more powerful and nefarious than they are. Big money has taken over the political system, and hired people like Pruitt to run it on their behalf.

Pruitt is meeting with Trump this afternoon.  And the devil is giggling.

Thanks to Larry for the heads up.

Leave it to Sid Miller, Texas Agriculture Commissioner, who is a rodeo clown by profession – seriously, to outwit Donald Trump in a headline contest right now.

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller in late 2016 appointed to the state’s Rural Health Task Force a former physician and Miller campaign donor who had his medical license revoked or suspended in three states.

But that’s not all.

In Iowa, Rick Ray Redalen’s medical license was first suspended when he was convicted of perjury in a case involving his marriage to his 15-year-old former stepdaughter.

And there’s more …

As a doctor, Redalen worked in emergency rooms and as a primary care doctor and has had his license suspended or revoked in Minnesota, Iowa and Louisiana.

The disciplinary action against Redalen by Minnesota’s medical board was due to “psychiatric and drug problems,” according to a 1995 Des Moines Register article.

Other than that, Redalen comes with the best credentials to serve on boards in Texas – he knows somebody.  Todd Smith is a long time friend and political consultant to Miller.  Smith also happens to be making hundreds of thousands of dollars from Redalen’s company. Redalen’s company make tele-medicine machines.

And, of course, Redalen is using his position on Miller’s board to push for tele-medicine in rural Texas.

But, Redalen says he won’t make money on the deal and we should believe him because he promises not to commit perjury again.

Redalen also made large financial contributions to Sid Miller’s campaign. And he loaned Miller his motor home.

In July of 2017, Miller reported an $80,000 in-kind contribution from Redalen for “Use of Prevost Motor Home Bus.” During the 2016 presidential race, Redalen said he campaigned for Donald Trump by touring in his bus, which features an image of Redalen’s face along with messages opposing the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare.

Sid Miller, the circus clown.

Thanks to everybody for the heads up.