Discover and Read the Best of Twitter Threads by @PaulaChertok

Relentlessly absurd mafia state #Russia pursues yet another criminal case against Kremlin critic @BillBrowder. This time—get this—Natalia Veselnitskaya (Trump Tower meeting lawyer) has"evidence" BB ordered Magnitsky murder—by POISONING—in a Russian prison cbc.ca/news/world/rus…

@Billbrowder Putin's propaganda playbook: Flip facts, reality & the world on its head. West finds Russia "highly likely" poisoned Sergei Skripal, so Russia says Browder "highly likely" poisoned Sergei Magnitsky. And a Russian will head Interpol—just as they issue another Red Notice?? MADNESS

@Billbrowder Mafia Putin is so desperate to stop Magnitsky sanctions Browder is championing in EU tomorrow, today he pulls this cynical Kremlin crap, using the very phrase "highly likely" that Lavrov & the gang mercilessly mocked UK for using in finding #Russia culpable for Skripal poisoning.

It's always all about Trump. Remember what was going on when McRaven got Bin Laden? News of bin Laden raid & death pre-empted Trump's Celebrity Apprentice. And it came one day after @BarackObama & @LateNightSeth Meyers roasted Trump at the White House Correspondents' Dinner.

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1064176731681116160

Trump is so unfit & unpatriotic that he's resentful SEAL McRaven got bin Laden b/c news of the raid preempted Celebrity Apprentice! And it was the day after Trump was skewered at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, where Obama made fun of Trump's show.
hollywoodreporter.com/news/osama-bin…

Trump's not pro-veteran or pro-military or pro-anything but pro-Trump. He again dismissed & lied about a military hero—Adm McRaven—who actually kept America safe. This👇propaganda just today from @ChrisRuddyNMX. Serious news outlets should shun Trump's propagandists @brianstelter

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1064196952412188675

Trump, Paradise, California: We’ll talk to environmental groups. I think they’ve seen the light. I think this will be the last of these b/c this was really really a bad one. You look at other countries…do it differently. In Finland…they rake & clean & don’t have any problem😱

Yup, Trump compared forests in Finland to California wildfires. @GavinNewsom & @JerryBrownGov are better men than me. They maintained decorum in the face of endless stream of ignorant Trump blather. I’m out of words for this nightmare.

Trump actually waves his hand in presumably a raking motion as he suggests raking will prevent California wildfires. Then—bc he can’t stop saying stupid shit—he remembered something about forests in Finland and said they rake there & have no fire problems (in the subarctic!) 🤦‍♀️

#BREAKING CIA concludes Saudi crown prince ordered Jamal Khashoggi’s assassination washingtonpost.com/world/national…

>> CIA based its assessment that Saudi crown prince MBS ordered Khashoggi assassination in part on an intercepted phone call made by MBS's brother Khalid—Saudi ambassador to US—at MBS's urging—in which Khalid told Khashoggi it would be safe for him to go to the Istanbul consulate

More: CIA conclusion that the Saudi crown prince ordered Khashoggi assassination also based on a call from the consulate by a member of the alleged Saudi hit team—just after Khashoggi killing—to one of the crown prince's top aides, informing him the operation had been completed.

“Let’s get back to work”—Jim @Acosta thanks colleagues for their support, in a brief statement outside the courthouse where a judge just ORDERED WH to RESTORE his press pass, granting @CNN’s TRO on due process (Fifth Amendment) grounds. First Amendment issues to be decided later

Trump-appointed Judge orders White House to return CNN's @Acosta's press pass, ruling WH violated his right to due process. So WH must have rules before it can say the press violated them. (Too limited, imho. WH's First Amendment arguments were untenable.) cnn.com/2018/11/16/med…

PEAK Propaganda White House! They flatly misstate today’s court victory for CNN ordering the WH to reinstate @Acosta’s press pass b/c the WH violated the Constitution’s Fifth Amendment. The Court didnt rule on 1Am—let alone “made clear there is no absolute First Amendment right”

Cross out the lies, misinformation & disinformation in Trump’s tweet rant today, & you’re left with little non-propaganda content. Focus on that. If true, how does Trump know the “inner workings” of Mueller investigation or that witnesses/subjects feel threatened? From Whitaker??

🛎#Maddow: After installing Whitaker as AG, Trump brags about inside info. This is probably it—the 2nd Saturday night massacre moment—when the President tries to control DOJ to make an investigation that dooms him go away by corruptly influencing the course of the investigation.

https://twitter.com/MaddowBlog/status/1063265557946994688

.@GenMhayden: Maybe Whitaker briefed Trump on what he thinks Mueller is doing. But I’d be surprised if Dir Mueller had given him total transparency…particularly at any level of detail. Even as CIA Director, I couldn’t possibly brief on everything. The metric is the good served.

Taking another page straight outta Russian propaganda, Tucker Carlson calls CNN hypocrites on free speech b/c “CNN is OK with Russia-owned RT being silenced.” (CNN filed a lawsuit vs Trump WH for banning journalist @Acosta.) Also it’s a lie that RT was silenced. Cc: @brianstelter

US govt named RT a foreign agent for attacking our democracy. But Tucker left that out and made up a completely false narrative to agitate his FoxNews audience to distrust CNN. He claimed CNN simply didn’t like RT b/c Russia owns it & CNN blames Russia for electing Trump. 👈Lies

Putin couldn’t have written Tucker Carlson’s agitprop better. He defended Russia’s propaganda arm RT and discredited America’s top news channel @CNN with whataboutism, lies, misleading facts and claiming free speech hypocrisy. I mean, that’s the Kremlin playbook to a T—on FoxNews

Conspiracy theories, fake videos & lies are mainstays of Russian propaganda to sow chaos/doubt, control information, maintain power. Fake voter fraud is now a coordinated STRATEGY by Trump and Republicans to steal an election. Today, it’s Florida, tomorrow? That’s the infection.

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1061998112653230082

THIS exactly: Russian "meddling" is the culmination of a decades-long campaign of fake news & conspiracy theories to tear America apart. Now Americans have the infection & use Russia's propaganda playbook to tear each other apart. Quite the Soviet coup. nytimes.com/2018/11/12/opi…

Reupping Trump's Orwellian Rigged Election Playbook, my piece on his linguistic machinations. He & Florida Republicans are using the same propaganda tactics & language, an adaptation of Soviet/Russian disinformation tactics used to undermine our democracy euromaidanpress.com/2016/10/27/989…

Broward County officials car for police protection to tally Florida election results. Fueled by unfounded voter fraud claims by GOP lawmakers ⁦@mattgaetz,⁩ @MarcoRubio, Rick Scott, Trump, etc., rowdy protesters chant “Lock Her Up” outside election HQ tampabay.com/florida-politi…

Make no mistake. What's happening in Broward County Florida—lawyers & lies—is a dress rehearsal for 2020. Trump is lawless, ruthless. He'll drown you in bullshit conspiracy theories, confusion, chaos, til you're exhausted. And now Republicans have caught the 'rigging' disease.

*call

Trump’s having trouble remembering Russia’s talking points. He confused the Baltics with the Balkans today in Paris, blaming the leaders of Estonia, Latvia & Lithuania for the war on Yugoslavia. 🤦‍♀️

Putin picked a truly stupid puppet. (Which also works out great for the Kremlin.)

https://twitter.com/marklowen/status/1061199406979076096

Correction: Trump confused Baltics/Balkans last April. LeMonde wrote of it today covering the embarrassing POTUS in Paris, who bagged an #Armistice100 ceremony honoring US troops at Belleau #AisneMarne cemetery—over rain. There’s still tomorrow. And Putin. theguardian.com/us-news/2018/n…

Trump uses the military as a prop in his phony agitprop presidency. Today he sent Kelly to Belleau cemetery b/c it was too rainy for him to honor fallen US troops. He hired veterans-scammer Whitaker. Just y’day he lied about the military to attack Obama

#BREAKING Trump FIRES Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Trump asked him to submit letter of resignation. Let's remember Sessions did everything Trump wanted, even separated children at border. The ONLY reason Trump fired him: Sessions recused, didn't stop the Russia investigation.

Trump fired Sessions and replaced him with a man who has openly expressed hostility to the Mueller investigation. Matthew Whitaker wrote in 2017 that investigating Trump's financial ties to Russia is beyond Mueller's scope. Ridiculous then. Now dangerous. cnn.com/2017/08/06/opi…

CNN reports Kelly fired Sessions at Trump's request. Before the cray am press conference, at which Trump threatened Democrats who would do their oversight DUTY to investigate him, whipped Republicans who shunned him…and called a woman of color 'racist' for asking abt Nationalism

Lots of sniffing & low energy from Trump today suddenly touting bipartisanship w/ NANCY after Republicans lose House in #Midterms2018—which he calls “big incredible day…last night the Republican Party defied history.” Also compares to Obama midterms—which he called “midtown”😂

Incredible. Asked whether he’ll fight if Democrats subpoena his tax returns, Trump says they’re too complex. “People don’t understand taxes.”

Trump went off on Jim @Acosta, calling him “rude” and “enemy of the people.” Jim was asking about Russia probe & before that about the ad demonizing migrants (which Trump said “didn’t use actors”). Now he’s telling reporters “sit down, sit down” like they’re bad kindergarteners.

😳Two Russian lawmakers are monitoring integrity of midterm election voting in the shadow of 2016 interference - The Washington Post washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/11… #Midterms2018

Artyom Turov and Alexei Korniyenko, Russian election observers with others from OSCE, will examine cybersecurity, gerrymandering, voting rights and campaign financing to certify whether US #midterms2018 live up to international democratic standards washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/11…

Interesting which MPs Russia sent to monitor #Midterms2018 election w/ OSCE: 1/ Turov—pro-Kremlin "Young Guard" leader in Putin's ruling United Russia party (friends w/ accused spy Butina); 2/ Korniyenko—drove lawsuit to stop OSCE from drawing parallels b/t Stalinism & Nazism.

"Far-right media does not create unstable individuals, but it has proven remarkably successful at radicalizing them and providing them with targets." MAGAbomber & synagogue shooter's similar extremist media diet, w/ anti-Semitism at its core. v @Bellingcat bellingcat.com/news/americas/…

Radicalization is the conversation we must have. Trump sends troops for fake immigrant invasions while his information war has created the real threat. He & GOP propaganda media are radicalizing far-right extremists—terrorists to terrorize & kill Americans. Also BTW Putin's goal.

You'd think after Americans were killed by terrorists radicalized by lies about migrants, Republican @MarshaBlackburn would take down this ad claiming the caravan has “gang members, known criminals, people from the Middle East, POSSIBLY EVEN TERRORISTS"

ICYMI Trump's far-right media disinformation swamp's latest attack on the Russia probe involves an actual hoax: Republican propagandists seem to be offering women money to make false claims they were sexually assaulted by Mueller. nbcnews.com/politics/justi…

BTWs Last week "Surefire Intelligence" anti-genius Jacob Wohl was inventing conspiracy theories claiming Robert Mueller had Russian investments and ties to George Soros. I guess after an anti-Semite slaughtered elderly Jewish worshippers, Wohl pivoted to surefire sexual assault.

Nice! Online sleuth @Bellingcat’s @AricToler and his open-source investigation of Jacob Wohl’s fake Surefire Intelligence firm that set up a lame scheme to smear Mueller made the Rachel @Maddow show tonight. Follow them all. They do great work! #maddow

This is why Trump’s words on anti-Semitism don’t just ring hollow, they’re salt in the wounds: Hours after the Synagogue massacre, he not only held a rally, but played ‘Happy’ at a political event. For which he got a cease-and-desist letter. TY @Pharrell wapo.st/2De3V8B

Protesters in Pittsburgh today w/ messages for Trump, who’s visiting now, while the Jewish community buries its dead:
NO HATE NO GUNS NO TRUMP
Welcome #CommunityUnited #NoHomeForHate
Hate Speech Incites Violence
Fascist Not Welcome
WORDS MATTER
Trump Sows Hate
Renounce Hate
VOTE!

Trump came to Pittsburgh today because of HIS schedule–chock full of campaign rallies so he can continue to fire up the hate that befell Squirrel Hill. He didn't respect the Jewish community enough to respect their wishes to wait to visit until after at least the dead were buried

Press secy Sarah Sanders emerged from the WH bunker to say powerful words condemning violence & Anti-Semitism & deny any responsibility for Trump’s rhetoric. On the day of Pittsburgh synagogue massacre he called it “a DISPUTE” then had a hate-filled rally.

Before the massacre, when Trump called himself a Nationalist, I urged media to state plainly that his election strategy was to embrace racism & anti-Semitism. It remains his strategy even after the horrific pogrom in Pittsburgh. PLS USE CLEAR words of condemnation. They matter.

https://twitter.com/PaulaChertok/status/1054876398253367298

Thousands signed a letter saying Trump was not welcome in Pittsburgh unless he denounces white Nationalism. He plans to visit anyway. washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/10…

The commonality between MAGABomber terrorism & anti-Semitism of Pittsburgh shooter is Trump-inspired hate. Trump's agitprop language stoking hate/fear has radicalized Americans to kill other Americans. And he's done it Russian propaganda tools, which BTW also put him in power.

Pittsburgh synagogue massacre combines darkest elements of America society: Radicalized hate, anti-Semitism, xenophobia, gun violence, access to war weapons, social media threats, extremist propaganda conspiracy theories. Russia amplifies these to harm us. How can a POTUS do it🤯

Of course TRUMP is responsible for hate climate. Pittsburgh killer used his dehumanizing demonizing language, refugees & migrants as "invaders." REPUBLICANS & FOXNEWS pushing Caravan & Soros disinformation 24/7 are complicit. A killer acted b/c they made "invasion" seem imminent.

OMFG AT LEAST 7 DEAD IN PITTSBURGH SYNAGOGUE. This is happening!! My parents survived the Holocaust, and Americans are willfully repeating the hate and demagoguery that led to the worst atrocities in modern history. WAKE TF UP. Trump's far-right extremists are killing our country

https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1056200027419406336

Now a Synagogue. What did ppl expect? Demagogue POTUS goes around the country spewing hate every day. Says neo-Nazis are fine people. Attacks Soros, "globalists". Anti-Semitism is NOT BOTH SIDES. Jews must dump Trump & enabling Republican cowards. They are the danger. #Pittsburgh

https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1056210919615815680

>>REPUBLICAN leader @kevinomccarthy, California-23, stoking anti-Semitism with a propaganda tweet about Soros, Steyer & Bloomberg? He deleted it after today's horrific shooting at Pittsburgh Synagogue. Guess he knows inciting hate crimes for votes is a bad look. #ENOUGH #VOTEBLUE

#BREAKING Male in his 50s arrested in Broward County, Florida, charged in connection with string of package pipe bombs sent to prominent Democrats, US officials and CNN. Suspect’s white van is covered with Trump & RW paraphernalia. DOJ to hold news conference at 2:30ET. @MSNBC

Federal authorities tarped arrested man’s white van, covered with Trump bumper stickers, and are about to tow it. This is in Plantation, Florida. FBI must have obtained warrants based on evidence of probable cause to seize the van and make the arrest in connection w/ pipe bombs.

#BREAKING Man arrested in connection with string of pipe bombs is named: Cesar Sayoc Jr, 56, of Aventura, Florida, previously from New York. That’s his van, covered with right-wing propaganda and Trump presidential seal, being towed by authorities. (Source: @MSNBC)

NEW: Chinese and Russian Spies Are Listening in on Calls by President Trump…because he refuses to give up his iPhones, which are not secure. 🤦‍♀️ nytimes.com/2018/10/24/us/…

Soon we’ll hear “Lock Her Up” chants at Trump rally b/c he demonized Hillary Clinton for an unsecured email server. Meanwhile Russia & China spy on POTUS Trump b/c he wants to keep contacts on his personal unsecured iPhone. What can I say. He’s a moron. nytimes.com/2018/10/24/us/…

😱This is supposed to make us feel better about Trump’s unsecured cell phone?? “White House officials say they can only hope he refrains from discussing classified information when he is on them.”

This insanity and the danger won’t end until Republicans are out of power. VOTE!🗳

What a coward. Trump made Melanie come out and condemn the rash of deadly mail bombs directed to his critics. He’s going to read something stiffly from the TelePrompTer. And it will sadly be forced and not authentic. But know this: Republicans can no longer excuse his “jokes”

Trump on mail bombs (reading): We have to unify…to come together. We have to send 1 clear message that threats of political violence have no place in America. This egregious conduct is abhorrent (Applause)

HELLO: TRUMP IS CHIEF AGITATOR OF VILE DIVISIVE DEMONIZING BS PROPAGANDA

“CNN Sucks” chant at Trump’s Houston rally on Monday was as loud as he’s ever heard it, said @jeffzeleny. Trump’s doing another rally tonight in WI. Will he tone down after mail bombs? Doubtful. He’s a 1-trick pony. He doesn’t know how to campaign w/o lies, smears, propaganda.

First a bomb at Soros home. Now Explosive Devices sent to Hillary Clinton’s home in New York and Barack Obama’s home in Washington, Secret Service says.

What do we expect when Trump runs around the country 24/7 demonizing Democrats at mob rallies? washingtonpost.com/nation/2018/10…

“Excuse me, that sounds like a fire alarm”—@jimsciutto says while reporting on suspected mail bombs sent to Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, Soros. Moments later @CNN had to evacuate Time Warner bldg in NYC. Devices made w/ pipe & wire, per NYPD. #Terrorism

Entire Time Warner Center w/dozens of businesses besides @CNN has been evacuated, reports @AthenaCNN. Important to note this terrorist act was at CNN’s NY offices during its morning broadcast from NYC. #CNN has offices elsewhere. Seems bomber wanted the drama of on-air discovery.

Trump says he’s proud to call himself a “Nationalist”—“a word that hasn’t been used in a long time.” Yesterday in Texas he said it was an “old-fashioned word”😱If you’d like to keep Nazism, white supremacy and Hitler-like demagoguery old-fashioned, get out and vote for Democrats.

Pence just now: “Honduras pres told me leftist groups organized and VENEZUELA paid migrant caravan to challenge our sovereignty.”
Trump: “ICE intercepted ISIS and people from Middle East…Happens all the time.”
When challenged for proof, Trump: “There’s no proof of anything”😒

Trump calls Khashoggi murder a “bad deal” and says “the coverup was the worst coverup in the history of coverups.”

Seems more upset at the Saudi coverup than their barbaric murder of an innocent journalist. (Also, Trump looks like he’s thinking his coverups are so much better)