The problem is that he doesn’t have the authority to do this via executive order. So if he does create this illegal order, it will almost surely be struck down by the courts, just like the previous one was.
But in doing so, he can claim credit for trying, despite never doing anything.
It’s easy to assume that Witkoff is, to quote the article, “a bumbling fucking idiot,” but it’s not outside of the realms of possibility that this is a deliberate act of a Russian asset.
If you assume that Witkoff is a Russian asset, then he’d want fewer intelligent Americans in the room when he speaks with Russians. It would be silly to think that he’d be getting orders or giving a report in a meeting with Putin, as there would be other less high profile opportunities, but assuming he’s heavily compromised, there’s a good chance he’d give something away to his American team. Fewer people means a smaller chance of being exposed.
I’m not saying that it’s off the table that he’s “a bumbling fucking idiot.” Just pointing out that there are other possibilities. Witkoff is described as a real estate tycoon and a cryptocurrency trader, so there would have been plenty of chances for him to be targeted by Russia in the past, similar to how they targeted Trump long ago.
Bad headline, WaPo. “Judges say” is pointless. There’s simply no other explanation. Somebody is saying, “I know where you live.”
In the last election, the LDP lost 68 seats for a total of 191 seats where 233 seats are needed for a majority, meaning it at least needs to make a coalition.
The CDP, which is described as center-left gained 52 seats for a total of 148 seats, and is the second largest party.
I think the two things that negatively surprised me the most about Japan when I moved there and started talking to people:
First are that the press has less freedom than you’d expect for a democracy. I learned this after becoming friends with a local member of the Communist party.
Second, that although the police on the street are incredibly kind and helpful, often going out of their way for people, if you do get arrested, the treatment of prisoners is pretty bad. They are very good at getting confessions, even out of innocent people.
If all of these Republicans, including members of congress like Rand Paul, are complaining, where are their actual teeth?
If they have even the tiniest bit of integrity left, they should be saying, “If he accepts this plane, which would be a huge crime, I will personally do everything in my power to ensure that he is impeached and removed from office.”