Ivanka Trump said she "vehemently" opposed Donald Trump's family separation policy but added that her own mother "came here legally." But what if that isn't totally true? Lawrence explains the questions raised over Ivanka Trump's mother's immigration history.

Seth takes a closer look at Trump getting more desperate for the adoration of his crowds as the trial of his ex-campaign chairman gets under way and his former lawyer turns on him.

The Tiny Voice in the Back of Donald Trump's Head: Who's That Hot Lady?



Seth shows off some new technology that can hear the tiny voice in the back of Donald Trump's head.

Mueller closes in on Manafort for suspicious spending and Trump takes to Twitter to fight obstruction.




Manafort’s Million Dollar Flower Bed - Between the Scenes



Paul Manafort accidentally lands himself in a shittier jail.

MSNBC anchor and NBC News correspondent Andrea Mitchell reflects on her decades-long career in journalism and reacts to Donald Trump’s efforts to demonize the press.




The Silver Lining in 3D-Printed Guns - Between the Scenes



Trevor tries to imagine a way in which 3D-printed guns aren’t as much of a horror as they seem.

As Russia aims to tighten its grip over European energy supply, especially in natural gas with the controversial Nord Stream 2 pipeline project, Europe’s energy dependence on Moscow is a concern for U.S. lawmakers who worry that American military bases in Europe also depend on energy from Russia.

U.S. lawmakers are calling upon the Department of Defense to cut reliance on Russian energy at military bases in Europe, and to introduce sanctions against the Nord Stream 2 project.

Defense Logistics Agency data show that close to 40 percent of oil used at military sites in Germany comes from Russia. In southwestern Germany, for example, the Ramstein Air Base serves as the headquarters for U.S. Air Forces in Europe and is also a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) installation.

U.S. bases need backup power supply to ensure reliable electricity and other energy supplies should a power outage occur, or should the energy supply be compromised, Constance Douris, Vice President of the Lexington Institute, writes.

The backup supply could come from microgrids capable of operating off the main grid, bulk energy storage, and even electric vehicles (EVs) whose batteries can be used to power homes, Douris argues.

Backup solutions for U.S. military bases are imperative in the face of the constantly growing Russian energy supply to Europe, she says.


More: https://oilprice.com/Energy/Energy-General/US-Military-Bases-In-Europe-Depend-On-Russian-Energy.html

WASHINGTON — The mandate given to Robert S. Mueller III and his team was broad: to investigate not just Russian election interference but also any related crimes they might unearth. So when this group of seasoned prosecutors began rooting around Washington, they pounced on a ripe target — lobbyists taking millions of dollars from foreign governments.

At the trial of Paul Manafort, an unflattering picture has emerged of lawyers, lobbyists and consultants from both political parties winning big paydays for work on behalf of a Kremlin-aligned former Ukrainian strongman. Some spent the money on cars and homes, prosecutors said, and a jacket made of ostrich for Mr. Manafort.

The vigor with which Mr. Mueller has investigated the flows of foreign money from Ukraine, Turkey and other countries into Washington could be as much a part of his legacy as special counsel as whatever he discovers about possible collusion between Russia and the Trump campaign or presidential obstruction of justice.

The Manafort case is part of a broader inquiry into the lucrative work done on behalf of the former president of Ukraine, Viktor F. Yanukovych, and Mr. Mueller has handed some elements of the investigation to prosecutors in Manhattan. Beyond the special counsel’s office, the Justice Department has also recently been pursuing foreign influence cases with greater urgency.


Read more: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/01/us/politics/fara-foreign-agents-mueller.html?action=click&module=Ribbon&pgtype=Article



Over the past year, Robert S. Mueller III and the Justice Department have pursued cases both under the Foreign Agents Registration Act and related to foreign influence operations more broadly. Credit: J. Scott Applewhite/Associated Press

A 'Smocking Gun,' Al Capone, And Obstruction Of Justice



Wednesday brought a trifecta of Twitter nonsense from the President, with tweets about Al Capone, a 'smocking gun,' and basically obstruction of justice in plain sight.




Jim Acosta Walks Into The Lyin' Den



The mob at Trump's Tampa Bay rally welcomed him with open arms. And, attached to those open arms, were hands showing middle fingers.




Stephen's Offer For The Newly Jewish Paul Ryan



Stephen extends a generous offer to Paul Ryan in order to ease the Speaker of the House's transition to Judaism.




Stephen Learns Macroeconomics On A Roller Coaster



The only way Stephen could stay awake for a lesson on macroeconomics is on a roller coaster next to Nobel Prize-winning economist Paul Krugman.




Manafort's Ostrich Jacket Comes Back To Bite Him



Paul Manafort once bought a $15,000 ostrich jacket. Now it's coming back to bite him.

Followers of the conspiracy theory movement flashed signs in the crowd at Donald Trump's rally Tuesday night.

Seth takes a closer look at the Trump administration getting ready to ram through another massive tax cut for the wealthy while Republicans ignore the president's calls to shut down the Russia investigation.