News from the note…
A round up of the day’s news that might be of interest to you.
Consider this an OPEN THREAD, folks. Chat about any of the stories listed, share links to stories that caught your eye today, and generally have a good time discussing whatever you want.
The Hill — Appearing on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal recently pardoned conservative filmmaker Dinseh D’Souza told host Greta Brawner, that Rep Ron DeSantis (R-FL) revealed to him what was in his FBI file.
D’Souza explains it was the redacted version that had been obtained through a congressional inquiry, “Finally they gave the congressional committee the redacted file, and a congressman who saw that file called me,” he goes on to say that DeSantis said, “And he goes, ‘No. 1, your case is a $20,000 violation, but the FBI immediately assigned $100,000 to investigate your case.’ He said that’s extremely abnormal.”
Spokesperson Elizabeth Dillon wrote in an email to The Hill, “DeSantis had looked into D’Souza’s prosecution over concerns it was politically motivated, and that the lawmaker “believes the pardon of D’Souza was justified.”
As a reminder — In May of 2014 D’Souza plead guilty to the charge of making illegal campaign contribution to a U.S. Senate campaign in 2012.
CNN Money — 666 Fifth Avenue in Manhattan has finally been taken off the hands of the Kushner Companies. The property was purchased in 2007, a deal that was handled largely by Jared Kushner, President Trump’s son-in-law and aide, but struggled to be the crown jewel the Kushner’s had hoped for the building carries $1 billion in debt, most of which is do to be repaid in 2019, but Friday saw the announcement that Brookfield Properties has acquired 100 percent “leasehold interest in the building, a 1.5 million square foot of property, for 99 years through one of its funds.” The terms of the deal were not made public.
NBC News — Kristin Davis aka the “Manhattan Madam,” who claims she provided prostitutes to the elite of New York’s rich and famous, “including Governor Eliot Spitzer,” has met with a member of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s team, a source with direct knowledge tells NBC.
Davis told NBC news in July, that she’d been connected by Mueller’s office, for what she believes are “her ties to former Trump adviser Roger Stone.”
Mueller’s office declined to comment. Davis and her attorney could not be reached for a comment.
Roger Stone said in a statement that Davis “knows nothing about alleged Russian collusion, Wikileaks collaboration or any other impropriety related to the 2016 election which I thought was the subject of this probe.”
Stories Being Watched
FBI releases documents showing payments to Christopher Steele, the former British spy who authored a dossier alleging collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia. https://t.co/3jsT6qzqKA
— NBC News (@NBCNews) August 3, 2018
The Trump administration wants the ACLU to be responsible for tracking down more than 500 parents who were separated from their children and deported without them https://t.co/I02expz8wT pic.twitter.com/dT8aPq38Ta
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) August 3, 2018
JUST IN: Federal judge says Trump must fully restore DACA https://t.co/AL11CI5o3i pic.twitter.com/Etl29ATM5R
— The Hill (@thehill) August 3, 2018
In the Woo Hoo we made it to Friday bonus note
It’s #NationalWatermelonDay if your on twitter make sure you vote in Lenny Ghoul Polls, as seen on the morning open thread @ The News Blender
?Pick a strange watermelon food product and post something refreshing ?#NationalWatermelonDay #FridayFeeling #Fewds #LennyPolls @Oreo @KitKat_US @PopTartsUS @pepsi
— Lenny Ghoul Polls (@LennyPolls) August 3, 2018
"Can't trust a pig with watermelons, y'know."#NationalWatermelonDay pic.twitter.com/M0c0pR5NEV
— Homer Simpson (@Wisdom_Of_Homer) August 3, 2018
Can you open a bottle of wine with a shoe?
Yes, but it ain't pretty.https://t.co/nNp6rCMFJ2
— NPR (@NPR) August 3, 2018
This rare baby black rhino will melt your heart pic.twitter.com/MZAxXZgUiT
— New York Post (@nypost) August 3, 2018
