House minority Leader Kevin McCarthy appears for an interview with Lou Dobbs to discuss the recent revelations around the exculpatory Papadopoulos transcript and the inference from AG Bill Barr that no legal consequences are likely for the coup attempt.

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It has been so long since the original 2018 congressional request that many people have forgotten what was included in the “Bucket Five” declassification request.

Bucket Five – Intelligence documents that were presented to the Gang of Eight in 2016 that pertain to the FISA application used against U.S. person Carter Page; including all exculpatory intelligence documents that may not have been presented to the FISA Court.

Bucket Five includes transcripts of the FBI wiretap operations using confidential human sources that were run against members of the Trump campaign; including George Papadopoulos and Carter Page.

One of those transcripts, from the operation against Papadopoulos was declassified on April 1st, and released last night and today.

Before getting into the transcript, it is also important to see the bigger context and the bigger landscape as it is visible.  Recent moves by the Trump administration highlight much more context and color… some may be interpreted as positive signs, and some are worth a note of caution.

Richard “Ric” Grenell was moved into the position as Acting Director of National Intelligence.  Together with a new staff within the ODNI Grenell is now in position to assist in any declassification effort.  Thus we also see the apoplexy by HPSCI Chairman Adam Schiff, as Grenell is positioned to bring a lot of sunlight on the overall FISA-gate and Spygate operations.   The corrupt intelligence community operators are not happy with Grenell holding such power.  Keep this in mind.

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Unfortunately, with President Trump effectively communicating the latest information on the federal efforts to mitigate COVID-19, more corporate U.S. resistance media have decided not to carry the live broadcasts from the White House task force briefings.

Today at 5:00pm ET the White House will hold a briefing for the public and media on the latest mitigation efforts against the coronavirus. [Livestream Links Below]

White House Livestream Link – Fox News Livestream Link – RSBN Livestream

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The initial coronavirus relief funding package (CARES Act) included $380 billion targeted to small businesses as part of the larger congressional relief package.  Within the SBA section small and medium businesses can apply for loans to cover payroll (75%), called payroll protection plan (ppp); and expenses (25%).  If the PPP funding is used to keep employees on payroll the loan is forgiven.   Thousands of businesses have applied.

Due to the success of the SBA targeted funding, the $380 billion may run out before all of the applications are covered.  Treasury Secretary Mnuchin asked Speaker Pelosi and Senate Leader McConnell for an additional $250 billion infusion into the program.

Senator McConnell framed a bill to provide the additional funds and asked for unanimous consent to advance the legislation.  However, speaker Pelosi doesn’t want to miss an opportunity to add pet project (constituent funding) to the bill.  Speaker Pelosi instructed Senator Ben Cardin to object to the unanimous consent request and block the funds.

WASHINGTON – Senate Democrats on Thursday blocked a Republican push to unanimously pass a bill to put $250 billion more into a loan program for small businesses devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

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The news is horrific.  The Dept. of Labor release today shows another whopping 6.6 million people filed for unemployment compensation last week.  That brings the total over the past three weeks to over sixteen million.

With 16 million people filing unemployment claims, the actual rate of unemployment is likely well into double digits [13% to 16%, possibly higher].  The COVID-19 shut down has completely collapsed major segments of the U.S. economy.

WASHINGTON – […] For the week ending March 21, 3.3 million people filed new unemployment claims, easily shattering the previous record set in 1982 of 695,000. Last week, that astounding figure doubled, as 6.6 million people filed claims for the week ending March 28 — a figure that was revised upward to 6.9 million in the new release.

Thursday’s figure was at the high end of analyst estimates, which ranged from 4.5 million to 7 million. (more)

U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr appears for an interview by Laura Ingraham about COVID-19, and what the Justice Department is doing. The second part of this interview will be broadcast tonight.

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At the end of the liturgy on Holy Thursday evening, in every Catholic Church around the world, the Blessed Sacrament is removed to the altar of repose, the altar is stripped, the church is bare, empty. Tomb-like. It is a striking and heartbreaking tradition, and I make sure to attend each year, to allow my heart to break, my tears to fall, my spirit to be clouded in gloom and dread, preparing for Good Friday, and Christ’s passion.

This year the priests will celebrate this Mass as they have most of the Masses throughout Lent, alone, without the faithful able to attend due to the Corona virus. Most churches are now closed to the faithful, although many congregations are able to worship online, have virtual Bible classes, and many other activities.

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In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Donald Trump Administration and Presidency.

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

President Trump Twitter @POTUS / Vice President Pence Twitter @VP

Stephanie Grisham Twitter @StephGrisham45

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

Dr. Anthony Fauci did it again.  The first time Fauci was noted signaling to his allies in media was when he signaled to ABC’s Jonathan Karl after an antagonistic exchange with President Trump at a task force briefing [SEE HERE].

Today, another briefing, and CNN’s Jim Acosta had a similar antagonistic exchange with President Trump. Once again Dr. Fauci hangs back to give Acosta a similar signal.  Subtle like a brick through a window.  WATCH:

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It’s weird. Dr. Fauci doesn’t make his little signals to any other media in the briefings other than those who seem to be purposefully antagonistic to the efforts of the administration?

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