Interesting development.

It appears the Cruz Campaign is planning to slow walk the information on the 2011/2012 campaign loans:

(Yahoo News) Ted Cruz has rebuffed a request by the Federal Election Commission to disclose more information about some $1 million in loans he received from two major Wall Street banks during his 2012 Senate campaign.

In a letter to the FEC this week, the treasurer of Cruz’s 2012 campaign turned down a request by agency auditors to reveal in writing “the complete terms” of two personal loans Cruz received from Goldman Sachs and Citibank — the proceeds of which, he has since acknowledged, he used to finance his upstart race for the Senate. (more)

In essence the Ted Cruz campaign is saying they’ll go through the enforcement mechanism of the FEC instead of the compliance division.  By going through the “enforcement division” (takes over a year) they can delay any damaging information from discovery until after the 2016 Presidential Election. (more…)

Day #1 – National Enquirer publishes a story claiming: “Five Romps That Could Destroy Ted Cruz”. Three “mistresses” identified BACKSTORY HERE

Day #2 – (Morning) Senator Cruz mostly denies accusations Blames Donald Trump Compares Donald Trump to a “Rat”. BACKSTORY HERE

Day #2 – (Afternoon) The Daily Beast reveals source of story was Marco Rubio campaign operatives. Multiple reports confirm video exists of encounters. BACKSTORY HERE

Day #3: One thing is certain, if there’s any validity to this story it’s almost a guarantee the professional political apparatus of both parties – and the party opposition researchers, both sides – are fully aware of it. (more…)

BRUSSELS — Belgian authorities announced Saturday that they had charged a man in connection with this week’s suicide bombings, saying they believe he participated in the attacks. Two others were also charged with terrorism-related offenses.

The man, identified by a European official as Fayçal Cheffou, appeared before a judge after he was detained Thursday night while sitting in a car in front of the Belgian prosecutor’s office.

Belgian security officials have been seeking a man captured in an airport surveillance video Tuesday, minutes before dual suicide blasts hit. The images show three men walking together, but only two are believed to have died in the blasts. The third has been believed to be at-large after depositing an explosives-laden suitcase in the departures terminal.

(more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “2016 Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the Presidential Race and/or any of the candidates therein.

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

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 †

This might not make sense unless you’ve read: 1) Original FULL Outline of Cruz Affair Story Here, and 2) Cruz obtuse Denial and deflective Accusation Here.

Now, the entire saga takes a somewhat conformational twist.

Yesterday, as the entire Cuban Mistress Crisis was simmering to a boil, it was discovered that weeks ago a large number of Marco Rubio operatives and supporters were trying to bring the sex scandal story to the MSM attention.

Under the open guise of #TheThing they were communicating via various twitter feeds and following along to see if the story had been picked up.  Most of the activity was centered around March 10th – March 15th.

Yesterday the hashtag CruzSexScandal went viral.  Today, many of those DC operatives, participants, supporters, consultants, Super-PAC’s and campaign advisors have spent a great deal of time deleting their (The Thing) participation.  The peak of their scrubbing coincided with Senator Ted Cruz accusing Donald Trump of planting the story.

Obviously, the Rubio Clan didn’t want to see themselves outed as the originating entities.

(more…)

From cartoonist A.F. Branco at ComicallyIncorrect.com.

In the current campaign war between the Ted Cruz and Donald Trump camps there have been multiple accusations of targeting spouses.  However, a video from early March clearly shows the Ted Cruz campaign origination to target Donald Trump’s wife Melania.

On Tuesday March 8th, Ted Cruz operative Andrea McWilliams, a Texas-based lobbyist, told Fox anchor Neil Cavuto that in light of former first lady Nancy Reagan’s death this week, “we should be looking at the first lady candidates, instead of just talking about the men.” (Watch Video @3:58)

(more…)

NOTE: Headline earlier changed because it was pointed out correctly, Senator Ted Cruz does not actually/technically deny the allegations. Instead Cruz is attacking the story of them: “the attacks are garbage”, “the smears are false”, etc.  In essence, professional lawyer speak.

Yesterday the National Enquirer published an article claiming Senator Ted Cruz had multiple extramarital affairs. – Full Back Story Here – The leading hashtag on Twitter today is #CruzSexScandal.  Apparently the story was also briefly discussed on CNN.

Today Senator Ted Cruz obfuscated the scurrilous claims and strangely blamed Donald Trump for the story. Senator Cruz took to Facebook with a post about the National Enquirer story:

Cruz also discussed the controversy in a press conference: (more…)

Today we observe Good Friday, the day of the death of Jesus. Many Christian Churches have different ways of observation, to prepare us for the coming resurrection of the Lord on Easter Sunday. Today, the sacrifices we have made during Lent culminate in our internalization of the great offering of Christ’s life. If we have been diligent in our Lenten preparations, Good Friday hits us with a power and force that brings us, literally and figuratively, to our knees with the grasp of what Jesus poured out for us. It becomes personal, a tiny sliver of the cross is buried in our heart. And so each year, we find that we give ourselves over to Christ just a little more through this time of penance and reflection. 

It is our wish here in the Tree that you all, so dear to us, and to each other, have a blessed and holy weekend, this most holy time of the year. May the lamb’s Good Friday sacrifice lead you to the joy we rightfully claim on Easter Sunday. This post mentions some things from my Catholic “language” or viewpoint, if you will.  I would love to have you share some of the traditions and customs from your church or family with us. Are there special observations and services at your church this weekend?

The Easter Triduum, the marking of the days of Jesus’ passion and resurrection, the  most important time of the church year, begins with the evening Mass of Holy Thursday, reaches its high point in the Easter Vigil, and closes on Easter Sunday evening. After preparing during the days of Lent, we celebrate these holiest of days in the Church year. (more…)