Fascism Watch, December 12

“What is it about the state of our democracy that the leaks, which were about not very interesting information, ended up being an obsession, and the fact that the Russians were doing this was not an obsession?” — Obama on The Daily Show just now

Trump

China flies nuclear bomber over South China Sea to ‘send message’ to Donald Trump

Trump at odds with the intelligence community.

Mr. Trump, who has taken intelligence briefings only sporadically, is questioning not only analytic conclusions, but also their underlying facts.

Kellyanne Conway says Trump is “going to put his own people” in the intelligence community.

Intelligence figures fear Trump reprisals over assessment of Russia election role.

“There is not just smoke here. There is a blazing 10-alarm fire, the sirens are wailing, the Russians provided the lighter fluid, and Trump is standing half-burnt and holding a match,” said Glenn Carle, a retired CIA officer and interrogator.

McConnell doesn’t think we need a special Senate committee for investigating the Russian hacks. The intelligence committee on which he sits will do fine.

Trump consulting lawyers on adding Ivanka, Jared Kushner to administration.

Trump manipulating stock prices via tweet again.

This time:
Lockheed Martin #LMT pic.twitter.com/JsdSzK3mW6

— Leah McElrath (@leahmcelrath) December 12, 2016

On Wall Street, “everyone now has to keep their Twitter feed right next to their Bloomberg terminal.” Traders are trying to figure out how to cash in on Trump’s tweets.

Vox attempts to catalogue all of Trump’s conflicts of interest. I don’t think they’re all accurately characterized, though. For example, with the Celebrity Apprentice thing, I don’t care that he’ll continue to receive payment while in office. I care that a) it extends his relationship with NBC executives who are also in charge of the news programming, and b) he retains control of B-roll footage from previous seasons that other producers might have chosen to release.

NBC has so many conflicts of interest with Trump that its own reporters can’t cover him.

“White House press secretary Josh Earnest said there’s no denying Trump benefited from Russian hacking of political organizations during the campaign season.” Hackers launched additional phishing schemes days before the election.

Trump scheduled press conference (first since July!) to discuss conflicts of interest… then postponed to January, after electors meet.

Transition Team & Cabinet Appointees

OMFG:
Matthews: "What makes Rex Tillerson a good Secretary of State?"
Trump: "He does massive deals in Russia" https://t.co/TQ6YRIlmP2

— The Daily Edge (@TheDailyEdge) December 10, 2016

Trump has selected Tillerson as Secretary of State “dismissing bipartisan concerns that the globe-trotting leader of the energy giant had forged a too-cozy relationship with Vladimir V. Putin.”

Trump has reportedly chosen Rick Perry to lead the Department of Energy. Perry famously couldn’t remember why he wanted to eliminate the DoE during one of his primary debates: “Oops.” (As a Texan, my personal response to this is OH MY FUCKING GOD NO.)