Legalectric

In Variety:

White House’s New Press Conference Rules Pose New Problems

It’s appropriate that this be in Variety, as this is an un-reality White House show.

And the rules?

Please be advised of the following rules governing future press conferences:

(1) A journalist called upon to ask a question will ask a single question and then will yield the floor to other journalists;

(2) At the discretion of the President or other White House official taking questions, a follow-up question or questions may be permitted; and where a follow up has been allowed and asked, the questioner will then yield the floor;

(3) “Yielding the floor” includes, when applicable, surrendering the microphone to White House staff for use by the next questioner;

(4) Failure to abide by any of rules (1)-(3) may result in suspension or revocation of the journalist’s hard pass.

On a side note, take a look at the White House site. It used to have clear pages across the top for Press Releases, live broadcasts, and a listing of Executive Orders and Proclamations.  Now?  It’s gone.  It’s available in the upper lefthand corner, the lines which will give you a menu.

Attorney General Jeff Sessions resigns.  YES!!!  But that opens the door for misbehavior of tRump and interference/obstruction of the ongoing investigations.  He was boasting today in that beyond bizarre press conference that “I could fire them all” and “I could stop the investigations” “BUT I DIDN’T” so now, what will happen?  $50 he starts firing a few more folks because “I could stop the investigations.”  Hope he does, because that sounds like obstruction to me!

What a wild ride this is…

Here’s the RICO Complaint filed in federal court, the Southern District of New York.

COMPLAINT_gov.uscourts.nysd.503637.1.0

They’re trying to hold our Grifter-in-Chief accountable.  Read the details — 160 pages of details.

It’s that time of year again, and for a change, no reminder necessary, AND it’s in 2018, not crammed in at the very end of year or beginning of next!

It’s the POWER PLANT SITING ACT ANNUAL HEARING!

This is our opportunity, as those wrestling with the state’s siting laws and rules, and absence thereof, to tell them what does and doesn’t work.  Then the Administrative Law Judge files the report and it’s ignored for another year.

Frustration with lack of response was what triggered the multiple rulemaking petitions I’ve filed, on my own as individual, and representing Goodhue Wind Truth, most recently:

Wind Rulemaking — Petition for Reconsideration

We used to have a pot-luck for the PPSA Annual Hearing, until the PUC put the kibosh on that.  GRRRRRR!  Treats is the best way to get people to show up.

Now’s the time, show up, spout off, and tell them what works and what does not.  And note that aspects of the Power Plant Siting Act DO apply to wind:

216F.02 EXEMPTIONS.

(a) The requirements of chapter 216E do not apply to the siting of LWECS, except for sections 216E.01; 216E.03, subdivision 7; 216E.08; 216E.11; 216E.12; 216E.14; 216E.15; 216E.17; and 216E.18, subdivision 3, which do apply.

“Presidential Alert” is a type of “alert.”  What?  Weather alert? No… Disaster alert – that’s a likely Presidential thing.  But really, what is the point of this?

I got three.  Each wants me to say, “OK.”  Ummmmmmm, no.  And screen won’t go away, apparently unless I hit “OK.”  So taking battery out.

And btw, I had my phone set on vibrate and it still shrilly beeped.  So it overrides the “vibrate” setting.

FEMA has a page on this:

The IPAWS National Test

And an email for comments:

FEMA-National-Test@fema.dhs.gov

Three issues for me:

1) Supposed to be a FEMA alert, but it says “Presidential Alert.”  WHAT?  WHY?

2) It overrode my vibrate setting and screeched. WHAT? HOW? WHY?

3) It said “OK.”  No, not OK. NO option to say “Not OK.”