Friday News Dump: Marsha, Marsha, Marsha! And Other News

By Susie Madrak — January 24, 2020

I have never so fervently thanked God it was Friday! What a week!

And then there was Marsha Blackburn, whose preparation for political life included her work as a publicist for a local mall:

But honestly, how could Col. Vindman’s history of selfless service and sacrifice ever compare to this? #MarshaBlackburnIsATraitor #MarshaBlackburnIsTrash pic.twitter.com/EVA7ZwVCKt

— Cliff Schecter (@cliffschecter) January 24, 2020

Democratic @SenBlumenthal says GOP Sen. Marsha Blackburn’s Twitter attack on Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman “seems pretty striking and repugnant.”

“…We should never confuse patriotism with the ability to criticize one person in the government.” https://t.co/18oSn0zs9O pic.twitter.com/bdONaABIpQ

— New Day (@NewDay) January 24, 2020

Marsha Blackburn doubles down on attacking Lt. Col. Vindman pic.twitter.com/GmwkFgTci9

— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) January 24, 2020

Sen. Tammy Duckworth says she was appalled by Sen. Marsha Blackburn's attacks on Lt. Col. Alexander Vindman, a key National Security Council aide who testified before Congress on the Ukraine scandal.

"For her to attack him is really quite shameful," says Duckworth. pic.twitter.com/QgSc7jSfqL

— CNN (@CNN) January 24, 2020

Marsha Blackburn is a United States Senator who has spent most of the afternoon in the middle of the third presidential trial in history mean-girling at a war hero on Twitter.

— Charles P. Pierce (@CharlesPPierce) January 24, 2020

Senator @MarshaBlackburn, I served with Lt. Col. Vindman in Russia, where he served with honor and great distinction. His commanding officer completely agrees with me. Please provide evidence to back up your claim. Otherwise, stop slandering a US soldier serving our great nation. https://t.co/Mqibbxi8Pu

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) January 24, 2020

“Get rid of her!" is what the voice that appears to be President Trump’s is heard saying. "Get her out tomorrow. I don't care. Get her out tomorrow. Take her out. Okay? Do it."

https://t.co/6ndVioEplV

— Barbara Malmet (@B52Malmet) January 24, 2020

Houston keeps exploding.

It's almost as if relentless economic growth powered by an under-regulated chemical manufacturing industry with toxic repositories hidden near residential communities could have devastating externalities!

The Chron in 2016: https://t.co/sbT5try4F2 https://t.co/NyGvX5XVXi

— Lydia DePillis (@lydiadepillis) January 24, 2020

Experience: I design my own prosthetic limbs https://t.co/7h2aErMTXd

— The Guardian (@guardian) January 24, 2020

This is not fucking true - it’s either made up or from sources who only wish it would happen. https://t.co/AgiGS8V4LC

— Jon Favreau (@jonfavs) January 23, 2020

This argument from GOP Senators is entirely baseless. I talked to legal experts and looked at a relevant CRS report. It's nonsense, and everyone should say so. Here are the facts: https://t.co/yEfEc3NW5N https://t.co/sfxyyBxoTy

— Greg Sargent (@ThePlumLineGS) January 24, 2020

THE PRESIDENT CONFESSED TO THE CRIME IN SEPTEMBER AND CONFESSED TO THE COVER UP EARLIER THIS WEEK

"But honestly, we have all the material. They don't have the material." https://t.co/4qgThkAPaN

— Matt Rogers 🎙 (@Politidope) January 24, 2020

In 2018, Johnson County, KS’s commissioner told me about a dangerous feature in the county’s new ES&S voting machines. I reported on it (below), & experts now call it “Permission to Cheat.”

Why did ES&S just testify that none of its customers use it?! 1/
https://t.co/V3xTpWwrrk

— Jennifer Cohn (@jennycohn1) January 23, 2020

Sen. Schumer: “It may have been the first time that many of my Republican colleagues heard the full story… not filtered through the kaleidoscope lens of Fox News, where at best things are left out, and at worst things are terribly distorted.” https://t.co/iQ2H4mFcVF

— Resistbot (@resistbot) January 24, 2020

Wearing a face mask does help if you do it properly.

Seto Wing Hong of Hong Kong University demonstrates the correct way to wear a face mask #coronavirus pic.twitter.com/dDZSBgAr1n

— QuickTake by Bloomberg (@QuickTake) January 24, 2020

On this day in 2004, Mars rover Opportunity landed on the Red Planet at Meridiani Planum. Opportunity far exceeded its 90 day mission, working on Mars for nearly 15 years: https://t.co/MZHy7BdHS5 pic.twitter.com/KG3EzheUQr

— National Air and Space Museum (@airandspace) January 24, 2020

34 US service members diagnosed with traumatic brain injuries after Iranian missile strikehttps://t.co/aCOWs1CcBw

— Josh Campbell (@joshscampbell) January 24, 2020

In California's presidential primary, confusion and conflict over 'independent' voters https://t.co/vEXVeWq7dY

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) January 24, 2020

How Many Other Grifters and Spies Have Incredibly Damning Records of Donald Trump?https://t.co/y6eAlU5Bbc

— emptywheel (@emptywheel) January 24, 2020

EXCLUSIVE: The New Orleans @Saints are going to court to keep secret hundreds of emails that allegedly show team executives doing public relations damage control for the area's Roman Catholic archdiocese amid its sexual abuse crisis. https://t.co/6i0DjcmYX4

— The Associated Press (@AP) January 24, 2020

pic.twitter.com/BoMbCkhsy3

— Risky Liberal (@RiskyLiberal) January 24, 2020

'This is Dunkirk. This is 9/11': Al Gore implores Davos to tackle climate crisis || Via: Guardian https://t.co/YDr6Toxpbe

— SafetyPin-Daily (@SafetyPinDaily) January 24, 2020

Soros gives $1bn to fund universities 'and stop drift towards authoritarianism' https://t.co/Bp2kAyVhO5

— Suburban Guerrilla Ω (@SusieMadrak) January 24, 2020

DEPARTMENT OF OH GOD WE NEED SOMETHING TO MAKE US SMILE

And a moose!

Moose tracks: Officials say a moose that was stuck on an active railroad bridge in Vermont was removed and relocated with minimal injuries. https://t.co/15K03v8Sym #odd

— AP Oddities (@AP_Oddities) January 24, 2020

Twins blowing kisses💚💚

Instagram: thejackson_twins pic.twitter.com/OONlnwF9Tb

— Cute Black Babies (@Lilblackbabies) January 23, 2020

36 years ago I met Terry Jones. I was meant to interview him. I asked for tea, so he opened a bottle of Chablis & got me drunk. He was funny, brilliant and honest. He was irrepressible and is seen here repressing the very young me. Rest in Peace, Terry. You were an inspiration. pic.twitter.com/fNBJZwOFcX

— Neil Gaiman (@neilhimself) January 22, 2020