Maturity is when you have the power to destroy someone who did you wrong, but you just breathe, walk away, and let life take care of them. –Unknown

Welcome to Monday – and to the first column of June!

Today’s independent commentary deals with these people/issues:

• Stapleton vs Bullock II
• U.S.S. John S. McCain
• Meghan Markle

Stapleton vs Bullock II:

Part II of the dispute between Secretary of State Cory Stapleton and Montana Governor Steve Bullock has gone to Bullock.

On Friday I wrote about a “pissing match” between Secretary of State and candidate for Governor Cory Stapleton (R) and Governor and Presidential Candidate Steve Bullock (D) over whether a bill was correctly vetoed by the Governor.

Later Friday the Associated Press reported that State District Judge James Reynolds issued a temporary restraining order blocking Secretary of State Corey Stapleton from enrolling into state law a bison bill that Gov. Steve Bullock vetoed in April.

The judge was not very kind to Stapleton.

I also said in my Friday column that I did a review of the issue, and I think Stapleton will lose. I used common sense as a guide in making my ruling, which is something that is lacking in Helena. It seems to me to be a waste of time and money, but after looking at Stapleton’s record it appears wasting time and money is the norm.

So far it looks as though I am correct!

U.S.S. John S. McCain:

Fox News is reporting (yes, Fox News) that the Navy on Saturday confirmed that a request was made to “minimize the visibility” of the U.S.S. John McCain during President Trump’s recent visit to Japan — but that it remained in a “normal configuration” during the visit.

It was also reported by The Hill that the Pentagon has reportedly communicated to the White House that it will not allow the U.S. military to be politicized, a move that comes amid a controversy involving a directive to keep the USS John S. McCain out of President Trump’s sight during his visit to Japan.

Good for the Pentagon.

Fox News also reported that Trump told reporters Thursday that while he was not “a big fan” of McCain, “I would never do a thing like that.”
“Now, somebody did it because they thought I didn’t like him, OK? And they were well-meaning, I will say,” he said.

I think the person who made the request should be fired.

Trump will never be a patriot like John McCain.

Meghan Markle:

In case the name is not familiar, Meghan Markle is the Duchess of Sussex and she is a member of the British royal family and former actress. She married Prince Harry in 2018.

Several sources, including Yahoo News, reported that President Donald Trump, ahead of his state visit to the United Kingdom, denied calling Meghan Markle “nasty,” despite being recorded doing so on tape.

According to an interview Trump did with The Sun:

“I never called Meghan Markle ‘nasty,’” Trump tweeted Sunday, and claimed the instance was “made up by the Fake News Media.”

However, the president was recorded calling the former actress and now a member of the British royal family “nasty” when asked in an interview Saturday about her criticism of him before he was elected in 2016.

“She said she’d move to Canada if you got elected,” said the Sun’s Tom Newton Dunn, who spoke to Trump in the Oval Office. “It turned out she moved to Britain.”

“A lot of people moving here, so what can I say? No, I didn’t know that she was nasty,” Trump said.

Trump also used the word “nasty” to describe Hillary Clinton.

Once again our President is caught lying. Some will say all politicians lie to cover for Trump, but the fact is that Trump cannot be trusted. We also know if he is caught telling a lie, he is not man enough to admit it and apologize.

 

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