Here are the topics for today’s common sense commentary: 

• Knudsen vs Cromwell Update
• Marco Rubio
• Trump’s Ballroom Project
• One More Thing

KNUDSEN VS CROMWELL UPDATE: 

For background, the Helena Independent Record (IR) is reporting that Gallatin County Attorney Audrey Cromwell has been sparring with Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen for a month over his direction that she share confidential criminal justice information with federal immigration authorities. Cromwell is a Democrat, and Knudsen is a Republican.

Now the big boys and girls are stepping in. 

The IR is reporting that the Montana Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to hear a county attorney’s legal challenge to the state attorney general imposing supervisory control of the local office. The decision, signed by Justice Jeremiah Shea, foiled an attempt Monday by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen to dismiss the case.

So it appears that Knudsen lost that little battle. I have watched the work of many Montana Attorney Generals over the years, and I don’t think anyone has wasted more time and taxpayer money than Knudsen.

MARCO RUBIO:

It was must-see television on Tuesday when Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted the White House press briefing. The current Press Secretary, Karoline Leavitt, is on maternity leave. The White House plans to use a rotation of different administration officials to handle briefings while Leavitt is away. 

It was nice to see someone with an IQ over 80.  

Watching the briefing today, I couldn’t help but think how much I’d like to see Marco Rubio in the presidency instead of Trump. He is probably the only one in the Trump Administration that I would want to see as President. The sad thing is Rubio sold his soul to the MAGAs, and he may never be able to overcome that dumb move. There are several Democrats that I could vote for, too, so don’t send me hate mail. 

Trump may get jealous.

Rubio did announce that Operation Epic Fury is over and that the US focus was on Project Freedom. Later in the day, Trump announced he was pausing Project Freedom. (Source)

TRUMP’S BALLROOM PROJECT:

President Donald Trump was lying.

There are several reports that U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, has released a long-term immigration and border patrol funding bill that includes $1 billion earmarked for security improvements accompanying the overall ballroom project. 

Trump has said over and over that no taxpayer funds would be used to build the ballroom.  NBC News reports:

For months, President Donald Trump portrayed the big new ballroom that he’s building on White House grounds as a gift to the nation, courtesy of patriotic private donors. 

“And by the way, no government funds,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office last November.

“These are all private individuals that put up a lot of money to build the ballroom,” he added. “Not one penny is being used from the federal government.”

But the gleaming 90,000-square-foot space that he repeatedly said would cost the public nothing may ultimately leave taxpayers on the hook for $1 billion, due to new security enhancements that are tied to the project.

Our national debt is $39 trillion.

That’s $39,000,000,000,000.

The national debt is the total amount of money that a federal government has borrowed to cover its outstanding expenses accumulated over time. 

ONE MORE THING:

When someone doesn’t like me, I check my bank account to see if it made any difference. 

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