Didn't get off to a good start, but hoped against hope he might make it. But,he immediately dropped associations and buyer groups. We could go it on our own, he said.

  He was very rude to even our best customers, insulting them and hanging up on them in mid-sentence. Told our banks we may not pay them back.  Nasty to suppliers, telling them that if they did not get our orders delivered more quickly, he would send our own security officers to break into their warehouse and get the supplies ourselves.  

He insulted, at least, half of our customers, deriding the religions of some and showing partiality to the religions of others. Disdain was shown for all our non-white customers.

 He hired misfits and doofusses as assistants; and when questioned about anything, either he lied or got subordinates to do so for him.  And, he claimed he was a businessman, and we are a business, and should be run like a business.

Abrams was a Reagan era Department of State official who was apologist for Rios-Montt, who has been convicted of genocide.

Trump is picking people involved in the genocide in Guatemala.  I could smell it with Trump.  Now, proof.

Cuz here's the second thing I learned.

The main thing that Trump supporters are
excited about, now that he's president? is that finally, at LOOOOONG LAST all of the awful things they want to say, that used to lose them friends and jobs and marriages? They're EXCITED about potentially getting say with ZERO repercussions. Just like Trump did All the way into the Whitehouse. All the way into unlimited, forever power to spew any awful sh*t that comes into your head and no one dares correct you, rolls their eyes, or punches you in the nose..

But I'm afraid Peoria Realtor is going to be the first in a long line of Trumpers who will realize, on the other side of firings and divorces and black eyes, that Trump's Teflon Umbrella covers Trump and no one else.

His cabinet and staff are going to learn that as well.

In an interview with Fox News's Bill O'Reilly, which will air ahead of the Super Bowl on Sunday, Trump doubled down on his "respect" for Putin -- even in the face of accusations that Putin and his associates have murdered journalists and dissidents in Russia.

"I do respect him. Well, I respect a lot of people, but that doesn't mean I'll get along with them," Trump told O'Reilly.

O'Reilly pressed on, declaring to the president that "Putin is a killer."

Unfazed, Trump didn't back away, but rather compared Putin's reputation for extrajudicial killings with the United States'.

"There are a lot of killers. We have a lot of killers," Trump said. "Well, you think our country is so innocent?"

Trump added that he thinks the United States is "better" getting along with Russia than not.

Prior announcements and the State Department announcement that referenced the Jewish people were reviewed by Trump people.

The Holocaust was not about the Jews, is apparently the new policy of Trump.

Joining her in the GOP docket was 83-year-old GOP State Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R-Kailua), who is now being targeted herself with a motion for censure by the RNC for her own role in addressing the massive Women's March crowd from the podium and denouncing President* Trump's crude behavior toward women.

This past Wednesday, possibly in anticipation of today's action, Rep. Fukumoto sent the following message to her central Oahu constituents:

"In the last couple years, I've watched leaders in the Republican Party become less and less tolerant of diverse opinions and dissenting voices. I am under constant scrutiny for working across the aisle to pass common sense legislation that will benefit my district and the people of Hawaii.

"Today, I'm being confronted with demands for my resignation from leadership and threats of possible censure, because I raised concerns about our President's treatment of women and minorities. I've been asked by both my party and my caucus to commit to not criticizing the President for the remainder of his term and to take a more partisan approach to working in the Legislature.

"That is not a commitment I can make. As a representative of my community, it is my job to hold leaders accountable and to work with anyone, regardless of party, to make Hawaii a better place for our families."

Now that the hammer has fallen, Rep. Fukumoto isn't backing down. Instead, she's sent a letter to her constituents this evening that fired a shot directly across the GOP's bow:

"It is my belief that I can no longer remain a member of a party that punishes dissent. Furthermore, I believe that it is my job as your representative to work with everyone, regardless of party, to accomplish things for Mililani. I have always said that we should work to find common ground, even when we disagree, but powerful voices in the Republican Party continue to fight against compromise."

I apologize not providing a link, but these documents are PDF files which I have on my hard drive and are not online. Further, these events took place at the Capitol only three hours ago.

On the State House floor this afternoon, Rep. Thielen defended her fellow Republican against the GOP's assault, vigorously asserting that Fukumoto was being punished in large part because she -- like Thielen -- had spoken publicly at the Women's March. She pointedly accused President* Trump and the GOP of wanting to crush internal party dissent, noting that both she and Fukumoto are but two of the very few Republican elected officials nationwide who's been willing to speak out bluntly against the racism, sexism and intolerance that's come to dominate their own party.

"I think it's a total disgrace, and it further sends an alarming message to people not only in Hawaii but all across America, that unless you share our national party leadership's narrow-minded sexism and bigotry, don't you even think about joining the GOP," Rep. Thielen concluded, before receiving a standing ovation from both her colleagues across the aisle and a substantial audience in the gallery above, who had heard the news about Rep. Fukumoto and showed up in anticipation of seeing fireworks erupt in the House chambers today. They were not disappointed.

It would not surprise me if during next couple of days, Reps. Fukumoto and Thielen were to resign their memberships in the GOP and formally switch their affiliations to the Democratic Party. It's come to that point. To that effect, we've reached out to both lawmakers tonight accordingly, to offer to facilitate that transition should either one or both of them decide to act.

Vincent Viola, the billionaire owner of the Florida Panthers and President Trump's nominee for secretary of the Army, withdrew his nomination Friday night citing difficulties in divesting himself from his businesses.

A Pentagon spokesman, Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, said Defense Secretary James Mattis is "disappointed but understands and respects Mr. Viola's decision" and believes Viola "will remain a stalwart supporter of America's soldiers." Mattis, Davis added, "will recommend to the President another candidate soon."