Buzzfeed has obtained secret Mueller probe memos through several FOIA lawsuit. Saturday it published the first installment, which touch on "revelations about the Ukraine conspiracy theory, Michael Cohen, Paul Manafort, and more."

The released documents are here.

The New York Times provides some analysis here.

The House released two transcripts of testimony in the impeachment probe. The witnesses were former Ambassador to Ukraine Marie Yovanovitch and former senior adviser to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Michael McKinley. They testified in closed hearings before the House Intelligence, Foreign Affairs and Oversight committees

You can read Yovanovitch's testimony here and Mike McKinley's testimony here.

I'm out and about in the snow, which is already melting. Our last open thread is full, so here's a new one, all topics welcome.

There was a briefing at the Pentagon today (video here) on the al-Baghdadi capture or kill Mission.

• The capture or kill mission was in the works for months. Used intelligence from the Pentagon and other agencies (did not credit intel from other countries) to locate him.
• "Devastating blow" to members of ISIS who have been deprived of their spiritual leader.
• Our mission is not to act as a police force in Syria.
• We're going after the oil. We want the "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF) to reap oil funds which allows them to maintain prisons for ISIS members.
• Throws shade at Turkey.
• We're now in the "next phase of the campaign". We will hunt to the ends of the earth people who would harm the U.S.

[More...]

I like this OpEd by Sean O'Grady in the UK's Independent on Donald Trump's bizarre speech on the death of al-Baghdadi.

I will just add: From the first line of the Trump's announcement, it was clear he lacks comprehension of even the most fundamental concept of "justice." Donald Trump believes justice is done by the U.S. exercising the full power of its military to bring a single individual who has done bad things to his knees and killing him.

Memo to Drama Queen Donsld Trump: Justice is done when a suspect is captured and brought before a neutral court for trial. As O'Grady writes:

If America and the west believe in universal human rights, as Isis did not, then we could have set a new example to the world, demonstrating our superior, civilised standards. Instead, now the armed jihadists have another martyr.

[More...]

Donald Trump is very excited. He will hold a presser during Sunday morning news shows to tell everyone a U.S. airstrike he approved took out ISIS leader Abu Bakr al Baghdadi.

There are multiple reports among Middle East sources claiming al-Baghdadi toggled his suicide vest and killed himself.

Iraqi TV says it will air the raid footage, and that Iraqi intelligence helped pinpoint Baghdadi's location.

Turkey too is claiming its share of credit, saying they knew Baghdadi was in Idlib two days ago and they got a warning about the imminent US raid.

A Syrian Human Rights group says 9 people were killed in the raid. I've seen pictures of two dead males laying on the ground but neither was Baghdadi. [More...]

Another Monday. Another court afternoon for me. Another open thread for you.

What I'm reading: News from Sinaloa. Was Ivan Archivaldo Guzman Salazar the one who mustered the troops (with help from Mayo Zambada) in Culiacan this weekend to win the release of his half brother Ovidio Guzman Lopez? So far, it seems that way to me. I also don't think the Government cared about the citizenry as much as it did the families of the military who were threatened. How involved was the DEA? The Government said the police and National Guard were going to arrest Ovidio based on an extradition order. Who was doing the surveillance on Ovidio's girlfriend? Mexico or the U.S. I'd bet the latter.

All topics welcome.

Politico and USA Today have stories on the latest Iowa poll which has Pete Buttigieg now in third place:

A new Iowa survey of the 2020 Democratic presidential contest shows Pete Buttigieg surging in the first-in-the-nation caucus state, locked in a three-way race with frontrunners Joe Biden and Elizabeth Warren.

The current standings:

• Biden: 18%
• Warren 17%
• Buttigieg 13%

[More...]

Donald Trump today insisted he is the one who wiped out ISIS.

“ISIS was all over the place … It was me…who captured them,” Trump told reporters at a cabinet meeting Monday in the White House. “I’m the one who did the capturing. I’m the one who knows more about it than you people or the fake pundits.”

ISIS was not captured by Trump. ISIS lost its geographic holdings. It remains a significant insurgent group. It will grow and return.

The New York Times today: Trump's order to withdraw troops from Syria provides a gain to ISIS. [More...]

Representative Elijah Cummings passed away yesterday at the age of 68.

Cummings had been absent from Capitol Hill for about a month as he recovered from an unspecified medical procedure. But he had been beset with a variety of physical ailments for the past few years, and often used a walker or a wheelchair to get around Capitol Hill and his Baltimore-based district. His last roll call vote was on Sept. 11.
No cause of death was announced.

Cummings was the Chair of the House Oversight and Reform Committee. He was first elected in 1996, taking the seat vacated by Rep. Kweisi Mfume when Mfume left to become the President of the NAACP.

I've read a lot of accolades for Cummings today -- I like this one:

“Elijah always fought for the little guy, working across the aisle on health care issues, prescription drugs and the importance of education as a way to open doors for every child, regardless of income.

RIP Elijah Cummings. It was always a pleasure listening to you speak.

The Democratic debate has begun. I tuned in just in time to hear Kamala Harris say for the 100th time, "I'm a prosecutor".

Corey Booker looks really, really tired.

What are your expectations for tonight?

I have liked Shepard Smith and his reporting since the mid-nineties when I used to appear on Fox News shows he hosted. I always found him "fair and balanced." The last time I saw him was in 2007 at the bar in the Des Moines hotel where the media (from every network) as well as the Clintons and a few bloggers were staying during the primaries. Whenever I channel surf on Sirius in the car, if he's on, I listen to his show. Between the hint of his southern drawl and the stories he chooses to focus on, I'm never disappointed.

Yesterday, he unexpectedly ended his show with the news it would be his last show. He asked to be let of his contract, and after some negotiating (which likely cost him millions), Fox agreed.

Due to a non-compete clause in his contract, we won't be seeing him reporting anywhere else for a while. That's too bad, as I really enjoy listening to him. But hopefully he'll be back as soon as he can.

Good Luck, Shep, in whatever venture you choose next.