Ex-prosecutor: Sessions Perjury? Not Even Close

There is “a good deal of political hay to be made” over Jeff Sessions’ “inaccurate — or at least incomplete” confirmation testimony about his contacts with Russian officials, says Andrew McCarthy at National Review. But the former assistant US attorney says the “overwrought, partisan” claim that he committed perjury is “wholly without merit.” That’s because inaccuracy isn’t necessarily perjury. Prosecutors must prove the speaker knowingly — “not by accident, misunderstanding, or confusion — said something that was untrue, with a specific purpose to disobey or disregard the law.” And, by law, “any ambiguity is construed in favor of innocence.”

Economist: Russian Trail Leads to Dem Lobbyists

Lobbyists “are the symbol of Washington influence-peddling” on behalf of legitimate clients, foreign governments “and a rogue’s gallery of questionable figures,” notes Paul Roderick Gregory at Forbes. And while media accounts have focused exclusively on the Russian ties of President Trump’s associates, they “fail to mention the much deeper ties of Democratic lobbyists to Russia.” For instance, “the Podesta Group, founded by [Hillary Clinton campaign chairman] John Podesta’s brother, Tony, lobbied for Russia’s largest bank, Sberbank,” which has deep Kremlin connections. And “fugitive Ukrainian oligarch Dymtro Firtash” is “represented by Democratic heavyweight lawyer Lanny Davis.” Meanwhile, “Gazprombank GPB, a subsidiary of Russia’s third largest bank,” hired former Sen. John Breaux (D-La.) and former Majority Leader Trent Lott (R-Miss.) “to gain repeal of sanctions.”

Policy wonk: DeB’s Homeless Plan Is More of the Same

Mayor de Blasio’s plan may be called “Turning the Tide on Homelessness,” but Stephen Eide at City Journal finds that “one searches in vain for any authentically new idea in its more than 100 pages.” Indeed, he says, the mayor should have “simply issued a press release saying: ‘To everybody who says homelessness is out of control, be patient. I got this.’ ” For example, “phasing out cluster sites and hotels,” which the 90 new shelters are meant to do, “was already the mayor’s official policy.” And “to sweeten the deal with neighborhoods that may not want a new shelter in their midst, these facilities are being pitched as community centers, with services available also to non-homeless residents.” But “the more attractive you make shelter . . . the more sheltered homelessness you will get.”

Culture critic: Satire in the Age of Trump

Good satire is “virtue’s mischievous servant,” making you “laugh and . . . a little uncomfortable at the same time,” notes Krista Kafer at Acculturated. But “when satire becomes merely mean,” it “dehumanizes its target” and “sabotages its own message by driving people away.” Which is what’s happening on Saturday Night Live. “With effective satire, when the target’s humanity is respected, the satirized person can usually laugh at the skit, albeit uncomfortably.” But SNL has been more respectful of late to Vladimir Putin than to Betsy DeVos, Kellyanne Conway or Trump. And “if SNL had depicted the Obama administration as they do the Trump administration, Obama supporters wouldn’t be laughing, either.”

Foreign desk: Mideast Regional Plan Is Doomed to Fail

The suggestion that “Arab countries can help achieve peace in the Middle East by persuading, or rather pressuring, the Palestinians to make concessions to Israel” is “both misleading and baseless,” says Khaled Abu Toameh at the Gatestone Institute. The idea, pushed by Israel and the Trump administration, is that “Arab countries such as Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have enough leverage with the Palestinians to compel them accept a peace agreement with Israel.” The problem, says Toameh, “is that Palestinians simply do not trust their Arab brothers” and even refer to them as their “real enemies.” What the Palestinians really want is “to use the Europeans to impose a ‘solution’ on Israel. That is why Abbas sticks to the idea of an international conference like a dog that holds for dear life onto his bone.”

— Compiled by Eric Fettmann