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Lie and deflect. Lie and deflect. Rinse and repeat.

That remains the Trump M.O. It’s his go-to move. Actually, it’s his only move.

Don’t lose focus. Don’t play his shell game. The issue is not that the FBI and DOJ acted improperly or illegally. They didn’t. That was strictly by the book.

The issue is not whether the documents Trump pilfered were blanketly declassified by his private and magical incantation. They weren’t. First, there is no legal way for him to do that without following a detailed process. And beyond that, a dozen and a half members of Trump’s political inner circle went on the record—by name—Thursday, saying that Trump had never said a word about mass declassification, calling his claim (among other things) “a complete falsehood,” “ridiculous,” and “bullshit.”

Here’s what we know. Trump illegally removed and retained government documents. That’s an established fact. That’s a crime. That’s also a fact.

There is evidence to suggest that he engaged in “willful retention” of national defense information that may be in violation of the Espionage Act. This is not a trifling matter. This is not, as Cultists love to label each and every one of Trump’s endless and outrageous misdeeds, “no big deal.” It’s a very big deal.

This investigation should proceed following established legal standards and procedures. Unsealing the affidavit would be a violation of all of those principles and precedents.

Once again, Trump is demanding that his opponents prove a negative. In this case he’s demanding that the government prove that this investigation is not “politically motivated.” No, man. That’s not the way it works. It’s kind of like, “Prove that the election wasn’t stolen from Trump.”  No, man. That’s not the way this works.

The burden of proof is on Trump. And, as always, he lacks even a shred of supporting evidence. So just because the attorney general is Merrick Garland, that means that any challenge to Trump must be “politically motivated”? If we accept that absurd premise, that would give Trump carte blanch to commit any crime, would it not?

Lie and deflect. Lie and deflect.

Here’s what we know. He illegally removed and retained government documents. That’s against the law.

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Paul's Bio

I clearly have the attention span of your median fruit fly.Look! Airplane!

Sorry. I’m back.

It’s both a curse and a blessing. I’ve never bought this stuff about, “He who dies with the most toys wins.” But I do think that a wide range of life experiences helps us grow as people, and helps us better relate to other people. I’ve been fortunate. And I am beyond grateful.

I show up on time. I go like hell. I’m a good listener. I hold myself accountable. I own my mistakes. And I have a natural and an insatiable curiosity. I’m never afraid to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t. But then I try to find out.

The flip side is I’m a lousy ballroom dancer and my clothes sometimes fit me funny.

Stuff matters to me. I care. But while I take that stuff seriously, I try hard to never take myself seriously. As a result, I have sometimes been told, “Paul, it’s hard to tell when you’re serious and when you’re just having some fun. Which is it? Serious or fun?”

My answer is “yes.” But I think that is a legitimate criticism. I promise I’m going to work on that.

This has been the quickest and strangest half-century I’ve ever experienced. During that period, I’ve been afforded amazing opportunities in news and sports journalism across all platforms. I have taught wonderful students at the high school and collegiate level. Always, I learned more from them than they did from me. I’ve been a high school administrator. I spent ten seasons as a high school varsity football coach. I’ve been an advertising executive. I’ve hosted nationally syndicated television entertainment shows. In maybe the biggest honor I ever received, I was selected by NASA to be “Chet The Astronaut” for the “Land The Shuttle” simulator at Space Center Houston. (All I can say there, is “Do as I say, not as I do.” I put that thing in the Everglades more often than not.) Most recently, I just wrapped up a decade as a television news director, during which time our teams distinguished themselves in holding the powerful accountable, achieving both critical and ratings success.

What does all that mean? It means I am profoundly grateful. It also means I’m ready for “next.” So here we are. Radically Rational. It’s an idea I woke up with in 2017. I scribbled “Radically Rational” on a piece of notebook paper and used a magnet to stick it on our refrigerator. I saw it every day, and it just would not leave me alone.

I am second in charge at Radically Rational, LLC. My wife, Jo (also known as BB), is the president. Clearly, I have failed in my attempt to sleep my way to the top of this organization.

I hope you will learn that I’m loyal as a Labrador. But I will admit that this doggie can bite every now and then. My promise to you? I will show up on time. I will go like hell. I will listen to you earnestly and attentively. I will hold myself accountable. I will never be the least bit hesitant to say, “I don’t know,” when I don’t.

But then I’ll try to find out. Let’s do it.