“The #symbiotic #musical relationship between #Joni and #JacoPastorius was incredibly rewarding for both musicians. In #Mitchell, Jaco found a #songwriter and %singer who wasn’t afraid to put the bass out front …” #music #JoniMitchell newdirectionsinmusic.substack.com/p/in-ten-tra...

In Ten Tracks: Joni Mitchell

A little privacy please!

When you're a puppy in the winter, the only place where the snow isn't over your head is under the trees. So that's where Joni went to find a bit of privacy. But so cute... how could I resist?

Happy MonDog!

#EllieKPosts #BorderCollie #Puppy #JoniTheBorderCollie #animals #Joni #snow #winter #Mondog

Earlier this year, the Air Force revealed that the general who oversaw its lobbying before Congress had inappropriate romantic relationships with five women, including three who worked on Capitol Hill.
Maj. Gen. #Christopher #Finerty’s colleagues told investigators the relationships were “highly inappropriate” as they could give the Air Force undue influence in Congress.
“I honestly felt sick to my stomach,” one said, according to a report about the investigation, “because it just felt so #sleazy.”
The Air Force inspector general’s report redacted the names of the women who worked on the Hill.
But one of the women whose relationship with Finerty was scrutinized by the inspector general was Sen. #Joni #Ernst, according to two sources with knowledge of the investigation.
The Iowa Republican and combat veteran is one of the most influential voices on the Hill about the military, and she sits on the Senate’s Armed Services Committee, which oversees the Pentagon and plays a crucial role in setting its annual budget.
Three other sources told ProPublica that around 2019 Ernst had a previous romantic relationship with a legislative affairs official for a different branch of the military, the Navy.
Ernst and the officials were not married at the time and Senate rules do not bar lawmakers from entering into romantic relationships with lobbyists or other legislative advocates. But ethics experts say such relationships can create a conflict of interest, and other lawmakers have been criticized for such behavior in the past.
A former legislative affairs official for the military told ProPublica that people in that role aren’t officially “lobbyists but for all intent and purposes that’s their job. ... From an ethics standpoint, it’s severely problematic.”
A former Air Force officer who worked for Finerty said the perception in the office was that his relationship with Ernst “absolutely gave the Air Force undue influence.”
https://www.propublica.org/article/joni-ernst-congress-military-relationships