The DOJ got a one-two punch yesterday. From the judiciary branch in the form of Judge Carter's ruling and from the legislative branch where member after member of the 1/6 Committee called for DOJ 'do its job' as they were forwarding two more contempt of congress charges against Scavino and Navarro. FTR, DOJ has been sitting on the Mark Meadows contempt charge for over 3 months now.
Two out of three branches can't be wrong. Public patience is wearing thin as well, especially in light of the Ginni Thomas text messages.
We keep being told 'nobody is above the law', but you couldn't prove that by snail's pace of DOJ. What, I wonder, will happen when Ginni Thomas blows off a congressional subpoena and DOJ has that particular hot potato landing in its lap?
Adam Schiff had it right last night when he said, 'Without enforcement of congress's subpoenas, there is no oversight.'
A long piece in The Atlantic about Will Hurd is worth my time. Will Hurd who retired because the Trump rot was so bad, yet couldn't bring himself to say how bad Trump was, despite not having to worry over how it might impact a reelection bid. No thanks.
Merrick Garland, do your job.
And what exactly did Ted Cruz think the endgame was here? Because I think in his head he had no intention of overturning an election, that this was just all fun and politics and pandering to the idiot rubes who trust r/patriot.eagle.reddit.listserv for their news but don't believe a thing that comes out of the mouth of Lester Holt. Cruz thought this was a game, like the KBJ confirmation hearings is a game for him, like threatening govt default is a game to him. Shit needs to get real for these people, or we're going to lose our democracy. There needs to be accountability.
Trump strong-armed the Georgia Secretary of State, on tape! and nothing? It's on tape! There is no debate, he was trying to get Raffensperger to overturn the Georgia election, on tape, while he was the most powerful person in the free world. Lindsay Graham did the same, but nobody listens to Lindsay. Trump committed both federal and state crimes, it's on tape, and nothing has been done about it.
I believe that the DoJ/Garland probably has a pretty good idea of what Trump et al did and did not do--and what crimes were committed. The reality is that they likely feel that they could not get a guilty verdict, regardless of the level and quality of evidence they might have.
Prosecutors are notoriously reluctant to take on no win cases or cases that will drag out forever. That is how Trump has avoided deeper legal issues in the past--by dragging things out long enough and expensively enough that the other side basically gives up and takes what settlement they can get--even if they WOULD ultimately win.
There is also the issue of the almost inevitable civil unrest that would occur... but I believe that the reality is that we are going to get that unrest at some point. We keep building to it. the crazy keeps increasing.
Like most bad and violent things--the quicker you get it in the open and deal with it, the better (and cheaper) in the long run--especially if you are prepared for it.
At some point during an election cycle, the wrong person is going to win again--only this time there will be violence and actual attempts to overthrow the process. It could be any election, but most likely one for Senate or President.
Letting all this stuff go is going to be what ultimately destroys this country. Letting the rich and politically privileged get away with things is reaching the breaking point with a LOT of people. If there is no meaningful change in this regard, it will simple keep getting worse.
It is dangerous to start indicting and trying politicians for what they did in office. I think it is MORE dangerous not to.
I would love a hypothetical Will Hurd run for President. But only a hypothetical one because the real Will Hurd failed every test of courage he faced for the last five years. How could we trust he would stand against authoritarianism since he hasn't so far.
Re the deficit and Biden's budget. Testimony by the IRS commissioner a few months ago stated that there was some $1 trillion in unpaid taxes per year that could be collected if the IRS had the manpower and money to collect it. Would help quite a bit with that pesky deficit that Rs keep complaining about and adding to when they're in power. Of course, the Reps and their rich friends don't want that.
I have wondered from the beginning if Garland isn’t overly concerned with the civil unrest that might result from a conviction against MAGA land’s dear leader.
The judicial branch seems to know a lot more than it's letting on, doesn't it? A few weeks back a DC judge found that Trump could be found civilly liable for the violence the Capitol. Yesterday, a California judge suggests that Trump could be found liable for felony obstruction charges. The same day the Jan. 6 Committee very visibly nudges the Justice Department on contempt charges. This morning, we learn that most of the White House call logs from Jan. 6 appear to have been deleted.
Will all this add up to criminal charges for Trump and the people around him? I'm not sure, but it's getting easier to imagine a scenario where it does.
I disagree with Will Hurd that the crazy GOP taking over the House and State and local offices will do nothing with their majority. They just won't do anything constructive to better the lives of their constituents. But they will be very effective in subverting future elections, intimidating any opposing voices and inciting violence. And that's what the GOP base wants anyway. While I appreciate Hurd's optimism, does he have a spine like a Liz Cheney? If anything, Liz has the right of first refusal for the anti-Trump Conservative lane.
Some of Merrick Garland's former co-workers described him as a bit of the silent assassin type. He doesn't seek glory, doesn't make much noise, but he is very lethal for the bad guys.
Way back in the 70s, a 17 minute gap in phone taps threw out a president. A 6 HOUR gap in phone calls isn't enough to end Trump? And a reminder that Nixon won his election in a real landslide, yet lost the presidency.
Merrick Garland is either the most brilliant, disciplined, Attorney General ever for keeping the DOJ airtight with no leaks from the most consequential investigation in U.S. political history, OR a complete coward unwilling to defend the rule of law.
Will Hurd (who is he??) said: "...by 2024 the country will be forced to choose between two dug-in, do-nothing parties."
In spite of many Non-Trump conservatives who claim that Uncle Joe swung too far to the left, the Dems are not a "do-nothing" party. Dems are not controlled by the progressive/liberal wing.
Good middle-class Dem policy has been stymied by the ReTrumplican'ts in Congress, who only want to see non-white America fail as does their god-king, who sees himself as replacement for the one true God, (who, BTW, knows what a burner phone is.)
As a lifelong Cincinnatian, I'm very familiar with Phil Heimlich. My liberal preferences often diverge from his, but he would be a very worthy replacement for Warren Davidson.
I also think he's be a strong voice in opposition to the current attempt by Ohio Republicans to hijack the redistricting process underway in Ohio. It's a drama worthy of *way* more attention than it's getting in the national press. The NY Times has a good explainer (https://nyti.ms/3wIIibr); the latest fiasco happened in the last 24 hours (Ohio Capital Journal: https://bit.ly/3wJ6rOT).
Keep in mind that creating maps that fairly reflect Ohio voters' preferences over the past decade would still give Republicans the edge in this state. What Republicans are fighting for is to maintain their super majority. So far all that's delivered is increasingly partisan legislation and the biggest scandal in Ohio's history (and perhaps the largest, at the moment, in all 50 states: https://bit.ly/3uE4d0x).
In short, we're in a constitutional crisis in Ohio with no clear road ahead at the moment and no set districts for the May 3 primary. Whatever my policy disagreements with Heimlich, he'd be a welcome antidote to the crazy that's infected way too many Republican politicians, in Ohio and elsewhere.
Some pretty deft ignoring of history. Roll back to 1700 and look at Russia’s wars. I see that we have forgotten about Napoleon. Remember that the Russian Pacific fleet was destroyed by a sneak attack from Japan before war was officially declared. Sound familiar? Russia has not been plagued with bad soldiers. Just bad leaders.
Judge Carter’s Memo to Merrick Garland
The DOJ got a one-two punch yesterday. From the judiciary branch in the form of Judge Carter's ruling and from the legislative branch where member after member of the 1/6 Committee called for DOJ 'do its job' as they were forwarding two more contempt of congress charges against Scavino and Navarro. FTR, DOJ has been sitting on the Mark Meadows contempt charge for over 3 months now.
Two out of three branches can't be wrong. Public patience is wearing thin as well, especially in light of the Ginni Thomas text messages.
We keep being told 'nobody is above the law', but you couldn't prove that by snail's pace of DOJ. What, I wonder, will happen when Ginni Thomas blows off a congressional subpoena and DOJ has that particular hot potato landing in its lap?
Adam Schiff had it right last night when he said, 'Without enforcement of congress's subpoenas, there is no oversight.'
A long piece in The Atlantic about Will Hurd is worth my time. Will Hurd who retired because the Trump rot was so bad, yet couldn't bring himself to say how bad Trump was, despite not having to worry over how it might impact a reelection bid. No thanks.
Merrick Garland, do your job.
And what exactly did Ted Cruz think the endgame was here? Because I think in his head he had no intention of overturning an election, that this was just all fun and politics and pandering to the idiot rubes who trust r/patriot.eagle.reddit.listserv for their news but don't believe a thing that comes out of the mouth of Lester Holt. Cruz thought this was a game, like the KBJ confirmation hearings is a game for him, like threatening govt default is a game to him. Shit needs to get real for these people, or we're going to lose our democracy. There needs to be accountability.
Trump strong-armed the Georgia Secretary of State, on tape! and nothing? It's on tape! There is no debate, he was trying to get Raffensperger to overturn the Georgia election, on tape, while he was the most powerful person in the free world. Lindsay Graham did the same, but nobody listens to Lindsay. Trump committed both federal and state crimes, it's on tape, and nothing has been done about it.
I believe that the DoJ/Garland probably has a pretty good idea of what Trump et al did and did not do--and what crimes were committed. The reality is that they likely feel that they could not get a guilty verdict, regardless of the level and quality of evidence they might have.
Prosecutors are notoriously reluctant to take on no win cases or cases that will drag out forever. That is how Trump has avoided deeper legal issues in the past--by dragging things out long enough and expensively enough that the other side basically gives up and takes what settlement they can get--even if they WOULD ultimately win.
There is also the issue of the almost inevitable civil unrest that would occur... but I believe that the reality is that we are going to get that unrest at some point. We keep building to it. the crazy keeps increasing.
Like most bad and violent things--the quicker you get it in the open and deal with it, the better (and cheaper) in the long run--especially if you are prepared for it.
At some point during an election cycle, the wrong person is going to win again--only this time there will be violence and actual attempts to overthrow the process. It could be any election, but most likely one for Senate or President.
Letting all this stuff go is going to be what ultimately destroys this country. Letting the rich and politically privileged get away with things is reaching the breaking point with a LOT of people. If there is no meaningful change in this regard, it will simple keep getting worse.
It is dangerous to start indicting and trying politicians for what they did in office. I think it is MORE dangerous not to.
I would love a hypothetical Will Hurd run for President. But only a hypothetical one because the real Will Hurd failed every test of courage he faced for the last five years. How could we trust he would stand against authoritarianism since he hasn't so far.
Re the deficit and Biden's budget. Testimony by the IRS commissioner a few months ago stated that there was some $1 trillion in unpaid taxes per year that could be collected if the IRS had the manpower and money to collect it. Would help quite a bit with that pesky deficit that Rs keep complaining about and adding to when they're in power. Of course, the Reps and their rich friends don't want that.
I have wondered from the beginning if Garland isn’t overly concerned with the civil unrest that might result from a conviction against MAGA land’s dear leader.
The judicial branch seems to know a lot more than it's letting on, doesn't it? A few weeks back a DC judge found that Trump could be found civilly liable for the violence the Capitol. Yesterday, a California judge suggests that Trump could be found liable for felony obstruction charges. The same day the Jan. 6 Committee very visibly nudges the Justice Department on contempt charges. This morning, we learn that most of the White House call logs from Jan. 6 appear to have been deleted.
Will all this add up to criminal charges for Trump and the people around him? I'm not sure, but it's getting easier to imagine a scenario where it does.
I disagree with Will Hurd that the crazy GOP taking over the House and State and local offices will do nothing with their majority. They just won't do anything constructive to better the lives of their constituents. But they will be very effective in subverting future elections, intimidating any opposing voices and inciting violence. And that's what the GOP base wants anyway. While I appreciate Hurd's optimism, does he have a spine like a Liz Cheney? If anything, Liz has the right of first refusal for the anti-Trump Conservative lane.
Some of Merrick Garland's former co-workers described him as a bit of the silent assassin type. He doesn't seek glory, doesn't make much noise, but he is very lethal for the bad guys.
Hopefully that's what's going on here.
Way back in the 70s, a 17 minute gap in phone taps threw out a president. A 6 HOUR gap in phone calls isn't enough to end Trump? And a reminder that Nixon won his election in a real landslide, yet lost the presidency.
Donald Trump official announcement that he hit a hole in one- Melania should stick that one on the fridge door.
Do you think he bought everyone on the course, and in the clubhouse a round as is the custom when you hit a hole in one?
Merrick Garland is either the most brilliant, disciplined, Attorney General ever for keeping the DOJ airtight with no leaks from the most consequential investigation in U.S. political history, OR a complete coward unwilling to defend the rule of law.
Will Hurd (who is he??) said: "...by 2024 the country will be forced to choose between two dug-in, do-nothing parties."
In spite of many Non-Trump conservatives who claim that Uncle Joe swung too far to the left, the Dems are not a "do-nothing" party. Dems are not controlled by the progressive/liberal wing.
Good middle-class Dem policy has been stymied by the ReTrumplican'ts in Congress, who only want to see non-white America fail as does their god-king, who sees himself as replacement for the one true God, (who, BTW, knows what a burner phone is.)
As a lifelong Cincinnatian, I'm very familiar with Phil Heimlich. My liberal preferences often diverge from his, but he would be a very worthy replacement for Warren Davidson.
I also think he's be a strong voice in opposition to the current attempt by Ohio Republicans to hijack the redistricting process underway in Ohio. It's a drama worthy of *way* more attention than it's getting in the national press. The NY Times has a good explainer (https://nyti.ms/3wIIibr); the latest fiasco happened in the last 24 hours (Ohio Capital Journal: https://bit.ly/3wJ6rOT).
Keep in mind that creating maps that fairly reflect Ohio voters' preferences over the past decade would still give Republicans the edge in this state. What Republicans are fighting for is to maintain their super majority. So far all that's delivered is increasingly partisan legislation and the biggest scandal in Ohio's history (and perhaps the largest, at the moment, in all 50 states: https://bit.ly/3uE4d0x).
In short, we're in a constitutional crisis in Ohio with no clear road ahead at the moment and no set districts for the May 3 primary. Whatever my policy disagreements with Heimlich, he'd be a welcome antidote to the crazy that's infected way too many Republican politicians, in Ohio and elsewhere.
Some pretty deft ignoring of history. Roll back to 1700 and look at Russia’s wars. I see that we have forgotten about Napoleon. Remember that the Russian Pacific fleet was destroyed by a sneak attack from Japan before war was officially declared. Sound familiar? Russia has not been plagued with bad soldiers. Just bad leaders.