Weekend Open Thread
[guest post by Dana]
Let’s go!
First news item
While Trump’s lawyer insists that “the rule of law died yesterday” with the indictment announcement, we know otherwise. What we don’t know is whether this indictment will help or hurt Trump’s bid for the presidency. Or perhaps it won’t have any impact whatsoever. Here are three scenarios discussing possible impacts:
Scenario 1: It will hurt Trump
Scandals are bad for political candidates. According to our research, scandal-plagued incumbents performed an average of 9 percentage points worse than expected in general elections between 1998 and 2016…If Trump is also indicted in one or more of those cases, it’s harder to see them shrugging this indictment off as a Democrat-led “witch hunt.” Republicans don’t even have to stop liking Trump or believing that he’s innocent; they just need to come to the conclusion that he has too much baggage to be their standard bearer in 2024. …If Trump is also indicted in one or more of those cases, it’s harder to see them shrugging this indictment off as a Democrat-led “witch hunt.” Republicans don’t even have to stop liking Trump or believing that he’s innocent; they just need to come to the conclusion that he has too much baggage to be their standard bearer in 2024.Scenario 2: It will help Trump
Could being charged with a crime help Trump’s campaign? It’s hard to come up with an argument that it could buoy him in a general election, but it’s a distinct possibility in the primary. Trump could experience a polling boost similar to a rally-around-the-flag effect that presidents sometimes experience when the nation comes under threat — except this time, Trump himself is under threat. Most Republicans believe Trump is being unfairly persecuted…Another reason why politicians often experience rally-around-the-flag effects in times of crisis: their political opponents go quiet and stop criticizing them. That looks like it’s already happening with Trump. Rather than attacking him for being an accused criminal, Trump’s Republican opponents (both declared and potential) are coming to his defense. “Arresting a presidential candidate on a manufactured basis should not happen in America,” Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin tweeted. Former UN Ambassador Nikki Haley said the indictment “is more about revenge than it is about justice.” Sen. Tim Scott called it a “travesty.” Former Vice President Mike Pence called it an “outrage.” DeSantis called it “un-American.”Scenario 3: It won’t matter
Even if they don’t actively rally to his defense, very few Republicans think the allegations are that serious. According to a Marist College/NPR/PBS NewsHour poll conducted March 20-23, 45 percent of Republicans think Trump has done nothing wrong, and another 43 percent think he did something unethical but not illegal. And according to Quinnipiac, 93 percent of Republicans thought the Manhattan district attorney’s case was mainly motivated by politics, while only 5 percent thought it was mainly motivated by the law…In addition, Trump’s alleged wrongdoing is also already baked into public opinion about him.
My guess is that this indictment will galvanize not just Trump voters, but also those on the fence (Trump v. DeSantis) because they see this as unfair persecution and unfair prosecution of the former president. No one has mastered the image of the quintessential victim like Trump, and no one plays the victim card as well as he does. And in the symbiotic relationship, no other group infantilizes him like his supporters. So when I see things like this, the more convinced I am that this indictment will help Trump in the primaries:
President Trump embodies the American people—our psyche from id to super-ego—as does no other figure; his soul is totally bonded with our core values and emotions, and he is our total and indisputable champion. This tremendous connection threatens the established order.
And because of Trump’s less-than-gracious reaction to the news of the indictment, Bragg’s office is requesting the House GOP to denounce his rhetoric:
“These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED [sic] the 45th President of the United States of America, and the leading Republican Candidate” for president.
“THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. IT IS LIKEWAISE A CONTINUING ATTACK ON OUR ONCE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS…THE USA IS NOW A THIRD-WORLD NATION, A NATION IN SERIOUS DECLINE. SO SAD!”
Second news item
After another horrific school shooting that left six dead, including three children, I wish we could all agree on at least this, because if we can’t, I don’t see things changing:
The answer to the “why” of these atrocities is frustratingly simple: As long as people with hate in their hearts have easy access to powerful and deadly weapons, the massacres will continue.
We can work to reduce the hate on the edges. Invest in mental health programs. Try to minimize the exacerbating traumas. Beef up our school safety precautions. Be more generous to one another.
But we will never eradicate it. We are human; we are fallen; we ate from the forbidden tree.
It’s always jarring to see just how easily the jump is made from indescribable horror to anxiousness as we wait to hear the shooter’s identity – as in which tribe they belong. If one is fairly online, you know that with every school shooting and mass shooting outside of schools, it is the $64 question and it can’t be answered quickly enough. After all, politicians and pundits, media outlets, and fringe dwellers need to know if the shooter was one of their own. Obviously, the hoped-for answer is that they belong to another tribe, which allows the arrows to be lobbed while scoring points for one’s own side. And this case was no different. Well, except that it turned out to be a bit more complicated than if the attacker was an anti-Semite, a white supremacist, a damaged vet, a radicalized extremist, or a paranoid schizophrenic…
Lawmakers will turn their attention to action next week. [Gov. Bill] Lee is expected to release his amended budget proposal, which some are speculating could include additional funding for private school security grants.
Democrats offered several proposals, including a repeal of permitless carry, limit on cash transaction for firearms and the creation of red flag laws.
McNally also mentioned to reporters he was open to discussing red flag laws, which prevent someone who displays signs of being a threat to themselves or others from purchasing or possessing a gun.
Third news item
Shameful behavior by Ausrtrian politicians as 20 walk out during Zelensky speech:
The politicians from the Freedom Party (FPÖ) argued Mr Zelensky’s speech violated Austria’s neutrality…Austria has previously said it cannot help Ukraine’s defence militarily, but does support Kyiv politically.
In a video address, Mr Zelensky thanked Austria for its humanitarian assistance and help clearing land mines. He was speaking on the 400th day of Russian invasion.
He also invited MPs to travel to Ukraine for themselves and see the destruction caused.
The president of Austria’s lower house of parliament, Wolfgang Sobotka, pledged more financial and humanitarian assistance to Ukraine and said the country deserved Austria’s solidarity.
But as Mr Zelensky spoke, a group of politicians walked out and left placards on their desk with the party logo that read “space for neutrality” and “space for peace”.
Ah, so much for “neutrality”:
The Freedom Party has prompted anger in the past for its pro-Russian stance. In 2018, when the FPÖ’s Karin Kneissl was foreign minister, she was criticised for dancing with President Vladimir Putin at her wedding.
Fourth news item
Russia detains American reporter, Evan Gershkovich, who works for The Wall Street Journal:
…Russia’s Federal Security Service says the 31-year-old American reporter for The Wall Street Journal has been arrested on charges of espionage. The FSB, the country’s top security agency and successor to the KGB, said Gershkovich was collecting information on an enterprise of the military-industrial complex.
The Journal denied the allegations and demanded his release.
Just days before being detained, a story by Gershkovich was published which looked at the increasingly dismal state of Russia’s economy.
At this point, while President Biden has demanded the release of Gershkovich, there is currently no plan to expel Russian diplomats:
Mr. Biden said the U.S. didn’t plan any expulsion of Russian diplomats. “That’s not the plan right now,” he said from the South Lawn of the White House before departing for Andrews Air Force Base. Past expulsions have prompted tit-for-tat retaliation from Moscow, leaving both the U.S. Embassy in Russia and Russia’s embassy in Washington with skeleton staff.
Fifth news item
And in another moment of insanity involving the United Nations:
In Ukraine, Moscow is pursuing an unprovoked war of aggression. In The Hague, Vladimir Putin is facing an arrest warrant for war crimes. But at the UN, Russia is about to take charge of a powerful international body, the security council.
From Saturday, it will be Russia’s turn to take up the monthly presidency of the 15-member council, in line with a rotation that has been unaffected by the Ukraine war.
The last time Russia held the gavel was in February last year, when Putin declared his “special military operation” in the middle of a council session on Ukraine. Fourteen months on, tens of thousands of people have been killed, many of them civilians, cities have been ruined and Putin has been indicted by the international criminal court for the mass abduction of Ukrainian children.
…
“As of 1 April, they’re taking the level of absurdity to a new level,” said Sergiy Kyslytsya, the Ukrainian permanent representative. “The security council as it is designed is immobilised and incapable to address the issues of their primary responsibility, that is prevention of conflicts and then dealing with conflicts.”
Sixth news item
Finland received the green light to join NATO when Turkey ratified the Nordic country’s membership late Thursday, becoming the last country in the 30-member Western military alliance to sign off…The decision by the Turkish parliament followed Hungary’s ratification of Finland’s bid earlier in the week.
The addition of Finland, which shares a 1,340 kilometer (832 miles) border with Russia, will more than double the size of NATO’s border with Russia.
Meanwhile, Sweden’s application is still being held up by Turkey and Hungary.
Have a great weekend.
–Dana
Hello.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 10:52 amFourth news item:
Here is a free link to Evan Gershkovich’s story on the collapsing Russian economy.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 10:58 amWhile Trump’s lawyer insists that “the rule of law died yesterday” with the indictment announcement, we know otherwise.
Some would say it died long ago. But every time the Law is used as a weapon, or is ignored by the powerful, it dies a little bit. When it is widely seen as operating by caprice, prejudice and malice is when it is finally dead. Are we there yet?
OTOH, Trump should not be asking for justice, as “justice” would swat him like a fly.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:03 amI rarely suggest a topic for the operators of this blog, but I would really like to hear DRJ, JVW, our host and hopefully Dana participate in a symposium — perhaps with all other comments off — on the state of the Rule of Law and its challenges in the current era.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:06 amRegarding Item #1, I think it’ll depend on the content of the indictment. The hardcore Trumpists won’t change their minds even if there’s an open-and-shut felony, but the rest could be persuadable one way or the other. Also, this is the first indictment but not the last. There will be at least one more coming, maybe three more. Do the persuadables really want more of this drama?
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:10 amAs for “Is this good for Trump?” … it is a better path for him that some alternatives would have been. The charges are hard to understand by the layman (98% of voters) and so easily spun. He may beat them entirely as reasonable doubt is not all that hard to come by, especially with the complicated assertions of the expected indictment.
Trump’s real problem though is that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
He has huge problems with J6, and whatever the charges there, they WILL be felonies and some carry disqualification from holding office. They will also distress some of his less dedicated supporters. The Fulton County vote tampering case will also hurt, but it doesn’t have the same affect on his followers.
Trump’s best play is to 1) attack the DA, 2) hire some damn good lawyers, and 3) beat the case before a jury (or (unlikely) get the judge to toss the bill entirely).
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:15 amBragg’s office is requesting the House GOP to denounce his rhetoric
I suspect he will shortly have the opportunity to make that request in person.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:18 amI repeat that the UN General Assembly should revoke Russia’s assumption of the USSR’s Security Council seat and declare the seat vacant “until a legitimate government arises to assume it.”
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:24 amMeanwhile, Sweden’s application is still being held up by Turkey and Hungary.
Those two countries should go on everyone’s spit list, and any US weapons sales to them should be cancelled, including spare parts for weapons they already have.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:26 amUnder normal circumstances, I would agree with this. However, the responses are already baked-in for Trumpers and perhaps those that are on the fence (DeSantis or Trump). The reason is: both groups already view the government as the enemy, and that it constantly oversteps its boundaries on a regular basis. Trump has been repeatedly portrayed by himself and his supporters as a victim of the “Deep State,” so it’s not hard to see that both groups would view Trump sympathetically while viewing the prosecutor’s office as an extension or part of that mysterious “Deep State”.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:33 amTrue to Form:
Comments like this almost guarantee a gag order.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:34 amTrump’s head would explode.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:35 amWhile such charges would upset some, from what we’ve seen of MAGAland constituents, they are continually on the defensive as they believe themselves to always be under attack from either the Democrats or the “government” at large. I just don’t see that changing. This especially as Trump’s response to the indictment has already instructed supporters how to view the proceedings: “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level.” (He is the victim, “others” have broken the law.) If cheerleaders with large platforms like House Republicans keep pushing Trump’s innocence along with corrupt investigators and prosecutors, I think it can be fuel to the fire. Especially as it ramps up toward the election. We just don’t have a timetable as to when other charges might be made, and I could see where, if it’s closer to the election, it becomes powerful fundraising material and an opportunity for Trump because his team will showcase him as the ultimate victim of the powerful elite, and that will speak volumes to his people.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:38 amI would add that while the complaints of Trump supporters being ignored or disenfranchised have merit to some degree, most certainly the remedy is not another term with Trump at the helm. I fear it would only further polarize the nation. Additionally, coupled with his authoritarian urges, a Trump presidency would have an adverse impact on civil liberties.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:45 amIf you believe this action to be a good thing for America, I submit that you are quite mistaken. This will be made clear to you over the course of the next several years.
Colonel Haiku (2601c0) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:50 amAustria’s far right walks out of Zelensky speech
More than 20 far-right Austrian MPs walked out of parliament during a speech by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky. The politicians from the Freedom Party (FPÖ) argued Mr Zelensky’s speech violated Austria’s neutrality. They warned ahead of the speech they would hold some form of protest against the address. Austria has previously said it cannot help Ukraine’s defence militarily, but does support Kyiv politically…
DCSCA (747139) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:00 pmAustria’s “permanent neutrality” has been part of its constitution since 1955… The law states “Austria will never in the future accede to any military alliances nor permit the establishment of military bases of foreign states on her territory”. – https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-65131744
15,
What one considers “good for America” must be defined.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:06 pmThe Usual Suspects:
Charlie Kirk:
And:
Marjorie Taylor Greene:
And:
Alan Dershowitz:
Witnesses and their lawyers can discuss their grand jury testimony, the prohibition only applies to prosecution staff and the grand jurors themselves.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:06 pmKevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:03 am
I would be one of those people. We are long since past it’s demise. That people still get speeding tickets isn’t proof of life.
In other news HRC paid a fine for a violation over reporting the Steele Dossier as legal services.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:13 pmUsing the UN for regime change doesn’t seem like a good idea. Doing it for a permanent member of the security council seems even worse.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:17 pmAt this point, while President Biden has demanded the release of Gershkovich, there is currently no plan to expel Russian diplomats…
And this inaction- a ‘reaction’– is a characteristic of his administration and from top to bottom. No initiative w/officials lacking experience and proactive, preventative skill sets. Russian diplomats should begin to be expelled from the U.S. every 48 hours– and that’s a generous time frame. Immediate expulsion by a government is a genuine PITA [as a colleague w/my late father experienced when Kaddafi ordered him out of the country in 24 hours, forcing he and his family to abandon everything, including all personal belongings.] Russians will use him for a trade of somebody they [or China] want released, as w/Brittney Griner, released in a prisoner swap with Russia in exchange for arms dealer Viktor Bout.
DCSCA (747139) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:20 pm“What one considers “good for America” must be defined.”
Will it promote trust in our judicial and political systems?
Colonel Haiku (169e4e) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:20 pmIs this an honest, equitable way to put this sad, epically vindictive and divisive point in our history behind us?
That’s just for starters…
More Usual Suspects:
Tucker Carlson et. al. at Fox:
And Glenn Beck:
……..
Referencing (Tucker) Carlson’s earlier description of him as an exceedingly accurate prognosticator, Beck painted a bleak next few years.
……..
……….
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:22 pmI would disagree with the ranking here. I’d put up AOC as someone who has mastered this victim narrative to a far greater degree. I’d also suggest different rankings of supporters but we’d end up in the weeds with different “izes”.
DT does what is standard for a D. He just decided to try it as an R.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:30 pm“When you’re a democratic elected prosecutor who ran on the campaign pledge of getting Trump and you’re going to indict, forget about the former president, the man who may become the future president if he beats the incumbent who is the head of your political party. Prosecutor, you’d better have the strongest case imaginable, not a case that depends on stitching together two inapplicable statutes and using Michael Cohen…
“In 60 years of practice, this is the worst case of prosecutorial abuse I have ever seen.”
—- Alan Dershowitz
“The very fact that the indictment came down when he was out of state shows that they could have indicted him any day in the last seven years but they deliberately violated the statute of limitations because no other previous prosecutor would go after him.”
—- Alan Dershowitz
“Let me tell you about Michael Cohen. He’s not through with his problems. He just tweeted about me, saying that because I had attacked his credibility that I was involved with underaged girls on Epstein’s Island. I’m about to sue him now for defamation… Normally I would not sue someone for writing this kind of nonsense, but this is Michael Cohen, who’s about to try to prevent Donald Trump from running for president of the United States and I’m going to sue him for defamation and not let him get away with that. And when I sue him, I will be able to prove his repeated lies because he can’t refuse to testify in a civil case. So his problems are just beginning. I’m going to make it a little easier for Joe Tacopina to cross-examine him, although, as I’ve said before, any first-year student could win this case.”
—- Alan Dershowitz
Colonel Haiku (169e4e) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:33 pmI’m not sure why it’s that complicated.
Everything we know so far is that the attacker was a radicalized extremist and a paranoid schizophrenic, at least to some degree. I suspect this will be confirmed when the manifesto is released.
It only seems complicated because the anti-gun crowd is waiting to see how they can spin it and everyone else is waiting to see how it gets spun.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:36 pmI know this will get me another pro-Putin mark on my permanent record but the odds of this being true are much greater than zero.
Whether they have any idea is up for grabs but they’ve got to go through the motions.
I always wonder at the decisions behind these stories. Would it have been better for the State Dept to demand it? It certainly seems like there is a difference between “the State Dept demanded”, “the WH demanded”, and “the President” demanded. Why was this important enough for JB to demand it but he had a joke when questioned about the Nashville shooting?
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:46 pm@22. Will it promote trust in our judicial and political systems?
Ask O.J. Simpson. Or Ashli Babbitt. Or dead Dick Nixon, the most criminal POTUS in American history, named an unindicted co-conspirator yet pardoned.
In this era, it just makes America a harder sell as the Eurasian Alliance, led by China, is actively stripping away long time “friends” who looked to America to protect their interests in the last century.
-China and Saudi Arabia are getting closer. Should the US be worried?
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/31/middleeast/saudi-china-get-closer-mime-intl/index.html
-China and Brazil Agree to Dump Dollar for Trade – AFP
https://www.asiafinancial.com/china-and-brazil-agree-to-dump-dollar-for-trade-afp
-Is China Taking America’s Place In The Middle East?
DCSCA (747139) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:48 pmhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeosullivan/2023/03/31/is-china-taking-americas-place-in-the-middle-east/?sh=5ebc5c841568
Am I the only one that gets a Star Wars vibe from this? I’m expecting him to demand the UN security council be replaced by someone wearing a snappy cloak.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:51 pm@14
“ignored or disenfranchised have merit to some degree”
This.
Right there.
Is. The. Point.
Here’s the danger. If those concerns don’t get meaningfully addressed. The “Next” GOP president is going to be someone so far Right Wing, that Progressives/Democrats/Media would be begging Trump to run again somehow.
Its how Franco and Pinnochet rose to power.
I, do NOT, want a second Trump term. But, I’ll be damned before I vote for any of today’s Democrats and will enthusiastically vote for Trump in the general if he’s the nominee.
It’s why I’ve been so animated to ya’ll on this board, in my real-world relationships, to get behind a ‘not-Trump’ candidate who can win.
It’s not too late, but the primary season is looking like it’s between Trump and DeSantis.
I implore you all, please consider getting behind DeSantis, enthusiastically, because he’s going to need a momentum in order to surpass Trump.
DeSantis isn’t perfect. But, you cannot deny the successes he has had in Florida, despite some of his overreach.
whembly (d116f3) — 3/31/2023 @ 12:55 pmI don’t think charges will hurt DT. I think you will need convictions that bar him from holding office and those should be iron clad.
I also don’t think this is about MAGAland constituents on the defensive from the “government”. This sounds too much like lumping them in with something akin to the sovereign citizen movement.
Three children and three adults were killed by a radical extremist and JB joked about it, a number of media outlets have tried to portray the shooter as the real victim, and the WH pivoted to something that sounds a lot like gun confiscation.
whembly’s not wrong
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 1:13 pm#15 Haiku
I wish I had the presence of mind to have said this on January 20, 2017, as the Donald took the oath of office. As for the indictment, I’ll wait until we see the actual charges and whether more is involved than hush money payments to porn stars and playboy centerfolds.
Appalled (03f53c) — 3/31/2023 @ 1:22 pmFrosty,
And it’s not mentioned that the lunatic, anti-gun leftists took over the capitol in Nashville while it was in session. Insurrection anyone?
NJRob (e7b892) — 3/31/2023 @ 1:52 pmWell said whembly.
NJRob (e7b892) — 3/31/2023 @ 1:54 pmComments from someone, who like everyone else, who hasn’t seen the indictment.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 1:58 pm2nd item The problem is corporate establishment democrats are interested in serving their corporate donors. It will take a couple of election cycles 2028 or 2032 for a left democrat to run on bringing the gun enablers in congress and the courts along with the n.r.a. to justice. Running on arresting them for accessary to murder. By that time the minority vote will overwhelm the republicans. After the 2022 election we don;t here about the latinx vote not voting for democrats.
asset (4143b1) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:12 pmRIP political satirist Mark Russell (90).
I remember seeing him in the 1980s while stationed in the DC area. Very funny, but his genteel humor wouldn’t survive in today’s comedy scene.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:13 pmUnless the case is so rock solid as to be a shining example unique in the annals of legal history it’s fairly easy to make an argument that this will be bad for what is generally referred to as “America”. It may be good for “the Establishment” at least in the short term or some other faction. But it will generally be a bad thing.
And there is no indication that it is that rock solid. If it were you wouldn’t see so many brilliant legal minds reaching for the top hats and canes before the curtain goes up.
If DT is convicted but it’s based on some complicated legal theory involving white collar crime one of the things you’ll see is R’s calling for those same tactics against D’s. We’re already seeing that. And any R going soft on that will have difficulty staying in office. That is most definitely bad for America.
If he isn’t convicted those particular results might not be as bad. But the push from nevertrump/D/leftists to get him next time will only escalate. Basically, we’ve given up on voting our way out of this. That is also bad for America.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:17 pmRIP Bobbi Ercoline (73).
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:20 pmThis could have also been said when DT and HRC won their respective nominations. HRC was just a different bad choice. As was JB.
I felt this way when McCain basically gave the election to BO.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:21 pmAfter the 2022 election we don;t here about the latinx vote not voting for democrats.
Keep calling them latinx. I hear it’s very popular.
I think the small flaw in your plan is that the only politicians who can consistently keep getting elected at scale are corporate establishment politicians serving their corporate donors. AOC won’t get out of her district without them.
All of the anti-establishment lefties are playing the Bernie game. They pretend to be for the people while being immune to insider trading laws, seeing their network skyrocket, and violating campaign finance laws.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:30 pmIs Israel?
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has several dubious criminal cases up against him, and as a matter of fact, is in the middle of trial, and he doesn’t say things like this (but his opposition does)
https://www.timesofisrael.com/judge-in-netanyahu-trial-said-to-ask-sides-to-consider-non-binding-mediation
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:31 pmseeing their network skyrocket
network -> net worth
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:36 pmTrump has agreed to the terms of his arrest:
Marge says she is going to NYC to support Trump and is urging Trump supporters to show up as well.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:42 pmI would urge everyone to not get within 50 miles of this if they don’t absolutely have to.
frosty (d09065) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:45 pmWhat? No red carpet? No honor guard? Np Marine detachment?
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:48 pmExcellent post, Dana. I especially enjoyed your strong commentary. Thank you! You continue to “bring it” strong every week.
felipe (77b190) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:57 pm“These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED [sic] the 45th President of the United States of America, and the leading Republican Candidate” for president.
“THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. IT IS LIKEWAISE A CONTINUING ATTACK ON OUR ONCE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS…THE USA IS NOW A THIRD-WORLD NATION, A NATION IN SERIOUS DECLINE. SO SAD!”
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel.
I would have a hard time supporting a candidate for dogcatcher who put out a tweet like Trump’s. Professional wrestler? Okay.
norcal (7b2be1) — 3/31/2023 @ 2:58 pmComments from someone, who like everyone else, who hasn’t seen the indictment.
Yes, but an opinion from a respected legal mind… which I will always find much more valuable than countless dumbass headlines and copy pasta from disreputable news sources
Colonel Haiku (0b5b08) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:03 pmKevin M (1ea396) — 3/31/2023 @ 11:06 am
Great idea, Kevin M. A Pontifications podcast would get my attendance. Yes, comments off, but maybe allow some “superchat$” to support the cause?
felipe (77b190) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:04 pmIf the trial of People v. Donald Trump is televised, it will be “must sleep” TV. Business fraud and/or tax fraud trials won’t have the salaciousness of an Alex Murdaugh-type trials. It will bore people to death.
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:05 pm@46
It’d be hysterical if Trump (or one of his supporters) commissioned one of those flatbed trucks with dual TV screens blaring the Stone’s “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” while driving around the courthouse.
whembly (d116f3) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:05 pmDang! I was just settling in to read more of the comments, but I must needs be transported to my local KoC fish-fry, I eat for free!
felipe (77b190) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:07 pmThey really need to unseal this tomorrow, April 1st, to bolster this politically motivated horseschit.
Colonel Haiku (99214d) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:19 pmIt’d be hysterical if Trump (or one of his supporters) commissioned one of those flatbed trucks with dual TV screens blaring the Stone’s “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” while driving around the courthouse.
whembly (d116f3) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:05 pm
“Sympathy for the Devil” would be more like it. 😆
norcal (7b2be1) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:23 pm“Even in the degenerate last phases of imperial corruption and collapse, laughs will be found.”
Colonel Haiku (99214d) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:24 pmTrump is getting Due Process. That’s all he’s entitled to. All this other noise is a spoiled brat sniveling to daddy because nanny wouldn’t give him a cookie before dinner.
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:34 pmBUT I’M DONNIE!!!
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:35 pmAnd unfortunately, too many continue to enable the toddler tantrums.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:46 pmHe was barely President when he attacked the judge in the Trump University case too. For being a Mexican who hated him. How can anybody have sympathy for a person like that?
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:49 pmnk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 3:49 pm
Even though I voted for Trump in 2016, I thought his comments were often disgusting. In retrospect, they were more than disgusting. They were damaging to our nation.
People can talk about policy all they want, but they forget the most important policy–that of denying election results, which, combined with hints at civil war, were far more damaging than any successes he had.
norcal (7b2be1) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:01 pmHillsdale College Revokes Curriculum License to “Classical” School Over Its Objections to Michelangelo’s David.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:02 pm@48 That quote is by boswell which he attributed Dr. samuel johnson. His better quote was when boswell asked him what he thought of the american revolution going on at the time. “I observe those who scream the loudest about freedom and liberty are the slave holding southerners!” True then true now!
asset (9f9883) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:07 pmHillsdale College Revokes Curriculum License to “Classical” School Over Its Objections to Michelangelo’s David.
lurker (cd7cd4) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:02 pm
The Tennessee school is what happens when people become tribal and fling poo for too long. They lose common sense.
How many tourist families have taken their children to get a close-up, in-person look at the statue? The horror. The horror!
George Carlin was right. Life is a freak show.
norcal (7b2be1) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:11 pmThe Republican Party clearly remains in Trump’s grip. We know this because of the hyper-partisan responses to the indictment from prominent Republican lawmakers. DeSantis knows this too. It’s why he is making absurd declarations about Florida not extraditing Trump (while knowing that the Constitution requires it) and claiming that the indictment is the “weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda”. You may believe that voting on party lines supersedes all else, but I don’t. Not anymore. Trump killed that notion, and the Republican Party’s decision to follow Trump sealed the deal.
Dana (1225fc) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:15 pm@41 Wrong AOC and bernie got millions in donations from small donors most under $100 dollars. When cancun ted cruz left texas during the big freeze AOC raised 5 million dollars for the people of texas in 4 days which scared the sh*t out of the democratic establishment that she raised that kind of money that fast.
asset (9f9883) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:15 pmTallahassee Classical School is a charter school. A private school under contract to the local public school district.
You could say that it’s an alternative to vouchers for politicians who want the taxpayers’ money to go to their cronies and not to Rome or Mecca.
It’s to be expected that the parents who choose to send their kids there instead of their neighborhood school would consider “David” pornographic.
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:20 pmIt’s to be expected that the parents who choose to send their kids there instead of their neighborhood school would consider “David” pornographic.
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:20 pm
the neighborhood school doesn’t teach classical art to sixth graders, but if it did it would certainly have eleven year olds drawing stone salamis
so, kudos to the neighborhood school for doing better at teaching classical art to sixth graders
JF (e68188) — 3/31/2023 @ 4:53 pm“And unfortunately, too many continue to enable the toddler tantrums.”
I think many will be surprised to see how far beyond Trump this stuff has gone. This is so much more. I think Trump is a sad sack at this point, had no plans to vote for him. But if he is the R candidate in 2024, he’s got my vote. He, or any other Republican candidate, will get votes from tens of millions of Americans who are fed up with the Dem program, the direction they’ve kicked and stomped this country toward and the fact the Democrat “leadership” are malevolent, schitty people hellbent on destroying the USA.
Colonel Haiku (99214d) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:09 pm@65. Disney Outmaneuvers DeSantis in Clash Over Theme Park District
Walt Disney Co. pushed through changes limiting the powers of the municipal authority that governs its Florida theme parks ahead of a controversial takeover by representatives of Governor Ron DeSantis.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-03-30/disney-outmaneuvers-desantis-in-clash-over-theme-park-district
He’s a lightweight, Dana. If he can be outsmarted in his own state by a Mickey Mouse outfit, Xi and Vlad will eat his lunch.
DCSCA (5952dd) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:16 pmI guess some Soros-funded DAs are more equal/acceptable than others.
The fish rots from the head.
Colonel Haiku (99214d) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:20 pm“And unfortunately, too many continue to enable the toddler tantrums.”
Haiku, this is best read as a confession
JF (29a4bc) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:22 pmyes, if Bragg were LA DA folks here would be trying to recall him
JF (e68188) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:24 pm@69. I think many will be surprised to see how far beyond Trump this stuff has gone. This is so much more. I think Trump is a sad sack at this point, had no plans to vote for him. But if he is the R candidate in 2024, he’s got my vote. He, or any other Republican candidate, will get votes from tens of millions of Americans who are fed up with the Dem program, the direction they’ve kicked and stomped this country toward and the fact the Democrat “leadership” are malevolent, s—tty people hellbent on destroying the USA.
The core of the ‘nevertrumpers’ are the out-of-favor crowd who just don’t like the guy, his morals, methods or his attitudes. But the broader spectrum are more the elitist ideologues– neocons and such– whose long time influence has waned or been outright rejected; finally ‘brushed out of the tail that no longer wags the dog’ by the relentless rise of populism that increasingly populates the GOP electorate. Without them, there would be no Trump. Those ‘tens of millions’ are tired of getting screwed. And they’ve tasted victory. Trump just happens to be the current standard bearer. And another will replace him after he’s gone.
Neocon ideologue Bill Kristol is a prime example:
Prominent Never-Trumper Says GOP Voters Should ‘Be Democrats For A While,’ Backs Gretchen Whitmer For President
“We need to defeat the Trump Republicans. And if that means being with the Democrats for a while, that’s fine,” Kristol said.
https://dailycaller.com/2023/03/07/never-trumper-bill-kristol-gop-voters-should-be-democrats-for-a-while-backs-gretchen-whitmer-for-president/
It’s this level of elitist, ideological idiocy; these “Royalists,” who’d rather, in a fit-of-pique, back an imbecile like Biden than support their own party standard bearers. They don’t miss a meal, are insulated from the hell of inflation at the grocery store and the gas pump… and don’t know you’re innocent until proven guilty but can show off freezers full of $15/pint ice cream few citizens can afford:
Nancy Pelosi Blasted Over Statement That Trump Can ‘Prove Innocence’
Nancy Pelosi, former Speaker of the House [and still a sitting member of the U.S. Congress], was criticized after she tweeted that former President Donald Trump will have a chance to “prove innocence” in court. Republicans have spoken out against Pelosi’s phrasing, saying that in America, a person is innocent until proven guilty.’
https://www.newsweek.com/nancy-pelosi-blasted-over-statement-that-trump-can-prove-innocence-1791739
Must be a San Francisco thing…
“People are guilty until proven… I mean… godda–it, you know what I mean.” Lt. Briggs, SFPD [Hal Holbrook] ‘Magnum Force’ 1973
DCSCA (5952dd) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:52 pmJames Comey is a partisan, leftist piece of trash.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:55 pmMost people are arrested first and then indicted. In New York, by law, the DA has 45 days to indict a prisoner sitting in Riker’s Island or let him go. And then he might make bail and maybe get a lawyer that won’t sell him down the river.
Trump should be counting his blessings. And his donations.
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:56 pmTrump Seems to Be the Victim of a Witch Hunt. So What?
yeah, that headline pretty much sums it up
JF (29a4bc) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:57 pm“Reading all the 2016 warnings from the Normalcy Guardians and self-professed Democracy Protectors about how there’s literally nothing more corrupt or dangerous than craving the prosecution of your political opponent — especially for trivial crimes — is really quite something.”
—- Glenn Greenwald
Colonel Haiku (99214d) — 3/31/2023 @ 5:59 pmhttps://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11925473/California-police-union-executive-director-ran-fentanyl-operation-home.html
California loves their criminals.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/31/2023 @ 6:36 pmThe word “enthusiastically” there a) does not surprise me, coming from you and b) tends to undercut the credibility of the opening sentence of the assertion.
Patterico (91224a) — 3/31/2023 @ 6:57 pmGleens Grenwald is definitely the authority I would want to quote, as a True Conservative.
Now that “True Conservative” means “Putin sympathizer and Trump fan.” Is what I mean.
Patterico (91224a) — 3/31/2023 @ 6:58 pmIf your lot thinks it’s a bad thing for America, that’s a sign it’s a good thing for America.
Patterico (91224a) — 3/31/2023 @ 6:59 pmAlan Dershowitz is “respected” by a very select crowd these days. The rest of us have watched Dershowitz turn into the general laughingstock that he is. It takes a Very Special Hyperpartisan not to see through his insanity at this point.
Ken White has ripped Dersh a new one so many times — for sheer incompetence, for blatant lying — it got to be reminiscent of the Simpsons scene where the kid says “Stop! Stop! He’s already dead!”
Patterico (91224a) — 3/31/2023 @ 7:02 pm“Gleens Grenwald is definitely the authority I would want to quote, as a True Conservative.
Now that “True Conservative” means “Putin sympathizer and Trump fan.” Is what I mean.”
He’s the Poor Man’s Aaron Rupar, can you dig it?
Colonel Haiku (99214d) — 3/31/2023 @ 7:22 pmAd hominem attacks on Greenwald don’t address what he posted.
Absolutely devastating weather and tornadoes taking place tonight all across the midwest.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 3/31/2023 @ 7:48 pmDoes Hochul have the same authority as DeSantis to remove a county level DA? Cuomo’s accusers might have been playing a long game. Hochul did appoint the pro-life judge, and she doesn’t want a Zeldin rematch or Elise coming home…
urbanleftbehind (bc1716) — 3/31/2023 @ 8:03 pmApparently.
nk (bb1548) — 3/31/2023 @ 8:18 pmI get the feeling some people aren’t as confident about this indictment as they’d like to be.
frosty (880920) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:28 am— It ain’t no slam dunk.
nk (bb1548) — 4/1/2023 @ 5:22 am— It won’t play in Podunk.
— Covfefe!
Oh… is that what it is, frosty?
I will be pleased to hear that’s all it is.
Colonel Haiku (3c8640) — 4/1/2023 @ 5:23 amhttps://www.dailywire.com/news/poll-even-70-of-independents-think-trump-indictment-is-politically-motivated
Republicans and Independents speak the truth openly still while Democrats are liars.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/1/2023 @ 5:55 amYesterday was International Transgender Day of Visibility.
Today is April Fools’ Day or All Fools’ Day.
Today is also Lazarus Saturday and tomorrow is Palm Sunday.
frosty (880920) — 4/1/2023 @ 6:29 am‘Obviously, we don’t have the indictment, so there’s a little bit of speculation involved, but based on the news reports, if they’re accurate, this is an abomination,’ Bill Barr said on Fox News.
‘It’s the epitome of the abuse of prosecutorial power to bring a case that would not be brought against anyone else. They are going after the man, not a crime. And the legal theory, frankly, is pathetically weak.’
‘The case is held together by chicken wire and paper clips and rubber bands. It’s a lousy case. And it’s a shameful episode in our history where this local prosecutor is trying to affect the political process by bringing this case.’
Trump went low, so NeverTrump went lower. Cuz they have nothing else. You showed him!
JF (d1c5e0) — 4/1/2023 @ 7:23 am……………
His freedom to rant on Truth Social and say what he wants about his case at rallies will likely change once he surrenders and appears in a Manhattan courthouse, according to Duncan Levin, who is also a former federal prosecutor with the Department of Justice.
Manhattan’s Acting Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, who is expected to arraign Trump on Tuesday, is likely to put conditions on his release, and that’s “most likely” when the judge will issue a gag order, restricting Trump from discussing the case, Levin said. If Trump violates it by speaking about the litigation outside the courtroom, he could face consequences.
…………
“I think it’s not only a possibility, but it’s extremely likely that there will be a gag order in the case,” said Levin, known for representing clients including Harvey Weinstein and Anna Sorokin. “Gag orders are very common in criminal cases, particularly in cases where there is an enormous amount of pretrial publicity like this one.”
It’s hard to imagine Trump, now a 2024 presidential candidate, not speaking about this case at one of his campaign rallies. He has already been using it in fundraising emails, Facebook ads, and in Truth Social posts, targeting Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and Merchan. ………
…………
“This is a criminal case now, so the rules have changed, and the rules are no longer in his purview to make,” Levin said. “He is a criminal defendant and, you know, we see hundreds of thousands of criminal defendants across the country every day who have a lot of rights stripped away from them and he is now one of them. These proceedings are going to change his life.”
…………
“Extrajudicial statements by Trump are not going to be looked on kindly by this judge,” he said. “If the judge finds that he’s crossed a line you’d better believe that this judge is going to do something about it.”
Trump is notorious for attacking judges, especially those he views as unfavorable to himself.
…………
TrumpWorld not happy:
Rip Murdock (dd6105) — 4/1/2023 @ 7:30 amwho knows, maybe Navalny was really guilty of embezzling
JF (d1c5e0) — 4/1/2023 @ 7:39 amWhat? No red carpet? No honor guard? Np Marine detachment?
“Ruffles and Flourishes” and “Jail to the Chief”?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:12 amthe indictment is the “weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda”
I do not believe that the NYC DA would make the same charges against a Democrat governor or senator, former or not. The current DA ran on a platform of “getting Trump” so anything he does in that regard is suspect. Just as Trump’s ban on most Muslim immigrants was suspect.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:19 amA gag order on a defendant is very limited. He can proclaim his innocence and tell his story to the public. He cannot harass, threaten, intimidate, or incite unlawful action.
Call the judge a Mexican who hates him? I would say allowed.
Post a picture of himself swinging a bat at the prosecutor? Not allowed.
Offer a $5,000 reward for a hair from Joe Biden’s head? Welcome to Riker’s!
nk (bb1548) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:20 amBusiness fraud and/or tax fraud trials won’t have the salaciousness of an Alex Murdaugh-type trials. It will bore people to death.
Another way to say this is the case will not resonate outside very narrow circles. For most people all they will hear about it is tribal spin. This was my main reason for saying this was a bad case to bring — it reinforces political division.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:22 amThis week’s cartoon collection at Politico had one that I liked, by Ann Telnaes, two that made me smile by Rivers, and Bennett.
And then there was one by Wuerker that comes close to bigotry.
Jim Miller (0e46f9) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:22 amIt’s to be expected that the parents who choose to send their kids there instead of their neighborhood school would consider “David” pornographic.
nk, that’s rather a libel on parents who don’t happen to like their public schools. I guess in your area the public schools are excellent, but many places they suck and suck badly.
Charter schools are not religious schools or segregation academies, they just have an independent curriculum. This may be right-of-center in places where the regular schools are mostly the Mao Tse Tung Hour, but not always or even mostly.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:28 amThe rest of us have watched Dershowitz turn into the general laughingstock that he is.
Like “Blazing Saddles”, no one could be a William Kuntsler today. I predict that Trump will be unable to hire any high-priced lawyer for fear of cancellation. Or maybe of not getting paid.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:34 amToday is April Fools’ Day or All Fools’ Day.
It’s also the 35th anniversary of my last drink.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:35 amOffer a $5,000 reward for a hair from Joe Biden’s head? Welcome to Riker’s!
That does not require unlawful action. Hunter might need the money.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:37 amIt’s nearly impossible to see how Trump could possibly abide by a gag order. It’s not in his constitution to just shut it. Especially not when he sees himself as the persecuted victim of an unjust “witch hunt”.
Congratulations on 35 years, Kevin M.
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:46 amThis is an inspiring story about Face the Future, a team of Canadian and American doctors who are doing intensive facial reconstruction surgeries in Western Ukraine. Their patients are Ukrainian soldiers whose faces have been disfigured by convoys hitting landmines, etc. during the war. Because some of the patients need extensive work done to repair the damage (as best they can), the organization demands a 5-10 year commitment from the doctors involved. It’s an amazing group doing extraordinary work on behalf of maimed Ukrainian soldiers.
From the report:
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:00 amBiden, Pelosi, Schumer and their lot (Democrats, NeverTrump/RINOs, Commies, and other unsavory types) will stop at nothing to eliminate their political opposition. Don’t expect consistency or ethics… they will do what they need to do by any means necessary.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:15 amPeople laughing at Dershowitz while that clown Bragg plies his trade.
Simians on parade…
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:19 amSo decent Americans who love their country and want to see it prosper as much or even more than you are now equivalent to Communists? What an absurd conceit. This is in large part why I reject the hyperpartisan “new” Right. They embrace and nurture this dug-in determination to resize the once-big tent party to a claustrophobic little cubbyhole of isolation with the wagons circled at all times. From that little perch, they reject those with Conservative leanings yet who do not pass the strict purity test. This has not been for the betterment of the nation.
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:32 amBack when I co-blogged at Tacitus (which later became The Forvm, both of which are now defunct), I always got a rise out of the liberal commenters when I said that MediaMatters or Moveon.org and such were a bunch of Soros-funded hacks. “Soros-funded” was factually true and “hacks” was my spot-on opinion.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:42 amThis time around, it’s Trump and others saying similar things about Bragg, and I think Kessler protests too much. Bragg wasn’t “hand-picked” by Soros, it appears, but he was certainly one-degree-removed funded by Soros.
Yeah, frosty? What is your basis for saying that the odds that the WSJ reporter is actually a spy are “much greater” than zero?
Other than, yes, being reflexively pro-Putin, what shred of evidence do you have for such a comment?
Patterico (91224a) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:47 amI’ll note that several of your comments were released by Dana who had not yet seen my decision to moderate you. I say this only to warn you that the fact that they were released is not evidence that they are the kind of comments I want to see here, or that I myself (or Dana) will release such comments in the future.
But if you have an answer to the question I just asked — an actual answer — I’ll release that comment. I’d like a direct answer. I claim a privilege as the guy running the blog to ask you to prioritize your direct answer to my question over other comments you have floating about inside your skull.
Patterico (91224a) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:50 amWhat I mean to say is, as I peruse your comments to decide which ones to release, I’ll be looking for the one that answers the direct question to you put by the blog owner.
Patterico (91224a) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:51 amYes.
Patterico (91224a) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:52 amDana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:32 am
That same conceit is engaged in generally by every tribe with the only exception being one’s own. It would be better if fewer people aligned with a tribe but the more common thing is for someone to join a tribe, proclaim they didn’t, and then denounce everyone not in their tribe.
Decent Americans who love their country but disagree on policy are routinely maligned. The sad part is there is some truth to it. Marxists are a big part of the left and fascism has crept in to both parties all the while the marxists and fascists loudly proclaim their love of America. It would be fascinating to read about from a safe historical distance but it’s not as much fun to live through.
frosty (880920) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:57 amPatterico (91224a) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:47 am
The choice for espionage agents are relatively few if you consider the environment.
You can recruit someone in place, in this case turn a Russian asset. Your choices there depend a lot on the situation.
Another option is to employ people with legitimate reasons to travel and ask questions. Common cases being businessmen and journalists. Journalists have a very good cover because their job is to collect information. They have a legitimate reason to talk to a variety of people on a variety of topics.
I’d expect our foreign intelligence services to commonly use journalists if only as a way to interact with local assets that are working for the US.
My comment about Putin was in jest. I’d consider it perfectly legitimate to conduct foreign intelligence gathering using journalists thus it’s a greater than zero chance that this guys is one.
I’m not sure why “much greater” than zero is an issue. But that’s based on my opinion of the larger context. Given the ongoing political situation it’s possible Putin just rounded up a random journalist but those sorts of coincidences seem unlikely.
frosty (880920) — 4/1/2023 @ 10:13 amHere’s a tale of the Trans Cancelers trying to inject a falsehood into a writer’s article. Stunning.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 10:15 am“In the aftermath, the Trump administration signed off on a bump-stock ban that went into effect in 2018. It’s been challenged in the courts. We never got a solid motive for Paddock’s rampage, only a lot of conjecture. Every avenue regarding this investigation wound up being a dead end. For years, we knew nothing about Paddock’s motivations for committing mass murder until now, but skepticism abounds as the new theory is that the casinos were mistreating him.
After nearly a decade of investigating, Paddock committed the worst mass shooting by a single person in US history because he felt disrespected at the gambling tables. For lack of a better term, this is quite anti-climactic. Authorities still maintain their official position that no motive could be determined to satisfy why Paddock committed this crime. Yet, if this is one step closer to the truth, what were the FBI and local law enforcement doing all this time? This was the big reveal: casino mistreatment.”
Great investigative work, FBI! Perhaps after they build their new HQ they’ll find the inspiration to do their job.
https://townhall.com/tipsheet/mattvespa/2023/03/31/las-vegas-shooters-motive-has-been-revealed-n2621404
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 10:17 amResidents of Rolling Fork, Miss. were undoubtedly cheered to hear from the Clown in Chief…
“We’re not just here for today, I’m determined that we’re going to leave nothing behind. We’re going to get it done for you,” Biden said during the speech. “I’m making sure you got a place to sleep, food to eat, helping you rebuild your lives in Rolling Stone.”
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 10:24 amDarth Putin, on the terrorist nation now presiding over the UNSC.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 10:32 amRelated:
Dominion’s Proposed Witnesses:
Bring on the popcorn 🍿!
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:31 amWow.
DRJ (0abb72) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:32 amThat’s quite a witness list.
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:34 amMore:
I need some more popcorn here!
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:49 amWhy are Trump’s lawyers considering a request to move the case to Staten Island?
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 12:10 pmI asked if you had a shred of evidence. Do you know what evidence is?
By your logic, there’s a much greater than zero chance that you’re a Russian bot here to spread Putin propaganda.
I ask again: do you have a shred of evidence? Not inane theories. Evidence.
Because if you don’t, your casual smear of the WSJ journalist is enough for me to say your comments here add nothing and detract a great deal.
Patterico (f5d3b4) — 4/1/2023 @ 12:24 pmThe Raw Numbers
“We are in pretty rough shape, and a lot of it has to do with the fact that we have provided to date 33 billion worth of military equipment to Ukraine. And much of it is frontline United States ammunition and missile systems. Just to run some raw numbers by you we provided Ukraine over 1.5 million rounds of 155 millimeter howitzer artillery ammunition, which is one of the key things that you need in a ground war. We provided over 8,500 Javelin anti-tank missiles, which is our main frontline anti-tank weapon. We provided over 1600 Stinger anti-aircraft missiles, which is one of our main anti-aircraft weapons. And we provided for those 155 millimeter howitzers over 5,200, what’s called an Excalibur precision round, which, you know, you launch it and then it finds the target itself.
And interestingly, the Javelin and the Stinger missiles that we provided, we’ve given Ukraine over one third of our current frontline inventory of those weapons systems. And part of the issue is, is that the, the supply chain is in backlog big time for all of that stuff. And to get our Stinger stockpile back up to snuff, it’s gonna take 13 years to replenish that stockpile. The Excalibur precision rounds for the howitzers. It’s gonna take seven years to replenish those rounds. Five years for the Javelin and four years for the regular 155 millimeter rounds. And there’s a a couple of different outfits that run war games and things like that. And one of them, as I quoted in one of my articles, reported that when they ran a war game, we don’t get four to five days into a war game before we run out of precision missiles. And there was a Pentagon spokesman who kind of came out and used some Pentagon speak, said that our stockpiles are quote unquote uncomfortably low, which I translated that means we’re in the middle of a disaster.
If you think about that, what that means is, we’re not in a war right now, the United States itself, but if we were, on day one the situation would be critical. Well, that’s not good.”
https://legalinsurrection.com/2023/03/were-not-in-a-war-right-now-the-united-states-itself-but-if-we-were-on-day-one-the-situation-would-be-critical/
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:10 pm@ Patterico (f5d3b4) — 4/1/2023 @ 12:24 pm
Hey Patterico, a question sir.
Why would it be a smear for a journalist to be a source for a 3 letter agency?
People are people, and they might gladly relate what they see to an intelligence service. Love of country, future access, money, all legitimate goals here.
Joe (978bb7) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:18 pmIt would be, and was, a smear for frosty to suggest there is a much greater than zero chance the journalist is a spy, when frosty had zero evidence of that.
He has always irritated me, but it was only when people complained that I actively examined his comments and realized they typically add nothing but detract a good deal from the conversation. I am going to start looking at all commenters with that in mind.
A smear like that, or the smear he did on everyone who opposes Trump, is not productive in any way.
Patterico (f5d3b4) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:23 pm@ Patterico (f5d3b4) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:23 pm
But sir, if I was the head of a 3 letter agency, i would LOVE to have a journalist on the payroll in any capacity.
It would be just good spycraft.
Really not sure what smear here is.
Joe (978bb7) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:25 pmhref=”https://docs.cdn.yougov.com/4zul6phwv0/Yahoo_20230331_Toplines_Crosstabs_Joined.pdf”>Questions, responses, and cross tabs.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:27 pmLink to Yahoo News/ YouGov poll questions, responses, and cross tabs in post 132.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:29 pmFirst thing that comes to mind is that FBI head James Comey had a journalist friend Benjamin Wittes of Lawfare who he leaked things to, and also used Daniel Richman in the same role
steveg (8de21e) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:34 pmI explained it and you don’t seem to have understood. I will try one more time but beyond that it will not be productive.
If I headed the FSB, I would love to have an agent named Joe who I pay to go on blogs and spout pro-Putin propaganda.
But if I suggest that you, Joe, are a troll on the payroll of the FSB, and I have zero evidence of that, I am smearing you. Even if the FSB would love to have you in that role.
The smear is frosty’s making that suggestion about the WSJ reporter with zero evidence. The argument you are making, that government intelligence might like to use reporters as spies, may or may not be true. I have no idea. But it has fuck-all to do with weather frosty engaged in a smear. Which he did.
I can’t explain it any more clearly and I will not try.
Patterico (f5d3b4) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:45 pmI think it is dangerous to speculate someone is a spy who is in Russian custody for being a US spy. Russians may use online posts (that agree he might be a spy) as propaganda to justify keeping him in custody.
I think it is a smear to speculate that he isn’t what he purports to be — a journalist. That is a career. He doesn’t need to also be a spy.
I think people who work as spies for the US want to protect our country. We should protect them by not speculating about specific people.
DRJ (0abb72) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:51 pmHardly the same thing as accusing someone (without evidence) of being a spy, something that get them killed.
If government officials didn’t leak then the public wouldn’t know what really goes on.
Rip Murdock (2b5f75) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:54 pm
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 1:57 pmThat’s why they do it.
I wouldn’t say that Wittes was a spy for the FBI. Comey was a private citizen when he leaked to Wittes.
It would be convenient for journalists to be recruited as spies, but I don’t believe it’s fair to speculate that Gershkovich served as one, especially when there’s not a whit of evidence and especially when the entity making the accusation is a hostile foreign power that lies too many times to count.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:01 pm“Hardly the same thing as accusing someone (without evidence) of being a spy, something that get them killed.”
Yep, not the same thing. But what Comey did was against the law.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:01 pmI agree — but NJRob calls that casual and unevidenced smear “dissent.” And suggests I should feel “shame” for moderating someone who engages in such smears. But the smear artist apparently deserves no such accusations of shameful behavior.
Patterico (fb4f7c) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:04 pm“Were current or former FBI employees to follow the former Director’s example and disclose sensitive information in service of their own strongly held personal convictions, the FBI would be unable to dispatch its law enforcement duties properly.”
—- DOJ IG Michael Horowitz
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:09 pmThen the Trump Administration should have prosecuted him. By failing to do so, it does encourage others to follow suit.
Rip Murdock (2b5f75) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:23 pmI guess it is fair (not really) then to call Paul Whelan a spy, since he was convicted for espionage by the Russians, and we all know how fair their judicial system is.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:28 pmI think we agree, even if I am struggling to articulate it. To speculate without any evidence someone is a spy — someone who is being detained in a foreign country as a spy — is a smear because it is dangerous and unfair. It also implies they deserved to be detained/imprisoned.
DRJ (0abb72) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:38 pmKasparov reminds us that “Terrorists take hostages. Terrorist states use hostage-taking for political leverage. Putin will keep grabbing Americans in his reach as long as he’s rewarded for it.”
I think there are also other reasons for Russia to hold hostage Western journalists at this particular moment in history: As the danger increases for Western journalists, more and more news outlets will recall their reporters. This works for the lunatic leader because it’s possible that eventually there will not be any Western journalists in the region to report with any accuracy what is really happening inside Russia. What a huge boost for Putin if he could grab even more control over the flow of information inside Russia.
In a joint effort by more than 30 media outlets pressing for the release of the WSJ reporter, they wrote:
Correct.
And here is precisely the intended outcome of such messaging:
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:40 pmDissent is holding a different opinion for a reasson. Is speculation also dissent?
I think it must be based on more than a feeling. I assume frosty and NJRob believe an American just being in Russia is evidence that a s/he may be a spy. For my part, I doubt all Americans in Russia are spies.
DRJ (0abb72) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:47 pmAdditionally, labeling a Western reporter as a “spy,” is simply providing the Kremlin with some rich propaganda that they will use in an effort to sway public opinion (both inside and outside of Russia) about the West. Especially as the war rages on in Ukraine. It will also be used to sow doubt among Russians who have bravely, if not covertly, supported Ukraine its efforts to defeat Russia. My point is, the extent of the damage that wildly unfounded accusations can do, is somewhat limitless when dealing with a rogue nation that does not share Western values.
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:49 pmIt wasn’t, else Durham would’ve indicted him years ago.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 2:52 pmHistorically, frosty’s comments are consistently and manipulatively designed to snare his less-enlightened fellow commenters in cheap games of “Gotcha!” I’ve mentioned this before. It’s dishonest, disingenuous, and easily seen through. It’s also exhausting and not worth the effort to respond. I believe that he can bring a lot to the table if he could shake off this need to win. Okay, fine, you got me. Whoop-dee-do. How is that in any way, satisfying?
Dana (1225fc) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:05 pm“Benjamin Wittes, editor in chief of the Lawfare blog and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution…”
Impressive credentials, Paul. A true arbiter!
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:15 pmYes, Trump applies one standard for his rivals, and a different standard for himself, which is the very definition of hypocrisy.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:19 pmAn anecdote. Back in the 1969/1970 time frame, when we were living in London, my late father was a senior petroleum executive w/a U.S. firm that has controlling interests in conjunction w/several other petroleum firms working oil fields producing high grade LSC then at risk in Libya. He made frequent trips there, often at great personal risk -which was kept from us at the time- especially after Kaddafi had then recently nationalized the oil fields in that time frame. And he had several interactions w/officials at the U.S. Embassy, then located in Grosvenor Square, which we assumed were business related.
My father had only one good eye; he’d lost the other as a child and thus had zero depth perception and absolutely no aptitude for using any still cameras at all, let alone a movie camera. One afternoon, a few days before he had trip scheduled to make to Tripoli, he asked me to show him how to use our super 8 movie camera. It was definitely a surprise to me given his eye history, but I dutifully showed him the simplest way to use one given his vision issues. He then handed me a fresh film reel [they were 50 ft., reels] and asked me to put in it the camera for him and shoot about five or ten feet of him just walking around outside our flat in the street, to put some footage on the counter. Fine. He then popped the camera into his briefcase and in few days was off to Libya.
Upon his return there was about 5 feet of film left to expose and he asked me to finish up the reel for him w/shots of him walking around outside again. Then he took the film w/him to work to drop off to be processed. It was the only time in our lives he ever personally took film to be processed– or every used any camera. And it turns out, he had two copies of that film processed per the labeling. Sometime later, our copy- which he had been kept in his sock drawer, along w/some other family reels were just all boxed up and eventually shipped stateside when we moved home and tossed into storage. Never gave them any further thought…
Fast forward many years later into the early 1990s. Found and began screening the old super 8 films to transfer to VHS… and while rummaging through the box, came across a reel marked ‘Libya/2’. Hmmm… what was this one… popped it on the projector and — ohhhh yes, remembered filming that bit of him walking around outside 20 years earlier… then the images switched to a locale I’d never seen before: Tripoli and Libya; tankers, tank farms and offloading facilities, their locations and how they were guarded; landmarks; pipeline locations; Libyan military and oil field installation guard facilities– even uniformed personnel. Clearly it was documenting, not a mere ‘home movie.’ Then the last bit came on of him again I’d filmed. WTF was this all about??
Asked him about it before he died and it turns out he had turned the other copy over to personnel in the embassy upon his return, which had ‘suggested’ if, in his travels as an ‘executive’- that any current ‘information’ to fill in gaps difficult to access would be ‘helpful’ given the then recent nationalization issues. So was Dad a “spy?” Or merely another source tapped to access info? He knew what he was doing. The family often pondered whether to submit a FOIA request to search out any files and after his passing. We combed through documents he’d kept for any hint, too. His passport -standard issue, not diplomatic issue- was certainly a clue w/multiple pages added making it quite thick by State and some odd stamps and visas here and there through it. But by his own admission, he wasn’t asked directly to ‘spy’– but it was suggested to him to keep his “eye” open. So was he a spy or merely a contact used by real spies to get additional first hand information. It’s intriguing stuff.
DCSCA (877d7c) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:20 pmYou left out the part about Durham, Haiku, a guy who’s desperate for a conviction, especially since his only scalp was handed to him by IG Horowitz.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:21 pm“If Columbia should collapse, the Darien Gap is a highway that leads north, straight to the U.S.
Migrants from 80 plus countries are traveling though Latin America to cross the U.S. southern border.”
—- Michael Yon
Listen here: https://centerforsecuritypolicy.org/michael-yon-who-is-crossing-the-darien-gap-and-why/
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:28 pmHaiku:
There is no highway through the Darien Gap. That’s deliberate. The Pan American Highway only gets to the fringe of the jungle there.
Also, it’s not like Colombia hasn’t collapsed before. Remember the Medellin Cartel and the never ending insurrection they used to have?
Appalled (0b144c) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:35 pmIf not the law, then rules were broken. In any case, I’m almost certain all the fed pricks involved in the War on Trump/ Russian Collusion would get no more than a hand slap. As that is what happened. The law is for the ruled.
All this may fly with you, but I can’t abide it.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:37 pmAppalled – I’ve followed Yon for a few decades now. He knows of what he speaks.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:39 pmAlso… if you actually think the drug trade and social conditions around the world have not grown worse by leaps and bounds since the days of Escobar, we see things differently.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:42 pmMust be April Fools, because I think the MAGA tears were photoshopped.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:57 pmAs Yon says in the interview, there are about 66 miles of no road, they walk into and through the jungle, also take boats around the Gap… they believe approximately 10% don’t survive the journey through the jungle.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 3:57 pmWhat flies with me is that Durham was given practically free reign to investigate the investigators, and all he got was a hack attorney forging an email, at the cost of millions to us taxpayers.
Comey was already sacked for twice breaking FBI protocol when he publicly discussed the Hillary investigation which, ironically, helped Trump’s chances and hurt Hillary’s. But no, Comey’s the one who was vilified, all because he swore an oath of loyalty to the Constitution but not to Trump.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:06 pmYou’re okay with it. Cool.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:17 pmIf it’s not a fireable or criminal offense, then I accept it but ain’t happy about it.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:22 pmBut it’s still ironic, your agitation about a fired Comey yet full-throated support for a full-blown rulebreaker and criminal in Trump.
Catoggio’s opening to his latest is well expressed.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:44 pm“But it’s still ironic, your agitation about a fired Comey yet full-throated support for a full-blown rulebreaker and criminal in Trump.”
You misread me… this is overreach, which will become clear. I believe my lying eyes that saw how the guy duly elected in 2016 had pushback every step of the way, from day one. I have an appreciation for what he accomplished and tried to accomplish. And I think the current schitshow administration will ruin this country, if given enough leash.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:54 pmThat description doesn’t do Benjamin Witties justice. He is also:
Of course, you were just shooting the messenger.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:59 pmGo SD State!!!
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/1/2023 @ 5:40 pm“Americans and Republicans, remember: You asked for this,” Kevin wrote. “Given the choice between a dozen solid conservatives and one Clinton-supporting con artist and game-show host, you chose the con artist. You chose him freely. Nobody made you do it.”
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 4:44 pm
By all appearances, the Republicans are going to ask for it again.
Stupid is as stupid does.
Demagoguery, populism, and communism have much in common.
Demagoguery is:
https://www.bing.com/search?q=demagoguery+definition&qs=SC&pq=demogogu&sk=SC4&sc=9-8&cvid=7A5792D714554845AE95DF79C3933931&FORM=QBRE&sp=5&ghc=1&lq=0
Populism is:
https://thisonevsthatone.com/populism-vs-progressivism/#:~:text=Populism%20is%20rooted%20in%20a%20fervent
Communism is:
If you want to understand how demagogues like Hitler, Mao, Lenin, Juan Peron, and Hugo Chavez were able to seize and maintain power, look no further than the cult of personality surrounding our latest demagogue, Trump, and the way he foments divisions.
All of these tyrants had a menacing “other”, whether it be Jews, capitalists, bankers, rich people, the press, or foreigners. All of these demagogues excelled at playing to people’s basest instincts, causing the people to heed their emotions over reason.
It usually goes like this: “Look at what these [insert scapegoat] have done! Only I will fight and slay these monsters for you!”
Most, if not all of these authoritarians, led street mobs. Ring any bells?
norcal (7b2be1) — 4/1/2023 @ 6:00 pmMost, if not all of these authoritarians, led street mobs. Ring any bells?
norcal (7b2be1) — 4/1/2023 @ 6:00 pm
Putin jails his opponents. As did all the rest.
Republicans asked for it. OK. At least they asked for it, meaning voted for it.
Who asked a pit bull mob of lawyers to leverage federal power to overturn the 2016 election — for over four years? Who asked a partisan city prosecutor to go after one man, not the law, a candidate for the presidency?
Nobody voted for this. The people didn’t ask for it. The actual authoritarians in this charade are your heros.
JF (168e3d) — 4/1/2023 @ 6:47 pmFriends don’t let friends shoot people on Fifth Avenue. Metaphorically speaking.
It’s like the movie The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence. Lee Van Cleef followed Lee Marvin and hero-worshipped him as Lee Marvin swaggered and bullied his way all over town, and when Lee Marvin was in the end gunned down, Lee Van Cleef wanted to lynch James Steward. When he would have been a better friend and possibly saved Lee Marvin’s life if he had not loved him unconditionally and restrained him a little in his anti-social pursuits.
nk (bb1548) — 4/1/2023 @ 7:53 pmI’d call it circumstantial evidence. Maybe statistical inference.
The Putin comment was a joke. That was not a smear of the journalist. Spying against Russia is a good thing. Spying for the US against Russia is even better. The Russians are the bad guys. Suggesting that someone is spying on them is absolutely not a smear.
frosty (d6623a) — 4/1/2023 @ 7:59 pmI have no idea what that means. Can you explain?
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:17 pmI have no idea what that means. Can you explain?
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:17 pm
Exactly.
JF (168e3d) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:20 pmI didn’t criticize everyone who opposed trump. I criticized nevertrump. There is a difference.
frosty (d6623a) — 4/1/2023 @ 8:38 pmI don’t think my comments on this blog have any chance of providing the Kremlin with propaganda that could sway public opinion anywhere.
frosty (d6623a) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:03 pmI got in late on the discussion missed a few dozen posts and entered on a tangent. Putin’s Russia saying someone is a spy is less than convincing, because they lie about nearly everything.. Either way, spy or not because we set precedent with Griner, we will probably make a deal to trade some Russian sociopath for him. Mother Russia needs to dip into a better gene pool, but Xi, little rocket man and the mullahs are not an improvement, they’re a punk band
steveg (8de21e) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:47 pmGot it. You’d rather evade the question.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:47 pmIt wasn’t just that. What part about invidious overgeneralizations was unclear?
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:48 pmIt is neither. And it was a disgrace for you to do what you did.
Patterico (54b190) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:56 pmYou made a ridiculous generalization about an entire group of people whose greatest fault is that they refuse to vote for the most immoral braying jackass ever to run for office. You are not making the case for your comments having value.
Patterico (54b190) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:57 pmWhen the pitbull mob of lawfarers failed to overturn the 2016 election due to Russian interference, the Democrats mobs did not do the Jan6 thing. The Democrats rioted during the inauguration and then off and on again, mostly on, for 4 years which seems to be acceptable behavior now. Reminds me of the old Chris Rock joke about white kids shooting up the schools while school is in session, when everyone knows you are supposed to do a drive by after school lets out.
steveg (8de21e) — 4/1/2023 @ 9:59 pmHow about the Twitter Files scandal where Musk suppressed Putin’s War Against Ukraine? Censorship!!
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/1/2023 @ 10:00 pmWho asked a pit bull mob of lawyers to leverage federal power to overturn the 2016 election — for over four years? Who asked a partisan city prosecutor to go after one man, not the law, a candidate for the presidency?
JF (168e3d) — 4/1/2023 @ 6:47 pm
Embrace the power of “and”.
Yes, the Russian collusion thing was overblown,
and
Trump is a degenerate.
Eschew tribalism, and just call balls and strikes. I’ve been much happier since I did so.
norcal (7b2be1) — 4/1/2023 @ 10:51 pmOr has them murdered.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:01 pmI know this will get me another pro-Putin mark on my permanent record but the odds of this being true are much greater than zero.
It is illegal for the CIA to cover a spy as a reporter (or at least as an American reporter).
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:28 pmEx-CIA official: No way detained WSJ reporter is a US spy
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:36 pmTo Putin a “reporter” is someone who reads Putin’s party line to the masses.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:38 pmThe election of 2016 was, on the scale of 1 to 10, two 1’s competing.
The election of 2020 was, on the same scale, a 1 versus an aging 3.
The Democrats seem stuck with Biden, should he live that long, but we could do better than Trump by picking any GOP governor or any GOP senator at random — even the ones that toady to Trump are better people than Trump. Because that’s not hard.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:45 pmPatterico, I for one, who has never voted for Trump, do not mind silly people making silly comments about people who won’t vote for Trump. I’d like them to stay because, just maybe, they might hear something that would make them think twice before voting for the SOB in the primary at least.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:48 pmThere’s a story that ends with “and maybe the horse will sing.”
Like that.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:48 pmIn a tune up for tuesday pro trump demonstrators got their butts kicked in LA. To paraphrase dorothy in the wizard of oz toto we are not in the south anymore! They will be waiting for the trumpsters.
asset (1fd750) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:58 amDRJ,
I haven’t said one word about the reporter. I do not know a thing about him.
I do know language. Saying less than zero is not the same thing as saying someone is anything. It’s wordplay.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/2/2023 @ 4:37 amThe Wall Street Journal has put Evan Gershkovich’s articles outside their paywall.
(Thanks to “Carlotta” over at Political Betting for that information.)
Jim Miller (0e46f9) — 4/2/2023 @ 6:30 am193. Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/1/2023 @ 11:48 pm
Here’s the conclusion of the joke (I guess it had different beginnings)
http://www-personal.umich.edu/~jlawler/aue/sig.html
That was Trump in contesting the 2020 election results. Maybe something or other will work. In other words, what has he got to lose?
Nothing except his reputation and integrity – but then he doesn’t have it with most people, anyway.
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 4/2/2023 @ 6:47 amThere’s a Jewish version of this joke, I think, involving a Czar.
Biden has no plan to end the war in Ukraine except the hope that a successful Ukrainian gain of territory
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 4/2/2023 @ 6:49 amNew York plans to close streets on Tuesday,
All because of what’s been called a zombie case
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 4/2/2023 @ 6:52 am196. Outside their paywall doesn’t mean that it can be viewed on any old computer:
Sammy Finkelman (b434ee) — 4/2/2023 @ 6:55 amhttps://www.campusreform.org/article?id=21711
Schools continue to violate the 1st Amendment to suppress Christian speech and views.
NJRob (45b480) — 4/2/2023 @ 8:16 amhttps://www.forbes.com/sites/mattnovak/2023/03/31/pro-trump-twitter-troll-found-guilty-of-spreading-disinformation-about-voting-in-2016/?sh=259addde6ad7
Can anyone make a legitimate argument that this isn’t a political prosecution and obvious violation of free speech?
NJRob (45b480) — 4/2/2023 @ 8:17 amAnd now there are three:
Hutchinson is someone I could support , but I doubt his campaign will make it to the California primary.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:06 amhttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/news/arkansas-republican-governor-hutchinson-trans-youth-medical-care
Hutchinson’s the one who’s okay with mutiliating minors and doesn’t defend conservatives. No surprise.
NJRob (45b480) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:22 amn a tune up for tuesday pro trump demonstrators got their butts kicked in LA. To paraphrase dorothy in the wizard of oz toto we are not in the south anymore! They will be waiting for the trumpsters.
Nice to see intolerance and denial of civil rights expressed so openly by someone on the Left. But I’m sure he’ll be quick to justify it with the Hollywood Blacklist (the older one) or what happened to Black Panthers in Chicago.
When those supporting a major party candidate are attacked for their peaceful protest, the attackers should to go prison for long stretches.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:27 amToday, someone bombed Putin’s Chef’s cafe.
The only question I have is whether this bombing was a terrorist attack, and you can argue “yes” or “no”.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:29 amOn the “no” side, it may have been a civilian location, but the target was a Putin-sanctioned propagandist, every bit a combatant in Putin’s War Against Ukraine as a vatnik in a Donbas trench.
On the “yes” side, we don’t know if or how many other casualties occurred, but the rules of war are that civilian casualties shall be minimized. If Prigozhin’s cafe was basically just a rat’s nest of his militants and lieutenants and combatants and propagandists, then the target was fair game.
San Francisco Throws in Towel, Asks Federal Government for Help Cleaning Up City amid ‘Unprecedented Police Shortage’
Recalling the DA doesn’t much help if there is no one to make arrests.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:30 amWhen those supporting a major party candidate are attacked for their peaceful protest, the attackers should to go prison for long stretches.
However, this is LA, so like the Klan attacking Blacks in 1960s Mississippi, Leftist thugs will have free reign in attacking those on the Right.
Slouching towards Weimar.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:34 amThe only question I have is whether this bombing was a terrorist attack, and you can argue “yes” or “no”.
The French Resistance did a lot of this. Were they terrorists?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:39 amAsa Hutchinson has always come across as articulate, intelligent, and measured. The fact that he’s cautious about government getting too entwined in complex and personal medical procedures used to be the hallmark of being conservative. Some might be fine with punishing some teens who desperately need therapy in order to score a “win” in the culture war. I believe that Trans is over diagnosed and it seems tragic that some teens are making life-altering decisions (with their parents) during a time when maybe waiting is the more prudent option. That said, should a broadly-written law take all discretion from doctors and parents? It’s an odd brand of conservatism. Hutchinson signed a law regulating Tran participation in sports competition. I guess he suffers from nuance. Can’t have that….
AJ_Liberty (4cb472) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:46 amBiden to Skip King Charles’ Coronation as He Is ‘Too Old’ to Travel Too Much
But not too old to run for re-election.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:48 amHistory is written by the winners, so “French Resistance” says “no.”
felipe (77b190) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:52 amIf you’re a basketball fan, the women’s championship game today is worth a look. A good friend tells me,
“Caitlin Clark is the real deal. Never thought I could say that about a “chick” playing roundball.”
A sexist would say! But please excuse my oldtimey friends regional colloquialisms…
Anyways, I’ve heard great things about this young lady’s abilities and am looking forward to watching her. 12:30 PST today.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:54 am@210
I have no problem with gender-dysphoric kids getting counseling and psychiatric therapy. It’s when it gets to surgical intervention or drugs that interfere with normal development that I think the state needs to regulate things. We have no problem with the state deciding what drugs are illegal, or controlling access to transplant organs — both things that can have severe effects on ADULT patients. I don’t see how regulating medical experimentation on children is beyond the pale.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:54 am@188/189 These 17 Agencies Make Up The Most Sophisticated Spy Network In The World
“The U.S. intelligence community is vast, composed of 17 distinct organizations each operating under its own shroud of secrecy. Oversight of these agencies generally falls to the Department of Defense or Congress, leaving the average citizen with precious little knowledge of how they operate.
Funded by largely classified budgets, it’s difficult to assess how much the U.S. annually spends on these clandestine operations, but one 2012 estimate pegs the cost at about $75 billion.”
https://www.businessinsider.com/17-agencies-of-the-us-intelligence-community-2013-5#the-fbis-national-security-branch-oversees-counterterrorism-and-intelligence-gathering-6
DCSCA (baed5c) — 4/2/2023 @ 10:00 am“Bragg is operating directly out of Comey’s handbook on “ethical leadership.” After all, it was Comey who joked about how he violated department rules to nail Trump national security adviser Michael Flynn. He delighted audiences with how he told underlings “let’s just send a couple guys over” to trap Flynn.
It was Comey who was fired after former Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein cited him for “serious mistakes” and violating “his obligation to ‘preserve, protect and defend’ the traditions of the Department and the FBI.”
It was Comey who violated federal laws and removed FBI material (including reported classified material) after being fired and then leaked information to the media.
Despite those violations, Comey was heralded by the media and made wealthy on book and speaking tours.
Bragg knows that 62% of people view his case as “mainly motivated by politics,” but (like Comey) he is playing to an eager and generous audience.
The buildup to Trump’s booking has all of the appeals of a thrill kill for Democrats.
It will be another “good day” for Comey and others who put politics above principle in the use of the criminal justice system.“
—- Jonathan Turley
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/2/2023 @ 10:37 amIf true, both Comey and Wittes should have been arrested and prosecuted by the Trump Administration.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 10:45 amKevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 9:
I don’t see how regulating medical experimentation on children is beyond the pale.
Sammy Finkelman (67ff0c) — 4/2/2023 @ 10:48 amIn either state you can move to the other state.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:15 amThe DB article is just a rehash of a speculative The Telegraph) article that quotes only unnamed “insiders” since the invitations haven’t been issued yet. This is more a gossip item than real news.
Interestingly, it does note that President Eisenhower didn’t attend Queen Elizabeth’s coronation either. There really no reason an American President should attend a royal coronation anyway. This country rejected monarchism in 1776. The current British monarchy is an inbred scandal-ridden group that is antithetical to democracy.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:16 amIf true, both Comey and Wittes should have been arrested and prosecuted by the Trump Administration.
You say that like the DoJ was controlled by Trump or his appointees. When in fact Trump was impeached, in part, for interfering in DoJ decisions.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:18 amWouldn’t be the first missed opportunity, rip.
Shame on the Trump Admin for thinking they were dealing with patriotic, law-abiding Americans instead of the self-serving, double dealing, embedded forces of the Derp State out to ruin his – and Americans’ – world.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:20 amThere really no reason an American President should attend a royal coronation anyway.
Which would be a fine reason. “Too old to travel” is a poor substitute.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:20 amBut Turley is most likely a man now derided and dismissed by the LegalLions®
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:23 amOver the last 5 administrations, it’s become clear that the Department of Justice, at least in the legal end of things, is filled with career lawyers of a Progressive bent.
When a GOP president tries to change that, all Hell is brought to bear on his “interference” to the point that replacing US Attorneys is reported as corrupt if not impeachable. When a Democrat president does the same, it’s considered “normal.”
W’s attempt to put conservatives into the DoJ was fought tooth and nail, but Obama had no problem weeding them out and replacing them with young Leftists.
Calling it “Trump’s DoJ” is spin more than fact.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:26 amYes, and some of these folks either dismiss this out of hand or just ignore their lying eyes.
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:31 amEnjoy your Sunday! Give thanks for ALL your blessings!
Colonel Haiku (270820) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:33 amQuinnipiac University National Poll 3/29/23
Questions, responses, and cross tabs at link.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:35 amColonel,
Thabk you for your remarks.
NJRob (45b480) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:37 amTrumpspeak about Russian collusion is the same as Trumpspeak about the “normal tourist visit” on Jan. 6. Fit only to be laughed at.
nk (bb1548) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:37 amUntrue. The first impeachment dealt solely with his conduct regarding Ukraine; the second impeachment dealt with the January 6th attack.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:50 amTrump nominated 86 people to be U.S. attorneys, and 84 of them were confirmed. There are a total of 93 U.S. attorneys in the Department of Justice. Forty-seven U.S. attorneys had resigned before Trump took office. This seems pretty common. Not sure about any calls for impeachment on this matter.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 4/2/2023 @ 11:52 amEvan Gershkovich‘s arrest is probably related to his most recent article on the collapsing Russian economy, as Russia has declared as state secrets much of its economic data so that the West can’t judge if the sanctions are working.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:02 pmJoe Manchin says he’s considering running for president ona “No Labels” third party ticket (I think he might carry West Virginia and Utah at least, in a Trump-Biden race)
Asa Hutchinson is about to announce and says that Trump should step aside now that he’s been indicted – on general principles – people under investigation can run for office but people actually indicted should not he says.
John Bolton is considering a presidential run and he says the effect on the election will be vastly different between if Trump is acquitted or gets the case dismissed on the grounds there’s no legal violation alleged and if he gets convicted. Says Republicans can talk about poor Donald Trump but there’s a big difference between that and saying he should be president..
Sammy Finkelman (67ff0c) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:03 pmOur legal system’s premise is innocent until proven guilty, so even people who have been indicted should have the right to run for office. Do I think it’s wise? Not really, but they should have the right to do it anyway.
Nic (896fdf) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:19 pmUntrue. The first impeachment dealt solely with his conduct regarding Ukraine
It was mentioned as a potential charge. But you are rather badly ignoring to point of my comment.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:38 pmTrump nominated 86 people to be U.S. attorneys, and 84 of them were confirmed. There are a total of 93 U.S. attorneys in the Department of Justice. Forty-seven U.S. attorneys had resigned before Trump took office. This seems pretty common. Not sure about any calls for impeachment on this matter.
Trump attempted to replace some that dissatisfied him and was attacked for doing so.
The impeachment calls were for suggesting that the DoJ not pursue charges against General Flynn and possibly others.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:41 pmAs head of the Executive Departments the President has the authority to decide what actions they should take.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:48 pm@80
It’s because I believe all voting is transactional.
I’m not “pro Trump” nor even “pro Republican”.
I assert that I’m “anti Democrat”, and more specifically, anti-progressive/marxist/communist/ whatever ‘-ism’ that’s currently infecting our ideological opponent.
I’ll emphatically state this: I. DO. NOT. WANT. TRUMP. TO. WIN. THE. PRIMARY.
I don’t know how else to say it with even more feelings.
How else can I convince you of this?
whembly (7baeb9) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:50 pmAs I pointed out, the “too old to travel” was pure speculation by one British newspaper.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:51 pmTurley is an idiot.
Patterico (bf02d5) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:56 pmHow about “much greater than zero”? Is changing that to “less than zero” wordplay?
Patterico (bf02d5) — 4/2/2023 @ 12:58 pmAs head of the Executive Departments the President has the authority to decide what actions they should take.
So, when he suggests they not prosecute a person, that’s just fine? You must live in an alternate universe.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:00 pmHoly exaggeration Batman! Last time I checked one Michael Pence seems very different from one Hillary Clinton.
LOL. I don’t either. Because it’s nonsense.
Patterico (bf02d5) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:02 pm@243
Politically fine? No. It could even be impeachment if it were so blatant.
Legally fine? Yes.
The DOJ should NOT be understood to be an independent agency from the executive.
whembly (c88102) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:03 pmTrump nominated 86 people to be U.S. attorneys, and 84 of them were confirmed. There are a total of 93 U.S. attorneys in the Department of Justice. Forty-seven U.S. attorneys had resigned before Trump took office. This seems pretty common. Not sure about any calls for impeachment on this matter.
See what happened in the W Administration. A good summary is here:
Our hosts reaction is here L.A. Times Article on U.S. Attorney Scandal Ignores All Contemporaneous Concerns About Their Performance
Note that the Bush Administration’s firing of US Attorneys is a “scandal” which is not the same thing as “normal.”
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:05 pmThe DOJ should NOT be understood to be an independent agency from the executive.
I agree, but it is seeming so when a Republican is president. Quite a bit different from making one’s brother AG, as has been done.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:07 pmPolitically fine? No. It could even be impeachment if it were so blatant.
That analysis works differently when Democrats are in power. Such as Loretta Lynch meeting Bill Clinton “in secret” to discuss Hillary’s carelessness with top secret material.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:12 pmwhembly asked: “How else can I convince you of this?”
Many ways. For example, contributing to a Republican candidate, or candidates, running against Trump for the nomination.
Or, even better, demonstrating against him at one of his rallies. For example, every rally ought to have a little Trump boy — with his pants on fire. (I must add that you might want to hire some security if you do demonstrate in person.)
Or, at a minimum, just explaining here why Trump should not be president, but inspiring a demonstration/riot to block the result of a free election does not disqualify him.
Jim Miller (0e46f9) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:12 pmJim,
Why is demonstrating at a Trump rally helpful? It seems quite likely to result in MORE Trump support than less, as you are providing Trump a foil.
And Trump’s actions on J6 do not disqualify him in any legal sense UNTIL a court finds him guilty of a disqualifying crime. They are not even the worst thing he’s done — running this time saying “I am the Retribution” is a lot more worrisome to me than the ineffectual and incompetent coup attempt.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:32 pmIn 2016 and 2020 people attending Trump rallies were attacked by masked hooligans as they left the rally. To ignore that and focus on security physically removing protesters from their opponent’s rally is disingenuous. Especially since entering a Biden rally with a protest sign in 2024 will get you arrested for evading security precautions.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 1:38 pmI dunno. Maybe a better comparison is whether it would be a war crime to bomb Leni Reifenstahl in her movie studio, and my answer would be “no”.
BTW, looking at some video pre-bombing, it was a meeting among fellow Zwastikers, so it was fair game, IMO. Another thing, we don’t know who did it. It could’ve been Ukrainian provocateurs or perhaps Putin, because that’s how underhanded he is, and Prigozhin has been butting heads.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:06 pmPart of the answer is “who are the bystanders?” Is it really “collateral damage” if you bomb Hitler’s birthday party? If the restaurant is a favorite of Putin’s circle, maybe it’s more a target-rich environment than one bad guy among innocents.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:10 pmThis chick can play, easily the best in college b-ball, and she has two more years of eligibility, but she’s more than ready for the next level, like MJ was.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:12 pmIn the lead-up to the Iraq War, the US bombed several houses in wealthy neighborhoods, believing that Saddam was staying there. It’s possible that one of those was correct, but missed Saddam.
On the one hand, perhaps killing Saddam that way would have saved countless US and Iraqi lives. On the other hand, a number of civilians were predictably killed in each attempt (although beneficiaries of the Baathist state).
Terrorism? Again hard to say. Lots of grey in wartime.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:13 pmPerhaps we should start speaking of the “Russian Resistance” and lauding their bravery.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:15 pmYes, and I think the video answers that question. I hope the servers weren’t nearby.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:23 pmTurley is full of it. There’s no evidence that Comey violated federal law and, if he did, Special Counsel Durham would’ve indicted him already. Comey did violate FBI protocol, per Rosenstein.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:28 pmI can’t too excited one way or the other about U.S. attorneys being fired. Don’t they literally serve at the President’s pleasure? Yes, there is always investigations that the outgoing party do not want disturbed. It gets more complicated when the target of those investigations is the President, sure. The LA Times is hardly objective journalism. They don’t pull my chain. Everything has context. Hypocrisy abounds. News at 10.
AJ_Liberty (5f05c3) — 4/2/2023 @ 2:43 pmThe 1991 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq was essentially a declaration of war, so not terrorism.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 4:20 pmNot sure what you are referring to, but the only time Trump suggested he wouldn’t prosecute HRC was when he was President-elect. As President he changed his mind but his staff interfered with his decision.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 4:30 pmFlynn. You know, Putin’s dinner guest and National Security Advisor, whom Trump (the one who is Donald John) tried to get Comey to give a break to?
nk (bb1548) — 4/2/2023 @ 4:53 pmHe urged the DoJ to leave General Flynn alone, and some wanted to impeach him for that.
See here, but Google has more.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 4:57 pmMe: “Terrorism? Again hard to say. Lots of grey in wartime.”
Rip: The 1991 Authorization for Use of Military Force Against Iraq was essentially a declaration of war, so not terrorism.
Not sure what your point is.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 4:59 pmU-Turn for woke Alvin Bragg
JF (6d1c67) — 4/2/2023 @ 5:01 pmYou can commit terrorism during wartime. See Russians in Bucha, or the standard Nazi reaction to partisans, or My Lai.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 5:01 pmI think that Bragg’s attitude is a reaction to New Yorkers getting 2nd Amendment rights. Alba ought to sue him for violating his basic human right to defend himself.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 5:05 pmNot every wanton slaughter is “terrorism”. There are also “atrocities” and this newly-coined term “murder”.
nk (bb1548) — 4/2/2023 @ 5:06 pmWhat the budgerigar (that’s British for parakeet) drops on The Daily Mail is worth more than what its printers ink on it. I doubt that it was Bragg, it was almost certainly his Felony Review Unit, and they only knew what the NYPD told them.
nk (bb1548) — 4/2/2023 @ 5:14 pm“Atrocities” and “murder” for the sake of cowing an occupied civilian population is terrorism. What the Russians did in Bucha and the Nazi tactic of hostage-taking and reprisal would seem to fall into that category.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 5:16 pm“budgie smuggler” is Australian for a speedo
steveg (d930cf) — 4/2/2023 @ 5:49 pmI can’t really argue with that, Kevin. Chicago’s finest today arrested a public school teacher for “placing Mayor Lightfoot in apprehension of receiving emotional duress”.
I wish I were making it up.
nk (bb1548) — 4/2/2023 @ 6:04 pmChicago’s finest today arrested a public school teacher
Trump is envious.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/2/2023 @ 6:58 pmFIFY
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 7:35 pmFree link to article in post 274.
Rip Murdock (f6813a) — 4/2/2023 @ 7:37 pmChutzpah. Set a New Yorker to catch a New Yorker. And so far, Bragg has Trump out-hutzpahed.
nk (723e8d) — 4/2/2023 @ 7:46 pmChutzpah is exactly the right word.
“Leo Rosten in The Joys of Yiddish defines chutzpah as “gall, brazen nerve, effrontery, incredible ‘guts’, presumption plus arrogance such as no other word and no other language can do justice to”. In this sense, chutzpah expresses both strong disapproval and condemnation. In the same work, Rosten also defined the term as “that quality enshrined in a man who, having killed his mother and father, throws himself on the mercy of the court because he is an orphan”. Chutzpah amounts to a total denial of personal responsibility, that renders others speechless and incredulous … one cannot quite believe that another person totally lacks common human traits like remorse, regret, guilt, sympathy and insight. The implication is at least some degree of psychopathy in the subject, as well as the awestruck amazement of the observer at the display.”
https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=10011043
nk (723e8d) — 4/2/2023 @ 7:52 pmSixth news item
Some good news for Finland
Even better news for Finland:
Finland’s PM Marin concedes defeat as right-wing NCP wins election
JF (80bc3a) — 4/2/2023 @ 8:05 pmThis is an interrogator’s trick, older than the Inquisition, and adopted by all the police in the world. When a cop asks “Do you know why I pulled you over?” say “No, officer.” Be careful not say “I have no idea” because he’ll then have you on his bodycam confessing that you have no ID.
nk (723e8d) — 4/3/2023 @ 5:45 amBrian Lehrer (WNYC 820 AM in NYC, now also FM I think – NPR affiliate) is getting the facts so mixed up on the John Edwards case,
It was not that John Edwards was charged with paying off a mistress -he was charged with getting a friendly contributor – Bonnie Mellon – 100 years old I think – to pay her off and that that was an unlisted and over the limit campaign contribution and that that should have been done by his campaign.
The defense was that Bonnie Mellon had a personal reason for helping him – that she was in general friendly to him.
In this case it’s the candidate who has the money and the contributor who does not.
Sammy Finkelman (a687e7) — 4/3/2023 @ 7:50 amThere are leaks from Bragg’s office. The NYT had a front page story Sunday on the history of the investigation (not strictly grand jury leaks)
The fact of the indictment leaked last Thursday before Trump’s lawyers were notified. Then the DA confirmed it about 5:30 PM EDT
Sammy Finkelman (a687e7) — 4/3/2023 @ 7:58 amTeh Boogeyman is on the move! Teh Beast slouches toward Manhattan!
American Bar Association bites its pillow. Film at 11.
Colonel Haiku (26c1a7) — 4/3/2023 @ 9:31 amSo the only “leak” was from Trump’s Depends.
nk (723e8d) — 4/3/2023 @ 9:59 amTrump supporter about to get a crease in the dome from skateboard
https://twitter.com/latimes/status/1642361228012969985/photo/1
steveg (d930cf) — 4/3/2023 @ 11:15 amRip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/3/2023 @ 9:44 am
After someone official had already confirmed it, on March 30.
I may need to correct some of what I said.
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/ny-donald-trump-indicted-criminal-charges-alvin-bragg-corruption-stormy-daniels-20230330-cfnxzoi5srhbnjm235d6hbmasa-story.html
We also have here:
Bragg’s office, nevertheless, confirmed the indictment on Thursday about 7 pm – and maybe he had a loophole. And besides it was totally unreasonable to maintain silence
https://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/ny-donald-trump-indicted-criminal-charges-alvin-bragg-corruption-stormy-daniels-20230330-cfnxzoi5srhbnjm235d6hbmasa-story.html
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 1:15 pmAnd who disclosed that there were something like 30 counts?
Now I wouldn’t truly expect people to keep something like this secret, when the number of people who know about it goes into the dozens. And it doesn’t matter. Except that some people might put on half disclosed facts. But we can bear this in mind, and, for the most part, people have.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 1:16 pm* Except that some people might put spin on half disclosed facts, like the number of counts.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 1:17 pmElon musk’s twitter. Government asks twitter for government algorhythm to suppress speech it disapproves of and push speech it does.
asset (fd6496) — 4/3/2023 @ 1:30 pmWill trump supporters react illegally? The system has problems when it has to deal with very large numbers. Trumpsters may want to have violent confrontation with authority or sabotaging systems in new york. Also government agent provocateurs may be active.
asset (fd6496) — 4/3/2023 @ 1:36 pm@286:
LA Times headline: Scuffle at pro-Trump rally in Huntington Beach leaves 2 injured
Actual facts: Peaceful protest assaulted by group of skateboarding hooligans, 1 hospitalization, 1 arrest. Huntington Beach is pretty Trumpie.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/3/2023 @ 1:36 pmThe Trump Whisperer:
Rip Murdock (d2a2a8) — 4/3/2023 @ 1:55 pmTrump was really worried – on Wednesday, not Thursday. He was seen with lost of papers and acted as DJ that day instead of his usual Thursday.
This probably has to do with flat out lying to avoid complying with a subpoena to send all presidential records to the National Archives.
This is probably the most serious charge against Donald Trump (in terms of probably being caught dead to rights since his lawyers were forced to testify.)
Even so, they have all the documents now.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:14 pmHe had the right to look at it – and designate seven other persons to look at it – but not to take it.
Obama had a lot of records stored in a facility in Illinois, under the legal custody of the National Archives.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:18 pmI think when Trump told Raffensperger to “find” 11,xxx votes that doesn’t mean create them. The whole conversation was in terms of eliminating Biden votes. Trump really does talk incoherently.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:20 pmI don’t think that Russia is basing its accusation on anything the WSJ did as a reporter, but it is using totally planted evidence, or material he was handed just long enough to be snatched away – and what he is accused of it has nothing to do with real spying. And they claimed he was acting on te behalf of the U.S. government.
They may be trying to exchange him for a person whom the United States is trying to extradite.
https://www.rferl.org/a/italy-extradites-russian-uss-usa/32328079.html
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:27 pmWe’re having January weather with temperatures dropping near freezing at night – it may finally get a little bit warmer
Last week:
https://pix11.com/weather/cold-front-to-bring-blustery-conditions-to-nyc/
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:31 pmI read that arraignments do indeed usually happen the day after an indictment, so Trump postulating an arrest on the day after an indictment was possible wasn’t so wrong — but declaring it as fact was.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:32 pmTrump will be arraigned earlier than scheduled n order to oumart a Jack Ruby.
Sammy Finkelman (1d215a) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:44 pm“Actual facts: Peaceful protest assaulted by group of skateboarding hooligans, 1 hospitalization, 1 arrest. Huntington Beach is pretty Trumpie.”
Generally speaking, the greater the distance between a citizen and the infectious disease known as L.A.County, the better off that citizen – ANY citizen – is.
Colonel Haiku (26c1a7) — 4/3/2023 @ 2:49 pmthe greater the distance between a citizen and the infectious disease known as L.A.County, the better off that citizen
Unless you go towards SF.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/3/2023 @ 3:15 pmTrump will be arraigned earlier than scheduled n order to outsmart a Jack Ruby
What makes you think that Jack Ruby didn’t have a wakeup call from the cops?
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/3/2023 @ 3:16 pmTrump really does talk incoherently.
Just like Henry II did when he said “Who will rid me of this turbulent priest?”
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/3/2023 @ 3:21 pmHere’s the Republican Accountability Project doing Ms. Stahl’s work for her.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/3/2023 @ 3:35 pmhttps://dailycaller.com/2023/04/03/single-mother-lawsuit-state-allegedly-denies-adoption-application-religious-beliefs/
The communist leftists running Oregon have decided to attack traditional families and all Christians of faith directly.
Ignore the real evil at your peril.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/3/2023 @ 5:11 pmGerman arrogance on display?
“Germany’s cybersecurity agency BSI, which is charged with ensuring the security of the country’s 5G network, has now admitted that it uses Huawei internally itself”
steveg (d930cf) — 4/3/2023 @ 5:21 pmNBC now says the Chinese balloon was collecting and transmitting real-time data as it passed over military installations. We were assured the opposite by the Bidenistas. Odd?
steveg (d930cf) — 4/3/2023 @ 5:33 pmI’m sure they can give Biden his big booster shot of Adderall, speed or Balance of Nature to explain it all away…
Colonel Haiku (3a476d) — 4/3/2023 @ 6:01 pmJapan breaks with western allies and BUYS Russian oil above $60-a-barrel cap after OPEC cartel and Moscow slashed production and forced prices higher
‘The country is now the only G7 nation that is buying Russian crude above the cap which was agreed upon by the allies after the invasion of Ukraine. The island nation has almost no fossil fuel of its own and relies upon importing gas, coal and oil to sustain its energy levels. The move is a break from US-led efforts to impose the $60-a-barrel cap, but according to The Wall Street Journal, Japan got the US to agree to the exception.
Japan is also only G-7 nation who has not supplied weapons to Ukraine and Prime Minister Fumio Kishida was the last G-7 leader to visit the war-torn country after Russia’s invasion.’
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11933643/Biden-gives-permission-Japan-buy-Russian-oil-60-barrel-cap.html
Attaboy, Joey.
DCSCA (0a72ba) — 4/3/2023 @ 6:44 pmNBC now says the Chinese balloon was collecting and transmitting real-time data as it passed over military installations. We were assured the opposite by the Bidenistas. Odd?
B-b-b-b-ut Trump!
Attaboy, Joey.
DCSCA (0a72ba) — 4/3/2023 @ 6:45 pmIt should’ve been shot down in Montana at the latest, where cows had a greater risk of getting hurt from the ChiCom spy balloon.
Paul Montagu (8f0dc7) — 4/3/2023 @ 7:19 pmNASA Names Astronauts to Next Moon Mission, First Crew Under Artemis
NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) announced the four astronauts who will venture around the Moon on Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA’s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration through Artemis. The agencies revealed the crew members Monday during an event at Ellington Field near NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston.
The crew assignments are as follows: Commander Reid Wiseman, Pilot Victor Glover, Mission Specialist 1 Christina Hammock Koch, and Mission Specialist 2 Jeremy Hansen. They will work as a team to execute an ambitious set of demonstrations during the flight test.
https://www.nasa.gov/press-release/nasa-names-astronauts-to-next-moon-mission-first-crew-under-artemis
Memo to Bill Nelson & constipated NASA on your crewed Artemis moon fly around:
Apollo 8 was conceived in August, 1968; planned, a crew trained and successfully flown just four months later, in December, 1968 — including 10 lunar orbits included no less.
Quit the marketing and stop telling us what you’re going to do: just GO DO IT.
DCSCA (0a72ba) — 4/3/2023 @ 8:07 pmHi Paul.
steveg (d930cf) — 4/3/2023 @ 10:53 pmI’m disappointed, because we are so worried about re-election in this country that we never seem to tell the truth anymore. The spin I’ll buy into is that, “hopefully, fingers crossed”, the CIA and other spooks fed the Chinesers (h/t happyfeet for the malapropism) fed the ROC a bunch of misinformation and malware. Not because I really believe they actually did, but it is the only alternative to my natural bent to a deep, deep cynicism. One reason I’m prone to believe my own crappy cynical takes is the absolute cheap ass sell outs Americans are. In 1978 a top secret manual for the USA KeyHole satellite spy was sold to the Soviet Union for $3000. In todays money, that would be $13,842.33. I’d also include the American at Los Alamos who supplied the Soviets with atomic bomb information for free.
NBC now says the Chinese balloon was collecting and transmitting real-time data as it passed over military installations. We were assured the opposite by the Bidenistas. Odd?
But they said they were afraid it might fall and hit someone in Montana or North Dakota! More likely, Biden couldn’t get his thumb out.
Kevin M (1ea396) — 4/3/2023 @ 11:05 pmhttps://www.washingtonexaminer.com/restoring-america/faith-freedom-self-reliance/desantis-makes-us-constitutional-carry-after-florida-gun-bill
We are always told by the leftists on the Supreme Court that when a few leftist states pass laws “expanding rights” that it’s a consensus and must be the law of the land. Well now a majority of states are actually following the Constitution. When is the Court going to do it’s job and enforce the law on the rest of the nation?
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/4/2023 @ 4:33 amhttps://legalinsurrection.com/2023/04/half-of-the-cdc-team-investigating-east-palestine-spill-fell-ill-with-symptoms-similar-to-residents/
and
This has all the hallmarks of the government doing another Tuskegee experiment where undesirables are abused and harmed by a malicious government.
NJRob (eb56c3) — 4/4/2023 @ 5:00 amPeople are devising strategy on their own for Donald Trump. Like the change of venue to Staten Island.
Number one, that’s difficult to get and number 2, it is about publicity. and Trump’s lawyer said Joe Tacopina (I think) said When he represented Harvey Weinstein and filed papers asking for that, the clerk asked him just where would he take the case?
Sammy Finkelman (86fc01) — 4/4/2023 @ 6:23 amHis best chance is the tolling of the statute. If anybody gets the benefit of the doubt for the time he was President but still officially residing, voting, paying taxes, and otherwise subject to all the duties and obligations of a New York resident, it should be the defendant, Trump, and not the government. That counting days is Mickey Mouse
nk (bb1548) — 4/4/2023 @ 6:40 amMatt Taibbi blasts MSNBC
https://www.racket.news/p/msnbc-sucks?r=5mz1&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
Trigger warning: Contains mild criticism of Evan McMullin for saying about the Steele dossier: “Much of it has been validated”. McMullin said this while wearing his “you will respect my authoritah as ex-CIA spook” button on MSNBC
steveg (d930cf) — 4/6/2023 @ 9:09 pm