I have been writing this post for weeks. It’s over 21,000 words, which is the length of a short novella. I am spent. The first half is free for all, and explains why I think Judge Tanya Chutkan might deny a Trump administration request to dismiss the January 6 case. The reasoning has to do with Criminal Rule of Procedure 48, the Hillside Strangler case, the Michael Flynn case, and opinions from the Office of Legal Counsel.
The post is long, but I will give you the very abbreviated version here. Criminal Rule of Procedure 48 requires leave of court to dismiss a pending indictment. Case law gives courts only a very limited role in deciding whether to grant leave of court, but the history of the rule shows that a court need not grant a dismissal when the request for dismissal is “tainted with impropriety.” This issue came up when the Trump administration tried to dismiss the Michael Flynn case after Flynn had pled guilty. Arguably a dismissal request that is “tainted with impropriety” includes a situation where the defendant orders his own case to be dismissed. The key point is this: denying dismissal would not force the prosecution to move forward immediately. The case would be stayed during Trump’s presidency in any event. The only question is whether it is stayed during his presidency or dismissed. Judge Chutkan might choose to simply stay the case rather than dismiss it.
Among other things. I imagine a proceeding between Judge Chutkan and Trump’s new Acting Attorney General. Excerpt:
KEN PAXTON: It is the Government’s position that the Court has no role in making any such determinations at all. As we argued in our papers, dismissal is exclusively within the Executive’s purview. This Court, as a part of the Article III judicial branch, simply has no authority to second-guess the Executive when it comes to a motion to dismiss. It would violate the separation of powers for the Court to arrogate to itself such a core executive power.
JUDGE CHUTKAN: I believe that under Rule 48 and under Ammidown I have a more substantial role than that, Mr. Paxton. And so, to make it clear for the record, I am today ruling that for me to grant leave of court for this dismissal, I must be “satisfied that the reasons advanced for the proposed dismissal are substantial” and that you have not abused your discretion in making the motion. I have the authority to deny this motion if I find the dismissal “contrary to the public interest.” And so today, I will examine whether the dismissal serves “due and legitimate prosecutorial interests,” or whether, on the contrary, it is instead a “sham or a deception.”
In the second half, for paid subscribers, I give you an earful about why I think the Trump immunity decision is historically bad. Excerpt:
What in the Constitution gives a president power to order that people be framed for crimes that never happened? In an Orwellian twist, the Supreme Court tells us that one source of that power flows from the president’s power to “take Care that the Laws be faithfully executed.”
In order to ensure that the president may vigorously take care that the laws are faithfully executed, you see, we must make sure he feels free to order the Justice Department to frame people for crimes.
That is an entirely fair characterization of the majority’s opinion. It’s not how they would phrase it, of course. But my characterization flows directly from the language of the opinion.
Relatives of Ukrainian prisoners of war returned home testify to the ongoing atrocities committed by Russian soldiers as the war grinds on:
The return to Ukraine of the bodies of prisoners of war without internal organs may be evidence that they are used in Russia for transplantation. “We receive not only tortured bodies, but also bodies that, unfortunately, have no organs,” a wife of one of the prisoners said.
”This confirms the fact that the black market of organ transplantation in the Russian Federation is working. And, unfortunately, it works with our prisoners of war. That is why I believe that this should be reported to the whole world in order to stop this crime,” said the wife of one of the prisoners of war.
. . .
She emphasized that Russia refuses to return and include prisoners of war from the Mariupol garrison in the exchange lists.
Of course when considering the Ukraine-Russia war and the upcoming election, concerns run to the seeming indifference of JD Vance. I saw this excerpt from an interview he did with Ross Douthat last month. In part:
First, he argued that weapons being sent to Ukraine were needed to deter China from invading or blockading Taiwan.
That is not an isolationist argument, but one very close to Elbridge Colby’s in the book “Strategy of Denial.”
Second, he reiterated that he had been skeptical of the viability of Ukraine’s counteroffensive last year, which the Biden administration backed despite the obvious military difficulties of what was being attempted.
. . .
No. 1 . . . you freeze the territorial lines somewhere close to where they are right now.
No. 2 is you guarantee both Kyiv’s independence but also its neutrality. It’s the fundamental thing the Russians have asked from the beginning. I’m not naïve here. I think the Russians have asked for a lot of things dishonestly, but neutrality is clearly something that they see as existential for them.
And then No. 3, there’s going to have to be some American security assistance over the long term.
Asked by Douthat, “You agree it’s not in our interest right now for the Russians to roll through the rest of Ukraine?”
Vance replied: “No, it is not in our interest.”
Second news item
I would think every American would pounce on this:
Republicans seized immediately on images of burning U.S. flags and vandalism at Washington, D.C.’s Union Station following Benjamin Netanyahu’s speech as evidence of widespread antisemitism and a harbinger of what can happen under Democratic control of government.
“Pro-terror, anti-Israel agitators are vandalizing federal property, removing American flags, and replacing them with Palestinian flags steps away from the United States Capitol,” said Sen. John Barrasso (R-Wyo.), a member of Senate GOP leadership, on X. “This is inexcusable, and I expect them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”
Per the report, two Democrats chimes in with the Republican complaints:
“I never imagined seeing the flag of a terror group holding eight Americans hostage for 292 days waved in the streets of our nation’s Capitol,” Rep. Dean Phillips (D-Minn.) wrote alongside an image of a protester waving the Hamas flag.
“The Jew hate and anti-American garbage coming out of college campuses this spring didn’t end with the last day of school,” wrote Rep. Jake Auchincloss (D-Mass). “College presidents, you’re on notice: Enforce your codes of conduct from day one of the fall semester.”
The de facto Democratic presidential nominee weighed in too:
“I condemn any individuals associating with the brutal terrorist organization Hamas, which has vowed to annihilate the State of Israel and kill Jews. Pro-Hamas graffiti and rhetoric is abhorrent and we must not tolerate it in our nation,” the vice president said in the statement issued by her office. “I condemn the burning of the American flag. That flag is a symbol of our highest ideals as a nation and represents the promise of America. It should never be desecrated in that way.”
It’s so easy to break and destroy things. Any fool can do it. The harder task is to build something that will last and reminds Americans and the world, that the land of the free and the brave is, still.
Harris was not empowered to oversee the administration’s policing efforts on the border, spearhead negotiations on the Hill to reform U.S. asylum law, or negotiate deportation regimes with the nations beyond Mexico’s borders from which most migrants were coming. She was charged with “talking” to the leaders of Mexico and the nations that make up Central America’s “Northern Triangle” to address the “root causes” of migration. You know, “gang violence and trafficking and cartels,” the president said at the time, but also “natural disasters, hurricanes, floods, earthquakes.” If the vice president had the power to mitigate phenomena like that, she’d be overqualified to merely preside over the Senate.
In fact, Harris wasn’t granted any power at all, and she treated the role with which she’d been saddled like the burden it was. Within weeks, her conspicuous failure to even visit the border she’d been tasked to oversee became a political liability — one her lack of political talent only made worse. But within a few months of her accession to the role, Harris started producing the only results she could: A commitment from twelve private companies to “invest” in the region, the deployment of a USAID disaster team to provide “food assistance” and “poverty reduction,” and roughly $300 million in humanitarian assistance.
Readers are reminded: If Harris’s own boss could not trust her with some of the awesome duties and powers of his office, why should we?
I don’t know where this idea came from that you have to look the other way on illegal immigration or you’re racist, but every other country on earth secures their border and America should too. It’s utterly reasonable to want a functional border, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise.
Democrats should make securing the border and fixing our immigration system a top priority.
Drugs. Sex trafficking. Terrorism. There are a million risks to doing nothing on the issue. And, the drain on local resources is real.
Fourth news item
Repellant, indeed:
It is both moronic and morally bankrupt and since this sort of thing does not help the Palestinian cause at all and actually turns people against it, it is another example that some of this movement regard the Palestinians as just one banner in a wide and egregious charge…
— S Sebag Montefiore (@simonmontefiore) July 26, 2024
I’m so proud of my girl, Kamala. Barack and I are so excited to endorse her as the Democratic nominee because of her positivity, sense of humor, and ability to bring light and hope to people all across the country. We’ve got your back, @KamalaHarris! pic.twitter.com/xldcZeDXuS
California Gov. Gavin Newsom ordered state agencies Thursday to start removing homeless encampments on state land in his boldest action yet following a Supreme Court ruling allowing cities to enforce bans on sleeping outside in public spaces.
This executive order directs state agencies “to move urgently to address dangerous encampments while supporting and assisting the individuals living in them.” It also provides guidance for cities and counties to do the same, which applies pressure on them, though they are not legally bound to the order.
California Senate Republicans are calling out Gov. Gavin Newsom for what they say is a “PR stunt,” after he announced a new initiative to dismantle homeless encampments across the state through an executive order. . . Senate Minority Leader Brian W. Jones [said] “I introduced a proposal earlier this year that would have provided even greater and more immediate solutions. While I am cautiously optimistic that the governor has finally taken note of the urgency of this problem, albeit many years later than needed, Californians deserve government for the people, not the PR hits.” Senate Bill 1011, introduced by Jones and all Senate Republicans in February, was a bipartisan effort that would have gone even further in clearing homeless encampments but was rejected by Democrats in the Senate Committee on Public Safety.
Seventh news item
If President Biden is too old and too cognitively challenged to run again, how do you defend a 78-year old man who wants to become the next president but simply cannot stop babbling about Hannibal Lecter, whom he seems to believe was a real person?:
Former president and Republican candidate Donald Trump has addressed his repeated references to the fictional murderer and cannibal Hannibal Lecter, from the book and movie “The Silence of the Lambs.”
During his Wednesday rally in Charlotte, North Carolina, Trump appeared to explain why he keeps praising the character, saying it was because they are “real stories.”
“They go crazy when I say the late, great Hannibal Lecter. They say, ‘Why would he mention Hannibal Lecter? He must be cognitively in trouble.’ No. These are real stories. Hannibal Lecter from ‘Silence of the Lamb,’ is a lovely man. He wants to have you for dinner,” he said.
Trump has mentioned the character several times before during speeches.
The Harris campaign has requested vetting materials from the following potential vice presidential nominee picks:
NC Gov. Roy Cooper
PA Gov. Josh Shapiro
AZ Sen. Mark Kelly
MI Gov. Gretchen Whitmer
MN Gov. Tim Walz
(Although his name has been floated as a possible running mate and he came out of the gate criticizing JD Vance and his view of Appalachians, Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear is not on the list. Kentucky is not a swing state.)
Note: Pennsylvania, Michigan, Arizona and North Carolina are among the critical battleground states that Harris may need to win the Electoral College in November.
“I’m not planning to go anywhere,” Whitmer said. “I’m not leaving Michigan. I’m proud to be the governor of Michigan. I have been consistent. I know everyone is always suspicious and asking this question over and over again – I know you’re doing your job – I’m not going anywhere.”
The DNC has set August 7 as the deadline to have a running mate selected:
“In order to be on the ballot in all 50 states, we have to have all of this wrapped up by August 7. So, if the nominee so chooses…we will likely have our VP nominee also by August 7,” Harrison said.
My fellow Democrats, I have decided not to accept the nomination and to focus all my energies on my duties as President for the remainder of my term. My very first decision as the party nominee in 2020 was to pick Kamala Harris as my Vice President. And it’s been the best… pic.twitter.com/x8DnvuImJV
Meanwhile, Republicans are calling on President Biden to resign, claiming that:
“If Joe Biden can’t run for re-election, he is unable and unfit to serve as President of the United States. He must immediately resign,” said a member of House Republican leadership.
This just strikes me as a silly argument factually (smart politically though). If Biden broke a hip, he couldn’t run — literally or figuratively — but he could still serve out his term. Cancer might make another term unwise but not require resignation.
But the issue isn’t a broken bone or cancer. The issue is mental cognition and acuity. That is a very different animal than a broken bone or disease like cancer (unless it is a cancer that impacts the mental function). Nonetheless, I believe he should be allowed to finish out his term. If for no other reason, consistency. That he is stepping down is going to cause a commotion. But if that meant tomorrow, it would beget a season of confusion and anger.
Donald Trump’s reaction to President Biden’s announcement:
Crooked Joe Biden is the Worst President, by far, in the History of our Nation. He has done everything possible to destroy our Country, from our Southern Border, to Energy Dominance, National Security, International Standing, and so much more. He was annihilated in an Earth Shattering Debate, and now the Corrupt and Radical Democrats are throwing him overboard. He was not fit to serve from the very beginning, but the people around him lied to America about his Complete and Total Mental, Physical, and Cognitive Demise. Whoever the Left puts up now will just be more of the same. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday welcomed Sen. JD Vance’s (Ohio) position on U.S. military and economic support for Ukraine following former President Trump’s announcement he tapped the Ohio lawmaker as his running mate.
“He’s in favor of peace, he’s in favor of ending the assistance that’s being provided and we can only welcome that because that’s what we need — to stop pumping Ukraine full of weapons and then the war will end,” Lavrov said in a press conference Wednesday, according to a translation by Reuters.
When Russia welcomes a candidate to the world stage, you know you’ve got a problem. Especially when said candidate has already said that he doesn’t care what happens to Ukraine one way or the other.
Sadly, there’s only one way the war will end if it’s a “quick end”:
Like Trump, his running mate has called for a quick end to the war — which Zelensky’s camp considers code for a demand that it cede territory to Russia, consigning Ukrainian citizens in occupied cities, towns and villages to a brutal fate.
In February, Vance startled some attendees at the Munich Security Conference, a showcase gathering for the Western foreign policy establishment, by minimizing the Russian threat to Europe, and showing no interest in engaging with those who wanted to talk about why a Russian victory would be so dangerous.
Publicly, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has telegraphed confidence his government can weather whatever storm might be approaching.
On Monday, he told reporters in Kyiv that “we will work together” with any U.S. leadership.
Third news item
A century ago, presidential candidates were made of something wholly different than today’s contenders. I suspect that voters’ had higher expectations of their presidents back then:
In addition, it was clear to voters by 1924 that Calvin Coolidge was a man of unimpeachable integrity. He was the embodiment of classic New England virtues: Honesty, thrift, lack of pretense, dignity, and common sense. The taint of the emerging Harding scandals left Coolidge unscathed.
. . .
While Davis was not well known among voters, he — like Coolidge — presented two defining attributes. He was from the conservative wing of the Democratic party, which had long championed Jeffersonian values of limited government. In addition to establishing an impressive record of accomplishment as a constitutional lawyer, Davis was seen as a man of deep integrity, who might bring unity to the fractured Democrats.
As columnist Walter Lippmann noted, “Davis’ nomination was the result of confidence in his character rather than of studied agreement with his views.”
California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a law Monday prohibiting schools from informing parents when students change their pronouns in school. The Support Academic Futures and Educators for Today’s Youth (SAFETY) Act also imposes responsibilities on the State Department of Education to develop resources to “increase support for LGBTQ pupils.”
According to the California legislature’s LGBTQ caucus, the SAFETY Act is necessary to prevent school boards from outing the gender identity of students. In July 2023 several schools passed so-called “forced outing” policies, which required teachers to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender. The SAFETY Act bans that practice, standardizing the obligations of teachers across California. The bill enjoyed broad support from LGBTQ groups as well as the California Teachers Association, a large teachers union in the state.
California’s ban on “forced outings” of trans and non-binary students in schools is being challenged in court by a local school district with a policy requiring parents to be notified of changes in a student’s name or pronoun.
Since July 2023, several California school boards voted to pass policies requiring teachers to notify parents if their child identifies as transgender or changes the name or pronouns other than what aligns with the sex they were assigned at birth. The Chino Valley Unified School District is one of these districts to pass such a policy.
Chino Valley School District was sued in August 2023 by California Attorney General Rob Bonta for its enforcement of such policy.
Informing a parent of their child’s new gender identity should not be referred to as a “forced outing”. We are not talking about a public outing a student at a board meeting. We are talking about parents being informed about the mental health of their child, for whom they are responsible. Such manipulative language. But of course, that’s the point. Whether anyone likes the outcome of what parents do with the information should be beside the point. And it’s ridiculous to have to say this, but of course any sort of illegal acts of retribution against the child is a different matter altogether. But this should not negate the school’s responsibility to the parents. Additionally, if students are transitioning, do schools really think it’s wise to treat parents as the enemy? Wouldn’t it be in the child’s best interest to include the very people who love this kid like no other and have an emotional investment in them to a depth that the school never could? It’s ridiculous to think that a school could actually facilitate or deal with this huge change without the parents’ knowledge. Utter hubris.
The trans community [Ed. and pro-trans school districts] can’t have it both ways. That being trans is a health care issue that can cause suicide and that minors need health care access before puberty does lifelong damage. But also, it’s not of the parents’ business? These are two mutually exclusive attitudes…getting those kids psychological care is the higher priority.
New Biden campaign email just now: "Joe Biden has made it more than clear: He’s in this race and he’s in it to win it. Moreover, he’s the presumptive nominee — there is no plan for an alternative nominee. In a few short weeks, Joe Biden will be the official nominee."
President Biden is “absolutely” staying in the presidential race, campaign chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” on Friday, calling him the “best person to take on Donald Trump.” Her assessment comes amid growing calls from Democrats for Biden to step aside.
And then there is this political ad by the newly formed Pass the Torch group. It will begin running on the Morning Joe Show this coming Monday:
Evan Gershkovich, the Wall Street Journal reporter falsely accused by Russian authorities of spying, was sentenced to 16 years in a high-security penal colony, after being wrongfully convicted in a hurried, secret trial that the U.S. government has condemned as a sham.
The court’s Friday verdict—after three days of hearings—was widely viewed as a foregone conclusion, since acquittals in Russian espionage trials are exceedingly rare. Gershkovich was afforded few of the protections normally accorded to defendants in the U.S. and other Western countries.
From Wall Street Journal publisher and editor in chief: This disgraceful, sham conviction comes after Evan has spent 478 days in prison, wrongfully detained, away from his family and friends, prevented from reporting, all for doing his job as a journalist.
Seventh news item
RIP to the stammering and hilarious master of deadpan comedy, Bob Newhart:
Postscript: A beautiful resignation letter from Ben Sasse, a man who clearly has his priorities in order:
Dear Gator Nation and cherished friends,
This isn’t an easy note to write but wanted to give you an update on our family. As many of you know, my wife Melissa suffered an aneurysm and series of strokes in 2007. Back then, the docs prepared us for the worst, but – in God’s providence – she made an incredible comeback. In the years since – from Nebraska to DC to Florida – she kept our family grounded while I missed too many family dinners, little league games, hugs, and tears. She’s the strongest person I know. We’ve battled some nasty seizures the last couple years, but she’s always remained a warrior.
In recent months, Melissa has been diagnosed with epilepsy and has been struggling with a new batch of memory issues. It’s been hard, but we’ve faced it together. A lot of late nights, a lot of hard decisions, and a lotta “what matters most?” conversations.
Our two wonderful daughters are in college, but our youngest is just turning 13. I’ve got two spectacular callings in life right now: First, I’m a husband and dad. Second, I’ve been blessed to serve as president of the best dang public university in America – Go Gators! – and I’ve loved the challenge of giving this university everything I’ve got. But here’s the bottom line: Those callings are significantly at odds with each other right now. Gator Nation needs a president who can keep charging hard, Melissa deserves a husband who can pull his weight, and my kids need a dad who can be home many more nights.
After extensive prayer and lots of family tears, I today asked UF Chair Mori Hosseini and our Board of Trustees to initiate a search for a new president of the university. I need to step back for a time and focus more on the needs of my family while we rebuild more stable household systems.
I’m going to remain involved in serving our UF students — past, present, and future — but I need to walk arm-in-arm with my dearest friend more hours of every week.
I’m grateful for our board’s support. Mori and the board have giant hearts – for this university and for this community. It’s easy to see why.
I’m grateful for you, Gator Nation. You’ve welcomed our family with open arms. Professors who change the world, students who pack the Swamp, men and women who do the unsung work of keeping a big place like this rolling (shout out to the third-shift maintenance crews, the early morning cafeteria workers, and the Ben Hill Griffin cleanup team). We love you. You touched our hearts and made this more than a job – you made it our community. That’s why we’re not going anywhere.
Our family is staying here in Gainesville. I’ll be here as President Emeritus and professor, continuing to teach classes.
It’s great to be a Florida Gator! … It’s even greater to be a husband and a dad.
While the investigations into the the security failures that lead to Donald Trump being the target of an assassination attempt are ongoing, and because it’s difficult to sort through everything, I’ve put up an open thread where you can post updates. Also, feel free to share your theories but avoid the silly type of false accusation that Trump’s newly announced running mate, J.D. Vance, made (just two hours after the incident took place and before any formal investigation had begun.) [Ed. You might ask, what kind of clueless public figure makes an accusation *before* a thorough investigation has taken place? I’ll tell you who: the two doofuses who are the Republican and Democratic contenders for the vice-presidency: J.D. Vance and Kamala Harris, that’s who!]
“Today is not just some isolated incident. The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs. That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”
Pffft!
In case Vance hadn’t noticed, Donald Trump indeed has strong authoritarian tendencies, and for the sake of our Republic, he must be prevented from holding office again. That’s not rhetoric – that’s the hard truth of the matter. Of course Vance knows this. . . Or knew this before his um, transformation. . .
F.B.I. officials told members of Congress on Wednesday that the gunman who tried to kill former President Donald J. Trump had used his cellphone to search for images of Mr. Trump and President Biden — and also searched for dates of Trump appearances and the Democratic National Convention. . .
The F.B.I. has not found any indication that the gunman, Thomas Crooks, had strong partisan political views, based on the two phones among his possessions. The absence of “any political or ideological information” at his home in Pennsylvania was “notable” because most politically motivated would-be assassins leave a discernible trail of views. . .
New details emerged Tuesday about a search for the gunman, who was first spotted acting strangely by a police sniper about 20 to 25 minutes before the shooting, according to a local law enforcement official. The sniper took a photo, which was circulated to law enforcement agencies at the rally. Though considered suspicious, he appeared to be unarmed and not an immediate threat, the official said.
After the gunman was killed, investigators found two improvised bombs in his car. The rudimentary devices were made with the kind of initiators used for fireworks shows and may have contained fertilizer. The devices were described in a report for law enforcement obtained by The New York Times.
Is President Biden now open to the possibility of stepping down? Maybe, if the circumstances are such:
President Joe Biden would reevaluate his decision to stay in the presidential race if doctors told him he had a medical issue, he said in an interview with BET News.
“If I had some medical condition that emerged,” Biden said, when asked if there was anything that would make him reconsider. “If doctors came to me and said, ‘You got this problem, that problem.’”
According to the report, Kevin O’Connor, the White House physician said that Biden was a “healthy, active, robust, 81-year-old male who remains fit to successfully execute the duties of the presidency.” Additionally, it was confirmed that the physical included a Nuerological examination.
And while the subject of President Biden’s age and competence are subjects his team is hoping to stifle, a leading Democrat called for him to step down today:
California Rep. Adam Schiff on Wednesday became the highest-profile Democrat to call for President Joe Biden to drop his reelection bid, even as the party pushed ahead with plans for a virtual vote to formally make Biden its nominee in the first week of August.
The move to schedule the roll call, which would come weeks before the Democratic National Convention opens in Chicago on Aug. 19, follows nearly 20 Democratic members of Congress calling on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race in the wake of his dismal debate performance against Republican former President Donald Trump last month.
P.S. President Biden has just tested positive for COVID. I suspect that this will hurt him as Democrats, still hanging on in support of him while concerned about his cognitive decline and overall health, will see this as some sort of sign of worse things to come – whether rightly or wrongly. And of course, I want to wish President Biden a speedy and full recovery
NEW – Shots fired at Trump rally while the former president was speaking:
Donald Trump was whisked off the stage at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania after apparent gunshots rang through the crowd.
The former president and presumptive Republican nominee was showing off a chart of border crossing numbers during his last rally before the Republican National Convention opens Monday when bangs started ringing through the crowd. Trump could be seen reaching with his right hand toward his neck. There appeared to be blood on his face.
He quickly ducked behind the riser as agents from his protective detail rushed the stage and screams were heard in the crowd of several thousand people. The bangs continued as agents tended to him on stage.
The crowd cheered as he got back up and pumped his fist.
His motorcade has since left the venue. His condition was not immediately known.
If you recall, I posted about “Pastor” Robert Morris of Gateway Church in Southland, Texas and his confession about “inappropriate sexual behavior with a young lady” sexually assaulting a 12-year old girl when he was a young pastor. Now, Lawrence Swicegood, executive director of Gateway Media, has released this statement:
The inappropriate relationship Robert had with Cindy took place…more than a decade before Gateway Church was started. Questions regarding Robert and Cindy should be addressed to them.
Clearly, Gateway Church has learned nothing through this debacle. A 12-year old girl and an adult male sexually assaulting her are not in any kind of relationship other than one of predator and victim. Referring to the crime committed against the 12-year old as a “relationship” is a pathetic attempt to minimize the vile behavior of a man who stood at a pulpit for decades instructing others how to live while covering up his own heinous behavior.
Lawyers for Donald Trump are urging a judge in New York to overturn his conviction and dismiss the hush-money case against the former president, arguing some evidence “tainted” the trial and should not have been allowed under the supreme court’s recent ruling on presidential immunity. According to the New York Post, among the “tainted” evidence is a conversation between Trump and then-Communications Director Hope Hicks, where Trump tells Hicks that “it was better” if the story surrounding his alleged affair with porn star Stormy Daniels came out after the 2016 election. “The use of official-acts evidence was a structural error under the federal Constitution,” lawyers Todd Blanche and Emil Bove wrote in a court filing dated July 10 but released on Thursday, according to The Guardian. “The jury’s verdicts must be vacated.”
Russian authorities on Thursday put the widow of deceased Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on a list of “terrorists and extremists,” continuing a sweeping Kremlin crackdown on the opposition.
Earlier this week, a Moscow court ordered the arrest of Yulia Navalnaya, who lives abroad, on charges of alleged involvement in an extremist group. The ruling means that Navalnaya would face arrest if and when she returns to Russia.
On Thursday, Russia’s Federal Service for Financial Monitoring followed up by adding Navalnaya to its list of “terrorists and extremists,” a designation that implies restrictions on bank transactions that has been widely used against opposition members.
It makes me happy that Putin views Yulia Navalnaya as a threat. Freedom, and those who advocate for it really scares the Kremlin thugs.
Adults in some U.S. states can now buy gun ammunition out of AI-powered vending machines right at their local grocery store.
The company that makes them argues it’s a safer way to sell ammo than online or off the shelf. But experts have raised concerns about increasing its availability in a country where gun violence is already widespread.
American Rounds LLC currently stocks its “automated ammo retail machines” in eight supermarkets across Alabama, Oklahoma and Texas (at least one was removed earlier this month from an Alabama location, per local news reports). They are launching another this week in Colorado and say many more are on the way.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky continued his push for President Biden to lift restrictions on Ukraine using American-provided weapons to strike up to 300 miles inside Russia, bolstered by the U.K.’s decision this week to lift similar limits on its long-distance Storm Shadow missiles.
While the Biden administration has given Ukraine the greenlight to strike beyond Russia’s border near the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, Zelensky is pushing for the U.S. to relent on its broader ban on striking military targets deep inside Russia, in place over concerns of provoking Russian President Vladimir Putin.
…
“We understand from what military base they attack us, and if they attacked us and killed our children in the hospital, that is crazy question why we can’t answer and attack this person, this military base, where from these guided bombs from jets, or missile came, targeted us, killed our children,” Zelensky said.
Sixth news item
I can’t criticize President Biden’s gaffes and flub-ups without pointing out that Donald Trump struggles with the same problem:
3 minutes straight of Donald Trump confusing and forgetting people's names, the names of cities he is in and more via @MeidasTouch. pic.twitter.com/zckq8KNmWV
This couldn’t happen at a worse time. All eyes are on the President assessing whether he can go the distance in this election campaign or he needs to step down. This won’t help. I feel for President Biden:
President Biden on Thursday mistakenly referred to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky as President Putin — the president of Russia — when introducing him at a NATO event, a gaffe that came shortly before a high-stakes press conference where his every word will be closely scrutinized.
“Now, I want to hand it over the president of Ukraine, who has as much courage as he has determination. Ladies and gentleman, President Putin,” Biden said.
“He’s going to beat President Putin. President Zelensky,” Biden said, quickly correcting himself. “I’m so focused on beating Putin, we’ve got to worry about it.”
“I’m better,” Zelensky quipped.
“You are, a hell of a lot better,” Biden added.
Does he come back from this? Is this what will tip the scales and further compel Nancy Pelosi to push harder behind the scenes for the President to step down? Is Hillary waiting in the wings waiting for her close-up? Is Kamala waiting with baited breath for her moment to word salad Americans daily from the Oval?
While the drama continues about whether President Biden will step down or press on in the presidential race, I thought I’d post about something not directly related to the presidential race.
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez filed articles of impeachment against Supreme Court Justices Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas today.
Regarding Justice Thomas, AOC argued:
“His conduct has caused a reasonable person to believe the gifts were offered and accepted in return for being influenced in the performance of an official act and from the same or different sources on a basis so frequent that a reasonable person would believe that he used his public office for his own private gain or for the private gain of his donors.”
Ocasio-Cortez contended that impeachment against Thomas was further warranted because he refused to recuse himself from election-related cases despite reports that his wife, Ginni, was involved in efforts by former President Donald Trump to overturn the results of the 2020 election. She argued that the justice had a legal obligation under federal law to step back from such litigation
Regarding Justice Alito, AOC pointed out that:
. . . the justice also declined to recuse himself from election-related cases after reports emerged that symbols of the “Stop the Steal” movement and Christian nationalism were displayed at two of his residences following the Capitol riot.
“Justice Samuel Alito, Jr., has engaged in a pattern of conduct that is incompatible with the trust and confidence placed in him as a justice of the Supreme Court,” the New York Democrat said, “by failing to disqualify himself from cases in which he had a personal bias or prejudice concerning a party.
Seeming to realize that this will likely go nowhere, AOC said that she did it because it was the right thing to do and that the justices’ behavior is “fundamentally incompatible” with service on the Supreme Court.
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