Glenn Kirschner – Trump’s incriminating statements at CNN town hall WILL be used against him at trial
MSNBC – Tuberville on white nationalists in the military: ‘I call them Americans’
Thom Hartmann – Can Impeaching Clarence Thomas Save America From Corruption?
Rocky Mountain Mike – Hello Carlson
Grandpa Is Smitten With His New Puppy
Beau – Let’s talk about everything on the table with SCOTUS….
We can’t leave the historic week of Trump being UNANIMOUSLY found GUILTY of SEX ABUSE AND DEFAMATION in UNDER three hours without marking the occasion for posterity.
There were a number of options open to me on how best to commemorate this historic marker, but I decided to go primarily with editorial cartoons.
One of the surprising things I came across while doing my research was Fox News actually showing a clip of TFG’s deposition where he incorrectly identifies his victim, E. Jean Carroll – someone he has repeatedly claimed as “Not my type”, as Marla Maples, his second wife.
And then when his mistake is pointed out to him, he immediately responds that the photo was “very blurry”.
For the record, here’s the actual photo marked as an Exhibit that was shown to TFG (blurry, my A$$):
[SIDEBAR: To be honest, I have no idea why his team of lawyers (NOT exactly a stellar lineup) let Trump repeatedly go with his “Not my type” as a defense. It implies that if Ms. Carroll were his type, then his sexual abuse of her would have been OK.]
In going through dozens and dozens of cartoons the most common theme was Lady Justice exacting her well-deserved retribution. So I put them together as a GIF and grouped similar ones sequentially.
I’ll let Ms. Carroll introduce the other Lady Justices:
[Reportedly the one with Lady Justice grabbing & dragging TFG by his balls was banned by Elon Musk’s Twitter]
Moving on to individual cartoons, I particularly enjoyed the one with Ms. Carroll doing a parody of Trump’s infamous Access Hollywood quote:
There were quite a few that focused on his tiny hands – and I particularly got a kick out of the one mocking his itsy-bitsy, teeny-weeny paws:
The handcuff drawing raises a frequent question with folks wondering that since TFG was found GUILTY of sexual abuse, will he have to register as a sex offender. Unfortunately for us (but fortunately for him) the answer is no. Since this was a civil lawsuit rather than criminal case, he will not have to register.
But I still enjoyed this cartoon by Clay Bennett dealing with that issue:
A couple of times I’ve read about Team TFG really searching for a silver lining by pointing out that while found guilty of sexual abuse, he was not found guilty of rape:
That’s like the classic joke asking Abraham Lincoln’s wife:
“Other than that Mrs. Lincoln, how was your night at the theater?”
Trump has long voiced thoughts that he belongs up on Mount Rushmore – even Tweeting out a picture of himself lined up like a fifth face.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
Later adding:
“Never suggested it [to Gov. Noem (R-SD)] although, based on all of the many things accomplished during the first 3 1/2 years, perhaps more than any other Presidency, sounds like a good idea to me!”
Well, Donny, as the saying goes, “Be careful what you wish for”.
Certainly looks like the appropriate cast of miscreants Trump would be comfortable with. I think we can all agree with Obi-Wan Kenobi’s assessment:
“You will never find a more wretched hive of scum and villainy.”
And like the other criminals in the Mount Rushmore tableau, the main question now is how many more shoes will drop …
Looking forward to hearing more from Georgia and Special Prosecutor Jack Smith!
Yesterday, I got an email advising me that eight fake electors in Georgia have accepted immunity. You probably saw or heard that, but it’s such good news I wanted to make sure you did. Also, anyone here who plays yesterday’s New Yorker Name Drop is going to get it. Maybe not on the first two clues, but at least one of the last four will give it away. Finally, there’s a petition which is sponsored by several groups, one of which is Faithful America, which is how I heard of it. It asks Congress tp pass the Supreme Court Ethics Act.
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HuffPost – Kansas City Council Votes To Become Sanctuary For Trans Health Care
Quote – Kansas City council members agreed by an 11-1 vote to bar city personnel from punishing individuals who seek out gender-affirming care or the organizations that provide gender-affirming care. They also instructed city personnel to make it their “lowest priority” to cooperate with enforcing state law targeting trans health care. “Kansas City government is committed to ensuring Kansas City is a welcoming, inclusive, and safe place for everyone, including our transgender and LGBTQ+ community,” Mayor Quinton Lucas (D) said in a statement.
Click through for details. Nameless has every right to be bursting with pride for his city (if not for the state which made this necessary.)
Crooks & Liars – Does Congress Have Power To Override The President’s Duty?
Quote – Lawrence O’Donnell invited constitutional law professor Laurence Tribe onto his show last night to explain how he changed his thinking on Biden using the 14th Amendment as authority to pay the nation’s debt. “What I changed my mind about is, what is the right question to ask,” Tribe said…. [“T]he real question isn’t what powers the president have. It is, what duties the president has. Does the president have a duty to execute all of the laws of the United States, the ones that Congress passed, telling him to spend money? He does have that duty.”
Click through for article. Put like that, it is a no-brainer.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Jury finds Donald Trump liable in E. Jean Carroll case: Three main takeaways from the verdict
The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party – May 9, 2023
MSNBC – ‘He has a tough road ahead of him’: Fmr. Asst. Manhattan DA on George Santos’ indictment
Parody Project – I THANK YOU (not)
These Two Feral Cats Will Restore Your Faith In True Love
Beau – Let’s talk about how a fake debt ceiling can hurt….
Yesterday (all tornado warnings having expired at 7:34 pm the previous night), the precipitation continued, but it was mostly rain. I said that quarter-sized hail would not be breaking any car windows, and I stick to that, because automotive glass is tempered. I didn’t promise no windows in buildings would break, and I didn’t promise there would be no hail bigger than quarter-size. Tennis-ball size was reported along I-70, and some golf-ball-size was photographed with a quarter to show the difference. One tornado was reported, in Morgan County (way northeast of me) which lasted from 5:55 to 6:45. I guess I’m going to have to put up a sign that says “Do not touch my roof. It’s under warranty and you are not certified by Gerard.” Because the roof vultures will be around as soon as the sun is back. Springtime in the Rockies!
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Colorado Public Radio – [Democratic Rep. Joe] Neguse is reintroducing a bill in Congress that would boost pay and benefits for wildland firefighters
Quote – Now Neguse is reintroducing Tim’s Act, a bill to increase federal firefighter pay and benefits, with fellow Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of California. Tim Hart was a smokejumper who lost his life fighting a wildfire in New Mexico in 2021. Neguse credits Tim’s wife, Michelle, as one of the driving forces behind the legislation. Neguse and Porter pushed some parts of the bill across the finish line last Congress, such as improving retirement benefits and a temporary increase in pay through the bipartisan infrastructure bill. But Neguse wants to finish the job.
Click through for details. Speaking of weather, it’s nice to have a bit of good news, even if it’s currently tentative. Yes, our (primary) fire season runs right through our hail season (and beyond.) Not that we can’t have fires just about any time. As can California.
Crooks and Liars – Nine GOP Senators (All On Judiciary) Got Checks From Harlan Crow
Quote – “There should be bipartisan outrage about the undisclosed gifts and travel billionaire megadonor Harlan Crow has given Justice Thomas,” Accountable.US president Kyle Herrig said last month. “Senate Judiciary Republicans should join their Democratic colleagues to act. However, their silence so far may be because they have received hundreds of thousands of dollars from Crow as well.”
Click through for full list, including pictures of 8 of the 9. You will recognize every name. Every one of them is nationally known (and not for any positive reason.)
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Judge finally issues gag order/protective order, restricting Donald Trump’s speech and posts
The Lincoln Project – This Is Who He Is
Thom Hartmann – Mass Shooters: Ugly Truth About Pathetic Men Revealed By Former Psycho Therapist
Puppet Regime – Putin gets introspective
MAN vs ELEPHANT: Baby Elephant Plays with KBC Journalist
Beau – Let’s talk about Biden, the FBI, and Republican pursuits….
Yesterday, there was a “tornadic thunderstorm” in our general area. It was reported as 30-some miles north of Colorado Springs and moving north/northwest (I am just south of Colorado Springs’ southern city limit.) No threat to me, but I had not heard the term “tornadic thunderstorm” before. It’s quite evocative. Our summer thunderstorms often bring hail, and they mentioned quarter-sized hail (which is not going to break any windshields.) The Weather Service announcement didn’t say so, but, looking at Weather Underground, there may be more tomorrow. I tend to stay indoors anyway, and yesterdat was not (and today will not) be exceptions. Also, if you haven’t read aboout the Biden-McCarthy-Schumer-McConnel meeting and want to, Heather Cox Richardson has it covered.
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Stuff That Needs to Be Said – Teachers Are Superheroes
Quote (from the email) – Five years ago I wrote a blog post called Teachers are Superheroes. I spoke from a place of deep gratitude and awe for the teachers I see in action every day—in my community, and in the lives of my own children. I wrote about the challenges they face and the burdens they bear. Little did I know that five years later those burdens would be so much heavier and the threats to them so much more coordinated and serious.
Click through for original column from 2018. This is Teacher Appreciation Week. His explanatory email also provided ideas for concrete ways to support teachers IRL:
* Volunteer your time at local schools to take some of the burdens from overworked teachers.
* Donate supplies so teachers don’t have to use their personal resources in order to serve their students.
* Attend school board meetings and help offer dissenting voices to the increasingly incendiary Conservative presence there to intimidate.
* Vote in school board elections. Do your research and help elect candidates who are champions of public education and advocates for teachers.
* Publicly advocate for funding for teachers and their schools.
* Join or support local teacher organizations.
* Show gratitude to local teachers with cards, gift cards, movie tickets, and spa certificates.
* Spread awareness on social media to help people understand the threats and the adversity that teachers are experiencing.
* Form a parent advocacy group whose job it is to serve as a watchdog for school policies and practices that undermine teachers.
CPR News – We’re publishing a series about tobacco in Colorado. Here’s why
Quote – Tobacco is the number one cause of preventable and premature death in Colorado.
Read that again. Tobacco kills the most Coloradans. Not opioids, not guns, not car crashes — not even COVID-19. Every year, more than 5,000 people die because of their own habits. And yet, no one is talking about it. It’s rarely in the headlines.
Click through for the story. It’s not like we don’t have our share of guns – and it’s arguable that Columbine started it – and yet, tobacco is deadlier still. There’s a link to the first episode, which is already out. I’ve been remarkably lucky for a former smoker (of course I’ve been free for 47 years this month) but I’m well aware of the possible consequences.
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – After saying he will testify in E. Jean Carroll trial, Donald Trump … punks out, fails to testify
The Lincoln Project – Proud Boys
Farron Balanced – Trump Rushes Back To New York As His Lawyer Botches Assault Trial
Shirley Serban – I’m So Critical (a song fpr Karens. Feel free to pause it to read the tweets.)
This Cat Is Obsessed With Her Lizard Brother
Beau – Let’s talk about two Senate plans for the debt ceiling….