Glenn Kirschner – Powell & Chesebro plead guilty, flip, & agree to testify against Trump & others: Top 5 takeaways
The Lincoln Project – This Is Your Coup, Jim Jordan
MSNBC – Trump’s embrace of violence since leaving office
John Fugelsang – Kid Rock for Senate?
Wobbly Cat Adopts A Tiny, Wobbly Kitten
Beau – Let’s talk about how Biden’s trip changed….
Yesterday, Jim Jordan threw his support behind Steve Scalise, and a vote of the full House was held. The result was Scalise 113 to Jordan 99 (That adds up to 212, which, coincidentally, was the exact number of votes cast for Jeffries.) I am no fan of Scalise (except maybe = MAYBE – as compared to Gym Jordan) but he is at least predictable. Jordan and other MAGAts, you never know what cockamamie idea they will come up with nect – nor even whether they’re serious about it or just being outrageous. Planning is next to impossible. And then, after all that, Scalise dropped oout of the race! Also yesterday, the jury reached a verdict in the case of the two officers charged in the death of Elijah McClain (the forst of three trials for five defendants). From CPR: “One Aurora police officer was found guilty on Thursday for his role in the 2019 death of Elijah McClain. Randy Roedema has been convicted on the lesser charges of criminally negligent homicide and assault in the third degree. The other officer on trial, Jason Rosenblatt, was found not guilty.”
Cartoon –
Short Takes –
Daily Beast – North Carolina Republicans Are Creating a ‘Secret Police Force’
Quote – This new entity, formally known as the Joint Legislative Committee on Government Operations, or “Gov Ops” for short, will be chaired by Senate Leader Phil Berger (R) and House Speaker Tim Moore (R). It grants the state the authority to investigate various matters, including “possible instances of misfeasance, malfeasance, nonfeasance, mismanagement, waste, abuse, or illegal conduct.” Gov Ops, a product of North Carolina’s most recent state budget, was established via a comprehensive bill passed in late September. Despite Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper’s refusal to sign the legislation, the Republican majority in the state legislature pushed it through just 10 days later, thanks to their veto-proof majority and the state’s laws restricting the governor’s ability to make line-item vetoes. Gov Ops is slated to take effect next week.
Click through for more. I have fond memories of North Carolina from when I was stationed there. This kind of thing just sinks them as the iceberg sank the Titanic.
Atlanta Black Star – ‘Want to Go In … Start Flipping Over Desks’: Kamala Harris’ Supporters Race to Her Defense After Anonymous Staffer Criticizes Vice President for the ‘Amount of Time Dedicated to Hair Care’
Quote – According to The New York Times Magazine, Democrats have also insulted Harris and questioned her skill set. A top Democratic consultant reportedly claimed that the vice president “has a little Ron DeSantis in her.” Another Democrat donor said that Harris serving as the vice president “is not ideal, but there’s a hope she can rise to the occasion” as Biden’s running mate. One particularly petty microaggression revealed in the article noted the amount of time that the country’s first Black vice president spends grooming her hair. “Sometimes the arguments against her feel more petty,” said the article. “A member of Harris’ staff remarked on the amount of downtime the vice president schedules on trips, which includes an inordinate amount of time dedicated to hair care.”
Click through for full article. All of this is petty, and IMO clearly more misgynistic than racist. 2016 should have taught us that Democratic misogyny is a force which is powerful, and which needs to be considered if we don’t want to lose our democracy. But no one wants to hear that. I find it terribly painful that some of the finest minds and greatest talents in the nation are not electable. But I find the prospect of living in 1984 Orwell – or 1930’s and 40’s Stalin – or Russia or Iran today even more painful. Another lesson we should have learned even longer ago – this one as long ago as Reconstruction – is that bigotry cannot be eradicated by ignoring it or denying it exists.
Food For Thought
All of the legal vloggers (the usual suspects?) are off ba;lance just now. This is from last Friday, but it’s all I could find that was short enough to share, and it’s not without interest.
Department of Justice – This Week at Justice – October 6, 2023
The Lincoln Project – In Memory McCarthy
MSNBC – Hayes: ‘I can’t believe this needs to be said,’ but the GOP is to blame for the GOP chaos
John Fugelsang – “The Way of the Sidekick” with Ed McMahon
Guy Sees Puppies Dumped On Busy Highway
Beau – Let’s talk about Biden, walls, and laws…. (There is also a follow up to this here – I don’t have space for both, but the full picture really needs both)
Glenn Kirschner – Jim Jordan wants to be House speaker? A better fit for Jordan would be indicted Trump co-defendant.
The Lincoln Project – Broke
MSNBC – ‘This is nuts’: Former Rep reacts to ‘McCarthy’s spectacular fall’
Puppet Regime – Kim Jon Un: Swiftie
Stray Puppy Gets Rescued And Can’t Stop Jumping For Joy
Beau – Let’s talk about some paintings in Russia…. [Note fm JD – this is NOT about art]
Glenn Kirschner – Trump loses in NY court, AGAIN! His civil fraud trial on remaining counts to begin on Monday.
The Lincoln Project – Monster Impeachment Extravaganza
Robert Reich – Biden Chooses Workers Over Wall Street
Puppet Regime – Actors strike: Putin and Kim cross the picket line
Senior shelter cat desperately hugs woman for adoption
Beau – Let’s talk about McCarthy, Ukraine, and confusion….
Glenn Kirschner – Two of Trump’s RICO co-defendants, Chesebro & Powell, want speedy trial. This is bad news for Trump.
The Lincoln Project – Last Week in the Republican Party – August 22, 2023
Farron Balanced – Steve Bannon Attacks Fani Willis And Suggests We’re Close To ‘Revolution’
Rocky Mountain Mike – Headloose
Guy Risks Life To Rescue Cats From Trees
Beau – Let’s talk about how McCarthy can fix the House….
Yesterday, it became public that the Georgia Supreme Court has declined Trump**’s request to quash Fani Willis’s work and case. I’m not totally surprised at the decision, but I am at its speed – that was fast. Impressive. ALso yesterday, Judge Cannon advised the Trump** team that at today’s CIPA hearing, they need to be prepared to discuss trial datees seriously. It wasn’t exactly worded terribly forcibly, but it might be promising.
Cartoon – 18 0718Cartoon.jpg
Short Takes –
The Daily Beast – Can We Please Make Presidential Elections Shorter and Less Stupid?
Quote – All Congress needs to do is add three dates to our campaign law: one for the earliest launch of campaign exploratory committees, one for the launch of campaigns proper, and one for a universal primary vote and caucus day. The crucial question, of course, is what those dates should be. I’d suggest a pretty aggressive schedule of a month for exploration, a month for primaries, and a month to pick the winner. Working back from the election in early November, we wouldn’t be in election mode until—at the earliest—Aug. 1, 2024. I’m practically salivating at the thought.
Click through for full opinion. The length actually bothers me less than the stupidity. Keeping Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates under heavy scrutiny for two years prior to allowing them to take office would give the electorate time to find out what kind of people they really are – provided there was not so much stupidity. But I do realize that as things are now, revealing people’s identity is not likely to happen, let alone to break through voters’ rigid ideologies if it did happen.
Robert Reich – I knew Robert F. Kennedy, and you’re no Robert F. Kennedy
Quote – According to a poll last week by The Economist and YouGov, Kennedy Junior now has higher favorability numbers than either Biden or Trump…. Let me paraphrase Lloyd Bentsen’s remark to Dan Quayle during the vice-presidential debate in 1988: I knew Robert F. Kennedy, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is no Robert F. Kennedy. I worked in Robert F. Kennedy’s Senate office in 1967. It was not a glamorous job…. But I did have a chance to get to see Bobby Kennedy close up.
Click through for full article (as always click popup to keep going). Its a combination of fact, argument, and memoir which makes me feel how Bobby and Ethel would weep. (Jr.’s sister, who runs the RFK Foundation, has some choice words for him also.)
Food For Thought
Glenn Kirschner – Jury in Proud Boys seditious conspiracy trial sends judge note; hints at problem reaching verdicts
Robert Reich – How to Make Congress Less Terrible
Ring of Fire – Democrats Refuse To Let John Roberts Ignore SCOTUS Ethics Problems
Puppet Regime – Vladimir Putin sings one for his “friends”
Duck Thinks He’s A Dog And Walks On Leash (Sorry about this – it’s too cute not toshare, so I hope you don’t mind – and have no trouble – clicking through.)
Beau – Let’s talk about what Biden’s Dark Brandon embrace might mean….