Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

The GOP couldn’t organize an orgy in a whorehouse with a fist full of 50s.

Putting aside our relentless self-interest because the moral imperative is crystal clear.

Historically it was a little unusual for the president to be an incoherent babbling moron.

Everybody saw this coming.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

Our job is not to persuade republicans but to defeat them.

“Squeaker” McCarthy

Good lord, these people are nuts.

Republicans seem to think life begins at the candlelight dinner the night before.

It may be funny to you motherfucker, but it’s not funny to me.

I didn’t have alien invasion on my 2023 BINGO card.

If you’re pissed about Biden’s speech, he was talking about you.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

If you tweet it in all caps, that makes it true!

Conservatism: there are some people the law protects but does not bind and others who the law binds but does not protect.

Consistently wrong since 2002

They traffic in fear. it is their only currency. if we are fearful, they are winning.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

Second rate reporter says what?

Seems like a complicated subject, have you tried yelling at it?

Usually wrong but never in doubt

White supremacy is terrorism.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the GOP

Pessimism assures that nothing of any importance will change.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Mid-Morning Open Thread–Just Deserts Edition

Mid-Morning Open Thread–Just Deserts Edition

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Big political news in Oklahoma–former State Representative Randy Terrill (R-Moore) has been convicted of bribery.  In a trial which saw testimony from former Governor Brad Henry (D), Terrill was convicted of bribing State Senator Debbie Leftwitch (D–Sen 44, South OKC) (of a very powerful political dynasty here in OK–her husband, father-in-law and grandfather-in-law have public buildings and highways named after them) by creating a job in the State Medical Examiner’s office with an $80,000/year salary, and appointing her to that job in the condition that she would not seek re-election, allowing a political ally of Terrill’s to seek the seat uncontested.  The jury recommended a sentence of one year imprisonment and a $5,000 fine.  He spent the night in Oklahoma county jail after his conviction yesterday.   Senator Leftwitch’s trial hasn’t started yet.  Terrill is the author of HB 1804, one of the stricter state level anti-immigration laws, as well as the laws that forbid the state of Oklahoma from conducting any business in any language except English.  He also spent quite a lot of time in Florida during the Terri Schiavo case, while the legislature was in session.  He’s a real piece of work.

Everybody who follows OK politics was pretty surprised that this thing got to trial, but it was the Oklahoma County District Attorney’s office that prosecuted him, and not the state Attorney General.  Our AG is Scott Pruitt (R-Mary Fallin’s Lap), and NOBODY believed that he would ever go after a prominent Republican in this state, or that he would tank the prosecution if given the chance.  In fact, the AG’s office attempted to take over the prosecution of Terrill last year, but was unsuccessful after the OK County DA took the jurisdictional question to the state Supreme Court.  Sen. Leftwitch succeded to her husband Keith Leftwitch’s seat in Sen 44 in a special election in December 2003 after he died in office in September, 2003.  Sen. Leftwitch’s trial will begin in the next month or so.

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

56Comments

  1. 1.

    Gin & Tonic

    I’m going to be that guy this morning and point out that it’s “just deserts”, as in “what he deserved.”

  3. 3.

    Ash Can

    I have a minor quibble with your tag — the Republican briber is being sent up the river, all well and good, but the Dem bribee is evidently just as much of a horse’s ass for going along with this bullshit. Take a snapshot, because this may be the only time you’ll ever see me say this, but having only an anti-GOP tag here seems unfair.

  5. 5.

    Fuzzy

    The shame of it all is that in a couple of years these crooks will be elected to some office or appointed to some job so they do not have to let go of the guvment teat.

  14. 14.

    Jay C

    And now, for something completely different:

    I was both heartened and upset at this bit of news: Protests Halt Kelly’s Speech at Brown University; (“Kelly” is NYC Police Commissioner Ray Kelly, notorious for implementing the City’s lamentable “Stop-And-Frisk [nonwhites]” policy).

    On one hand, I hate the idea of shouting down “political” – or anything that can be considered “political” expression: no matter who does it: OTOH, it is good to see that today’s students haven’t all retreated into apathy and/or glibertarianism. Couldn’t happen to a more deserving guy….

  15. 15.

    mai naem

    @Belafon: Who’s Rightbitch?Michelle Bachmann, Sarrah Palin, Jan Brewer?

    I am listening to the healthcare hearing with Sebelius. I don’t get it. Why do they keep on wasting time asking her about the number of enrollees? I mean, she’s giving you the same standard answer – you ask her one time, maybe twice, after that are you not just wasting precious time that you could use to ask her more damaging questions? Even the GOP strategery sucks.

  16. 16.

    MattF

    @mai naem: Fwiw, getting the same question over and over and over again is typical for a Congressional hearing. The Representatives all want that film clip of being tough on minions of the Kenyan Usurper.

  18. 18.

    IowaOldLady

    My outrage of the day was the sight of Rush Limbaugh’s children’s book, “Rush Revere,” prominently displayed in B&N. Rush’s face appears to be stuck on Paul Revere’s body. The clerk rolled her eyes and told me a lot of people were “excited” about the book. I was horrified.

  19. 19.

    Hal

    The hearings over the website issues is incredibly dull. Plus, Republicans are just using it to malign the law. One congressman read a letter from “Sean” about his insurance plan which he liked and was discontinued and gosh, what would you say to poor Sean? What the fuck does that have to do with healthcare.gov? Oh and Mr Congress Ritter use to program so he knows how these things work.

  20. 20.

    geg6

    @IowaOldLady:

    Jeebus. This is why I only shop for books online or at our fine local independent bookstore, Penguin Bookshop in Sewickley: http://www.penguinbookshop.com/. I love, love, love that place! Surely you must have something similar locally that you can patronize which will never, ever have that hack’s crap prominently displayed or, more likely, would never even stock it.

  21. 21.

    Mudge

    Let’s mention 4 Republican tactics:

    1. Voter suppression to lower Democratic participation. (see Texas, etc.)
    2. Gerrymander
    3. Bribery (as noted above) and/or Koch Brothers, et al. sweetening to own the state legislatures (see Wisconsin)
    4. Repeal the 17th Amendment so that the owned legislature can appoint Senators. (Tea Party)

    They are just much more stupid at the state level and get caught.

  22. 22.

    piratedan

    just desserts will be when the Dems sweep these asswipes out of office. Damn the MSM would have kittens and actually have to run stories about legislation being passed rather than devolving into Politics Tonight hosted by Mary Hart as they sit around breathlessly stenographing the latest GOP separation from reality.

  23. 23.

    IowaOldLady

    @geg6: There’s a university bookstore that sells mostly text books, and of course, there’s Amazon. But B&N killed the mall bookstore, so it’s pretty much the only choice.

  24. 24.

    catclub

    “he would tank the prosecution if given the chance.”
    This reminds me of the prosecution of Alaska Senator Ted Stevens. There was so much prosecutor misconduct (that was all rejected, but only after appeal, and death, and loss of re-election)
    that it had to be on purpose. Just strange.

    And remember, that was the Bush admin DOJ running the prosecution.
    Maybe it was similar to when Trent Lott was kicked to the curb. Some Senator was too big for his britches, as far as Bush was concerned.

  25. 25.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @IowaOldLady:

    Sen. Scott was elected to Congress (SC-1), but then appointed to the Senate by Gov. Haley. So the GOP was 1/242 when Scott was elected, because Democrats are the real racists.

    It’s called a “Suckers Special”.

  26. 26.

    catclub

    @Just Some Fuckhead, Thought Leader: I posted this just yesterday:
    This sounds like… Benghazi! I mean the real story in both cases is:
    State Dept asks for more money for security, GOP congress turns them down.
    Something bad happens. GOP congress complains about Administration errors that they helped to cause.

    HHS asks for funds to implement Obamacare website and rollout. GOP congress refuses any money.
    Bad things happen to website rollout. GOP congress complains about website problems that they caused.

    … and the media isn’t exactly sharp at connecting these points

  29. 29.

    piratedan

    @catclub: this times a thousand and the MSM won’t fucking touch it because, well gee, haven’t we already bashed the GOP, now it’s time to apply the magical balance fairy and beat up Dems for a bit. After all, we got a narrative to sell.

  30. 30.

    Elizabelle

    @IowaOldLady:

    I get tired of seeing all the Republican trash books of the day (Glenn Beck! Bill O’Reilly! Anything about what scum be this Obama) set out at Costco.

    This in a warehouse chain that is the anti-Wal-Mart. Longtime employees, and with benefits, good pay, and good working conditions.

    Oh well. Just walk by.

  31. 31.

    Elizabelle

    Mid-day showing of “The Shining” in local theatres today.

    Have never seen that, and get nervous at scary movies.

    That said, it’s a classic; apparently a fine movie.

    Will be on a big screen, and might be almost a private showing at the 2:00 p show.

    What do you guys think?

  32. 32.

    Yatsuno

    @Elizabelle:

    Happy bday, you almost little jack o lantern

    Missed it by 14 hours. Hatched in a military hospital. Been on socialised medicine until I was 17. Somehow I survived.

  33. 33.

    Elizabelle

    @catclub:

    The connecting dots, according to Peter Baker in today’s NYTimes:

    “Where the Buck Stops, Some See a Bystander.”

    That bystander would be President Obama. According to the RNC.

    Almost 500 comments, but not sure they approved mine!

  36. 36.

    Jim, Foolish LIteralist

    Christ, I just spent about five minutes watching some goober ask what he apparently thought was a devastating gotcha question about whether Kathleen Sebellius would go in to the DC exchange if she didn’t have health insurance, he tried to make “those advisors behind you” into Tom Hagen at Michael Corleone’s Senate hearing and actually fucking cited John McAfee, threw in about fifteen if/then hypotheticals and then when KS started to answer barked “yes or no!”

    I guess the good thing is they may make themselves look so fucking silly that Jon Stewart will stop beating the website-horse.

  37. 37.

    Ramalama

    I spent 2 semesters in Norman OK a long time ago, and it was not an OK experience I’d like to repeat ever again. I get the jeebies (bypassing the heebies) whenever I read Soonergrunt’s mentions of his/her homestate. I met some nice people there but for the most part that place can go feck itself.

  38. 38.

    Mnemosyne

    Note for SG or mistermix or whichever techie is around — I was getting a “message failed to post” notice from my iPhone on 3G this morning, which seems to sometimes be an early warning sign of impending database failure, so I thought I should let you know.

  41. 41.

    Jay C

    @Elizabelle:

    Presumably, that’s the 1980 Jack Nicholson/Shelley Duvall “Shining” by Stanley Kubrick?

    If so, then “meh”. Not truly awful, but way more Kubrick than King, and (except for the last 10 or so minutes) not even particularly scary (unlike either the book or the 1997 remake). If they had taken Stephen King’s name off it and retitled it Horrors of the Haunted Hotel, it would probably be relegated to a footnote as “Stanley Kubrick’s only B-movie”

  42. 42.

    Warren Terra

    I’m bewildered. The case went all the way to and through trial, the charge is misuse of an $80,000 salary plus betrayal of the public trust … and when he’s found guilty the sentence is a single night in jail and $5000? His lawyers bills will have been a big multiple of that fine; so will the state’s expenses. I’m glad this was pursued all the way, but the penalty seems like less than what the state should have settled for in a plea deal. For a conviction, it seems nauseatingly light. I understand there’s the public humiliation and the derailing of his career, but even so this seems too little.

  43. 43.

    Mnemosyne

    @Elizabelle:

    I am Not A Fan, but it does have some spooky images. It’s the story of an alcoholic father who tries to kill his family (King now acknowledges that he was an alcoholic/drug addict when he wrote it), so if you have that kind of family conflict in your past, it may freak you out more than some people.

    Usually I find it deeply boring while I’m watching it, but then have nightmares about those damn little ghost girls that night. Come play with us, Danny. Come play with us … forever.

  45. 45.

    Jim, Foolish LIteralist

    @Jay C: It’s probably been twenty-five years (Christ I’m old) since I saw the movie and more than that since I read the book, but my recollection is the movie had some great scenes and shots, but overall, yeah, meh. I know Stephen King doesn’t like it, and I may be putting that mildly.

    I was in the mood for a horror movie last week and watch A Cabin in the Woods, which was actually a pretty clever premise, but the rare movie that I thought was too short, could’ve used ten or fifteen minutes more, I think.

  47. 47.

    Another Holocene Human

    @Jay C: I just have a problem with lecturing these kids about “civility”.

    The students are in an authoritarian institution. That’s what school is. Rightists use their power to impose these people on them. They try to turn the students into both captive audience and platform for this fascist crap that the students are not only against but palpably harmed by–whether it’s warpigs, sex criminalizing crusades, or stop’n’frisk.

    But guess what? The kids are growing up. They’re losing their fear of authority. They’re angry. And they don’t have any other way to fight back than to express their disapproval in the most vocal way possible.

    So this is what they do.

    And they’re WRONG for doing this?! No. Civility is for EQUALS. The students are not equals to Ray Kelly and the old, rich, powerful deciders who put him in front of them to rub their dependency and helplessness in their faces.

  49. 49.

    Another Holocene Human

    @Elizabelle: you know what used to burn me? Kevin Trudeau books next to the Walgreens pharmacy counter.

    I understand he’s back in prison. Couldn’t happen to a better murderous conman.

    I didn’t see any woo woo fake remedies next to the counter when I got my flu shot this time. I guess somebody in corporate finally did get the message that they were hurting their own damn selves selling Oscillicoccinum (imaginary influenza remedy) right in front of the REAL flu preventative.

  51. 51.

    catclub

    @Warren Terra: I think you misread ( so did I, first time):
    ” The jury recommended a sentence of one year imprisonment and a $5,000 fine. He spent the night in Oklahoma county jail after his conviction yesterday”

    does not mean he is now out. It looks like he got a year.

    It also does not make clear that he got the term ‘recommended’ by the jury.

    I blame soonergrunt for the confusion.

  55. 55.

    Glidwrith

    @Elizabelle: My favorite giggle at the moment is when I’m at the public library. All those hacktasticular books have been shelved in the ‘Fiction’ section.

  56. 56.

    burnspbesq

    @Another Holocene Human:

    And they’re WRONG for doing this?

    Yes, they fucking well are. The value of free speech and free expression ought to be obvious to even the most obtuse.

    And you’re either for it absolutely (subject to the reasonable limitations imposed by First Amendment jurisprudence) or you’re not for it at all.

    You’re not stupid, but your position on this issue sure as shit is.

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