If any fucking Republican says shit to you about Al Franken, just point to this:
Sexual misconduct by powerful men has all but taken over the news, with Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.), Rep. John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) and senatorial hopeful Roy Moore (R-Ala.) among the politicians on this growing list.
Trump vociferously has taken aim at accused Democrats, while apparently giving a pass to Republicans. Moreover, it was only a year ago that similar accusations against Trump dominated the headlines, with more than a dozen women accusing Trump of improper conduct or sexual assault. Many of the accusations surfaced after the release of a 2005 tape of Trump speaking graphically about kissing and groping women uninvited.
During the second presidential debate, Anderson Cooper asked then-candidate Trump point blank whether he had “actually kiss[ed] women without consent or grope[d] women without consent?” Trump asserted that “nobody has more respect for women” and Cooper pushed him, asking, “Have you ever done those things?” Trump denied that he had, responding: “No, I have not.”
The president has held this line, telling the New York Times, when asked the same question: “I don’t do it. I don’t do it.”
But it’s not as simple as that. Many of the women have produced witnesses who say they heard about these incidents when they happened — long before Trump’s political aspirations were known. Three have produced at least two witnesses.
That’s one of the things that makes this so maddening. The Repubicans never ever ever pay a fucking price for anything.
schrodingers_cat
Why should they? When we will throw our own in the fire.
Hunter Gathers
White Supremacy certainly has its perks.,
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
And moron liberals keep falling for ratfucking. The right is ruthless and will stop at nothing to establish their idea of utopia: a democracy in name only that is a right wing dictatorship. The GOP will destroy the democratic tradition that has given us relative political stability.
Spanky
Now JG,
hundreds dozensOK, a couple of regulars who should be doing Thanksgiving prep are now spun up on the thread downstairs and you’re just trying to keep them going. Shame on you.Stooleo
Roy Moore is a predator. Franken is stupid. Intentions were entirely different.
So do you know why Mike Pence believes that being gay is a choice? Because he made a choice to be straight. (stolen from Judah Friedlander).
Baud
Haha. Mike Flynn is a registered Dem. Now I know what Fox will say when he gets indicted.
SatanicPanic
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: it’s not ratfucking if someone actually does something. The way to not have photos of you pretending to grab boobs is to not pose for them in the first place.
rikyrah
The Congressional slush fund that paid out settlements was $15 million large.
Conyers was $27,000.
Tell me where the other $14,970,000 went and for what members of Congress…
Until then..
phuck Outta Here about Franken resigning.
SatanicPanic
Trump’s approval rating is in the toilet and dumbass Roy Moore managed to make a senate race in deep red Alabama competitive. It’s not that they don’t pay a price, it’s that it’s not as high of a price as we’d like. These people are only immune to criticism within their own 27% cult.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@SatanicPanic:
But does that mean he should resign? It’s a tasteless fucking photo, but it’s not resignation worthy. Can’t we wait for due process to fix this? What is this need for instant gratification? Don’t you find the timing a little weird?
Baud
Copying from below
Bob Packwood was allowed an investigation, which lasted three years.
dr. bloor
@Spanky: Hey, we’re a family. We’re entitled to family dysfunction over the holidays like everybody else.
Starfish
@SatanicPanic: Comedians are clearly the people in society who should be our role models.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vbZhpf3sQxQ
Mary G
@rikyrah: Yep. Let’s see all the files.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Baud:
Was he a Republican?
Baud
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Of course.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Baud:
Then IOKIYR
Baud
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Of course.
schrodingers_cat
@Baud: When do you leave for your trip?
Major Major Major Major
@SatanicPanic:
I guess I better not run for office then. I always figured I’d be sunk by one of the other skits, though, or all the drag.
Baud
@schrodingers_cat: The way things are going, tomorrow.
Viva BrisVegas
Its good to see that a purified and righteous Democratic Party is so willing to lose for its principles.
Put your money on Trump 2020, because there will be no opposition left after the purity purges.
The Republicans think that they have discovered a way to weaponise feminism and the Democrats are proving them right.
Spanky
@Major Major Major Major: You never struck me as a boob grabber.
SatanicPanic
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: I don’t find the timing weird at all. Obviously Republicans consider it worthwhile to do this right now and I’m sure they had a hand in digging up these stories. But I think we should call their bluff. MN has a Democratic governor and can replace Franken with another Democrat. Do that and say “look, we ditched him, now ditch Roy Moore and impeach Trump.” They won’t, obviously, but it might matter with voters in AL. It’s a gamble, but six years of a Democratic senator from Alabama is a pretty great reward.
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
Leak everything.
@SatanicPanic: Bad-faith exploitation at worst (which we’re seeing here), but not quite ratfucking. Franken’s current approval rating in Minnesota is 36%, five points above Trump.
Karen Potter
When I was a teen we had a sex ed class, one thing that stuck in mind was movie played that was put out by military; warning sailors and soldiers about lose women and being trapped into sex and marriage. This was the 60’s and I have no idea when movie was made but suspect for WWII. So all a female had to do was walk by and if she was attacked it was her fault, things haven’t changed; we have men in “high places” blaming females for their lack of control. What is worse was dolt’s excuse over rape of 13 year old that she was what was provided for him
Ben Cisco (onboard the Defiant)
Maybe because we roll up like pill bugs at the slightest sign of adversity and they know that?
Raven
Jesus, the same fucking conversation as the last post.
GeoWHayduke
@Stooleo:
Franken is literally the smartest guy in the senate. This is a TOTAL RATFUCK.
SatanicPanic
@Major Major Major Major: Well OK. I don’t really think drag photos are a bad thing.
Baud
@Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD): What was it before the first accusation?
Baud
@Raven: Same post topic. What did you expect?
Baud
@SatanicPanic:
You sure about that?
https://youtu.be/MBKu9OJ8Ltk
Spanky
@Raven: Blame Cole.
Major Major Major Major
@Spanky: I’m not, but there are photos where I pretend to be because there are photos where I pretend to be doing lots of things.
@SatanicPanic: there’s also a fairly compromising calendar I did with some friends…
SatanicPanic
@Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD): Absolutely. Republicans are totally doing this in bad faith. That’s what they do.
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
@Baud: 55% at this Halloween.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
So I’ve been thinking about net neutrality, and am wondering if it really so awful if the Masters of the Universe wrecked the internet in their drive to extract maximum rent from us proles.
Would the world really miss Breitbart, The Blaze, Twitter, Facebook, Twitchy?
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@SatanicPanic:
Yes, but by their very nature couldn’t anonymous accusations be completely made up and used to smear innocent people? The timing is weird because the men accused are important players in charge of subcommittees right when issues germaine to them are about to be decided
Spanky
@Major Major Major Major: Some day after a number of drinks I’ll tell about the Halloween party where I won Best Costume in both the men’s AND women’s category,
SatanicPanic
@Baud: I honestly don’t know what Giuliani was up to- a bad joke? him trying to tell us something? I’d rather not think about it.
@Major Major Major Major: ok now I’m curious
schrodingers_cat
I am tired of this fucking stupidity. This is even more stupid than the obsessing over metadata and dronez. And the generals will tackle T if he reaches for the football.
Major Major Major Major
@Spanky:
So I can pencil you in for tomorrow?
Starfish
@Karen Potter: The real problem was that loose sailors were catching syphilis.
Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD)
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: The kicker is that the toxic Trumper sites will most likely be first against the wall (*insert comment pretending nonuse Facebook since I set it up three years ago is due to moral superiority and not just crippling introversion).
Steve in the ATL
@SatanicPanic:
Are you a troll or a moron? There is no third possibility.
Baud
@Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD): Thanks. That sucks.
debbie
@Baud:
Like it was last year.
SatanicPanic
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: sure, it’s possible. maybe that’s what happened with Conyers. Who knows.
Cacti
You’ll excuse me if I’m not ready to join the same torch and pitchfork brigade that got snookered by Edward Snowden.
Baud
@Major Major Major Major: You seem like an October to me.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Steve in the ATL:
Why not both?
ruemara
@Viva BrisVegas: Don’t they always? It would be amazing if for once, rank and file Dems did not jump when the media says how high. Just once.
Starfish
Josh Barro is on Twitter saying Conyers should resign. Every governor should replace these dudes with young women who are highly qualified but barely meet the age requirements.
Steve in the ATL
@Cacti: Snowden is an American hero, just like Greenwald and Putin!
Major Major Major Major
@Baud: I think I was May but I’d have to dig it up.
SatanicPanic
@Steve in the ATL: I’m a moron because I am agreeing that the timing of these accusations just happened to come at a time when it’s most convenient for Republicans? Are you suggesting that they’re not? Or that it’s a mystery why they’re playing them up right now?
Ohio Mom
@Butthurt Jordan Trombone (fka XTPD): I admit I don’t fully understand what the end of net neutrality will look like. I hardly understand how things work now.
But I am pretty sure if right-wing sites need money to keep going, someone will make sure they get it.
Steve in the ATL
@Starfish: barely legal? Now we’re talking!
/Roy Moore
Steve in the ATL
@SatanicPanic: that is the exact opposite of what you said. So I’m leaning toward troll, but, as the barely legal Goku notes, it could be both.
Baud
@Starfish: House members aren’t replaced by governors. Special election.
mike in dc
Win the midterms in 2018 and put the Ethics committees on Trump’s misconduct with women and the emoluments stuff. Judiciary will look at whatever comes out of Mueller’s investigation.
Feebog
@ruemara:
Exactly. If there is going to be an investigation, then proceed. In the meantime, Franken can decide for himself if these charges merit his resignation.
SatanicPanic
@Steve in the ATL: read it again, that’s exactly what I said the first time. Dumbass.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Steve in the ATL:
Dude, I’m 22. That’s pretty high above the legal age.
Omnes Omnibus
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Not from where SitA is sitting…
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@SatanicPanic:
You see it but you fail to understand the implications. Where are the Goopers getting accused? Who leaked the info to Cernovich? This is a coordinated campaign and demanding Conyers or Franken resign now now now! is polically stupid when so much is at stake
Major Major Major Major
@Omnes Omnibus: Atlanta?
Cheryl Rofer
And now Joe Barton of Texas.
Omnes Omnibus
@Major Major Major Major: 50ish.
Steve in the ATL
@Major Major Major Major: you never know with me!
SatanicPanic
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Roy Moore and Donald Trump are being accused of things right now. That’s why Republicans are digging up whatever they can find. And I’ve seen it happen lots of times in my lifetime- the was Hastert, and Gingrich, and Foley. Larry Craig. This latest deal with Conyers about the harassment fund- we don’t know who else had money paid out for them. I’d bet there were a few Republicans in there.
Major Major Major Major
@Omnes Omnibus: ah. Hell, 22 is too young for me. What the hell is a Snapchat?
Steve in the ATL
@SatanicPanic: no matter how many times I read it, it still says “I don’t find the timing weird at all.”. Case closed.
Steve in the ATL
@Major Major Major Major:
It’s a type of Pokémon. Apparently you have to catch them all, though.
Omnes Omnibus
@Steve in the ATL: SP doesn’t find it weird because SP thinks that this is exactly the kind of thing the GOP would do. Does that help?
SatanicPanic
@Steve in the ATL: Maybe you should read the next sentence in that comment? The one that explains WHY I don’t find the timing weird. Try again dude, I was agreeing with Goku that the timing was convenient for Republicans.
Immanentize
@Raven: Go fish! I envy you your vacation.
Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
I got underwear that are 22.
Mnemosyne
@SatanicPanic:
That’s not calling their bluff. That’s unconditional surrender.
Calling their bluff would be, “Let’s run the Senate Ethics Committee investigations of Franken and Moore side-by-side.”
Major Major Major Major
@Steve in the ATL: what happens if I don’t?
Baud
@Le Comte de Monte Cristo, fka Edmund Dantes: Don’t try to date them.
SatanicPanic
@Omnes Omnibus: thank you sir!
Steve in the ATL
@SatanicPanic: @Omnes Omnibus: ah, my bad. Accusations of trollery and stupidity withdrawn.
ETA: but I stand by my description of Goku as barely legal!
Starfish
You forgot Rep Joe Barton.
Baud
@Steve in the ATL: Thank you for demonstrating the importance of conducting an investigation.
SatanicPanic
@Mnemosyne: If Moore were already in the Senate that would be an idea that I support. But my suggestion is an attempt to influence the election, not deal with the aftermath. If he wins and Franken is still in the Senate then fine.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Mnemosyne:
This
SatanicPanic
@Steve in the ATL: Fair enough, I apologize for insulting you.
Starfish
@Steve in the ATL: I feel so wrong for laughing at this, but ?
Steve in the ATL
@Major Major Major Major: then you have a chance at moving out of your parents’ basement and having a satisfying romantic relationship at some point in your life
Major Major Major Major
@Steve in the ATL: I caught all 151 Pokémon in the original game boy game, and I live thousands of miles from my parents and am married!
Mnemosyne
@SatanicPanic:
And yet you still think that Franken should resign based on flimsy allegations because proving our good faith that way will cause the Republicans to start weeping in shame and refuse to seat Roy Moore after Moore wins because, See, I told you that all them politicians molest women, so there’s no reason not to vote for Moore!
You realize that Mr. Smith Goes to Washington was fiction and not a documentary, right?
Steve in the ATL
@SatanicPanic: I still disagree with you 1000% (check my math, though) that Franken should resign now.
Baud
@Steve in the ATL: Tough choice.
Steve in the ATL
@Major Major Major Major: on the internet you are. I’m talking about IRL!
Steve in the ATL
@Mnemosyne: word to your mother, as the hip kids say these days.
SatanicPanic
@Mnemosyne: oh jesus christ. can you respond to things that I actually write?
Where did I say that?
SatanicPanic
@Steve in the ATL: that’s fine. I’m just offering my reasoning here. I don’t think it’s outright crazy.
ETA- at any rate, I’m off to the gym. Have a nice Thanksgiving!
Major Major Major Major
@Steve in the ATL: I have the paper to prove it right here inside the cabinet my cat sits on all the time!
Mnemosyne
@SatanicPanic:
It was in your little fairy tale:
Let me repeat: if Franken resigns, Republicans in AL are not going to magically wake up and vote for Jones. They’re going to say, See, I told you all them fellas in the Senate are molesting women all the time, so it’s okay for me to vote for Roy. At least he’ll ban abortion!
So then we lose a strong Democrat AND end up with a Republican from Alabama. Game, set, match … to the Republican ratfuckers.
Omnes Omnibus
@Steve in the ATL:
As well you should.
SatanicPanic
@sylvania: I did not say that and wouldn’t say that. I have said all through this thread that Republicans act in bad faith. It’s what they do! Always! All the the time! I was making a point about showing good faith to voters. That may or may not work, but it’s not what yourself and Mneymosyne are suggesting I believe because I do not believe that. If you re-read my first comment upthread you’ll see that what’s I’m talking about.
But it’s time for me to hit the gym so have a nice Thanksgiving everyone.
Mnemosyne
@SatanicPanic:
Okay, who wants to break it to him? He obviously isn’t going to listen to me.
SatanicPanic
@Mnemosyne: ?
How do you repeat something you didn’t say in the first place? OK I’m over it. Off to the gym. Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
mike in dc
Fairness and proportionality, guys. Is the process fair, and is the punishment proportional to the offense? Optics and political expediency are terrible, illiberal reasons for a decision or response.
Enhanced Voting Techniques
@SatanicPanic: I
Do you seriously think Moore isn’t going to win?
Mnemosyne
@SatanicPanic:
Read for comprehension:
Forcing Franken to resign without so much as a formal investigation validates the “both sides!” narrative. And you want us to lay our heads on the block willingly.
eemom
Since Cole is clearly hellbent on trolling the fuck out of us all this Thxgiving Eve, I’ll repost:
Why the Franken-shriekers are dumber than dirt.
Amaranthine RBG
I just want to thank John Cole for speaking with a clear, moral voice about all this.
It’s apparent from reading Franken’s defenders and explainers in these threads that Republicans have not captured all of the morally and ethically compromised people in this country.
Amaranthine RBG
@eemom:
Would you call them hysterical in addition to being shriekers?
eemom
@Amaranthine RBG:
Ah, a most timely question.
As I just inquired on the last thread: ARE there any women amongst the commenters here who want to throw Franken under the bus?? Come out, come out, wherever you are.
On another note, Mr. Feminist, I assume men can shriek too.
Steve in the ATL
@eemom: pie filter. Highly recommended.
Amaranthine RBG
@eemom:
Sing it sister!!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XpSwgfPIXA
Omnes Omnibus
@Amaranthine RBG: You aren’t even making any sense.
Gretchen
Tweeden was one of the Fox News personalities who took down Shirley Sherrod with her lies about racism against white farmers and not helping them. We have her on tape lying to take down a Democrat. She thought everyone was as unethical as she and hordes of women would come out of the woodwork to complain about him too. Instead, crickets, while dozens of women who worked with Franken over the last 40 years said they never saw him behave inappropriately or heard of anyone else saying that. And his Army escort said he was with him every minute, even into the bathroom, and never saw anything inappropriate. I can’t believe people are ready to abandon Franken on the word of a known liar and a couple of anonymous accusers, one person telling any unlikely story, over the word of everyone who has ever known him. He took Jeff Sessions apart last week, net neutrality is coming next week, he’s been a terrier on both issues, and you people are willing to throw him under the bus for an appointed newbie who won’t be on either of those committees? No wonder we don’t have any Democrats in power. Come on, people! Don’t fall for their ratfucking over and over and over again! Sherrod, Acorn, lets learn our lesson and don’t let it happen again.
Amaranthine RBG
The Bottle Let Me Down
Merle Haggard
Each night I leave the bar room when it’s over
Not feeling any pain at closing time
But tonight your memory found me much too sober
Couldn’t drink enough to keep you off my mind
Tonight the bottle let me down
And let your memory come around
The one true friend I thought I’d found
Tonight the bottle let me down
I’ve always had a bottle I could turn to
And lately I’ve been turnin’ every day
But the wine don’t take effect the way it used to
And I’m hurtin’ in an old familiar way
Tonight the bottle let me down
And let your memory come around
The one true friend I thought I’d found
Tonight the bottle let me down
Tonight the bottle let me down
Amaranthine RBG
@Gretchen:
He needs to resign immediately and get the treatment he needs.
Gretchen
Remember, every other time, lots of women came out telling the same story, and lots more said everybody knew and talked about it and tried to stay out of the guy’s way. Here we have on accuser with a story that mostly fell apart, then another accuser who told a completely different story – did he touch her butt, or did he awkwardly drop his arm after the photo and accidentally touch her butt? And nobody else he’d ever met had that experience or heard about anybody else’s experience. And everybody’s ready to do what Fox News wants.
Mnemosyne
@Gretchen:
Yep. And now we’re all supposed to rush to drop Franken on the word of two new anonymous accusers rather than waiting for any kind of investigation.
Omnes Omnibus
@Amaranthine RBG: No one sees you as a good faith commenter. Hi, troll.
Amaranthine RBG
@Omnes Omnibus:
Joe Stampley – Whiskey Chasin’ Lyrics
Looks like this bad rainy weather
Kept every one else in
I’d hoped someone would come along
And fill the space in me where your love’s been
I’m sittin’ in a bar in the middle of the day
Just whiskey chasin’ all my troubles away
Another shot of southern comfort
Some water on the side
It’s crazy when a man allows himself
To be so taken for a ride
But love is so strong it does what it wants to
I’m whiskey chasin’ memories of me and you.
The music in the background sounds like it’s pouring out of my heart
Seems like everytime the saddest song has played
A sadder one will start.
I wonder what’s happening in the bar across the street.
There’s got to be a place in town where broken hearted people go and meet.
Hey friend another round when you’re down at this end
I’m whiskey chasin’ the world away again.
I need some more southern comfort when you’re down at this end.
I’m whiskey chasin’ my troubles away again.
I’m whiskey chasin’ my troubles away again.
Omnes Omnibus
@Amaranthine RBG: Do you have a point?
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Omnes Omnibus:
Nope
@Amaranthine RBG:
I have a bad case of diarrhea
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CKjaFG4YN6g
Omnes Omnibus
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: Dude is a troll.
Gretchen
@Mnemosyne: Thank you. I wouldn’t be shocked to learn that the offensive photo is photoshopped. Remember that the video that took Acorn down was deceptively edited. That’s what these people do.
eemom
@eemom:
Looks like the answer to my question is no.
I.e., every single one of the pious twats who has piped up this evening in favor of trashing Franken in the name of……uh, something……is a man, who stands to lose a whole fuckload less by Franken’s removal from the Senate than, you know, the women the twat purports to be concerned about.
Go fuck yourselves with your precious dicks, assholes.
@Amaranthine RBG:
You especially.
And hey, guess what? Men can also too be twats. ?
Gretchen
Everybody is saying “The photo is offensive. I saw the photo! It must have happened that way.” I’ve seen photos of President Obama with a bone through his nose, but I’m pretty sure it didn’t happen that way, even though I’ve seen a photo.
Amaranthine RBG
@eemom:
Would you say that Roy Moore empowered the teenaged girls he groped? Was he all about promoting their agency?
Gretchen
@eemom: The one that I find especially heartbreaking is that a college-age rape survivor couln’t get her university to do the right thing by her. She contacted Franken’s office. He asked her what she thought should be done, and wrote legislation to help rape survivors based on what she told her. She now wants his name off the legislation because of this. Even someone who turned to him for help, and has experience of his caring and compassion, believes the lying Fox News gal over her experience with him. He’s a real advocate, and that’s why they want him crippled or gone.
Gretchen
@Amaranthine RBG: This doesn’t even make any sense. Did it not translate well from the original Russian?
eemom
@Amaranthine RBG:
You are (a) drunk, (b) on drugs, or (c) some other classification from the depths of the DSM Code.
Oh, and yeah, I guess paid troll still needs to be an option. #(d)
Amaranthine RBG
@Gretchen:
Yes, that’s it, its the Russians behind it all. They had Owen Franklin, Al Franklin’s brother take a picture with his hands bripping a woman’s breasts so it could later be photoshopped. It’s like they are great chess players or something.
Amaranthine RBG
@eemom:
Have you called for an investigation of Roy Moore?
Gretchen
@Amaranthine RBG: There was an army photographer. I’ll be interested in what the original, unaltered photos show. I know it’s hard to believe, but it’s possible to edit a photo of one person into a photo of another person when they weren’t both in the photo. Do you get paid by the word or the post?
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Amaranthine RBG:
Roy Moore is not yet a member of the US Senate. He cannot be investigated in that way. If he is elected than yes he should be investigated by the ethics committee. He could only be investigated by LE agencies currently.
Aleta
Impressive story by Annys Shin and Libby Casey in the Washington Post about the Thomas SC hearings, told by Anita Hill and the women Reps in the House + B Mikulski in the Senate (up against the rest of the Senate).
The history is the least of it. The descriptions of the depth of their understanding and how fast they had to fight, how little understanding came from the Dem men, how calm Anita Hill remained in spite of (and because of) what was at stake and what the R’s were doing to her — seem important to use.
Amaranthine RBG
@Gretchen:
Yes, you are onto something. And the reason why Al Franken has described it as a joke gone awry instead of a fake is that Lorne Michaels is really Liev Mikelovich a KGB handler.
Connect the dots people!
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Amaranthine RBG:
You’re not funny and nobody likes you
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O9dg2EZeZf8
BBA
Whether or not Franken is guilty, he has completely lost his credibility and influence in the Senate, and will be completely worthless for the next 3 years. If he runs in 2020, he will lose.
Meanwhile Roy Moore is a goddamned child molester and (barring a miracle) has a Senate seat for life. And Trump will never face any consequences whatsoever.
Fuck everything.
It’s especially frustrating because if you go through any political figure’s history with a fine-toothed comb, you’ll find something at least as bad as what Franken (allegedly) did. In a fair world, they’d all be forced to resign too.
Gretchen
@BBA: He’s only completely lost all credibility if people believe the ratfuckers. Which I, and everybody who actually knows Franken, don’t. Don’t lay down, give up, and let the ratfuckers win, even though you know they’re lying!
Amaranthine RBG
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Get in on the ground floor of the “It was all a photoshop” conspiracy.
It will be the next “jet fuel can’t melt steel beams” meme!
BBA
@Gretchen: You, and everybody who actually knows Franken, don’t matter. There’s a Narrative now.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Amaranthine RBG:
You’re not funny and nobody likes you
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O9dg2EZeZf8
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
I wouldn’t necessarily say that. Trump might get shot and killed. Moore too.
Amaranthine RBG
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Roy Moore gently caresses your shoulder …
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Amaranthine RBG:
You’re not funny and nobody likes you
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O9dg2EZeZf8
Amaranthine RBG
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?:
Roy Moore carefully covers the 1/2 empty can of cat food with saran wrap before placing it in the refrigerator.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Amaranthine RBG:
You’re not funny and nobody likes you
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O9dg2EZeZf8
BBA
@? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?: That’s not the kind of “consequences” I was hoping for.
Amaranthine RBG
@Amaranthine RBG:
Roy Moore goes for a walk on the beach.
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@Amaranthine RBG:
Eww dude keep that to yourself
? ?? Goku (aka The Hope of the Universe) ? ?
@BBA:
Take what you can get
Amaranthine RBG
@Amaranthine RBG:
Roy Moore twists off the wrapper from a jolly rancher. Too loud.
Aleta
@<a href="#comment-6647166″>Aleta:
Aleta
@Aleta:
Aleta
@Aleta:
Hill: We understood that this was a big moment in terms of the issue of sexual harassment, but also we understood that there was a direct relationship between what I had to say and his competence and fitness to sit on the Supreme Court. You’re talking about somebody who is going to be making decisions on these kinds of cases and who now has exhibited the same behavior that he’s going to be judging.
Norton: I was in the room with Professor Hill and some of her lawyers, and the reason I was in the room is because as chair of the EEOC I had promulgated the guidance. Before I came to the EEOC, it was not clear that sexual harassment was a violation of Title 7 of the 1964 Civil Rights Act. That guidance was subsequently confirmed by the Supreme Court.
Hill: This was a big moment that I literally had one day to prepare for. I traveled one day. I got in from Oklahoma. I was mostly sequestered except for that day going into the conference room with these other attorneys. … There was some element of a trial that they prepared me for, but nothing like what was coming from the members of the committee — particularly Alan Simpson and Orrin Hatch and Arlen Specter in terms of the cross-examination.
…
Schroeder: We went to see Biden, because we were so frustrated by it. And he literally kind of pointed his finger and said, you don’t understand how important one’s word was in the Senate, that he had given his word to [Sen. John Danforth (R-Mo.), Thomas’s chief sponsor] in the men’s gym that this would be a very quick hearing, and he had to get it out before Columbus Day.
Slaughter: We had a serious discussion that this had to happen.
Schroeder: It was really, really ugly.
Aleta
Aleta
Hill: Not only my parents but all of my older brothers and sisters, some of whom grew up in the Jim Crow South, they had to sort of put so much into me and my success and they believed that I had really made it. You don’t want to tell them, “No, it’s not wonderful.” You want to sort of protect them from that, because they need to believe that all of their work was worth it.
…
Hill: There were a whole lot of factors that went into making it not just a public hearing. I’ll just say two things about that though. First of all, that public hearing would not have happened had it not been for these women in the room with me today. The other thing that I will say is that even though it was terrible to have a public hearing I am so glad it happened as a public hearing. Because I can only imagine what they would have done in private.
Norton: If they had had an in-house hearing.
Hill: Or even if they had never allowed me to speak at all, they could have attacked me, ruined my reputation. The story was already out there.
Casey: And this way America got to see you.
Hill: And at least they got to see me.
Aleta
Angela Wright, Rose Jourdain and Sukari Hardnett had also worked under Thomas at the EEOC. Wright said Thomas made inappropriate sexual comments to her and Jourdain corroborated Wright’s account. In an affidavit, Hardnett said, “If you were young, black, female and reasonably attractive and worked directly for Clarence Thomas, you knew full well you were being inspected and auditioned as a female.” Thomas during his testimony said he had fired Wright. The women’s statements were entered into the record, but they were not called to testify.
On Oct. 15, the Senate voted 52-48 to confirm Thomas to the Supreme Court.
Aleta
J R in WV
Ratfucking is a large part of what’s going on with Democratic officeholders. Most of them appear to be innocent of what they are accused of. Barely met or became barely tangently involved with those who accuse them.
What’s going on with Republican offficeholders is slightly different. Most of them appear to be guilty of some illegal things worth being kicked out of office for, according to complaining witnesses; but also guilty of far worse things for which we are offered no evidence as release of the worst information about them. It appears that they are being set up for blackmail if they leave office, and to be controlled if they stay in office.
That sounds like Russian fucking to me, rather than ratfucking by low level Republican or right wing actors. I do know and believe that Al Franken is less guilty of sexual harassment than I am. His resignation may wind up being a capitulation to his wannabe blackmailers, believing wrongly that they would stop tormenting him if he left the Senate.
They will make up fake news about the good Senator for ever if they hound him out of office, as a new life work hobby. I would prefer to believe that President Obama was a government plant of an agent by Kenya at the highest office in America than that Senator Franken is a creeper like that.
Johnny Gentle (famous crooner)
Out of curiosity, why is everyone treating the anonymous accusers like they’re just two random people on twitter? They’re anonymous because the reporter withheld their names, not because they’re unknown catfishers or something. The reporter seems to have verified their accounts with other people. Sure, it could all be a carefully coordinated “ratfuck” as many are quick to declare, but at least acknowledge there’s a professional journalist between the accusers and us, and investigating stuff is what they do for a living.
It seems every day we get a steady stream of anonymous leaks from the White House, and no one ever seems to doubt the veracity of those. Again, they’re anonymous in the sense that their names are withheld, not that they don’t exist or their accounts haven’t been corroborated by anyone else.
Most of the defenses of Franken are disappointing. There’s the ratfuck-conspiracy people, the “at least he isn’t a pedophile” people, the “Trump needs to resign first” people…and like two or three people who actually think this is devastating even if Franken is one of our favorite Senators.
It’s like our tolerance for this behavior is conditioned on the party involved. All I know is that if we swapped the parties, we’d have no problem demanding that the Senator in question resign. Instead, we’re taking the Roy Moore defense and demanding “proof” that would be all but impossible to provide under the best of circumstances. I don’t want Franken to resign…I can barely even process how fast this has happened to a beloved politician. But even if you brush off Tweeden, there’s still 3 others telling the same story. Why does it seem like so few people are genuinely concerned about this?
TenguPhule
@Johnny Gentle (famous crooner):
Which makes it impossible to verify independently.
Funny how only D Senators who are against critical R legislation are suddenly being shit on while there are ZERO instances of sitting R Senators being similiarly outed.
We have an investigation already in progress.
Learn from the past. Acorn, Fast & Furious, Bengazi.
Stop trying to kick the football, Charlie Brown.
Sister Rail Gun of Warm Humanitarianism
@Johnny Gentle (famous crooner): Maybe because some of us still want the due process to play out?
Maybe some of us HATE mob “justice”?
Maybe some of us are old enough to remember the moral panics that created the Little Rascals and McMartin Preschool messes, and this whole thing has that kind of vibe?
Know what would make me happy? Unseal the slush fund payouts. Give us all the names.
Johnny Gentle (famous crooner)
@TenguPhule: So how would you “independently verify” their stories? You’d search their Facebook profiles? Research who may have had an eyewitness view of the person’s butt when the photo was taken? Almost no accusation of sexual harassment or assault can be verified short of video or medical evidence. Hey, maybe everyone’s lying about Roy Moore! I mean, can we really verify what they’re saying? It was “believe the women” until the women accused one of our ow, now they’re all liars and GOP plants.
And as far as “critical R legislation,” are you talking about net neutrality? I’ve seen that in several of the other comments here. So how does that work? Comcast paid a bunch of women to make up stories about Al Franken? That’s perfectly logical! Besides, doesn’t it just require the FCC’s vote?
Even if Congress were voting on it, why would anyone think republicans, telecoms or “the oligarchs” are so terrified of Al Franken that they’d run this whole black op against him? He’s in the minority! His vote doesn’t mean shit! It’ll pass with or without him, and it’s not like his eloquence will somehow turn the tide. I know his devastating questioning forced Jeff Sessions to resign in disgrace and all, but let’s not get ahead of ourselves!
mouse tolliver
@Johnny Gentle (famous crooner):
This is false. These last two accusers insisted on anonymity. It’s right there in black and white at the top of the article.
One of them is claiming to be a liberal who voted for him AFTER he did this to her. But now she wants to ruin his career? Yeah, that’s bullshit.
trnc
@Johnny Gentle (famous crooner):
It isnt “always believe the women,” it’s “don’t automatically blow off their claims.” There are some big differences between the Moore and Franken situations. Moore’s accusers have a lot of corroboration. His defenders are often making excuses for why it was ok for him to do it. Franken has asked for an investigation into his own actions, and a lot of women who worked closely with him and could have been potential targets say he was absolutely professional. There’s been some indication that he wasn’t at the event where one of the accusers said he grabbed her. So, we shouldn’t dismiss the women’s claims against Franken yet, but we shouldn’t be asking him to resign until the investigation concludes.
workworkwork
@Viva BrisVegas: This. Turning common human decency into a political weapon.
If we’re going to have zero tolerance, then I think we need to out everybody. Trump has to go, Moore has to go, McConnell..,..open up the files and let’s go.
I’m willing to be that there will be more Democrats left standing than Republicans.