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Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

You don’t get to peddle hatred on saturday and offer condolences on sunday.

Many life forms that would benefit from greater intelligence, sadly, do not have it.

Narcissists are always shocked to discover other people have agency.

The truth is, these are not very bright guys, and things got out of hand.

Republicans want to make it harder to vote and easier for them to cheat.

“But what about the lurkers?”

Never entrust democracy to any process that requires Republicans to act in good faith.

Let me file that under fuck it.

It’s all just conspiracy shit beamed down from the mothership.

Boeing: repeatedly making the case for high speed rail.

“Perhaps I should have considered other options.” (head-desk)

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The arc of the moral universe does not bend itself. it is up to us to bend it.

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Let’s not be the monsters we hate.

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You are here: Home / Politics / Goddamned Traitors / Open Thread: There Are Too Many Clowns in the GOP’s Russiagate Car

Open Thread: There Are Too Many Clowns in the GOP’s Russiagate Car

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Because Adam and Cheryl know what they are talking about, they are restricted in what they can write concerning the fustercluck currently unfolding like the badly mishandled demolition of a hazardous-materials storage warehouse. Because all *I* know is what I read on the internet, I can share random tweets and chunks of news without any more fear of being thrown into Supermax than any other registered Democrat these days.

I will make an earnest effort to put anything that resembles “spillage” under the fold, but then again, how does someone with no security background judge?

That having been read into my permanent record, let’s talk about Trey Gowdy!

… Mr. Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor who is the chairman of the House Oversight Committee, has been threatening to leave elected office for years. He has told associates that he wants to be a federal judge, ideally at the appellate level. On Wednesday, he said only that he planned to return to the world of criminal justice.

A person familiar with the lawmaker’s plans said that Mr. Gowdy had turned down an offer by the Trump administration to nominate him for a judgeship on the United States Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit and that he planned to enter private practice in South Carolina instead.

“Whatever skills I may have are better utilized in a courtroom than in Congress, and I enjoy our justice system more than our political system,” he said in a statement…

Mr. Gowdy won the chairmanship of the powerful Oversight Committee last year, after the early retirement of another rising Republican, Jason Chaffetz of Utah. He has been criticized in that role by Democrats who say he was more interested in using the committee’s powers to look backward and investigate the administration of President Barack Obama than that of Mr. Trump.

At the same time, Mr. Gowdy has taken a prominent role in one of the highest-profile investigations on Capitol Hill in years: the House Intelligence Committee’s inquiry into Russian meddling in the 2016 election. Mr. Gowdy helped lead the questioning of witnesses for Republicans on the committee, and he has played a significant role in assembling a contentious secret memo that purportedly shows that the F.B.I. and the Justice Department abused their authority to obtain a warrant to spy on a former Trump campaign adviser…

Later that same evening…

… Though Gowdy, a former federal prosecutor, helped craft the memo and has championed its public release, he said on “Fox News Sunday” that he believed the FBI should see the memo before it comes out. He also said it shouldn’t be used to interfere with Mueller’s probe.

“I told my Republican colleagues, ‘Leave him the hell alone,’ and that’s still my advice,” Gowdy said…

Arrogant he may be, but perhaps Harold Watson “Trey” Gowdy III is not quite as dumb as many of his fellow Repubs.

Reader Interactions

73Comments

  1. 1.

    piratedan

    does this imply that the Nunes memo is even too stupid even for Gowdy, who may recognize the odor of this shitburger is likely to remove the microcosm of integrity he might had left after his moment of triumph during the Clinton questioning over Benghazi?

    If we ever restore the rule of law in this country, I sure hope that this bullshit is pursued vigorously and that these traitorous bastards end up incarcerated.

  2. 2.

    TriassicSands

    Trey Gowdy an appeals court judge?

    I feel a stroke coming on. The idea of Gowdy as a federal prosecutor is horrifying enough.

  3. 3.

    TriassicSands

    @piratedan:

    does this imply that the Nunes memo is even too stupid even for Gowdy…

    From what I’ve seen of Gowdy, nothing is “too stupid” for him.

  5. 5.

    Anne Laurie

    @TriassicSands: If you believe the NYTimes, Gowdy turned the offer down. He said he’s going into private practice, instead.

    Guy who’s know for hungering after an appeals-court judgeship suddenly no longer wants one… at least, not one offered by the current administration. Leading indicator? Maybe someone here will know!

  6. 6.

    MomSense

    I read that he settled a wrongful termination suit with a former staffer for $150,000. Of course taxpayers paid the tab. I wonder what this is all about.

  7. 7.

    Calouste

    Going back to the world of criminal justice, eh? He doesn’t mention on which side, prosecutor or defendant.

  9. 9.

    Fair Economist

    @MomSense: This almost has to be a personal scandal, and settling a harassment suit could qualify, especially if the harassment was extra salacious (maybe Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter slashfic roleplay?). Quitting Congress seems plausible given that he’s more than likely to be almost powerless in the 116th Congress because the House will be Democratic. But turning down a seat on the Appeals Court? That’s not just “being tired of partisanship”.

  13. 13.

    MomSense

    @Fair Economist:

    I wondered if it was the veteran who was a Benghazi investigation staffer. I think there was something about him being deployed and the committee let him go instead of holding his job for his return.

    It doesn’t seem like this is only about partisanship since Gowdyhad no trouble knowing that the Benghazi nonsense was a partisan action to vilify a popular Secretary of State to harm her run for President.

  14. 14.

    Fair Economist

    @MomSense: Yeah, Gowdy complaining about partisanship is a pretty implausible cover for whatever the real story is. He’s in the top tier of causes for that.

  17. 17.

    Aleta

    @MomSense: a few more details:

    As chairman of the House Select Committee on Benghazi, Rep. Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) used $150,000 in taxpayer dollars to settle with a former aide who alleged he was fired in part because he was not willing to focus his investigative work on Hillary Clinton.

    The Post confirmed the confidential settlement reached between Gowdy and the Benghazi panel and Bradley Podliska after it appeared in a list of settlements released Friday by the congressional Office of Compliance. Gowdy is now the chairman of the House Oversight Committee.

    In a list provided to the House Committee on Administration, the OOC disclosed it oversaw one $150,000 settlement involving a claim of veteran status discrimination and retaliation in the last five years. Podliska, in addition to claiming he was fired for his refusal to focus on Clinton, alleged retaliation by his supervisors because he took leave to fulfill his obligations as an Air Force reservist.

    Podliska eventually dropped from his lawsuit the claim he was fired because he refused to focus on Clinton. His December 2016 settlement, which covered the veterans status and retaliation claims, was reported by The Washington Post at the time without the settlement amount. The committee did not admit wrongdoing as part of the agreement.

    Dec 1, Wa Post

    ETA the last para, which on 2nd thought seems significant to me …

    Podliska’s lawyer, Peter Romer-Friedman, declined in a phone interview to discuss the details of his client’s settlement, citing a confidentiality agreement. However, he said he was not aware of any other such case brought against Congress and settled in the past five years.

  20. 20.

    Paul T

    Since the Rethuglicans have now completely pissed off the FBI, you can bet the gloves will start coming off from the law enforcement side. “Oh, by the way, since you are playing with Nunes and the other Russian stooges, please note we know all about your 1. Mistress 2. Secret offshore bank accounts 3. Other Mistress. 4. Harassment payoff 5. Russian income 6. Koch income 7…etc……

    The rats are leaving the sinking ship.

  21. 21.

    satby

    Hello from a coffee shop in Thailand (maybe Ban Sha?) where we’re taking a break to connect with the outside world via internet. Yesterday we went swimming with the elephants in the morning and to an elephant funeral under the blue moon partial eclipse at night. An elderly elephant had died at our homestay and the family and community hold a funeral just like for a person, a very moving Buddist ceremony.
    Just wanted to pop in to say hi though it’s the wee hours of the morning for you all.

  22. 22.

    Steeplejack

    @satby:

    Sorry about the elephant, but I hope you are enjoying your trip. Take lots of pictures!

    Where exactly in Thailand are you?

  24. 24.

    Joyce H

    @Paul T:

    Since the Rethuglicans have now completely pissed off the FBI, you can bet the gloves will start coming off from the law enforcement side. “Oh, by the way, since you are playing with Nunes and the other Russian stooges, please note we know all about your 1. Mistress 2. Secret offshore bank accounts 3. Other Mistress. 4. Harassment payoff 5. Russian income 6. Koch income 7…etc……

    What I’d like to see, if the Deep State decides to start leaking the dirt, isn’t the mistresses, because the GOP base doesn’t care about mistresses. Trump is a “billionaire” “playboy”, they expect mistresses.

    What I’d rather see, and you know it’s out there, is documentation on the abortions Trump arranged and paid for. Yeah, a lot of his base are cultish enough that even that wouldn’t bother them, but there is a subset for whom abortion is pretty much the ONLY issue. Lose them and he starts becoming so toxic even the Congress will start moving away from him and stop enabling him.

  27. 27.

    Steeplejack

    @satby:

    Just looked it up on Google Maps. Looks like you’re 12 hours ahead of EST, and the weather looks nice: highs in the low 80s, lows in the high 50s. I’m guessing the humidity is bad, though.

  28. 28.

    NotMax

    @satby

    Of course, having just arisen from the depths of a two hour nap, bleary and unfocused eyes first read that as “about an hour outside of Saturn.”

  29. 29.

    mai naem mobile

    If he turned down the Appeals Court Judges hip Gowdy has to have some ugly personal scandal coming up. Probably an affair. Maybe bribes. Maybe he knew whatever corruption Nunes is caught up in and didn’t say anything. I’m beginning to think Ryan will retire as well.

  30. 30.

    NotMax

    @satby

    In Thailand, do people say “Don’t feel like cooking tonight, gonna get take-out from the American place?”

    :)

  32. 32.

    Elizabelle

    @satby: Hi Satby. Look forward to hearing more about your travels.

    An elephant funeral. Way cool. Sad for the family; 50 years is longer than most marriages. Very much a member of the family. RIP, elephant.

  36. 36.

    H.E.Wolf

    @Starfish:

    Given the time difference, I think young Schvantz there is posting during his lunch hour.

    (Or possibly during his office hours.)

    ETA: Hello to all the late-night regulars! I’m posting from the Insomnia time zone.

  38. 38.

    Elizabelle

    @Amir Khalid: I shall stick to dogs. And maybe a cat or two.

    We were traumatized by our parakeets and fish not lasting long, in early childhood. And god only knows what a parrot would pick up and repeat …

  39. 39.

    NotMax

    Feel oh so very techie and plugged in. :)

    Have to drive the landlady to the auto dealership on Friday morning (early) for a service appointment for her car. Downloaded some stuff from Netflix onto the tablet so will have something diverting to do when without a decent wi-fi connection while sitting in the customer ‘lounge’ besides just drinking free crappy coffee.

  44. 44.

    raven

    @NotMax: When we picked up our rental car at “rent a wreck” on Maui I was surprised to learn there were stock car races on the islands!

  45. 45.

    Immanentize

    It’s not precisely a complaint, but what happened to the regularly scheduled morning threads?

  47. 47.

    hueyplong

    Should we assume that one of these retiring GOPers will be appointed to a position from which he can fire Mueller?

    [Obviously, that’s a step taken after the firing of the Comey letter-writer.]

  53. 53.

    JWR

    @Immanentize: Not that it’s any of my business, but I’ve been meaning to ask; are you the same Immanentize from the good ol’ (Christianity Is Stupid!) days over at FDL?

  58. 58.

    Central Planning

    @OzarkHillbilly: I don’t think that would be as satisfying for him as fcking the minorities, poors, and LGBTQs, although sticking it to the government probably gives him a little satisfaction.

    ETA – maybe by defending the rich that makes him feel rich (I’m sure he’s got plenty of money already)

  60. 60.

    debbie

    I’ve heard this is a lie:

    Thank you for all of the nice compliments and reviews on the State of the Union speech. 45.6 million people watched, the highest number in history. @FoxNews beat every other Network, for the first time ever, with 11.7 million people tuning in. Delivered from the heart!— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 1, 2018

    538 says his approval rating is currently 39.5%. Too high!

  61. 61.

    OzarkHillbilly

    @Central Planning: I think he’s retiring because he found fcking the minorities, poors, and LGBTQs, somehow unfulfilling, so now he’s decided he want’s to “SHOW ME THE MONEY!!!”

  64. 64.

    David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch

    @debbie: as usual, he lied about the viewership being the highest in history.

    Obama’s first STOU had 52.4 million viewers. Bill Clinton had 66.9 million. Of course in the 60s and 70s when only a handful of channels were available, viewership was even higher.

  65. 65.

    JWR

    @debbie:

    In total, President Trump’s address drew 45.6 million viewers across broadcast and cable, according to the final Nielsen tally. That number does not include those who live-streamed the speech.

    Source: Nielsen via Variety

    Or are you confusing the 45.6 million number with his poll numbers?

    ETA, Trump’s ” the highest number in history” lie is just that, a lie.

  68. 68.

    Another Scott

    @mai naem mobile: Someone should go through Gowdy’s public statements about Clinton and Obama and make a checklist of every one of his accusations against them. It’s always projection with the GOP leadership. Always…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  69. 69.

    Aleta

    @debbie: Honestly expected him to claim he got the most minutes of applause. He certainly worked at dragging out the clapping. They’re keeping him tamped down.

  70. 70.

    Aleta

    His dogs are named Judge, Jury and Bailiff. (True)

    The Gowdys are fans of dogs. The only stipulation: U.S. Rep. Trey Gowdy – a former federal and state prosecutor – mandates the dogs are named using law enforcement terms.

  71. 71.

    FlipYrWhig

    @David ??Merry Christmas?? Koch: This is the same bullshit as the Inauguration Day line he made Spicer bellow from the podium. He’s trying to say that if you add up a lot of livestreaming numbers, a way of watching that didn’t use to exist, you can get a total that’s higher than the TV-watching numbers from the past. To me this seems a bit like adding in total newspaper subscriptions. But because he is stupid, vain, and stupid, in that order, he finds this very convincing to himself.

  72. 72.

    PaulWartenberg

    Off-topic, I got my first paycheck that’s been affected by the massive Tax Cut the Republicans just passed!

    Hoo boy! ALRIGHT! MORE MONEY!

    …

    I got a boost of 24 bucks per paycheck out of this.

    they’re trying to buy my enthusiasms with 24 bucks while the Wall Street CEOs are getting millions back.

    I’d riot, but that would cut into my work time.

  73. 73.

    Steve in the ATL

    @OzarkHillbilly:

    But you still need a lawyer to prove you are so rich that taxes and regulations don’t apply.

    A poor person has a lawyer. A rich person has a team of lawyers.

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