Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Proof that we need a blogger ethics panel.

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

After roe, women are no longer free.

Meanwhile over at truth Social, the former president is busy confessing to crimes.

Republicans don’t want a speaker to lead them; they want a hostage.

I’d like to think you all would remain faithful to me if i ever tried to have some of you killed.

Optimism opens the door to great things.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

T R E 4 5 O N

I’d hate to be the candidate who lost to this guy.

Let us savor the impending downfall of lawless scoundrels who richly deserve the trouble barreling their way.

Yeah, with this crowd one never knows.

Bark louder, little dog.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

You cannot shame the shameless.

It’s the corruption, stupid.

Republicans are radicals, not conservatives.

Nothing worth doing is easy.

Fuck these fucking interesting times.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

They are lying in pursuit of an agenda.

We’ve had enough carrots to last a lifetime. break out the sticks.

It’s easy to sit in safety and prescribe what other people should be doing.

You are here: Home / Politics / Impeachment / Open Thread: Impeach Them All

Open Thread: Impeach Them All

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I doubt Trump would ever keep his mouth shut about why he wanted Pence to do these things.

And of course, let’s not forget Manafort wanted Pence as VP.

Open thread

Reader Interactions

234Comments

  1. 1.

    rikyrah

    Race Bannon is up to his eyeballs in ALL OF THIS.

    FROM THE BEGINNING.

    #1. HE WAS MANAFORT’S CHOICE
    #2. HE WAS HEAD OF THE TRANSITION
    #3. He has been lying since the beginning

    Of course, he was involved ????

  6. 6.

    Yarrow

    @rikyrah: Yep. And Pence will be thrown under the bus before Trump goes anywhere. It’s a dumb strategy for Trump because Pence might pardon him but someone else is less likely to, especially President Pelosi. But Trump’s a narcissist and his entire way of being is to protect himself first, which means everyone and anyone will be sacrificed.

    Must go check popcorn stores.

  8. 8.

    MattF

    I think Pence is ‘unaware’ of a lot of things. However, the reason for that unawareness is generally not stated explicitly by his aides or in news reports.

  9. 9.

    Adam L Silverman

    Mother is going to be very vexed. The Vice President is going to have an unpleasant night in the gimp box.

  12. 12.

    rikyrah

    Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) Tweeted:
    Little backstory on the Legal Advisor at the center of the State IG briefing. He joined State in a non-legal position in 2017, 3.5 years after passing the bar. The he was promoted to acting chief lawyer for the entire state department.

    Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) Tweeted:
    2/ What I’m hearing is that this for once might have backfired, turning him into a Succession/Greg type character. Eager to be part of the gang, less eager to go to jail. https://twitter.com/joshtpm/status/1179466574161428480?s=17

  14. 14.

    Yarrow

    @Yutsano: Speaking of the Trump spawn, my theory is that one of the reasons Trump s going on and on about Hunter Biden is that his own kids are so guilty that he’s working to both-sides that issue. “See! All kids of politicians do this stuff. Hunter Biden is guilty and no one’s throwing him in prison.”

  16. 16.

    dmsilev

    @Yarrow:

    It’s a dumb strategy for Trump because Pence might pardon him but someone else is less likely to, especially President Pelosi.

    I’m visualizing President Dealmaker(tm) trying to negotiate a pardon agreement with President-to-be Pelosi.

    I’m sure we can all see how _that_ conversation would play out.

  19. 19.

    piratedan

    @rikyrah: my guess is why should we deny him the outlet to further incriminate himself…..

    cripes, they could simply report everything he’s tweeted over the last three years and introduce that into evidence or use it as an insanity defense…

  22. 22.

    Adam L Silverman

    @Yarrow: He was compromised as part of the Russian penetration and influence operation of the religious right through the organizations involved with the National Prayer Breakfasts and several different world religious forums that evangelicals are heavily involved in.

  26. 26.

    Yarrow

    @Adam L Silverman: I get that. That’s the obvious part. What do they have on him? Financial? Sexual? Something else? The rumors I’ve heard are gay sex, some possibly underage.

  27. 27.

    Cheryl Rofer

    If Trump is smart, or if he can be persuaded by Moscow Mitch,* he will drop Pence ASAP and replace him with someone who isn’t tainted by Trump’s various and sundry crimes or his own** so that he*** can pardon Trump. That’s what Nixon did with Agnew, who was being indicted for his own crimes.

    *I know, big if’s
    **Gonna be hard, yes
    ***Of course, he

  29. 29.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Yarrow: weaker, dumber and more ethically malleable than Christie? I had thought that Pence was also Jared and Ivanka’s choice, but a quick google suggests they wanted fucking Gingrich– once again reminding us that if the phrase, “stupid person’s idea of a smart person” wasn’t coined with Gingrich in mind, it should have been. Even trump thought he was too dirty.

    Getting into the weeds of the dark fantasy of pardons: couldn’t trump sign a general pardon for himself, date it, seal it and leave in his desk?

  30. 30.

    Yarrow

    @Cheryl Rofer: He’d have to convince Pence to resign, which would have to be a good deal for Pence. Would Pence trust that Trump really would pardon him? I wouldn’t.

    Also:

    Section 2. Whenever there is a vacancy in the office of the Vice President, the President shall nominate a Vice President who shall take office upon confirmation by a majority vote of both Houses of Congress.

    VP position could remain open.

  32. 32.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Cheryl Rofer: interesting, I’d been thinking that the reason Pence is still there is cause Nikki Haley doesn’t want to replace him, but that’s a re-election thing. If McConnell thinks his majority is at risk, he might start playing some very hard ball with trump
    (edited, suddenly very tired this evening)

  36. 36.

    dmsilev

    @Cheryl Rofer: One minor problem with “convincing” Pence to resign and then appointing a replacement VP: The nomination has to be approved by _both_ the House and the Senate….

  41. 41.

    Roger Moore

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    If Trump is smart, or if he can be persuaded by Moscow Mitch,* he will drop Pence ASAP and replace him with someone who isn’t tainted by Trump’s various and sundry crimes or his own** so that he*** can pardon Trump.

    There is one big problem beyond the ones you highlighted: the replacement VP has to be approved by both houses of Congress. I don’t think the Democrats in the House are going to approve of anyone who Trump and McConnell conceivably might consider nominating.

  42. 42.

    Yarrow

    Heh. On CNN Jim Acosta is doing a piece on the whole Trump meltdown day. He referred to “Mr. Trump’s tantrum” and his “social media bunker.” I’m thinking of the “Downfall” scene…

  43. 43.

    Ella in New Mexico

    @Yarrow:

    It’s a dumb strategy for Trump because Pence might pardon him but someone else is less likely to

    No matter what Trump does, Pence’s first act will be to pardon Trump, Barr, Pompeo and all Trump’s spawn. Because that will be the price of him being allowed to become President.

    Impeach THAT motherfucker too already

  50. 50.

    Yarrow

    @Cheryl Rofer: Paul Ryan? Who was the chair of the Republican National Convention in 2016 when they changed the platform re: Ukraine. Who was just fine with Russian ambassador Kislyak being there. The guy who shut up McCarthy and demanded silence when McCarthy said there were two people Putin paid, one of them Trump. That Paul Ryan?

  53. 53.

    Aleta

    Shimon Prokupecz @ShimonPro
    SDNY has asked a federal judge to temporarily block a subpoena by the Manhattan District Attorney for President Donald Trump’s tax returns, saying in a filing Wednesday that there should be time for “appropriate briefing of the weighty constitutional issues involved.”

    Adam Klasfeld @KlasfeldReports
    It’s official.

    The Department of Justice is supporting Trump’s side in his subpoena-fight with Manhattan D.A. Vance. Notably, it’s a Main Justice attorney on the signature line, alongside SDNY U.S. Attorney Berman. @CourthouseNews

    https://www.documentcloud.org/documents/6444690-DOJ-VANCE-10-2-19.html

  54. 54.

    dmsilev

    @SRW1:

    VP is not an office, though, from which the incumbent can be dropped at the presidents whim.

    We all know that. Does Trump?

    I could easily imagine him trying to recapture his Apprentice TV magic by calling a press conference with Pence, turning to him and saying “you’re fired!”. And then Pence does …what?

  56. 56.

    Elizabelle

    @NotMax: That’s hilarious. NY Daily News link.

    Although: it brought up ads for incontinence underwear. Male and female versions. I guess they know Rudy’s audience.

  57. 57.

    mrmoshpotato

    @rikyrah: I understand the side eye, but Twitter seems to be Dump’s crime confessional as of late. I see Warren’s “No.” from that angle.

  58. 58.

    mrmoshpotato

    @dmsilev:

    I’m visualizing President Dealmaker(tm) trying to negotiate a pardon agreement with President-to-be Pelosi.

    I’m sure we can all see how _that_ conversation would play out.

    Oh like she’d even look at a pardon request from the Soviet shitpile mobster conman.

  59. 59.

    hells littlest angel

    Trump involved Pence in efforts to press Ukraine’s leader, but aides say vice president was unaware

    In Pence’s defense, he’s pretty fucking dense.

  61. 61.

    Yarrow

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: I don’t think they’re enough of a team for that to happen. I think she knows his secrets and if he needs to go to a BDSM place to get those needs met she’s okay with that.

    Personally I think, like Lindsey Graham, his secrets are bad enough in his circles that they’d take down his career and possibly the life he’s built for himself.

  62. 62.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Dave Weigel @ daveweigel
    4m4 minutes ago
    -Rep. Max Rose endorses impeachment inquiry at his town hall in Staten Island.
    “While the president might be willing to violate the Constitution to get re-elected, I will not… It is for that reason that I intend to fully support this impeachment inquiry and follow the facts.”
    -As soon as he says that, a man who’d been handing out leaflets (haven’t taken a look at them yet) gets up and asks “do you support Christopher Steele?” He’s shouted down by a room that was mostly cheering for Rose; Rose says he’ll get to the question.
    -Rose had been the last NY Democrat not in favor of the inquiry. But Republicans had already begun running ads accusing him of wanting “endless investigations,” which kind of lowered the opportunity costs for him.

  66. 66.

    Cacti

    One distinct advantage of impeaching Trump vs. impeaching Richard Nixon, is that Trump is not a career GOP pol, loyal to the party.

    If he goes down, he’s not going to go away quietly for a pardon. He’s going to drag the rest of the rats down with the sinking ship.

  68. 68.

    mrmoshpotato

    @JPL:

    They’re going to eat their own, aren’t they.

    Are you rooting for injuries? Come sit by me.

  69. 69.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Anthony Zurcher @ awzurcher
    This almost certainly is a CYA effort from the VP’s office. The big question is whether Donald Trump recognizes this.

    I’m sure Chris Christie will be happy to explain it when The Beast starts dry-drunk dialing tonight.

  70. 70.

    Cacti

    @rikyrah:

    Well, I guess the commenters who were rooting for a light sentence for the nice white lady who murdered a black man can rest easy now.

    Complexion for protection indeed.

  72. 72.

    Mnemosyne

    @Yarrow:

    I don’t think they have anything on Pence. I think he’s a willing and eager conspirator who probably thinks that Jeebus is guiding his hand.

  73. 73.

    Roger Moore

    @dmsilev:

    I’m visualizing President Dealmaker(tm) trying to negotiate a pardon agreement with President-to-be Pelosi.

    I’m sure we can all see how _that_ conversation would play out.

    “Yes, Mr. Trump, if you resign I promise I’ll pardon you.”

    The day after Trump resigns:
    “You should have gotten it in writing, sucker!”

  74. 74.

    burnspbesq

    @TaMara (HFG):

    This is a really slick move by Judge Walton. DOJ is fucked either way.

    If they indict, McCabe gets all the dirt in discovery.

    If they don’t, their Excepion 7 augment goes up in smoke, and CREW gets the dirt under FOIA.

  75. 75.

    NotMax

    Headline we might well see any day now:

    To Stop Leaks, President Orders Cone of Silence for Oval Office.

  76. 76.

    HalfAssedHomesteader

    OT: Temp readings at 104F in Atlanta today, Oct 2. My chickens have all but stopped laying.

  77. 77.

    burnspbesq

    @Cacti:

    If you think ten years in solitary in a Texas prison is a “light sentence,” I really don’t think there is any point in continuing the discussion.

  80. 80.

    Cacti

    @burnspbesq:

    If you think ten years in solitary in a Texas prison is a “light sentence,” I really don’t think there is any point in continuing the discussion.

    Tax lawyer, if you think 10-years for murder is a harsh sentence in Texas, it’s best you just stick to your taxes.

  81. 81.

    Cheryl Rofer

    The stuff just keeps coming. Obviously the White House had this material on hand from when Trump told Zelensky that Yovanovich would be “experiencing some things.”

    Don’t miss the last tweet. Not very smart guys indeed.

  82. 82.

    lamh36

    Kamala Harris said Chump account should be “SUSPENDED” from twitter for violating the same TOS that all twitter users are supposed to abide by. I had my OG twitter account suspended for LESS than what Chump does ya know with inciting violence and racist bullshit.

    BANNED and SUSPENDED is two different things. If all twitter users are supposed to abide by the TOS rules…then ALL should get same punishment for not doing so.

    THAT is the point. Not…”oh well he’s incirimating himself so let him continue”. Did you see that press conference or anytime he has an interview or any on camera stuff…dude incriminates himself just as much w/o twitter.

  83. 83.

    Yarrow

    @Mnemosyne: I disagree. He’s in too deep and Manafort wouldn’t have insisted on him being VP had there not been a reason. Just being a Jesus freak isn’t enough. They needed to be able to control him.

  85. 85.

    Mary G

    @Cacti: Names of these alleged commenters with links, please, or it didn’t happen. I for one wanted them to throw the book at Amber Guyger. It’s outrageous that a state that’s locked up a black woman for five years just for mistakenly voting gave her only 10 years.

  91. 91.

    Cacti

    @Mary G:

    Go read yesterday’s comment thread and see for yourself, lazy ass.

    Less than 10 comments in, you’ll find the first lament for the poor white lady.

  92. 92.

    Mary G

    @Yarrow: Pence also took over the transition after Chris Christie got stabbed in the back as payback for Jared’s dad. There’s all kinds of shenanigans yet to be uncovered.

  93. 93.

    What Have The Romans Ever Done for Us?

    @Cheryl Rofer: Paul Ryan the guy who finally has the power to stand up to Trump now that he’s with Fox News? LOL. Not that he wouldn’t knuckle back under Trump again for a shot at VP. No more spineless guy anywhere.

  94. 94.

    Yarrow

    @Mary G: Yep. Pence knows plenty. There’s a reason they chose him. Can’t wait to watch Trump try to blame all of this on Pence.

  95. 95.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    Not very smart guys indeed.

    Yeah, but I don’t think you could say it got out of hand.

    “In our defense, once we starting crimeing, we just couldn’t stop!”
    “We have recordings of all of you shouting at an Amazon Echo, ‘Alexa! Do all the crimes!'”

  96. 96.

    Jay

    In his victim impact statement, Botham's brother said he forgives Guyger, wants the best for her and hopes she gives her life to Christ. "I don't know if this is possible, but can I give her a hug, please?" The two embrace hard. pic.twitter.com/9enPTTno7C— Jolie McCullough (@jsmccullou) October 2, 2019

  97. 97.

    Martin

    @Yarrow:

    Would Pence trust that Trump really would pardon him? I wouldn’t.

    Just wait to convict him until after Trump is out of office.
    If Pence isn’t replaced, then impeach Trump and Pelosi is pres.

    There’s no clever way out of this. They’re all fucked.

  98. 98.

    MCA1

    @Cacti: Yes, this seems to be something the GOP completely miscalculated somehow. I guess they just assumed there was never any impeachment risk there despite all the evidence of the man’s colossal narcissistic neediness and history of criminality and bankruptcies. They’re all caught in their own Mexican standoff now; as soon as any Republican finally turns on Trump, he’ll ruin them, but if none of them turn on him, his sinking standing with the rest of the country will also ruin them.

    By shoving Dense in front of the bus he’s upped the stakes on the Senate by removing their lifeline if they decide to impeach Dotard. So they can either allow impeachment to move forward knowing that the chances of President Pelosi, a prospect that would make Trumpalo heads explode, are much higher now, or they can ride it out with Drumpf and watch their hold over the Senate evaporate as the majority of the country derides their complicity. Their only path to victory is to brazen the shit out this thing, amplify the misinformation and whataboutism, and hope they get lucky. Or hope that the Dems move on Pence (and Barr & Co.) first, and suggest a Democratic caretaker VP they’d approve and that doesn’t make Republicans break out in hives to broker an end to the shitshow.

    I could get behind something like that – President Retired Democratic Governor of Purple State for 8 or 10 months – to stop the madness. But on the other hand, I’m perfectly happy to watch the entire GOP burned down because they’re such f’ing snowflakes they can’t handle Nancy Pelosi in the White House for less than a year as the punishment for their complicity, with an election swiftly coming down the pike.

  102. 102.

    Cacti

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Hi counselor.

    Remember yesterday when you were tut tutting the black commenters here who were hoping for a long sentence?

    I can give you a link to that if you like.

  104. 104.

    Kent

    Pence really has them all by the short hairs.

    1. He can’t be fired by Trump. The VP is the only executive branch person the president can’t fire
    2. He can’t be replaced by any sort of lackey who might possibly pardon Trump and all the other Trump cronies and crime family because such as person would NEVER get through the House of Representatives.
    3. He can’t resign because doing so will mean the House will just hold the seat open until after the election and if Trump is actually removed or resigns that will mean President Pelosi.

    The ONLY thing they can do is leave Pence alone and keep him in place as a life preserver and get out of jail card in case Trump actually goes down before the end of his term.

  105. 105.

    Another Scott

    Twitter:

    Daniel Dale Verified account @ddale8

    Fact check: The president of the United States attacks the Washington Post at length over a New York Times article adapted from a book by New York Times journalists:

    1984 wasn’t intended to be an instruction manual!!

    Grrr…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  106. 106.

    Frankensteinbeck

    @Yarrow:

    Don’t you wonder what they’ve got on Pence? Why was he Manafort’s choice?

    Because he’s stupid. Because he’s the exactly perfect level of stupid where he does what he’s told and does not improvise. He has no morals except hate, so he will do absolutely anything asking few or no questions as long as the instructions come from what he considers an appropriate authority (like someone who makes up Republican spin). This became clear to me during the VP debate when he delivered a duly scripted set of talking points that claimed Trump’s positions were the exact opposite of what they actually were, and stuck to it like glue with no sign of conflict. Since then he has said very little in public, none of it off-message. He’s the most useful idiot there is.

  107. 107.

    Cacti

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    You got your wish counselor. Light sentence for the crying white lady. Now regale us with some bullshit platitude about justice being served.

  108. 108.

    JanieM

    @lamh36: Thanks for that link. What was incredibly powerful and effective; in her place I would have been a speechless mass of fury.

    Edited to correct a typo.

  110. 110.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @Cacti: Fuck you. This is everything I post regarding Guyger’s sentencing.

    Omnes Omnibus says:
    October 1, 2019 at 2:56 pm

    @rikyrah: @PenandKey: Those seem more like calls for vengeance than justice.

    Omnes Omnibus says:
    October 1, 2019 at 3:48 pm

    @Cacti: You think I am calling for a light sentence for the cop? No, not at all. I just want a sentence based on the law not popular opinion.

    Omnes Omnibus says:
    October 1, 2019 at 3:56 pm

    @cokane: No, she walked into someone else’s home and shot him for no reason. From what I know at this time, I would lean towards the upper half of the range. My issue was not with calling for a long sentence, but in what I thought was the reason for that call.

  111. 111.

    Roger Moore

    @Frankensteinbeck:
    Also, too, he’s a near-ideal sop to the Christianists. They were a group whose support Trump really needed to consolidate, so he absolutely had to pick one of them.

    ETA: And I would not be surprised if Adam Silverman is correct that he has been compromised by the Russians as part of their general infiltration of the Christianist Right. Even if they don’t have kompromat on him, he’s probably been sold on the Russians being our friends.

  112. 112.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @Cheryl Rofer: Just FTR, Nixon did not “dump” Agnew – Agnew resigned the office of VPOTUS as part of a plea deal to avoid prison time. USAG Eliot Richardson essentially mandated the deal over the objections of MD USA George Beall & his prosecutors, who knew they had a slam-dunk case against the former MD Governor & wanted to send him to prison. Richardson felt the most important thing was to remove an acknowledged felon from the line of succession. But Nixon could not possibly have wanted him gone – Agnew was his human shield against impeachment, so despised by the Democrats that Tricky Dick was sure they’d let him skate if the only alternative was to install Agnew as POTUS.

  113. 113.

    Cacti

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    @rikyrah: @PenandKey: Those seem more like calls for vengeance than justice.

    Thanks counselor. That’s the one of you tut tutting the black commenters.

    What a pompous windbag you are.

  115. 115.

    Mary G

    @Cacti: My lazy ass just went to read the thread and made it through 126 comments. ONE person said they felt sorry for her, because she has to live with the guilt of killing an innocent person for the rest of her life, one person sort of agreed, and multiple commenters politely disagreed.

    He did not say she should get a light sentence. I award you two Pinocchios.

  116. 116.

    Kay

    Bernie campaign:

    mike casca
    @cascamike
    ·2h
    big thank you to
    @TeamWarren
    for sending dinner to our dc headquarters. the team is very grateful (and started with the cookies first).

  117. 117.

    Nicole

    Because I am the ultimate in tinfoil hat wearing some days, I have started to wonder if Mitch McConnell is, in fact, planning for President Pelosi because he figures a year of a Democratic President is enough time for the media (and public) to forget and to improve the GOP’s chances for both the White House and Congress in 2020. And, unfortunately, I don’t think that’s a terrible gamble, especially seeing as how he can ensure absolutely nothing gets done between now and 2020 and when there’s a Democrat in the WH, the media leaps to blame the Democrats for the obstruction.

    Mitch doesn’t want to lose power, and counting on the media to carry water for him during a (brief) Democratic Administration may be his best bet to maintain it.

    Okay, I’ll take my tinfoil hat off now and you can all tell me why that’s bananas and make me feel better.

  118. 118.

    dmsilev

    @mrmoshpotato:

    “In our defense, once we starting crimeing, we just couldn’t stop!”
    “We have recordings of all of you shouting at an Amazon Echo, ‘Alexa! Do all the crimes!’”

    Narrator: “In retrospect, attacking Jeff Bezos was not the wisest decision.”

  119. 119.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Kent:

    The ONLY thing they can do is leave Pence alone and keep him in place as a life preserver and get out of jail card in case Trump actually goes down before the end of his term.

    The problem with that is, as they say in the military, the enemy (also known as the House of Representatives) gets a vote.

  122. 122.

    Millard Filmore

    @Jay: I hope Hong Kong can come to a reasonable accommodation with Big China. In a hundred years a lot of that city will be under water.

  123. 123.

    lamh36

    @helenprejean
    Glenn Ford was wrongfully convicted and spent over 29 years on Louisiana’s death row. Glenn developed lung cancer in prison and officials refused to provide treatment. After he was exonerated, Louisiana refused to pay any compensation. Glenn died in 2015. #WrongfulConvictionDay
    https://twitter.com/helenprejean/status/1179499911567556608

    Hey ole girl got 10 years, but that’s alrigtt. She’ll be out in less than 5 in time for interviews and book deals and podcasts

  126. 126.

    NotMax

    @Nicole

    Purely hypothetical but Pelosi is under no obligation to accept the office, in which case the next in line is Chuck Grassley.

  127. 127.

    dmsilev

    @Nicole: President Pelosi only happens if ~20 GOP Senators vote to convict & remove Trump. That would indicate that the GOP’s current facade of unity was completely and utterly shattered. In that environment, how would they find a consensus candidate to run in 2020? Picking a replacement for Trump would be …messy, and would inevitably leave people pissed off, not to mention all of the Trumpkins furious at the betrayal of Dear Leader. It would devastate the GOP in 2020. The only way they’d do it is if the price of not doing so was even higher.

  128. 128.

    Mary G

    OMG Jacob Wohl and his buddy just put out a “media alert” alleging that Elizabeth Warren has been in a long-term extramarital relationship with a hunky 24-year-old Marine, and their evidence will shock the “conscious” of the nation.

    I admire her even more if it’s true.

    ETA: Drat, I may have been fooled again, because the tweet is gone and Google has nothing on this. Sorry.

  129. 129.

    Jay

    Bill Barr Risks becoming Joseph Mifsud's New Coffee Boyhttps://t.co/dS3gX6zYkAThe "ask" was to interview Mifsud directly. Instead, per DB, Barr sat in a room and watched a video, which is absolutely *useless* for assessing Mifsud's claims.— emptywheel (@emptywheel) October 2, 2019

  132. 132.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @Cacti:

    You got your wish counselor. Light sentence for the crying white lady. Now regale us with some bullshit platitude about justice being served.

    Oh you phony fucking fake. Omnes told you to put up or shut up and you came back with absolute bullshit! I said it before earlier today and I’ll say it again: you’re an obnoxious troll. I have no idea what happened to you from like 2017 or so till now, but I don’t remember you being like this. All you do is snipe endlessly at other commenters. You’re toxic.

    If you hate this place so much, then go somewhere else. No one’s holding a gun to your head

  134. 134.

    lamh36

    @AdamSerwer
    Following Following @AdamSerwer
    More
    We would be living in a very different world if many of the people who exult in black displays of forgiveness reciprocated that grace and mercy but that’s not reflected at all in our criminal justice policy, and it makes you question what they really find compelling about it.

    6:26 PM – 2 Oct 2019
    https://twitter.com/AdamSerwer/status/1179538061664952320

  137. 137.

    Jay

    “These documents provide further evidence of a concerted, external effort to conduct a disinformation campaign against a career U.S ambassador, who has been the subject of baseless attacks, including by the President himself,” Menendez said— Manu Raju (@mkraju) October 2, 2019

  138. 138.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @Cacti:

    She’s not eligible for parole AFAIK. Also, that article is several years old. That 60% figure is from FY2006

    @Cacti:
    Whatever, dude. I thought the sentence was light too. She shouldn’t have gotten anything less than 20 years but that’s not how it worked out unfortunately. What I have a problem with is smearing long-standing commenters and not even being able to back up the accusations with evidence. All I can conclude is that you’re a toxic troll. Keep it up and you’re going to be banned

  139. 139.

    smintheus

    Ok. So who was it that Pence was told he needed to get Ukraine to dig up dirt on, if not the Bidens?

  142. 142.

    MomSense

    @lamh36:

    I just feel for her so much. In the midst of her grief she found the strength to deliver that tour de force message to the people of Dallas. She is an extraordinary person.

  145. 145.

    Mary G

    And the lady with all of plans pulls out in front, or at least tied:

    NATIONAL POLL: #2020Dem preference:
    28% E Warren
    25% Joe Biden
    15% Bernie Sanders
    5% Pete Buttigieg
    5% Kamala Harris
    2% Marianne Williamson
    2% Andrew Yang

    Plus 11 more receiving 1% or lesshttps://t.co/tY6ukaGSzA

    — MonmouthPoll (@MonmouthPoll) October 2, 2019

    Disclosure: I took out the twitter links to each candidate to avoid moderation. Hope Kamala can pull up, she still has my heart.

    Also, too, Democrats are winnowing too slowly. Why do we have to see twelve people in this month’s debate?

  146. 146.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Romney fan-girl Jennifer Rubin on the Hayes program mocking Susan Collins for hiding under her desk. Where’s Our Willard and his Shoulders you could land a 747 on?

  147. 147.

    Chyron HR

    @Cacti:

    And then 12 comments in you’ll find the first person calling him an asshole. But that doesn’t really fit your narrative so it never happened! I see the difference between Bidenbros and Berniebros is even less than previously suspected.

  148. 148.

    Another Scott

    @Roger Moore: Supposedly that was the big reason why he was picked.

    But why would Manafort care about that?? That’s the part that doesn’t make sense to me. Was he the only RWNJ “evangelical” that they could dig up to consent to being on Donnie’s ticket?

    And we know that Pence is a brazen liar. USAToday from December 2017:

    […]

    Nov. 11, 2016:Pence takes over the Trump transition team from New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie. Flynn is vice chair. (Christie later says, on Dec. 6, 2017, that he believes his opposition to making Flynn national security adviser was a “significant reason” he was replaced.)

    Nov. 17, 2016: Trump names Flynn his national security adviser.

    Nov. 18, 2016: Maryland Rep. Elijah Cummings, the top Democrat on the House Oversight Committee, writes Pence raising questions about Flynn’s lobbying work for Russia and Turkey. Cummings asks Pence, as head of the transition, for information Flynn has shared with the transition, and a signed assertion from Flynn that he does not have conflicts of interest.

    […]

    Jan. 20, 2017: Trump and Pence are sworn into office.

    Jan. 24, 2017: Flynn denies to FBI agents that he discussed the sanctions with Russian officials.

    Jan. 26, 2017: Acting Attorney General Sally Yates tells the White House counsel that Pence, and other top officials, made statements about Flynn’s actions that were not true.

    Feb. 9, 2017: Pence learns about Yates’ warning, according to NBC News. The Washington Post reports Flynn discussed sanctions with Kislyak.

    Feb. 13, 2017: Flynn resigns, saying he had he had “inadvertently briefed the vice president-elect and others with incomplete information regarding my phone calls with the Russian ambassador.”

    Feb. 14, 2017: Pence spokesman Marc Lotter said the vice president “became aware of incomplete information that he had received Feb. 9, last Thursday night, based on media accounts. He did an inquiry based on those media accounts.”

    March 9, 2017: Pence tells Fox News that he was just learning about Flynn’s work for Turkey from news reports.

    May 8, 2017: Pence reportedly participates in an Oval Office meeting at which Trump reviewed the draft of a letter laying out reasons for firing FBI Director James Comey. The reasons reportedly included Trump’s displeasure that Comey wouldn’t publicly say Trump wasn’t being investigated.

    May 9, 2017: Trump fires Comey, suggesting the reason was Comey’s handling of the investigation of Hillary Clinton’s private email server.

    May 10, 2017: Pence repeated the initial White House explanation that Comey was dismissed based on the recommendation of Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein.

    But Trump later undercut that explanation, saying he was going to fire Comey regardless of the Justice Department’s recommendation, and confirmed in a television interview the Russia investigation was indeed on his mind when he made the decision.

    […]

    Probably the only thing that’s saving him is that he’s generally been keeping his head down (while running Donnie’s domestic agenda against LGBTQs, women, etc.)

    Grrr…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  150. 150.

    clay

    @Jay: I can’t even keep all the dumb parts of this dumb affair straight. Who is Misfud, and why did Barr want to talk to him, and what does it mean that he didn’t?

  152. 152.

    boatboy_srq

    Reminder: tRump not restraining himself in front of Dence, and Dence not being aware of the Purauit of Dirt, are not mutually exclusive.

  154. 154.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @Cacti:
    Yes. Now what is it in 2019? That’s partly what I was getting at.
    From the Dallas Morning News:

    Guyger was booked into the Dallas County jail for the night about 4:45 p.m., not long after court recessed for the day.

    Testimony in the punishment phase of Guyger’s trial will continue at 9:30 a.m. Wednesday. In Texas, murder carries a sentence of five to 99 years or life in prison. She isn’t eligible for probation.

  155. 155.

    Kay

    @Mary G:

    November should cut it down quite a bit:

    So far, former Vice President Joe Biden, Sen. Bernie Sanders, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Sen. Kamala Harris, and Mayor Pete Buttigieg are confirmed to be on stage.

    + Yang, probably.

  157. 157.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Rachael Bade @ rachaelmbade
    GOP Rep. Fred Upton says he supports investigating Trump’s actions, but not an impeachment inquiry

  158. 158.

    Butter Emails

    Prosecutors in the Amber Guyger case recommended 28 years, which is a sentence in line with what I personally feel was merited by the case. On the flip side, I’m a bit uncomfortable directing heavy criticism at the 10 year sentence rendered by a jury that is majority minority. The estimate I saw was 5 black jurors, 5 Hispanic/Asian, 2 white (2 black & 2 white alternates). It’s a bit presumptuous and privileged of me to assume that my judgement and opinion is more valid than their decision.

  159. 159.

    trollhattan

    @Yarrow:

    Who was the chair of the Republican National Convention in 2016 when they changed the platform re: Ukraine? Who was just fine with Russian ambassador Kislyak being there? The guy who shut up McCarthy and demanded silence when McCarthy said there were two people Putin paid, one of them Trump?

    Shaft!

  161. 161.

    clay

    Hey, if a front-pager is around, I have a comment in moderation. I mistyped my email, sorry.

  162. 162.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @Cacti:
    It seems somebody doesn’t understand what the burden of proof is. Or rather pretends not to so they can troll

  166. 166.

    Cacti

    @lamh36:

    The Judge did her best to let Guyger off the hook.

    That might be the first time legal history that the intruder into someone else’s home was allowed to argue the castle doctrine.

  168. 168.

    Mary G

    Found the Jacob Wohl thing again, press conference alleged for tomorrow, probably will fizzle out like his last one:

    on what planet does a 70-year-old woman boffing a 24-year-old Marine not turn her into a deity of some sort pic.twitter.com/5Gcr1kljCo— shauna (@goldengateblond) October 2, 2019

    They’ll probably claim that the Marine didn’t show because he’s afraid for his life.

  173. 173.

    Kent

    @Cheryl Rofer:

    The problem with that is, as they say in the military, the enemy (also known as the House of Representatives) gets a vote.

    Correct me if I’m wrong. But I think if the president dies, resigns, or is removed from office the VP automatically assumes the presidency. There is no vote of the Senate or the House to confirm it, it happens automatically. The voters have already approved the VP who was on the ballot. That is basically their main purpose, to serve as a backup president and also president of the Senate.

    What requires Senate and House confirmation is if the president nominates a replacement VP after the existing one dies or resigns because that person will not have been voted on or vetted by the American public.

    If Trump resigns or is impeached and removed then Pence automatically becomes president without any vote in the House. At least that is my understanding.

    This is why the whole Sara Palin thing was such a fucking fiasco. Because once McCain put her on the ballot as his running mate there was nothing anyone anywhere could do to prevent her ascent to the presidency in the event that McCain died.

  174. 174.

    Jay

    @Cacti:

    The Judge allowed the Defence to argue the Castle Doctrine, and fail for obvious reasons, so the the Defence could not argue an Appeal based on the Castle Doctrine, and try to delay justice.

  175. 175.

    lamh36

    @Butter Emails: I read somewhere that the jury sentence had to be unanimous? If that is true, I can see as we’ve seen here folks not able to agree on the higher number for whatever reason (I’d tell you what I think the reasoning might be, but don’t feel like being bothered with the responses) so the 10 years was what they could ALL agree on.

    If the jury hadn’t been able to voted all together would that have meant the judge had to choose the sentence or not?

    Again…I’d read but not seen anything definitive about that.

  176. 176.

    ??? Goku (aka Amerikan Baka) ??

    @lamh36:

    That judge had to have known about Jean’s social media posts. She’s obviously AA. I don’t get it

  177. 177.

    Cacti

    And just to put to rest whether Guyger got a light sentence:

    The mean sentence served for murder nationally is 15 years.

    The median is 13.4 years.

    Source: USDOJ

  178. 178.

    hueyplong

    I rarely finish any sentence that begins with “Jacob Wohl” unless the word “arrested” appears in my peripheral vision.

  179. 179.

    Cheryl Rofer

    @Kent: I was too enigmatic. I was referring to the possibility that the House will impeach Pence, starting with the evidence of his malfeasance that has come out today.

  180. 180.

    J R in WV

    @Cacti:

    Well, I guess the commenters who were rooting for a light sentence for the nice white lady who murdered a black man can rest easy now.

    Complexion for protection indeed.

    I don’t think anyone here was rooting for a light sentence for the rotten cop who killed her neighbor. I also don’t think 10 years in prison for a bad cop is a light sentence, either, tho more would have been fine by me.

    What is the matter with you lately? you didn’t seem to be an ass before, but now….

  181. 181.

    Kathleen

    @Nicole: I think you’re on point. My scenario: 1) Trump is out (resigns, removed by impeachment whatever. 2) Propatainment platforms/popular consensus breathe deep sigh of relief because the Guy That Made Republicans Look Bad is gone and they can now resume or normal programming by pimping nice regular Rethuglicans like Paul Ryan 3) Root cause of Trump ascendancy never analyzed or discussed. 3) Rethuglicans take control of House, Senate & Executive Branch, which houses a shinier, sleeker, smarter and more appealing Fascist. The End.

    It doesn’t have to play out that way, but that is The Plan now. We need to be vigilant and thwart it.

  182. 182.

    Cacti

    @Jay:

    The Judge allowed the Defence to argue the Castle Doctrine, and fail for obvious reasons, so the the Defence could not argue an Appeal based on the Castle Doctrine, and try to delay justice.

    You mean the Judge who gave her a post-sentence hug?

  185. 185.

    Butter Emails

    @lamh36:

    I don’t know – I’m assuming the jury had to reach some sort of consensus. I also don’t know the actual dynamics – not sure we’ll ever know. Was it one person going “10 years, no more” or were most jurors of a similar mind and debated and reached some sort of middle range. I suppose I might be unrealistic on how I look at this – I assumed some jurors would be for a higher sentence, others lower and they’d end up at a middle point.

  186. 186.

    jk

    @Cacti:

    Judge Kemp descended from the bench and walked over to Guyger thumbing through a book.

    Kemp read from her own Christian bible and reportedly counseled Guyger as to how she thought the gospel might work wonders for the soon-to-be numbered–in a state penitentiary–murderess.

    “I have three or four more bibles at home,” Kemp says. “This is your job for the next month.”

    The judge told Guyger to study John chapter 3 verse 16–and then proceeded to read it aloud.

    After listening to the judge, Guyger stood up and the two hugged in a decidedly bizarre post-trial moment caught on camera.

    h/t https://lawandcrime.com/crazy/amber-guygers-own-judge-hugs-her-after-being-sentenced-to-10-years-in-prison

  187. 187.

    Cacti

    @Butter Emails:

    I don’t know – I’m assuming the jury had to reach some sort of consensus. I also don’t know the actual dynamics – not sure we’ll ever know. Was it one person going “10 years, no more” or were most jurors of a similar mind and debated and reached some sort of middle range

    The white jurors probably held out for a light sentence.

  189. 189.

    Jay

    Fox News: Liz Warren wants to take money from the rich and give it to the poor!
    Me: Cool cool.
    Mark Zuckerberg: Liz Warren is an existential threat to my business!
    Me: Guys, I already like her ok, you don’t have to sell her this hard. – OhNoSheTwitnt

  191. 191.

    TaMara (HFG)

    @Cacti: You need to chill out and stop attacking everyone. I have no idea what your personal issues are, but there was one person in that thread who expressed empathy for the killer, not that what she did wasn’t horrible.

    They were not abusive about it, and had every right to express it and they also listened to what everyone else had to say about it. And I believe there was a very open discussion about it. Without anyone being abusive.

    I believe the majority of people understand this sentence was unfair and too little for the crime for which she was convicted – murder. Plain and simple.

    You on the otherhand seem to have only one speed: attack and abuse. I’m asking you to knock it off or go spread your anger somewhere else.

  192. 192.

    J R in WV

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    Nice job, Omnes. Thanks for speaking up!

    Cacti is off the mirror and thru the map or something like that….

    Maybe the stress is getting to all of us. I know it is getting to me.

  194. 194.

    JanieM

    There are a number of articles tonight saying she will be eligible for parole after five years, e.g. from CBS:

    Guyger will be eligible for parole after serving five years in prison.

    But several people here said yesterday, and a couple have said in this thread, that she isn’t eligible for parole (and one article from last night was linked saying so).

    I wonder if the confusion comes because of this language, repeated a lot in articles prior to tonight:

    Guyger faces a sentence of five years to life in prison, without the possibility of probation.

    That could be read in two ways, especially if the comma has been thrown around carelessly:

    (five years) to (life without parole)

    or

    (five years to life) without parole

    The former is consistent with articles now saying she can be eligible after five years. The latter is not.

  195. 195.

    boatboy_srq

    @Mnemosyne: I visualized the guidance/motion implied there – and suddenly understood the Xtianist causative correlation of masturbation and blindness because I just cannot unsee that.

  196. 196.

    Jay

    @Cacti:

    Yup, along with the Victim’s brother. Some people arn’t raging vengeful assholes and hold compassion and hope for everyone.

    Even Nazis can learn how not to be Nazis.

    The Indiginous People, and many others believe in a concept called Restorative Justice.

  198. 198.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Mary G: if that worm ever turns…

    REPORT: GIULIANI FALLS MORE IN LOVE WITH TRUMP EVERY TIME THE PRESIDENT MOCKS HIM IN PUBLIC
    The most humiliating example is undoubtedly the time Trump reportedly “berated” Giuliani in front of other people at Steven Mnuchin’s 2017 wedding, complained that Giuliani “was spitting while he was talking,” and forced him to stand elsewhere to avoid being hit, according to a former aide.

  200. 200.

    Cacti

    @Jay:

    The victim’s family choosing to hug her is their prerogative.

    A Judge hugging it out with a convicted murderer, or really, any party appearing before them, is wildly inappropriate.

  201. 201.

    Kay

    @Mary G:

    I can’t figure out what the cover sheet is- it’s gold-ish with some kind of bad calligraphy on it. Just bizarre.

    Did Rudy make it? Like with a glue stick and scissors?

  202. 202.

    Another Scott

    Twitter:

    Rep. Don Beyer Verified account @RepDonBeyer

    Rep. Don Beyer Retweeted Anita Kumar

    Trump’s violations of the Constitution’s Emoluments Clause in sharper focus: @OversightDems is investigating rooms booked at Trump properties – by entities including a foreign government – that no one ever used.

    The entire point appears to have been paying Trump money.

    […]

    This is my shocked, shocked face.

    Follow the money…

    Cheers,
    Scott.

  203. 203.

    Steve in the ATL

    @Butter Emails: @lamh36: it’s hard to second guess jury decisions effectively, because we weren’t at the trial and we don’t know all the evidence that was presented to them, and we don’t know what evidence that we do know was excluded from consideration. And, as you’ve noted, many jury verdicts are comprises worked out in the jury room, and we have no idea what went on in there.

    Still, we look at the optics of each decision, and consider the patterns that emerge, and get rightfully angry. It seems ridiculous that this murder sentence was only 29% the length of the sentence for a black man who killed a police dog, but maybe her sentence was reasonable (I don’t practice or pay attention to criminal law and I’m not taking a position here) and his was not reasonable (which seems super obvious).

    Again, though, the pattern is deeply disturbing. I fear that our country will never overcome its original sin, racism.

  204. 204.

    trollhattan

    @Mary G:
    Rudy’s a really old and nutty version of Kavanaugh, isn’t he? I can see 75YO Brett putting fake SCOTUS stickers on stuff and ordering people around, “Do you know WHO I AM?”

  205. 205.

    J R in WV

    @Cacti:

    @Omnes Omnibus:

    @rikyrah: @PenandKey: Those seem more like calls for vengeance than justice.

    Thanks counselor. That’s the one of you tut tutting the black commenters.

    What a pompous windbag you are.

    What a mean ass you are! Fuck you with the rusty farm implement!!!

  206. 206.

    mad citizen

    Late to this thread but it makes me so happy Dense is involved. Lest we forget, let me leave my all time favorite quote about him here:

    ‘ One source who used to work as a senior staff member in the House of Representatives told me, “Pence, smart? I used to eat salads at the Rayburn cafeteria that had more brains than Mike Pence.” ‘

    from the classic HuffPo: Mike Pence: Sarah Palin Without The Charisma;
    https://www.huffpost.com/entry/mike-pence-sarah-palin_b_11003128

  207. 207.

    Butter Emails

    @Cacti:

    Maybe. We can’t really know at this point.
    1. White people aren’t the only people who internalize this nation’s white privilege and deference to authority
    2. There’s other options to. There may have been a juror opposed to long prison sentences, or one who was big into Jesus and forgiveness.

  209. 209.

    Butter Emails

    @Steve in the ATL:

    I agree. And that 34 years for killing a police dog is atrocious. Real justice would be served by commuting the sentence at time served and making the judge who passed the sentence serve out the rest of it.

  210. 210.

    Cacti

    @Butter Emails:

    Impossible to know of course.

    But a couple of things you can take to the bank. If the roles were reversed, and Botham Jean had shot Amber Guyger in her apartment:

    1. He wouldn’t have been permitted to argue the castle doctrine

    2. He’d be going away for a lot more than 10 years

  211. 211.

    Jay

    @Cacti:

    Naw, a Judge threatening a 4 year old boy with threats of a vicious dog attack is wildly inappropriate.

    Judges are supposed to be humans, not machines.

  213. 213.

    misterpuff

    In regards to Mike Dense being Drumpf’s pawn:

    Excellent! / Hand rubbing Montgomery Burns

  215. 215.

    PJ

    @Nicole: I don’t think that’s bananas. The only downside to a Pelosi presidency for McConnell is that McConnell couldn’t get any more right wing judges approved, but that’s it. He will blame the “gridlock”, which is him refusing to consider any laws passed by the House or generated by Pelosi, on Pelosi and the House Democrats, and, not unreasonably, will expect the media to proceed with “both sides” reporting, giving Ryan or whoever else they run for President a fighting chance. In some ways, it’s a better play than having Trump stay President and run in 2020, because the longer he is in office, the more unpopular the Republicans as a whole will become.

    I’m pretty sure Pelosi’s plan is to make the impeachment investigation and public hearings run until close to the 2020 election, and then to kick it up to the Senate for a trial that would take place right before the election (assuming McConnell doesn’t refuse to have a trial.) The longer the investigation goes on, the worse the Republicans look to the public, and the more they will see how Congressional Republicans have been enabling the criminality. And I don’t think it would be a problem to keep the investigation going, because Trump will keep committing crimes, and has a long list of crimes from prior to his Presidency. The longer the process goes, the more Republican Senators will start to feel the heat, and even if none of them vote to convict, the closer that vote is to the election, the worse it will be for those running.

  217. 217.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @Roger Moore: Evangelicals have for some time convinced themselves that Russia and Putin will save Western, Christian civilization by criminalizing and then totally eradicating homosexuality/homosexuals forever and ever, amen!

  218. 218.

    Kent

    @Cheryl Rofer: I would be shocked if they were to bite that one off as it would play more like a coup and would make the Senate less likely to convict Trump. One thing for GOP Senators to vote to convict Trump knowing that Pence will serve out the remainder of his term. Another thing entirely to convict them both and put in place President Pelosi.

  220. 220.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @Jay: I’m getting confused with all these connections to the mob. Was surprised by Kelly Ann’s family mob ties.

    Read the retired SCOTUS justice Kennedy’s dad was lawyer for a mob family. Was it Sessions?

  223. 223.

    FelonyGovt

    @jk: The judge hugging Guyer and giving her a Bible (REALLY??) are completely inappropriate and make me question the sentence even more. The overall disparity in sentencing in this country is clearly racially based and is completely unacceptable.

  224. 224.

    Ken

    @Roger Moore:

    The day after Trump resigns:
    “You should have gotten it in writing, sucker!”

    Also remember, “Sorry, can’t pardon you for a crime until you’re convicted, or confess to it. Anything you want to say?”

  225. 225.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Do I need to know more than this about the Rudi dossier?

    John Weaver @ jwgop
    So Rudy compiled a nutty Ukraine dossier, some of which on Trump hotel stationary, sent it to Trump at the WH, where it was forwarded on to Pompeo for action. F Troop if the stakes weren’t so high.

  226. 226.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Mary G:

    Found the Jacob Wohl thing again, press conference alleged for tomorrow, probably will fizzle out like his last one:

    But will Jacob and Jack just flat out be in their boxer shorts this time. Gotta outdo the fly-down “press conference.”

  227. 227.

    Ken

    @Jay:

    The website of the consulting firm that forged business contacts

    That’s a little fuzzy, considering the two senses of “forged” as “made” and “faked”.

    for Rudy Giuliani in Ukraine and Russia

    That clears it up a bit.

    vanished suddenly after his communications were subpoenaed

    Nice sharp focus now.

  228. 228.

    Ladyraxterinok

    @lamh36: I’ve begun to viscerally realize that the anger and nausea I feel over what this gang called an administration is doing isn’t even a second of what blacks, Native Americans, other POC have been feeling for centuries.

    As a white girl, then woman from a reasonably well-off family, I just always took it for granted that the govt was on my side.

    I started waking up during the Civil Rights Movement and the anti’Vietnam War protests—when it became appallingly obvious that the govt only protected those who did not protest.

    Marriage, child, sort of put me to sleep. But first W/Cheney and now this has made me realize that even privileged I am not safe or automatically protected by cops or govt.

    Rant/meditation that probably bores everyone here.

  229. 229.

    A Ghost To Most

    I have some bad news, Republicans. It never gets better. There is no daylight at the end of this tunnel. Trump is a suicide bomber, and you’ve strapped yourselves to him so tightly that when he explodes, you’re going out to meet the 72 porn stars of the Trumpian afterlife with him. (Spoiler alert: they all look like Ivanka.)

    Rick Wilson, Daily Beast

  230. 230.

    Aleta

    Peter Wehner @Peter_Wehner
    Pence is distancing himself from Trump on Ukraine. Rush is turning on Fox News. Rudy is throwing the State Department under the bus. And Trump is lashing out in all directions at once. This kind of thing happens when a scandal begins to consume a presidency. It’ll get worse.

  232. 232.

    Jay

    @Ladyraxterinok:

    Sarah Kendizor has made the case that Rudi took down the Italian Mob, with Russian Mob help, then went to work for the Russian Mob as they took over.

    Business Insider points out that Rudi’s “business model” is basically giving “security presentations” to mobbed up Eastern Europeans.

    There’s so many crooked Russians, Crooked Americans all feeding at the same trough for so long, you gotta wonder how much is casual, and how much is collusion.

  233. 233.

    Jay

    Atomwaffen Division, an armed neo-nazi group with an existing murder count and connections with planned acts of domestic terrorism, has released a new video indicating a plea for action and escalation.https://t.co/WN6IcMZXBt— Puget Sound John Brown Gun Club (@PugetSoundJBGC) October 2, 2019

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