Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

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

Fear or fury? The choice is ours.

Red lights blinking on democracy’s dashboard

“Facilitate” is an active verb, not a weasel word.

Republicans in disarray!

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

Lick the third rail, it tastes like chocolate!

Speaking of republicans, is there a way for a political party to declare intellectual bankruptcy?

A norm that restrains only one side really is not a norm – it is a trap.

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

It’s always darkest before the other shoe drops.

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

Everybody saw this coming.

A tremendous foreign policy asset… to all of our adversaries.

Republicans firmly believe having an abortion is a very personal, very private decision between a woman and J.D. Vance.

… pundit janitors mopping up after the gop

When I was faster i was always behind.

America is going up in flames. The NYTimes fawns over MAGA celebrities. No longer a real newspaper.

The republican ‘Pastor’ of the House is an odious authoritarian little creep.

How stupid are these people?

Bark louder, little dog.

Republicans: The threats are dire, but my tickets are non-refundable!

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

I don’t recall signing up for living in a dystopian sci-fi novel.

You are here: Home / John Cole Presents "This Fucking Old House" / One Good Thing From the Insurrection

One Good Thing From the Insurrection

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So one of the insurrectionists was today sentenced to 44 months in prison for punching a cop and a number of other things:

A Donald Trump supporter from New Jersey who assaulted law enforcement during the attack on the U.S. Capitol was sentenced to 41 months in prison on Wednesday, the stiffest sentence handed down so far in connection with the Jan. 6 attack.

Scott Fairlamb ― the son of a New Jersey trooper and the brother of a Secret Service agent who served on first lady Michelle Obama’s detail ― was sentenced by Judge Royce C. Lamberth.

A tearful Fairlamb said he had brought shame upon his family and asked the judge to “show some mercy” when sentencing him for his “completely irresponsible, reckless behavior” on Jan. 6.

“I take full responsibility,” Fairlamb said, adding that prosecutors had been “nothing but professional” from start to finish.

Later on in the HuffPo story this tweet is featured:

I watched that and IMMEDIATELY googled Harley Breite because he is the type of person I am drawn to like a moth to light, and man oh man I was not disappointed. He is quite the character, and there is even a film about him:

Enjoy. I can not wait to watch the movie, which has been described as such:

“Eloquently presented and articulated in this documentary, Harley’s story plays out like a train wreck in slow motion; you just can’t take your eyes off it”.

I think if we knew each other we would be friends.

Reader Interactions

92Comments

  1. 1.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Judge Royce C. Lamberth

    Quite a flashback from those of us who got sucked into political junkiedom by the Vast Rightwing Conspiracy. This guy was Larry Klayman’s favorite judge.

  10. 10.

    Gin & Tonic

    It’s a shame the dude doesn’t have any friends who can tell him he looks like an idiot with that hair and that bowtie.

  13. 13.

    Jess

    @dr. bloor: LOL!!!

    I used to explain to my European friends that I loved living in American because of all the kookiness of it. More recently, now that benign kookiness has fermented into toxic ignorance and insanity, I’ve been looking back at my previous fondness for our country’s eccentrics and feeling like a naive fool, or the Grizzly Man trying to make friends with the nice bears. But this guy reminds me that there are still plenty of kooks who have maintained their sanity and humanity.

  17. 17.

    Baud

    @Jess:

    A lot of the style of the harmful right wing is borrowed from or derivative of other aspects of American culture.  They spoil everything.

  18. 18.

    Jess

    @Baud: They sure do. But I know people who were benign who have now turned toxic; it’s just where we are now, sadly. I’m kinda there as well, celebrating the Herman Cain awards.

  19. 19.

    Argiope

    This lawyer guy is what happens when Napoleon Dynamite grows up and becomes middle aged.  I’m so in!

  34. 34.

    HumboldtBlue

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: ​

    I… I couldn’t stop watching. I’m not sure if I’m wholly and completely creeped out or fascinated.

    Harley is the guy you end up talking with at the cookout and he becomes a story you tell for the rest of your life.

    “I was at a cookout once and I met this guy named Harley…”

  35. 35.

    Starfish

    I am so tired of Democratic centrist men of Twitter this week. It has been days of whining because The Squad voted ‘No.’

    Is “I can’t cope with a woman who says ‘No'” the message they really want to be sending?

    The legislation passed, so why are these folks still complaining about The Squad days and days later when these ladies are doing their job trying to get other Democratic legislation passed?

    I usually like these dudes, but they have been exhausting this week.

  37. 37.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @WaterGirl: I’m the outlier here.  I like genuine oddballs and eccentrics, but this guy seems to being trying too hard.  It’s good press for his practice, but the whole thing seems cultivated to me.  OTOH, kudos to him for being willing to represent those that others won’t.

  39. 39.

    Geminid

    @Starfish: Jamaal Bowman is one of the “Squad,” and one of the six who voted against the infrastructure bill. And I’ve seen women criticizing that vote as forcefully as men have. So this is not just a matter of men beating up on ladies.

    The “Squad” and their allies criticize other people in the party incessantly. If they can dish it out, they can take it.

  40. 40.

    guachi

    @Starfish: If the BIF vote had failed like The Squad wanted how would that have helped BBB pass? Because if BIF failed then BBB had no chance and we’d have passed exactly nothing.

     

    I criticized their actions because they weren’t helpful in any way. A 100% D vote yes at least allows the argument that 100% of House Ds voted for what Manchin wants so 100% of Senate Ds need to vote for BBB.

  41. 41.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Is “I can’t cope with a woman who says ‘No’” the message they really want to be sending?

    good god

  43. 43.

    John Revolta

    I don’t know what’s up with the hair but he certainly has the “keep a civil tongue on the Judge’s boots” approach down. And the Judge gave the guy the minimum that the guidelines called for, so……….

  44. 44.

    Joe Falco

    @Starfish:

    I am so tired of Democratic centrist men of Twitter this week.

    Same. I’ve already muted one of them I follow on Twitter for just non-stop dumping on the Squad 24/7. I might un-mute them in the future, but for right now, my Twitter experience is better without them.

  50. 50.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    Kyle Cheney @kyledcheney 22m
    BREAKING: Judge Chutkan has DENIED Trump’s request for an injunction blocking her ruling on executive privilege. Appeals court is now the only thing standing between Jan. 6 committee and WH records this Friday.

    So…. the Appeals court can now issue some kind of hold on the hand-over to the committee, but hey have to do it by Friday? anybody know which court? Is this one of those things that goes to a committee of three judges?
    If they tell trump to pound sand, can he appeal said order to pound sand to Amy Coney Barrett?

  51. 51.

    LeftCoastYankee

    “I really thought hiring Sideshow Bob as my attorney would help with the sentencing….”

  53. 53.

    Geminid

    @Baud: Cori Bush and Jamaal Bowman beat Lacy Clay and Elliot Engel in primaries last year.They were both sponsored by Justice Democrats, and are grouped now with Tlaib, Pressley, Omar and Ocasio-Cortez as the new “Squad.”

  54. 54.

    Redshift

    @hells littlest angel:

    Man who takes “full responsibility” also asks for mercy. Uh huh. 

    Hmm, it seems to me that’s what someone who’s guilty is supposed to do – accept responsibility and show remorse, so I can’t fault it. Sounds like unlike most of these yahoos, he’s actually following advice instead of insisting he did nothing wrong and complaining he’s being treated unfairly.

  57. 57.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @Baud: thank you

    some interesting characters there, Noemi Rao, David Sentelle and Laurence Silbermann (speaking of the VRCW….),  Tokin’ Douglas Ginsburg… who I gotta say I always kinda felt got a raw deal. And I thought he had passed a couple years ago, actually. I have a very clear and apparently false memory of that.

    Wasn’t Sri Srinivasan always said to be on Obama’s short list for the SC?

  58. 58.

    Dan B

    @Starfish: Well, at least one progressive woman is getting noticed.  Pramila was interviewed by NPR.  Seems she’s become on of the most influential pols from WA, probably from anywhere in US.  Sad she’s no longer my rep but she could be our Senator.

  59. 59.

    David ? ☘The Establishment☘? Koch

    @Baud: ​
      In the sequel they expanded the Squad to include Sgt Slaughter and Mr. Freeze

  62. 62.

    dww44

    @Redshift: I agree.  His is a refreshing response.  None of the “I’m  the victim” whining we typically get.  His response was adult and appropriately contrite.

  63. 63.

    Mike in NC

    Law enforcement in this country is overwhelmingly composed of male white supremacists, including the FBI and the Secret Service.

  65. 65.

    James E Powell

    @guachi:

    A 100% D vote yes at least allows the argument that 100% of House Ds voted for what Manchin wants so 100% of Senate Ds need to vote for BBB.

    It allows for the argument but does nothing to get BBB passed. Manchin doesn’t give a shit about arguments, reason, the success of the president of his party, the lives of ordinary people, or the good of the nation.

    Picking on the Squad for their protest “no” vote – a legitimate protests since they were lied to by anti-BBB Democratic house members, is deflecting from the reality of who made this mess.

  66. 66.

    James E Powell

    @Baud:

    DC circuit.  3 judges. And it would go to Roberts after.

    And then to the shadow docket where it will sit till 2023.

  67. 67.

    Mary G

    Went to Lowes yesterday and had dinner in a restaurant. All employees were wearing face marks, and only one customer beside me had one on. Our numbers are inching up week to week and I feel so full of rage.

    Sorry for the OT, I hope to sleep through the night.

  70. 70.

    Wag

    @Redshift:   Agreed.   And I’m sure that his brother the Secret Service agent who was on Michelle Obama’s team leaned HARD on his brother to try and wake him out of his delirium  

  71. 71.

    eclare

    @Mary G:   As I have said a few times, my county just ended its mask mandate because it was working so well.  Even chamber/business types here in Memphis were shocked because they expected the mandate to stay in effect through the holidays.

    Whoever made this decision should remove the brakes in their car under that reasoning.  Hey, they worked in the past, time to drive without them!

    I predict happy holidays for Delta here, we’re less than 50% vaxxed.

  77. 77.

    ian

    @Starfish: One would think that Gosar’s behavior and the increasing likelihood of Republicans taking back the house just from gerrymandered seats alone would get both wings of the Democratic party to lay down the weapons in the circular firing session, but there seems to be no one we want to hate on more then our fellow dems.

  78. 78.

    Dan B

    @guachi: Im baffled why you state with certainty that the squad wanted the BIF to fail since the evidence is they supported Biden.  What they objected to was passing the BIF without passing the BBB.

    Seems like they are playing chess and you believe they’re playing checkers.  Their game is trying to prevent conservative corporations from being the winners.

  79. 79.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    anybody know better, or different, than Gerstein?

    Josh Gersteinm@joshgerstein Nov 9
    Looks to me like the expected stay/injunction motion will go to Judges Tatel, Rao & Walker, which is about as good a draw for Trump as he could get. Will it be good enough, though?

    could the Chief Judge unilaterally decide to hear it en banc?

    Brian Beutler @brianbeutler 54m
    Rao and Walker, who per @joshgerstein are anticipated to be on the appeals panel, will both see doing what Trump demands as a requirement of a future SCOTUS nomination.

  80. 80.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    I wish, I sincerely wish, “the Squad” were as savvy and effective as people here work so hard to pretend they are. It would mean we live in a much better country that was much closer to my own political goals and ideals.

    But we don’t.

    And they aren’t.

  82. 82.

    gwangung

    Meh. The Squad’s vote on the BIF was strictly a matter of vote counting. There were plenty of symbolic votes before them. No need for all this discussion.

  83. 83.

    Jim, Foolish Literalist

    @topclimber: Oh, hell, I’m an Obot. I’m all about hope. But I also have a long memory, and I’ve seen how much damage the anti-Democratic Left can do the Democratic Party, and thus to the country. We gave up three Supreme Court seats to block something called /checks notes/ TPP.

    And all this self-deception about “the Squad” is part and parcel of one of the biggest problems the Democratic Party, specifically the “progressive” wing, has: Having drawn all the wrong lessons from 2016, and then having learned nothing from 2018. Or 2020. Or 2021…..

  85. 85.

    topclimber

    @Jim, Foolish Literalist: Seems like they have learned a tiny bit less than I have over those years. So much less than the pragma-ponies of Balloon Juice, no doubt.

    I get the anger at leftists who identify more as such than as Democrats. I don’t get the carping (not by you perhaps) that the Squad gets WAY too much credit for blah, blah or blah. I do not give a BM. YMMV.

    It takes ponies of work and show, full of purity and pragmatism to move things forward. Let us gallop to victory, together!

  86. 86.

    Omnes Omnibus

    @topclimber: I am going to apply the same metric that I have used with Manchin.  Have they ever failed to come through when needed?  So far, the answer is no.  Also, right now, they aren’t the ones holding up the Democratic agenda.  Do I agree with all of their position?  No.  Do I like all of their rhetoric?  No.  But then, I can live with that.

  89. 89.

    J R in WV

    @brantl: ​
     

    It is a pepper-ball round, perhaps a 40mm, but definitely a pepper-ball round.

    Regarding the “squad”, while I do not agree with all of the squad progressives all of the time, I don’t even agree with my wife all the time. Certainly no politician gets me all the time on everything.

    I make monthly contributions to Ocasio-Cortez because I think she does good work, is a good person, tries to keep the rest of her party honest, and most of all will work against corporate interests, which is important to me.

  90. 90.

    evodevo

    @eclare: ​
      It looks like a shotgun slug, but I can’t really tell…if so, it’s been “dum dum” marked with an X on the end…

  92. 92.

    H-Bob

    The Blue Dogs need to attack the Squad to validate their “moderate” credentials.  The Squad needs to frag the Democratic majority to burnish their leftist credentials.  While neither should be doing it through journalists, they could at least turn down the volume from 11.

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