Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

You come for women, you’re gonna get your ass kicked.

Battle won, war still ongoing.

When do we start airlifting the women and children out of Texas?

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

Motown is Joe-Town!

Fight them, without becoming them!

If senate republicans had any shame, they’d die of it.

Perhaps you mistook them for somebody who gives a damn.

Jack Smith: “Why did you start campaigning in the middle of my investigation?!”

The arc of history bends toward the same old fuckery.

He really is that stupid.

It looks like winning debates is a black job!

You don’t get rid of your umbrella while it’s still raining.

FFS people, this was a good thing. take the win.

Sadly, there is no cure for stupid.

A democracy can’t function when people can’t distinguish facts from lies.

Nothing says ‘pro-life’ like letting children go hungry.

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

A snarling mass of vitriolic jackals

I conferred with the team and they all agree – still not tired of winning!

Cancel the cowardly WaPo and set up an equivalent monthly donation to ProPublica.

Do not shrug your shoulders and accept the normalization of untruths.

I’m starting to think Jesus may have made a mistake saving people with no questions asked.

“I never thought they’d lock HIM up,” sobbed a distraught member of the Lock Her Up Party.

You are here: Home / Open Threads / Tuesday Night Open Thread: The Tribute the NYTimes Pays to Journalistic Virtue

Tuesday Night Open Thread: The Tribute the NYTimes Pays to Journalistic Virtue

by | 69 Comments

This post is in: , , ,

At least they didn’t assign this story to Maggie Haberman…

The Justice Department kept open the investigation into Hillary Clinton’s family foundation for nearly all of President Donald J. Trump’s administration, with prosecutors closing the case without charges just days before he left office.

Newly released documents and interviews with former department officials show that the investigation stretched long past when F.B.I. agents and prosecutors knew it was a dead end. The conclusion of the case, which centered on the Clinton Foundation’s dealings with foreign donors when Mrs. Clinton served as secretary of state under President Barack Obama, has not previously been reported.

Mr. Trump, who campaigned on a promise to “lock her up,” spent much of his four-year term pressuring the F.B.I. and the Justice Department to target political rivals. After being accused by the president’s allies of serving as part of a deep-state cabal working against him, F.B.I. officials insisted that the department acknowledge in writing that there was no case to bring.

The closing documents, which were obtained by The New York Times as part of a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit, spelled the end to an investigation that top prosecutors had expressed doubts about from the beginning. Still, it became a rallying cry for Republicans who believed the F.B.I. would ultimately turn up evidence of corruption and damage Mrs. Clinton’s political fortunes.

The foundation became attack fodder for Republicans in 2015 after the conservative author Peter Schweizer published the book “Clinton Cash: The Untold Story of How and Why Foreign Governments and Businesses Helped Make Bill and Hillary Rich,” an investigation of donations that foreign entities made to the family organization. Mr. Schweizer is the president of the Government Accountability Institute, where Stephen K. Bannon, Mr. Trump’s former chief strategist, was a founder and the executive chairman…

Mr. Schweizer’s research caught the eye of F.B.I. agents in Washington, who in 2016 opened a preliminary investigation based solely on “unvetted hearsay information” in the book, according to the final report by John H. Durham, the Trump-era special counsel who led an investigation into the bureau’s inquiry into possible ties between Mr. Trump’s campaign and Russia.

The F.B.I. in New York and Little Rock, Ark., also opened investigations that relied on information from confidential source reporting, according to Mr. Durham…

In August 2021, the F.B.I. received what is known as a declination memo from prosecutors and as a result considered the matter closed.

“All of the evidence obtained during the course of this investigation has been returned or otherwise destroyed,” according to the F.B.I.

(And the earth salted, if the NYTimes gets its wish.)

They got what they came for, though…


(As if the Republican party, as a political force, will exist even ten years into the future. If it survives, it’ll be a sealed-bubble cult that makes the Larouchites look like Mormons.)

Reader Interactions

69Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    Not matter what else happens, I will always be proud that I was not one of the people who was manipulated by these assholes.

  3. 3.

    satby

    They were always more afraid of her than of her husband, so they hounded and harassed her mercilessly for over 40 years. They were only able to dent her image, not destroy it; and it continues to gall them every day that Hillary Clinton is more admired and respected than any of her conservative detractors will ever be.

  4. 4.

    BruceFromOhio

    The MAGAts want to be angry at something all the time, and the FTFNYT provides the clicks that feed them. Rupert’s margin is the FTFNYT’s opportunity.

  6. 6.

    BruceFromOhio

    @Baud: My parents and my wife were horrified into silence when I denounced the FTFNYT as the FTFNYT for normalizing fascist monstrosity after TFG was elected. Though we’re all (mostly) liberals, it’s now a topica non grata.

  7. 7.

    Mart

    Reminded me of an article about Oxford Analytica, how they could know all about you from ~ 40 Facebook data points, and an example of how they got Haitian expats in Miami to vote for Trump. Nearby pizza and beer joint is owned by a Haitian. After the election we went in and he asked us how we were doing. Said really sad Trump won. He said we do not know his politics, he voted for Trump, and that he could never vote for Clinton after the terrible things her foundation did to Haiti. And I think wow, it fucking worked. Of course as President Trump wanted to kick them all back to Haiti.

  8. 8.

    japa21

    @Baud: I always figured if the RW was complaining about them they really can’t be all that good.  They lie about everything.

    ETA: Their complaining had a “Don’t throw me in the briar patch” sort of taint to it.

  9. 9.

    Ruckus

    @satby:

    This.

    Some/most days, to me, it seems like all of the actual politicians of the rethuglican party exist to rip off the country and all of it’s citizens.

    Funny how sometimes people seem to accuse their opponents of exactly what they are and what they are doing. Of course if that’s all they know………

  10. 10.

    RSA

    Bad news from South Carolina: South Carolina Senate passes 6-week abortion ban, sends bill to governor (gift link from the Washington Post).

    Not unexpected, even though female members of the state senate, both Democrats and Republicans, were able to filibuster earlier, more extreme bans. What was unexpected, for me, was a Republican state senator being very clear about his reasoning:

    “At some point in time, the right of the state to see the unborn child born does take precedent over the woman’s right to her body,” Davis said.

    I hope South Carolina voters think hard about that position.

  11. 11.

    Jackie

    Another GQP charge that fizzled:

    “The House Ethics Committee closed its investigation into allegations that Rep. Eric Swalwell (D-Calif.) had ties to a Chinese intelligence operative.”

    ”In a letter sent to Swalwell on Monday that the congressman released on his website the following day, the committee wrote that it will take no further action in the investigation into “allegations raised in the complaint that you may have violated House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct in connection with your interactions with Ms. Christine Fang.”

    ….”While Swalwell has maintained that he was not accused of wrongdoing, Republicans weaponized the allegation against him, most recently in January when House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) cited the alleged link to Fang when blocking Swalwell from serving on the House Intelligence Committee.”

    Does this mean McCarthy will re-instate Swalwell to the House Intelligence Committee – with an apology? (Ha! I jest)

    https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/05/23/swalwell-ethics-investigation-closed/

  12. 12.

    NotMax

    Minuscule pedant alert.

    “The” is part of the title/logo on the masthead. So when employing italicized format it would be (using your abbreviated version) The NY Times.

  13. 13.

    A Good Woman

    @Jackie:

    Thanks for the link, sharing that story across my social network.  I am ablaze with anger.  But at least the truth has been outed, again.

  14. 14.

    Realworldrj

    FBI investigating the Clinton Foundation – page A1

    FBI investigation ends without any charge  – page A23

    FBI investigating Clinton email server – page A1 for 6 months straight

    FBI closes investigation into email server – page A18

    cloud lifted over a trumps presidency – page A1

    durham report faults FBi for trump Russia investigation – page A1

    🤔🤔

  15. 15.

    VOR

    In the end, the members of the Trump family are the ones banned from running a charity by the State of New York.

  16. 16.

    BlueGuitarist

    @RSA:

    speaking of South Carolina, earlier today from WaPo, via Political Wire:

    ”South Carolina Gov. Henry McMaster’s (R) office has clarified that the governor was joking when he said that he looked “forward to the day that Democrats are so rare, we have to hunt them with dogs,” at a state GOP convention last weekend”

    Clarified? Joking?

  17. 17.

    mrmoshpotato

    @satby:

    and it continues to gall them every day that Hillary Clinton is more admired and respected than any of her conservative detractors will ever be. 

    Fuck ’em!

  19. 19.

    moonbat

    Firmly believe that Trump is so corrupt in all his dealings that he could not conceive of the possibility that the Clintons were not enriching themselves from their positions. All he needed was for his pet investigators at the DOJ to point it out.

    Surprise! Not everyone is a venal, moneygrubbing grifter, asshole!

  23. 23.

    mrmoshpotato

    @Mart:

    Reminded me of an article about Oxford Analytica

    Cambridge Analytica?  Or are there other ratfucking data miners I haven’t heard of?

  25. 25.

    Jackie

    Stock up on popcorn!

    “Former President Donald Trump’s legal team has formally requested a meeting with Attorney General Merrick Garland, amid fears from his attorneys that the coming weeks could bring a possible indictment of Trump regarding his alleged efforts to retain materials after leaving office and to obstruct the government’s attempts to retrieve them.”

    “The letter, though thin on details, presents arguments that Trump should not be charged in the investigation related to his alleged mishandling of classified documents, sources familiar with the matter tell ABC News.”

    “The letter asks Garland for a meeting at his earliest convenience to discuss what the attorneys describe as the “ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated” by special counsel Jack Smith and says that no president has been “baselessly investigated” in such an “unlawful fashion.”

    https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/fearing-indictment-imminent-classified-docs-probe-trump-team/story

    According to Lawrence O’Donnell, this is the sort of letter written by defense attorneys as a last ditch effort when charges are imminent.

  30. 30.

    Villago Delenda Est

    Nuke the seditious fuckers of the Vichy Times from orbit. It’s the only way to be sure.

  31. 31.

    Sure Lurkalot

    Hey South Carolina! How about a death penalty for ejaculation without fertilization? Whatcha waiting for?

  32. 32.

    Villago Delenda Est

    @moonbat: This.  It’s just like the vile toad Art Robinson, who imagines that Peter DeFazio had spare time to harass his pathetic offspring at OSU as Robinson would have.

  37. 37.

    P Thomas

    Always amazes me that a newspaper falls for this crap endlessly.  The next time the ProudBoobs TrumpNaziMilitia attacks something…it will be the Times building.

    Can’t they see they are next?

    (Hoping I’m wrong…but….sheesh)

  39. 39.

    Jackie

    @Gwangung: I know, right?!

    Earlier today TFG was throwing tantrums about the NY trial being scheduled for Mar 25, 2024 – right smack in the middle of Primary Season.

    Charges of obstruction of justice by Garland will make the Stormy Daniels trial *trivial* in comparison.

  40. 40.

    Kyle Rayner

    @RSA: Frankly, a freaky statement like that sounds like they’re gearing up for war. What does the state need all these extra babies to be born for? Where are you already planning to deploy them?

  41. 41.

    Quinerly

    Lawrence O’Donnell has been on fire 2 nights  in a row. Good stuff. Dahlia Lithwick on.

    (I’m beat…transplanted/divided Catmint, Milkweed, Russian Sage, Globe Mallow, perennial Dianthus….New pollinator garden is in!!!!)

  42. 42.

    different-church-lady

    That was you. You were the allies.

    I admire its purity. A survivor. Unclouded by conscience, remorse, or delusions of morality…

  43. 43.

    prostratedragon

    @Jackie:  Joyce Vance hinted that what actually might have happened is that the TFG lawyers were given the last chance opportunity to meet with the prosecutors before a charging decision is made. What’s not typical, she suggests, are the puffed-up “nasty bits” about the unfairness of the investigation. One would also normally expect some acknowledgement that the meeting was offered by DOJ to the defense.

  44. 44.

    Betsy

    @BlueGuitarist: And, please everyone here from outside the South understand, this evil peckerwood means Black people, who are the heart and soul and hands and minds  that keep the Democratic Party going in South Carolina.

  45. 45.

    different-church-lady

    @Sure Lurkalot: ​
     

    Hey South Carolina! How about a death penalty for ejaculation without fertilization? Whatcha waiting for?

    “We have to finish trampling women, gays, and trans people first. Then we’ll get to the rest of you.”

  46. 46.

    David 🌈 ☘The Establishment☘🌈 Koch

    To my knowledge the FBI never investigated Dump’s “foundation” even though WaPo won a Pulitzer for exposing it as a criminal enterprise, yet THREE different FBI offices opened investigations into the Clinton Foundation.

  47. 47.

    James E Powell

    @P Thomas:

    They didn’t fall for anything. They sought out & energetically promoted every anti-Clinton rumor beginning in 1992.

    People have completely forgotten the NYT-led War on Gore that put Bush Jr in the White House and Roberts & Alito on the supreme court.

  48. 48.

    Betsy

    @Kyle Rayner: To deserving married white couples, via adoption mills (human trafficking centers), of course.  How else do you expect Christianist grifters to get a living?

  52. 52.

    Mart

    @mrmoshpotato: Thanks. My old brain froze so I googled Oxford by mistake and it came up looking like about the right firm, but no mention of the rotten Mercer. Yes, Cambridge.

  53. 53.

    Scout211

    @Jackie: Funny how they now want to talk directly to AG Garland because the special prosecutor is being mean to Trump. If Garland was in charge of the case, the accusation would be that Garland was the one being mean to Trump because he works directly for Dark Brandon.

    Why are so many judges, investigators and prosecutors being so mean to Trump? Unfair!! Sad!!

  55. 55.

    different-church-lady

    @Jackie: According to Lawrence O’Donnell, this is the sort of letter written by defense attorneys as a last ditch effort when charges are imminent because Trump dictated it to them.

    “ongoing injustice that is being perpetrated” is just legal veneer over words straight from Trump’s mouth.

  56. 56.

    Kyle Rayner

    @Betsy: Don’t even have to be a couple. White and straight? Here’s a baby and a state-approved curriculum with corresponding textbooks. Get to work. And no funny business with critical race theory or we’ll be back!

  57. 57.

    different-church-lady

    @RSA: ​
      Canadian treasure Margaret Atwood is right now thinking, “I tried to warn you assholes.”

  58. 58.

    Jackie

    @prostratedragon: I’m beginning to hope there’ll be a tsunami of indictments over the next few months.

    Only the GQP presidential hopefuls are hoping harder than us LOL

  60. 60.

    lgerard

    @Jackie:

    Dear Mr Trusty and Mr Rowley

    I am certain that if you had paid attention in class you would understand that the investigation into your client, former president trump, is being handled by an independent prosecutor, and not by my office.

    However, I am certain your client will be hearing from that prosecutor in the very near future.

    Best

    Merrick

  63. 63.

    different-church-lady

    @lgerard: Even for this timeline’s lazy-ass writers, “Mr. Trusty” is a bit too on-the-nose for a lawyer.​​

  65. 65.

    prostratedragon

    @Jackie:  Yeah, I think you’re right about both.😉

    Regarding Fani Willis’s unusual notice to the court, we should keep in.mind that a large number of people could be indicted in the matter.

  68. 68.

    Tony Jay

    Yup. And it’s that model of cynical, self-rightoeus ratfuckery that the FTF Guardian is following, right down to the “Who? Me? What bloody hands? Press freedom!” cuteness about their vanguard role in ensuring that their readers are buried under a mountain of pro-conservative misinformation.

    Gotta keep those rubes all riled up on outrage, and a hopeful, centre-left Government just doesn’t squeeze those balls.

    When I win the big lottery, VDE is getting a hitlist, an arsenal of boom-boom and a bounty for every creepy, careerist bullshitter with a by-line, because this shit has got to end.

  69. 69.

    Soprano2

    @James E Powell: I haven’t forgotten it. They hated the Clintons almost from the beginning. They pumped up Whitewater into something it never was. They thought Bill and Hillary didn’t deserve to occupy the White House.

Comments are closed.