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You are here: Home / Open Threads / Hopefully Just the Beginning of a Not Slow News Day

Hopefully Just the Beginning of a Not Slow News Day

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They talked about this on the Jack podcast, last week, I think.  (Jack is hosted by Andrew McCabe and Allison Gill.)

The US Attorney in DC, once he was hired in November 2021 (fucking obstructive Republicans in the senate) – how long did the power-sharing agreement take????

But I digress.  The US Attorney in DC, Matthew Graves, wanted to subpoena a bunch of people related to Jan 6 and the efforts to overturn the election, but the fucking FBI stood in their way.  And as far as I can tell, those Trump holdovers are still in positions of power in the FBI.

I may be in the minority, but I think Wray needs to go, for any number of reasons.

Anyway, it sounds like we may get a flurry of news today related to things that are about to get unsealed by the court.  Please let today be a good day for democracy.  Last week with all the Kangaroo Court rulings, was just brutal.

Open thread.

Reader Interactions

41Comments

  1. 1.

    Baud

    I’m not sure what the FBI has to do with subpoenas, but I don’t have time to read the articles.

  2. 2.

    SuzieC

    Today the coalition of Ohioans United for Reproductive Freedom submitted 710,131 signatures to put an amendment to the Ohio Constitution on the ballot in November.  So, we collected way more than the required 443,000 signatures.

  3. 3.

    Geminid

    I’ve been following Kelli Ward ever since she challenged Senator McCain in the 2016 Arizona Senate primary (she lost 51-36%). Ward has been doing her best to wreck the state’s Republican Party ever since. I think that in 10 years Arizona will be a Blue state, and the ex-Republicans are going to look at Ward and say, “You did this.”

  4. 4.

    WaterGirl

    @Baud: It was the same thing with teh MAL search – the FBI really did not want to do a search warrant. I don’t exactly understand the relationship between the DOJ and the FBI, either.

  6. 6.

    Betty Cracker

    I watched Nicolle Wallace’s show recently due to a big news event (can’t remember which one — there have been so many!). Wallace and a couple of panelists were tut-tutting about how long it took the DOJ to go after the white collar plotters in the J6 coup attempt.

    Around that same time, folks on Twitter and some commenters here were crowing about a revelation they seemed to regard as proof that the DOJ was on the case all along. Apparently I don’t watch enough cable, read the requisite pile of analyses or listen to a sufficient number of podcasts to form a strong opinion about it. My normification continues! ;-)

  8. 8.

    WaterGirl

    @Betty Cracker: Nicole Wallace has a bug up her butt about Merrick Garland, and she doesn’t let the facts stand in her way.

    That recent article that was supposed to be damning to Garland was a totally one-sided view of the tug of war between the FBI and the DOJ.  I guess the media only has to both-sides things when it’s Dems vs. Rs.

  9. 9.

    Suzanne

    @Geminid: Kelli Ward is 100% shitting the bed in AZ. Non-MAGA Republicans did very well last cycle there, and yet she has continued to push the extreme Trumpy insane candidates who lose. It blows my mind. She’s a lunatic.

    Arizona has a shit-ton of Mormons, and there was an interesting piece in WaPo this week about how Mormons are shifting away from the GOP.

  12. 12.

    SuzieC

    @WaterGirl: I was indeed.  Two of my groups were in the coalition:  Indivisible Central Ohio and Decanted Ohio Red, Wine, and Blue.

  20. 20.

    Betty Cracker

    @SuzieC: Kudos! There’s a similar petition drive in FL that is about 1/4 of the way to the finish line. I think it will make it.

  21. 21.

    bbleh

    Oooh goody!  It’s been a while since the last Smithmas.  Can’t wait to see what’s in the boxes …

  22. 22.

    piratedan

    @Geminid: there is a schism and it has mostly escaped the notice of the national media (shocker, I know).  They should have clued in when the MAGA contingent swept the board in nominees and lost in all three statewide races for Gov, Sec of State and AG.

    All have mattered because the AG is backing up the Gov in stopping the MAGA county prosecutors going after “abortion crimes”.

    There are more than a few GOP types that believe that the MAGA guys are a bridge too far and if the AZ Senate race ends up as a 3way race with Gallego/Sinema/Lake it’s entirely possible that Sinema peels off more GOP voters than Dem ones…..

    If there is a CIVIL WAR part Two, MAGA Boogaloo, it’s entirely possible that the MAGA crowd here will be the first to go “shots fired”, they are that rabid.

  25. 25.

    Suzanne

    @piratedan:

    They should have clued in when the MAGA contingent swept the board in nominees and lost in all three statewide races for Gov, Sec of State and AG. 

    But the non-MAGA Republicans, like Kimberly Yee, won their races. Even in a heavily Dem year, some GOP won statewide.

    If the AZ GOP pulls their head out of their ass, they will be a formidable opponent. If they keep going with MAGA insanity, they lose. I am shocked that they, so far, haven’t figured that shit out.

  26. 26.

    charon

    @Suzanne:

    If they keep going with MAGA insanity, they lose. I am shocked that they, so far, haven’t figured that shit out.

    They have no choice, AZ has closed primaries and a lot of Trumpy voters.

  27. 27.

    piratedan

    @Suzanne: very true, AZ is still decidedly purple and if someone comes across as modestly sane (Ms. Yee for example) enough mormons come home for that… their biggest problem on the GOP side, is that the MAGA folks hold the majority of the power levers, in the finances and the State lege., they’ve been winning the high profile primaries (and essentially turning off moderates and independents while doing so) and appear to be blissfully unaware of  their outcomes and have taken the concepts of cultural double-downs to an art form level.

    As long as Kelli Ward and Wendy Rogers are in place (and they are as rabid/true believers as they come), I like Dem chances… will it be easy… no, but people are tired of the freak show and even less supportive of those goals of the MAGA crowd.

  29. 29.

    Soprano2

    @Betty Cracker: They’re trying to get 11 different petitions re: abortions rights started in MO, but the attorney general and secretary of state are having a dispute over the cost of the issue – the attorney general wants to override the auditor’s ruling that the petitions won’t cost the state of MO anything; he says if abortion is allowed in MO it will cost the state $12 BILLION in future tax revenues. The auditor is supposed to have the final say in these matters; the MO Supreme Court will hear the case on July 18th. After that’s decided, then the proponents will have to go to court over the abysmal ballot language, which says that no limits will be allowed on abortion if they pass, and crap like that. I personally believe the two Republicans are engaging in some kabuki theater to try to slow down the petitions.

  30. 30.

    Argiope

    @SuzieC: I was so excited to hear we got over 700k.  Even my RWNJ dad signed this one.  He does not think the government should be dictating these decisions even though he thinks abortion is icky.

  31. 31.

    Geminid

    @piratedan: Did you see the poll that OH Predictives published in February, about the Arizona Senate race? It had a lot of interesting data points. One that struck me was that the more moderate potential Republican nominees did only a couple points better in 3-way and 2-way matchups than did Kari Lake. Those were Gov. Ducey, who is not expected to run, and the lady that Lake edged out in last year’s Governor primary, who might run.

    Another interesting data point was that Ruben Gallego had a +6 favorability rating; 6 other candidates including Sinema were “underwater” on this question. Lake’s net favorable/unfavorable score was almost as bad as Blake Master’s, which was very bad.

    It’s an early poll of course, but one thing I like about OH Predictive is that they will likely do at least 5 more polls by Election Day. I like comparing results from the same outfit poll over poll. I think trend is maybe the most significant information to be had from opinion polls.

  32. 32.

    Ken

    @Argiope: Remind your father to vote in the special summer election*, and vote “no” on the proposition that would require a 2/3 majority for voter initiatives to pass. Although it would be absolutely hilarious if they passed that requirement, and then the legalize-abortion initiative passed anyway — but it’s not likely.

    * If I’m remembering right, the Ohio legislature banned these summer elections, but decided they’re OK if Republicans want them.

  34. 34.

    piratedan

    @Geminid: I had seen that, other AZ jackals may want to chime in as well, but for those that are attempting to parse what the battle lines are…

    We have the Dems, who are pretty well unified behind Gallego.

    We have the non-MAGA GOP types, who make up big numbers and their last candidate was Ms. Taylor-Robsen, who lost a heated primary against Kari Lake, who ended up being pipped by Katie Hobbs. A guy like ex-gov Ducey is in this camp (just as odious but less demonstrative) aling with the aforementioned Ms. Yee. The vote split in THAT  GOP primary took a couple of days to tabulate all of those votes before Lake emerged as the victor and lets just say that there wasn’t much in the way of fence mending done by Ms. Lake.  Plus the MAGA crowd itself, led by Lake, Ward, and Rogers that fall in line behind the likes of Gosar and Biggs.  That same election saw the non-MAGA crowd get edged out (see the former AZ. State Lege leader who then lost his primary) and the MAGA types move in.

    The money peeps internal to the state funding of the GOP are sitting out donating to the party and are doing direct donations to candidates as they are unhappy with a) losing b) the MAGA platform or c) both.  Now the national money is still coming in but …..

    and the MAGA types are pretty much a non-pragmatic bunch, you’re either with or against and while a good number of GOP folks will go along, the in state money is not in the pocket of the MAGA types….

     

    will let others chime in as needed, but that’s what I see and hear from a modestly blue Pima County.

  35. 35.

    Gravenstone

    @Soprano2: he says if abortion is allowed in MO it will cost the state $12 BILLION in future tax revenues

    Awful presumptive of him to assume all those potential future sprogs will actually stay in MO once they come of age and start contributing to the work pool.

  36. 36.

    Uncle Cosmo

    Hey folks, colleague of a Czech friend is flying in from Prague tomorrow & will stay the night at a hotel in the Federal Triangle area, tour the National Mall on Friday and train up to Baltimore to settle into a weekend conference at the Inner Horror. I know fook-all about restaurants in DC, hence my question:

    Can anyone recommend reasonable (in price and fodder) restaurant(s) in the Federal Triangle area for supper tomorrow evening and breakfast/lunch on Friday?

    I’m getting him a ticket for the DC Circulator & encouraging him to use it between museums and monuments. If all else fails I’ll suggest he do lunch at whatever museum he’s at or near when hunger hits, & take pot luck otherwise. Thanky kindly in advance.

    Most grateful for any recs. It’s his first time in the area

  37. 37.

    Geminid

    @piratedan: Have you seen or heard much from Arizona’s new Democratic state Chair? I found it interesting that she is a former union official, I think with the Communications Workers of Americs.

    Water Girl’s new Congresswoman, Nikki Budzinski, worked for unions at the national staff level after she graduated from college. Budzinski served on the 2016 Clinton campaign, where she became friends with John Podesta. She worked on J.B. Pritzger’s campaign for Governor, headed up his transition, and then played a key role in his administration. Budzinski served as chief of staff for the Director of tge OMB before resigning to run in the redrawn Illinois 13th CD.

    Now John Podesta works in the White House, and is in charge of implementing the IRA. Budzinski has started a clean energy caucus where she helps educate her colleagues on utilizing the programs created by the IRA and Infrastructure acts. She’s a real doer.

  38. 38.

    piratedan

    @Geminid: yup, I get an e-mail update from her whenever she does a mass e-mailing.  If you want, reach out to me and I can try and forward you some of what I get.

  39. 39.

    thruppence

    @Uncle Cosmo: Haven’t been in DC for years (sob) but the WaPo is constantly reviewing restaurants; check them as a source as well as us jackals

  40. 40.

    Geminid

    @piratedan: Thanks, but as Water Girl can confirm, you might as well try to email an emu.

    But I will be watching the Arizona races closely, and hopefully they will demonstrate the new Chair’s effectiveness

  41. 41.

    Uncle Cosmo

    @thruppence: It’s so close (60 km) & so convenient (1 hr by MARC train at auld phart reduced fare) that…I never get there unless someone’s coming into town who wants to go. I’ve been in Prague and Copenhagen more often than DC, and probably Berlin and Budapest for that matter. I will czech the WaPo for restaurant reviews though I think he’s up for good grub at a reasonable price. And hey, I noticed Chef José has a couple of locations between there and Onion Station, neither too long a walk…

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