US Politics

[HardCoreBlue]

1 hour ago, JCon said:

 

Outstanding. 

[Tracker]

Facebook Papers Reveal How It Had Been 'Fueling This Fire' Ahead Of The Insurrection.  New internal documents provide a rare glimpse into how the tech giant appears to have stumbled into the Jan. 6 riot.

WASHINGTON (AP) — As supporters of Donald Trump stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6th, battling police and forcing lawmakers into hiding, an insurrection of a different kind was taking place inside the world’s largest social media company.

Thousands of miles away, in California, Facebook engineers were racing to tweak internal controls to slow the spread of misinformation and inciteful content. .

At the same time, frustration inside Facebook erupted over what some saw as the company’s halting and often reversed response to rising extremism in the U.S.

“Haven’t we had enough time to figure out how to manage discourse without enabling violence?” one employee wrote on an internal message board at the height of the Jan. 6 turmoil. “We’ve been fueling this fire for a long time and we shouldn’t be surprised it’s now out of control.”

It’s a question that still hangs over the company today, as Congress and regulators investigate Facebook’s part in the Jan. 6 riots.

New internal documents provided by former Facebook employee-turned-whistleblower Frances Haugen provide a rare glimpse into how the company appears to have simply stumbled into the Jan. 6 riot. It quickly became clear that even after years under the microscope for insufficiently policing its platform, the social network had missed how riot participants spent weeks vowing — on Facebook itself — to stop Congress from certifying Joe Biden’s election victory.

The documents also appear to bolster Haugen’s claim that Facebook put its growth and profits ahead of public safety, opening the clearest window yet into how Facebook’s conflicting impulses — to safeguard its business and protect democracy — clashed in the days and weeks leading up to the attempted Jan. 6 coup.

This story is based in part on disclosures Haugen made to the Securities and Exchange Commission and provided to Congress in redacted form by Haugen’s legal counsel. The redacted versions received by Congress were obtained by a consortium of news organizations, including The Associated Press.

Facebook Papers Reveal How It Had Been 'Fueling This Fire' Ahead Of The Insurrection | HuffPost Impact

[bustamente]

How anyone can think that this piece of garbage should ever try to be President again is just crazy, the guy and all his cronies should be in jail.

Robert Costa

   

4h, 12 tweets, 2 min read

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thread on Willard from "Peril"

After Pence leaves Oval on Jan. 5, Trump is furious. Pence isn't breaking. He opens the door near the Resolute Desk. "A rush of cold air blasted the room." He can hear the mob in the streets outside the Willard. He's elated to hear them. (p. 230) 

"As staffers filed in, some began to shiver. Still, Trump did not close the door... The noise outside grewe louder, almost like a party.

'Isn't that great?' Trump exclaimed. 'Tomorrow is going to be a big day.'" (p. 231) 

"Trump went around the room, asking for advice about congressional Republicans. 'How do we get them to do the right thing?' he asked. No one offered an answer that satisfied him." 

Trump then calls Senator Cruz. You need to object to all the states that could be raised by the House, Trump said. Cruz says his group will object to Arizona and focus on calling for his proposed commission to probe the election. Trump is unhappy, wants more to be done. (p. 232) 

With his back to the wall and Pence not budging, and Senate Rs holding to doing their own thing, Trump decides to turn to the Willard group for backup, for more aggression. He knows the mob is outside. He knows Bannon, Giuliani, Boris, Eastman, etc. are over there. (p. 232-233) 

"People in the streets were yelling, delighted and almost euphoric about Trump possibly taking back the election on Wednesday. They waited to see Giuliani and other Trump stars emerge from the Willard. They nodded warmly at others in red hats, a movement in total solidarity." 

Trump decides to act, with help from Willard war room. Push Pence to brink.

"Late Tuesday evening... Trump directed his campaign to issue a statement claiming that he and Pence were in 'total agreement that the Vice President has the power to act.' [Marc] Short was stunned." 

"This breaks protocol," Short said tersely.

[Jason] Miller refused to retract a word.

"The vice president has the ability to do this, he needs to be loyal," Miller said.

Trump soon called Giuliani, and then called Steve Bannon, who was also at the Willard. (p. 234) 

With Bannon, Trump brought up his meeting with Pence. There had been a power shift. "He was very arrogant," Trump said. "Very arrogant," Trump repeated. To Bannon and others, Trump's four words were sobering. Pence was not going to break.

But Trump, Willard crew kept pushing... 

Giuliani wonders if he should go see Pence at the Naval Observatory. A 1-on-1. Make it happen. Old school, Trump lawyer to VP. For Pence advisers, the suggestion "felt straight out of a bad mafia movie." (p. 233) 

Based on our reporting, the Willard scene on Jan. 5, 2021 and into early hours of Jan. 6, 2021 is the culmination of a pressure campaign to prevent Biden from taking office. They first tried (and failed) in the courts. Then they pushed Eastman memo/argument to VP. Relentless. 

By the time Trump takes the stage on Jan. 6, he has pulled every possible lever of power to try to stay in power. Courts via Rudy. VP via Eastman. Lawmakers. DOJ. Now, all that is left to stoke, the last lever, is the sprawling crowd before him./end 

[Tracker]

'Call your lawyer': Legal experts weigh in on bombshell report naming Republicans involved in Jan. 6
   
Legal experts including a Harvard professor and a top election and voting rights law attorney are weighing in on Sunday night's bombshell report from Rolling Stone naming members of Congress and the Trump administration who were involved in the planning and organizing of the January 6 rally and/or "Trump's efforts to overturn his election loss," according to two of the planners of the "Stop the Steal" rally.

Rolling Stone reports "planners of the pro-Trump rallies that took place in Washington, D.C., have begun communicating with congressional investigators and sharing new information about what happened when the former president's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol. Two of these people have spoken to Rolling Stone extensively in recent weeks and detailed explosive allegations that multiple members of Congress were intimately involved in planning both Trump's efforts to overturn his election loss and the Jan. 6 events that turned violent."

Those named in the Rolling Stone report as allegedly being involved include Trump White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), and these members of Congress or their staffers: Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ), Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-CO), Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL), Rep. Madison Cawthorn (R-NC), Rep. Andy Biggs (R-AZ), and Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX).

Harvard professor, CNN Analyst, Grip Mobility CEO, well-known national security expert and former Obama Homeland Security official Juliette Kayyem says clearly: "Mark Meadows, just three words: call your lawyer."

'Call your lawyer': Legal experts weigh in on bombshell report naming Republicans involved in Jan. 6 - Alternet.org

[HardCoreBlue]

These people and their supporters are mocking the Justice system and clearly getting away with it. What a joke. All this bravado from the legal system about how Justice is blind and swift is a sham. Ironically the Justice system needs to be put on trial.

[rebusrankin]

Need to do something about those congress people too. Ban from running for office imo.

[Wanna-B-Fanboy]

16 minutes ago, HardCoreBlue said:

 All this bravado from the legal system about how Justice is blind and swift is a sham. Ironically the Justice system needs to be put on trial.

To be fair, in this case Justice is blind... to these crimes and criminals... and what is swifter than achieving nothing?

Edited October 25, 2021 by wanna-b-fanboy

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Donald Trump Jr has begun selling merchandise that mocks Alec Baldwin, who fatally shot a cinematographer during an on-set incident last week.

https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/donald-trump-jr-alec-baldwin-shooting-b1944549.html

[HardCoreBlue]

18 minutes ago, wanna-b-fanboy said:

To be fair, in this case Justice is blind... to these crimes and criminals... and what is swifter than achieving nothing?

Nice spin right into a pretzel.

[Tracker]

Jan. 6 organizers say they held “dozens” of planning meetings with House Republicans: report.  Rep. Paul Gosar offered rally organizers "blanket pardons," according to two planners cooperating with Congress

White House officials and multiple House Republicans participated in planning meetings with organizers of the Jan. 6 pro-Trump rallies that preceded the attack on the U.S. Capitol, two of the organizers told Rolling Stone.

Two people involved in the planning of the rallies who have shared information with the House select committee investigating the Jan. 6 attack told Rolling Stone they had participated in "dozens" of planning briefings ahead of the rallies.

"I remember Marjorie Taylor Greene specifically," one organizer told the outlet. "I remember talking to probably close to a dozen other members at one point or another or their staffs."

Other lawmakers who participated in the discussions included Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz; Lauren Boebert, R-Colo.; Mo Brooks, R-Ala.; Andy Biggs, R-Ariz.; Madison Cawthorn, R-N.C.; and Louie Gohmert, R-Texas, according to the report. Greene, Boebert and Cawthorn were all newly-elected members, sworn in only a few days before the events of Jan. 6.

"We would talk to Boebert's team, Cawthorn's team, Gosar's team like back to back to back to back," the organizer told Rolling Stone, adding that Gosar even floated "blanket pardons" in a separate investigation to urge them to organizer the rallies.

"Our impression was that it was a done deal, that he'd spoken to the president about it in the Oval … in a meeting about pardons and that our names came up," the organizer said. "They were working on submitting the paperwork and getting members of the House Freedom Caucus to sign on as a show of support."

Jan. 6 organizers say they held “dozens” of planning meetings with House Republicans: report | Salon.com

[bustamente]

It's become fashionable to be a criminal in the open in the States and nothing will happen to you, even if arrested these people will tie everything in the courts until a friendly government takes over and makes everything disappear.

[Tracker]

8 minutes ago, bustamente said:

It's become fashionable to be a criminal in the open in the States and nothing will happen to you, even if arrested these people will tie everything in the courts until a friendly government takes over and makes everything disappear.

In 1954, a popular uprising took place in Puerto Rico in an attempt to gain independence from the US which ran Puerto Rico as a colony. It was in part an armed uprising which was quickly put down by massive US military presence and the organizers received sentences of 40-45 years in jail. This ought to be a good precedent for the January 6th insurgents.

Edited October 25, 2021 by Tracker

[bustamente]

Trump started banging off the walls when this commercial started playing this weekend

 

[Sard]

1 hour ago, Tracker said:

In 1954, a popular uprising took place in Puerto Rico in an attempt to gain independence from the US which ran Puerto Rico as a colony. It was in part an armed uprising which was quickly put down by massive US military presence and the organizers received sentences of 40-45 years in jail. This ought to be a good precedent for the January 6th insurgents.

If only there was also a way to tack on "no chance of pardon" as well...

[bustamente]

Sooner or later you would think that the Attorney General has to get involved, not sure he wants to go down this road in terms of the ex president.

[Tracker]

New video of pro-Trump lawyer is 'completely damning': legal expert
   
Conservative Claremont Institute lawyer John Eastman made an "incredibly damning" admission in a new video, a former federal prosecutor explained on CNN on Wednesday.

"The House select committee investigating the U.S. Capitol insurrection expected to hand down another subpoena today, this time for John Eastman, a conservative lawyer who worked with former President Trump's legal team," CNN's Erica Hill reported.

"The committee says Eastman tried to convince then Vice President Pence that he could overturn — overturn — the election results which, of course, Pence could not, legally, and ultimately decided not to do," CNN's Jim Scuitto said. "But now, in a conversation, caught-on-camera by a Democratic activist posing as a Trump supporter, Eastman admits — admits — on tape that was indeed the plan."

EXCLUSIVE: Author of Jan 6 coup memo John Eastman told us Mike Pence didn't take his solid legal advice & overturn… https://t.co/zOPsRyRJs8
— Lauren Windsor (@Lauren Windsor) 1635283625.0

CNN

[HardCoreBlue]

On 2021-10-25 at 2:58 PM, bustamente said:

Sooner or later you would think that the Attorney General has to get involved, not sure he wants to go down this road in terms of the ex president.

The current DoJ seems to think we are still in the 1980’s. The whole landscape has changed but they won’t acknowledge it while the perpetrators laugh and mock them with their brazen behaviour knowing absolutely no consequences are coming. Ted Cruz and Tom Cotton belittling Marland and he takes like a meek little child being tossed around like a rag doll with no resistance. Joke.

[Tracker]

Updated 'Trump Train' 911 transcripts reveal Texas cops refused to send escort to Biden bus
   
As supporters of then-President Donald Trump surrounded and harassed a Joe Biden campaign bus on a Central Texas highway last year, San Marcos police officials and 911 dispatchers fielded multiple requests for assistance from Democratic campaigners and bus passengers who said they feared for their safety from a pack of motorists, known as a "Trump Train," allegedly driving in dangerously aggressive ways.

"San Marcos refused to help," an amended federal lawsuit over the 2020 freeway skirmish claims.

Transcribed 911 audio recordings and documents that reveal behind-the-scenes communications among law enforcement and dispatchers were included in the amended lawsuit, filed late Friday.

The transcribed recordings were filed in an attempt to show that San Marcos law enforcement leaders chose not to provide the bus with a police escort multiple times, even though police departments in other nearby cities did. In one transcribed recording, Matthew Daenzer, a San Marcos police corporal on duty the day of the incident, refused to provide an escort when recommended by another jurisdiction.

"No, we're not going to do it," Daenzer told a 911 dispatcher, according to the amended filing. "We will 'close patrol' that, but we're not going to escort a bus."

The amended filing also states that in those audio recordings, law enforcement officers "privately laughed" and "joked about the victims and their distress."

Updated 'Trump Train' 911 transcripts reveal Texas cops refused to send escort to Biden bus - Alternet.org

[bustamente]

He should be in jail for just being stupid

 

 

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Southwest investigates pilot who used ‘Brandon’ phrase

[Tracker]

6 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Southwest investigates pilot who used ‘Brandon’ phrase

As stupid as this sounds, it absolutely pales in comparison to all the other insanity in the US.

[bustamente]

Democrats already making excuses if the lose the Governors race tomorrow in Virginia, keep being meek and let the minority run the party and the Republicans will wipe you out

[Tracker]

38 minutes ago, bustamente said:

Democrats already making excuses if the lose the Governors race tomorrow in Virginia, keep being meek and let the minority run the party and the Republicans will wipe you out

The GOP in the last year has been very busy suppressing potential Democratic voters, installing their people in every facet of election administration and gerrymandering the ridings to a degree unheard of until now in US politics.  All this while they were screaming that the Democrats were rigging the elections

[bustamente]

23 minutes ago, Tracker said:

The GOP in the last year has been very busy suppressing potential Democratic voters, installing their people in every facet of election administration and gerrymandering the ridings to a degree unheard of until now in US politics.  All this while they were screaming that the Democrats were rigging the elections

Democrats made a fatale mistakes with Biden, he is as plain as oatmeal can get, they needed a firecracker and got a dud. Dummies Manchin and Sinema got the party all tied up in knots and Republicans will be laughing all the way to the Presidency, House and Senate and the Democrats will be left scratching their heads wondering what happened as Biden and Pelosi are put out to pasture

[Tracker]

Republicans pushing ‘hit and kill’ bills to allow motorists to run down protesters: report
   
As the organizes of the fatal 2017 "Unite the Right" rally in Charlottesville are standing trial in a civil lawsuit, Republicans across the country are organizing to pass "hit and kill" bills that allow motorists to run down protesters.

On Monday, the Boston Globe reported on a "Back the Blue Act" signed by Iowa's Republican governor, Kim Reynolds. The bill took the side of drivers who run over protesters. In June of 2020, the driver of Reynold's state-issued Chevrolet Suburban struck a Des Moines Black Liberation Movement protester who was urging the governor to restore voting rights.

"Iowa is one of three states, along with Oklahoma and Florida, to enact laws this year giving drivers some degree of legal immunity if they use their vehicles to hurt protesters, part of a wave of 'hit and kill' bills introduced in 13 other states by Republican legislators since 2017. Most of those proposals came after one of the most sustained periods of demonstrations in US history following Floyd's murder, and the effort to crack down on protesters has sent a chilling message to activists, who believe it will encourage violence against them," the newspaper reported.

There is currently pending legislation in Tennessee, New Jersey and Washington.

Republicans pushing ‘hit and kill’ bills to allow motorists to run down protesters: report - Alternet.org