US Politics

[bustamente]

They finally got Hunter Biden...................for failing to pay taxes

[Mark F]

If you thought Merrick Garland did not want to investigate Trump you were right.

 

"Whether a decision about Trump’s culpability for Jan. 6 could have come any earlier is unclear. The delays in examining that question began before Garland was even confirmed. Sherwin, senior Justice Department officials and Paul Abbate, the top deputy to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, quashed a plan by prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’s office to directly investigate Trump associates for any links to the riot, deeming it premature, according to five individuals familiar with the decision. Instead, they insisted on a methodical approach — focusing first on rioters and going up the ladder.

The strategy was embraced by Garland, Monaco and Wray. They remained committed to it even as evidence emerged of an organized, weeks-long effort by Trump and his advisers before Jan. 6 to pressure state leaders, Justice officials and Vice President Mike Pence to block the certification of Biden’s victory.

discussions.

“A decision was made early on to focus DOJ resources on the riot,” said one former Justice Department official familiar with the debates. “The notion of opening up on Trump and high-level political operatives was seen as fraught with peril. When Lisa and Garland came on board, they were fully onboard with that approach.”

Some prosecutors even had the impression that Trump had become a taboo topic at Main Justice. Colleagues responsible for preparing briefing materials and updates for Garland and Monaco were warned to focus on foot soldiers and to avoid mentioning Trump or his close allies."

beyond timid.

"Prosecutors wanted to charge Stewart Rhodes, the group’s founder, and several lieutenants with seditious conspiracy. But by fall, the decision remained in limbo. Prosecutors had put Rhodes in their sights since February, when they first referred to him as “Person One” in court records, but still hadn’t arrested him.

“The agents kept asking, ‘What’s going on?’” recalled one of those familiar with the case. “They were ready to pick up Rhodes.”

While FBI agents and line prosecutors wanted to move forward with the charge, a decision was delayed in part because of wariness and debate among some officials inside Monaco’s and Garland’s offices about the risk of sedition charges being overturned on appeal. On top of that, the department still lacked Senate confirmation for two of Biden’s nominees — for U.S. attorney in D.C. and an assistant attorney general for national security, the key supervisors over the investigation."

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/06/19/fbi-resisted-opening-probe-into-trumps-role-jan-6-more-than-year/

no paywall

Edited June 20, 2023 by Mark F

[HardCoreBlue]

A heading I just came across:

Christian Nationalists and biblical literalists are more like to believe conspiracy theories. Story by Zeleb.es • Jun 20, 2023

I'm gobsmacked.  I didn't see this coming.

[JCon]

1 hour ago, HardCoreBlue said:

A heading I just came across:

Christian Nationalists and biblical literalists are more like to believe conspiracy theories. Story by Zeleb.es • Jun 20, 2023

I'm gobsmacked.  I didn't see this coming.

They have whole books of conspiracy theories!

[Wilbur]

3 hours ago, HardCoreBlue said:

A heading I just came across:

Christian Nationalists and biblical literalists are more like to believe conspiracy theories. Story by Zeleb.es • Jun 20, 2023

I'm gobsmacked.  I didn't see this coming.

In other news, water is wet.

[Tracker]

8 hours ago, bustamente said:

They finally got Hunter Biden...................for failing to pay taxes

And the GOP are trumpeting this as proof of all manner of illegal dealings by the Biden family and promising to launch inquiries. They do not want to talk about the judge involved being a Trump appointee.

[HardCoreBlue]

3 hours ago, JCon said:

They have whole books of conspiracy theories!

Get out!

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court

[JCon]

25 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court

Corruption amongst the clerics again. Time and time again, the GOP proves their corruption. 

[Tracker]

23 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Justice Samuel Alito Took Luxury Fishing Vacation With GOP Billionaire Who Later Had Cases Before the Court

Alito's defence of this is utterly laughable. He said that he saved the government thousands of dollars by going with his billionaire buddy because he would have gone anyways and would have had to get a raise to do so. If you follow that twisted logic without hurting yourself, it would be OK to accept money because then he wouldn't need such a high salary.

[JCon]

Just now, Tracker said:

Alito's defence of this is utterly laughable. He said that he saved the government thousands of dollars by going with his billionaire buddy because he would have gone anyways and would have had to get a raise to do so. If you follow that twisted logic without hurting yourself, it would be OK to accept money because then he wouldn't need such a high salary.

The corruption and entitlement is staggering. 

[HardCoreBlue]

34 minutes ago, JCon said:

The corruption and entitlement is staggering. 

He's the same entitled ****** who regularly lectures/patronizes the American public that to critique SCOTUS is leading America down a very dangerous path.

His only defense is Judicial independence and you'll all pay if you question us!   

[JCon]

1 minute ago, HardCoreBlue said:

He's the same entitled ****** who regularly lectures/patronizes the American public that to critique SCOTUS is leading America down a very dangerous path.

His only defense is Judicial independence and you'll all pay if you question us!   

That's the one! These clerics are evil. 

[bustamente]

Looks like some on SCOTUS like the finer things in life and would prefer that no one knows about it all the while imposing their will on an American public that do support many of their rulings lately.

[Tracker]

Heightened 'pregnancy-related mortality' since Roe v. Wade reversal worries doctors: report

The U.S. maternal mortality rate has significantly increased since the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) overturn Roe v. Wade nearly one year ago, The New Republic reports.

The report references KFF's latest survey, which includes responses from "600 ob-gyns nationwide from March to May," confirming "68 percent say the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision worsened their ability to respond to pregnancy-related emergencies."
Furthermore, "The survey also found that 64 percent of ob-gyns 'believe that the Dobbs decision has worsened pregnancy-related mortality” and 70 percent believe the ruling increased racial and ethnic inequities in maternal health," according to report.

Regarding the factors contributing to an increased mortality rate, The New Republic reports:

Part of this could be due to the fact that all of the new laws surrounding abortion have left doctors confused about what they're even allowed to do. Only 45 percent of ob-gyns in states with abortion restrictions say they understand the circumstances under which abortion is legal.

New Republic also notes:

Many doctors also feel that their hands are tied. In states where abortion is limited, 59 percent of ob-gyns say they are worried about the legal risk when making 'decisions about patient care and the necessity of abortion.' In states where abortion is banned, that number jumps to 61 percent.

In December, Axios reports, President Joe Biden's administration announced "The Supreme Court's Dobbs decision to end the constitutional right to abortion has been 'devastating' to maternal health and widened gaps in care as the U.S. grapples with the highest maternal mortality rate among developed nations."

(The GOP must be so proud)

[Tracker]

Adam Schiff Gets John Durham to Admit Russia Helped Trump

-REUTERS/Elizabeth Frantz
When Republicans brought Special Counsel John Durham to the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday, they thought it’d be an opportunity to score points on Democrats—particularly Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA), who spent years hyping up Donald Trump’s connections to Russia.

What they got instead was a viral moment when Schiff got Durham—the man tasked with concluding whether the FBI’s investigation of Russia’s connections to the 2016 Trump campaign was appropriate—took Durham to task.

Schiff, a former impeachment manager against Trump, questioned Durham about whether President Trump flaunted information that was released by Russian hackers during the 2016 election. Durham repeatedly insisted he had no knowledge of the matter. But in the midst of the exchange, Durham clearly stated he doesn’t doubt the validity of evidence showing Russia was trying to help Trump—something many Republicans have vehemently denied.

“I don’t think there’s any question that Russians intruded into—hacked into the systems, they released information,” Durham said.

“And that was helpful to the Trump campaign, right?” Schiff asked.

After trying to deflect the question, Durham agreed the Russians had been helpful to the Trump campaign.

“And Trump made use of that, as I said, didn’t he, by touting those stolen documents on the campaign trail over a hundred times,” Schiff said.

Durham said he didn’t “really read the newspapers, or listen to the news.”

[Tracker]

Top Des Moines meteorologist resigns after receiving death threats for climate change coverage

In Des Moines, Iowa, Chris Gloninger has been the top meteorologist at KCCI-TV, the city's CBS affiliate. Gloninger has been reporting on a subject that meteorologists are well aware of: climate change — and some far-right MAGA Republicans have responded with threats of violence.

On Wednesday, June 21, Gloninger announced, on Twitter, that he was leaving the station — and cited the threats as a factor in his decision.

In his statement, Gloninger explained, "18 years. 7 stations. 5 states. I am bidding farewell to TV to embark on a new journey dedicated to helping solve the climate crisis. After a death threat stemming from my climate coverage last year and resulting PTSD, in addition to family health issues, I've decided to begin this journey now."

The Des Moines Register reports that in September 2022, a man in Lenox, Iowa was fined $105 for harassing Gloninger in a series of e-mails. One of them read, "You are worthless Biden puppet, a liar, a conspiracy theorist, and an idiot!!! You give Iowa a bad name, GO HOME B—-.

https://www.alternet.org/climate-change-2661712641/

[HardCoreBlue]

On 2023-06-20 at 8:24 AM, Mark F said:

If you thought Merrick Garland did not want to investigate Trump you were right.

 

"Whether a decision about Trump’s culpability for Jan. 6 could have come any earlier is unclear. The delays in examining that question began before Garland was even confirmed. Sherwin, senior Justice Department officials and Paul Abbate, the top deputy to FBI Director Christopher A. Wray, quashed a plan by prosecutors in the U.S. attorney’s office to directly investigate Trump associates for any links to the riot, deeming it premature, according to five individuals familiar with the decision. Instead, they insisted on a methodical approach — focusing first on rioters and going up the ladder.

The strategy was embraced by Garland, Monaco and Wray. They remained committed to it even as evidence emerged of an organized, weeks-long effort by Trump and his advisers before Jan. 6 to pressure state leaders, Justice officials and Vice President Mike Pence to block the certification of Biden’s victory.

discussions.

“A decision was made early on to focus DOJ resources on the riot,” said one former Justice Department official familiar with the debates. “The notion of opening up on Trump and high-level political operatives was seen as fraught with peril. When Lisa and Garland came on board, they were fully onboard with that approach.”

Some prosecutors even had the impression that Trump had become a taboo topic at Main Justice. Colleagues responsible for preparing briefing materials and updates for Garland and Monaco were warned to focus on foot soldiers and to avoid mentioning Trump or his close allies."

beyond timid.

"Prosecutors wanted to charge Stewart Rhodes, the group’s founder, and several lieutenants with seditious conspiracy. But by fall, the decision remained in limbo. Prosecutors had put Rhodes in their sights since February, when they first referred to him as “Person One” in court records, but still hadn’t arrested him.

“The agents kept asking, ‘What’s going on?’” recalled one of those familiar with the case. “They were ready to pick up Rhodes.”

While FBI agents and line prosecutors wanted to move forward with the charge, a decision was delayed in part because of wariness and debate among some officials inside Monaco’s and Garland’s offices about the risk of sedition charges being overturned on appeal. On top of that, the department still lacked Senate confirmation for two of Biden’s nominees — for U.S. attorney in D.C. and an assistant attorney general for national security, the key supervisors over the investigation."

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/investigations/2023/06/19/fbi-resisted-opening-probe-into-trumps-role-jan-6-more-than-year/

no paywall

Maddening. Frustrating. Exhausting. But MG will patronize us pleebs with the ole this is all so complex that your small brains can't comprehend approach.

[Mark F]

15 minutes ago, Tracker said:

a man in Lenox, Iowa was fined $105 f

might as well make the fine fifty cents.

what a sad state of affairs.

municipal councillors in Victoria are getting threats of violence now.

society needs jail sentences  for these people.

[FrostyWinnipeg]

Boebert claims that she filed her Articles of Impeachment against Biden because he was complicit in child sex trafficking.

[Tracker]

2 minutes ago, FrostyWinnipeg said:

Boebert claims that she filed her Articles of Impeachment against Biden because he was complicit in child sex trafficking.

And without a shred of proof. She "thought" (as if she has coherent thoughts) he was such.

[HardCoreBlue]

15 minutes ago, Tracker said:

And without a shred of proof. She "thought" (as if she has coherent thoughts) he was such.

I could use this statement everyday to respond to what is regularly shared here:

The dumbing down of America right before our eyes seen in real time.

[bustamente]

Until the United States starts punishing false statements and accusations they will continue to spiral into a country whose politicians do nothing but throw **** at each other, some would say we are already there.

[Tracker]

DeSantis Warns Of 'Woke' In Bizarre Speech: 'I Saw People Defecating' In Public

The Florida governor railed about his recent trip to San Francisco as he vowed to leave "woke ideology in the dustbin of history" in remarks on Friday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claims he recently “saw people defecating on the sidewalk” – an act he chalked up to “woke” ideology – during a speech at a Faith and Freedom Coalition event on Friday.

The 2024 Republican presidential candidate, who spoke at the coalition’s “Road to Majority” conference, spoke about a popular Republican bogeyman – “woke” – as he warned of the mindset’s impact on the criminal justice system.
“When woke overtakes our criminal justice system – like it has in San Francisco, like it has in Los Angeles – the average person becomes less safe in their communities as a result,” said DeSantis, who vowed to leave “woke ideology in the dustbin of history.”

“Don’t tell me it doesn’t affect people’s lives. I was just in San Francisco. I saw – in 20 minutes on the ground – people defecating on the sidewalk. I saw people using fentanyl. I saw people smoking crack right there in the open, right there on the street. It was a civilization in decay.”

DeSantis, who recently dropped a campaign video where he criticized the “collapsed” city over its “leftist policies,” received pushback from San Francisco Mayor London Breed who called his comments part of “the oldest playbook in politics to get attention.”

Twitter users slammed the Florida governor over his remarks, pointing to reports of people pooping in public in the Sunshine State and noting that Florida has “significantly higher” drug overdose mortality rates than those in California.

[HardCoreBlue]

1 hour ago, Tracker said:

DeSantis Warns Of 'Woke' In Bizarre Speech: 'I Saw People Defecating' In Public

The Florida governor railed about his recent trip to San Francisco as he vowed to leave "woke ideology in the dustbin of history" in remarks on Friday.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis claims he recently “saw people defecating on the sidewalk” – an act he chalked up to “woke” ideology – during a speech at a Faith and Freedom Coalition event on Friday.

The 2024 Republican presidential candidate, who spoke at the coalition’s “Road to Majority” conference, spoke about a popular Republican bogeyman – “woke” – as he warned of the mindset’s impact on the criminal justice system.
“When woke overtakes our criminal justice system – like it has in San Francisco, like it has in Los Angeles – the average person becomes less safe in their communities as a result,” said DeSantis, who vowed to leave “woke ideology in the dustbin of history.”

“Don’t tell me it doesn’t affect people’s lives. I was just in San Francisco. I saw – in 20 minutes on the ground – people defecating on the sidewalk. I saw people using fentanyl. I saw people smoking crack right there in the open, right there on the street. It was a civilization in decay.”

DeSantis, who recently dropped a campaign video where he criticized the “collapsed” city over its “leftist policies,” received pushback from San Francisco Mayor London Breed who called his comments part of “the oldest playbook in politics to get attention.”

Twitter users slammed the Florida governor over his remarks, pointing to reports of people pooping in public in the Sunshine State and noting that Florida has “significantly higher” drug overdose mortality rates than those in California.

Gawd damn facts get in the way of everything.