The inevitable end result of our last 56 years

[Douglas Caddy]

 

Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas repeated misleading claims that COVID-19 vaccines were made using cells of 'aborted children' (msn.com)

[Douglas Caddy]

 

Supreme Court's Potential Changes to Elections Spark Panic: 'Judicial Coup' (msn.com)

[James DiEugenio]

The above is a really important case .

And I am glad its getting some attention.

This court has been pretty bad on gerrymandering.  But this one will take the cake.

 

[Matt Allison]

My original reaction to the limo story was that the 1/6 committee appeared to be laying a trap...

That appears to be the case

 

 

 

[Benjamin Cole]

9 hours ago, Paul Brancato said:

Ben - I agree with this comment. You’re siding with Trump and his people. To paraphrase - the man doth protest too much. Unless I’m mistaken about what that quote means. The same for the Russia thing. Manafort was certainly guilty as charged. What exactly he was up to with his Russian friend is not clear, but whatever it was they went to great lengths to keep it secret. 

Paul-

Manafort was charged in court with garden-variety grifting, and found guilty. 

Tax evasion, lying to get loans, and not filing as a foreign agent.  I am happy to accept the court's verdict on Manafort.

I regard Manafort as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law on other suspicions. 

Think about where the road leads when we start treating charges, accusations and suspicions as facts. 

 

[Benjamin Cole]

12 minutes ago, Benjamin Cole said:

Paul-

Manafort was charged in court with garden-variety grifting, and found guilty. 

Tax evasion, lying to get loans, and not filing as a foreign agent.  I am happy to accept the court's verdict on Manafort.

I regard Manafort as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law on other suspicions. 

Think about where the road leads when we start treating charges, accusations and suspicions as facts. 

 

Add on:

I do not regard the Biden family as guilty of grifting despite the unusual circumstances regarding Hunter Biden receiving something like $1 million while on the board of Burisma, while Joe Biden was arranging to send $1 billion to Ukraine (when he was veep). 

Indeed, there has been a whole book written on the unusual alliance between Joe Biden the public office bolder, and his family's financial interests. By the very credible  Ben Schreckinger. 

But...I regard Biden as innocent of financial grifting, if and until proven guilty in a court of law. 

We do have the uncomfortable situation of the US backing Ukraine (which I support) after Biden's family has extracted millions of dollars from frequently corrupt Ukrainian officials and companies. 

But I presume Joe Biden's, and Hunter Biden's, innocence on this matter. 

[W. Niederhut]

13 minutes ago, Benjamin Cole said:

Paul-

Manafort was charged in court with garden-variety grifting, and found guilty. 

Tax evasion, lying to get loans, and not filing as a foreign agent.  I am happy to accept the court's verdict on Manafort.

I regard Manafort as innocent until proven guilty in a court of law on other suspicions. 

Think about where the road leads when we start treating charges, accusations and suspicions as facts. 

 

Manafort is also guilty of perjury-- lying about his 2016 campaign contacts with GRU asset Konstantin Kilimnik, even after he agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation as part of a plea bargain.  He was directly reprimanded by the judge for his perjury and stonewalling for Trump.

Manafort was also guilty of witness tampering-- floating a Trump pardon to his associate Rick Gates, during the grand jury investigation of Gates.

You never did read the Mueller Report, eh, Ben?

And you, obviously, never read the Atlantic article I posted TWICE for you, The Russia Hoax Was No Hoax, have you, Ben?

Nor did you watch Hutchinson's J6 testimony.

In a nutshell, you're willfully ignorant about both Russiagate, and January 6th, yet you presume to lecture to us about those subjects-- endlessly repeating the same erroneous Trumplican talking points.

 

[Ron Bulman]

Holder speaks the truth.  "He is not a rational person".

Trump Used Mafia-Speak Against Pence Before Jan. 6 Violence, Documentarian Says (msn.com)

I can't wait to see the documentary.

[Benjamin Cole]

2 hours ago, W. Niederhut said:

Manafort is also guilty of perjury-- lying about his 2016 campaign contacts with GRU asset Konstantin Kilimnik, even after he agreed to cooperate with Mueller's investigation as part of a plea bargain.  He was directly reprimanded by the judge for his perjury and stonewalling for Trump.

Manafort was also guilty of witness tampering-- floating a Trump pardon to his associate Rick Gates, during the grand jury investigation of Gates.

You never did read the Mueller Report, eh, Ben?

And you, obviously, never read the Atlantic article I posted TWICE for you, The Russia Hoax Was No Hoax, have you, Ben?

Nor did you watch Hutchinson's J6 testimony.

In a nutshell, you're willfully ignorant about both Russiagate, and January 6th, yet you presume to lecture to us about those subjects-- endlessly repeating the same erroneous Trumplican talking points.

 

W-

Well, I have a day job.

I did read the Wikipedia entry on the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence. 

Interestingly, 

"The Senate Intelligence Committee introduced a new allegation regarding Kilimnik, that he "may have been connected" to the Russian military intelligence's hack and leak of Democratic Party material. However, the report's discussions on this topic are redacted.[19] Manafort's connection with the Russian hack and leak operation is "largely unknown", but possible, given "two pieces of information" the committee found; the details of such information were also redacted.[18]" 

In other words, pretty weak. "May have been connected"? "Largely unknown"? 

What does that mean? Sheesh, Kilimnik also "may not have been connected." 

---30---

Also, the committee found this about the Steele Dossier:

"The Steele Dossier: Its Origins and Handling

The report notes that the Steele dossier, a private intelligence report written by Christopher Steele, alleging a "well-developed conspiracy of co-operation" between the Trump campaign and the Russian government, "found that the tradecraft reflected in the dossier is generally poor relative to IC standards; the Department of Justice (DOJ) Office of the Inspector General (OIG) and many who the Committee spoke with at the FBI also found serious fault with Steele's tradecraft."[11][24]"

---30---

Evidently, no dissent from minority on this matter.The Steele Dossier is not defensible. 

---30---

In addition, I have never seen it clarified if Manafort knew that Kilimnik may have been a GRU asset. 

Sheesh, I might talk to a Russian---if he does not show me his GRU badge, how am I to know anything?  

And then, in the committee's conclusions, we have the usual blue-red kool-aid pissing contests:

"Additional Views of Senators Risch, Rubio, Blunt, Cotton, Cornyn, and Sasse[edit]

Certain Republican members stated their finding:

"The committee found no evidence that then-candidate Donald Trump or his campaign colluded with the Russian government in its efforts to meddle in the election."[25][26]"

OK, so all the Team Red players exonerate Trump.

Halos all around! 

But then we have Team Blue pissing away: 

"Additional Views of Senators Heinrich, Feinstein, Wyden, Harris, and Bennet[edit]

Under a section entitled "The Trump Campaign's Cooperation with Russia", certain Democratic Senators stated their conclusion:

"It is our conclusion, based on the facts detailed in the Committee's Report, that the Russian intelligence services' assault on the integrity of the 2016 U.S. electoral process[,] and Trump and his associates' participation in and enabling of this Russian activity, represents one of the single most grave counterintelligence threats to American national security in the modern era."[27][28]"

---30---

It must have irked the hell of the 'Phants to have that minority Donk statement in the report.

The Cheney-crat Committee solved that problem: They bumped 'Phant members from the unduly authorized "Committee" who might have another point of view. 

W, if you want to drink the blue or red kool-aid, that is your business. 

I have no faith in either party. 

I am sure conclusions and abstracts are written first, and then the investigations follow suit. 

 

 

 

[W. Niederhut]

Ben,

     Speaking of kool aid drinkers, I think you may need an intervention to help you get off of that reality-distorting red stuff.

     As for the Senate Intel Committee, it was chaired by Richard Burr prior to January of 2021.  The GOP delayed the release of their damning report about Russian interference in our elections, on behalf of Trump, as long as possible.

     And the Republicans in Congress, including those who had who persistently stonewalled investigations of Trump/GOP ties to the Kremlin, were not "bumped" from any committees by Cheney.  They were bumped by the Democratic Congressional leaders elected by American voters.

     Rep. Bennie Thompson chairs the J6 committee, and he has been outstanding.  It's a shame you didn't watch these truly historic hearings about Trump's serious crimes against the United States-- far, far worse than Watergate.

     One thing I will note.  Since you have, at least, read the Wiki article on the Senate Intel Report, you now know that the so-called Russia Hoax was no hoax, right?  You should erase the "Russia hoax" meme from your lexicon.

    Meanwhile, I posted the actual Senate Intel Report links for you and Wheeler yesterday, (on  your other thread about Mueller) along with the scholarly Atlantic article, The Russia Hoax Was No Hoax.

     

Edited July 2, 2022 by W. Niederhut

[Benjamin Cole]

3 hours ago, W. Niederhut said:

Ben,

     Speaking of kool aid drinkers, I think you may need an intervention to help you get off of that reality-distorting red stuff.

     As for the Senate Intel Committee, it was chaired by Richard Burr prior to January of 2021.  The GOP delayed the release of their damning report about Russian interference in our elections, on behalf of Trump, as long as possible.

     And the Republicans in Congress, including those who had who persistently stonewalled investigations of Trump/GOP ties to the Kremlin, were not "bumped" from any committees by Cheney.  They were bumped by the Democratic Congressional leaders elected by American voters.

     Rep. Bennie Thompson chairs the J6 committee, and he has been outstanding.  It's a shame you didn't watch these truly historic hearings about Trump's serious crimes against the United States-- far, far worse than Watergate.

     One thing I will note.  Since you have, at least, read the Wiki article on the Senate Intel Report, you now know that the so-called Russia Hoax was no hoax, right?  You should erase the "Russia hoax" meme from your lexicon.

    Meanwhile, I posted the actual Senate Intel Report links for you and Wheeler yesterday, (on  your other thread about Mueller) along with the scholarly Atlantic article, The Russia Hoax Was No Hoax.

     

The evidence for collusion between various possible Russian assets and the Trump campaign is weak. 

Perhaps Merrick Garland will pick up the cudgels, and go down Russiagate Road again; if he gains convictions then so be it, and I will happily accept those verdicts. 

The Russians may have tried to influence the 2016 campaign by running bots and hiring some people to post twitter and Facebook accounts and so on. My understanding is these efforts were underfunded and futile.

Did Manafort share polling data from the Trump campaign with a  Russian oligarch? Manafort says limited amounts, but I say "so what." Polling data in recent quadrennial cycles has proven less than worthless, and actively misleading.  This is a national security breach? Polling data, worth less than the paper it is printed?  

I mean, sheesh, Bloomberg unloaded $1 billion all by himself. He had polls up the wazoo. The polls today can be off by 20 points. 

American campaigns have become rivers of money---and the Donks now outspend the 'Phants, but both are hip-deep in lucre. 

I think we citizens would get a better deal just by selling our votes to the highest bidder.  I offer my 2022 vote for $3,000. 

I abstain for the red-blue kool-aid pissing wars. The fact that I am skeptical of the New Donks and the Cheney-crats hardly makes me a Trump supporter or a 'Phant. You seem deeply confused on this score. 

 

 

 

[Benjamin Cole]

Clarence Thomas cites claim that Covid vaccines are 'developed using cell lines derived from aborted children'

POLITICO 14 hours ago

 

Politico issues correction after falsely claiming Clarence Thomas promoted COVID vaccine-aborted fetus theory

Fox News 8 hours ago

 

---30---

 

DC is just a viper-pit.

 

Which snakes in the grass do you support? 

 

 

[W. Niederhut]

4 hours ago, Benjamin Cole said:

The evidence for collusion between various possible Russian assets and the Trump campaign is weak. 

Geez... Read the references I posted for you, Ben.  Trump's 2016 Campaign Manager, Paul Manafort, was a long-term Kremlin employee.

You seem to be using Trump's standard trick of repeating lies/memes in the hope that people will believe them to be true.

[Joe Bauer]

Are the walls closing in on " The Man Who Would Be King?"

• The spoiled tyrant?
   
• Everyone near him has to walk on egg shells, feeling tense anxiety, fearing minute to minute what the tyrant's next tirade is going to be about and praying it isn't directed toward them.

That 24/7 heightened (fight or flight) fear tension stress drains one's adrenal glands which eventually stresses your entire body and mind so much it lowers your immune system.

People become depressed, sick, develop sleep and bad dream problems and overall long term PTSD.

They are all victims of the spoiled tyrant.

And perversely, these tyrants don't feel or experience these same effects. They sleep like babies. They are incapable of feeling any of the heavy and exhausting sufferings of those around them.

There is even an inherent sadism component in their makeup imo.

Like they enjoy inflicting fear and suffering onto their dependent victims. Leona Helmsley types. 

Recently I have noticed hundreds if not thousands of people coming forward in the national media and "publicly" describing Trump in the worst possible terms. More and more, people in highest positions.  And more and more from the so-called conservative right. Not just the liberal political left.

We are seeing these concerned about Trump statements on the largest audience internet news sites every day now.

Trump is ... " Unhinged, not living in reality, delusional, illogical, irrational, obsessed, incapable of reasoned thought and behavior, temper losing tantrum out of control, incapable of compromise" and most damning and important of all ... "DANGEROUS!"

These ominous warning type comments about Trump are from former members of his staff by the dozens, high ranking military people, conservative pundits, etc.

Even Trump's hardest core base are finding the rest of the nation isn't even watching or listening to their promotion and defense of the pathetic "Man Who Would Be King" anymore.

The rest of our society is exhausted and moving on. Moving on from the negative energy "dark cloud" of angry and paranoid Trumpism.

The walls of health and more positive energy seeking truth and reality are closing in.

You sense a Joseph McCarthy type deconstruction, melt and breakdown coming sooner versus later. Where the entire nation kind of hits a point of exhaustion with and is turning on this delusional, spoiled, obsessed, tantrum throwing and fear and insult bullying man and all the heavy anxiety and stresses and anger he expresses and has pounded into and onto us all. 

IMO anyway.

 

Edited July 2, 2022 by Joe Bauer

[Benjamin Cole]

47 minutes ago, W. Niederhut said:

Geez... Read the references I posted for you, Ben.  Trump's 2016 Campaign Manager, Paul Manafort, was a long-term Kremlin employee.

You seem to be using Trump's standard trick of repeating lies/memes in the hope that people will believe them to be true.

Not really. 

Actually, I have lost interest in the topic of Trump's follies. They are now but aging and predictable political theater. 

Biden is President now. In fact, Biden just committed the US to larger military outlays to Europe, probably for the long, long term, without the slightest whimper or debate. Isn't this always this way--any provocation, and the US globalists settle for billions in annual  outlays in perpetuity. We are still in Germany after WWII and still in Korea after that K War. 

On Trump, I liked his populist macroeconomic policies, and his non-interventionism, otherwise he is a regrettable character. 

That said, Trump and anyone else is entitled to the presumption of innocence. Nobody threw Manafort in jail for being a Moscow stooge. You have decided he is guilty of being a spy or Russian agent, but the courts never have.  

Perhaps the courts and prosecutors do not have the divine insights that you have. 

Let Merrick Garland do whatever he does. Fine by me. Let the courts rule.