The Bishop and the Butterfly: Murder, Politics, and the End of the Jazz Age

    Latest Impeachment Trial

    By moat on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 5:35pm |

    If I was Richard Day, I would give you a link to follow the event and yell as I saw fit.

    But this is 2021, you all follow it as you can. I have run out of chips and salsa.

     

    Comments

    I will start off by noticing that the complaints about due process in the impeachment proceeding (presented by the Defense) seem to have no connection to the desire expressed by some to have no witnesses in the Senate trial.


    by moat on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 5:45pm

    Interesting tactic that Castor chose to highlight Ben Sasse's predicament to the other GOP Senators:

    To me, that's arguing to other GOP senators: are you here to represent your constituents view of what the common creed Constitution means or some abstract originalist interpretation? It's certainly not a traditionally conservative way of looking at things, populism and which way the wind is blowing...


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 5:56pm

    That looks like a straight up thug thing to me. Reminding a jurist of the crowd assembled outside the court house is not a legal argument.


    by moat on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 6:03pm

    Hopefully, these lawyers got their money in cash upfront and made sure it wasn't counterfeit or printed in disappearing  ink.


    by rmrd0000 on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 6:42pm

    Or they are investing is some future that may or may not happen.

    It seems their concern has no regard for what is happening now.


    by moat on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 6:48pm

    It's all Dogecoin now, baby. Everything you've ever known is on fire.


    by PeraclesPlease on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 6:52pm

    I suppose that is the case in some references.

    But we all wake up to the same stuff to some extent.


    by moat on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 6:58pm

    The Republican Party no longer believes in democracy 

    The republican party is radicalizing against democracy. This is the central political fact of our moment. Instead of organizing its coalition around shared policy goals, the GOP has chosen to emphasize hatred and fear of its political opponents, who—they warn—will destroy their supporters and the country. Those Manichaean stakes are used to justify every effort to retain power, and make keeping power the GOP’s highest purpose. We are living with a deadly example of just how far those efforts can go, and things are likely to get worse.

    https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/02/republican-party-radicalizing-against-democracy/617959/

    It will be surprising if Republicans convict Donald Trump. Republicans in Congress, for the most part, are traitors. There cannot be unity.

     


    by rmrd0000 on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 7:49pm

    The majority of Republican voters think the election was stolen from Trump

    They have no problem discarding votes from certain neighborhoods

    Why would I want to have unity with these scumbags?

    We can discuss the reasons they need to change.


    Edit to add:

    The words of the Senate chaplain

    The choice is between truth vs falsehood, and good versus evil

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uI2QbwyJLMM

     


    by rmrd0000 on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 9:05pm

    The highest that a man can reach on this earth is to give his name to an historic era, stamping it indelibly with his personality. That is true in the broadest sense of the Führer. The present world is unimaginable without him!

    Dr. Joseph Goebbels 

    In the Führer, a single man with one goal who applied his passionate will in a time that lacked will. A single man proclaimed freedom during the years of slavery!

    Kurt Eggers


    by NCD on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 8:58pm

    Hey hey NCD...

    Goebbels? Whistling a different tune two years later ...

    "It is a great pity that such a man is not with us any longer.
    But there is nothing to be done. For us, everything is lost
    now and the only way out left for us is the one which Hitler
    chose. I shall follow his example."     Vinogradov, pg: 157
     

    At least he saved some money on a rope.

    ~OGD~


    by oldenGoldenDecoy on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 1:53pm

    I saw this a couple hours ago from a Dem lawyer and it confused me, even though I admit I did see tweets of Castor saying things Trump might not like

    Until I saw this, by Maggie Haberman and Grueksin retweeted by her; all clear now

    she's added more things now after publishing, like these. Well worth a visit to her twitter feed


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 9:55pm

    p.s.Maggie's been busy

    gathering all these retweets about the "Castor disaster"

    there's more....


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:05pm

    George Conway retweeted these on the Castor Disaster and other related:

     


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:19pm

    "Castor bests Giuliani" appears to be a popular meme, a sampling of many:

     


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:53pm

    Castor going down in legal history as the worst lawyer ever?


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 11:24pm

    Cornyn, Cruz, Cassidy, Murkowksi, Collins on Castor's argument:

    Lots of criticism from Republicans over Trump attorney Castor. John Cornyn:“And then I thought the President's lawyer the first lawyer just rambled on and on and on and didn't really address the constitutional argument. That was it was not one of the finest I've seen.”

    — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 9, 2021

    “I don't think the lawyers did the most effective job," said Sen. Ted Cruz to @karoun when asked about Trump's lawyers. He added that Rep. Jamie Raskin was "impressive" and a "serious lawyer."

    — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 9, 2021

    Bill Cassidy: “Anyone who listened to President Trump's legal team saw they were unfocused, they attempted to avoid the issue. And they talked about everything but the issue at hand."

    — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 9, 2021

    Murkowski: "I was really stunned at the first attorney who presented for former President Trump. I couldn't figure out where he was going, spent 45 minutes going somewhere, but I don't think he helped with us better understand where he was coming from on the constitutionality"

    — Manu Raju (@mkraju) February 9, 2021


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 11:15pm

    I had to mute Castor periodically because it was like watching Lucy do something too embarrassing to witness.

    On positive side for him, there was hardly anything that could be rebutted in his statement. Defense by Dada.


    by moat on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 9:28am

    Frank Luntz seven hours ago:


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:21pm

    On McConnell's vote:

    (found via Maggie Haberman retweet)


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:25pm

    a reminder that over a dozen Capitol rioters are now using the defense of: Trump told me to do it:


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:29pm

    Amidst the horror that today brought back up, I am welling up with pride at my Congressman, ⁦@RepRaskin⁩, and in tears thinking about what he and his family must be going through. https://t.co/5LPw5QHuzp

    — Adam Jentleson (@AJentleson) February 10, 2021

    Adam's self-description: Author of Kill Switch: The Rise of the Modern Senate @LiverightPub | Exec. Director @_Battle_Born_ | Fmr Deputy COS, Sen. Harry Reid |@fightmonopolies ​| He/Him

     


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:36pm

    Rick Wilson retweeted:


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 10:44pm

    in case you missed the big picture, Axios did this good summary, the main news is that they voted 56-44 that the trial is Constitutional:

    [...] The bottom line: After four hours of arguments by each side, the Senate affirmed by a vote of 56-44 that it is constitutional to try a former president.

    • Six Republicans voted with Democrats, including Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.), who had previously voted "no" on the question.
    • “Trump’s team was disorganized ... they did not talk about the issue at hand,” he told reporters. “As an impartial juror, I’m going to vote for the side that did the good job.”
    • The others were Sens. Mitt Romney (Utah), Susan Collins (Maine), Lisa Murkowski (Alaska), Pat Toomey (Penn.) and Ben Sasse (Neb.)

    Highlights: [....]


    by artappraiser on Tue, 02/09/2021 - 11:05pm

    The best defense no money can buy.

    Now we're focused on Trump's lawyer, and sympathizing he didn't get a fair break

    The contrast of ineptitude vs preparation & logic only goes in Trump's favor - another "heads i win, tails you lose" GOP specialty, it's own brand of chutzpah (like the older brand, "let us show you how bad we can mismanage government to prove that government's bad and we really should shrink government")


    by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 12:11am


    by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 1:04pm

    re 1A is the President, using our tax dollars, our military, all the other resources behind him to hold a rally pulling in lots of help from all branches of government - then supposed to be able to hide behind the 1st Amendment? To reference Reagan, we paid for that podium and mic. And Trump used it to work against the duties of his job, and the obligations to the other branches of government he's supposed to execute for. If the CEO of WalMart says "WalMart sucks, we have crappy service and cheap products" he'd be fired that day - he can take his 1st Amendment elsewhere. Why should Trump be so so different?


    by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 1:17pm

    Raskin handles 1A nicely

    https://edition.cnn.com/videos/politics/2021/02/10/raskin-trump-first-am...


    by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 2:29pm

    $50m premeditated. State by state extortion.

    Illegal threats from POTUS on state officials.

    Not just a spontaneous uprising.

    Big money, heavily cultivated.

    Misusing/abusing the levers of government.

    • Rep. Madeline Dean (D-Pa.) is discussing how Trump attempted to pressure local officials in key swing states to suppress residents' votes, including Michigan, Georgia and Pennsylvania. The former president went so far as to call into a Pennsylvania state Senate hearing and ramble about the election results, Dean says. Trump also famously pressed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to tilt the results in his favor. "Let's be clear, this is the president of the United States telling a secretary of state that if he does not 'find' votes, he will face criminal penalties," Dean says after playing a clip of the call.

      •  

        Sara Boboltz    REPORTER 2h ago

        Swalwell points out that Trump's campaign spent $50 million on internet ads to "STOP THE STEAL!" The ads were scheduled to run through Jan. 5, the day before the rally that was his "last chance" to influence the results of the election, Swalwell says. Trump relentlessly promoted the Jan. 6 rally through his social media channels.

      • Huffpost


      by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 4:16pm

      Law and order. I just really realized the linguistics and semiology of the phrase. It's not just about law! It's also about order!


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 5:38pm

      I've always had a fondness for this type of video from the mother country:


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 5:43pm

       


      by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 5:50pm


      by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 6:00pm

      It was amazing seeing all of that on TV live and will certainly aid in prosecution of all those involved in actually storming the capital. Two things I kept thinking about all through it though:

      1)  where'd all of you go that were so pleased as punch to build a narrative from a few photos and clips that the Capitol Police were welcoming all the rioting white people into the halls of congress?

      2) will it not follow, likewise, the opposite, that those Senators who are skeptical that Trump's speech is responsible for the formation of this violent mob, think that the prosecution has similarly, by selective editing, built a flip side narrative that makes it look more violent and frightening than it was? after all, not all attendees of the rally stormed the Capitol.

      This is actually what jurors have to do all the time in like murder cases, they get told two stories/narratives created from evidence, and if the lawyers are any good, the stories will play on their personal emotions and prejudices.

      BUT jurors are supposed to divine the reality between the two competing visions and set aside their personal emotions and prejudices.

      THEN throw in, THIS IS DIFFERENT, that this trial is not about any of the people in those videos, but about Donald Trump, who wasn't physically there.

      SO all in all what do we got here? Great work helping prosecutors around the country get tough treatment of all the rioters arrested! Convincing that it's Trump's fault? May backfire! Some may only see an attempt to manipulate personal emotions.


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 6:12pm

      Hoping the prosecution has the $50 mill ad budget, the Roger Stone/Proud Boys planning, the Jan 5 meetings, the weeks of preparation all lined up.


      by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 6:15pm

      doesn't sound like they are going to go there, more like the opposite.because he is stressing that lots of Trump friendlies were begging him to act, like including Jared and Ivanka, Kellyanne Conway..Kevin Mc Carthy begging for help from Congress etc..the derelict commander in chief thing and now he's seguing into how Donald STILL seemed to care only about somehow delaying the certification long after friendlies tried to get him to act...didn't care about protecting Congress from attack, just about delaying the certification..and that actually he may have been happy about what was happening...

      I think that's smart, actually, all the other stuff drags in the politics. It's like: President Jared wouldn't do this.


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 6:42pm

      and now they are stressing the putting a target on Pence's back, including the buildup of days of attacking Pence followed by him inspiring the hang Mike Pence chant at the rally and knowing it was happening while watching tv, he didn't just stop it, he fueled it with a tweet at 2:20 pm, attacking Mike Pence, an hour and half into the attack, further incites the mob against his own V.P. etc.

      smart prosecution


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 6:48pm

      this was one of the real slam dunk damning points:


      by artappraiser on Thu, 02/11/2021 - 3:10am

      and related message:


      by artappraiser on Thu, 02/11/2021 - 3:12am

      Hopefully Trump coordinating real time across Twitter is enough - yes, avoids the complications of December Proud Boy meetings, September stop the steal claims, but if the Republicans are insistent on being dense, is hard whatever evidence is produced. Part/most has to be driven by public opinion.


      by PeraclesPlease on Thu, 02/11/2021 - 4:04am

      Trump SecDef helped obstruct -
      set the National Guard up for failure
      (see referenced doc)



       

      by PeraclesPlease on Thu, 02/11/2021 - 5:52am

      another two who obviously think this is a "slam dunk":

      Another good question from two Republican swing votes, Romney and Collins

      Essentially, did Trump know Pence was in danger when he tweet-attacked him mid-siege at 2:24 pm

      — Rachael Bade (@rachaelmbade) February 12, 2021

      and here is a SCUSE:

      over which if this were a real trial one would have subpoena of Fox News....surprise


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:27pm

      apparently there may be more argument about this?


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:31pm

      yup the big time peanut gallery jumping in:


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:32pm

      The sneering reminder that dereliction of duty is not one of the charges was a nice touch. I hope I am never so ably defended.


      by moat on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:32pm

      it is even noted as a slam dunk by The Washington Examiner:

      BTW, as to the overall, I agree with this tweet from Kristol. The vote itself doesn't matter that much. What mattered was having a clear Congressional record for history.  And a majority approved an impeachment trial so that would happen, and the prosecutors did an excellent job. That's mainly what was needed. The rest, who votes what, that will be very clear on the historical record now and the why will be very easy to see why in most cases. The process well executed is the real prize they were after and it's been done.


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 1:08am

      ok RIGHT NOW, they just came back from dinner, first thing up is what Trump was doing at the same time. THIS IS THE REAL ARGUMENT. Rep. David Cicilline...


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 6:23pm

      res ipsa loquitor


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 7:01pm

      Republicans will have to vote to convict Donald John Trump

      Refusal to convict confirms that the GOP is no longer interested in democracy.


      by rmrd0000 on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 7:10pm

      handling of last kerfuffle of the session is evidence of a totally savvy apolitical prosecution of one man

      As much as some would like this to be about huge conspiracies, the prosecution so far is wisely sticking to the point of this one trial Leave the rest to the DOJ and other entities. A reminder that there's another presidency going on right now that would eventually like the country's attention.


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 7:38pm

      Lee is probably worrying that hs attempt to separate himself from the shit show won't draw a crowd of thugs to his door.


      by moat on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 7:50pm

      yes I was watching, I definitely saw personal panic, whatever the actual fear was, seemed very much personal fear that he would be on the official record on that


      by artappraiser on Wed, 02/10/2021 - 7:54pm

      More related to Lee and the Tuberville phone call, Tuberville's talking tonight, maybe Lee knew he would?

      also I see this just now:

      What Sen. Mike Lee told me about Trump’s call the day of the Capitol riot

      The call became a controversial part of the impeachment trial on Wednesday.

      By Bryan Schott Feb. 10, 2021, 9:09 p.m.| Updated: 9:12 p.m. @ Salt Lake Tribune


      by artappraiser on Thu, 02/11/2021 - 2:22am


      by PeraclesPlease on Thu, 02/11/2021 - 2:18am

      The Impeachment Managers did a good job of showing how the violence could have been curtailed if Trump wasn't focused upon his agenda. The pattern for condoning violence in the past was established. There was plenty of information available about what the people assembled were capable of.

      The Defense is basically reduced to arguing their client is a moron.


      by moat on Thu, 02/11/2021 - 8:48pm

      But he *is* a moron! A talented, psychopathic megalomaniac moron, but indeed a moron. Is that a get out of jail free card?


      by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 1:16am

      But there is no jail to get out of with this process anyways. It is just for the historic record. Conviction would mean only that he can't run for office. Everyone is pretty sure he won't get convicted. So votes are just for the record too.

      Meanwhile his real problem is he can't run for office without access to social media where he has developed his skills. A reminder that he rarely obeyed political handlers, his "skills" are direct to the public off the cuff manipulation.  He could hold rallies but television will no longer broadcast them.

      So he has to start up his own media and he would have to do that while constantly dealing with all kinds of court cases. No doubt there are people with more money that will attempt to help him with those things and then nickling and diming small donor diehard fans in the regional GOP where he is still popular.

      Other politicians could try to take up the Trumpism mantle and then fly him in for endorsement rallies. But he is a  quixotic egotist and can turn on anyone in a NY minute. 

      At 74, where's the time to accomplish all these feats?

      So without him in charge, anyone that tries will be mutant versions. That's not a hunky dory situation but it will be different. As moat has noted many times, there is no original Trumpism without Trump.

      I  do think it a shame that he will get the pension and post-presidential perks if acquitted. But just gotta let that go along the lines of: we pay for a lot of other stupid stuff including pensions and perks for lots of assholes who did bad stuff.

      I can't help but think how many are underestimating how the freedom of the press, the fourth estate, is helping our democracy here! It's precisely their freedom to ban access in this situation is a giant plus.


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 1:02pm

      p.s. heard one legal commentator say the job of the defense is to try to salvage whatever possible of the Trump brand, sounded correct to me. The GOP and Trumpism has lost a lot with the post Jan. 6 brand, rather than gaining  anything, so that's what they have to try to fix, that there are fewer fans, not more. They are still a problematic number, but there's no way to gain after Jan. 6.


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 1:15pm

      He ain't got that many years left. 


      by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 1:36pm

      The lack of due process argument would have more beef if witnesses are to be called for the trial underway.

      Like all the people with Trump during the riot.


      by moat on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 12:29pm


      by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 1:57pm

      I am not listening today, so I found this helpful:


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 2:40pm

      Sully's opinion of interest to me as he is the kind of conservative one would want to woo with prosecution arguments:


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 3:40pm

      CNN/Raju update on schedule:


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 3:43pm

      The elites doth protest and/or ridicule, which they probably should if done skillfully, but sounds like culture wars branding work to me, and makes perfect sense if you understand what this trial is basically for--

       


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 3:58pm

      a past and current practitioner of the art of conservative talk radio hosting attest to the fact that the culture warring tactic works:

      Not wrong. https://t.co/FycTbMGiWl

      — Charlie Sykes (@SykesCharlie) February 12, 2021

      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:58pm

      and Charlie also just retweeted this, which is what we are going to have clearly in the history books from this formal account, the culture wars and change the subject tactics may work as far as current politics, but the facts will be glaringly clear to anyone reading the record:

      Critical point by House manager Stacey Plaskett:

      If they had any exculpatory evidence, Trump and his defense team could offer it.

      But they are not sharing any evidence that would make Trump look less negligent or derelict in his response to the marauders seizing the Capitol.

      — James Hohmann (@jameshohmann) February 12, 2021

      and to me, that's the only reason to do this. We knew going in there weren't the votes to convict, and that's not the point of this exercise. Again, what would convicting him mean in reality anyways? Not much difference in punishment, not going to change many minds out there right now. The point was to have a legal congressional record of the situation, and I still think highly of the record we are getting, to the minute. Lots of bang for our tax bucks, even the Trumpie bullshit, which is there but kept to a minimum. Very well run, very well executed, we should be proud. Bonus: reinforcing the choices of those who have recently left the GOP party in disgust.


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 5:36pm

      The chorus of "charges brought without investigation" kind of makes people want to investigate stuff. The Defense is giving a template of what a nonpolitical investigation would look like.

      Garland must be nodding his head while sharpening his blade as the trial unfolds.


      by moat on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 5:45pm

      What if? What if Pence had been executed on the gallows the cult erected outside the Capitol?

      Lindsey Graham "This was a terrible crime, I would support a letter of censure for the Democratic mayor of DC for allowing this to happen.  Donald Trump deserves only praise for stopping the violence quickly and effectively. Democrats are using the passing of a great statesman for a relentless partisan attack on a president whose only crime was wanting legal votes recorded."

      GOP senators, except 4, vote no on impeachment, vindicating Trump.


      by NCD on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:18pm

      Wow. Hawley gave the defense a layup question and they waste it on a hissy fit.


      by moat on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:45pm

      general observation on "question time":


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 4:47pm

      Mary Trump just a few minutes ago:


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 5:04pm

      related:


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 5:12pm

      The defense keeps talking about what has not been investigated. He protest too much.


      by moat on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 5:29pm


      by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 6:56pm

      BOMBSHELL:

      On CNN right now: @jamiegangel reporting this new exchange from McCarthy's heated call with Trump during the insurrection:

      Trump: “Well Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are.”

      McCarthy: “Who the f*** do you think you are talking to?”

      — Abby D. Phillip (@abbydphillip) February 12, 2021

      In an expletive-laced phone call with Kevin McCarthy while the Capitol was under attack, Trump said the rioters cared more about the election results than McCarthy did.

      "Well, Kevin, I guess these people are more upset about the election than you are."https://t.co/EHhnm6Ftr2

      — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 12, 2021

      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 7:59pm

      MAJOR BREAKING NEWS: On Eve of Final Vote in Trump Trial, CNN Reveals That on January 6 Trump Deliberately Elected to Let the Insurrection Proceed and Do Nothing About It, and Told House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy So https://t.co/XVIC4nYBvy

      — Seth Abramson (@SethAbramson) February 13, 2021

       


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 8:04pm

      Maybe the best T-Shirt slogan of all time.


      by moat on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 8:39pm

      Trump ordered the Code Red - and he'd do it again!


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 1:16am

      Despite this, McCarthy recently went to Mar-a-Lago and asked Trump for access to his donor list. (I was told Trump didn’t give it to him.) https://t.co/xCIN0D9liX

      — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) February 13, 2021

      After Trump’s attorneys claimed this was “hearsay,” Tuberville pushes back. He spoke directly to Trump amid riot. https://t.co/0ONzcRlnHJ

      — Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) February 12, 2021

      edit to add some retweets from Maggie Haberman

       


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 9:20pm

      on McCarthy BOMB-Republican Rep. Jaime Herrera Beutler personally re-confirms via statement and tweet I hr. ago!

      pic.twitter.com/6N8vg5PRJz

      — Jaime Herrera Beutler (@HerreraBeutler) February 13, 2021

      this guy replies to her for a lot of us:

      Thank you for doing the right thing and may God keep you safe

      — Iskandar (@Napsterrific) February 13, 2021

      edit to add more from Kyle Cheney:

       


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 11:08pm

      NYTimes Editorial Board Feb. 12, 7:55 p.m. ET: Trump Is Guilty

      There’s no doubt who must be held responsible for attacking the Capitol and trying to overturn the results of the election.

      Washington Post Editorial Board, Feb. 12, 4:13 p.m. ET:  Trump’s lawyers had no defense because there is none


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 8:22pm


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 9:21pm

      fun sideshow > answers to this tweet:

      have gone viral @ "Because Rand Paul"


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 9:49pm

      WOW, Philly's Election Commissioner tweets a very strong direct message to Mitch McConnell:

      (found retweeted by Maggie Haberman)


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 10:56pm


      by artappraiser on Fri, 02/12/2021 - 11:11pm


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 12:35am


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 12:45am

      Senate Witnesses! More popcorn!

      https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_6027d92ac5b6d667582d1689


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 10:37am

      I guess we are going to see some of the due process the Defense complained was missing.


      by moat on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 11:30am

      Oh well, show was canceled.

      Sorry, no refunds.


      by moat on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 1:05pm

      this thread has a lot of interesting replies, suggestions from smart people on why the cancellation of the show occurred:

       

      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 1:11pm

      Intrigue involved!


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 2:22pm

      wish I had seen this:

      ridicule of the defense attorney is an important power message


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 1:59pm

      Can have Meghan Markle do the depositions on their Toronto "Suits" set. That's be classy - almost royal treatment.


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 2:38pm

      The Senate gave him a McCarthy: Who the fuck do you think you are talking to?


      by moat on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 4:12pm

      yez, very good, exactly!


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 4:18pm

      good line, each vote will live in infamy, a major snapshot in time of the Senate:

       


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 2:38pm


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 2:52pm

      Happy Hour down at McFee's, a lot of dirges and wailing. People welching on the tab. (oops, not PC)


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 3:16pm

      hmmm, Walter didn't like today's show, and he's not chopped liver:


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 3:17pm


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 3:20pm

      Susan Collins just voted guilty.


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 3:39pm

      Murkowski too. Mitch went with not guilty. Romney with guilty.


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 3:38pm

      the vote via Manu Raju, individual tally on his thread:

       


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 3:46pm

      going on right now:

      AND continuing with slamming of those who voted not guilty and "saluting" the Republicans who voted guilty.


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 3:52pm

      link "14th Amendment" trending on Twitter, including by a multitude of big names (I believe Seth deserves responsibility for that)


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 4:34pm

      verification that Jan. 6 riot does not even poll well with Trump fans:


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 4:48pm

      but Nate Silver has also seen those polls and suggests Lindsey is going to have a real tough row to hoe:


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 5:15pm

      What the certification on 1/6 showed was that all the maneuvering inside and outside of Congress to overturn the election was futile. Having failed, the promise it wouldn't belongs to the loser who tried. Most Republicans probably prefer Presidents who don't get captured and sent to a camp in South Florida.


      by moat on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 6:00pm

      important (and scary) translation of Trump statement by Maggie Haberman:

       


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 4:51pm

      to which a multitude on Twitter reply:

      "Hello, SDNY? This is America calling." pic.twitter.com/mfBpz8zN5W

      — Be A Nurse They Said (@asthehosptuRNs) February 13, 2021

      SDNY come and get him pic.twitter.com/e6EqwGONTP

      — Valleymom (@MsingLV) February 13, 2021


      SDNY Letitia James getting ready for her turn. She will not disappoint. #SDNY pic.twitter.com/6VG8OacMYD

      — MJ Francis (@lovethydog9) February 13, 2021

       


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 5:08pm

      DeSantis will stop extradition 


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 6:51pm

      actually raises interesting theoreticals--along those lines I think I saw Palm Beach ruled he could stay there despite the agreement that it wasn't to be a residence because he's an employee of Miralago. So does that mean he's not really a resident of Florida? or what? stuff like that. (example: NY is real strict on people who try to get out of paying NY state income taxes by saying they are residents of Florida but are actually spending more than half the year in NYC.)


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 8:13pm

      proving Maggie right:


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 5:33pm

      From his mouth to God's ear


      by moat on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 5:58pm


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 6:58pm


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 7:05pm

      just  sounds like true old fashioned conservative principles to me, Bill Buckley would be proud


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 7:41pm


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 7:15pm

      Politico "McConnell scorches Trump":

      actually I'm glad they wrote this up because I wasn't listening, I expected the usual blather


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 8:18pm

      (he's emeritus @ AEI)


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 9:22pm

      David Frum:

      and David Remnick:


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 9:00pm

      Raskin, 40 minutes ago:


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 9:04pm

      the acquiters basically represent the same loony 1/3 of the country that have bedeviled our progress for decades, plus a few percentage points extra:


      by artappraiser on Sat, 02/13/2021 - 9:44pm

      Mitt sums it up - we weren't dreaming or just talking to ourselves.


      by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 12:41am

      He's running!?  For head of new party? Already a leader in the Problem Solver's Caucus.

      Elders have special duties and responsibilities during their time here on earth, after all! wink

      This guy, a major Trumpie, knows the threat. He replied as follows to Mitt's tweet, trying to paint him with the elite establishment Never Trumper thing

      Problem with that particular Trumpie populist meme coming up: capitalism is becoming extremely popular, may be a feature, not a bug (new Mitt quote: SPACS are people, my friend? cheeky)


      by artappraiser on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 2:11am

      Maybe this one too


      by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 3:05am

      Question for Nancy

      (yes, they have Constitutional background)


      by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 12:44am


      by artappraiser on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 4:20am

      In case you forgot...


      by PeraclesPlease on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 6:53am

      Well, the old boy ain't no Karen Carpenter. He also called the trial another "witch hunt." It was more of a bitch punt.

      Graham takes the ball at his five yard line with lots of cheerleaders but few players able to make plays. McConnell just urinated upon Cruz and Hawley. I am putting a six pack on to the Cassidy/Cheney team.


      by moat on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 3:26pm

      there is hope for Biden if the soothsayer moat is betting on the Cassidy/Cheney team.

      Actually gets me thinking, what will happen is the children will be distracted by culture wars-with Trump if can manage it without Twitter, without him in a more scattered way if he can't--including the liberal children getting exploding heads WHILE THE GROWNUPS DO STUFF BEHIND THE SCENES.

      The difference between now and before is real important: he has no power of office!!! Demagoguery is all he's got. Without Twitter and Facebook to communicate.

      If he does rabble rousing, the FBI and the DOJ are hard on the rabble asses for the forseeable future.

      The only REAL trouble (not the virtual culture wars kind) comes from those state and local governments where the GOP in power are also Trump fans?

      On a national level, it's just Punch and Judy show culture wars to distract from things that will get done because Biden is pushing them and the actual GOP worker bees will try to water them down but they'll get done.

      Trump hasn't talked policy in his life, he's not going to stay more than a NY minute on any one thing they are doing and he has no way to communicate it anyways.

      Extra added positives: both national GOP leaders have come out where they stand. McConnell has very strongly identified now as anti-Trump and anti-Marjorie Greene. And needs be said about McCarthy is your favorite T-shirt line who do you think you're talking to? which will be more operative now that Trump is no longer POTUS.


      by artappraiser on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 4:22pm

      Yes, the central struggle will be in state and local offices plus party apparatuses that are pumping out censures right now. While that puts immediate pressure upon the untrumps, it also broadcasts to any who would like a different caucus to get busy for the next go around. The Mitch Mantra for decades has been that the GOP can afford to appeal to the crazy because the Big Boys will be calling the shots regarding taxes and finance. That cost benefit analysis has just received new input. The Gingrich Gang take over of the party is being challenged for the first time since it began. Doesn't mean the challenge will work, of course.

      Apart from the question of who is invested in the brand, the last four years did not produce the change that made so many enthusiastic in 2015/2016. He is going to be in court soon. His money stream will not improve unless he demonstrates more situational awareness than he has for the last year. He went out of his way to dismiss most of the people who got him into power. Slapping Graham and McCarthy to be his donkeys is not a good look.


      by moat on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 5:16pm

      ALSO TOO super important, your comments about Mitch coming out anti-Gingrich gave me the reminder of the phenomenon: 

      BUSINESS LEADERS URGE CONGRESS TO CERTIFY BIDEN WIN

      I tried to keep it all on one thread for a reason, it went on and on, day after day. Big donor money out the door for anyone supporting Trump challenges. Virtually 90% of the country's big businesses came out anti-Trump insurrectionism. After Jan. 6 probably made it 100%, all with dug-in-heels. (My Pillow is left out there alone, I think even Goya-oh boya-may have deserted him after Jan. 6?) Big corps want populist insurrectionism like a whole in the head.

      State and local GOP might think twice about supporting Trumpism after a visit or two to the big local employers in the area with hat in hand. SORRY NO MONEY FOR YOU AS LONG AS YOU CONTINUE TO FLOG THAT MEME.

      (As to wooing new large businesses to your area if you support Trump insurrectionism instead of rule of law: FUGGEDABOUTIT. No way, it's the antithesis of the meme, you want to get out of the locales that have no rule of law, don't need more disputed elections, insurrections, coups and quasi-coups been there done that in Latin America...)


      by artappraiser on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 5:47pm

      As Ry Cooder sang: "Romance without finance is a nuisance."

      In regards to appealing to large businesses, there is also a great concern to preserve smaller businesses that the GOP has promised they would support but carjacked immediately afterwards with big franchise moves. Agricultural communities really felt the burn of the vague Trade Deals. They don't like any of their options right now. They aren't taking any more IOUs from nobody.

       


      by moat on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 6:24pm

      Biden's statement is here

      https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2021/02/13/statement-by-president-joe-biden-on-the-senate-vote-in-the-trial-of-donald-trump/

      He did not tweet it. He has been tweeting a whole lot of other stuff every day on how and why the country needs a rescue plan, covid relief

      https://twitter.com/JoeBiden


      by artappraiser on Sun, 02/14/2021 - 7:24am


      by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/15/2021 - 6:29pm

      Hatch Act holdovers

      (how many investigations were closed up; how many still hanging around, and what to do?)

      https://www.politico.com/news/2021/02/18/trump-hatch-act-sands-biden-470037


      by PeraclesPlease on Fri, 02/19/2021 - 1:06am


      by PeraclesPlease on Sat, 02/20/2021 - 12:49pm

      Supremes sing: Trump taxes!

      (immediately)


      by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/22/2021 - 11:21am

      Trump's lawsuits & investigations

      https://edition.cnn.com/2021/02/18/politics/donald-trump-tax-returns-fin...

       


      by PeraclesPlease on Mon, 02/22/2021 - 12:06pm

      Trump intimidation of GA SoS investigated


      by PeraclesPlease on Wed, 02/24/2021 - 4:16am

      just retweeted by Walter Shaub


      by artappraiser on Tue, 03/02/2021 - 6:23pm