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US Politics: A Mickey Mouse Operation


DMC

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This howling from Gaetz that They are the 300 Hundred: this isn't about anything else than saying to the cadres -- prepare to DIE for THE Cause.

Call it a stunt, but it's a message to the red hats and their guns. Who can't wait!

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For the record, I could not care less about Katie Hill's sex life, but has anyone heard about her becoming the first congresswoman in history to face an ethics inquiry on a sex scandal?  And, wow, does she know how to make history -- quite the soap-opera story for the tabloids and the odious right-wing blogs that published elicit photos of her last week:

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The House Committee on Ethics announced Wednesday it is opening an investigation into allegations that Democratic Rep. Katie Hill of California engaged in an improper relationship with a congressional staffer in possible violation of House rules.

In a separate statement to constituents released on Wednesday, Hill admitted to having an inappropriate relationship with a campaign staffer before entering Congress, for which she apologized.

Hill on Tuesday denied having a relationship with Graham Kelly, who currently works as her legislative director, according to Legistorm, a private research organization dedicated to tracking Congress. There is no evidence of that alleged relationship. [...]

Last week a conservative blog released intimate photos of Hill alleging she and her husband had a separate relationship with an unnamed female campaign staffer. That report included three photos of the congresswoman, including an explicit photo.

"Intimate photos of me and another individual were published by Republican operatives on the internet without my consent," Hill said in her statement Tuesday. "I have notified Capitol Hill police who are investigating the situation and potential legal violations of those who posted and distributed the photos, and therefore will have no further comment on the digital materials."

The Ethics Committee statement doesn't mention any investigation into that relationship. Hill's relationship with the campaign staffer would fall outside of the committee's jurisdiction because it happened before Hill took office.

 

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6 minutes ago, Triskele said:

If it's true that GOP operatives posting photos sprung this story (is that the takeaway right now?)

Well, with the help from her soon-to-be-ex husband:

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"I am disgusted that my opponents would seek to exploit such a private matter for political gain. This coordinated effort to try to destroy me and people close to me is despicable and will not succeed,” she said. “I, like many women who have faced attacks like this before, am stronger than those who want me to be afraid."

The allegations against Hill were first raised in the conservative publication RedState.org. The publication reported that Hill had an affair with her legislative director, Graham Kelly. The relationship was purportedly uncovered by Hill's husband, Kenny Heslep. The couple is in the midst of an acrimonious divorce, and there is no proof that an improper relationship with Kelly — who also worked on Hill's campaign — occurred.

 

7 minutes ago, Triskele said:

One a non-political note:  never understood the send each other sexy photos thing.

Me neither.

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New Mexico's going to pay for the new Colorado wall?

"Well that certainly makes her aide's comment about "nesting doll fits" a little out of place.  Seems like that would more likely refer to Russia than the GOP."

  Honestly is there really that much difference between the Republicans or the Russians at this point? It should be viewed as an interchangeable word already.

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The whole, sordid story of yesterday here, including the bizarro fact that several members of the committees in question were among the goons demanding access to the information:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/pentagon-official-to-testify-about-ukraine-aid-in-house-impeachment-probe/2019/10/22/59c2c872-f518-11e9-8cf0-4cc99f74d127_story.html

The sheer fraud to make coup this action is underlined by the way the goons themselves have always done their own investigations:

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The GOP protest was striking because Republicans had used the very same space — and format — for their own politically sensitive investigations in the past. Just a few years ago, former congressman Trey Gowdy (R-S.C.) led an investigation into the 2012 attacks on U.S. facilities in Benghazi, Libya, a probe Democrats derided as a witch hunt against former secretary of state Hillary Clinton, who was then running for president.

From another WaPo piece at the top of the site this AM I got the answer to my oft repeated question as to where is Rudy Doody -- laying low and silent as per strict instruction because he always makes something worse, worser, just as does the bedbug, but nobody gets to make bedbug shut up and sit in the corner.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/republicans-storm-closed-door-impeachment-hearing-as-escalating-ukraine-scandal-threatens-trump/2019/10/23/29877c06-f5a5-11e9-8cf0-4cc99f74d127_story.html

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Trump advisers say Rudy Giuliani has been asked to tone down his appearances in recent days and has done so. 

 

 

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18 hours ago, Darth Richard II said:

Meh, its like when a kid has a tempter tantrum. You ignore it til they stop.

These tactics are straight out of the fascist playbook.  We ignore them at our peril.  Each step they take us closer to out and out violence and political intimidation.  These people clearly have no respect for our laws or our processes.  This is going to get worse.

 

Trump's lawyer was literally arguing that he couldn't be prosecuted for murder two days ago.  Think about where thats going to take us.

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12 hours ago, Triskele said:

One a non-political note:  never understood the send each other sexy photos thing.  would have been incomprehensibly paranoid and uncomfortable about it even in a pre-internet age. 

Prude! The key is just don’t get your face in the photos. A mistake dozens upon dozens of women I’ve been intimate with have made.

As for Hill’s situation, I hope this doesn’t hurt her politically. I’ve been really impressed with her during her time in Congress. Thankfully she’s repping in the greater LA area. A polyamorous relationship with a little side action is pretty par for the course there.

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12 minutes ago, Tywin et al. said:

Prude! The key is just don’t get your face in the photos. A mistake dozens upon dozens of women I’ve been intimate with have made.

:lmao:

On behalf of all the internet pervs.

Thank you.

(somehow I have the odd feeling, that I really should add, that it was a freaking joke (obviously), and that I don't think Ty is into that revenge porn thing).

Talking about jokes - and to get back into Stupid Watergate. Graham is hellbent on wrecking any last shred of credibility he might have had, isn't he?

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15 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

:lmao:

On behalf of all the internet pervs.

Thank you.

(somehow I have the odd feeling, that I really should add, that it was a freaking joke (obviously), and that I don't think Ty is into that revenge porn thing).

Talking about jokes - and to get back into Stupid Watergate. Graham is hellbent on wrecking any last shred of credibility he might have had, isn't he?

Graham did that a long time ago. This is just one more step down the path, especially given they are using the same rules created by Gowdy/Pompeo and signed by Boehner in 2015.

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31 minutes ago, A Horse Named Stranger said:

:lmao:

On behalf of all the internet pervs.

Thank you.

(somehow I have the odd feeling, that I really should add, that it was a freaking joke (obviously), and that I don't think Ty is into that revenge porn thing).

Talking about jokes - and to get back into Stupid Watergate. Graham is hellbent on wrecking any last shred of credibility he might have had, isn't he?

Of course not, you kinky German freak. I just keep them to remind myself who the fling was given I never save the numbers, and occasionally a drunken me will reach out for some late night action.

As far as Graham goes, he still has credibility? I thought he lost the last shred of that when he stabbed his “best friend” in the back to save his political career.

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49 minutes ago, Triskele said:

A big person from Dept. of Education is retiring and ripping the student loan system as he goes out saying we should have made-forgiveness.  Trump apointee.

And he was actually a CEO at several loan profiteering companies before this (obviously why he was hired). It's kind of an amazing development that would be a big deal in any sane administration but it's like the 350th most noteworthy thing to come out of Washington today.

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6 hours ago, argonak said:

These tactics are straight out of the fascist playbook.  We ignore them at our peril.  Each step they take us closer to out and out violence and political intimidation.  These people clearly have no respect for our laws or our processes.  This is going to get worse.

I really do think this is alarmist.  Sorry, but the GOP pulling a stunt like this does not signify the path to fascism.  This is the same party that shut down the government and played with the debt ceiling during the Obama administration.  They've engaged in much more dangerous stunts.  Does that mean they're inching towards fascism?  I mean, I guess, in terms of they've been growing further and further extremist right for about 35-40 years now. 

But singling this bullshit out - which was clearly just a way to appease Trump's whining - seems an all-too-typical overreaction.  Sometimes I wonder what the reaction would be on these threads if I played you guys certain selections from the Nixon - and LBJ - tapes.  Talk about straight out of the fascist playbook.  Those white supremacists intent on committing violence are going to commit violence regardless of something that amounts to a douchebag frat prank that violated national security.  I don't see any correlation here.

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On 10/24/2019 at 7:01 AM, Zorral said:

CNN reports the room is still uncleared. The hearings are not going on.  It's a coup via shutting down the process of impeachment.

 

How many steps removed are they from bearing arms against govt tyranny?

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2 hours ago, DMC said:

I really do think this is alarmist.  Sorry, but the GOP pulling a stunt like this does not signify the path to fascism.  This is the same party that shut down the government and played with the debt ceiling during the Obama administration.  They've engaged in much more dangerous stunts.  Does that mean they're inching towards fascism?  I mean, I guess, in terms of they've been growing further and further extremist right for about 35-40 years now. 

But singling this bullshit out - which was clearly just a way to appease Trump's whining - seems an all-too-typical overreaction.  Sometimes I wonder what the reaction would be on these threads if I played you guys certain selections from the Nixon - and LBJ - tapes.  Talk about straight out of the fascist playbook.  Those white supremacists intent on committing violence are going to commit violence regardless of something that amounts to a douchebag frat prank that violated national security.  I don't see any correlation here.

But doesn't that mean they will get to a breaking point and shit will really hit the fan, and not just be isolated individuals / fringe of fringe groups who start with the violence?

Singling out one event is like singling out one hurricane and saying "see climate change is real". It's not one event on its own, its when it's one among a the pattern of events that's pointing to a particular threat to the safety and stability of the society. Conversely, dismissing one mass shooting as not being a reason to bring in tighter gun laws when mass shootings are happening on a regular basis is downplaying what could well be a significant crisis.

What's the broader context of this Capitol invasion? Is it an isolated single event, or is it an escalation in a concerning pattern of behaviour?

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17 minutes ago, The Anti-Targ said:

It's not one event on its own, its when it's one among a the pattern of events that's pointing to a particular threat to the safety and stability of the society.

That's the point though.  This is indeed one among a pattern with the GOP.  A pattern with myriad examples that, in its current form, can go back 40 years, at least.  Overall, partisan theatrics is kind of a part of American history.  And political party history, for that matter.  Was reading the details yesterday of when they "stormed" in, and I think my favorite quote was from one Dem Rep who essentially responded "don't you guys have anything better to do?"  Indeed. 

This isn't a "coup."  It's one faction of the House trying to distract from Taylor's damaging testimony by disrupting the workday of the other faction of the House.  And in that vein, the best response is no response because that's the best way to not distract from the abuses of power committed by the Trump administration.  It will not disrupt the stability of the republic any more than your average Trump tweet degrades our national image.  There are security concerns, sure, but other than, it's all just more horseshit.

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