US Politics: Ballot Mainetenance

[Zorral]

".... Thursday, yesterday, the Associated Press ran a story by national political reporter Brian Slodysko titled “The Republican leading the probe of Hunter Biden has his own shell company and complicated friends.” It told the story of how Representative James Comer (R-KY), the chair of the House Oversight Committee, has a financial history that looks a great deal like that of which he accuses the Bidens, including a shell company that appears to ethics experts to have problematic connections to a campaign donor. 

Comer is leading the House impeachment effort against President Joe Biden, an effort that Philip Bump of the Washington Post eviscerated today when he took apart Republicans’ accusations point by point. The Associated Press story is interesting not because it tells us something we don’t know—the story of Comer’s shell company is what led him to attack Representative Jared Moskowitz (D-FL) as a “Smurf” last month—but because of how far and wide it spread. 

By this evening, Slodysko’s story had been reprinted by ABC News, the Los Angeles Times, and a number of smaller outlets.  ...."

ttps://apnews.com/article/comer-shell-company-biden-hunter-impeachment-6fde28673d5dced307b95cab8425c7ba

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2023/12/14/biden-impeachment-inquiry-comer-evidence/

https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2023/11/14/you-look-like-a-smurf-comer-moskowitz/71584650007/

[Zorral]

1 hour ago, Phylum of Alexandria said:

Dubya being Cheney's bitch.

Which he totally was, let us not memory hole.

[Ormond]

17 hours ago, Fragile Bird said:

Dude, John Wayne was John Wayne by 1930, years before Gacy was born and more than 40 years before he killed his first victim. And the studio picked his name. He did not pick a name synonymous with a serial killer.

Wayne turns up as a middle name for boys named John in the USA more often than would be expected precisely because people are consciously or unconsciously imitating the name of the actor.  Anyone remember John Wayne Bobbitt? And to add an eccentric political example, a man named John Wayne Howe has been a candidate in Alaska for the Alaska Independence Party in various elections the last four years.  

https://www.adn.com/politics/2022/08/06/candidate-qa-governor-john-wayne-howe/

Keith is also probably the most common middle name for men named Brian in the USA because of people consciously or unconsciously being affected by the name of the actor Brian Keith.

 

[Phylum of Alexandria]

7 minutes ago, Zorral said:

Which he totally was, let us not memory hole.

I'm confused. Who has memory holed it?

[Fragile Bird]

1 hour ago, Ormond said:

Wayne turns up as a middle name for boys named John in the USA more often than would be expected precisely because people are consciously or unconsciously imitating the name of the actor.  Anyone remember John Wayne Bobbitt? And to add an eccentric political example, a man named John Wayne Howe has been a candidate in Alaska for the Alaska Independence Party in various elections the last four years.  

https://www.adn.com/politics/2022/08/06/candidate-qa-governor-john-wayne-howe/

Keith is also probably the most common middle name for men named Brian in the USA because of people consciously or unconsciously being affected by the name of the actor Brian Keith.

 

I was trying to find out by searching the internet if Gacy’s parents named him after John Wayne, there may be a story or book that speaks to that but I couldn’t find anything so I didn’t want to say it. But the idea of conscious or unconscious imitation certainly makes sense, thank you for that.

[Zorral]

3 hours ago, Fragile Bird said:

Wayne,

Was Bruce Wayne (March 30, 1939) around first?

[Zorral]

Gawds I'm sick of those who consistently minimize / don't care / don't realize the extent of legal harm to women that is being put in place -- and it didn't start with the nullification of Dobbs, but it sure did accelerate the anguish, physical, mental, emotional and financial.  As well as actually killing women.

NYT Special Investigative Report 

Behind the Scenes at the Dismantling of Roe v. Wade

Gift Link -- go behind paywall:

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/us/supreme-court-dobbs-roe-abortion.html?unlocked_article_code=1.GE0.jejX.2fSnXwbJDVL_&smid=url-share
 

Shorter version:

5 Takeaways From Inside the Overturning of Roe v. Wade
A Times investigation reveals the behind-the-scenes story of how the Supreme Court abolished the constitutional right to abortion.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/us/supreme-court-dobbs-roe-abortion-takeaways.html

As one man commented regarding other men and what affects women and how lethally:

Quote

.... I will never forget the young woman in my con law class, having read the leaked draft, reactimg with angry incredulity to Alito’s assertion that women had no material interest in affirming Roe. I will also never forget the Republican legal operative who was also teaching at CUNY — a Charles Fried type, not a true believer, and I would bet that he voted for Clinton and Biden — condescendingly telling me in fall 2005 how wrong I was to think that Alito was even more reactionary than Scalia, and that he would surprise liberals with his moderation. I guess that’s why pencils have erasers!

 

Edited December 15, 2023 by Zorral

[Fragile Bird]

1 hour ago, Zorral said:

Was Bruce Wayne (March 30, 1939) around first?

Gacy was born in 1942.

[Mr. Chatywin et al.]

1 hour ago, Zorral said:

Was Bruce Wayne (March 30, 1939) around first?

Don't bring Bruce Wayne into this. The man invented shark repellent bat spray FFS. 
 

 

[Zorral]

Jury Orders Giuliani to Pay $148 Million to Election Workers He Defamed
Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, wrongfully accused by Rudolph W. Giuliani of having tried to steal votes from Donald J. Trump in Georgia, were awarded the damages by a federal court in Washington.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-defamation-trial-damages.html

Of course he hasn't got it to pay the damages -- or else his aids have hidden his assets very well. Alex Jones hasn't paid any indemnity awarded to the Sandy Hook families who chidlren were murdered by one Them, who declared the action fake done with actors.  He declared bankruptcy, while he has millions off shore and continues to get more money every single day from his media circuses.

Quote

"But Mr. Giuliani’s net worth is unknown because he refused to comply with routine trial disclosures."

How do these guys get away with refusing to comply with court orders?  But they do, all the time, including just refusing to answer subpoenas, from courts, from congress, from anyone.

So the women will not get made whole despite the verdict.  It's infuriating.  He ruined their lives, financially, physically, materially and emotionally, and he is just fine. And his lawyers matter-of-factly requested liency from the court because, poor guy, he's nearly 80 years old.

Moreover, he continues to defame them, in public.  He did yesterday, on the court steps in Georgia, again telling the world the women had stolen votes/ballots.

Edited December 15, 2023 by Zorral

[kissdbyfire]

43 minutes ago, Zorral said:

Jury Orders Giuliani to Pay $148 Million to Election Workers He Defamed
Ruby Freeman and Shaye Moss, wrongfully accused by Rudolph W. Giuliani of having tried to steal votes from Donald J. Trump in Georgia, were awarded the damages by a federal court in Washington.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/12/15/us/politics/rudy-giuliani-defamation-trial-damages.html

Of course he hasn't got it to pay the damages -- or else his aids have hidden his assets very well. Alex Jones hasn't paid any indemnity awarded to the Sandy Hook families who chidlren were murdered by one Them, who declared the action fake done with actors.  He declared bankruptcy, while he has millions off shore and continues to get more money every single day from his media circuses.

How do these guys get away with refusing to comply with court orders?  But they do, all the time, including just refusing to answer subpoenas, from courts, from congress, from anyone.

So the women will not get made whole despite the verdict.  It's infuriating.  He ruined their lives, financially, physically, materially and emotionally, and he is just fine. And his lawyers matter-of-factly requested liency from the court because, poor guy, he's nearly 80 years old.

Moreover, he continues to defame them, in public.  He did yesterday, on the court steps in Georgia, again telling the world the women had stolen votes/ballots.

These failures who keep failing up and getting away with everything and anything are utterly gross. 
 

What happened to the case against Giuliani's brought on by his former PA (I think)? The woman who had to work naked and went through all manner of his disgusting behaviours?

Edited December 15, 2023 by kissdbyfire

[Zorral]

It seems to be in legal-court date limbo due to the other cases in Georgia, and others too?  I can't keep up with these guys and their crimes and corruptions and general all over disgusting grossissity. He refused to settle and that's the last news I can recall.

[Ser Scot A Ellison]

1 hour ago, Zorral said:

How do these guys get away with refusing to comply with court orders?  But they do, all the time, including just refusing to answer subpoenas, from courts, from congress, from anyone.

Because they know courts are fairly reticent to impose contempt citations on litigants in most cases.  The worst they get is a “Judgment”.  Which (from personal experience) I can say are notoriously difficult to enforce if someone has few assets… even with assets they are challenging… see the Sandy Hook Families and Alex Jones.

[Zorral]

https://www.rawstory.com/rudy-chased-for-defamation-damages/

Quote

 

"Rudy Giuliani has a $6.1 million apartment here in the city on the market," Rubin continued. "Even if they can sustain this verdict on appeal and collect every penny of that apartment, one of the things we don't know is what kind of other assets Rudy has. Why don't we know it? He refused to cooperate in discovery. There was never a trial on whether Rudy actually did these things. Rather, the judge took it as a given, because he was so obstreperous during his discovery conduct that the ultimate penalty to decide the case fully against him, with all inferences, is what in fact happened."

"There's going to have to be a lot of chasing of Rudy and his assets to see if he can play the shell game," added Rubin. "Ultimately, I think it will catch up to him, but not to this is stratospheric numbers we are seeing tonight."

 

The apt. has been on the market for a long time and he hasn't been able to unload it. Like Jared etc. haven't been able to get rid of 666 Sutton Pl. for which they'd paid a way over inflated price -- or maybe they have had an obscene supporter do it by now.  Like I say, I can't keep up with these criminals.

[LongRider]

I received a flyer in the mail today from the Evergreen Freedom Foundation, operating as the Freedom Foundation.  They have included a postcard for me to fill out, which contains the message of me resigning my membership in the SEIU Union (which I am no longer a member of due to being retired.) 

Wikipedia sez "The Freedom Foundation was founded in 1991 by Lynn Harsh and former Republican legislator and gubernatorial candidate Bob Williams.[6] The Freedom Foundation says "We're a battle tank that's battering the entrenched power of left-wing government union bosses who represent a permanent lobby for bigger government, higher taxes, and radical social agendas."  The governing principles of the organization are to "eliminate the desire for dependence on government that has permeated [American] culture" and to promote an understanding of the principles of liberty by "disseminat[ing] those truths and motivat[ing] the citizen to act upon them."

If I was working, there is no way I would resign my union membership.    So, I'm going to fill out the post card with a few choice words for them written in the spaces.  Since the postcard is prepaid, it will be on their dime.  Fuck those guys!

Edited December 16, 2023 by LongRider

[Durckad]

13 hours ago, Phylum of Alexandria said:

I assume the MAGA folk are envisioning some sort of political Weekend At Bernie's scenario where Biden is an oblivious figurehead who drools in his chair while Kamala, Barrack, and others push their #RadicalLeft agenda.

Sort of a QAnon spin on the old liberal attack on Dubya being Cheney's bitch.

Some conservatives call him Obiden now, hinting at that very possibility that Obama is the secret mastermind behind Biden.

Bannon is one such dipshit.

[ThinkerX]

At this point I am starting to wonder if McCarthy's seat might actually be 'flippable by accident. Y. Yes, it is a long shot, but given episodes like this...Maybe the House could change hands by accident as well?

 

Republican running for Kevin McCarthy's vacant seat disqualified from special election (msn.com)

[DireWolfSpirit]

Republican needing to remind his colleagues of the obvious.

From article at The Hill-

Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is warning House Republicans that President Biden could not be impeached and removed from office for any conduct or crimes committed before he was elected president in 2020. 

Mullin’s statement in an interview with Newsmax pours cold water on a House GOP investigation into Biden’s family’s business dealings, particularly Hunter Biden’s work with foreign companies, while Biden was vice president during the Obama administration and immediately after.  

He warned that any high crime or misdemeanor that may serve as the basis for articles of impeachment “has to be committed while he was in office, the current office he holds.” 

[mormont]

5 hours ago, Durckad said:

Some conservatives call him Obiden now, hinting at that very possibility that Obama is the secret mastermind behind Biden.

I think this view should be encouraged, Biden would walk the election if floating voters thought Obama was secretly still in charge.

[TrackerNeil]

5 hours ago, DireWolfSpirit said:

Republican needing to remind his colleagues of the obvious.

From article at The Hill-

Republican Sen. Markwayne Mullin (R-Okla.) is warning House Republicans that President Biden could not be impeached and removed from office for any conduct or crimes committed before he was elected president in 2020. 

Mullin’s statement in an interview with Newsmax pours cold water on a House GOP investigation into Biden’s family’s business dealings, particularly Hunter Biden’s work with foreign companies, while Biden was vice president during the Obama administration and immediately after.  

He warned that any high crime or misdemeanor that may serve as the basis for articles of impeachment “has to be committed while he was in office, the current office he holds.” 

It's strange to me that anyone who works in Congress would feel as though he had to remind his colleagues of what they already know and mostly don't care about. The impeachment inquiry vote was not about high crimes and misdemeanors; it was primary insurance. Nobody wants to lose their seat in a primary to a Republican even more of an asshole then they are, no, so any time they can vote against Biden, they do. I tend to doubt this inquiry will ever go to actual impeachment, but even if it does, relatively sane House Republicans probably figure, "What's the big deal? We'll impeach, the Senate will acquit, no harm done." These are probably many of the same people who said, "Let Trump spread lies about the 2020 election...what's the worst that could happen?" On January 6, they got their answer.

Edited December 16, 2023 by TrackerNeil