Matt Shea is such a garbage person. At a certain point, there have to be the barest of consequences for all of the fuckery. I would hope that there is enough decency in the Republican Party to show him some serious consequences. But the truth is that the rot is the party. They have become the party that redefined the Second Amendment and elevated Donald Trump. Of course they don’t care about genocide manifestos or targeting professors and protesters.
by Carl Ballard — ,
Roger Rabbit spews:
“President Donald Trump on Wednesday said that Mexican soldiers ‘recently pulled guns’ on American troops near the southern border, and accused the soldiers of ‘probably’ doing so as a diversionary tactic for drug smugglers. ‘Better not happen again! We are now sending ARMED SOLDIERS to the Border, ‘ Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.”
https://www.cnbc.com/2019/04/24/trump-mexican-soldiers-used-confrontation-with-us-troops-as-diversion.html
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Gotta hand it to Trump, he can do what no one else can: Get us into a war with Mexico. Not sure that’s an accomplishment, though.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Is there anyone Trump doesn’t badmouth and threaten? Besides Putin? He has something wrong with him. If I were a vocational counselor or personnel manager, I’d consider him unemployable. He belongs on SSI, not a federal payroll.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Shea “also claimed that the apparent threats of violence were not authentic. ‘A lot of people in private conversations say things tongue in cheek about what they would like to see happen to these people, but that is not setting a policy or establishing a protocol for people to carry things out.'”
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2019/apr/20/matt-shea-rightwing-messages-chat-records
Roger Rabbit Commentary: No doubt that is true. People do this all the time. Therefore, if someone discussed, say, targeting Rep. Shea’s home or his children’s daycare, he would shrug it off, because he knows they don’t mean it.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Here’s some more info about what a sweet person he is:
“His first wife Lisa was granted a protective order by a court after filing court documents complaining that Matt treated her ‘as a possession,’ and was physically and emotionally abusive. Lisa’s brother-in-law testified in court documents that he saw Matt grabbing Lisa ‘very hard and violently’ and pushed her into a vehicle. She attested that Matt ‘insisted she walk on his left side because his sword, if he had one, would be on his right side,’ forbade her from writing a church bulletin, and protested that he would not seek profitable employment despite being a lawyer. …
“In November 2011, Shea allegedly ‘pulled a gun during a confrontation with another motorist’ in what police reports described as … road rage. Shea was initially charged with possessing a loaded handgun in a vehicle without a concealed weapons permit; … under a ‘stipulated order of continuance,’ … ‘Shea paid a $75 fee and agreed that the information in the police report is correct’ and the charge was dismissed after the passage of one year with no criminal violations.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Shea_(politician)
Roger Rabbit spews:
“In late October 2018, Shea acknowledged that he had distributed a … ‘four-page manifesto’ titled Biblical Basis for War that listed strategies that a ‘Holy Army’ could employ. The document, consisting of 14 sections divided into bullet points, had a section on ‘rules of war’ that stated ‘make an offer of peace before declaring war’, which … stated that the enemy must ‘surrender on terms’ of no abortions, no same-sex marriage, no communism, ‘must obey Biblical law’, then continued: ‘If they do not yield — kill all males’. Shea acknowledged the document and claimed that it was a summary of ‘biblical sermons on war.’ Spokane County Sheriff Knezovich alerted the FBI to the manifesto and claimed that the statements made in the manifesto are consistent with a racist, anti-Semitic, and white supremacist ideology known as Christian Identity, which seeks to establish a ‘white homeland’ in the US northwest.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matt_Shea_(politician)
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Rep. Shea’s “manifesto” and “rules of war” are just some guy talking. “Kill all males?” Nah, he and his friends would never do that. Nothing at all to worry about here.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
2,
Immediately after accepting an invitation for a state visit from Queen Elizabeth he tweeted out accusations of the UK conspiring with the DERP STATE to spy on him.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Maybe we do want him in the legislature. Easier to keep an eye on him, keeps him off the streets, and we know who he’s hanging out with. Maybe the bar association should look into his fitness to practice law, though.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
House oversight is opening an inquiry into the overrides of security clearance holds for a bunch of the White House wife beaters, influence peddlers, and Russian plants. They have issued a subpoena to Carl Kline, a DOD official who served as a beach head in the security office during 2017. In that capacity at that time he forced through clearances for dozens of appointees who had failed to pass background checks because of past criminal activities, existing relationships with foreign spying agencies, deep financial ties to adversary states, and evidence of ongoing drug use.
The White House has ordered Kline to refuse the subpoena, Kline’s lawyer has informed the committee. The Committee is preparing a vote of contempt. A vote that is expected to pass at which point Mr. Kline will be taken into federal custody.
This is an important first step and one that should be observed carefully because, despite many pundit claims thatimpeachment is an entirely political process, there are many important and in a few cases not entirely well adjudicated legal steps before, during, and after. Clarifying the authority granted Congress through its constitutional oversight role to compel witness testimony is a very important legal step.
The Republicans take the position that in the absence of any Executive privilege the President may deny any oversight of Executive branch activity by the legislative branch. No effort to initiate the political processes of impeachment is likely to be successful until these kinds of legal obstacles are cleared.
RedReformed spews:
I guess my question to republican folk is… “was owning the libs worth it?”
Roger Rabbit spews:
@9 They forgot a fundamental law of physics: “For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.”
Roger Rabbit spews:
“The leader of an armed group that spent the past two months detaining migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border, drawing condemnation from civil liberties advocates, has been hospitalized after he was attacked in jail, his attorney said. Larry Hopkins, 69, was in a hospital with broken ribs after being attacked on Tuesday at the Dona Ana County Detention Center in Las Cruces in southern New Mexico, attorney Kelly O’Connell said.”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/larry-hopkins-militia-attacked_n_5cc091abe4b01b6b3efbb913
Roger Rabbit Commentary: We don’t want this happening in our jails. They shouldn’t have thrown him into the tank where they keep the violent illegal immigrants that pork sauce writes about.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Wherein professional racist Steve King thinks he’s being persecuted like Jesus was.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/steve-king-jesus-persecution_n_5cc056ace4b0ad77ff7e285c
Roger Rabbit Commentary: His persecution complex is peanuts compared to the martyrdom this racist is going to experience in a few hours:
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/24/us/james-byrd-killer-execution-john-william-king/index.html
He even gets to lay on a cross-shaped gurney with his arms spread out Jesus-like when he goes under.
Roger Rabbit spews:
What’s the most important thing in the world right now? Trump thinks it’s this:
“The White House has confirmed reports that President Trump spent much of his Tuesday meeting with Twitter CEO Jack Dorsey complaining about losing social media followers. ‘They had a very productive conversation …,’ said adviser Kellyanne Conway Wednesday morning. ‘The president is very concerned about what he sees as losing followers ….'”
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2019/04/24/trump-mad-over-losing-twitter-followers-white-house-confirms/23716640/
But being a taxpayer helping to pay his salary entitles me to call this use of his executive time what it is: Goofing off on the job.
Politically Incorrect - just another "stupid" millionaire spews:
+32.81% for the period January 1, 2018 through April 24, 2019.
Roger Rabbit spews:
“Bridget Kelly, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie’s deputy chief of staff, was sentenced in federal court to 13 months in prison Wednesday for her role in the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal, commonly known as Bridgegate.”
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Working for Republicans can be hazardous to your legal health.
“In a statement following her sentencing, Kelly blamed Christie — who has denied all involvement — for orchestrating Bridgegate.”
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Of course she did. Shifting blame is what Republicans do. You expect it from them.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/top-aide-to-chris-christie-bridget-kelly-sentenced-to-13-months-for-role-in-bridgegate/
WTF?! spews:
“The rot is the Party”, and Bob is rot along with the other strangler trolls.
RedReformed spews:
Blamed Christie? Hope kelly kept the receipts to prove it
WTF?! spews:
@14 you are going no where over the last 6 months. You should buy a bit more to cover the losses associated with inflation seeing that you are stuck at 33%.
YLB in 2019, still laughing at misogynist trolls. spews:
Yet another role model for boob.. Somein' bout that klownservatic tribe.. Yawwwn. nutjobs.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
11,
It’s so awful to think that sort of thing is happening right now to the Republican Presidential Campaign Chairman.
It’s a shame he chose to obstruct justice, destroy evidence, lie to investigators. and tamper with witnesses. Even worse that he put his fate in the hands of Trumpublicans who left him holding the bag and watching his $40,000 dental veneers wash down a prison shower drain.
He was warned. Still…
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
19,
And yet OfDumbfuck keeps his nuts in a cage and makes him watch from the bedroom closet.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Bye bye, motherfucker.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/crime-courts/john-william-king-executed-james-byrd-jr-s-brutal-dragging-n998136
Politically Incorrect spews:
@18 I haven’t been posting my nearly-daily results for six months yet. I recently started to put my results since January 1, 2108 because the rodent asked for them. Also, a big daily move of 1% in the S&P 500 does not have a material effect on a period exceeding a substantial amount of time. That’s why the overall result for the period since January 1, 2018 through today does not change very much from day to day, but over ten or twenty years, the growth is better.
As for buying these days, I’m not in the mood. I will act if I see some bargains in the sectors I follow.
A1 spews:
Demorat Pornstar Party Of Russia Hoax & Everything Is A Giant Conspiracy News– Nancy Pelosi (D-PMS) To Loyal Demorat Stooges, “Shove Impeachment Up Your Ass, I’ll Keep Stalling By Sending More Subpoenas For Trump To Evade; What Are You Going To Do Suckers, Vote For Trump?”
—————————-
Tuesday at the “Time 100 Summit” during a question-and-answer session in New York City, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) said the House may have “no choice” but to impeach President Donald Trump.
Pelosi said, “I do believe impeachment is one of the most divisive forces — paths we could go down to in our country. But if the facts, the path of fact-finding takes us there we have no choice but we are not there yet.”
https://www.breitbart.com/clips/2019/04/23/pelosi-democrats-may-have-no-choice-but-to-impeach-trump/
@godwinha spews:
4’2″?
4. Newbold Filed a Discrimination Complaint Against Kline When he Stored Security Files in Locations the 4′ 2″ Security Clearance Administrator Could Not Reach
https://heavy.com/news/2019/04/carl-kline/
It’s not like he put a dwarf-tossing screen-saver on her computer.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@25 And it’s not like tossing dwarves wasn’t the first twisted thought that came into your demented mind …
WTF?! spews:
Heterosexual reproduction gone wrong. Heterosexuals really need to focus on the sanctity of marriage. Blasphemy I say, blasphemy!
Illinois boy found buried in shallow grave; parents charged (from @AP) https://apnews.com/1304ac43ca2e4fd68fb258c89529b62e
@godwinha spews:
Important public service announcement, YLB:
Putting garlic in your vagina won’t cure your yeast infection
https://nypost.com/2019/04/24/putting-garlic-in-your-vagina-wont-cure-your-yeast-infection/
Relatedly, YLB, telling people she won the popular vote won’t make her president, either.
@godwinha spews:
Democrat malfeasance in Baltimore:
Jayne Miller✔
@jemillerwbal
FBI spokesman says FBI Baltimore office and IRS Criminal Division out of DC are executing search warrants at the home of Mayor Catherine Pugh, a business address, and Baltimore City Hall.
About 20 agents are in City Hall
4:19 AM – Apr 25, 2019
WTF?! spews:
#BlueLivesMatter
Check out this article from USA TODAY:
We found 85,000 cops who’ve been investigated for misconduct. Now you can read their records.
https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/investigations/2019/04/24/usa-today-revealing-misconduct-records-police-cops/3223984002/
Like Bibi can’t do no wrong, because he’s the special that Bob loves, or pretends to love.
@godwinha spews:
With the 3M stock price plunge that is currently taking place, I am reminded that Roger Dumbfuck Rabbit bought MMM in the Fall. And then told us about it.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
24,
You were probably passed out drunk under your trailer waiting for your next SSI check during most of Watergate.
Hell, I wasn’t even born. But I have a small advantage over you when it comes to history: I can read.
My only advice to you is stock up on lots of Milwaukee’s Best now. For the next eighteen months you’re going to need it. And there’s bound to be a run on it. You might also buy ahead on your insulin supplies.
RedReformed spews:
@28. One of the traits of conservatives, is that they crave cultural rank, in that, they have know they are “better” than some other group. Does it make you feel like a big man, a real man to make homophobic and misogynistic slurs. Get professional help. It’s pathetic.
But don’t worry, Democrats will still strive to make your life and everyone else’s better and more fair. They won’t try to punish their perceived enemies and the weak just because they can.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Frankie Graham can shove his sanctimonious hypocrisy up his pious ass.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/franklin-graham-pete-buttigieg_n_5cc10fb8e4b01b6b3efc6e6c
P.S., I’ve been told by my earthworm friends that his shit stinks the same as everyone else’s, except it reeks of stale vinegar.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@28 “telling people she won the popular vote won’t make her president, either”
And believing Trump’s lies won’t make them true, but I’m sure that distinction is over your head.
RedReformed spews:
FBI And IRS Raid Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh’s Home And Offices At City Hall
https://www.npr.org/2019/04/25/717059571/fbi-raids-baltimore-mayor-catherine-pughs-home-and-offices-at-city-hall
What I learned from that article.
When Democrats find out other Democrats are breaking the law, they call for them to resign.
Compare that to when republicans find out other republicans are breaking the law, they do nothing.
You have posted an example of how Democrats are better than republicans.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@29 If a search warrant constitutes your standard of guilt or innocence, then you should have no trouble concluding that a House subpoena is all the evidence of Trump’s guilt that you should need.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@31 Yeah, I bought 3M for $187 and it plunged to $196, so I’m poor now, especially since my Lockheed stock has gone up as much as my 3M stock has gone down.
By the way, what’s your return on investment from that horse you’re fucking? At least I don’t have a vanity rocking horse draining my wallet.
What a fucking nitwit.
RedReformed spews:
@34 Graham supports trump since trump is trying to hurt the people he too wants hurt. Hypocrite. It’s not about living the word of god, it’s about power over others and greed.
Roger Rabbit spews:
While police haven’t established the motive of the driver who rammed pedestrians yesterday, there’s evidence suggesting it was an act of Christian terrorism:
“‘I saw this woman fly through the air right in front of me. She flipped upside down and then fell right in front of my car,’ Draper said, adding that he was so enraged, he marched over to Peoples’ car, which had swerved onto a sidewalk and crashed into a tree. He said Peoples did not appear drunk but looked dazed and was mumbling over and over, ‘Thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus.’ Sunnyvale police Capt. Jim Choi said authorities were still trying to determine a motive. There was no evidence linking Peoples to any terrorist organization but the crash was deliberate, he said.’
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/veteran-held-for-attempted-murder-after-plowing-his-car-into-pedestrians_n_5cc1afcee4b0764d31dda2ab
Roger Rabbit spews:
I’ve always wondered how someone so stupid can become a doctor. Probably attended a mail-order medical school.
RedReformed spews:
@41. I don’t think he’s stupid, he just has a lack of empathy, needs to know he’s better than some other people, and doesn’t handle ambiguity or change. Anything that challenges his sense of place in the hierarchy angers him. For him, money is power and anything that allows others to have more money, makes him feel weaker. Having to admit that women, liberals or minorities are better than him, terrifies and angers him.
He’s not stupid, he’s just rigid and entitled and bitter.
RedReformed spews:
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez on the VA: ‘GOP Want to Rip the Battery Out and Say the Whole Car Doesn’t Work so They Can Sell It for Parts’
She has a way of getting to the essence of the problem.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@42 Trust me, he’s stupid, in ways that go beyond his blind faith in an impractical ideology and morally bankrupt party. Probably couldn’t change a flat tire by himself, and it wouldn’t surprise me to find out he needed artificial insemination to become a father because he couldn’t figure out how to fuck his wife even with written instructions. He’s too stupid for words to describe him.
Roger Rabbit spews:
The sanctuary battle is getting ugly; the feds have indicted a state judge for refusing to let ICE arrest an immigrant in her courtroom.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/us/massachusetts-judge-indicted/index.html
Roger Rabbit spews:
Meanwhile, a woman has been indicted for sending a threatening letter containing white powder that turned out to be starch to GOP Sen. Susan Collins.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/susan-collins-death-threat-letter-pleads-not-guilty_n_5cc1d36de4b0764d31de3928
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Can’t have people doing that, regardless of politics; while most of this behavior now comes from the right, they shouldn’t only prosecute rightwing terrorists like Lt. Hasson for threatening public officials. Law enforcement needs to be even-handed, and they should protect all public officials.
Roger Rabbit spews:
I do enjoy watching Republican cannibals eating each other.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/bridget-anne-kelly-chris-christie-sentence-bridgegate_n_5cc1b252e4b0764d31ddadad
Roger Rabbit spews:
Wherein a Palestinian terrorist who attempted to bomb an Israeli bus had no problem getting U.S. citizenship under the Bush43 administration.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/us/convicted-terrorist-us-citizen-invs/index.html
Probably a GOP voter now. He should fit right in with that gang.
RedReformed spews:
@45.
Republicans are such hypocrites!
Lelling is is a member of the Federalist Society, He is the US Attorney for Massachusetts, and is emerging as a loyal Donald Trump lieutenant in one of the bluest states in the country.
“This case is about the rule of law,” US Attorney Andrew Lelling said in a statement. “We cannot pick and choose the federal laws we follow, or use our personal views to justify violating the law.””
Start prosecuting the republicans in the executive branch and I”ll believe you.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
43,
The salient point is that in order to get this shit done the GOP is signing on to the idea that the entire federal government is outside any oversight by the Congress. They are arguing that whatever goes on in any department under any cabinet Secretary (acting, method) at the direction of a President is a “private/discretionary” matter within the scope of the President’s article 2 powers and not subject to any review by the leg branch. For the purposes of delaying Congressional intervention long enough to convert wounded veterans into private cash cows to be milked by wealthy pals, it’s obviously pure evil. But what happens if/when this premise becomes established law?
Roger Rabbit spews:
@49 There’s a perfectly valid reason why judges don’t want ICE agents stalking immigrant defendants in their courtrooms: It interferes with the administration of justice. Immigrants won’t respond to court summons or show up for court hearings if they know they’ll be detained by ICE if they do. It’s an intrusive federal interference with a basic state and local government function — maintaining law and order in their communities. Persecuting a judge for trying to protect the integrity of her courtroom is taking things too far.
Oh, and by the way, where are the states’ righters now? They should be raising holy hell about this. All I hear is crickets.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Meanwhile, a federal judge has ordered the release of a white supremacist accused of threatening to kill Democrats and reporters because federal prosecutors haven’t charged him with a federal crime for which he can be held.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/domestic-terrorism-christopher-hasson-release_n_5cc2089fe4b066119de3b94c
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
45,
So to begin the clarification, an ICE Federal Removal Warrant looks like this:
https://www.ilrc.org/sites/default/files/resources/i-200_and_i-205_sample_annotated.pdf (annotated for clarity)
As you can clearly see these orders are signed by a federal employee with no accompanying affidavit and no oath or affirmation. It is literally a check the box form that can be (and often is) robo-signed. It is not a legal ground for arrest in the state of Massachusetts. Never has been. There can be no legal obligation on the part of any state official to abide by or execute such an order. From a legal standpoint doing so is purely a matter of discretion and/or courtesy. That is a matter of well settled law. The USAO for Dist of Mass knows this already.
So a review of the indictment leads me to conclude that the case is based upon the following:
– A request from the judge conveyed by her bailiff to the plain clothes ICE agent to wait in the NDC hall outside the court;
-Guidance from the Executive Office of the Mass Trial Court that judges should maintain public access to courts and proceedings, that ICE employees are to be treated as members of the public for purposes of accessing proceedings, and that ICE employees may be granted access to “holding cell areas” for the purposes of transferring custody once the Mass trial court proceeding is completed;
-That the Mass trial court rules require all official proceedings to be recorded electronically;
-That the “normal custom and practice” of the NDC was to have prisoners released from custody exit through the “glass dock” area either into the NDC court room or into the hallway outside the court room;
On the day in question the plain clothes ICE employee alleges that the bailiff “ordered” him to wait in the hall outside the court. The agent further alleges that the bailiff intentionally lied to him telling him that the target of the removal order would be released into the hall. During the proceeding the judge briefly discussed in a sidebar with the state’s attorney that the target individual appeared to be misidentified in the ICE warrant. The USA alleges that at this point a secret conspiracy was hatched between the judge, a clerk, and the defense attorney representing the target individual. Once the trial proceedings concluded the judge informed the clerk that the target individual was released and that his defense counsel would accompany him by way of the stairs to recover his property and briefly consult with the use of the interpreter. At that point the clerk escorted the target individual and his attorney out of the glass dock by way of the stairs to recover some personal property and then leave the court by the secure sally-port.
Based on this the USAO for Mass is alleging that the judge and the clerk formed a conspiracy to obstruct justice and the clerk committed perjury when testifying before the GJ.
So to make any of this stick they have to prove that the true purpose of the target individual being escorted out of the building by way of the stairs was to assist the target individual evading the ICE employee. And they must also prove that the defense attorney representing the target individual consulted with the clerk to arrange all of this for that specific purpose.
The only way this flies is if the defense attorney has been granted immunity in exchange for fingering the defendants. And that raises some very interesting and thorny questions about privilege and judicial immunity. I’d give it a less than 50% chance of surviving appeal, assuming they can manage to get the defense attorney’s testimony admitted at trail, which I seriously doubt.
But it makes it look like “something useful” is being done and it serves as a fine distraction from the GOP/Trump fear of taking up immigration reform. Which in the end is all that really counts. Look for that USA to be short listed for a open court seat in the coming months.
Roger Rabbit spews:
A 3-judge panel has rule Michigan’s GOP gerrymandering unconstitutional and blocked the state from using its current districting in future elections.
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/michigan-gerrymandering-decision_n_5cc20ad9e4b066119de3bde9
Roger Rabbit Commentary: Wisconsin is severely gerrymandered, too; in 2018 the GOP “won” 63 Assembly seats to 36 for the Democrats even though the popular vote favored the Democrats by 1.3 million to 1.1 million.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@53 The judge pissed off the ICE agent by not handing over the defendant in the courtroom, so the ICE agent bitched to his superiors, who bitched to the USAO, who decided to jack around the judge. Simple as that.
If they have a problem with the judge not following the court’s protocol, they should file a complaint with the state judicial conduct commission. This is, at most, a disciplinary matter — not a federal criminal matter.
Roger Rabbit spews:
NBC reports the judge has been suspended without pay, presumably pending investigation. If there was judicial misconduct that’s the proper way to handle it.
It seems to me criminal charges against the judge would be warranted if it were shown the judge accepted a bribe or was otherwise motivated by personal material gain, but that hasn’t been alleged at this point.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
55,
More I suspect that the typically untrained, incompetent, lazy as fuck ICE employee returned empty handed and got reamed. So he “embellished” his report just a bit to point attention elsewhere. Somebody higher up the chain saw a good opportunity to put on a show. And the rest, as they say, is trailer-park history. Just enough real “meat” for idiots like Pork Sauce to eat it all up and overlook the rat turds, rubber bands, and band aids.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Trumpers claim an Obamacare rule prohibiting discrimination against trans people in health care interferes with doctors’ religious freedom.
https://www.cnn.com/2019/04/25/health/hhs-transgender-protections-bn/index.html
It seems to me that religious freedom, carried to its logical extremes, would include burning people at the stake for not sharing your religious beliefs.
Roger Rabbit spews:
Who says time travel is impossible? Republicans are taking us back to the Middle Ages. Sit back and enjoy the ride.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
56,
Going off record during a proceeding is not going to result in a charge of misconduct in that state. Other than that, with charges pending it is routine for them to suspend her from her duties.
She’s guilty if, with malign intent, she formed an agreement with another party and carried out an overt act entirely unrelated to her judicial duties to deliberately interfere with a federal employee carrying out their ministerial duties.
Given the alleged facts I don’t believe the federal prosecutor has any good expectation of being able to prove that beyond a reasonable doubt in front of a jury. Under DOJ normal guidelines that would make the filing unwarranted.
I assume that the USA has one of the two attorneys in the bag. I further assume that would be the defense attorney, for what I hope would be obvious reasons. Although even for the defense attorney to share with the feds the details of sidebar conversations in the middle of a proceeding under these circumstances is career death. I’d sooner hire Avenatti. So the defense will depend on excluding that testimony, destroying that dude’s cred as a witness, and making him look like an incompetent ass under cross. Since he “agreed” to subject himself to this we can safely assume the feds have him by the shorties. And that will come out in disco. Fraud? Tax evasion? Who knows?
Point is the case will hinge on a very shitty witness and nothing else. I will not be surprised to see this one dismissed or charges dropped once these assholes have made their point. $50,000 in fees for each defendant. There goes a chunk of your kid’s grad school tuition. Oh for a world where United States Attorneys did not have the freedom to bring this kind of pointless, vindictive shit just to wreck people’s lives to score political points.
Remember, Paul Manafort spent decades helping vicious murderers and drug kingpins roast people alive before he sold out the US for beets. This judge and her clerk let the wrong stoner leave by the back door.
Too many fucking cops. Too many shitty prosecutors.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@60 Speaking of cops, Corey Jones’ killer gets 25 years.
https://www.aol.com/article/news/2019/04/25/ex-officer-sentenced-to-25-years-in-black-motorists-killing/23717345/
Sometimes even a badge isn’t a license to commit murder, although it usually is, if they’re not too blatant about it.
I’llHaveAPilsner spews:
I mean I know this goes as ‘no fuckin’ shit sherlock’ but The current President is a lunatic.
Speaking to children at “Take your Children to work day…”
Insists “It’s officially called Take Our Daughters and Our Sons To Work Day, right? …That’s the politically correct term.” PC baaaaaaaad but in this case the gender neutral term ‘kids’ or ‘Children’ would be what a cranky conservative would call politically correct.
Tells children of the media how much he doesn’t like their parents. (5 year-Old to Mom tonight, “Mommy, why does the president hate you? He can put you in jail right? He’s the president and he’s in charge. I don’t want you to go to jail, mommy.”)
Says photojournalists intentionally make him look bad not understanding at all how a camera look. “Does this camera make me look fat, old and bad hair?”
Talks about drug sniffing dogs being the best.
Brags about the economy, to children.
I’llHaveAPilsner spews:
I’m going to play fake lawyer ‘cause I got questions.
If the ICE agent informs the judge about the nature of his presence would he no longer be ‘the public’ and instead acting as a party to the proceeding or an officer of the court? Can the judge then rule his presence either Out of order or even detrimental to the defendant’s rights? “Hey judge, this matter you’re about to rule on, we just want you to know we think he’s a criminal and…uh…you should know that before you proceed with your hearing.”
As it is not a legal warrant is the judge under an obligation to make sure the defendant’s rights are protected and refuse to allow a pseudo warrant be served in her courtroom or served in the near future with knowledge that it is not, per se, a legal warrant? Is she required to strip search a party in the courtroom absent a warrant because law enforcement asserts the subject is currently in possession of contraband?
The whole thing for me comes down to the ‘not warrant’. If law enforcement shows up in a courtroom with a not-legal document would the judge be well within her rights or even required to thwart what is likely an illegal search or seizure?
Roger Rabbit spews:
@62 “Does this camera make me look fat, old and bad hair?”
No, his fat, old, bald body makes him look that way. The camera is innocent.
A1 spews:
Demorat Pornstar Party Of Russia Hoax & Everything Is Racist and Sexist News– Women Of Color Give Demorat Frontrunners Warm Reception Despite Initial Concerns. Joe Biden (D-WHITE) Reassures Women, “I Only Smell White Women So Why Should You Coloreds Give A Shit?” Bernie Sanders (D-JEW) Likewise Calms Women, “Biden’s The Honkie Here Not Me You Stupid Shiksas.”
————————
The “women of color” who hosted this week’s presidential forum expressed frustration that the leading Democrat candidates are old, white men. It is an example, they say, of “racist” and “sexist” polling.
In particular, a member of the organizing committee for the event insisted that polls showing Joe Biden in the lead were absurd, especially because he had not yet even officially joined the race as the polls were being conducted, according to Politico.
“With all due respect to the vice president, he hasn’t even announced yet, but he’s the frontrunner?” said Leah Daughtry, organizer of the “She the People” event. “Racism and sexism are part of the fabric and the fiber and the founding of our country,” she added, “and the way that the [Democratic] candidates are being treated, it just reminds you of that. We’re not past it.”
And even though he maintained his far left ideology, frontrunner Bernie Sanders found opposition and was even heckled at one point during the evening.
Sanders had an exceedingly difficult time answering how he would change his campaign to appeal to Hillary Clinton’s voters, in particular, black women. Sanders droned about party unity and pleaded with the other candidates on the stage to support him. However, he did not answer the question, and that brought some unrest among members of the audience, not to mention the moderators who continued to press him on the question.
The aged Vermont senator also earned some boos when he name-dropped Martin Luther King.
https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2019/04/25/women-color-slam-racist-sexist-polls-showing-old-white-men-leading-democrat-field/
Roger Rabbit spews:
@63 “If the ICE agent informs the judge about the nature of his presence would he no longer be ‘the public’ and instead acting as a party to the proceeding or an officer of the court?”
No.
“Can the judge then rule his presence either Out of order or even detrimental to the defendant’s rights?”
A judge can exclude from the courtroom anyone whose presence she reasonably determines is disruptive to the proceedings or prejudicial to the administration of justice.
“Hey judge, this matter you’re about to rule on, we just want you to know we think he’s a criminal and…uh…you should know that before you proceed with your hearing.”
This would be grounds for the judge to order the bailiff to remove that person from the courtroom, as the public is not allowed to speak without the judge’s permission, and it’s also prejudicial to the defendant.
“As it is not a legal warrant is the judge under an obligation to make sure the defendant’s rights are protected”
Not with respect to a matter extrinsic to the proceedings.
“and refuse to allow a pseudo warrant be served in her courtroom”
The public is only allowed to sit and watch. Attempting to serve even a valid warrant violates court decorum and is grounds to order the person removed from the courtroom.
“or served in the near future with knowledge that it is not, per se, a legal warrant?”
She doesn’t have jurisdiction to determine the warrant’s validity or issue any orders with respect to whether ICE can arrest the person. Her authority is limited to preventing ICE from disrupting the proceedings in her court.
“Is she required to strip search a party in the courtroom absent a warrant because law enforcement asserts the subject is currently in possession of contraband?”
No.
“The whole thing for me comes down to the ‘not warrant’. If law enforcement shows up in a courtroom with a not-legal document would the judge be well within her rights or even required to thwart what is likely an illegal search or seizure?”
Law enforcement can make arrests based on probable cause, and conduct reasonable searches incident to arrest, without a warrant. Where a judicial warrant is required, an administrative warrant does not satisfy that requirement, because it is not signed by a judge.
Roger Rabbit spews:
So Trump paid North Korea $2 million for a dead hostage. Kim must’ve read his book.
#artofthedeal
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
63,
I think where the case will fall apart will be on a couple of rather important issues, and at least one predictably stupid and venal issue (because MAGA! – of course).
I don’t expect they’ll convince a jury to the legal standard that the judge barred, excluded, or prevented the ICE douche from being present in the court. He was tricked. They asked him to wait in the hall. And they told him that once the def was released he’d be departing through the hall. So long as the request was not criminally motivated (and we have no reason in the record to believe it was, since at that point the judge was unaware of the ICE detainer/warrant) the jury would have to be misinformed of the facts and the law to conclude that the request was an overt act in furtherance of a conspiracy to obstruct.
The government may face some difficulty obtaining the public testimony of the defense attorney about details of off-the-record consultations during a sidebar conference while representing a client before the judge. There may be matters of attorney client privilege to be considered here. Along these same lines how the judge conducts proceedings in her courtroom, how she communicates with her bailiffs and clerks, and the mundane housekeeping of day to day are not intricately detailed in the state’s rules or judicial code of conduct. Which end of the bench has the waste basket is up to her. If she wants to allow a defendant to exit by the stairs, if she permits a brief departure from the record at the request of counsel or clerks to attend to private matters not related to the legal proceedings, these may not be presumed to be malign actions. And I can tell you they sound quite routine to me. Some real flights of paranoia are required to follow the indictment here. Giving a federal prosecutor the authority to indict a state judge based on such presumption and paranoia surrounding that judges discretionary duties is unlikely to be greeted with much enthusiasm by most federal judges hearing motions.
$50 to Susan Collins opponent says the ICE douche lied when he told FBI investigators he was “ordered” to wait in the hall. Nothing in the record so far supports that. Nobody backs him up. He’s going to end up burning himself here. He was under the gun for having let himself be tricked. He shaded the truth in his report to take some of the heat off. Weeks or months went by, the target was apprehended, and he probably forgot all about it until one morning out of the blue some FBI agents showed up at the office to go over his report with him. FBI agents spend half their lives interviewing federal employees. Federal prosecutors rely on federal employees as witnesses all the time. Good criminal prosecutors can smell this kind of bureaucratic cowardice rising of the file folder and do their best to ferret it out and cure their witness before discovery. Instead of doing that, this one turned that white lie into million dollar circus he hopes will earn him a court appointment.
It probably wont convince a jury. But it almost certainly will convince a flatulent orange man-baby and his adoring mob of trailer park baboons.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
63,
“…would the judge be well within her rights or even required to thwart what is likely an illegal search or seizure?”
If by “thwart” you mean to suggest that she take overt action to prevent the ICE employee from locating or apprehending his target in a public venue under her control, then no. She would not be within her rights. But she is under absolutely no obligation to assist or even accommodate those efforts to locate or apprehend beyond the normal administrative rules for courts in her state. As Roger pointed out, our criminal courts are public venues. But just because they are public venues doesn’t mean Teh Dumbfuck can go to one in Crook County, Oregon, stand in the gallery and preach The Pearl of Great Price or swap war stories about OfDumbfuck’s most recent bull. “Fire” in a crowded theater*, etc. Among other things, legit governmental interest in being able to provide due process for the accused trumps Dumbfuck’s right to talk about other men’s dicks. So a polite request to ICE douche to wait in the hallway is probably not out of line, since these district court judges have been dealing with this bullshit from ICE for going on two years now. And the record amply demonstrates their presence has been highly disruptive in the past.
*Possibly the worst excuse for censorship ever. Fuck Oliver Wendell Holmes.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
63,
I also detect something in your question that gives me some concern.
“…thwart what is likely an illegal search or seizure?”
Don’t. Not ever.
Not you. Not a judge. Certainly not a lawyer (ha!). If you ever find yourself face to face with LE who you perceive to be intent on violating your rights, or the rights of someone else do not try to stop them.
Communicate your objection clearly and with respect. Then shut the fuck up and do your best to record events and encourage any other witnesses present to do likewise.
Don’t ever fuck with LE.
Those motherfuckers are better trained and equipped than you can possibly imagine. Even the fat blue-button turds can and will put you down. Far too many of them pray each night before passing out on Costco vodka for some smart ass bar room civil rights lawyer to fuck with them so they can take their teeth. Stay cool. Be polite. Play the long game and take their badge instead.
I’llHaveAPilsner spews:
@70
Yes. Bad word but thwart in the sense that if an ICE agent walked into her courtroom, if he was plainclothes ‘public’ she wouldn’t have known he was there, announced his intentions, see plainclothes, asserted that he had a warrant which would likely irk a judge who knows it’s not actually a warrant and probably demanded she do things his way because he’s the LAW….
have the subject taken out in a manner likely to keep him or her from the ‘not really a warrant server.”
Yes, thwart in a non confrontational sense.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
71,
Well, it’s all largely mooted anyway by the simple and abundantly clear fact that, according to the United States Attorney General, it can’t be obstruction if the judge was…
…”frustrated”.
Her defense counsel might want to consider deposing Mr. Barr against his recently published legal commentary for more of his insights regarding the thresholds for obstruction and conspiracy. Can only help her case.
More and more I think a key part of the legal strategy to get production out of this administration is going to involve forcing these bastards to swear an oath and eat their words on the record.
Elijah Dominic McDotcom spews:
71,
but as to “thwart” in the legal sense, by all means thwart away.
Anyone owning a business or place of public accommodation ought to be encouraged, when presented with one of those stupid fucking ICE pieces of paper, to shout loudly in a clear voice:
“FUCK YOU. I DO NOT CONSENT TO ANY SEARCHES OR SEIZURES. THIS IS MY PRIVATE PROPERTY. YOU ARE TRESPASSING. I ORDER YOU TO LEAVE MY PROPERTY AT ONCE.” Leave it to them to decide if they want to force their way in. And then immediately call the local police to report a home invasion by masked gang members armed with military style assault rifles. Because that would be true.
I'llHaveAPilsner spews:
One more before calling it a night…
US. Average Price Regular unleaded December 31, 2016 – $2.41
U.S. Average Price Regular unleaded 1/1/19. $2.36.
Lowest U.S. Average Gas price 2019, 1/7/19 $2.32.
U.S. Average Price Regular unleaded 4/25/19. $2.87.
If you can’t see it, that’s $.50 increase per gallon in the four months since Donald assured the rubes that thanks to him and his policies….gas was going to get cheaper.
For the middle class American making $60,000/year those huge tax cuts (cough, cough, 15 bucks a paycheck, no tax refund) amounted to about $800.
15 Gal tank, one fill a week….$390 in extra fuel cost. And climbing. The big tax cut got you a maybe a weekend away, not plane tickets, just hotel and meals. A staycation. BEST PRESIDENT EVER! #maga
RedReformed spews:
Here in st Louis, i was spinning thru the FM dial counting talk stations. 1 was NPR, sports talk was another, and four prosperity gospel stations, two were railing against the evils of socialism as i passed thru. This is why we are losing the culture wars. 4 channels of 24×7 propaganda. If tom steirs wanted to really change things he would use his money to buy stations and put out a counter narrative. Long game.
Roger Rabbit spews:
@74 “The big tax cut got you a maybe a weekend away, not plane tickets, just hotel and meals. A staycation.”
And $1.5 trillion of debt which Republicans will try their damnedest to take out of your Social Security and Medicare when you’re too old and sick to pay the bills by working.
Of course, there’s always Varian to fall back on.*
* Inside joke HA regulars will appreciate. If you’re a visiting troll and want to know what it means, ask Doctor Dumbfuck.
Roger Rabbit spews:
I didn’t know you could buy MAGA hats with food stamps, but it must be possible, because I can’t imagine Trump giving them away. Like any businessman, he strives to turn a profit on everything, in his case including public service.
Roger Rabbit spews:
“President Donald Trump stunned many in March 2017 when he accused former President Barack Obama of ‘wire tapping’ Trump Tower during the 2016 campaign. Trump at the time offered no evidence to back his extraordinary and unsubstantiated allegation ….
“Then White House press secretary Sean Spicer tried to claim that Trump hadn’t really accused Obama of ‘wire tapping,’ even though that’s the term the president used ….
“On Thursday night, Trump finally admitted during a 45-minute interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity that he made the allegation based on ‘a little bit of a hunch.’ Trump also expressed surprise at how his baseless accusation had blown up ‘like you’ve never seen.’
“‘Now I understand why, … it blew up because they thought maybe I was wise to them,’ he continued. ‘Or they were caught. And that’s why. ’Cuz if they weren’t doing anything wrong it would’ve just gotten by, nobody would’ve cared about it.'”
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/donald-trump-barack-obama-wire-tapping-sean-hannity_n_5cc2d049e4b08846403c8644
Roger Rabbit Commentary: I’ve posted this as a thought experiment. Specifically, to see if we can follow his “logic,” such as it is, here.
So, if you throw out a baseless slander against someone, snatched from thin air and made entirely of whole cloth, and repackaged as a “hunch,” and they get upset about it, you must be onto something. Because innocent people don’t get upset about being slandered. Because if you lie about someone, everyone knows it’s a lie, so what’s there to get upset about?
Did I miss anything?