SANCHISMOS, COPYRIGHTS AND ROLLLING THE DICE

While the phrase ’tilting at windmills’ may not apply directly to our disgraced former president, most experts agree that he exhibits the classic paranoid personality disorder in his eccentric, odd behavior. That is borne out by his suspicions of those around him, along with his refusing to take blame for his past deeds. The Orange Don Quixote, who betrayed the country while catering to a long-time foreign enemy, had his Sancho Panza in the person of White House Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, who proved to be incapable of being a voice of reason in dissuading his master’s delusional treachery, his ‘sanchismos’ not able to break through The Don’s fantasies. VP Pence lost his ‘sidekick’ designation in the game to throw out the election results, making Meadows a most intriguing persona within the coup team.

He knows all the secrets, where the skeletons are hidden, and where the bodies are buried, but was playing both sides as the investigation dragged on, even as his aide, Cassidy Hutchinson, spilled the jar of beans before the J6 Committee. After his indictment, Meadows sought in a hearing to have his case moved to federal court, where he will attempt to assert immunity as a federal officer during which he was simply doing his job under the Former Guy. At this writing the judge has not made a decision on the switch, but either way, Meadows is going to have to make a decision quickly about whether he will take the bullet for Trump. Meadows’ attorney wrote in his court filings, “These and the other acts that form the basis for the charges against Mr. Meadows all fall squarely within his conduct as Chief of Staff. This is precisely the kind of state interference in a federal official’s duties that the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution prohibits, and that the removal statute shields against.” Advantages for Meadows in moving to federal court would widen the jury pool to an area more GOP-heavy, plus a televised trial is not likely which would expose him to more embarrassment during the trial.

For the above hearing, DA Fani Willis subpoenaed Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and two others who were present during the infamous “find 11,780 votes” phone call that precipitated two charges against Meadows. In court filings, it was noted that a government watchdog agency found Meadows and other Trump officials in their political activity prior to the election violated federal law. “Since the defendant was forbidden by law to use his authority or influence to interfere with or affect the result of an election or otherwise participate in activity directed toward the success of Mr. Trump as a candidate for the presidency, every single one of these activities fell outside the scope of his duties, both as a matter of fact and as a matter of law,” prosecutors wrote. Should these activities be adjudged to be in the scope of his duties, Meadows must then prove he has a tenable federal defense.

A brief written by eight prosecutors and federal officials backing the prosecutors in the Georgia case, all having served in GOP administrations. One of the individuals was J. Michael Luttig, a former federal appeals court judge with whom we are familiar from his appearance before the J6 Committee and numerous talk shows. The eight wrote, “The purpose of federal-officer removal statute – to protect federal operations by preventing retribution in state court for locally unpopular exercises of federal authority – would not be served by removal here. To the contrary, removal would be perverse, as this prosecution arises from interference with state-government operations and seeks to vindicate Georgia’s voice in a federal election, the very contest from which federal authority flows.” If the judge rules in favor of Meadows‘ move to the federal court, others indicted in the case will attempt to do the same and it is feared that all co-defendants will automatically be moved, as is being argued by indicted former Trump Justice Department official, Jeffrey Clark, whose hearing is scheduled for September 18. We can be certain that Trump is watching closely, though he unsuccessfully tried to move his New York hush money case to federal court, which is under appeal.

A commenter on the Quorum website says, “In a shocking roll of the legal dice, Mark Meadows preemptively put himself on the stand during pre-trial motions in a desperate attempt to convince a judge that participating in a wildly illegal and extremely clumsy conspiracy to overthrow our democracy with a crackpot team of America’s worst lawyers and ideological sociopaths was somehow “part of the job” of being Chief of Staff to the president…riiiiiiiiight!” Bill Palmer on his blog writes, “It’s one thing for Meadows to try the low percentage play of trying to get his Fulton Country criminal charges moved to federal court. Even though he’s unlikely to win, it can’t hurt to try, right? Actually, it can hurt to try, quite a bit, when you’re as much of an idiot as Meadows is. Meadows made the ground-breakingly stupid decision to take the stand under oath during the hearing about moving the trial. During that testimony he appears to have committed perjury, which can disqualify his request and get him hit with additional criminal charges. But it gets stupider. Meadows’ stated reason for going along with Donald Trump’s criminal plot to overthrow the election? He said that if he didn’t go along with it, ‘I know I would get yelled at’ by Trump. No really, he said this, on the witness stand. This admission wipes out a whole range of reasonable doubt defenses that Meadows might have tried to use. Meadows just made it a whole lot easier to convict him a trial. Meadows keeps proving himself to be astoundingly stupid. Fiction writers would have a hard time coming up with this character and making it believable.” As Sancho would say, “Hope is a good breakfast, but a bad supper.”

The aforementioned judge J. Michael Luttig in a recent appearance on Nicolle Wallace’s MSNBC show, claims that he has never been a “political person, or a political partisan” though he held the views, beliefs and principles, and the policy positions of the GOP during his lifetime. He is troubled by the current position and direction of today’s Republican party and is hopeful that it will come to its senses, both collectively and constitutionally. Together with Harvard’s Laurence Tribe, Luttig penned a column in the New York Times explaining their belief that Trump can be barred from holding office by using the 14th Amendment of the Constitution. Both the Attorney General and the Secretary of State of New Hampshire announced that they are seriously considering barring Trump’s name from the state ballot, based on Section 3 of the 14th Amendment, which states that those who have “engaged in insurrection or rebellion” may be disqualified from running for office again…for which Trump has been indicted.

Or how about, as Bocha Blue writes on the Palmer Report, that Trump be tried as an axe murderer? He quotes Georgia Republican and former Lieutenant Governor Geoff Duncan’s harsh words about Trump and Republicans in general as saying, “Trump has the moral compass of an axe murderer.” Sans axe, Trump managed to kill hundreds through his COVID-19 negligence, and his fomenting of the insurrection resulted in the death of one rioter and eventually several Capitol police officers. Blue says, “So yes, there is blood on Donald Trump’s hands. I thank Duncan for these remarks, not that they will have any weight with the Republican party, but in this case, it’s the thought that counts.”

The Lincoln Project website points to people trying to compare the Georgia case, with Trump and the 18 co-conspirators, to Watergate, but analyzes it as going much deeper because it indicts every member of the GOP…senators, congress members, staffers, the RNC, big money donors…corruption that goes to the very core of the GOP. And that’s why the Former Guy is being defended so vociferously…the whole bunch is tainted! President Nixon had to reckon with his own party, which had a moral conviction in evidence which has long since disappeared. Trump’s criminal enterprise is so feared that it’s easier to go along, in an attempt to legitimize the lies and false conspiracies. Sadly, these ignoramuses have the ear of a good portion of the American electorate who are scarfing up those “Never Surrender” mug-shot mugs, posters and t-shirts following Trump’s surrender.

SiriusXM radio host Dean Obeidallah thinks a legitimate legal case can be made against Trump, that he has violated U.S. copyright laws by hawking merchandise using the Fulton County mugshot. Indictment Don bragged that $7M flowed into his coffers from the $34 t-shirts and $25 mugs as soon as they were offered, but the rightful recipient of that money may be the Fulton County Sheriff’s department, an entity which could use a huge influx of funds for its ailing, poor conditions. According to a 2022 article in the University of Georgia School of Law’s Journal of Intellectual Property Law, “In the context of photographs taken by law enforcement during the booking process, the author of the mugshot photograph is the law enforcement agency.” So, does Fulton County want to see The Don in court…again…over copyright infringement?

Aldous J. Pennyfarthing writes, “After being mugshot (mugshouted? mugsharted?), Trump returned to X, which is what nobody calls the platform formerly known as Twitter, to send an X, which is what nobody calls a post formerly known as a ‘tweet,’ to his supporters in the death cult, which is what many of us call the party formerly known as the GOP. The sweet included Trump’s mugshot and a grift summons. Remarkably, QAnon folks saw something in it other than a surly, glowering weirdo who looks like he’s on Day Two of a three-day Strawberry Yoo-hoo cleanse. ‘It’s always darkest before the storm,’ one Trump supporter tweeted in response to the mugshot. ‘Tsunami Trump is coming for the swamp.'” Aldous J. questions the statement with, “Wouldn’t a tsunami make swamp immeasurably worse? Shouldn’t that be Wet Vac Trump? Or Intracranial Stent Trump?” It has been said that Donald Trump can be described as “a poor man’s idea of a rich man, a weak man’s idea of a strong man, and a dumb man’s idea of a smart man.” Touché! As Steve Schmidt said, “America has had its share of president’s who were crooks (Warren G. Harding, Richard Nixon), bigots (Andrew Jackson, James Buchanan), and incompetents (Andrew Johnson, George W. Bush). But never before Donald Trump have we had a president who combined all these qualities.”

Trump, in one of his Fox News & Agitprop interviews recalled the cognitive test he took during his presidency, under the supervision of White House doctor Ronny Jackson, and indicating that he had taken another test recently. “If you’re in the office of the presidency, we have to be sharp. The exam was 30 or 35 questions. The first questions are very easy, the last questions are much more difficult.” And we all remember the to-do he made earlier over the memory portion, of his being able to recall the words, “person, woman, man, camera, TV” Trump went on to say that his results impressed the medical staff, “They say, ‘Nobody gets it in order.’ It’s not that easy, but for me it was easy. And that’s not any easy question. They say, ‘That’s amazing, how did you do that?’ I do it because I have, like, a good memory. Because I’m cognitively there. Joe Biden should take the test.” Court, jury, verdict, prison…repeat those words several times, Donny.

After Trump’s mugshot was released, Georgia artist Chris Veal began painting a large mural on a building in Atlanta, using the photo in his creation, with right-wingers applauding what they thought was a protest against the arrest of the former prez. Veal finished his mural, to which a word bubble was added, which read, “M.A.G.A. My Ass Got Arrested.” The artist says feedback has been positive, with passersby smiling, laughing and giving him high-fives.

FLIGHT RISK ON THE STAREAWAY TO THE BIG CHAIR

Donald Trump surrendered on Thursday of last week after being indicted by the Fulton County Georgia grand jury, with all the hoopla that one might expect from him as he took advantage of the prime time TV coverage that milked his every move as he traveled from New Jersey to Georgia and back again. A threatened “major news conference” to prove his innocence with “new evidence” was cancelled the previous Monday at his legal team’s insistence since his claims were without merit, though he insisted he is innocent of any wrongdoing and is being politically persecuted, a broken record that is wearing awfully thin at this point as the evidence continues to mount. Trump’s attempts to relitigate the stolen election claim within the cases against him will certainly be a sticking point for the legal system and will require a strong push to keep him at bay.

Trump had earlier expressed his unhappiness about the judge setting his bond at $200K in the Fulton County Georgia case, but confirmed that he would nonetheless surrender, at the same time lashing out at DA Fani Willis in a bizarre, mocking post on Truth Social. “The failed District Attorney of Fulton County, Fani Willis, insisted on a $200,000 bond from me,” he wrote. “I assume, therefore, that she thought I was a ‘flight’ risk – I’d fly far away, maybe to Russia, Russia, Russia, share a gold domed suite with Vladimir, never to be seen or heard from again.” He added, “Would I be able to take my very ‘understated’ airplane with the gold TRUMP affixed for all to see? Probably not, I’d be much better off flying commercial – I’m sure nobody would recognize me!” Sure, and maybe Putin can arrange a small business jet for the last leg of your journey!

Trump’s bond agreement, known as a consent bond order, sets strict rules for his release. He will not be allowed to communicate with witnesses or co-defendants about the case, except through his lawyers, and is barred from intimidating witnesses or co-defendants. He cannot make any “direct or indirect threat of any nature against the community or to any property in the community,” including in “posts on social media or reposts of posts” from others on social media. His attorneys crack the whip as much as they dare on this restriction, but try as they might, the uncontrollable Former Guy can hardly restrain himself as he slowly digs a deeper hole. Bond agreements set for eighteen of Trump’s co-conspirators varied in bond amounts and court orders, though restrictions were not as strict as those set for Trump, and all were charged and processed during the week like any other arrestee, with fingerprints and a mug shot taken at the main county jail. The booking during prime-time viewing hours was also said by some to be an effort by Trump to minimize the charges and distract from the indignity of his surrender, but the almost instantaneous offer by his campaign for t-shirts with the newly released mugshot dispels that notion. “NEVER SURRENDER” it blares beneath the glowering and hostile shot of the former prez, a pose that he undoubtedly aped, and rehearsed…unlike an unexpected arrest, from a black and white shot of Adolf Hitler, as posted on Steve Schmidt’s The Warning blog on Saturday, August 26…a picture is worth a thousand words.

Some are calling Trump’s look as “The Kubrick Stare,” one of movie director Stanley Kubrick’s techniques, where he had the character stare at the camera with a forward tilt, conveying to the viewer that the individual on the screen has reached the peak of mental derangement. Think Jack Nicholson in ‘The Shining’; R. Lee Emery in ‘Full Metal Jacket’; and Malcolm McDowell in ‘A Clockwork Orange.’ One writer refers to the Greek myth where the goddess Athena punished Medusa by transforming her hair into a bed of serpents, whereupon this monster creation would then turn to stone anyone who gazed into her eyes. Seems right! Instead of snakes, Trump’s head may be covered in mousse or spray, but avoid those eyes. As writer John Waters mightsuggest, our Hairpiece Himmler may use cornstarch to stiffen his locks…which would explain why he avoids going out into the rain, and by ignoring Melania or Barron, keeps his umbrella to himself, otherwise…Gravy Train!

Megan Garber in The Atlantic says, “Welcome to the age of mugshot rule. Trump, evidently pleased with his portrait, broadcasted it on social media. The caption he appended to the shot suggests that, in this elemental legal document, questions of legality are beside the point. And it attempts to turn the language of the accusation against itself. It is a reminder to all who see it of the threat embodied by a vengeful Trump. His photo is a symbolic gesture, but is also something of an omen. This will never be over, it suggests. That face, with all its dangers, will only become more difficult to avoid.” Ned Ryun of the American Majority, a conservative political-training organization, was asked by Fox host Jesse Watters to comment on the mugshot, in reply saying that Republicans should counter with their own indictments. “You’re saying Republicans should promise mugshots of Democrats,” Watters suggested. “One hundred percent,” Ryun shot back. Fox’s Sean Hannity began his show, displaying Trump’s new picture, with the intro, “You are looking at Joe Biden – oh, I’m sorry, Donald Trump’s official mugshot.” Pausing, he went on, “Joe Biden will be soon enough anyway.”

Former Trump attorney, the indicted Kenneth Chesebro, apparently attempted to get DA Willis in a bind with trial scheduling, by requesting a speedy trial, which by law must occur within the next succeeding regular court term, after August 31. Consequently, if a trial is not initiated within sixty days, the defendant goes free, per Georgia law. Chesebro probably choked when Willis indicated she’s ready to go, scheduling a trial on October 23; Trump and his team probably choked since they have been attempting to delay the start of trials until the 2024 election is past. By doing this, citizen Trump might be able to lose twenty-five more pounds of weight, and reach a height of seven feet; upon his arrest in New York he told registrants that he was 6’2″ and 240 pounds, but at his Fulton jail processing he had lost twenty-five pounds and grown an inch taller! Or maybe the lifts in his shoes are saltwater logged. Stormy Daniels then posted on X, “Mmmkay! And I’m 110 lbs and a virgin!” She says she’s known 215 pound men, and Tiny Trump was not one of them.

Alina Habba, attorney and legal mouthpiece for Trump, was interviewed by Fox News Sunday host, Shannon Bream following the Georgia booking, saying, “We’re not concerned because we know the facts of these cases, which I can’t get into obviously for privileged reasons. But I can tell you it’s to tie him up, it’s definitely political.” Habba insists there is no need to prep Trump for any of the four pending trials he’s facing, and the team isn’t concerned because he’s “intelligent.” Bream didn’t fall over backwards, nor ask Habba for clarification on this pronouncement, but we can visualize the MAGA base across the nation, in unison, nodding their heads in agreement. No, that was NOT a Taylor Swift earthquake, only marbles rolling inside spacious skulls, but it was terrifyingly real! Attorney Habba went on to say, “If this was a normal person, I could understand the concern. President Trump is not your average person. He’s incredibly intelligent and he knows the ropes. He knows the facts because he lived them.” She then says he doesn’t have to be prepped for the truth, not when you’ve done nothing wrong. Alina, Alina, Alina…now tell us how a person so smart gets into multiple quagmires of these magnitudes? Oh, and Your Honor, in an effort to guarantee a fair trial, we move for a change of venue to the defendant’s imagination…and free baby unicorns for all.

And keep sending money, folks. Remember, our ex-Commander-In-Cheat is running out of money, having spent more than half of his grifting funds on legal fees this year. It’s reported that his ‘Save America’ pac, which is paying his legal bills, is running low on cash. Assuming he even has it, he certainly won’t be spending any of his personal funds on his troubles…it’s a service to the country, his standing between US and THEM! Donations to the Trump Presidential Campaign see 10% going to the pac. Even Crazy Rudy Giuliani is running out of money, selling off personal property to stay afloat. A trip to Mar-a-Lago to beg for Trump’s assistance on his defense fund resulted only in a promise from The Don that he would sponsor a fund raiser for America’s Mayor, but we know where that’s headed, right? When Trump did fundraising for Herschel Walker’s Senate Campaign during the midterms season, only 10% went to Hersch, so we suggest, Rudy, that you keep those Ebay fires burning!

Recently, CNBC reported that several of Trump’s indicted co-conspirators who put their efforts into overturning Joe Biden’s election, were never paid by the Trump crime syndicate for their legal work, and topping the list are Rudy, Sidney Powell, and John Eastman. Giuliani, who worked five days a week during the last two months of 2022, will never see the $800K in fees he billed – a handshake will have to suffice. All they have to show for their loyalty is careers in the dumpster, and serious criminal charges that may result in prison terms. It appears that Loser Trump took in $250M in donations off his Stop the Steal attorneys, while funneling money into the ‘Save America’ political pac, leaving his loyal band on the outside looking in, as he paid a contingent of different lawyers to serve his own interests. Never mistake the crime syndicate’s godfather for a truth teller. We can only hope that by stiffing this band of corrupt attorneys, the unprincipled Trump has contributed to his own demise.

A few weeks ago, Trump spoke at a rally in Ohio for 103 minutes, speaking over the music playing as they tried to turn off this windbag. “This is deeply, deeply weird,” tweeted conservative writer, Tom Nichols of The Atlantic. “It really is Jonestown-level stuff. These people are worshiping a real estate developer from Queens who can barely hold a thought in his head. This is beyond un-American. It’s psychotic. I think Democrats should run clips of the rally and ask: ‘Is this the party you want running the country?’ Trump is the best weapon Democrats have.” Retired four-star General Barry McCaffrey warned, “Astonishing Trump language. The crowd is similar to a Nuremberg rally in 1936. A lawless Trump in office after a 2024 election would slide us into autocracy and deny our Constitutional safeguards. This is our greatest danger as a nation since 1860.” “Very scarily and tragically, this will only get worse…a rally or a death cult?” wondered Arne Duncan, former Education Secretary. Washington Post columnist, Helene Olen reported, “This is seriously strange. Also: notice the empty seats.” Poignantly, Will Bunch of the Philadelphia Inquirer, wrote, “Fascism…now with music!”  But thanks to Alina Habba, we are assured that he is intelligent!

On Monday Trump posted on Truth Social, “Roomer (sic) are strong in political circles that Ron DeSanctimonious, whose Presidential run is a shambles, and whose poll numbers have absolutely crashed, putting him 3rd and 4th in some states, will be dropping out of the Presidential race in order to run, in Florida, against Rick Scott for Senate. Now that’s an interesting one, isn’t it?” Providing no basis or source for this “roomer”, he later posted, “THE GREATEST & ‘HOTTEST’ FORM, SYSTEM, & PLATFORM OF COMMUNICATION IN AMERICA, & INDEED THE WORLD, TODAY. THAT’S WHY I USE IT. THERE IS NOTHING THAT COMES EVEN CLOSE!!!” Looks as though he needs a more intelligent Spellcheck to make it halfway decent! Now, back to you Ron!?

A scene at the Pearly Gates: God asks George W. Bush, “What do you believe in?” W answers, “I believe in the free market, and a strong, faithful America!” “Very well, come sit at my right hand,” says God. He then asks Barack Obama, “And, what do you believe in?” Barry replies, “I believe in the power of democracy, with equal rights for all!” “Come, sit on my left,” says God. Facing Donald Trump, he says, “I hear you are intelligent…what do you believe in?” Glaring back, Trump answers, “I believe you’re sitting in my chair.” Sounds of trumpets, thunder…lightning flashes…over and out!

MAGIC 8 BALLS, A GINGER MINT CONSPIRACY, AND LOCAL CALLING

Donald Trump, who had planned to show us his Magic 8 Ball’s declaration of his “conclusive and complete exoneration” during a news conference last week, cancelled his appearance upon advice of his legal team. “Rather than releasing the Report on the Rigged & Stolen Georgia 2020 Presidential Election on Monday, my lawyers would prefer putting this, I believe, Irrefutable & Overwhelming evidence of Election Fraud & Irregularities in formal Legal Filings as we fight to dismiss this disgraceful Indictment,” which Stephen Miller, in Trumpspeak 101 fashion, obviously wrote for The Former Guy on Truth Social. Shooting from the hip after the Georgia indictment was announced, Trump ad-libbed that he would use the “major news conference” at his New Jersey golf club to reveal an “almost complete report” for his vindication. His ‘report‘ was not prepared by hotshot investigators or election experts, but by his communication aide, Liz Harrington, whose voice we have heard on the recorded conversation during which Trump brags as he shows top secret military plans for a potential invasion of Iraq. He seems to have forgotten the 60+ court decisions that have cast aside the MAGA attempts to overturn the election around the country…always someone who doesn’t get the word? The rabid MAGA base laps this stuff up, but independent and moderate voters say it’s time to move it along…perhaps by having his tailor take precise measurements to ensure a perfect fit for his orange jumpsuit? It’s certainly imperative by now, as we saw from his Pillsbury Doughboy tux back when he called on Queen Elizabeth.

The federal district judge, Tanya Chutkan, overseeing the Georgia election conspiracy RICO indictment against Trump warned him of the limits to which he can spill publicly any of the evidence as he attempts to recapture the GOP nomination for the presidency. The judge warned that the more “inflammatory” his public statements, there will be a greater urgency to move to trial quickly to combat witness intimidation or sullying the jury pool. Even Georgia’s Republican governor, Brian Kemp, criticized the Former Guy’s attacks on the integrity of the vote, X-tweeting, “The 2020 election in Georgia was not stolen. For three years now, anyone with evidence of fraud has failed to come forward – under oath – and prove anything in a court of law.” But, The Donald will not be silenced, as he attempts not to prove his innocence of the mounting crime charges, but to harp on the stolen election in the now turgid atmosphere of his own making.

Trump actually cancelled his Magic 8 Ball event after Governor Kemp made his comments, and radio host ? suggested the governor’s opposition to Trump’s accusations may have had some influence on the cancellation. “You saw that he cancelled that press conference saying his lawyers didn’t think it was a good idea? I don’t know when he has done anything because his lawyers thought it was a good idea,” she opined. Kemp’s name weighs heavily in the RICO indictment, with DA Willis citing a phone call from Trump to the governor, as well as several tweets attacking him over the election, as “overt” acts “in furtherance of the conspiracy” to overturn the election. Kemp and Trump, at loggerheads since 2020, resulted in Trump throwing his endorsement to Senator David Perdue in the 2022 governorship primary. Trump’s 2021 statement about Democrat candidate Stacey Abrams, “she might be better than having your existing governor, if you want to know the truth,” further inflamed the relationship.

Despite Judge Chutkan’s setting of behavioral boundaries for Trump, he is surely evaluating how far he can push the envelope, weighing whether or not incarceration will boost his standing among the electorate, well beyond the MAGA horde’s support. House arrest would seem to be out of the picture…confinement to a golf resort in Florida is not likely to instill fear in the accused. Detention with no access to the internet agitation ability would likely be the fear factor, which would spur the defense team to ask for a speedier trial. So, lock him up!

Mark Sumner provides an interesting summation, writing on Daily Kos, that the GOP and Representative Gym ‘Shower Monitor’ Jordan in particular, are attempting to break Trump’s crimes down into such small increments that nothing is a crime on its own. He asks: Since when is it a crime to buy a rope, a knife, and a few garbage bags? A guy in Manhattan buys a new burner phone, which later is found to be used to contact female victims, later murdered and abandoned at Gilgo Beach. Another guy rents a Ryder truck in Kansas to drive to Oklahoma City…innocent enough, but Timothy McVeigh then destroyed a building. A neat-freak buys some garbage bags to clean up his residence, later being accused of murdering his wife when an overlooked blood-stained knife was found. Sumner says all three guys would be on the street if the courts used the same standard that Jordan and his colleagues are applying to Trump’s criminal escapades…after all, cyanide is just nitrogen and oxygen, and we gotta breathe. Reducing Trumpian actions to being simple phone calls, tweets and offering legal advice to ensure a legit election process is the gist of their absurdity. After all, since when is it a crime for a doctor to meet with a college athlete, Gym-my-boy?

MSNBC’s Ari Melber, on his The Beat show, has shown a November 5, 2020 video of Trump ally, Roger Stone, dictating a memo to an associate as part of the fake electorate scheme. The video segment is part of a documentary shot by Danish documentarian, Chirstoffer Guildbrandsen, who had followed Stone and his contingent during the 2020 election campaign. But American legal scholar, Laurance Tribe has revealed that such a scheme was in the works as early as February 2019, as shown in the sexual harassment suit against Rudy Giuliani by assistant Noelle Dunphy. She was told by Giuliani that a plan had been prepared in the event that Trump lost his reelection bid, in which he would claim “voter fraud’ and that he had actually won…nineteen months before the election! Indicted in the Georgia case as part of this plan was attorney Kenneth J. Chesebro, a mentee of Tribe, who expressed his disappointment in his student, saying, “He was not making good-faith legal arguments for his client. He was inventing legal fiction that paid no attention to the law and creating a pretext for a conspiracy to steal an election.”

Georgia state law requires that names and addresses of grand jurors be released to boost transparency of the legal process, but already MAGA goons are threatening revenge on them for daring to indict their beloved Golden Calf as seen on a ‘fringe website.’ Trump’s base of violence-minded insurrectionists have posted juror photos, spurring discussions about whether “people need to be outside these people’s houses” or whether it would mean walking into a deep state and media trap. Initially, there was no indication that authorities were taking any actions to protect jurors…maybe that has changed by now. But, we’ll still have these red-hatted militias being the enforcers of their justice, with their sidearms, and showing as much respect for law and order as does Trump. The Former Guy will go after each juror as surely as he and Giuliani went after poll workers, Shaye Moss and Ruby Freeman, who rigged the Georgia election with a ginger mint.

The saber-rattling following the indictment(s) is now only a part of the shifting political scene, where the radicalized partisans believe violence is necessary to achieve their ends. “The idea that violence is legitimate for political purposes has moved into the mainstream,” says University of Chicago political science professor Robert Pape. “It’s still a minority…But if you’ve got 10 or 15 percent of a community that believes violence is acceptable for some political causes, that just encourages more violence for those causes.” The January 6 coup attempt should serve as a reminder that this country does not have an immunity any more than other nations, and threats against our government and its leaders are heightened in these perilous times. Representative Mary Gay Scanlon, Democrat of Pennsylvania, attributes much of this trend to Trump, who was the tough-guy candidate at his rallies in 2016. “Violence and intimidation on the right started following the election cycle in 2016. And so we would see justifications for violence among regular people rising at the election period – 2016, 2018 at Trump’s impeachment – obviously at the different events leading up to certification over January 6. There’s a sense that this violence is increasingly targeted at politics.” Donald J. Trump didn’t change the GOP – he just took off the wraps for a more accurate view.

As Trump prepares to defend himself in the courtrooms of New York, Washington, Georgia and Florida against his alleged crimes, obtaining evidence in Melania’s emails is a target of New York DA Alvin Bragg. A source tells Radar Online that her emails following her husband’s alleged Stormy Daniels escapade might be quite revealing as she shows her anger and possible plans to file for divorce. “She’s likely written emails to counsel asking for guidance on her rights if her husband is convicted on all these charges, and if she should use whatever she knows to squeeze him in divorce court,” says a source close to the Trumps. Previously denied requests to view Melania’s emails, Bragg is still in the hunt. An insider alleges, “Those emails could make Melania relive the entire betrayal again in the public eye. It would also reveal what she knew about the affair along with many other humiliating aspects of her husband’s business and personal life. The emails hang the president out to dry.” In spite of all this, sources say the couple are “on good terms.” 

According to former Trump lawyer, Michael Cohen, all the pressure on Trump is likely to make the Former Guy turn against his closest allies. “He’s going to flip on all of them…he never sees himself as the problem, it’s always somebody else, including his wife,” Cohen maintains. “He’s going to turn on his accountant and point the finger; he’s going to say, ‘Don Jr. handled that, Ivanka handled that; Melania, don’t take me. Take Melania,” Cohen predicted. “That’s the kind of guy he is.” We have to admit that Cohen has seen it all, and judging by the recent account that Rudy Giuliani sought some financial relief from Trump to help with legal expenses, only to be turned away, he is likely correct.

A fiendish character approached Trump in New York City, offering to sell him an inexpensive cell phone, claiming it was Satan’s personal hotline, open for calling the Devil at any time. Trump smirked, but bought the phone anyway, and made a call. A five minute conversation convinced Trump to run for President, with a promise of a guaranteed win. Checking later, Trump found the call had cost him $5000, refusing to use the phone ever again. But he ran for President and won! Having no idea what to do in the job, he swallowed his pride and made another call to Satan. The Evil One was happy to be able to assist Trump in all the destructive policies he would later enact in his tenure. Waiting a few minutes, Trump decided to call about the charges. The bill was $5. He asked, “Why the big discount?” “It’s now a local call, sir.”

THE DEEP STATE, OTHER PEOPLE’S MONEY AND IRRELEVANCY

“It’s Joe Biden and ‘the deep state’ that are lying and unfairly trying to keep me from winning back the presidency!” That is only one of Donald Trump’s mantras along with his daily whining about the stolen election and his persecution in spite of his “innocence.” Upon closer examination he should discover that it has been an all-Republican crowd that has enlightened the investigations into his criminality beginning with the House J6 Committee and Special Counsel Jack Smith’s grand jury, both of which have found willing participants to weigh in on the former president’s schemes. Some have spoken up out of a patriotic duty, and some have done so to shield themselves legally or politically. Even Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell said to his Senate colleagues, “Trump didn’t get away with anything – yet. We have a criminal justice system in this country. We have civil litigation, and former presidents are not immune from being accountable by either one,” as he cast a vote to absolve the president of any wrongdoing after the J6 insurrection. What do you say now, Mitch? The man continues to destroy the Grand Old Party, casting himself as a leader of the MAGA subversives, using party funds to pay his legal team as he continues his grifting within the base to secure even more money. “I love other people’s money,” The Don is captured saying on video.

Many in the Congress have been quieted since the indictments began, but too many others create Trumpian distractions, while emphasizing a need for revenge, taking up The Don’s lead of “Go after me, I’ll come after you!” And as we’ve seen and continue to see, the crazy MAGA base is all too willing to heed the call. Following the Smith indictment, a Reuters/Ipsos poll indicated 45% of the GOP voters would not give Trump their vote if he is convicted of a felony; yet, 35% side with him anyway, with others being undecided. The party needs its leadership to step up, grow a backbone, and get back on course from the right-turn it took after the Nixon debacle, of catering to older, white and rural base, especially with the country becoming a racially diverse, younger and urban crowd. ‘Wokeness‘ cheerleader, Ron DeSantis, has seen his campaign flounder, mainly because he is an unlikeable jerk, but because the ‘anti-woke’ mantra has become boring…imagine, voters being more interested in economics and security! And, hopefully, sensibility! This ain’t no party, this ain’t no disco, this ain’t no fooling around!

Court testimony in Trump’s appearances by an all-Republican retinue will likely favor public support for the legal process, and remind the GOP about its supposed law and order planks of the past. Former VP Mike Pence will surely be a witness, with his recent statement ringing in our ears, “Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder: Anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States. Our country is more important than one man. Our Constitution is more important than any one man’s career.” Can’t you hear it now, the applause…or, wait, are they saying, “Hang Mike Pence! Hang Mike Pence!” Yep, that’s more like it. Or will we have the likes of the Utah man who fought the FBI’s incursion before Biden’s visit to the state, “dusting off my M24 sniper rifle” which he called ‘the Democrat eradicator?’ We have to end these attacks on democracy, the intentional tactics to divide us, and the vicious hate engendered by the MAGA crowd!

Senator Lindsey Graham’s on-again-off-again relationship with Trump, as he tries to stay in the good graces of the MAGA base, has resulted in his being accused of belittling himself in his home state. He was booed at a recent Silver Elephant Gala where Trump was keynote speaker, when he joked that the former president “beat him like a drum,” in reference their golfing together. Graham exhorted the attendees to “not screw with Trump or you’ll regret it.” Though the senator is not up for election until 2026, possible challengers are testing the waters already, seeing some vulnerability. Graham will likely be called to testify in Georgia, as Fulton County DA Fani Willis presents her case in Trump’s election interference. The Senator claims a commonality with the Former Guy, and “I’ve come to like him.” Maybe they can assign adjoining cells to accommodate this mutual admiration society.

A recent Mike Luckovich cartoon has Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and Assistant Supreme Court Justice Ginni Thomas, reacting to the duress of new revelations of even more gifts and travel. Ginni’s word balloon has her saying, “Being criticized for backing the coup and revelations Clarence repeatedly accepted financial gifts is very stressful.” Clarence appeals, “Hey, wealthy benefactors. We could use a vacation!” Sounds very true to life, no? ProPublica and The New York Times aren’t letting up, discovering more and more about the largesse accepted by the Thomases over three decades of Supreme Court tenure from industry titans and the ultra-wealthy.  Vacations aboard their yachts, premium suites at sports arenas, private jets to pick him up to join them in their squalor of riches, by the benefactors who share the ideology that propels his jurisprudence. The tally at this point, includes 38 destination vacations, one of which was a voyage on a yacht around the Bahamas; 26 private jet flights and eight helicopter trips; at least a dozen VIP passes to pro and college sports events, most viewed from a skybox; two stays at luxury resorts in Florida and Jamaica, with a standing invitation to an exclusive golf club on the Atlantic shore. This is probably only a partial list, an undercount, due to the difficulty in researching such information. Stays in private residences may not be unethical, but non-disclosure of the other generous gifts is over the line. The consistency of these violations is unprecedented, just for those gifted by Harlan Crow, originally pointed out by ProPublica; but now Berkshire Hathaway exec, David Sokol, is now on the list, as is late billionaire H. Wayne Huizenga. A Christmas tree and stockings hung by the fireplace are left year ’round in the Thomas household, ‘cuz the gifts keep rolling in.

Oil baron, Paul ‘Tony’ Novelly’s gifts have not been reported. Only Crow’s name appears in Thomas‘ financial disclosures as required by law, and who knows what value was given Crow’s largesse. Since 1991, Thomas has probably benefitted in the millions of dollars. Don Fox, the former general counsel of the US Office of Government Ethics and the senior ethics official in the executive branch, said, “It’s just the height of hypocrisy to wear the robes and live the lifestyle of a billionaire.” Working under both Democrat and Republican administrations, he advised every new political appointee the same thing: “Your wealthy friends are the ones you had before you were appointed…you don’t get to acquire any new ones.” The American taxpayer has the right to expect that Supreme Court justices are not living on the dime of others. Thomas and Novelly have not responded to questions, and Huizenga’s son, who survives his father, offered no response. Sokol defended his 21 year friendship with the Thomases and acknowledged trips together, defending the justice as upright and ethical, with conversations about helping young people, about sports, and discussing family matters. With security concerns nowadays, he feels justices should fly privately or on US government aircraft…not commercial. Especially with First Class being phased out by most carriers, huh? As Upton Sinclair said, “It is difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.” Both Thomases are well short of understanding anything and we just keep giving our tax dollars to him, as well as to his benefactors. Talk about double jeopardy! Comforting to know that Thomas accepts BOTH MasterCard and Visa, as well!

Of course, we can’t forget the $270K Prevost Marathon, the ‘Rolls Royce of Motor Coaches,’ mysteriously purchased for the Thomas Twins with a ‘loan’ by healthcare executive Anthony Welters, a loan never disclosed in 1999. But hey, it allows the part-time RV nomads to travel the country, just being regular schmoes, as they mix it up with the other Unethical DC Road Warrior Sugar Babies, looking for another handout. His accomplice, Supreme Court Justice aka Sugar Baby Alito, purple robed and wearing a tiara, is diligently scoping out the territory on that same trail. Poor Chief Justice John Roberts is probably still lamenting the loss of the retired Justice Stephen Breyer, who he confided was his “only friend on the Court.” That in contrast to Clarence Thomas‘ referring to the court makeup prior to Roberts appointment, as a “fabulous court…we were family.” Sadly, it’s the ‘Robert’s Court’ in name only. “I don’t think I would want to be Roberts right now,” says USC law professor, Lee Epstein, whose specialty is examining voting patterns of the court. “He has some very aggressive, ambitious colleagues on this right who want to do a lot very quickly, and that’s just so not Roberts. He tries to slow things down, but they’re not going to be slowed.” 

Mike Davis, who worked to get Trump’s judicial nominees confirmed, now heading the conservative Article III Project, says of Roberts, “He’s just less relevant now. Trump transformed the 5-4 John Roberts court into the 5-4 Clarence Thomas court, meaning the court’s just going to follow the law and not be concerned about the political fallout.” Harvard Law School professor emeritus, Laurence H. Tribe, co-author of the book on the Roberts court, made the same point from the opposite ideological perspective. “He’s largely irrelevant, except that the court has gone so far, so fast that he may become more relevant depending on whether anybody else is chastened,” Tribe says. Roberts risks appearing weak if he insists on a slower approach, losing what little ability he retains to influence and constrain the conservative majority. If he votes with that majority, it’s a risk that he contributes to what he is trying to prevent: the decline of the institution. The vote of the Chief Justice is just one of nine, with his authority of being able to assign the authorship of opinions when he is in the majority. Roberts, with his eye on history has been quoted as saying, “It’s sobering to think of the seventeen chief justices; certainly a solid majority of them have to be characterized as failures; the successful ones are hard to number.” He would prefer that the nine would speak as one, and not with discord and dissent…a charming and old-fashioned idea, not seen for at least thirty-five years or so.

Not likely to make it to the Supreme Court, or even out of the county, Ocean Fathoms, a company which ages $500 wine under the ocean, has been busted by Santa Barbara’s DA over alcohol being stored offshore without any permits. Seems that the firm failed to procure an ABC sales permit, while also failing to pay sales taxes on their limited sales, then abandoning the cache which they claimed would be a developing reef ecosystem, a violation of the Water Code. The FDA considered the wine unfit for human consumption after a prolonged submersion, so what were these guys thinking?

Following Trump’s 2016 election victory, the Obamas invited Donald and Melania to the Oval Office for a preview. After some pleasantries, The Don asked to use the bathroom, and was astonished to see a solid gold urinal, later telling Melania excitedly about his discovery. That evening, Barack and Michelle were discussing the visit, with Michelle asking her husband, “Guess who peed in your saxophone?” Whatever your path there are always a few puddles!

WHERE HAVE YOU GONE JOE DIMAGGIO? …AND WALTER CRONKITE? …JOBS AVAILABLE!

Former President Donald J. Trump was finally indicted last week on four federal charges: conspiracy to defraud the U.S., conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction or attempted obstruction of an official proceeding and conspiracy against voting rights. As expected, he pleaded ‘not guilty,’ conducting himself in a respectful demeanor in the proceedings with an air of ‘been there, done that.’ Get used to it Donny Bratso! Before boarding his plane to Washington, Donny had to spew a few words on his social media site about being persecuted for challenging “a corrupt, rigged, and stolen election. It is a great honor, because I am being arrested for you. I need one more indictment to ensure my election!” All words in caps, as you might have guessed.

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/3, 4:08am – Deep State Invasion! Please make a contribution to fight TYRANNY – send money.

After the latest Trump indictment, President Biden had no comment, and other living presidents were quiet as well. The vacuity of any comments from a “trusted singular voice of moral authority,” brought on the Trump partisans with their accusatory rhetoric which will engulf the court cases, as well as the presidential race. Following Richard Nixon’s resignation, Washington Post’s Toluse Olorunnipa cites the presence of Walter Cronkite, Senator Howard Baker and other Republicans, and even Vice President Ford before he fumbled by pardoning Nixon. He quotes presidential historian, David Brinkley, who said, “There’s nobody that the public at large is willing to listen to, because the trust in government has corroded to such a low degree; and, the polling on journalists, the Supreme Court, Congress, the Presidency are all low. People aren’t admiring our public servants.” Biden is keeping a low profile to lessen charges of political interference, with ongoing legal difficulties of Hunter Biden making it more difficult to speak out, thereby playing into the hands of Trump’s rabble-rousing base.

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/3, 1:08pm – My last email before my arraignment. I have committed no crimes! Thanks for your support, prayers, and sacrifices. Contribute to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

Trump, after pleading ‘not guilty,’ claims his prosecution is “a persecution of a political opponent. If you can’t beat him, you persecute him or you prosecute him. We can’t let this happen in America.” He has alleged that he is being undermined by “saboteurs, to include journalists, prosecutors, judges, military leaders, intelligence officials, former presidents and government bureaucrats, resulting in a broad list of nonpartisan figures being drawn in to such a point that no national figures have been able to speak to the moment with a sense of gravitas that might be broadly accepted across political battle lines,” says Olorunnipa. Russell Riley, presidential historian at the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, feels that though American history is full of examples of deep ideological divisions, today’s battles lack a sense of “loser’s grace” in which both sides agree to accept the outcome and move on.

Eric Trump email: 8/3, 1:54pm – A dark day for the country, an innocent man committed no crimes. Patriots, send money!

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/3, 4:13pm – What I thought on the drive back from the D.C. court house. I saw the filth, the decay, the broken buildings, walls of graffiti. Please send money!

“What is distinctive today is not, essentially, that we don’t have a common national figure both sides can turn to. The system wasn’t built to require a Walter Cronkite to pronounce from on high that something is profoundly wrong. It was constructed on the premise that losers would accept the expressed will of the people. That’s the responsibility of a loser. And when it is not exercised, the system wobbles,” says Riley. Brinkley feels that Trump’s strategy of denigrating Special Counsel Jack Smith and the broader justice system, with the implicit goal of effectively putting his case before voters rather than jurors, increases the likelihood that the 2024 race will be dominated by debates over the status of the nation’s democracy. “When Cronkite left in 1981, we lost a referee on public affairs; with the advent of cable and the internet and social media, it’s completely balkanized. Now, everybody is a consumer of the media they want.”

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/3, 6:04pm – I’M BACK HOME. Thanks for the support of the past 48 hours. Nothing truly great in life EVER comes easily. SAVE AMERICA, send money!

Nixon bowed out once his own party was done with him, but Trump’s eminence grows within the GOP with each new indictment. Outliers such as Mitt Romney, Chris Christie, Bill Barr, and Johnny-Come-Lately Mike ‘Too Honest’ Pence are finding themselves even more isolated as they speak out against Trump. Pence didn’t go to the FBI when Trump’s arm-twisting failed to convince him to overturn the election, and he refused to appear before the J6 House Committee, but he was forced to respond and cooperate with Jack Smith, bringing his trove of contemporaneous notes which documented the pressure he was subject to in the days following the 2020 election. He did his legal duty, refusing to join the coup plotters, but the yellow streak down his spine for the past three years had been verging into a brilliant Day-Glo until he was questioned by reporters following his former boss’ recent court appearance. “Today’s indictment serves as an important reminder: anyone who puts himself over the Constitution should never be President of the United States. Sadly, the president was surrounded by a group of crackpot lawyers that kept telling him what his itching ears wanted to hear. And while I made my case to him, with what I understood my oath of the Constitution to require, the president ultimately continued to demand that I choose him over the Constitution.” That ‘crackpot lawyers’ phrase may be part of The Former Guy’s defense…don’t give it away, Mikey! By the way, the MAGAs hate you more than ever, so don’t try to snap them out of their moral stupor.

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/3, 6:06pm – YOU are the President’s hope. His courage, his unbreakable resolve can’t be bought, bullied or controlled. Send money!

On CNN, Pence admits he testified before the grand jury once he got clarification about the protections he had under the Constitution in his role of president of the Senate as the Congress conducted official count of Electoral College votes on January 6, 2021. He said he has no plans for further testimony, but will always comply with the law. Trump attorney, John Lauro, on the other hand says he can’t wait to cross examine Pence during the trial “because he will completely eliminate any doubt that Mr. Trump firmly believed that the election irregularities had let to inappropriate results,” he told ABC’s George Stephanopoulos. Lauro explains, “Trump thought his VP was certifying an election that was not lawful and he had every right to petition Pence to deal with the issue.” Facing Dana Bash on CNN, Lauro defends Trump in saying he “asked” Pence to overturn the election in an “aspirational” way. He said, “Asking is aspirational. Asking is not action. Its core free speech. The Press should be defending free speech. Asking is covered by the First Amendment.” The indictment against Trump is quite lengthy as it details his pressure campaign on VP Pence to cooperate with his plan to stop the counting of the Electoral College votes in his ceremonial duties. Pence’s notes show that The Don accused him of being “too honest” when he rejected his slanted notion of the law.

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/4, 8:37am – Will you join me for dinner? America vanishing under Joe Biden. An important dinner for grassroots patriots – contribute any amount to enter for a chance to win a VIP ticket, round-trip coach airfare and hotel accommodations for two to Nashville. Included is a photograph of the winner(s) with Trump, approximate retail value $5K – send money!

Attorney George Conway, of Lincoln Project and Kellyanne Conway fame, asked what advice he would give Trump if he were on his team, offered, “I would tell him that he needs to own up to it and plead guilty and work out a deal with the government. One of the things the Justice Department will consider doing in settling, in plea-bargaining political corruption cases, is to take a commitment from the defendant, and enforceable commitment, not to hold office again, to resign. Vice President Spiro Agnew had to resign as part of his nolo contendre plea in 1973. And so, what I would say is, you need to work out the best deal possible, and you just have to say, you’re just gonna leave public life and pay a fine, and I’d do my best to keep him out of prison. He’s never going to agree with that. He’s not going to plead. But that would be his best move: I’ll leave the republic alone, and you leave me alone. The problem with it, of course, is that even the suggestion of it that came from the Justice Department would be pointed to by Trump and his supporters as, ‘Ah, this is why you’re doing that.’ And in a sense, they’re not wrong. One of the reasons we have to do this, why we have to make sure we enforce the law, is so that somebody can’t do this again. It is actually an important function of criminal law not just to deter people but to basically prevent them from committing further crimes.” A noteworthy quote from Steve Schmidt on his ‘The Warning’ blog: “Donald Trump did more than break the law. He assailed the American civilization and way of life, while desecrating the sacrifices of ten generations of Americans who recognized that freedom is paramount in the United States and the people are sovereign. Trump broke the American creed and tried to make himself king.” Steve’s entire Sunday posting is worth a look-see, entitled ‘The hour of choosing has arrived’ as he looks back at founding father, George Washington.

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/4, 9:03am – Eric Trump says: My father officially arraigned, in the belly of the beast, closer to Biden Tyranny! Never give up – send money!

The Washington Post says the former President and his legal team see an upside to the latest case against him, allowing him to use the upcoming trial to further argue his false claims of a stolen 2020 election. The showdown is poised to push his insistence that election fraud occurred into the midst of the 2020 presidential campaign, about which many in the GOP, including his own advisers, wish he would stop whining about. Former White House chief of staff, John F. Kelly says, “He is never going to stop saying the election is stolen because that would force him to admit he is a loser.” Trump wants to subpoena prospective witnesses who will argue that he won in 2020, while prosecutors allege he knew very well that he lost. Democrats delight that The Don is choosing this tack, causing consternation among GOP strategists who would prefer to pursue different focal points. Mercifully, Trump did not give a defiant speech after his court appearance, ignoring shouted questions from the press, and conspicuously, no nighttime rally was held. Trump staffers were annoyed that Washington traffic control offered no partiality as his motorcade struggled through rush-hour traffic, forcing them to view a slightly hostile crowd longer than they wished. Especially grating was a Biden flag on a corner near the courthouse.

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: See 8/3, 4:13am above

Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire predicted to CNN’s Poppy Harlow that the 2024 election will not be contested by either Biden or Trump. He says Trump is “very, very beatable” with an opportunity for a breakthrough by a rival, Vivek Ramaswamy being especially exciting to people. He also names Pence, Haley and Scott as “great individuals with amazing records,” with a mention of North Dakota’s Governor Doug Burgum starting to raise money. As for Biden, Sununu thinks he will go through the primary process, collect all the delegates, and arrive at a wild convention where he and his people start steering the delegates somewhere else. All this resulting from a health issue and “the Hunter Biden thing.”

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/4, 1:05pm – TRUMP IS CRUSHING GOP RIVALS, according to Times/Siena Poll! George Soros supports CROOKED JOE! Send money to Primary Victory Fund. FIRE Crooked Joe and Love America!

A protective order was given to Trump and his legal team by the judge during the hearing in view of The Don’s history of posts on social media, to protect witnesses, judges, attorneys and prospective jurors, but within hours he had posted, “IF YOU GO AFTER ME, I’M COMING AFTER YOU!” The Justice Department then asked the judge overseeing the case to step in to counter this promise of revenge resulting in an order for the defendant to appear in court to answer this apparent threat. The legal team then asked for a three-day extension, but the judge isn’t playing this game of delay, so Monday was the day! A spokesman immediately posted on Trump’s MAGA site, “The Truth post cited is the definition of political speech, and was in response to the RINO, China-loving, dishonest special interest groups and Super PACs, like the one funded by the Koch brothers and the Club for No Growth.” Let’s add Hair Club for Men, for good measure!

Win.donaldjtrump.com email: 8/4, 1:44pm – FOLLOW UP INVITE TO PRESIDENT’S TRUST FOUNDATION MEMBERSHIP, despicable witch hunt, own party backstabbing, need trusted allies to defend me. Send contribution to fund your membership within The President’s Trust.

Harvard law professor, Laurence Tribe, told MSNBC’s Lawrence O’Donnell that Jack Smith’s indictment against Trump is “brilliant,” but that the one factor that could render the whole thing moot is “timing.” He feels that Attorney General Merrick Garland might have proceeded faster to prevent the case from dragging on into the next presidency. “If the next presidency is held either by Donald Trump or by one of his acolytes or by virtually any Republican, there is the horrible prospect that this will be wiped away, being relegated to a historic footnote” he said. Several of Trump’s GOP opponents have indicated they might, or will, pardon Trump, reminding us how “vulnerable and fragile” our legal system is. Tribe adds, “We have a system that might go too slowly, that might be too opaque, and a system that is not at all guaranteed to triumph over politics.”

Win.donaldjtrump.com email (from Team Trump): 8/4, 3:41pm – BIDEN’S WEAPONIZED DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE ATTEMPTS TO JAIL PRESIDENT TRUMP FOR LIFE, an innocent man, you are selected from your ZIP Code to participate in a head-to-head poll. IF ELECTION WERE HELD TODAY WHO WOULD YOU VOTE FOR? ? PRESIDENT DONALD J. TRUMP. ? CROOKED JOE BIDEN

So, even with Special Prosecutor Jack Smith’s brilliantly written indictment, he and his team still have a job to do…as do we! Two out of three of Trump’s wives were immigrants to the US, so what conclusion can we draw from this? Immigrants were needed to do jobs that most Americans wouldn’t do. Remember…he is doing this for you! Explains why Trump is still reaching out to Vladimir Putin?

Moral questions: If Donald Trump and Justin Trudeau were drowning and you could only save one of them, where would you and Justin Trudeau go for lunch afterwards? If Donald Trump and Putin were drowning and you could only save one of them, where would you and Justin Trudeau go for lunch instead?

INSTANT CREDIBILITY WITH PUSILLANIMOUS COCKROACHES

It wasn’t exactly a Zombie Jamboree in the House chambers recently, but it was a belly-to-belly, nose-to-nose confrontation between Representative Eric Swalwell and House Speaker Kevin McCarthy as the bad blood between the two culminated in a scene out of the 1800s, with threats of fisticuffs after the House voted to censure Representative Adam Schiff for being unkind to Former Guy Trump, and to politically harm Schiff’s run for a Senate seat. Following McCarthy’s tedious rise to the speakership, came the removal of Swalwell from the House Intelligence Committee, along with unproven GOP accusations of his having a romantic fling with a Chinese spy, raising the temperature of the animosity between the two. The censure vote immediately brought the Democrat side of the House to gather en masse in the well of the floor facing the podium, with shouts of “shame, shame,” as Speaker McCarthy attempted to restore order. After Schiff took his position in the well to have the censure document read to him, McCarthy was unable to do so for several minutes as the vociferous demonstration continued, eventually blurting out in exasperation, “I’ve got all night!”

During this clamorous protest, a voice directed at the speaker stood out, calling him a ‘pusillanimous, gutless coward’ – or, ahem, something to that effect, prompting angry stares from McCarthy toward Swalwell. The following day, McCarthy approached Democrat Swalwell outside of the chambers, saying, “If you ever say something like that to me again, I’m gonna kick the s*** out of you.” Eyes ablaze, nose-to-nose, Swalwell retorted, “You. Are. A. Pusi….,” whereupon McCarthy exited with his pusillanimous wimpyness tucked between his legs. Democrats are exultant about the confrontation and its outcome, believing it’s indicative of the GOP speaker’s empty threats and ultimate weakness. This incident is yet another manifestation of the negatives in our politics, a reflection of society as a whole. And it’s not just the guys, as we saw in the June floor fight between Marjorie Taylor Greene and Lauren Boebert with their intra-party squabble and name-calling. Seems to be a battle against the clock on whether the GOP destroys itself before it’s able to destroy the country.

As Andy Borowitz writes in the New Yorker, with new charges being added onto previous charges brought by Prosecutor Jack Smith against Donald Trump, most political experts believe the Former Guy is but a few indictments away from clinching the Republican nomination. With The Don’s felony counts in the double digits, and likewise in voter polls, Ron DeSantis should just go home because he can’t go big. As Borowitz’s fictitious pollster, Harland Dorrinson, says, “For today’s Republican voter, felony counts confer instant credibility, and, by that measure, no other candidate comes close to Trump.” He adds that pressure is on DeSantis “to get indicted for something — and fast. There’s a chance that he could be charged with human trafficking for transporting migrants from the Mexican border to Martha’s Vineyard, but that indictment might be too little, too late.”

At an early July GOP fundraiser, headliner DeSantis was only able to attract 380 ticket buyers, so to prevent echoing in the oversized space and to make the venue look smaller, ‘air walls’ were placed around the room to close off the unfilled seats. His lackluster speech was too familiar to be of any consequence, sounding like a “bar mitzvah speech” to one attendee. Applause occurred when he was introduced and when he was done…hello and goodbye. Some feel it’s too early to write him off, but homeboy Trump has a better footing by a wide margin, even as Governor DeSantis turns further to the right on many issues. However, many in the GOP feel that  “stabbing Trump in the back” in running against the Former Guy has forever damaged his political career.

DeSantis probably could have picked up an indictment if not for a recent law passed by Florida’s legislature, which shields the governor’s travel records from public disclosure. Seems the gov’s state government vehicle was involved in a minor crash in Tennessee as he campaigned for the GOP presidential nomination. So, Florida’s taxpayers only learned that they were contributing to Ron’s ambitions as a result of the accident. State representative, Anna Eskamani, a Democrat from Orlando, said, “He’s using state resources to boost himself politically. It makes you wonder how often state vehicles and our public employees are being used at out-of-state campaign events.” Poor Ron, having to resort to using state employees to bolster his campaign after firing a multitude of his staff from the sagging fortunes of the campaign thrust. His fall is so dramatic, it’s Kafkaesque as DeSantis has awakened to find himself transformed into a cockroach, a la ‘Metamorphosis.’ Just call him ‘Gregor.’ As Rick Wilson of the Lincoln Project says, “The DeSantis Campaign has developed ‘electile dysfunction.”

DeSantis Campaign filings show over ninety people on the payroll during his first fundraising period, with $12M in the bank, of which $3M must be used only during the general election. The second quarter shows $14M came from donors who gave the maximum legal amount, so two-thirds of his early donors will be unable to give directly to the campaign for the duration. With the campaign gaining little traction, many of the big guns who supported him initially have withheld further donations, and some have switched their loyalties. Little headway has been made to cut into Trump’s big lead in the polls, which will lead to doubling-down in the early voting states, especially Iowa which would be a crucial marker for his candidacy. The ‘Never Back Down’ organization will also focus on the Super Tuesday states, with California slated to see eighty or so organizers hitting the trail soon; but for now, it’s ‘Iowa, Iowa, Iowa.’

Hunter, contributor to Daily Kos, writes that DeSantis is currently on tour in Iowa, on a bus arranged for him by his super PAC as an invited ride-along ‘guest’ independent of his official campaign…he just happened to have some free time to spend with exact dates and locations of the bus! This is a work-around for an otherwise illegal situation. The spitemobile bus is low-slung, perfect for the campaign trail in flatland Iowa, but it could all be undone should it hit a Bud Light bottle discarded on the roadway. For those who wish to either meet or avoid DeSantis, a Google search can locate the bus’s location as it makes the county fair loop around the state.

DeSantis‘ wife, Casey, is seen as a great asset at glad-handing, making Iowa an ideal location for her talents, but Ron himself needs to find his groove, lacking so far. Casey has been called ‘Lady Macbeth’ for the strength she has exhibited in the political arena, with her husband coming to her defense after she was called ‘America’s Karen’ by former Florida Republican congressman, David Jolly on MSNBC. “Casey DeSantis is a fairly compelling political figure in Florida, and now nationally. For many, she’s the brighter side to Florida’s angry governor. For others, she’s become ‘America’s Karen.’ And I think that’s the ultimate disconnect here with a campaign that needs to embrace more constituencies to get to the White House,” Jolly observes.

Aldous J. Pennyfarthing writes that DeSantis initially embraced the COVID–19 vaccine rollout, until he decided that living people were ‘too woke,’ thereupon turning against it. Aldous suggests he might work into his campaign speeches, ‘how to get your inheritance early.’ Researchers have found that the gap in excess death rates were larger in counties with lower vaccination rates, with differences in attitudes and uptake among Republican and Democrat voters “may have been factors in the severity and trajectory of the pandemic” in the United States. A Harvard study from December 2022 found that the more control Republicans had, the more likely you were to end up in a pine box. A recent article published by Lancet Regional Health-Americas found that the more conservative the voting records of members of Congress and state legislatures, the higher the age-adjusted COVID mortality rates. Rates were eleven percent higher in states with Republican-controlled governments and twenty-six percent higher in areas where voters lean conservative. You aren’t likely to find that information in any of DeSantis’ campaign literature, the studies exploding the myth that the GOP has ever really cared about human lives…their own or others. As the saying goes, “Nationalism does nothing but teach you to hate people you never met, and to take pride in accomplishments you had no part in.”

Reuters reported a while back that a video shared by the DeSantis campaign attacked Trump’s stance on LGBTQ rights, was scorned by gay Republicans who called it homophobic. It starts off highlighting Trump’s past support for LGBTQ Americans, then contrasts it with clips of commentators attacking the Florida governor’s anti-transgender policies. The Log Cabin Republicans, a group representing LGBTQ conservatives, said the ad “ventured into homophobic territory.” Any volunteers to break it to them?

And keeping His Prominence in the news, Elon Musk this week changed the Twitter brand to ‘X.‘ Satirist Andy Borowitz reports that Musk is also changing his name to WTF, “because it fits me better.” The company held a ‘fun name contest’ among employees, as a perk for coming in to the office rather than working from home, enabling them to do cool stuff. The second favorite name voted upon was LMFAO, which presented a strong challenge to WTF, but as long as Elon is happy, everyone is happy.

UNDERPRIVILEGED UNITARY CRUSADERS IN A SMALL TOWN

Country singer and Donald J. Trump advocate, Jason Aldean, has had a tough time recently, as he tries to explain away the backlash his current music video and song lyrics have stirred up. The Macon, Georgia native released the politically charged song in May, but with the hostile warnings in the lyrics and the video footage being performed on the steps of a Tennessee courthouse, the site of a historic lynching, his song ‘Try That In A Small Town,’ has accusers calling it a racist dog whistle. Aldean maintains it has nothing to do with race, but the usual suspects have come to his defense…Ron DeSantis for one. Country Music Television pulled the video from its rotation because of its troubling imagery, which Aldean defends using because, “There isn’t a single video clip that isn’t real news footage.” It has been pointed out that some of the footage is gathered from around the globe. His explanation that the song is wholesome, referring to the community where he grew up, where neighbors were taken care of, regardless of differences of background or belief. His right-wing views were voiced in an interview, “When you got kids and you’re kind of seeing the future for them, it’s pretty scary. So, I think for me, just seeing that, just how everything has been the last couple of years has been pretty wild. A lot of things that I don’t agree with, and sometimes it’s kind of hard for me to sit back and not say anything.” And in the end, Jason, you didn’t really say anything worthwhile!

The Former Guy couldn’t have said it any better, Jason…whatever it is you said! John Ware writes on Quora that he used a chatbot program to analyze Trump’s vocabulary based on 200 speeches and press conferences, using none of his books because he didn’t write any of them anyway, being notorious for his non-writing skills. Even many of his Truth Social posts are ghost-written, with his own POSTS BEING EASILY IDENTIFIABLE. Ware says the average American adult can assimilate 25K to 35K words, though most people don’t use that many words in conversation or writing even though there is familiarity, but adequately incorporating around 10K words. Chatbot tallied only about 1,975 words in Trump’s speeches, with the ‘go-to’ words being adverbs and adjectives. The average American 5-year old uses 2,200 to 3,500 words in their conversations!

And, perhaps a limited vocabulary is all The Don will need as he and his base attempt to overhaul the federal government toward dictatorial powers for the future President Trump. This has been a longstanding GOP plan, and Trump has alluded to such a scenario many times, revealing his admiration for global dictators quite blatantly. Steve Bannon rants, “This is a crusade! This is a Holy War against the Deep State! Donald Trump is our instrument for retribution!” Political advisor, John McEntee, who served in the Trump Administration, says, “Our current executive branch was conceived of by liberals for the purpose of promulgating liberal policies. There is no way to make the existing structure function in a conservative manner. It’s not enough to get the personnel right. What’s necessary is a complete system overhaul.” Former Office of Management and Budget head, Russell Vought, goes further, “What we’re trying to do is identify the pockets of independence and seize them.” Can they make it any clearer that the federal government will be in complete control of one person (and his 1,975 words)? High on The Base’s list is the ability to impound Congress‘ appropriated funds, returning the money to the treasury – which would require changing a 1974 policy responding to President Nixon’s executive overreach. Trump wants more control over independent federal agencies, such as the FCC, the Federal Reserve, and in particular Civil Service for placing his loyalists. The FBI will become his ‘instrument for retribution’ to persecute his political enemies.

Former Attorney General William Barr has long been an advocate of increased presidential power, formerly being AG for a less radical President George H.W. Bush. Barr has long promoted the idea of the ‘unitary executive,’ also favored by the George W. Bush administration, where power lies with the president to make all executive branch decisions including hiring, firing and whether or not to initiate or end a criminal prosecution. Hmm…smell a rat? If Trump can somehow move this forward, elected or not, the next Republican president will gladly accept this gift of fewer checks and balances and continue to push it to the next level to consolidate one man control. Justice Antonin Scalia, another proponent of the theory, believed that Article II of the Constitution gives the president authority to control all executive action with the first line stating, “The executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States.” Scalia asserted, “This does not mean SOME of the executive power, but ALL of the executive power.”

Robert Reich warns, “Make no mistake: the ‘unitary executive’ theory is thinly disguised justification for authoritarianism. If implemented, it would be a major step for the anti-democracy movement.” Reich worked in the Justice Department under AG Edward Levi to implement the 1974 policy which counteracted Nixon’s use of Justice to go after his political enemies. The new guidelines, which never actually made it into law, allowed a president to set broad policies for the department, but barred a president from involvement in specific criminal case decisions absent extraordinary circumstances, especially one with foreign policy ramifications. Should Trump be elected, at least five Supreme Court justices would have to approve; and it should be noted that in June, three justices suggested use of the ‘unitary executive’ theory to invalidate whistleblowers’ lawsuits because the president didn’t appoint them. Cue the scary music…

Robert Harrington writes on The Palmer Report that there is no insurrection charge against Trump in Prosecutor Jack Smith’s target letter to The Former Guy. It doesn’t mean that charge will be ignored, only that there is no mention, with no law requiring it, nor even requiring a target letter. Harrington is hoping that charge is made, that Trump is found guilty, making him automatically ineligible from holding any public office for the rest of his life per the fourteenth amendment of the Constitution. Section 3 says, “No person shall be a Senator or Representative in Congress, or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil for military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof. But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each House, remove such disability.” Whoa! Who threw in the loophole? We can only hope that with the makeup of the Congress that never comes to pass, but The Base is salivating over that final line. We need to encourage secretaries of state, who oversee the administration of elections at the state level, to follow the law and keep Trump off the ballot should that charge, and conviction, come to pass.

Aldous J. Pennyfarthing reports that MyPillow CEO, and quasi-cognizant pornstache mannequin, Mike Lindell, is still pursuing his truth about rigged electronic voting machines. Rather than any Chinese Communist infiltration, at this point he’s only proven that Chinese weevils have infiltrated his brain, and to celebrate his steadfastness he is having a garage sale. Aldous says, “Lindell has listed more than 850 pieces of surplus MyPillow equipment on K-Bid’s online auction site for people who are on flush #14 of Donald Trump’s comprehensive 15-Flush, life-ruining regimen. Why? Because Lindell bet big on Trump, which is a little like putting your life savings on ‘cerulean 85’ at the roulette table. But hey – at least he’s got a purpose.” It has been reported that Walmart, Bed Bath & Beyond and Slumberland Furniture will no longer sell his products as a result of his false election claims. In a phone interview, Lindell said, “It was a massive, massive cancellation. We lost $100M from attacks by the box stores, the shopping networks, the shopping channels, all of them did cancel culture on us.” Aldous J. encourages us to check out his industrial sewing machines, a forklift, or a half-spent tube of lavender-and-knockwurst-scented mustache pomade on K-Bid.

Gotta hand it to him for persistence, however! Election results are still wrong and he is hosting yet another event, a Kookchella, next month with suggestions for new election methods. Aldous reveals, “Taking one’s pillows off the shelves for his attempt to destroy American democracy doesn’t really qualify as an ‘attack.’ Walmart eventually stopped carrying Pol Pot pies and Frosted Mussolini Wheats, too. Because it’s the responsible thing to do.” MyPillow is now relying on direct sales through TV commercials, emails, radio spots and direct mail. Due to this change, they are also subleasing some of the manufacturing space. Spin on, Mikey! Aldous J. points out, “There’s still hope for MyPillow despite the potentially apocalyptic defamation lawsuits from Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic that hang over his head like the Arby’s Roast Beef Slicer of Damocles. Guess open fascism isn’t the can’t-miss business model it used to be. Go figure.”

And can it be? Will Ginni Thomas, wife and pillow-talker to Justice Clarence Thomas finally get her day in court? Newsweek magazine reports there are calls for Virginia Thomas to face investigation  for allegedly trying to overturn the 2020 election results after 16 Republicans were charged in Michigan over a ‘false elector’ plot. She has been under scrutiny over her actions in the wake of the election, including sending messages to Trump Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, urging him to help overturn the election results, describing Joe Biden’s fair victory as the ‘greatest heist of our history.’ She is alleged to have sent emails to dozens of Arizona election officials and lawmakers claiming it was their ‘Constitutional duty’ to install ‘clean slate of electors’ who would be willing to declare Trump the winner in the Grand Canyon State in 2020. Thomas is said to have told the lawmakers to “stand strong in the face of political and media pressure” and falsely claimed the responsibility to choose electors was “yours and yours alone.” No comments so far from Ginni or the Judge…no one knows their whereabouts. Only Harlan Crow knows ‘where in the world are the Thomases?’

Even after the GOP’s House Freedom Caucus grew tired of her antics and ousted her from its ranks a couple of weeks ago, Marjorie Taylor Greene felt the need to further lower herself with more of her fifth-grade-level stunts by showing sexually explicit photos of Hunter Biden during a congressional hearing last week. Faces of those involved in the sex acts were obscured, but Biden’s face was visible. Those attending the House Oversight and Accountability Committee hearing which featured testimony from two IRS whistleblowers who allege that prosecutors slow-walked the investigation into President Biden’s son, were treated to Greene’s posters gleaned from the younger Biden’s laptop hard drive that Republicans have been flaunting for months now. “Before we begin, I would like to let the committee and everyone watching at home know that parental discretion is advised,” Greene warned prior to her first question. Immediately, Jamie Raskin, top Democrat on the panel asked Chairman James Comer, “Should we be displaying this?” Greene claimed that Hunter had improperly charged payments from his company to prostitutes, unconfirmed by IRS whistleblower Joseph Ziegler, though he believed some deductions were for escorts, and one payment for a ‘golf membership’ actually went to a ‘sex club.’

The following day, Raskin argued that Greene had violated House Rules. “Yesterday they took us to a new low when Marjorie Taylor Greene decided for completely gratuitous reasons to show purported pornographic scenes of Hunter Biden. I mean, if that is not a violation of rules of decorum of the House, then we don’t have rules of decorum in the House,” he said. “And if those images were in a book, the Republicans would be voting to ban them. Instead, they decided to display them to the whole country in the House of Representatives.”

As might be expected, Hunter’s lawyer, Abbe David Lowell, filed an ethics complaint against Greene, requesting a review of her actions by the Office of Congressional Ethics (OCE), as being “abhorrent behavior that blatantly violates House Ethics rules and standards of misconduct. If the OCE takes its responsibilities seriously, it will promptly and decisively condemn Ms. Greene for her latest actions.” Lowell added, “Now more than ever, the House has a duty to make loud and clear that it does not endorse, condone, or agree with her outrageous, undignified conduct and brazen violations of the standards of official conduct that do not reflect creditably on the House of Representatives. Rather than evaluate the credibility of the IRS agents’ testimony or review our tax laws, Mr. Greene sought to use the power of her office to generate some clicks online, fundraise, and provide sensationalist clips for Fox News at the expense of harassing and embarrassing Mr. Biden, a private citizen.” According to Lowell, MTG then sent out fundraising emails to her constituents, which included a link to the video she presented to the House, likely in violation of federal law.

The OCE is a nonpartisan, independent entity established by the House, for reviewing allegations of misconduct involving lawmakers, officers and House staff, referring matters to the Ethics Committee if warranted. No comment was forthcoming from the OCE, and Greene was silent as well, as she attempts to finish reading the complete works of Jimmy Swaggart in her off-time. During the session, Greene asked questions regarding the Mann Act, which criminalizes the transport of women across state lines for prostitution, in order to further sensationalize her presentation to the committee.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis‘ glorification of the benefits of slavery which is slated for the curricula of the state’s school children, is given a satirical appraisal by The New Yorker’s Andy Borowitz: “An unskilled Florida man said that he deeply regrets having missed out on the opportunity to be a slave. The man said his ‘lack of access to enslavement’ had made his acquisition of essential skills ‘impossible.’ He argued that being barred from servitude was a form of ‘white underprivilege.’ and that Caucasians who suffer from a resulting skills deficit deserve reparations.” In reality, might we expect that to be the next GOP refrain?

A CANNONADE OF INDICTMENTS, DELAYS, AND MELANIA SPEAKS!

“Defendants claim that this court could not select an impartial jury until after the presidential election does not justify further delay here.” And with that assertion, Prosecutor Jack Smith slices through the Trump defense team’s attempt to delay any immediate court action against Benedict Donald before Judge Aileen Cannon. Smith goes on to say, “Our Jury system relies on the Court’s authority to craft a thorough and effective jury selection process and on prospective jurors’ ability and willingness to decide cases based on the evidence presented to them, guided by legal instructions from the court. The demands of the defendant’s professional schedules do not provide a basis to delay the trial in this case. Many indicted defendants have demanding jobs that require a considerable amount of their time and energy, or a significant amount of travel. The Speedy Trial Act contemplates no such factor as a basis for a continuance, and the court should not indulge it here.” At this point (Monday, 7-17) Judge Cannon has made no decision about the delaying tactic which would allow Trump to continue with his so-called presidential campaign; but legal analyst Glenn Kirschner believes that even with her questionable impartiality, it’s not time to lose faith in the justice system. “I’m not prepared to say she’s going to give in to Donald Trump’s demands,” Kirschner says, “but if she does, I think it might inspire the prosecutors to file a motion to have her removed from the case. That’s what I’m hoping for and almost expecting.”

Prosecutors and Trump’s legal team were scheduled for a first appearance before Judge Cannon this past Tuesday, in Fort Pierce, FL, to set the procedure for handling classified materials and pretrial motions, and possibly, to consider the pending motion to reschedule the trial date…post-election, if Trump gets his druthers. On Fox News’ Sunday Morning Futures, Trump laid it on thick, saying about Judge Cannon, “I know she’s a very highly respected judge. A very smart judge and a very strong judge. She is very smart, very strong, and loves our country. We need judges that love our country so they can do the right thing.” The hearing was not public because of the issues under discussion…at least until The Don starts his blathering campaign on Truth Social about whether his “strong judge” is still likable, and despite his legal team’s attempts to rein in his commentary of derogation and threats toward the law and his prosecutors.

Trump’s lawyers filed the injunction with Cannon requesting an indefinite postponement of his stolen documents trial since, “Trump can’t get a fair trial because they will never be able to ‘seat an impartial jury because of pretrial publicity and an inflamed community atmosphere.” Robert Harrington writes in The Palmer Report, “Donald Trump has metaphorically just crapped on someone’s porch and rang the doorbell asking for toilet paper. He’s spent years on his crappy, third rate, failing social media platform, ‘Truth Social,’ inflaming the public. Now that they are duly inflamed he is using it as an excuse to avoid responsibility for his own criminal behavior. This is what Trump means when he says he loves the poorly educated. His fans are simply too ignorant or their brains are of insufficient wattage to understand the hypocrisy of what he’s done here. He’s submitted a court filing asking for a delay in a trial because of public inflammation of his own doing. And with a judge like Aileen Cannon, he just might get it.” Let’s hope Jack Smith’s knowledge of the law and his comments headed her off at the pass last Tuesday on a decision about her favorite sociopath!

One issue on which The Don is being given some latitude, is the public name calling he has heaped upon Jack Smith, insulting him as ‘deranged,’ a ‘psycho,’ and a ‘crackhead.’ Neither Smith nor Judge Cannon has shown any interest in tamping down these diatribes the Former Guy hurls at his perceived enemies as he encourages his goony right-wing extremist base to intensify the harassment and online threats. Randall Eliason, a former federal prosecutor, now at George Washington University believes his comments are quite serious, saying, “I think it’s complicated for free speech reasons, but this is getting pretty close to the line.” California attorney Ken White, another former federal prosecutor, comments, “These are the kind of comments that might provoke some judges to issue a gag order,” as he cites the case of Trump confidant, Roger Stone who in 2019 was ordered to ‘knock off the online middle-school behavior’ that might influence potential jurors. White believes judge and prosecutor may choose to ignore the issue, viewing it as a Trump provocation at starting yet another legal battle, portraying himself as a victim of government abuse and censorship…yet another path to grifting off his poorly educated base. Bruce Rogow, who represented Stone in his 2019 trial says gag orders are an ‘extraordinary’ step, one not merited in Trump’s situation, and has doubts that anything the Orange Crybaby says at this stage is likely to influence a jury. Candidate Trump’s comments must be shrugged off to reduce any further publicity for him…which his campaign would thrive on…so, as tempting as a gag order might be, the bait should be ignored. Only if Trump begins to mention witnesses or evidence, and in particular, evidence that has been ruled inadmissible at trial, or if he makes factual-sounding statements, true or not, should a gag order be issued.

In a related vein, Abbe Lowell, an attorney for Hunter Biden sent a cease-and-desist letter to ex-POTUS Wrecks, claiming that his rhetoric on social media, and interview commentary, “could lead to [Hunter Biden’s] or his family’s injury.” Lowell cited past examples when Trump’s words allegedly motivated violence, most notable being the J6 insurrection on the Capitol, the attack on Paul Pelosi, and the Obama neighborhood interloper who showed up with a carload of weaponry. “This is not a false alarm,” Lowell wrote. “We are just one such social message away from another incident…Mr. Trump’s words have caused harm in the past and threaten to do so again if he does not stop.” Attorney Lowell isn’t looking for a response from the Trump team, but wishes them to understand that “his incitement can further hurt people and cause himself even more legal trouble.” And, even more legal trouble is already peeking over the horizon in Jack Smith’s classified documents investigation, with the possibility of more indictments being issued to Mar-a-Lago employees. We can’t forget the January 6th probe, about which we just learned that son-in-law, Jared Kushner, testified several weeks ago, an indication that the endgame may be near as the biggies are finally coming out of the woodwork. Georgia’s Fulton County DA, Fani Willis, still seems to be on track in her previously announced August timetable, with two grand juries on the case. Trump’s appeal to the Georgia Supreme Court to have Willis removed from the case and evidence destroyed has fallen on deaf ears, so his desperation is an exercise in futility. This Clockwork Orange has so many moving parts already, with more to come, that Trump’s legal team won’t be able to take the onslaught.

So, as we enter the second stage of the Trump Takedown, he is casting a blind eye to what should be evident, but he pretends to absolutely LOVE being indicted. Borrowing a comment from Adam Schiff after he was censored by House Republicans when he said he was “proud” of his new standing, Trump wrote on his social media site that he took his indictments as an “honor.” “Getting indicted and arrested by the sick government of this country would be my great honor. I am doing it for our country.” As Bocha Blue writes on The Palmer Report, “Trump isn’t running for anything. He isn’t even running a campaign. Where are the rallies? When do we see him care about anything? I see no platform, just ranting on Truth Social. Donald Trump has given up. Trump is fighting for nothing. He seems tired and irritated, and bored.” But, just imagine! He is doing it for you! Any face saving attempt at bravery won’t cut it, Donny Boy…we know you must be terrified!

In a revised financial filing covering much of his post-presidency earnings, Trump revealed new information about approximately $1B earned from foreign ventures, speaking fees and a Florida golf course. A previously released disclosure in April provided broad ranges of income from each source, but this revision’s new details tally over $1.2B according to the Washington Post. His speaking fees brought in over $4.5M, and Melania(!) earned $1.2M from purported speaking fees, part being from a super PAC in December 2021. The now-defunct committee did not specifically disclose the payments to her, but disguised two different payments paid to Melania’s reps at Designer’s Management Agency with the PAC categorizing the two payouts as fees for ‘event planning and consulting.’ Neither the Trump campaign nor ex-Florida AG, Pam Bondi, and former chairperson responded to The New York Times when asked to comment, though it was concluded Melania was paid to show up at a fundraiser at Mar-a-Lago. Trump earns income by renting out the club for groups to hold events, and the super PAC in question paid more than $350K for use of Mar-a-Lago in ’21 and ’22. The new financial disclosure shows Melania taking in $250K from the conservative LGBTQ+ group known as the Log Cabin Republicans in 2022, and another $250K from the Richard Grenell group, Fix California, an election integrity and voter engagement organization hot on the heels to defeat California Democrats.

One outstanding revision to Trump’s filing shows that instead of earning $201 at a golf resort in Ireland, he actually received $6.2M. Another example shows one previously reported estimate’s range of $1,001 to $2,500 actually amounted to $2,873…this on a New York Central Park carousel. The paparazzi are dying to catch the Orange Toddler on one of his sneaky midnight rides as he reaches for the golden ring. Another substantial revision from his April filing, has income from his Florida Doral resort zooming from around $5M to $159M. It must be difficult for him to remember into which filing box he shoved those checks and cash!

The financial report is required under guidelines from the Office of Government Ethics, which must be filed by a presidential candidate within 30 days of becoming a candidate and on or before May 15 of each year of candidacy. Trump received two extensions, and filed his initial report on April 14, covering part of 2021, all of 2022, with one reference to 2023 showing a payment of $100K. His new filing reports three sources of income over $100M, including $284M from the sale of Trump International Hotel in DC, $259M from his Miami golf resort and $199M across four partnerships with Hudson Waterfront Associates. A disappointing return was reported on the Trump Media & Technology Group, which manages the Truth Social network, receiving only $1.2M in ad revenue. Trump’s early braggadocio about TS replacing Twitter and other rivals must be quite embarrassing to him. In late 2021, the media company planned to merge with a special purpose acquisition company, promising a company valuation up to $1.7B, but that stalled in the face of a federal investigation, with Trump now claiming an evaluation of less than $25M.

In December, 2021, both Donald and Melania appeared at the same event, for which he was paid $900,300, she being paid $250K. The pre-publicity for the occasion, reported by the New York Daily News, indicated the Former Guy was “set to pose for 90 photos with guests” at $10K per shot. Don Fox, the former general counsel and acting head of the Office of Government Ethics (OGE), said this type of filing is essential for voters to examine before the election. “It all comes back to the integrity of the executive branch and confidence that the person holding executive branch office is conducting the people’s business, not personal business. As a president is subject to conflict-of-interest laws, the only real remedy for dealing with potential conflicts is complete transparency.” Jordan Libowitz, spokesman for the watchdog group Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, applauded OGE for pushing for more detailed information, saying, “It is crucial for voters to understand potential conflicts of interest. When we have exact numbers, you get a much better look of seeing what his actual net worth is, and where potential conflicts of interest exist. We haven’t had a president making millions of dollars from overseas business before. These disclosures show exactly where the money is pouring in, and that’s something Americans need to know.” Wait a minute guys! Are we talking about the same grifter who ran in 2016? Where were you then…and what happened? Does anyone feel that the last six or seven years counted for nothing and have been cast aside? Transparency, indeed!

You’re probably asking, “Just how bad does a Republican have to be for the rest of the party to attempt to show what’s right?” This warning must be heeded: Appearance of new ethical standards still do not apply to Donald Trump, who may cause headaches, nausea, prolonged rage, gingivitis, and bed sores. If your Donald Trump lasts more than four years, see your doctor!

FAKE QUOTES, KLANNED KARENHOOD, AND YOKELRY

For those of you who may have missed Senator Josh Hawley’s Independence Day tweet, the ‘Manhood‘ author raised his right-wing fist once again by misquoting Patrick ‘Give Me Liberty or Give Me Death’ Henry regarding the importance of Christianity in the founding of this nation. “It cannot be emphasized too strongly or too often that this great nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religions, but on the Gospel of Jesus Christ,” he babbled. Further, Hawley claimed Henry said, “For this reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” That stretches it a bit about slaveholder Henry’s sentiments, but it’s also telling about the senator who is regarded as one of the GOP’s brilliant minds, being a Stanford University grad, thanks to his mother’s alumna status, and a product of Yale Law School, afterwards clerking on the Supreme Court.

The fake quote from Patrick Henry was sourced from the April 1956 edition of the hostile, antisemitic, white nationalist magazine, ‘The Virginian‘, later reprinted in ‘The American Mercury’, a publication co-founded by H.L. Mencken, which featured top writers from the 1920s and 1930s. Mencken described the work as “a serious review, the gaudiest and damnedest ever seen in the Republic. What we need is something that looks highly respectable outwardly. The American Mercury is almost perfect for the purpose. What will go inside the tent is another story. You will recall the late P.T. Barnum got away with burlesque shows by calling them moral lectures.” The magazine’s subscription form featured the Mencken quote, “The dead hand of the yokelry on the instinct for beauty cannot be so heavy if the handsome green and black cover of The American Mercury exists.” 

Ownership changed in the 1940s, attracting conservative writers, one of whom was William F. Buckley. Another change in ownership in the 1950s provided a voice for far-right and anti-Semitic proponents, with George Lincoln Rockwell being a featured writer. Rockwell went on to found the American Nazi Party…enuf said? Later, the magazine sold to the Defenders of the Christian Faith, owned by Reverend Gerald Burton Winrod of Wichita, Kansas. The reverend had charges dropped for violating the Sedition Act of 1918, but he earned the nickname of ‘The Jayhawk Nazi’ during the Second World War. The magazine saw several transitions and mergers, eventually becoming a quarterly, and an article in 1978 praised Adolf Hitler as the greatest Spenglerian, while lamenting his death. The final issue in 1980 lamented the passing of Mencken’s time, “before the virus of social, racial, and sexual equality” grew in “fertile soil in the minds of most Americans,” while pleading for contributions to establish a computer index holding information on the 15,000 most dangerous political activists in the US. The website created in 2010 was condemned by the Southern Poverty Law Center in 2013, calling it a ‘Leo Frank Propaganda Site,’ deeply anti-semitic while retaining H.L. Mencken’s original magazine name. Frank was a Jewish factory worker in Atlanta, wrongfully convicted of murder, and hanged by a mob which removed him from his imprisonment. Senator Hawley knows how to access information to further incite the GOP base as he attempts to tailor himself as a mentor of masculinity, affirming that he is just as dangerous as Representatives Marjorie Taylor Greene, Paul Gosar, and Lauren Boebert. The false vision they hold, the perverted version of our history they put forth must be defeated and called out in every instance!

Another case in point, is the recent Moms for Liberty ‘Blessings of the Liberty’ prayer breakfast during which North Carolina Lt. Governor Mark Robinson defended the group’s use of a Hitler quote in their newsletter, arguing that we should be re-reading the quotes of Der Fuehrer and other dictators. How convenient that the anti-LGBTQ hate group is living up to their nickname of ‘Klanned Karenhood’ by inviting Robinson, and coincidentally, a Rabbi as well! The Lt. governor had the chutzpah to reference Josef Stalin, Chairman Mao, Pol Pot and Castro as worthy of our attention, even as he runs for the governorship of his state. Need it be mentioned that he has endorsed Donald Trump’s run for a pardon, along with the GOP nomination for president? Former Senator Claire McCaskill said on Morning Joe, “I think it’s time we realize that Donald Trump is not running for president, he’s running for pardon. I think it’s time we realize that the Republicans are afraid of him, and the base that supports him, no matter what.” Sounds logical since The Don hasn’t come up with a platform that any one cares about…no mention of trade, foreign policy, healthcare costs, abortion, guns, the economy…only his victimhood – for another year and a half? Somebody help us!

Charles Blow, in his New York Times column headlined ‘Republicans’ Anti-Woke, Anti-Vote Crusade Has Crashed into the Constitution’, writes, “The same party that argues for parental rights when haranguing and harassing educators about what is being taught and read in the classroom couldn’t care less about the parental rights of those trying to provide the best care for their children or who want their children to have an awareness and understanding of the broad spectrum of humanity and its expressions of love. The Republican politicians pushing these un-American laws aren’t constitutional absolutists; they are constitutional opportunists. The same is true when it comes to elections, where the Republican strategy has become clear: Rather than change their party to appeal more broadly to the electorate, many Republican politicians are whittling away at the electorate and our election architecture, trying to remove or hamstring those aspects of the process that could lead them to losing. They want to change the very meaning of democracy, shrinking to a government chosen by the chosen, a more originalist version of our system in which only certain people participate.” 

When the GOP says ‘woke,’ they mean ‘Black.’ When they say ‘Soros‘ or ‘globalist,’ they mean ‘Jewish,’ When they mention parent’s rights, they mean Christian zealots’ rights to overrule all other parents. ‘Freedom‘ means freedom to indoctrinate and impose agendas, freedom to restrict voting and overturn elections, freedom to deny medical treatment, freedom to inspect children’s genitals, freedom to wield state power while encouraging vigilante violence against those who disagree or look different. The GOP today caters to three groups: the NRA, untaxed billionaires, and white supremacist theocratic bigots, leaving them with only two values: privilege and hate, while being chained to a grifting fraudster, a chronic liar who has no respect for the rule of law.

Though The Former Guy’s hopes for a pardon can’t be initiated by him should he be seated in the Oval Office again…power of the pardon to protect oneself from criminal liability is a no-no, at least at present. He was asked in the recent CNN Town Hall whether he would pardon the J6 Insurrectionists if he wins in 2024. He told Kaitlan Collins next to nothing as he gave one of his noncommittal answers, “strongly considering it, but some of them got carried away.” The ones who “got carried away,” in particular, are the Proud Boys who point their fingers at Trump as their boss, calling themselves the foot soldiers who were only following orders, so it’s too early (or is it too late…who can tell?) to be showing favoritism in the game. But what’s a president to do if some of the J6ers are BLM or Antifa, as many in his Base claim? Or if some participants were FBI who tricked Patriots into committing crimes? And why didn’t DJT use some of the $250k he grifted from his minions, to ‘stop the steal,’ in defense of his followers before they went to trial? But then, why did 500 or so people plead guilty if they were only ‘touring’ the Capitol on a normal day…as some of Trump’s Base followers claim?

Too late we find out about the J6 Truth and Light Festival held last Friday through Sunday in Rogersville, MO, near Springfield, featuring numerous speakers, live and via Zoom, some of whom are facing multiple felony charges in connection with the January 6, 2021 assault on Washington, DC, one recently being sentenced to eighteen years in prison. The website promised “An amazing weekend of love and support for our J6 community! Bring your RV, tent, lawn chairs and the whole family for this annual gathering of the Jan6 community!” A weekend family pass was priced at $150.00, an individual pass was $75.00, the daily pass was $37.50, and the J6 defendant pass was a bargain at $0.00! Opportunity for a donation to the American Patriot Relief fund was provided as well. Plus a fireworks display Saturday evening…what a bargain, and to think it’s an annual event, first held last year – be sure to get your photos taken with the detainees for the family album, an event to remember! However, the promo material specified it was a closed event, only for J6ers and families, with all funds raised going to honor those individuals charged. Seven of the 28 Missouri defendants are from the Springfield area, and those who monitor extremist groups say it only serves to promote future violence by framing the insurrectionists as martyrs and building toward a nationalist insurrection.

Sponsors of the festival included StopHate.com, J6Truth.org, and American Gulag Chronicles, with supporters being listed as J6 Patriot News, Patriot Mail Project, Tommy Tatum News, Freedom Express Media, Mel Hawley of Justice in Jeopardy and Patriots at Large. The organization claims it is raising money to help families attend court hearings and jail visitations, and care for children. Don Haider-Markel, a poli-sci professor at the University of Kansas, and expert on political extremism predicted the festival likely has “a pretty narrow appeal. But I definitely think its further evidence of the sort of radicalization of the far-right, allowing participants to essentially publicly express their identity. That not only reinforces those identities, but it also can tend to radicalize people further.” The professor called attention to Taylor Taranto who was arrested in DC last week, near Barack Obama’s home, in possession of two guns, hundreds of rounds of ammunition, and a machete. “I think we will see more and more incidents like that, where we have individuals who are part of this larger movement who sort of spin off and decide, ‘Hey, I’m gonna go do something.”

Senior Analyst Daryl Johnson, formerly of the Department of Homeland Security, says the J6 defendants and their advocates have hijacked the ‘patriot’ name as they attempt to create the historical view that these people did the right thing, standing up to government corruption, as they attempted to save the Constitution. He says, “These people believe that God’s on their side, and they are self-righteous truth-holders protecting our country. And celebrating these people who participated in the DC riot by calling them patriots is keeping that fervor alive for 2024.” As Aldous J. Pennyfarthing writes, “Nice to know J6 rioters are a ‘community’ now. Of course, it makes perfect sense. Bashing in cops’ heads with flagpoles is hard work, and everyone needs to pitch in. Sadly, conservatives have been doing their best to normalize the J6 events, pretty much since that evening when Fox News and others openly speculated that the riot had actually been launched by liberal agitators who had inexplicably decided to disrupt the election of the guy they’d voted for and desperately hoped would win. As the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) noted on the second anniversary of J6, the danger Trump and his followers posed to our democracy on that fateful day has arguably grown. We had that whole Civil War business in the mid-1800s, and that probably should have settled the issue once and for all. But we let Confederacy-Humpers hang around like a bad bathroom chandelier.”

Aldous J. continues, “We have also learned that white supremacy and hard-right extremism have been normalized and mainstreamed to a dangerous degree. According to a June 2022 poll jointly conducted by SPLC and Tulchin Research, the mainstreaming of hate and anti-government thought, and the willingness to engage in political violence, are now widely accepted on the right. And now, they’re so enamored with their bumblin’ coup, they’re holding events to honor the perpetrators. Because nothing says ‘I’m sorry’ like a $9 Costco sheet cake that actually says, ‘Nice Try, Traitor – Better Luck Next Time!”

Trump’s aide tells him, “Sir, I had a dream you got your parade! It was miles and miles long, winding through Washington, DC. Joyful Americans lining the route, literally in the millions. People were laughing, cheering, playing in the street, and you were riding in the most beautiful carriage!” Trump asks, “I must have been really pleased?” The aide answers, “I couldn’t tell, sir. It was a closed casket.”

July 3

MOMS, COURTS AND PIT-BULLS UNLEASHED

Before finishing up their summer term, the US Extreme Court showed us how it intends to continue reinventing America. Not content with their earlier decisions of ending the right to an abortion, limiting the EPA’s ability to fight climate change, and eliminating state gun control laws, the rampage continued with their history-making lurching toward the right. The initial rulings issued were deceptive, prompting hopes of moderation for the upcoming remainder, especially in the aftermath of criticisms heaped upon the judicial body over the past months. The heaviest decision dealt with overruling a conservative case which would have allowed state legislatures to have nearly unrestrained power on running elections, with complete control over gerrymandered district maps, a MAGA-supported case that would have altered use of electoral votes in the presidential election. Trump attorney, John Eastman, had maintained that state legislatures could simply ignore election results and appoint electors pledged to Trump, thereby keeping him in the White House after the contested 2020 election; so this decision against the crackpot ‘independent state legislature theory’ was a big relief for liberals who looked with trepidation toward 2024, as the GOP and its billionaire sugar-daddies looked forward to stacking the deck. Justices Roberts, Kavanaugh, and Coney Barrett, stood with liberals Sotomayor, Kagan and Brown for the majority opinion.

Lower court rulings were upheld, determining that Alabama had drawn congressional districts in such a way that voting power in Black populated districts was diluted, which will require that districts be redrawn. Past court decisions which tended to weaken the Voting Rights Act, tended toward more restraint in this instance, some crediting Chief Justice Roberts with being able to rein in his conservative firebrands. Then, the Kraken was unleashed, as college admissions no longer had to consider race, eliminating affirmative action in cases brought forward by Harvard and the University of North Carolina, a decision toward which Justice Thomas has been anxiously waiting to cast a thumb’s down vote. Such a supple wrist, with Ginni aiding him in the lead-up to big day! Saving the final big decision until Friday on the Biden administration’s Student Loan debt-relief order, the court ruled it unlawful, capping its reframing of laws and doctrines that have served the country well for generations.

NAACP President, Derrick Johnson, called out Justice Clarence Thomas as “the worst thing” created by affirmative action in condemnation of the Supreme’s decision to overturn affirmative action in college admissions. Thomas benefitted from the program, gaining a spot in Yale’s law school, and upon graduating, he wrote that racial preference had “robbed my achievement of its true value.” Then turn in your robe, Clarence! Johnson declared, “Race plays an undeniable role in shaping the identities of and quality of like for Black Americans. In a society still scarred by the wounds of racial disparities, the Supreme Court has displayed a willful ignorance of our reality.” On the other hand, former VP Mike-the-whitest-person-in-politics-Pence argued that affirmative action is no longer need as it once was to correct racial bias. “But I can tell you, as the father of three college graduates, those days are long over,” he proclaims. Wow! Who knew that ‘Mother‘ isn’t White?!!

The non-case in the release of the court’s decisions allows a Colorado-based web designer who opposes same-sex marriage to deny her services to LGBTQ+ couples. Lorie Smith, who brought the case was allowed to post a notice that she would not design a site for gay couples due to her religious beliefs, which could have violated Colorado law. According to Smith, a man named Stewart approached her to design a site for his wedding, but Stewart denies contacting her, says he has been married to the same woman for fifteen years and had no idea this case was wending its way through the courts. Although the state could have figured this out early on and saved everyone a lot of trouble, being vacated as a fraudulent case, her lawyers allowed the hoax to proceed. While Smith believes her First Amendment rights would be violated, Justice Sotomayor wrote that the plaintiff was objecting to “conduct,” and ignores the importance of our right to public accommodation. One person suggests, “Every website request begins with, ‘We are gay, and we need a wedding website. If the business is accommodating, then say, ‘Actually, I need a graduation website for my son…I just wanted to make sure you weren’t a complete homophobe.”

Probably shouldn’t be considered out of the ordinary, but an Indiana chapter of Moms for Liberty quoted Adolph Hitler on the cover of their newsletter, ‘The Parent Brigade.’ Their apology rang a bit hollow in light of their dedication to banning books and targeting LGBTQ+ students and school staff, in addition to reaching out to the Proud Boys, Three Percenters, Christian Nationalists and other extremist groups. The Southern Poverty Law Center says the group’s primary goals are to fuel right-wing hysteria and make the world less comfortable for Blacks and LGBTQ+ individuals. On a recent weekend, five GOP presidential hopefuls auditioned before the group’s ‘Joyful Warriors’ conference in Philadelphia, as they trumpeted their parental rights credo against such things as COVID–19 precautions, school libraries, school curricula that covers race, sexuality, and gender. The Former Guy told the group, “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to America.” followed by Nikki Haley saying, “When they mentioned that this was a terrorist organization, i said, ‘Well, then count me as a Mom for Liberty.'” Ron DeSantis praised them with, “Scrutiny of this group is a sign that we are winning this fight.” Oklahoma Superintendent of Public Instruction, Ryan Walters, who has called teachers’ unions “terrorist organizations” capped the praise with, “You know who else was called a terrorist group, an extremist group? Those founding fathers. That’s who you are today. You are the most patriotic group in the country right now.” Other speakers continued the tirade, with James Lindsay describing the Pride flag as that “of a hostile enemy,” and Lt. Governor Mark Robinson (NC), declaring the transgender movement “demonic, and full of the Anti-Christ spirit.” All of this debasement, in Trump’s words is, “In service of fighting a cult of Marxists and perverts,” as these GOP candidates race to the bottom of the barrel.

As Bocha Blue of the Palmer Report writes, “These presidential contenders have no idea what’s about to come at them. They’re like innocent lambs heading to the slaughter…Right now, they’re doing the usual Republican dance, which is – run for President, but avoid attacking His Royal Traitor. Ah, but that’s OK because the ultimate test – the Big Kahuna – is getting ready to fasten its talons around ALL of them. See, it’s a question – one innocent question, but it has the potential to ruin all the candidates. It has the potential because there is no answer to this question. Anything they say makes things worse for them. Picture them being interviewed by reporters or perhaps in a debate. The Question: “Who is the rightful winner of the 2020 Presidential election?” Cue the bells of doom…it isn’t Trump they should be afraid of – it’s MAGA. Nobody in MAGA will EVER vote for a candidate who says Biden is the lawful and accurate President…MAGA wants their fantasy to continue. They will turn like pit-bulls on ANY candidate who doesn’t continue to delude them. And if they say Trump is the rightful winner? They lose all the independents. They lose America…They will try to answer with a non-answer. It won’t work. They will ALL have to say who they think is the President. And if they’re not worried about the answer, they’re in even more trouble that initially thought.”

After the Republican National Committee released its criteria last month with requirements for candidates to participate in the August debate, one of which is signing a pledge to support the Republican nominee, many of the hopefuls are taking umbrage over the mandate. Some are reluctant at signing, at least one refuses to do so, but the RNC is immoveable, chairwoman Ronna McDaniel saying, “It’s the Republican Party nomination, and the pledge is staying.” Time to uncage the pit-bulls, eh, Ronna?