Holy sheep shit! The CIA has released information about a plot by Trump/Kushner in Oct 2020 to set up a secret communication channel with Russia using Russian diplomatic facilities in order to avoid any American monitoring of the pre-inauguration discussions (but clearly Russia would know all). Just one more instance of maga selling America to our long term enemies, in your eyes another “nothingburger” like every crime Trump commits, but if Biden did anything close it would be treason that requires a civil war.

Meanwhile maga representatives are saying on camera that everything they do in the House of Representatives should be about electing Trump…not protecting America, not improving the economy, not addressing immigration, not working to solve America’s issues, not anything positive, just help Donny….but nooooo…it’s not a cult. 😂

The judge actually corrected VonShitsinpants’s lies from the bench, namely the idiotic lie that the gag order means he cannot testify, a pure total lie he’s telling his moronic followers to excuse his not testifying…because there’s no way in hell he’s testifying without convicting himself of multiple crimes, he’s absolutely incapable, everybody knows it. It seems he was trying to set up an ineffectual council defense pretending his lawyer told him the gag order stops him from testifying or is even in effect inside court…the judge destroyed that weak attempt by correcting the lie on the record, Trump CAN testify, he chooses not to, just like every other case he’s been convicted of, he never testifies, it’s the smartest move he’s ever made.
His second chair lawyer ruined her legal reputation today arguing with Merchan over getting pre approval to violate the gag order again by retweeting posts that violate the orders, which is not a thing. The judge obviously turned them down, saying the order is crystal clear on its face, judges don’t give advisory opinions to defendants, and if they’re unsure if they’re about to violate the order AGAIN maybe just don’t post it, duh.

Came out today from people in the room that when sanctions were being set he tried to remove China from the countries being sanctioned because Xi was nice to him on the phone and so he promised he would.
Also in court today, Trump and Cohen on tape discussing setting up payments to his mistresses, how to hide the payments and not pay in cash, etc. 😂

PS- STILL WAITING!

Republican Tim Nolan, chairman of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign in Kentucky & Former Campbell County Judge, Served as a judge, school board member and city solicitor, forced 19 victims to perform sex acts, including seven who were minors under 16. Pled guilty on February 11, 2018 and was sentenced to serve 20 years in prison. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2018/05/03/former-judge-tim-nolan-could-sentenced-today-more-drama-could-get-way/577947002/

Republican George Nader, Trump Foreign Policy Adviser, sentenced to 10 years in prison for possession of child pornography and transporting a minor into the United States for sex. https://www.courthousenews.com/child-sex-trafficker-from-trump-tower-meeting-gets-10-year-sentence/

Republican Ralph Shortey, a former Oklahoma state senator & Trump’s Oklahoma campaign chair, was indicted on four counts of human trafficking and child pornography. Pled guilty to a federal charge of child sex trafficking after hiring a 17-year-old boy for sex. Sentenced to 15 years in prison, in addition to ten years of supervised release and ordered to pay $125,000 in restitution. https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/trump-s-oklahoma-campaign-chair-plead-guilt-child-sex-trafficking-n822461

Republican Dennis Hastert, Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Illinois Congressman and one of the highest-ranking U.S. politicians to ever go to prison, molested at least four boys as young as 14 years of age when he coached wrestling at an Illinois High School. He was sentenced to 15 months in prison, two years' supervised release, and a $250,000 fine. A civil case was due back in court for a status hearing on Jan. 8, 2021 at the courthouse to further address the jury trial. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/ex-u-s-house-speaker-dennis-hastert-starts-prison-term

Republican Minnesota State Representative Jim Knoblach Drops Out Of Race After Daughter Says He Molested Her For More Than Ten Years 22 Sep 2018 https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2018/09/22/lawmaker-quits-race-after-daughter-says-he-molested-her-more-than-decade/?utm_term=.8ac8527c7f43

Republican congressman and anti-gay activist Robert Bauman was charged with having sex with a 16-year-old boy he picked up at a gay bar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Bauman

Republican Committee Chairman Jeffrey Patti was arrested for distributing a video clip of a 5-year-old girl being raped. http://www.njherald.com/article/20060510/ARTICLE/305109971

Republican Joseph Dendy, Cobb County GA Republican Party Chairman & Sunday School Teacher,was sentenced to life in prison after being convicted on four counts of child molestation, four counts of first-degree cruelty to children, three counts of enticing a child for indecent purposes, and one count each of aggravated sexual battery and aggravated child molestation. https://www.fox5atlanta.com/news/former-gop-chairman-arrested-on-child-molestation-charges

Republican anti-abortion activist Howard Scott Heldreth is a convicted child rapist in Florida. https://offender.fdle.state.fl.us/offender/sops/flyer.jsf?personId=28587

Republican director of the “Young Republican Federation” Nicholas Elizondo molested his 6-year old daughter and was sentenced to six years in prison. https://bakersfieldnow.com/news/local/registered-sex-offender-keeps-custody-of-daughter

Republican Kentucky state Representative & pastor Dan Johnson, committed suicide after an exposé revealed his serial lies, suspected arson, criminal church, racism, accused rape of a teen and more. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_Johnson_%28Kentucky_politician%29

Republican County Commissioner David Swartz pleaded guilty to molesting two girls under the age of 11 and was sentenced to 8 years in prison. http://www.lanternproject.org.uk/library/child-abuse-arrests-and-court-cases/child-abuse-arrests-trials-and-proceedings/ex-county-commissioner-admits-
sexual-abuse-of-girl/

Republican judge Mark Pazuhanich pleaded no contest to fondling a 10-year old girl and was sentenced to 10 years probation. http://www.poconorecord.com/article/20120426/NEWS90/204260334

Republican legislator Edison Misla Aldarondo was sentenced to 10 years in prison for raping his daughter between the ages of 9 and 17. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edison_Misla_Aldarondo

Republican Mayor Philip Giordano is serving a 37-year sentence in federal prison for sexually abusing 8 and 10-year old girls. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Giordano

Republican activist and Christian Coalition leader Beverly Russell admitted to an incestuous relationship with his step daughter. https://www.nytimes.com/1995/08/02/opinion/journal-beverly-russell-s-prayers.html

Republican activist Marty Glickman (a.k.a. “Republican Marty”), was taken into custody by Florida police on four counts of unlawful sexual activity with an underage girl https://www.arktimes.com/TheHoglawyer/archives/2007/08/28/the-latest-republican-sex-scandals-plural---more-of-the-same

Republican Senate candidate John Hathaway was accused of having sex with his 12-year old baby sitter and withdrew his candidacy after the allegations were reported in the media. https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/06/us/politics-the-senate-maine-candidate-again-faces-1990-child-sex-accusation.html

Republican preacher Stephen White, who demanded "a return to traditional values", was sentenced to jail after offering $20 to a 14-year-old boy for permission to perform oral sex on him. http://www.thedp.com/article/2004/01/brother_stephen_convicted_of_soliciting_sex

Republican Party leader Paul Ingram pleaded guilty to six counts of raping his daughters and served 14 years in federal prison. https://culteducation.com/group/1255-false-memories/6514-man-in-notorious-sex-case-finishes-term.html

Republican election board official Kevin Coan was sentenced to two years probation for soliciting sex over the internet from a 14-year old girl. https://www.semissourian.com/story/57773.html

Republican politician Andrew Buhr was charged with two counts of first degree sodomy with a 13-year old boy. https://www.arktimes.com/TheHoglawyer/archives/2007/08/28/the-latest-republican-sex-scandals-plural---more-of-the-same

Republican politician Keith Westmoreland was arrested on seven felony counts of lewd and lascivious exhibition to girls under the age of 16 (i.e. exposing himself to children). http://www.chattanoogan.com/2002/6/21/23202/Tennessee-Legislator-Commits-Suicide.aspx

Republican County Councilman Keola Childs pleaded guilty to molesting a male child. http://the.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/2007/Oct/08/ln/hawaii710080338.html

Republican candidate Richard Gardner admitted to molesting his two daughters. https://lasvegassun.com/news/2002/oct/14/assembly-candidate-gardner-ruled-ineligible-due-to/

Republican City Councilman Fred C. Smeltzer, Jr. pleaded no contest to raping a 15 year-old girl and served 6-months in prison. https://www.wgal.com/article/council-accepts-resignation-of-member-imprisoned-for-rape/6189408

Republican activist Parker J. Bena pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography on his home computer and was sentenced to 30 months in prison http://www.salem-news.com/articles/october172007/repubscandals101707.php

Republican strategist and Citadel Military College graduate Robin Vanderwall was convicted in Virginia on five counts of soliciting sex from boys and girls over the internet. https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php/Robin_Vanderwall

Republican city councilman Mark Harris, described as a “good military man / church goer,” was convicted of repeatedly having sex with an 11-year-old girl and sentenced to 12 years in prison.

Republican Brandon Hixon, Idaho State Representative, resigned while under criminal investigation for molesting two girls, including a young female relative for more than 10 years, then killed himself three months later, shortly before his ex-wife and two others were to testify before a grand jury. https://www.cbsnews.com/news/brandon-hixon-former-idaho-lawmaker-facing-sex-abuse-inquiry-kills-himself/

Republican Tony Yocham, Hamilton, TX Chief of Police, was arrested by Texas Rangers on charges of continuous sexual abuse of a child. https://www.kxxv.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county-chief-of-police-arrested-for-continuous-abuse-of-a-child

Republican Nathan Larson of the Virginia House of Delegates is a self-confessed pedophile and white supremacist. Was arrested on felony charges for kidnapping, child abduction, soliciting child pornography from a minor and meeting a child for the intention of sex. https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/alleged-pedophile-white-supremacist-arrested-kidnapping-12-yr-old-girl-n1251832

I got over 1,000 more repubs @bobknight33 if you realllllly wanna play. But for now lets see you do a list of Democrats LOLOLOL

Your video, THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES — A Bad Lip Reading, has made it into the Top 15 New Videos listing. Congratulations on your achievement. For your contribution you have been awarded 1 Power Point.

Duke was a member of the Louisiana House of Representatives, February 18, 1989 – January 13, 1992.

The video thumbnail is before his plastic surgery. The video itself shows him after plastic surgery.

More about him:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Duke

just wanted to make sure you caught this tidbit...

Republicans’ use of “grooming” rhetoric comes as one of their own, former state House Speaker Lee Chatfield, is under investigation for allegedly sexually assaulting his future sister-in-law starting when she was a minor.

Clips from NBC NEWS: The sister-in-law of a former, high-ranking Republican leader in Michigan accused the lawmaker of sexually assaulting her for years when she was an underaged teen, officials said Monday.

Lee Chatfield, 33, who served as speaker of the state House of Representatives in 2019 and 2020, denies any criminal wrongdoing and instead admits to extramarital — but consensual — sex with the accuser, defense attorney Mary Chartier said. (he claims the affair began after his wife's sister turned of age)

“He destroyed me, and has controlled my life since I was 15-16, the past 10-11 years,” she told the non-profit news outfit.

a couple of items didn't list that add more 'ickiness' to the mix.
link to the story: https://tinyurl.com/7zpw94z7

any wonder the Right thinks someone is after their kids - their own Party members are!

IMAX projection. 1000%

Sorry I had a brain fart, I was thinking the Presidency, Senate & the House. The 3 that people can actually vote pople in to. The Supreme Court's not voted in by the people, and this Court is FUBAR by McConnell since the last of Obama's years...

You're absoluely spot on the split, that's why I said "bare-bone" and filibuster & super majority vote's gotta go. There are very few Houses of Representatives in the world are as dysfunctional as the USA because of it.

Harry Reid nuked the filibuster to approve Federal level justices. McConnell just exploited what the former Majority Leader did.

When under pressure from Republicans and Trump in the first two years of Trump's term to do away with the filibuster and allow the all-Republican government to do what the all Democratic one is hoping to do now, McConnell wisely chose not to.

Whether you care for McConnell or not, or if you care for the minority party or not, doing away with the filibuster to allow the party currently in charge to ram legislation through is only going to set precedent for the same thing to happen when the situation changes.

Democrats may think that forcing through HR1 will mean that the Republicans will never control the government again, but that is not going to happen. Americans are fickle and turn on the government in power at the drop of a hat. Case in point, Trump should have never won a term as President in a normal world. People hated Hillary so much that he did.

Turning the Senate into a smaller House of Representatives relying simply on a majority vote for everything would create situations where either side will ram through sweeping changes (or erase those of the previous side) every 4 years or so. What will we do in 2024 if somehow Trump or his lackeys get elected and he has access to a fully Republican senate, congress, and scotus, with no filibuster unlike 2016-2018?

Now that I've answered your question, WHY did REPUBLICANS in PHILADELPHIA KNOWINGLY EXPOSE the ENTIRE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES to COVID 19 then HIDE it so the now exposed representatives could go home and EXPOSE their families?
They hid their members positive test and hid the fact that some republican members were notified and quarantined because of their exposure to him, but not democrats....for well over a week, only reluctantly admitting it when a reporter uncovered the cover up?

WHY Bob...tell me why.

You're fucking dumb. I'm not a hypocrite. Do you know the details of withholding aid in Ukraine?

Do you remember when obama was president how the republican congress and senate was stonewalling everything he wanted? Do you remember complaints about executive orders?

The Ukraine Support Act proposed in 2014 did not make it out of committee in the house of representatives https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ukraine_Support_Act

THEREFORE

Obama issued two executive orders as part of a national emergency

https://obamawhitehouse.archives.gov/the-press-office/2014/03/17/executive-order-blocking-property-additional-persons-contributing-situat

https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/executive-order-presidents-continuation-national-emergency-respect-ukraine/

There was a separate bill that guaranteed loans that was later passed but distribution of funds was done mostly through executive order in accordance with The International Emergency Economic Powers Act.

THEREFORE

Obama actually had prerogative and liberty with which to distribute funds and Biden was acting as his surrogate at the time.

In other words, the law was not broken because there wasn't a law to break that existed.

----------------------------------------------------------


THIS IS DISTINCT AND DIFFERENT FROM WHAT DONALD TRUMP DID IN SEVERAL WAYS, BUT DISTINCTLY THAT HE SIGNED A LAW SAYING THAT HE HAD TO DISTRIBUTE THE MONEY

In 2019, the appropriations committee passed this and made it a part of an appropriations bill which the president (Trump) signed as part of a budget regulation

That is the difference

And it's why Biden can use those funds in a discretionary way and have it be legal, and Trump can use them in a discretionary way and have it be illegal (not just because he's investigating a political rival, because he fucking signed the law that said that he had to do it).

---------------------------------------------------


The retort is "what about Obama" but the circumstances are different and as much as, and as simple as, it was not against the law for him to do that because the house and the senate didn't pass a law saying he had to do anything with money for Ukraine, that was part of an executive order which gives him that discretion. Donald Trump could have issued an executive order rather than sign off on that budget And it would suddenly be legal.

^^^^^^^^ Don't misunderstand me. ^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^ Don't misunderstand me. ^^^^^^^^^^^^
^^^^^^^^ Don't misunderstand me. ^^^^^^^^^^^^

I'm not saying he's doing something illegal and jumping up and down and squealing and shitting myself like a housewife discovering daytime television.

I'm making an observation about how he doesn't care about what laws are passed or not in a more general way.

>>>>>>>>>>>>He just doesn't care about following the law.

Still, that's a separate issue from rooting out corruption overall versus bringing the entire weight of the federal government, not to mention the government in Ukraine, on Joe Biden.

Last I checked no executive order no bill no resolution said "Target Joe Biden specifically" And on the phone call released from Donald Trump in the White House there's only one name that's mentioned.

Since you are ignorant of the law and incapable of finding it yourself, here is section 7214 ....read it and get back to me, I'll explain how it applies.



26 U.S. Code § 7214. Offenses by officers and employees of the United States

(a) Unlawful acts of revenue officers or agents
Any officer or employee of the United States acting in connection with any revenue law of the United States—
(1) who is guilty of any extortion or willful oppression under color of law; or
(2) who knowingly demands other or greater sums than are authorized by law, or receives any fee, compensation, or reward, except as by law prescribed, for the performance of any duty; or
(3) who with intent to defeat the application of any provision of this title fails to perform any of the duties of his office or employment; or
(4) who conspires or colludes with any other person to defraud the United States; or
(5) who knowingly makes opportunity for any person to defraud the United States; or
(6) who does or omits to do any act with intent to enable any other person to defraud the United States; or
(7) who makes or signs any fraudulent entry in any book, or makes or signs any fraudulent certificate, return, or statement; or
(8) who, having knowledge or information of the violation of any revenue law by any person, or of fraud committed by any person against the United States under any revenue law, fails to report, in writing, such knowledge or information to the Secretary; or
(9) who demands, or accepts, or attempts to collect, directly or indirectly as payment or gift, or otherwise, any sum of money or other thing of value for the compromise, adjustment, or settlement of any charge or complaint for any violation or alleged violation of law, except as expressly authorized by law so to do;
shall be dismissed from office or discharged from employment and, upon conviction thereof, shall be fined not more than $10,000, or imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both. The court may in its discretion award out of the fine so imposed an amount, not in excess of one-half thereof, for the use of the informer, if any, who shall be ascertained by the judgment of the court. The court also shall render judgment against the said officer or employee for the amount of damages sustained in favor of the party injured, to be collected by execution.


Edit: I'll save time, here's the other law he's violating which unambiguously states he had no choice but to turn them over immediately.

26 U.S. Code § 6103. Confidentiality and disclosure of returns and return information
(11) Disclosure of information regarding status of investigation of violation of this section
(f) Disclosure to Committees of Congress
(1) Committee on Ways and Means, Committee on Finance, and Joint Committee on Taxation
Upon written request from the chairman of the Committee on Ways and Means of the House of Representatives, the chairman of the Committee on Finance of the Senate, or the chairman of the Joint Committee on Taxation, the Secretary shall furnish such committee with any return or return information specified in such request, except that any return or return information which can be associated with, or otherwise identify, directly or indirectly, a particular taxpayer shall be furnished to such committee only when sitting in closed executive session unless such taxpayer otherwise consents in writing to such disclosure.

Edit: allow me to save time again, by not following 6103 (11) (f) and furnishing the return requested in writing by the chairman of the Ways and Means committee, he undeniably violates 7214 (a) (3), which comes with a 5 year sentence. Understand now?

Agreed more was passed. It should be noted that under Obama the Democrats had more Democrats so getting to the 50 vote was much easy.

Party Breakdown
In the 111th Congress, the current party alignments are
261 Democrats in the House of Representatives and 180 Republicans.
The Senate has 57 Democrats; two Independents, who caucus with the Democrats, and 41
Republican


Party Breakdown
In the 115th Congress, the current party alignments as of March 13, 2017, are as follows:
House of Representatives: 239 Republicans and 197 Democrats
and 5 vacancies.


Senate: 52 Republicans, 46 Democrats, and 2 Independents, who both caucus
with the Democrat

Turns out the officer who took the shooter out was a retired RCMP officer employed in the largely ceremonial role of Sergeant-At-Arms. A role I was surprised to find out was armed.

I don't have any real objections to him being armed, but S-A-A is more-or-less a glorified security guard. The only weapon you see him with is a bad-ass looking mace. In the US, the S-A-A is the guy you see announcing the arrival of the President in the House of Representatives before the State of the Union addresses. You can imagine how much security the shooter would have had to passed to get the same place in D.C.

Some of the questions right now are about how the fuck the guy got to the doors where Parliament sits largely unopposed. I mean, it's Canada, the last attack on a Prime Minister consisted of a pie to the face, but you'd think there'd be a metal detector checkpoint and/or a couple Mounties milling about.

Then again, unauthorized crossings at our shared border -up until 9/11- were protected mostly by traffic cones.

I see @lantern53 has no idea how gov't works. You see bobknight33, err I mean lantern53, There are three branches of government. Only one of them can create laws.

After much compromise, congress passed a law called the ACA. The President agreed and signed it into Law. It was ALSO upheld by the Supreme Court. So you see, ALL THREE branches of gov't are OK with this law.

Now this faction in the House of Representatives are trying to pass a law that says "sure, we'll fund gov't...but only if you de-fund or repeal the ACA. That's not governing, that's called taking a hostage. The senate isn't going to agree, so there's deadlock. See, the president isn't even involved.

He would ONLY get involved if both housed agreed with this, but guess what, even if congress agreed with the Tea Party, The President has this pesky little thing called a veto, which sends it back to Congress and they need a whopping 2/3rds majority vote to override him.

sorry, ain't going to happen. But hey, I'm happy that I could give you some remedial education since you refused to pay attention in class.

So in actuality, The Tea Party can keep having their little temper tantrum, They're all but digging their graves in the next election.

I have to say I think I disagree in this case. The path she took to public office--joining the Republican party out of a convenient alignment on certain issues--is actually quite common, at least at the state level.

I personally know several people who got involved in political campaigns in my own state for Republican representatives when they were in college, a couple of whom (at the time) had aspirations for public office. None of them were opposed to gay marriage, abortion, or the other social hot-button issues which Republicans are supposed to be against. One of them, a political science major at Rice University in his junior year, was directly below the head campaign manager for a candidate to the state House of Representatives.

Especially in the context of the wheeling and dealing of legislatures, I can easily see someone making a "yes" vote on DOMA or similar legislative proposals merely in order to keep other doors open.

It's worth remembering that Democrats won 53% of the total votes cast for the house of representatives. The republicans held on thanks to aggressive Gerrymandering after the 2010 census. Whether they want to see it or not, the election was a rebuke.