What a lot to unpack, Jay. You’re doing a great job of keeping me informed. The highlight I learned was that Hunter Biden has PAID the back taxes with penalties and interest. Case closed, in my opinion, but I’m not a lawyer.
I think I save about 2 hours a day, easy, just waiting for Jay's rundown on stuff like this. It's been exhausting. Jay needs a purple heart or something.
It's interesting that most of the media reports I've seen don't mention that Hunter has repaid the back taxes + penalties + interest. They seem to focus only on the indictment. This is a far more relevant case for the 'if they do it to me, they can do it to you' argument that Trump likes to employ. I would guess there are far more people in the U.S. who should be shaking in their boots when they realize they could still face charges after paying off their back taxes to the IRS than there are citizens who could face the same charges Trump bleats about (and why kill yourself paying if you're going to go to jail anyway?). That's the bigger story. But then again, an indictment doesn't necessitate a conviction. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Plea deal Round Two coming at some time in the process...Hunter B has a new, very competent legal team, and talks I'm sure will soon be under way. It's how "the system" works, just ask "The Cheese", Jenna Ellis, et al.
Yep, Abbe Lowell from Winston & Strawn (DC) is a very capable advocate. He was just on Katy Tur / MSNBC. He & WS have chops; this will not be a lay-down for Justice. The sad part is the DOJ will get a big black eye for this egregious behavior, which falls into the "fear" element of Garland's "fear or favor" test, IMO.
The DOJ should be going after insurrectionists like MTG, but they choose to pretty much only go after Trump and his cronies who are not elected officials. Why is that? There are members of Congress who were part of the Trump coup attempt, why are they not being held accountable too. Isn't MAGA Mikey Johnson one of them?
And the gun charge: "Hunter Biden is charged with violating measures against drug users having guns when he bought and kept a revolver for about 11 days in 2018. He has pleaded not guilty." And the gun was thrown away and never used.
I wonder how many similar cases have been brought to trial?
As for the tax case and TFG: 'if they do it to Hunter Biden, they can do it to Trump.' How many times has the IRS have to get more taxes and interest from TFG.
Anyway I would think paying the IRS (if you can) would be better than waiting for them to charge you. The extra interest could be substantial.
The Texas situation has me shaking with frustration and anger. Is there ever going to be a day when my government isnt a complete shit show? Adding fuel to the fire was Elise Stefanik, ranting and screeching about the bogus impeachment. What a horrible woman.
GOPers always assume THEIR daughters will be fine. Their contraception never fails them. But uh-oh. The indicted fraudster Paxton is gonna force their precious daughter to birth dead or dying babies? Maybe they aren't so eager for that. FFS.
Better yet,I guarantee he wouldn't just stand there and nonchalantly watch his own wife or daughter die bleeding to death or in septic shock without intervention.
There are stunningly several horrid ways to die in childbirth.Once upon a time is was a common occurrence, unfortunately these ghouls want those days back,with interest.Sad but true.
Unfortunately, they are ignorant. They have lived in a time of unprecedented access to healthcare but are too uninterested to make themselves aware of that fact.
We might be wrong in assuming these misogynists care more about their daughters' lives than about accumulating power. They don't shown themselves to be nice or principled people.
Unfortunately, Hunter’s book disclosed all the elements of the crimes he committed. Why he wrote this with potential charges hanging out there is mystifying.
I read all of these and my anger and frustration grew by the minute. I am disgusted by Republicans and all who do their bidding in Congress and the media, and the people who voted for them. Enough already. I need to see some accountability and consequences. My sanity is at stake and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm running out of pillows to scream into.
It’s important to take the anger and channel it into productive purposes, rather than let it simply consume. It’s something I’ve been working on for years now under Trump and under the GOP-led House. I’m almost there!
You would think those 'normal republicans' would be starting to wonder how their own families could be affected by the draconian cruelty that defines MAGA.
THEIR families will be FINE because THEY are gonna be calling the shots.
It's the fallacy of all dictator enablers, and many of them get to the "find out" part of FAFO pretty shortly. One slip of the tongue, one failure to genuflect - or hell, just because! and it's off to the gulag with your sorry butt. Same as the whole "I need my guns for my protection" bit - they always assume they're gonna win the gunfight.
Seriously our country has gone crazy! Not to comment on the kind of friends I have🙄 but I had one that didn’t pay taxes for 10 years! That’s right 10 years. And when the government finally caught up with him, they forgave 4 of the 10 years! Yes, they hit him with interest and penalties, but never once did they threaten to throw him in jail or take him to court. Never once! My son knows a young man who worked in another country for six years and decided that “No, I don’t need to pay taxes in the United States or pay my student loans.” He finally decided to settle up when he realized that he wasn’t getting any of the pandemic money. Again, he was forgiven two years and allowed to settle with nominal interest and penalties. The blatant double standard here is gob smacking!! And neither one of these people were drug addicts, who let’s face it aren’t going to be focused on paying their taxes!
Perhaps it is true that the DOJ can be weaponized, because it certainly seems it has been in this instance.
I want my country back when my legislative arms of the government actually sort of worked. This has gotten absolutely ridiculous.
Isn’t there a case to be made for malicious prosecution of Hunter? Like you mentioned, that if his last name wasn’t Biden, then the whole thing would be done and dusted.
I'm sure that's what his lawyers will claim, the government offered a deal that fell way short of this new prosecution. Why would they offer such a good deal, and then do this? Remember one of Hunters lawyers removed himself from the case to be able to testify on Hunters behalf.
It’s shocking that the Texas Attorney General actually said the “state” was the one suffering. From what I’ve read, that’s one of the tenets of facism. The state is primary. Amirite?
So this is the indictment filed 12/7/2023. Thanks for the 56 pages. I spent a lot of time in my career reading such documents, and I know the lawyers are making a lot of money. I guess the previous arrangement for him to plead to misdemeanors was negotiated with this in the wings. And I find it bizarre that the court document quotes from the defendant’s memoir. Let’s see how this plays out.
I think you sell Mike Johnson short in calling him "just McCarthy redux". He is a far more dangerous, albeit less experienced, hard right Christian nationalist zealot. He needs to be watched very carefully, and demoted at the earliest opportunity. It is telling that the other right-wing crazies in the House have not moved to vacate the speaker after he did the same thing for which Kevin McCarthy was ousted.
Never a dull moment. Paxton is a POS. Orange rump is a POS. Therefore Paxton + Orange rump=POS. Maths. This one was easy. Seriously though, as someone from Texas it is a horror to see what has happened to the state under the Abbott regime. The power hungry incels have really taken over the asylum.
I do not understand why the appeal process is so favorable to the defendant, by way of delay of sentencing, after a jury trial has reached their verdict. In the Bannon contempt of Congress trial, he should have reported for his 4 month sentence a year ago Nov, but instead this Nov he had an appeal hearing and a month later we still haven't heard a verdict. A Trump appointed judge, granted the stay by the way, which brings the impartiality rule for recusing into question, IMO.
A previously convicted felon, who was then pardoned by a (at the time) not yet charged felon, shouldn't have had a sympathetic judge (appointed by one of the above mentioned people) remain on the case. It is so corrupt!
Have to believe that the DC Circuit won't agree with SC Smith's filing of an expedited hearing request, as the entire federal court system recognizes the game here: Justice delayed = justice denied. My prediction: SCOTUS will deny cert. after appeals court sides with Judge Chutkan, and the Orange Gobshite is off to trial.
DC Circuit ruled today restoring Judge Chutkan's gag order, with only a minor revision...the Orange Gobshite will probably try to take this to SCOTUS, and they *possibly* may grant cert, but my sense is that if petitioned, the Court will leave it with the DC CA.
With regard to Ukraine funding and the border demands. Isn't this just the GOP carrying water for tRumpPutin and using border demands for cover? Has anyone here read "Prequel"? I just got it a couple of days ago and just finished it. History repeats itself. Riveting reading. Just insert LBGTQ+/Democrats for Jews (although the Reich went after LBGQ first I think) and Putin for Adolf Hitler and Ukraine for Europe. The Jews were called "communists" and now the Democrats are called "communists" by all the worst watercarriers for tRumpPutin....
What a lot to unpack, Jay. You’re doing a great job of keeping me informed. The highlight I learned was that Hunter Biden has PAID the back taxes with penalties and interest. Case closed, in my opinion, but I’m not a lawyer.
I think I save about 2 hours a day, easy, just waiting for Jay's rundown on stuff like this. It's been exhausting. Jay needs a purple heart or something.
I want Jay to be awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
There are several others that I subscribe to that should also.
I'll second that.
It's interesting that most of the media reports I've seen don't mention that Hunter has repaid the back taxes + penalties + interest. They seem to focus only on the indictment. This is a far more relevant case for the 'if they do it to me, they can do it to you' argument that Trump likes to employ. I would guess there are far more people in the U.S. who should be shaking in their boots when they realize they could still face charges after paying off their back taxes to the IRS than there are citizens who could face the same charges Trump bleats about (and why kill yourself paying if you're going to go to jail anyway?). That's the bigger story. But then again, an indictment doesn't necessitate a conviction. It will be interesting to see how this plays out.
Plea deal Round Two coming at some time in the process...Hunter B has a new, very competent legal team, and talks I'm sure will soon be under way. It's how "the system" works, just ask "The Cheese", Jenna Ellis, et al.
Yep, Abbe Lowell from Winston & Strawn (DC) is a very capable advocate. He was just on Katy Tur / MSNBC. He & WS have chops; this will not be a lay-down for Justice. The sad part is the DOJ will get a big black eye for this egregious behavior, which falls into the "fear" element of Garland's "fear or favor" test, IMO.
The DOJ should be going after insurrectionists like MTG, but they choose to pretty much only go after Trump and his cronies who are not elected officials. Why is that? There are members of Congress who were part of the Trump coup attempt, why are they not being held accountable too. Isn't MAGA Mikey Johnson one of them?
Agree 100000%
And the gun charge: "Hunter Biden is charged with violating measures against drug users having guns when he bought and kept a revolver for about 11 days in 2018. He has pleaded not guilty." And the gun was thrown away and never used.
I wonder how many similar cases have been brought to trial?
As for the tax case and TFG: 'if they do it to Hunter Biden, they can do it to Trump.' How many times has the IRS have to get more taxes and interest from TFG.
Anyway I would think paying the IRS (if you can) would be better than waiting for them to charge you. The extra interest could be substantial.
https://apnews.com/article/hunter-biden-gun-charges-trump-subpoena-bef0068057768760d1f55d5f40b770d0
Of course they don't. It's less scandalous if they do. Bunch of money grabbing cowards....
“probably”??!
The Texas situation has me shaking with frustration and anger. Is there ever going to be a day when my government isnt a complete shit show? Adding fuel to the fire was Elise Stefanik, ranting and screeching about the bogus impeachment. What a horrible woman.
Let us never forget: The Cruelty Is The Point, full stop.
The only good thing is that it is very clearly and openly revealing that criminalizing people is the goal.
Agree... the Texas Taliban is not hiding their cruel intentions.
GOPers always assume THEIR daughters will be fine. Their contraception never fails them. But uh-oh. The indicted fraudster Paxton is gonna force their precious daughter to birth dead or dying babies? Maybe they aren't so eager for that. FFS.
Better yet,I guarantee he wouldn't just stand there and nonchalantly watch his own wife or daughter die bleeding to death or in septic shock without intervention.
There are stunningly several horrid ways to die in childbirth.Once upon a time is was a common occurrence, unfortunately these ghouls want those days back,with interest.Sad but true.
Unfortunately, they are ignorant. They have lived in a time of unprecedented access to healthcare but are too uninterested to make themselves aware of that fact.
I dunno - I'm thinking he's the kind of christofascist creep who would pray and pray and afterward say it was god's will. Nothing to be done about it.
We might be wrong in assuming these misogynists care more about their daughters' lives than about accumulating power. They don't shown themselves to be nice or principled people.
Sadly, you do make a good point.
There places outside of Texas where he could fly his daughter to 'take care of the problem.'
Yep. Just hope you don't get sued for 10,000 $$$ afterward. Legalized vigilantism is part of the gig down in that maga hellhole.
Unfortunately, Hunter’s book disclosed all the elements of the crimes he committed. Why he wrote this with potential charges hanging out there is mystifying.
I read all of these and my anger and frustration grew by the minute. I am disgusted by Republicans and all who do their bidding in Congress and the media, and the people who voted for them. Enough already. I need to see some accountability and consequences. My sanity is at stake and I'm sure I'm not the only one. I'm running out of pillows to scream into.
It’s important to take the anger and channel it into productive purposes, rather than let it simply consume. It’s something I’ve been working on for years now under Trump and under the GOP-led House. I’m almost there!
Thank you. I know all that in my head, it's my heart that's broken.
You would think those 'normal republicans' would be starting to wonder how their own families could be affected by the draconian cruelty that defines MAGA.
I honestly think they either don't care or the think they and their families will somehow be spared the dystopian hellscape they're rooting for.
I would think Ken Paxton is currently divesting them of those unrealistic notions.
THEIR families will be FINE because THEY are gonna be calling the shots.
It's the fallacy of all dictator enablers, and many of them get to the "find out" part of FAFO pretty shortly. One slip of the tongue, one failure to genuflect - or hell, just because! and it's off to the gulag with your sorry butt. Same as the whole "I need my guns for my protection" bit - they always assume they're gonna win the gunfight.
Seriously our country has gone crazy! Not to comment on the kind of friends I have🙄 but I had one that didn’t pay taxes for 10 years! That’s right 10 years. And when the government finally caught up with him, they forgave 4 of the 10 years! Yes, they hit him with interest and penalties, but never once did they threaten to throw him in jail or take him to court. Never once! My son knows a young man who worked in another country for six years and decided that “No, I don’t need to pay taxes in the United States or pay my student loans.” He finally decided to settle up when he realized that he wasn’t getting any of the pandemic money. Again, he was forgiven two years and allowed to settle with nominal interest and penalties. The blatant double standard here is gob smacking!! And neither one of these people were drug addicts, who let’s face it aren’t going to be focused on paying their taxes!
Perhaps it is true that the DOJ can be weaponized, because it certainly seems it has been in this instance.
I want my country back when my legislative arms of the government actually sort of worked. This has gotten absolutely ridiculous.
Isn’t there a case to be made for malicious prosecution of Hunter? Like you mentioned, that if his last name wasn’t Biden, then the whole thing would be done and dusted.
His lawyers will certainly argue selective prosecution.
I'm sure that's what his lawyers will claim, the government offered a deal that fell way short of this new prosecution. Why would they offer such a good deal, and then do this? Remember one of Hunters lawyers removed himself from the case to be able to testify on Hunters behalf.
It's called Weaponization, right?
It’s shocking that the Texas Attorney General actually said the “state” was the one suffering. From what I’ve read, that’s one of the tenets of facism. The state is primary. Amirite?
Texas AG Ken Paxton threw a big ugly wrench into the court decision, saying that anyone helping this woman obtain an abortion risks being prosecuted.
https://twitter.com/TXAG/status/1732849898532266420
Quote: "The TRO will expire long before the statue of limitations for violating Texas' abortion laws expires."
The party of family values on full display.
just how ugly is the wench? (I couldn't help myself)
Well, we are talking about Texas; so it's BIG ugly.
I should have said WENCH!
Did you mean to say wrench?
That's what caught my eye!
Oops I did mean to say wrench... Been a long week.
Thank you for all your posts. I really think you are doing a great service to those of us who are lamenting this trumpian nightmare
Everyone’s gonna write about Hunter Biden's indictment but no one ever links to the actual court document, so here it is.
https://storage.courtlistener.com/recap/gov.uscourts.cacd.907806/gov.uscourts.cacd.907806.1.0_2.pdf
No shade to the Times, I might have just missed the link.
So this is the indictment filed 12/7/2023. Thanks for the 56 pages. I spent a lot of time in my career reading such documents, and I know the lawyers are making a lot of money. I guess the previous arrangement for him to plead to misdemeanors was negotiated with this in the wings. And I find it bizarre that the court document quotes from the defendant’s memoir. Let’s see how this plays out.
I think you sell Mike Johnson short in calling him "just McCarthy redux". He is a far more dangerous, albeit less experienced, hard right Christian nationalist zealot. He needs to be watched very carefully, and demoted at the earliest opportunity. It is telling that the other right-wing crazies in the House have not moved to vacate the speaker after he did the same thing for which Kevin McCarthy was ousted.
Never a dull moment. Paxton is a POS. Orange rump is a POS. Therefore Paxton + Orange rump=POS. Maths. This one was easy. Seriously though, as someone from Texas it is a horror to see what has happened to the state under the Abbott regime. The power hungry incels have really taken over the asylum.
Math is a teensy bit off - should be 2(POS). 😎
I do not understand why the appeal process is so favorable to the defendant, by way of delay of sentencing, after a jury trial has reached their verdict. In the Bannon contempt of Congress trial, he should have reported for his 4 month sentence a year ago Nov, but instead this Nov he had an appeal hearing and a month later we still haven't heard a verdict. A Trump appointed judge, granted the stay by the way, which brings the impartiality rule for recusing into question, IMO.
https://www.businessinsider.com/judge-sentence-prison-steve-bannon-appeal-free-contempt-congress-conviction-2022-10
He's white and rich. You and I would not get the same treatment. IMHO.
A previously convicted felon, who was then pardoned by a (at the time) not yet charged felon, shouldn't have had a sympathetic judge (appointed by one of the above mentioned people) remain on the case. It is so corrupt!
https://www.legalmatch.com/law-library/article/consequences-of-judges-not-recusing-themselves.html
Double Like.
💙
Great as always.
Minor typo in the third line of "Texas abortion ruling" section, "cand" instead of "and"
Thanks for the catch!
David Weiss will be remembered for being “ a tool.” Poor boy doesn’t have a backbone either. How is he able to stand upright?
Have to believe that the DC Circuit won't agree with SC Smith's filing of an expedited hearing request, as the entire federal court system recognizes the game here: Justice delayed = justice denied. My prediction: SCOTUS will deny cert. after appeals court sides with Judge Chutkan, and the Orange Gobshite is off to trial.
I hope you’re right. I know some panels turn things around in days. But the panel hearing the civil immunity appeal took 10 months!
DC Circuit ruled today restoring Judge Chutkan's gag order, with only a minor revision...the Orange Gobshite will probably try to take this to SCOTUS, and they *possibly* may grant cert, but my sense is that if petitioned, the Court will leave it with the DC CA.
Typo...Should have read, "HARD to believe that..."
With regard to Ukraine funding and the border demands. Isn't this just the GOP carrying water for tRumpPutin and using border demands for cover? Has anyone here read "Prequel"? I just got it a couple of days ago and just finished it. History repeats itself. Riveting reading. Just insert LBGTQ+/Democrats for Jews (although the Reich went after LBGQ first I think) and Putin for Adolf Hitler and Ukraine for Europe. The Jews were called "communists" and now the Democrats are called "communists" by all the worst watercarriers for tRumpPutin....