No matter what SCOTUS does, after this national nightmare is over, I'm taking Jack Smith out for an expensive dinner that I can't afford, whether he likes it or not. I will find you, Jack!!! I'm going to wine and dine him, and sing crazy songs to him like a lunatic, because he's a f**in national hero.
Cool, Charles. I can tell you that Jack is a good man and a hell of a competitor. He raced triathlons, duathlons, and time trials (bike) during his time here in my beloved city of music and I got to know him. Smith went before Tate at the Bells Bend Time Trials every time we were there. I would pass him around mile 4 typically, but it was always at that point that Jack would access beast mode and the battle would be on! I would simultaneously feel joy and dread when I saw him at the start line. In September 2018, after the Manchester Star Tri, he pulled me aside to tell me he was likely moving his family to the Netherlands. The rest is literally history (in the making). I could not believe my ears and eyes the first time I saw something indicating what he was up to last year. And now when I think back about how he always raced and how he carried himself it … just gives me goosebumps. This guy’s metronomic intensity is something every endurance athlete wishes they had. He apparently still has it in spades. I’m so incredibly proud of him and grateful that I competed against him and might be so privileged as to call him friend. To put it bluntly, Jack Smith is a bad motherfucker. But he’s also a wonderful father and a kind and gentle person. Tell him Jon Tate says hello if you find him. 😎🙏
Also, remember that lost in all this fast-breaking news is the announcement that SC Smith's team have access to tRump's mobile-phone data, which is of immense importance concerning the who/what/when aspects of Jan6 itself, and tRump's actions before and after. A real evidentiary coup there, and I'm surprised that tRump hadn't already destroyed any and all communications devices before the FBI came calling. Maybe he did, but records were still accessible, not an IT guy, so can't answer that one.
"Stand back and stand by", as Jack Smith is opening up his Christmas sack, and goodies - and a lump of coal - are there for us all!
I hate to think we are still waiting for justice to fall on all the Congressmen and women that were texting him that day (and others) who were directly complicit.
I’ll bake a cake; German chocolate, pineapple upside down, strawberry, whatever his favorite is. I will find out his favorite and bake it with a huge THANK YOU in icing and sprinkles on top.
I feel the same way. But my hopes have been dashed every time so far, as I remember thinking the same thing with Mueller. Remember him? If not, I'm sorry for bringing it up.
Not that this will make you feel any better, but this kind of information is obvious proof that this is no "left-wing" witch hunt. Dems should do a better job of publicizing this. It's not like Smith will suddenly back off because Dems are pointing out his conservative credentials. He's obvious in the Never Trump camp. Anyway, thanks for bringing this up.
Republicans: “J-6 was a false flag operation perpetrated by Antifa/FBI/BLM/Democrats, NOT by Republicans”. House Speaker Mike Johnson: “We’ll release the video after we blur faces to protect the participants from prosecution/persecution”. So . . . . the Speaker is protecting Democrats????
Donald tRump: “I have irrefutable proof that I won the 2020 election, but I’ll wait and release this information during my trial”. Also Donald tRump: “The trial should be delayed until 2026”, well after the 2024 election.
Seems like he would want his irrefutable proof out in the public discourse before the 2024 election so the nefarious activities can’t be repeated.
Seems like the cult followers are incapable of critical thinking.
You are correct that they are incapable of critical thinking or at least guilty of discarding it if it doesn't suit their end goal. Which goes along with Jay's statement about Trump's claim that impeachment and the criminal charges is double jeopardy: "Perhaps the GOP should think about what their doomed yet looming, evidence-free impeachment of Joe Biden would mean under this argument: a permanent immunity from criminal prosecution after the Democratic-controlled Senate acquits him." I would expect them to agree with Trump then disagree if the situation involves a Democrat. That's their standard M.O. No critical thinking required or employed.
I dunno... this court has shown itself able to throw precedent over the side to get where it wants to go. Just hoping there is enough integrity left in there (or, you know - terror of getting it so wrong the pitchforks and torches come for them) to remember what they are supposed to be.
Thanks Jay for breaking down the hot mess that surrounds the orange one. The orange one is well on his way to receive the republican nomination, sealing the fate of what's left of the GOP. It will come down to we the voters to save us from the orange one and his enablers. We need to investigate and put away the enablers - Patel, Bannon, Miller (the blight on humanity). Bannon is the only one who came close to seeing perm jail time. Miller on the other hand has committed crimes against humanity with his immigration policies. Getting rid of the orange one shouldn't be the only goal. Cutting the head of the snake isnt going to be enough.
Whatever one thinks about the six-Justice majority, US v Nixon is controlling here, and Jay's summary of how the Court has already dismissed his "immunity" claims in previous cases appealed to them strongly suggests that tRump has no chance IF the Court takes up SC Smith's petition of cert before judgment. And, it has become patently obvious to all that delay-delay-delay is tRump's game, the DC Circuit in the gag order appeal has already stated in its opinion that time is of the essence re: the March trial date, and that his appeal of Judge Shutkan's dismissal of immunity would be fast-tracked.
However one slices it, Justice is coming for tRump, with fierce determination.
Look, the six right-wingers save most of their wrath for kneecapping voting rights and okaying discriminatory redistricting...but tRump? They're done with the POS and his no-merit appeals...7-2, and get that jury empaneled!
True, but wouldn't putting the Bloated Yam back in power make it even easier to achieve those ends?
For example, the Yam could end the "redistricting" issue at the stroke of a pen: martial law throughout the nation, with military governors replacing civilian state governors; state legislatures and courts suspended "for the duration of the present crisis;" military tribunals to handle all criminal cases over Traffic Courts throughout the nation; and, of course, police executions on sight. He promised that.
Woe to any upper middle-class teenage girl who accepts a dare from her Queen Bee to shoplift a pair of earrings from a jewelry store at the Short Hills Mall! As soon as she dashes out and the store owner follows, screaming "Stop, Thief!" that 15-year-old girl will be gunned down by the mall cop with his AR-15. After that, the body should be displayed by the Christmas Tree, wearing a big sign that says "I Shoplifted." That will, as Napoleon said, "pour encourager les autres." (It will encourage the others to behave)
But I don't see how these courtroom events will have any impact on the 2024 election beyond increasing Trump's standing as a martyr who is being ruthlessly attacked and destroyed by libtard hippies who lost the Vietnam War, allowed illegal immigrant to get both high-paying jobs AND welfare, admitted blacks and Jews to corporate boardrooms, let women out of the kitchen, and enabled gay school teachers turn their kids into transsexuals who gave up football scholarships for needlepoint.
As I've said...these guys think that WWE is real and the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged.
You are right that the people who support him will do so even if he was filmed eating babies he just barbequed on the White House lawn.
People are not being enticed to vote for him by his words or deeds so I think the people to worry about in the election are the ones who dislike Trump and Biden. They might vote for a third party candidate and screw everything up.
The Bloated Yam himself said that "I could shoot a gun on Fifth Avenue and kill someone and get away with it."
He's done worse than that...he's committed insurrection, attempting to overthrow the government, cancel a legally-conducted Presidential election, and install himself as a dictator.
I love Jack Smith. He has an answer for every one of their moves. He's a smart, smart man and I wouldn't want to go in front of him for even an upaid parking ticket! He is the reason I trust we will get a good outcome for this trial, I don't think he would have taken it on if he didn't know he could win it.
And many, many thanks (as usual) to Jay for unpacking this for us. Honestly this has kept me sane through it all!
Right. How do you think those of us in NC and Tennessee have faired since the ongoing collapse of our largest hospital system when J Smith was VP and Head of Litigation of HCA: nation’s largest for-profit healthcare company. Everyone’s looking for heroes. Who has clean hands?
Considering it's been almost THREE YEARS since January 6th, any further delays are bound to result in calls for vigilantism. There is only so much patience people have. This man is a danger to national security. This needs to stop. If he has to await trial - fine. Let him await it like any other crook would - in jail.
Yes! It's a reason that we have the 14th Amendment! If the Dems can take all 3 branches in '24, they can use it to clean Congressional house and get rid of the insurrectionists, which I believe is a large majority of of the House and Senate repubs, and serious repairs of our system might be open to change for the good (heck, even for the great!).
That would be amazing, but my concern is - how do we survive that long? How do we battle gerrymandering? Voting rights violations? The "he is too old" (regarding Biden) idiot? And so on and so forth?
I love it! It puts the Supremes into a Catch 22 position. Find against Trump and that opens the door for future legal action against a President who breaks the law. Find for Trump and Biden then becomes completely untouchable, including if say, for example, Biden decides that the next election was fraudulent and HE decides to stay in office forever!
I am reminded of a couple of historical thingys here - Andy Jackson, IIRC, said, "The Court has rendered its decision - now let them enforce it." And Stalin, when told the Pope had condemned some action of his, asked, "How many divisions does the Pope have?" Men like this have to be beaten. Soundly.
That is really the most important bit. Regardless of the unhinged majority, SCOTUS will *never* come out with a decision that even slightly reduces their own power.
I'm SO thankful for Jack Smith (and his team). And I'm thankful Jay explains it all! While this whole thing *gestures wildly about everything in the last ~8 years* feels like some kind of political thriller I did not agree to watch, smart heroes like Smith help me calm down a tiny bit.
While I understand the frustration I sense from your comment, these are two VERY separate things: there is NO doubt that the SCOTUS will ultimately hear and resolve this case, and the ONLY question is whether they’ll grant the “leapfrog” over the appellate process.
If your comment was to highlight the ridiculousness of what cases this court chooses to take or not, yes, their taking a case on purely speculative purposes where no actual damage has been done to the complainant is an IDEAL example of 5 of this Court’s members putting their far-right ideologies before both precedent and common sense.....
Given that six out of the High Nine are Trumpetoons, I think they'll support the Glorious Leader in his march to "Making America Great Again."
I have a LOT of cynicism about the mess we're in.
We live in a nation where millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of Americans think that WWE is real and the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged.
Trump has the poorest record of wins in front of the Supreme Court of any past president going back to Roosevelt. He has been only won 47% of his cases, and I see no indication that outside of Thomas and Alito that ANY of the other Supremes care about him on any way. And if they find that Trump is completely protected, that protection would than apply to Biden, who could then step into the position of a dictator and stay in office forever if he wanted, because the Supremes decision would make him untouchable. And the GOP’s attempts to “impeach” him would then be totally off the table!
I highly doubt the Supremes would ever give anyone that power! While they may desire to change the legal system to the Rights ideology, they won’t do it by giving Trump what he wants because Trump is NOT important to the Federalist Society in the long run, and they won’t want to give the Democrats any extra protections from the law!
Exactly. The Federalist Society gains nothing by letting Trump become a dictator. In fact, he'll tear them apart, too, once he sets his sights on them for some perceived lack of loyalty.
That applies to any of the conservative think tanks.
And it applies to anyone or any group that ends up on his 'disloyalty' list. Businesses too.
Then it will start, paying 'under the table' to show 'loyalty'. Lobbyists could become a conduit for bribery. Will accidents from tall stairwells with faulty windows begin to happen?
I think Thomas and Alito are pretty much in his pocket, but it could be the rest of them are as sick of him as we are. They probably sneak nightly reads of Bulwark, nodding their heads in agreement throughout Charlie Sykes and company's various screeds.
They did, but they've also shown occasional signs of moderation, especially on constitutional questions. But I'm not going to start making comments that sounds like I'm defending them, because I loathe the hills they stand on.
Yes, but they said: "Roe v. Wade is settled law" in their confirmation hearings.
Then they overturned "Roe v. Wade."
I don't trust them.
As far as I can see, the Republican Party and its backers -- large business, the military-industrial complex, evangelical Christians, racists, misogynists, white Nationalists, and even organized crime (drug money is a gigantic part of our economy) realize that their base is decreasing in numbers, and the only way they can hold a grip on power and its manifold perks is to eliminate the Constitution and impose a dictatorship and police state.
"A police state is one where the criminals are the police." -- Sophie Scholl.
She was a college student in Nazi Germany, head of the anti-Nazi "White Rose" movement. The Gestapo had her beheaded.
I understand the fear. But we have much bigger problems than what Jay regularly talks about if SCOTUS doesn't adhere to basic jurisprudence regarding criminal conduct in the Oval Office. We're talking about "buy a gun" type stuff.
Well, we already had an attempt at the Reichstag Fire, and Marinus van der Lubbe wasn't around, thank goodness.
I've written books and articles about World War II history, so the rise of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Stalin's Russia are among my favorite subjects, and subjects well-traversed.
In 1923, Adolf was designing Grosslinz...the city that would replace Linz, including what would be Europe's greatest art museum, with the Louvre, the Hermitage, the British Museum, and others emptied out. He had those blueprints with him in the Fuehrerbunker in 1945, when he committed suicide.
Now...who was Hitler in 1923? Leader of an obscure fringe right-wing party in Bavaria, mostly noted for its brownshirted bullies getting into fights with Communist rivals in the streets, or in beerhalls to avoid paying the bill. He had "quite a gob," but not much in the way of a program beyond revenge against the French, Bolsheviks, and Jews. He never had more than that. He was and remained an intellectual dilettante. He was a nothing. But he was planning to turn the Austrian provincial city of Linz into one of Europe's major metropolitan communities. He had, at least, a sense of self, and absolutely, a sense of destiny. "Providence guides me," he said. "I walk with the assurance of a sleepwalker."
And he "sleepwalked" his way to butchering 56 million people (World War II's cost) and destroying Europe, including Germany.
So I don't take Trump lightly.
By the way, one piece of Linz was left to Albert Speer to design, a cathedral. Hitler never said so specifically, but indicated he wanted to be buried there. So Speer designed the tower as a cenotaph.
Instead, Hitler's cremated body was buried hurriedly in a grave in Berlin, exhumed by the NKVD, and the few pieces are in a lockbox in Moscow.
Yes except that once the weasels got confirmed Trump can't do anything to them. They have a lifetime gig. The Federalist Society used Trump, sure. He has no value to them now.
That's an interesting point...which leads me to ask, "So why did they lie to the Senate about abortion? What other lies are they going to tell and do?"
"So why did they lie to the Senate about abortion?"... anyone ever ask you if you wanted one of those nine jobs? There are a LOT of lawyers who fall asleep every single night dreaming of donning those robes. Many of them would do and say whatever it takes.
They did.
Now they have the gig, and no particular need for the guy who gave it to them.
If I understand the process, it is because of your detailed explanation. Thank you.
The MAGA world is shouting that the election should decide whether Trump gets a second term, and not the DOJ. I say, fine. But the laws of the nation and adherence to them must be taken into consideration in presenting the candidates for office. If the majority of Americans in a free and fair election actually decide to choose as their president a man who has demonstrably broken the law multiple times, and who considers himself unanswerable to justice in any fashion other than by compensating his legal team (sometimes) then Americans will get what they deserve. It will not be what they expect.
A conversation that I listened to at a VERY mixed gathering, but in which I did not participate, went something like this..."If living in a democracy means that a newly-minted majority of people who are not culturally American get to decide how things will be in this country going forwards, then I don't want a democracy anymore." That is what we are dealing with.
"culturally American..." In other words, White and "Christian" (I find it necessary to put that word in quotations, as they don't seem to very much resemble disciples of Christ lately). Oh, and male. 🤬🤡🤡
Whomever said that should be reminded of the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for - you might get it."
Once again Trump claims to be the innocentest person in the history of innocentitude, and yet he doesn’t want his “vindication” to happen before the election. So weird, huh?
Anyway, you have a much higher opinion of the Republicans on the Supreme Court than I do. Their hatred of America is beyond dispute at this point.
No matter what SCOTUS does, after this national nightmare is over, I'm taking Jack Smith out for an expensive dinner that I can't afford, whether he likes it or not. I will find you, Jack!!! I'm going to wine and dine him, and sing crazy songs to him like a lunatic, because he's a f**in national hero.
Wait for me! I'll bring wine and snacks!
Ha ha, see my answer to Susan! We'll rent out some space and bring the whole gang!
I'll do the flowers!
We'll need a GoFundMe event so we can purchase thousands of them. He'll be swimming in them!
Cool, Charles. I can tell you that Jack is a good man and a hell of a competitor. He raced triathlons, duathlons, and time trials (bike) during his time here in my beloved city of music and I got to know him. Smith went before Tate at the Bells Bend Time Trials every time we were there. I would pass him around mile 4 typically, but it was always at that point that Jack would access beast mode and the battle would be on! I would simultaneously feel joy and dread when I saw him at the start line. In September 2018, after the Manchester Star Tri, he pulled me aside to tell me he was likely moving his family to the Netherlands. The rest is literally history (in the making). I could not believe my ears and eyes the first time I saw something indicating what he was up to last year. And now when I think back about how he always raced and how he carried himself it … just gives me goosebumps. This guy’s metronomic intensity is something every endurance athlete wishes they had. He apparently still has it in spades. I’m so incredibly proud of him and grateful that I competed against him and might be so privileged as to call him friend. To put it bluntly, Jack Smith is a bad motherfucker. But he’s also a wonderful father and a kind and gentle person. Tell him Jon Tate says hello if you find him. 😎🙏
Can I come? I'll sing with you! 🤣🤣
You're welcome to come along anytime. Maybe we can rent out a Golden Corral for Jack and bring the whole gang!
One of my neighbors is the CEO of Golden Corral! I can ask him 🤣
I think we've started a viral movement! Don't ask. DEMAND! :-)
What we need is a national Jack Smith Day!!!
At least half the country should party.
Hahaha, agree!!
Also, remember that lost in all this fast-breaking news is the announcement that SC Smith's team have access to tRump's mobile-phone data, which is of immense importance concerning the who/what/when aspects of Jan6 itself, and tRump's actions before and after. A real evidentiary coup there, and I'm surprised that tRump hadn't already destroyed any and all communications devices before the FBI came calling. Maybe he did, but records were still accessible, not an IT guy, so can't answer that one.
"Stand back and stand by", as Jack Smith is opening up his Christmas sack, and goodies - and a lump of coal - are there for us all!
I hate to think we are still waiting for justice to fall on all the Congressmen and women that were texting him that day (and others) who were directly complicit.
Me too, please, pretty please. I love this dour looking man.
I don't normally enjoy dour looking men, but I'm thinking he deserves a framed photo over the fireplace, lol.
Maybe he'll be the Times Person of the Year 2024
I think El Greco could do a good likeness.
Me as well please!
Ethics rules would likely prohibit him from accepting the invitation. But I agree with the sentiment.
I’ll bake a cake; German chocolate, pineapple upside down, strawberry, whatever his favorite is. I will find out his favorite and bake it with a huge THANK YOU in icing and sprinkles on top.
I feel the same way. But my hopes have been dashed every time so far, as I remember thinking the same thing with Mueller. Remember him? If not, I'm sorry for bringing it up.
If I am not invited that will be counted as discrimination. Beware of the legal consequences. 😂😂
As long as Jack Smith's not your lawyer, I have no fear! :-)
But you're invited anyway!
I think a bunch of us will help you out!
139 likes on that comment, lol. I guess so!! What a party that would be, huh?
Tell that to those of us stick with substandard healthcare at for-profit HCA hospitals in TN, where J Smith served as VP and “Head of Litigation.”
I wasn't aware of that. Yikes.
Not that this will make you feel any better, but this kind of information is obvious proof that this is no "left-wing" witch hunt. Dems should do a better job of publicizing this. It's not like Smith will suddenly back off because Dems are pointing out his conservative credentials. He's obvious in the Never Trump camp. Anyway, thanks for bringing this up.
The damage HCA has done here and elsewhere is severe. This is basically our only hospital for nearly 300 miles.
Proving that J Smith has dirty hands isn’t worth pursuing publicly at this point.
Republicans: “J-6 was a false flag operation perpetrated by Antifa/FBI/BLM/Democrats, NOT by Republicans”. House Speaker Mike Johnson: “We’ll release the video after we blur faces to protect the participants from prosecution/persecution”. So . . . . the Speaker is protecting Democrats????
Donald tRump: “I have irrefutable proof that I won the 2020 election, but I’ll wait and release this information during my trial”. Also Donald tRump: “The trial should be delayed until 2026”, well after the 2024 election.
Seems like he would want his irrefutable proof out in the public discourse before the 2024 election so the nefarious activities can’t be repeated.
Seems like the cult followers are incapable of critical thinking.
You are correct that they are incapable of critical thinking or at least guilty of discarding it if it doesn't suit their end goal. Which goes along with Jay's statement about Trump's claim that impeachment and the criminal charges is double jeopardy: "Perhaps the GOP should think about what their doomed yet looming, evidence-free impeachment of Joe Biden would mean under this argument: a permanent immunity from criminal prosecution after the Democratic-controlled Senate acquits him." I would expect them to agree with Trump then disagree if the situation involves a Democrat. That's their standard M.O. No critical thinking required or employed.
They are incapable of thinking period
Critical thinking is the first victim of cult assimilation. It is rooted out by design.
Completely, totally and comprehensively incapable of any kind of logical thought process at all.
“Seems like the cult followers are incapable of critical thinking.”
“Seems like”? Why cop out in stating the obvious?
Who knew Nixon would come in handy?!
Right?!
I dunno... this court has shown itself able to throw precedent over the side to get where it wants to go. Just hoping there is enough integrity left in there (or, you know - terror of getting it so wrong the pitchforks and torches come for them) to remember what they are supposed to be.
This is my big concern.
Brilliant! 👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks Jay for breaking down the hot mess that surrounds the orange one. The orange one is well on his way to receive the republican nomination, sealing the fate of what's left of the GOP. It will come down to we the voters to save us from the orange one and his enablers. We need to investigate and put away the enablers - Patel, Bannon, Miller (the blight on humanity). Bannon is the only one who came close to seeing perm jail time. Miller on the other hand has committed crimes against humanity with his immigration policies. Getting rid of the orange one shouldn't be the only goal. Cutting the head of the snake isnt going to be enough.
Don't forget Stone and Flynn. They need to be in Supermax forever.
Whatever one thinks about the six-Justice majority, US v Nixon is controlling here, and Jay's summary of how the Court has already dismissed his "immunity" claims in previous cases appealed to them strongly suggests that tRump has no chance IF the Court takes up SC Smith's petition of cert before judgment. And, it has become patently obvious to all that delay-delay-delay is tRump's game, the DC Circuit in the gag order appeal has already stated in its opinion that time is of the essence re: the March trial date, and that his appeal of Judge Shutkan's dismissal of immunity would be fast-tracked.
However one slices it, Justice is coming for tRump, with fierce determination.
I hope you’re right, but I’m increasingly cynical about the whole thing.
As my wife said, “Justice isn’t done, and doesn’t exist. Sometimes it happens.”
Look, the six right-wingers save most of their wrath for kneecapping voting rights and okaying discriminatory redistricting...but tRump? They're done with the POS and his no-merit appeals...7-2, and get that jury empaneled!
True, but wouldn't putting the Bloated Yam back in power make it even easier to achieve those ends?
For example, the Yam could end the "redistricting" issue at the stroke of a pen: martial law throughout the nation, with military governors replacing civilian state governors; state legislatures and courts suspended "for the duration of the present crisis;" military tribunals to handle all criminal cases over Traffic Courts throughout the nation; and, of course, police executions on sight. He promised that.
Woe to any upper middle-class teenage girl who accepts a dare from her Queen Bee to shoplift a pair of earrings from a jewelry store at the Short Hills Mall! As soon as she dashes out and the store owner follows, screaming "Stop, Thief!" that 15-year-old girl will be gunned down by the mall cop with his AR-15. After that, the body should be displayed by the Christmas Tree, wearing a big sign that says "I Shoplifted." That will, as Napoleon said, "pour encourager les autres." (It will encourage the others to behave)
He's a sharp guy.
But I don't see how these courtroom events will have any impact on the 2024 election beyond increasing Trump's standing as a martyr who is being ruthlessly attacked and destroyed by libtard hippies who lost the Vietnam War, allowed illegal immigrant to get both high-paying jobs AND welfare, admitted blacks and Jews to corporate boardrooms, let women out of the kitchen, and enabled gay school teachers turn their kids into transsexuals who gave up football scholarships for needlepoint.
As I've said...these guys think that WWE is real and the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged.
I hope my sarcasm is coming clear.
You are right that the people who support him will do so even if he was filmed eating babies he just barbequed on the White House lawn.
People are not being enticed to vote for him by his words or deeds so I think the people to worry about in the election are the ones who dislike Trump and Biden. They might vote for a third party candidate and screw everything up.
The Bloated Yam himself said that "I could shoot a gun on Fifth Avenue and kill someone and get away with it."
He's done worse than that...he's committed insurrection, attempting to overthrow the government, cancel a legally-conducted Presidential election, and install himself as a dictator.
Don't lose hope OR forget to vote!!
I love Jack Smith. He has an answer for every one of their moves. He's a smart, smart man and I wouldn't want to go in front of him for even an upaid parking ticket! He is the reason I trust we will get a good outcome for this trial, I don't think he would have taken it on if he didn't know he could win it.
And many, many thanks (as usual) to Jay for unpacking this for us. Honestly this has kept me sane through it all!
Right. How do you think those of us in NC and Tennessee have faired since the ongoing collapse of our largest hospital system when J Smith was VP and Head of Litigation of HCA: nation’s largest for-profit healthcare company. Everyone’s looking for heroes. Who has clean hands?
Considering it's been almost THREE YEARS since January 6th, any further delays are bound to result in calls for vigilantism. There is only so much patience people have. This man is a danger to national security. This needs to stop. If he has to await trial - fine. Let him await it like any other crook would - in jail.
Yes! It's a reason that we have the 14th Amendment! If the Dems can take all 3 branches in '24, they can use it to clean Congressional house and get rid of the insurrectionists, which I believe is a large majority of of the House and Senate repubs, and serious repairs of our system might be open to change for the good (heck, even for the great!).
That would be amazing, but my concern is - how do we survive that long? How do we battle gerrymandering? Voting rights violations? The "he is too old" (regarding Biden) idiot? And so on and so forth?
I love it! It puts the Supremes into a Catch 22 position. Find against Trump and that opens the door for future legal action against a President who breaks the law. Find for Trump and Biden then becomes completely untouchable, including if say, for example, Biden decides that the next election was fraudulent and HE decides to stay in office forever!
And the risk finding for Trump to the SCOTUS is that they will find themselves irrelevant as the El Presidente will not care what they say.
I am reminded of a couple of historical thingys here - Andy Jackson, IIRC, said, "The Court has rendered its decision - now let them enforce it." And Stalin, when told the Pope had condemned some action of his, asked, "How many divisions does the Pope have?" Men like this have to be beaten. Soundly.
That is really the most important bit. Regardless of the unhinged majority, SCOTUS will *never* come out with a decision that even slightly reduces their own power.
Thanks for the concise rundown of everything. You’re amazing!!!
I'm SO thankful for Jack Smith (and his team). And I'm thankful Jay explains it all! While this whole thing *gestures wildly about everything in the last ~8 years* feels like some kind of political thriller I did not agree to watch, smart heroes like Smith help me calm down a tiny bit.
If SCOTUS refuses to hear the case, but takes up and rules on a graphic designer case to discriminate based on religion, we’re in a major jam.
While I understand the frustration I sense from your comment, these are two VERY separate things: there is NO doubt that the SCOTUS will ultimately hear and resolve this case, and the ONLY question is whether they’ll grant the “leapfrog” over the appellate process.
If your comment was to highlight the ridiculousness of what cases this court chooses to take or not, yes, their taking a case on purely speculative purposes where no actual damage has been done to the complainant is an IDEAL example of 5 of this Court’s members putting their far-right ideologies before both precedent and common sense.....
Indeed my point stemmed from frustration, but my mood changed shortly after learning that the NY Dems get to redraw the district maps!
Yes, that’s a good sign, for sure!
Given that six out of the High Nine are Trumpetoons, I think they'll support the Glorious Leader in his march to "Making America Great Again."
I have a LOT of cynicism about the mess we're in.
We live in a nation where millions and millions and millions and millions and millions of Americans think that WWE is real and the 2020 Presidential Election was rigged.
Trump has the poorest record of wins in front of the Supreme Court of any past president going back to Roosevelt. He has been only won 47% of his cases, and I see no indication that outside of Thomas and Alito that ANY of the other Supremes care about him on any way. And if they find that Trump is completely protected, that protection would than apply to Biden, who could then step into the position of a dictator and stay in office forever if he wanted, because the Supremes decision would make him untouchable. And the GOP’s attempts to “impeach” him would then be totally off the table!
I highly doubt the Supremes would ever give anyone that power! While they may desire to change the legal system to the Rights ideology, they won’t do it by giving Trump what he wants because Trump is NOT important to the Federalist Society in the long run, and they won’t want to give the Democrats any extra protections from the law!
Exactly. The Federalist Society gains nothing by letting Trump become a dictator. In fact, he'll tear them apart, too, once he sets his sights on them for some perceived lack of loyalty.
That applies to any of the conservative think tanks.
And it applies to anyone or any group that ends up on his 'disloyalty' list. Businesses too.
Then it will start, paying 'under the table' to show 'loyalty'. Lobbyists could become a conduit for bribery. Will accidents from tall stairwells with faulty windows begin to happen?
I think Thomas and Alito are pretty much in his pocket, but it could be the rest of them are as sick of him as we are. They probably sneak nightly reads of Bulwark, nodding their heads in agreement throughout Charlie Sykes and company's various screeds.
Kavanaugh and Comey will do whatever the Bloated Yam tells them to do.
They lied through their teeth to get that robe and seat on the Supreme Court bench.
They did, but they've also shown occasional signs of moderation, especially on constitutional questions. But I'm not going to start making comments that sounds like I'm defending them, because I loathe the hills they stand on.
Yes, but they said: "Roe v. Wade is settled law" in their confirmation hearings.
Then they overturned "Roe v. Wade."
I don't trust them.
As far as I can see, the Republican Party and its backers -- large business, the military-industrial complex, evangelical Christians, racists, misogynists, white Nationalists, and even organized crime (drug money is a gigantic part of our economy) realize that their base is decreasing in numbers, and the only way they can hold a grip on power and its manifold perks is to eliminate the Constitution and impose a dictatorship and police state.
"A police state is one where the criminals are the police." -- Sophie Scholl.
She was a college student in Nazi Germany, head of the anti-Nazi "White Rose" movement. The Gestapo had her beheaded.
I understand the fear. But we have much bigger problems than what Jay regularly talks about if SCOTUS doesn't adhere to basic jurisprudence regarding criminal conduct in the Oval Office. We're talking about "buy a gun" type stuff.
Well, we already had an attempt at the Reichstag Fire, and Marinus van der Lubbe wasn't around, thank goodness.
I've written books and articles about World War II history, so the rise of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy, and Stalin's Russia are among my favorite subjects, and subjects well-traversed.
In 1923, Adolf was designing Grosslinz...the city that would replace Linz, including what would be Europe's greatest art museum, with the Louvre, the Hermitage, the British Museum, and others emptied out. He had those blueprints with him in the Fuehrerbunker in 1945, when he committed suicide.
Now...who was Hitler in 1923? Leader of an obscure fringe right-wing party in Bavaria, mostly noted for its brownshirted bullies getting into fights with Communist rivals in the streets, or in beerhalls to avoid paying the bill. He had "quite a gob," but not much in the way of a program beyond revenge against the French, Bolsheviks, and Jews. He never had more than that. He was and remained an intellectual dilettante. He was a nothing. But he was planning to turn the Austrian provincial city of Linz into one of Europe's major metropolitan communities. He had, at least, a sense of self, and absolutely, a sense of destiny. "Providence guides me," he said. "I walk with the assurance of a sleepwalker."
And he "sleepwalked" his way to butchering 56 million people (World War II's cost) and destroying Europe, including Germany.
So I don't take Trump lightly.
By the way, one piece of Linz was left to Albert Speer to design, a cathedral. Hitler never said so specifically, but indicated he wanted to be buried there. So Speer designed the tower as a cenotaph.
Instead, Hitler's cremated body was buried hurriedly in a grave in Berlin, exhumed by the NKVD, and the few pieces are in a lockbox in Moscow.
Yes except that once the weasels got confirmed Trump can't do anything to them. They have a lifetime gig. The Federalist Society used Trump, sure. He has no value to them now.
That's an interesting point...which leads me to ask, "So why did they lie to the Senate about abortion? What other lies are they going to tell and do?"
"So why did they lie to the Senate about abortion?"... anyone ever ask you if you wanted one of those nine jobs? There are a LOT of lawyers who fall asleep every single night dreaming of donning those robes. Many of them would do and say whatever it takes.
They did.
Now they have the gig, and no particular need for the guy who gave it to them.
Interesting...but that shows a disturbing lack of honor.
As you say, they are beholden to no one. They could very easily say, "Hey, the Bloated Yam is my god. I got the payoff from his pals to prove it."
Whew!! I feel so much more calm after reading this. My heart has been palpatating since I heard about this bold move...fingers crossed!!!
So in a somewhat crass summary: Jack Smith's b*lls are solid brass and Trump's are orange Krylon.
HAHA! Pretty much. 🤣🤣
LOL
And Tucker’s are, apparently, tanned!lol
If I understand the process, it is because of your detailed explanation. Thank you.
The MAGA world is shouting that the election should decide whether Trump gets a second term, and not the DOJ. I say, fine. But the laws of the nation and adherence to them must be taken into consideration in presenting the candidates for office. If the majority of Americans in a free and fair election actually decide to choose as their president a man who has demonstrably broken the law multiple times, and who considers himself unanswerable to justice in any fashion other than by compensating his legal team (sometimes) then Americans will get what they deserve. It will not be what they expect.
A conversation that I listened to at a VERY mixed gathering, but in which I did not participate, went something like this..."If living in a democracy means that a newly-minted majority of people who are not culturally American get to decide how things will be in this country going forwards, then I don't want a democracy anymore." That is what we are dealing with.
That statement (from the gathering you mentioned) is truly disturbing - and unfortunately not at all surprising.
Wow. I feel sick. Douglas, I'm sorry you had to listen to this.
"culturally American..." In other words, White and "Christian" (I find it necessary to put that word in quotations, as they don't seem to very much resemble disciples of Christ lately). Oh, and male. 🤬🤡🤡
Whomever said that should be reminded of the old saying, "Be careful what you wish for - you might get it."
Once again Trump claims to be the innocentest person in the history of innocentitude, and yet he doesn’t want his “vindication” to happen before the election. So weird, huh?
Anyway, you have a much higher opinion of the Republicans on the Supreme Court than I do. Their hatred of America is beyond dispute at this point.