If you needed further proof that the GOP, and especially the House Republican Caucus, is firmly in the grip of Donald Trump, then last night’s re-vote to censure Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) provided it. As I wrote about last week, an earlier effort to censure Schiff and threaten him with a $16 million fine (half the cost of the Mueller investigation) failed by a vote of 225 to 196. Some 20 Republicans broke rank to vote against the resolution, which had been put forth by Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-FL). (Luna herself is under a cloud of suspicion for having made up much of her political and personal backstory à la George Santos.)
“I am your retribution,” he said, then threatened GOP House members with their positions if they didn’t vote to censure Adam Schiff, in a move that was pure political retribution.
We need to call it what it is. Fascism. Undeniably and clearly.
Their side plays nasty but stupid. No problem, right? because our side keeps conceding at every turn to show we can beat them even when we over-give. Trouble is it makes them appear more relevant than they are. This will get them invitations to places where they have no right to be, where they really can do some serious damage. Like proximity to all things with regard to elections and voting and vote counting. And more. I don’t like that. They don’t deserve that kind of credibility.
"Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), voted “present,” saying Schiff hadn’t been granted due process and his side of the story hadn’t been heard." Hey Buck, Schiff's side of the story has been heard over and over and over again, then proven, inter alia, by Durham's actual words earlier that day. The problem is that the GOP is too scared to listen.
John Durham is Michael Gabelman with a better cover story. Their entire value was the equivalent of Joe Rogan or Tucker Carlson—or even Alex Jones—saying “I’m just asking questions.” It’s the same as what Trump asked Zelenskyy to do. This relentless intellectual dishonesty is only possible because the party is controlled by nihilists.
The irony isn't lost on me. They have perfected going after the investigator unless of course the investigator is theirs. The shout accountability from the rooftops but only want to hold those accountable that actually ask the hard questions
Let's not forget the most important thing that Schiff nailed Durham about. Durham acknowledged that Paul Manafort WAS passing campaign data to Russian Intelligence, at the SAME TIME they were using it to interfere in the election. In other words, Durham was admitting Russian Collusion DID HAPPEN and was not a hoax. The joke on all of us was the time and money Durham wasted where his mission at it's core was to disprove collusion - which he conveniently failed to address in his report.
Instead, his PRIMARY conclusion - the reason for all that effort - was "it should have been a preliminary investigation before it became a full investigation, it shouldn't have started as a full investigation." Like anyone cares about his semantic games.
Meanwhile, Schiff's GOP colleagues are busy censuring him over a "Russian Hoax" which THEY KNEW WAS NO HOAX. The GOP Congress seems to develop instant instant amnesia when you bring up Paul Manafort. Like "Ten Second Tom" in the movie "50 First Dates." "Hi, I'm Tom....."
Always appreciate your insight Jay. Does give hope and a way forward. Dem leadership take note. Hope voters see this for what it really is. It's a clown show or a puppet show. Wasting precious tax payer money. We need to show up big in the next elections. I was disappointed in NY Democrat showing on the last midterms. It was a golden opportunity and we let weasels like George Kitara Santos get elected.
It wasn't helped by people feeling they were in a safe blue state. People don't really think strategically. Also, not sure how they will do in 2024 with the George Santos debacle fresh in their minds.
Drumpf has always looked at himself as an untouchable mafia Don. He says "jump", the underlings ask "how high"? But that veneer of "I'm bulletproof and you're not" is starting to crack. I can't help but wonder what the MAGATs will do when he finally croaks. I'd also loe to see him in a cell in...idk, Joliet, IL. He'd hate that bc it'd be just him, in a non-ritzy town, in a Democrat state. His own personal hell...😂
It will be a very big question what to do with the man if he is convicted. Where do you send him? Where does his secret service go? Do we let him campaign from prison? Oy.
I am positive that super-max federal prison in Florence, Colorado would be perfect! “It is designed for 490 inmates but has never been at full capacity. The facility is best known for housing inmates who have been deemed too dangerous, too high-profile, or too great a security risk for even maximum-security prisons.”
Perfect. No Rich Man's Prison that caters to special needs, no golf courses or chef made meals. We've seen what he perfers to eat, that shouldn't be a problem. But also having enhanced security for all his "yardbirds" that want to shout their support from behind a fence.
In supermax he wouldn't need SS protection. Prisoners are kept in solitary in their cells 23 hours a day. So at most, you would need an agent for an hour a day, maybe an hour and half if you include walking down to the yard. Could be the easiest but most depressing detail ever. Or just let the Supermax people do the security.
Yes, that would be an ideal place to park that bipedal skin sack of genetic material. The Secret Service detail could take turns guarding him right outside his cell. Or maybe in the cell with him.
Also, prisoners are kept in solitary for 23 hours a day. Perfect for trump. He can contemplate his new circumstances. I know he won't be contemplating how he got there... He's not that deep.
I would imagine he forfeits all rights/ protection, etc since he'd be a traitor and we don't protect them. Or, y'know, see if his bank account can afford both lawyers that he HAS to pay, plus Melania taking half his stuff. Bigly separation, that one.
She may stay married to him, Perfect world - he's locked up and she has control of the money she can keep from the kids. I don't think she'll be visiting.
Jay, I realize that congressional censure is just getting something on the record and referral to the ethics committee but...
...isn't anything Schiff said in the course of the intelligence committees investigation of Russian coordination with the trump campaign in 2016 and the impeachment of trump x2 covered by speech and debate?
The speech and debate clause only protects him from legal prosecution. He can’t be charged in a court of law for propagating a lie in Congress (notwithstanding that he hadn’t).
Thanks Jay! If all 45 has to say is "I'll primary you." and trumplicans fall in line, then the current trumplicans are so foul, I'm not sure there is even a word to describe how "miserable" they really are. Fascist wanna be's. Happy to see new upcoming trumplicans are being shut down at the poles.
I am so thrilled that in Jeffries we see there is at least one Democrat who isn’t afraid to plainly call the Republicans on their shit, clearly and *without equivocation*.
It’s a formal rebuke, something that goes on your record. I don’t know if there are any privileges lost as a result, but I haven’t seen that level of detail.
No lost privilege, Schiff was required to stand in the well of the House while the Speaker read the charges. What was great was Schiff was joined by all his fellow Democratic members who were loudly repeating Shame while McCarthy read the charges.
They initially wanted to fine Schiff approximately 1/2 of the cost of the Russia investigation,somewhere around 16 Million, Jay would know for sure. The House blocked the first go round, perhaps realizing if they lose the majority, they could be in the hot seat. Censured with monetary charges for their various ongoing nowhere investigation.
I also found a link to a 2016 Congressional Research Service document; it's a pdf. Title: "Expulsion, Censure, Reprimand, and Fine: Legislative Discipline in the House of Representatives" HHRG-117-JU10-Wstate-MaskellJ-20210311-SD001.pdf
Thank you for the info. Still seems not a big deal. It’s like a tongue lashing. For Republicans to get attention, fundraising. Spectacle to make Trump happy. I doubt they will get a majority to remove him. This is all a joke. It won’t matter to democrats. But what it can do. If Trump doesn’t like you. He will attempt to do this to GOP members as an example. I’m so sick of this.
I think the Republicans already took his chairmanships away. But he seems to still be on committees - otherwise he wouldn't have been questioning Durham. Did the same to Eric Swalwell. But it does free Schiff up to run for Senate.
Yesterday was not a good day for MAGAt Towne. Watching Schiff and others totally drag Durham through his own mud was "almost" enough to make me feel sorry for the pathetic old man. Then, on the heels of that, Schiff proudly embracing his censure head held high shaming his attackers, was among the most unifying moments for his party. The MAGAt puppet strings Pelosi referred to could not have been more apparent.
Ooof, I don't know, Jay. If we are going to go looking for Republican spines, we may need to form a Fellowship and stock up on some SERIOUS supplies. Because that is NOT going to be a short trip.
I’m not sure I will ever understand an ex-President’s influence on the GOP. Yes, I get the big lie but how did we become a country so influenced by one man? Jay, has this ever happened in past history? I cannot think of a time or person. Are Americans robots? Unable to think for themselves? I know this is the plan of the GOP.
This has certainly happened in other countries, and Americans are not somehow magically immune to the lure of populist authoritarians. We should look most recently to Hungary as an example of what can go terribly wrong.
I believe there are several factors at work. The defendant gave voice to people who railed about "political correctness," he appeals to a certain segment of the population on the wrong side of the bell-curve because of his childish language and behavior, and he gave permission to disgruntled white men to speak "truth" as they see it. In other words, the part of this country that swallowed every "reality tv" show as they represented "real life." Those folks don't want to go back into the closet of "political correctness" and decent behavior, so they cling to him.
There is a reason simple, short words have become the mainstay of MAGA. "Fake" and "woke" in my mind sit right up there with ethnic slurs, name-calling (n****r, fa***t, k*ke, and so on). It is Idiocracy come to life.
And why simple, but false, SLOGANS are the hallmark of the GOP campaign strategy. This year, "Biden Crime Family." Or Communist/Socialist (Biden is the most center/right Dem in the last 50 years).
Last time - "Sleepy Joe". Hillary - Benghazi and Emails. Or my favorite - Bill Clinton "hopelessly liberal." Bill Clinton was a Nelson Rockefeller Republican. Budget Surplus, work requirement for welfare. He was as moderate as they come.
My favorite is when "Sleepy Joe" steals their lunch money... and the they wonder what happened. Is he an evil genius or a dementia patient? My money is on political jujitsu master.
I was thinking the same. Perhaps there was influence by a previous president. It may not have been as obvious as Trump. Never in our life time have we have had something like this happen before. And have such a hold on the party.
I think the parallel lies more in the MAGA caucus, which K. McCarthy is the titular head than in a direct like between the two. K.M. and J.M. couldn't be more different temperaments. Consolation prize is that J.M. died a despised alcoholic disgrace, so there is that hope.
KM will do anything, and I mean anything to hold onto that gavel. It is the only thing that has meaning to him. And he cannot keep it without the MAGAts. The only reason they haven't tossed him yet is they can't yet elect have anyone else. He has no spine, and no cojones.
“That almost certainly means they will need to take his side when it comes to his Next Big Lie about being the victim of a political witch-hunt”
Not “need to”. I’m sure the Republican cowards (redundant phrase) have convinced themselves they “need” to, but it’s no more true than any of Trump’s lies.
Truth is, they *choose* to. Freely and willingly, they *choose* to betray their oaths and duties to promote tyranny.
“I am your retribution,” he said, then threatened GOP House members with their positions if they didn’t vote to censure Adam Schiff, in a move that was pure political retribution.
We need to call it what it is. Fascism. Undeniably and clearly.
No question. I like to say that there is a fascist movement in America. It would like to see a fascist state take power. That is terrifying.
Their side plays nasty but stupid. No problem, right? because our side keeps conceding at every turn to show we can beat them even when we over-give. Trouble is it makes them appear more relevant than they are. This will get them invitations to places where they have no right to be, where they really can do some serious damage. Like proximity to all things with regard to elections and voting and vote counting. And more. I don’t like that. They don’t deserve that kind of credibility.
"Rep. Ken Buck (R-CO), voted “present,” saying Schiff hadn’t been granted due process and his side of the story hadn’t been heard." Hey Buck, Schiff's side of the story has been heard over and over and over again, then proven, inter alia, by Durham's actual words earlier that day. The problem is that the GOP is too scared to listen.
Ken Buck has less of a spine than many of them! He is a serious coward and I can attest to that first hand!
Exactly
John Durham is Michael Gabelman with a better cover story. Their entire value was the equivalent of Joe Rogan or Tucker Carlson—or even Alex Jones—saying “I’m just asking questions.” It’s the same as what Trump asked Zelenskyy to do. This relentless intellectual dishonesty is only possible because the party is controlled by nihilists.
Great comparison.
The irony isn't lost on me. They have perfected going after the investigator unless of course the investigator is theirs. The shout accountability from the rooftops but only want to hold those accountable that actually ask the hard questions
Let's not forget the most important thing that Schiff nailed Durham about. Durham acknowledged that Paul Manafort WAS passing campaign data to Russian Intelligence, at the SAME TIME they were using it to interfere in the election. In other words, Durham was admitting Russian Collusion DID HAPPEN and was not a hoax. The joke on all of us was the time and money Durham wasted where his mission at it's core was to disprove collusion - which he conveniently failed to address in his report.
Instead, his PRIMARY conclusion - the reason for all that effort - was "it should have been a preliminary investigation before it became a full investigation, it shouldn't have started as a full investigation." Like anyone cares about his semantic games.
Meanwhile, Schiff's GOP colleagues are busy censuring him over a "Russian Hoax" which THEY KNEW WAS NO HOAX. The GOP Congress seems to develop instant instant amnesia when you bring up Paul Manafort. Like "Ten Second Tom" in the movie "50 First Dates." "Hi, I'm Tom....."
Always appreciate your insight Jay. Does give hope and a way forward. Dem leadership take note. Hope voters see this for what it really is. It's a clown show or a puppet show. Wasting precious tax payer money. We need to show up big in the next elections. I was disappointed in NY Democrat showing on the last midterms. It was a golden opportunity and we let weasels like George Kitara Santos get elected.
The rush of money for Lee Zeldin and the weak leadership of the NY Dem Party and the governor here contributed to this mess.
It wasn't helped by people feeling they were in a safe blue state. People don't really think strategically. Also, not sure how they will do in 2024 with the George Santos debacle fresh in their minds.
Drumpf has always looked at himself as an untouchable mafia Don. He says "jump", the underlings ask "how high"? But that veneer of "I'm bulletproof and you're not" is starting to crack. I can't help but wonder what the MAGATs will do when he finally croaks. I'd also loe to see him in a cell in...idk, Joliet, IL. He'd hate that bc it'd be just him, in a non-ritzy town, in a Democrat state. His own personal hell...😂
It will be a very big question what to do with the man if he is convicted. Where do you send him? Where does his secret service go? Do we let him campaign from prison? Oy.
I am positive that super-max federal prison in Florence, Colorado would be perfect! “It is designed for 490 inmates but has never been at full capacity. The facility is best known for housing inmates who have been deemed too dangerous, too high-profile, or too great a security risk for even maximum-security prisons.”
Perfect. No Rich Man's Prison that caters to special needs, no golf courses or chef made meals. We've seen what he perfers to eat, that shouldn't be a problem. But also having enhanced security for all his "yardbirds" that want to shout their support from behind a fence.
Like any other company, he should lose all perks if he's convicted. Including secret service, retirement, etc. Let him BE a convict.
But why impose that on agents just doing their jobs? Florence isn't far from here, and guards say the mental toll is a bitch....
In supermax he wouldn't need SS protection. Prisoners are kept in solitary in their cells 23 hours a day. So at most, you would need an agent for an hour a day, maybe an hour and half if you include walking down to the yard. Could be the easiest but most depressing detail ever. Or just let the Supermax people do the security.
Yes, that would be an ideal place to park that bipedal skin sack of genetic material. The Secret Service detail could take turns guarding him right outside his cell. Or maybe in the cell with him.
Also, prisoners are kept in solitary for 23 hours a day. Perfect for trump. He can contemplate his new circumstances. I know he won't be contemplating how he got there... He's not that deep.
I would imagine he forfeits all rights/ protection, etc since he'd be a traitor and we don't protect them. Or, y'know, see if his bank account can afford both lawyers that he HAS to pay, plus Melania taking half his stuff. Bigly separation, that one.
She may stay married to him, Perfect world - he's locked up and she has control of the money she can keep from the kids. I don't think she'll be visiting.
Greenville, Marion, Pekin and Thomson are the federal prisons in Illinois. I’m willing to see tfg in any of them!
I vote Marion! Hardly a movement without handcuffs and body searches.
I just have to comment on someone named Don referring to Donald Trump thinking himself a don :)
Jay, I realize that congressional censure is just getting something on the record and referral to the ethics committee but...
...isn't anything Schiff said in the course of the intelligence committees investigation of Russian coordination with the trump campaign in 2016 and the impeachment of trump x2 covered by speech and debate?
The speech and debate clause only protects him from legal prosecution. He can’t be charged in a court of law for propagating a lie in Congress (notwithstanding that he hadn’t).
Right. Separation of powers from the other branches, but not from within your branch.
Thanks Jay! If all 45 has to say is "I'll primary you." and trumplicans fall in line, then the current trumplicans are so foul, I'm not sure there is even a word to describe how "miserable" they really are. Fascist wanna be's. Happy to see new upcoming trumplicans are being shut down at the poles.
Well done!
The House may have succeeded in censuring Rep. Schiff, but they are exposing their vulnerabilities to the former President in the process.
To quote Obi-Wan: "If you strike me down, I'll become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."
“We will expose them all.”
Yes!
I am so thrilled that in Jeffries we see there is at least one Democrat who isn’t afraid to plainly call the Republicans on their shit, clearly and *without equivocation*.
What censuring actually mean? How does this help democrats? Adam Schiff? It’s crazy that an ex- president still has an influence in government.
It’s a formal rebuke, something that goes on your record. I don’t know if there are any privileges lost as a result, but I haven’t seen that level of detail.
No lost privilege, Schiff was required to stand in the well of the House while the Speaker read the charges. What was great was Schiff was joined by all his fellow Democratic members who were loudly repeating Shame while McCarthy read the charges.
They initially wanted to fine Schiff approximately 1/2 of the cost of the Russia investigation,somewhere around 16 Million, Jay would know for sure. The House blocked the first go round, perhaps realizing if they lose the majority, they could be in the hot seat. Censured with monetary charges for their various ongoing nowhere investigation.
Could you imagine how much Jordan would have to pay for his repeated silly investigations? The Twitter files alone would bankrupt him.
This is worth a read. The Ethics Committee can make recommendations to the House including Expulsion. Expulsion requires a 2/3 majority vote by House membership. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expulsion_from_the_United_States_Congress
I also found a link to a 2016 Congressional Research Service document; it's a pdf. Title: "Expulsion, Censure, Reprimand, and Fine: Legislative Discipline in the House of Representatives" HHRG-117-JU10-Wstate-MaskellJ-20210311-SD001.pdf
Thank you for the info. Still seems not a big deal. It’s like a tongue lashing. For Republicans to get attention, fundraising. Spectacle to make Trump happy. I doubt they will get a majority to remove him. This is all a joke. It won’t matter to democrats. But what it can do. If Trump doesn’t like you. He will attempt to do this to GOP members as an example. I’m so sick of this.
Thank you. So you don’t loose privileges, loose your chairmanship? If that’s the case what is the big deal?? For fund raising? Optics for Republicans?
I think the Republicans already took his chairmanships away. But he seems to still be on committees - otherwise he wouldn't have been questioning Durham. Did the same to Eric Swalwell. But it does free Schiff up to run for Senate.
See the two links I just posted; it has appeared just above yours.
Yesterday was not a good day for MAGAt Towne. Watching Schiff and others totally drag Durham through his own mud was "almost" enough to make me feel sorry for the pathetic old man. Then, on the heels of that, Schiff proudly embracing his censure head held high shaming his attackers, was among the most unifying moments for his party. The MAGAt puppet strings Pelosi referred to could not have been more apparent.
Ooof, I don't know, Jay. If we are going to go looking for Republican spines, we may need to form a Fellowship and stock up on some SERIOUS supplies. Because that is NOT going to be a short trip.
I’m not sure I will ever understand an ex-President’s influence on the GOP. Yes, I get the big lie but how did we become a country so influenced by one man? Jay, has this ever happened in past history? I cannot think of a time or person. Are Americans robots? Unable to think for themselves? I know this is the plan of the GOP.
This has certainly happened in other countries, and Americans are not somehow magically immune to the lure of populist authoritarians. We should look most recently to Hungary as an example of what can go terribly wrong.
I don’t think this has happened in our country before. Perhaps in other countries.
I believe there are several factors at work. The defendant gave voice to people who railed about "political correctness," he appeals to a certain segment of the population on the wrong side of the bell-curve because of his childish language and behavior, and he gave permission to disgruntled white men to speak "truth" as they see it. In other words, the part of this country that swallowed every "reality tv" show as they represented "real life." Those folks don't want to go back into the closet of "political correctness" and decent behavior, so they cling to him.
There is a reason simple, short words have become the mainstay of MAGA. "Fake" and "woke" in my mind sit right up there with ethnic slurs, name-calling (n****r, fa***t, k*ke, and so on). It is Idiocracy come to life.
And why simple, but false, SLOGANS are the hallmark of the GOP campaign strategy. This year, "Biden Crime Family." Or Communist/Socialist (Biden is the most center/right Dem in the last 50 years).
Last time - "Sleepy Joe". Hillary - Benghazi and Emails. Or my favorite - Bill Clinton "hopelessly liberal." Bill Clinton was a Nelson Rockefeller Republican. Budget Surplus, work requirement for welfare. He was as moderate as they come.
My favorite is when "Sleepy Joe" steals their lunch money... and the they wonder what happened. Is he an evil genius or a dementia patient? My money is on political jujitsu master.
That is exactly how I see it. A part of our society has been given the okay to put their hate and lack of education right out there!
It is not just Trump they fear, it is those that support him, MAGAS and Donors.
I was thinking the same. Perhaps there was influence by a previous president. It may not have been as obvious as Trump. Never in our life time have we have had something like this happen before. And have such a hold on the party.
It’s not TFG, per se, but the part of the psyche that he’s tapped into for the white, affluent, male.
Monetary greed and power.
I also think the Democrats should be making strong and loud comparisons between Joseph McCarthy and Kevin McCarthy.
I think the parallel lies more in the MAGA caucus, which K. McCarthy is the titular head than in a direct like between the two. K.M. and J.M. couldn't be more different temperaments. Consolation prize is that J.M. died a despised alcoholic disgrace, so there is that hope.
Maybe, but I think KM is perfectly happy to facilitate others (the MAGA caucus) while keeping the appearance of distance. The end result is the same.
KM will do anything, and I mean anything to hold onto that gavel. It is the only thing that has meaning to him. And he cannot keep it without the MAGAts. The only reason they haven't tossed him yet is they can't yet elect have anyone else. He has no spine, and no cojones.
“That almost certainly means they will need to take his side when it comes to his Next Big Lie about being the victim of a political witch-hunt”
Not “need to”. I’m sure the Republican cowards (redundant phrase) have convinced themselves they “need” to, but it’s no more true than any of Trump’s lies.
Truth is, they *choose* to. Freely and willingly, they *choose* to betray their oaths and duties to promote tyranny.