;)
The Commentariat -- January 19, 2021
Late Morning/Afternoon Update:
Field of Flags. Dominick Mastrangelo of the Hill: "Nearly 200,000 flags have been placed on the National Mall ahead of President-elect >Joe Biden's inauguration, signifying the tens of thousands of people who won't be able to attend this year's ceremony. The Presidential Inaugural Committee first announced plans to install the public art display, which has flags representing all the U.S. states and territories, on Jan. 11. The display was lit up Sunday evening. ~~~
200k flags have been placed on the #NationalMall representing people from around the world who would gather for the #Inauguration of President Biden & VP Harris.
— Brandon Chaderton (@Bran_InTheArena) January 19, 2021
The #fieldofflags is illuminated by 56 pillars of light representing America’s states & territories. @BidenInaugural pic.twitter.com/ZJdxh8J1w7
The Washington Post is live-updating Tuesday's Senate confirmation hearings: "Senate confirmation hearings are being held for five of Biden's Cabinet nominees throughout the day on a heavily fortified Capitol Hill, where preparations also continue for Biden's swearing-in at noon on Wednesday." ~~~
~~~ ** Update. Snotty Seditionist Punk Puts Hold on DHS Nominee. Rebecca Beitsch of the Hill: "Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) announced on Tuesday he would place a hold on Alejandro Mayorkas, President-elect Joe Biden's choice to lead the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Hawley, who has come under fire recently amid allegations that he played a role in the Capitol riot early this month, made the announcement just hours after the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs wrapped its hearing with Mayorkas. The move delays the nomination of a post Democrats have argued is critical to fill immediately to protect national security.... Defeating the hold will require a 50 vote threshold cloture vote and eats up days of floor time, complicating the process. 'Mr. Mayorkas has not adequately explained how he will enforce federal law and secure the southern border given President-elect Biden's promise to roll back major enforcement and security measures,' Hawley said in a statement.... Hawley's opposition stems from an exchange where the lawmaker asked Mayorkas if he would obligate $1.4 billion in funds set aside for Trump's border wall."; MB: On Friday night, the Senate's most conservative Democratic senator, Joe Manchin (W.Va.), said the Senate should consider removing Hawley (R-Mo.) via the 14th Amendment because of his actions during the insurrection. Seems like an excellent idea.
Samantha Schmidt, et al., of the Washington Post: "President-elect Joe Biden announced Tuesday that he will nominate Pennsylvania's top health official, Rachel Levine, to be his assistant secretary of health. Levine, a pediatrician, would become the first openly transgender federal official to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate." An AP story is here.
AP: "Three new Democratic senators are set to be sworn into office after President-elect Joe Biden's inauguration Wednesday. The arrival of Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff of Georgia and Alex Padilla of California will give Democrats a working majority in the Senate -- split 50-50, with the new vice president, Kamala Harris, as the tie-breaking vote.... Harris is set to deliver the oath of office to the three Democrats after she is sworn in during the inauguration as vice president."
Yellin Says "Act Big"; Curmudgeon Scolds Her. Erica Werner & Jeff Stein of the Washington Post: "Janet Yellen, President-elect Joe Biden"s nominee for treasury secretary, urged lawmakers Tuesday to 'act big' on economic relief for the coronavirus pandemic as she appeared before a Senate committee for her confirmation hearing. 'I think there is a consensus now: Without further action, we risk a longer, more painful recession now -- and long-term scarring of the economy later,' Yellen said in written testimony submitted to the Senate Finance Committee ahead of the hearing. She faced immediate pushback from Finance Committee Chairman Charles E. Grassley (R-Iowa), who used his opening statement to slam the Biden relief plan as a 'laundry list of liberal structural economic reforms' that would not be appropriate to enact."
Alexander Bolton of the Hill: "Outgoing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) on Tuesday accused President Trump of provoking the violent crowd that stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. 'The last time the Senate convened, we had just reclaimed the Capitol from violent criminals who tried to stop Congress from doing our duty. The mob was fed lies. They were provoked by the president and other powerful people,' McConnell said on the Senate floor, marking the first convening of the full Senate since the attack. McConnell's statements carry significance ahead of an anticipated Senate impeachment trial. The GOP leader has told colleagues he hasn't yet decided how he would vote on a House-passed article of impeachment against Trump." MB: No angry-bird response from Trump yet.... Oh, yeah. Tweetybird dead.
James LaPorta of the AP: "Two Army National Guard members are being removed from the mission to secure Joe Biden's presidential inauguration. A U.S. Army official and a senior U.S. intelligence official say the two National Guard members have been found to have ties to fringe right group militias. No plot against Biden was found. The Army official and the intelligence official spoke to The Associated Press on the condition of anonymity due to Defense Department media regulations. They did not say what fringe group the Guard members belonged to or what unit they served in."
Spencer Hsu, et al., of the Washington Post: "U.S. authorities have leveled the first conspiracy charge against an apparent leader of an extremist group in the Jan. 6 storming of the U.S. Capitol, arresting an alleged Oath Keeper who is accused of plotting to disrupt the electoral vote confirmation of President-elect Joe Biden's victory and proposing further assaults on state capitols. Thomas Edward Caldwell, 66, of Clarke County, Va., was taken into custody before 7 a.m. on four federal counts, including conspiracy to commit an offense against the United States in the attack on the Capitol.... A charging affidavit says he helped organize a group of eight to 10 individuals, including self-styled Ohio militia members apprehended Sunday, who wore helmets and military-style gear and were seen moving purposefully toward the top of the Capitol steps and leading the move against police lines." The article reports more evidence against Caldwell cited in the charging affidavit.
Asawin Suebsaeng of the Daily Beast on "Trump's Pathetic Final Weekend in Office": "'Everyone knows I won.' That's a phrase that Donald Trump, the twice-impeached former game show host and soon-to-be former president, repeated to different advisers and confidants over the long MLK Day weekend.... Because of him and his party, the city and the federal government were forced to perform a simulacrum of a police state -- simply to ensure that the outgoing president's extremist supporters would allow a transition of government to occur without further bloodshed.To another president, this would bring a sense of deep shame and regret, or at least a moment of humility. But to Trump, it's still a matter of me, me, me." A fun read for the schadenfreude-inclined.
How Not to Celebrate Martin Luther King, Jr. Michael Crowley of the New York Times: "The Trump White House on Monday released the report of the presidential '1776 Commission,' a sweeping attack on liberal thought and activism that calls for a 'patriotic education,' defends America's founding on the basis of slavery and likens progressivism to fascism. President Trump formed the commission in September, saying that American heritage was under assault by revolutionary fanatics and that the nation's schools required a new 'pro-American' curriculum. Its report, released on Martin Luther King's Birthday, denounces the charge that the American founders were hypocrites who preached equality even as they codified slavery in the Constitution and held slaves themselves. 'This charge is untrue, and has done enormous damage, especially in recent years, with a devastating effect on our civic unity and social fabric,' it says." ~~~
~~~ CNN's report, by Maegan Vazquez, is here. Its headline: "Trump administration issues racist school curriculum report on MLK day". ~~~
~~~ ** Michael Crowley & Jennifer Schussler of the New York Times: "President Trump formed the 18-member commission ... in the heat of his re-election campaign in September.... The commission formed part of Mr. Trump's larger response to the antiracism protests [last summer].... The report drew intense criticism from historians, some of whom noted that the commission, while stocked with conservative educators, did not include a single professional historian of the United States. James Grossman, the executive director of the American Historical Association, said the report was not a work of history, but 'cynical politics.'" MB: Let me just say that those who wrote, signed onto or believe this report are batshit crazy. Oh, and flaming racists.
The New York Times' live updates of Covid-19 developments Tuesday are here.
~~~~~~~~~~
Michael Shear & Glenn Thrush of the New York Times: "President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr. will arrive in the nation's capital on Tuesday evening for an inauguration eve ceremony at the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool honoring the nearly 400,000 people who have died during the coronavirus pandemic that will be his first priority after he is sworn in the next day. The somber remembrance will kick off two days of in-person and virtual events as Mr. Biden takes the oath of office on Jan. 20, becoming the 46th president of the United States at a time of economic struggle and cultural upheaval in the wake of President Trump's four years in the White House.... Mr. Biden has planned a mix of celebratory, upbeat events to mark the occasion ... along with more serious moments aimed at marking the grim times that many Americans are facing as he takes office. Instead of an in-person parade along Pennsylvania Avenue, Mr. Biden's inaugural committee on Monday provided details about a virtual 'Parade Across America' that will start at 3:15 Wednesday afternoon after Mr. Biden's swearing-in."
James Hohmann of the Washington Post: "On Wednesday at noon, President-elect Joe Biden will ... [deliver his inaugural address] two weeks after the Capitol was stormed by a pro-Trump mob intent on stopping Congress from formally counting the electoral votes to confirm his victory. The bloodshed on Jan. 6 means the handoff from the 45th to the 46th president has not been a peaceful transfer of power. While Biden will nod to the violence and to the unprecedented security that has locked down the capital city, he plans to make a broader case for national healing and to make government work again.... 'What you'll hear from President-elect Biden on Wednesday will be a reflection of a lot of what you heard from him on the campaign trail, which is that he believes we can bring this country together,' incoming White House communications director Kate Bedingfield said on Sunday."
Jasmine Wright & Chandelis Duster of CNN: "Vice President-elect Kamala Harris has formally submitted a letter of resignation for her US Senate seat to California Gov. Gavin Newsom, ending her four-year career in the chamber. As Harris says goodbye to her seat, she assured Americans in an op-ed for the San Francisco Chronicle that her work is not done since she will preside over the chamber once she is sworn as the first female, first Black and first South Asian woman vice president of the United States on Wednesday. '... As I resign from the Senate, I am preparing to take an oath that would have me preside over it,' Harris wrote. 'As senator-turned-Vice-President Walter Mondale once pointed out, the vice presidency is the only office in our government that "belongs to both the executive branch and the legislative branch." A responsibility made greater with an equal number of Democrats and Republicans in the Senate.'"
Lisa Rein of the Washington Post: "President-elect Joe Biden on Monday plans to nominate five women to serve in the No. 2 spots at key Cabinet agencies, moving to fill out vital day-to-day operations roles in the government he will take over on Wednesday. The moves, which will install deputies with hands-on experience in critical departments, reflect Biden's push to elevate women and his desire to quickly tackle the nation's crises and repair agencies suffering from morale and other problems. The nominees, who must be confirmed by the Senate, include Jewel H. Bronaugh at Agriculture, Polly Trottenberg at Transportation, Andrea Palm at Health and Human Services, Elizabeth Klein at Interior and Cindy Marten at Education." (Also linked yesterday.)
Lisa Mascaro & Bill Barrow of the AP: "President-elect Joe Biden plans to unveil a sweeping immigration bill on Day One of his administration, hoping to provide an eight-year path to citizenship for an estimated 11 million people living in the U.S. without legal status, a massive reversal from the Trump administration's harsh immigration policies. The legislation puts Biden on track to deliver on a major campaign promise important to Latino voters and other immigrant communities after four years of President Donald Trump's restrictive policies and mass deportations. It provides one of the fastest pathways to citizenship for those living without legal status of any measure in recent years, but it fails to include the traditional trade-off of enhanced border security favored by many Republicans, making passage in a narrowly divided Congress in doubt." A Washington Post story is here.
The Washington Post's live inauguration updates Monday are topped with a quintessential headline: "Biden to participate in national day of service as Trump prepares pardons." MB: Another way to put it: Biden participates in presidential tradition as Trump engages in corrupt practices." Sure hope it warms up enough this afternoon for Trump to get in a round of golf with some white megadonors. (Also linked yesterday.)
The Sorest Losers. Ever. Kate Bennett of CNN: "On the morning of January 20, Donald Trump and Melania Trump will depart the White House as President and first lady, but they will not invite their incoming counterparts, Joe and Jill Biden, inside before they do. The dissolving of one of America's most enduring transfer-of-power rituals -- the outgoing president welcoming the incoming president on the steps of the North Portico, and then riding with them to the United States Capitol -- is just one of the snubs the Trumps are perpetrating as they leave Washington. Instead of a president and first lady, the Bidens will be greeted by the White House chief usher Timothy Harleth.... The Inauguration Day snub of the Biden's comes on the heels of a series of broken norms and childish behavior that comes directly from the President of the United States, who has been vocal about his disinterest in preserving any semblance of decency towards the man who will succeed him.... 'It's abhorrent,' said [a] former White House official who worked in the Trump administration.... Trump, according to several sources, is even mulling whether to write a letter to Biden to leave for him in the Oval Office, a standard-bearing tradition. Melania Trump, who has not been seen in public in more than two weeks, has not reached out to Jill Biden, dashing expectations she would continue the passing along of hospitality to her successor, hosting her for a tour. Even after contentious election cycles, first ladies and presidents have set aside hard feelings and ego, no matter how bruised, until now."
Carol Leonnig & Matt Zapotosky of the Washington Post: "The FBI privately warned law enforcement agencies Monday that far-right extremists have discussed posing as National Guard members in Washington and others have reviewed maps of vulnerable spots in the city -- signs of potential efforts to disrupt Wednesday's inauguration, according to an intelligence report obtained by The Washington Post. The document, a summary of threats that the FBI identified in a Monday intelligence briefing, warned that both 'lone wolves' and adherents of the QAnon extremist ideology, some of whom joined in the violent siege on the Capitol on Jan. 6, have indicated they plan to come to Washington for President-elect Joe Biden's swearing-in ceremony. The FBI also said it had observed people downloading and sharing maps of sensitive locations in Washington and discussing how those facilities could be used to interfere in security during the inauguration."
Manu Raju of CNN: "The top two Senate leaders are nearing a power-sharing agreement to hash out how the evenly divided chamber will operate, with Democrats in charge of setting the schedule but both parties likely to hold an equal number of seats on Senate committees, according to sources familiar with the talks. The negotiations between Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer and Republican Leader Mitch McConnell have been built largely around how the Senate operated the last time the body was split 50-50.... Similar to those rules, set in January 2001, Schumer and McConnell aides are discussing allowing bills and nominations to advance to the Senate floor even if they are tied during committee votes.... Democrats will hold the chairmanships of the committees, giving them power to set the agenda, and Schumer will be granted the title of majority leader.... The full chamber still has to ratify these procedures...." MB: I doubt Mitch would have been so generous had the veep been a Republican. Mitch was not majority leader in 2001.
The Last Full Day of the Mad Kaiser
For a lovely trip down Memory Lane, CREW has put together an essay with extensive illustrative graphics of Trump's "legacy of profound corruption and egregious conflicts of interest." Thanks to RAS for the link.
Michael Shear of the New York Times: "President Trump on Monday ordered an end to the ban on travelers from Europe and Brazil that had been aimed at stopping the spread of the coronavirus to the United States, a move quickly rejected by aides to President-elect Joseph R. Biden Jr., who said Mr. Biden will maintain the ban when he takes office on Wednesday. In a proclamation issued late Monday, Mr. Trump said that the travel restrictions, which apply to noncitizens trying to come to the United States after spending time in those areas, would no longer be needed on Jan. 26, the date on which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will start requiring all passengers from abroad to present proof of a negative coronavirus test before boarding a flight."
Some weeks back, thanks to a commentator (sorry, can't recall who), we linked to a mock-up of the Donald J. Trump Library, complete with rooms dedicated to such topics as Impeachments I & II, Storming the Capitol, and of course a Grift Shop for the Losers & Suckers. Immune to parody as Trump is, it turns out his library will be even sillier than clever people have imagined:
~~~ Phil Rucker, et al., of the Washington Post (Jan. 16): "... two people familiar with internal discussions [about a Trump presidential library] said it is likely to be located in Florida and run by Dan Scavino, one of Trump's longest-serving and most loyal aides who advises him on social media and most recently served as deputy White House chief of staff.... [Trump] wants to raise $2 billion for the library -- a far greater sum than has been raised for past presidential libraries...." MB: IOW, Trump thinks the appropriate "librarian" for his oeuvre is his Twitter manager, a guy whose previous professional experience was caddying for Trump. Maybe Trump is right. Who better to archive Trump's tweets & run the Grift Shop? However, it's more likely what we can expect has something else in common with the library Website linked above: they'll both be virtual "libraries." Oh, Trump will collect the $2BB if he can, but he won't ever buy the property or break ground. He will give his fans progress reports, telling them about the big, beautiful footings and doors so strong no criminal Mexicans and caravans can get through them.
Maggie Haberman, et al., of the New York Times: "As President Trump enters the final hours of his term, he has been intently focused on who should benefit from his clemency power. Along with the White House counsel, Pat A. Cipollone, and advisers including Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner..., Mr. Trump has spent days sifting through names and recommendations, assembling a list that officials say he intends to disclose on Tuesday, his last full day in office. The size and precise composition of the list is still being determined, but it is likely to cover at least 60 pardons or commutations and perhaps more than 100. Already, Mr. Trump has been making calls to some of the recipients, people briefed about them said, and he held another meeting about the topic on Monday afternoon." MB: I also heard on the teevee that Trump was taping a "farewell address" somebody wrote.
Disappointing News. Jonathan Karl & Marc Nathanson of ABC News: Rudy "Giuliani, who has been leading the president's efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election, told ABC News' ... Jonathan Karl late Sunday that [he] will not be part of Trump's legal team for the upcoming Senate impeachment trial due to his involvement in the Jan. 6 Washington, D.C., rally that led to the attack on the U.S. Capitol building." MB: So no shouting, screaming, mugging, spitting, drooling, dripping & farting on the Senate floor. (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Em Steck & Andrew Kaczinski of CNN: "... Rudy Giuliani personally voted in the 2020 election using a voting method he publicly disparaged and bashed in his attempts to overthrow the presidential election results, a CNN KFile investigation has found. Giuliani, the former mayor of New York City, voted in Manhattan by an affidavit ballot, also known as a provisional ballot, after his name did not appear on the voter rolls when he showed up to vote. According to records obtained by CNN's KFile, Giuliani's registration was moved to his Long Island home in August and his registration in New York City was purged in September. Giuliani told CNN he did not know why his registration was moved to his Long Island home in August and contested that he changed his registration at all.... Giuliani has baselessly claimed that a high number of provisional ballots cast in Pennsylvania proved instances of fraud; he further suggested that voters were given provisional ballots when they showed up to vote after Democrats cast fraudulent ballots on behalf of voters.... In a statement to CNN, Giuliani claimed he never registered to vote elsewhere and said his case was another example of voter irregularities, if not fraud from the New York State Board of Elections." ~~~
~~~ Marie: The reporters don't take into account the fact that Rudy is white, and many of those Pennsylvania provisional voters probably were Black. In any event, they were Democrats. So, ya know.
ITV (U.K.): "Former US attorney general William Barr has told ITV News that questioning the legitimacy of the presidential election result 'precipitated the riots' in the US Capitol on January 6. In his first interview since the violent siege of America's seat of political power, Mr Barr said he was 'sad' but 'not surprised to see the kind of violence we saw'. He described the scenes in the US Capitol earlier this month as 'despicable'. MB: Barr never named Trump or Republicans as the perps; in fact, he said something about "whichever side does it...."
Eric Schmitt, et al., of the New York Times: "The Pentagon is intensifying efforts to identify and combat white supremacy and other far-right extremism in its ranks as federal investigators seek to determine how many military personnel and veterans joined the violent assault on the Capitol. In the days since a pro-Trump mob breached the Capitol on Jan. 6, senior leaders of the 2.1 million active-duty and reserve troops have been grappling with fears that former or current service members will be found among the horde. The F.B.I. investigation into the Capitol siege, still in its very early stages, has identified at least six suspects with military links out of the more than 100 people who have been taken into federal custody or the larger number still under investigation.... The military's examination of its ranks marks a new urgency for the Pentagon, which has a history of downplaying the rise of white nationalism and right-wing activism, even as Germany and other countries are finding a deep strain embedded in their armed forces."
Ursula Perano of Axios: "Dominion Voting Systems on Monday sent a cease and desist letter to My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell over his spread of misinformation related to the 2020 election.... Trump and several of his allies have pushed false conspiracy theories about the company, leading Dominion to take legal action. It's suing pro-Trump lawyer Sidney Powell for defamation and $1.3 billion in damages, and a Dominion employee has sued Trump himself, OANN and Newsmax. The letter also orders Lindell to 'preserve and retain all documents relating to Dominion and your smear campaign against the company.' Lindell also must preserve all communications with any member of the Trump campaign, in addition to communications with Rudy Giuliani, Powell, Jenna Ellis and Lin Wood. Lindell told Axios, 'I want Dominion to put up their lawsuit because we have 100% evidence that China and other countries used their machines to steal the election.'"
Jim Sciutto, et al., of CNN: "Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen of Tennessee said that he and a fellow lawmaker [-- John Yarmuth (D-Ky.) --] personally saw Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado guiding a group of people through the Cannon House Office Building tunnel in the days leading up the Capitol insurrection on January 6.... '... Now whether these people were people that were involved in the insurrection or not, I do not know,' Cohen told CNN's Jim Sciutto.... While Cohen is the first to specifically name Boebert as someone who may have given the tours, the rumors surrounding her role in the days leading up to January 6 were so heated that the congresswoman preemptively denied any wrongdoing..... Boebert sent Democratic Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney of New York a letter denying that she gave tours to insurrectionists after an interview on MSNBC in which Maloney accused Republican members of doing so. Maloney never mentioned Boebert by name. 'The only people I have ever had in the Capitol with me are my young children, husband, mom, aunt and uncle,' Boebert wrote in the letter to Maloney." MB: I feel certain investigators have access to CCTV that will show who-all was in the Capitol complex in the days preceding the insurrection. There are visitor logs as well. If these names match up with any of those IDed in the Capitol siege, case closed -- tho not necessarily against Boebert, who could have more-or-less innocently acted as tour guide.
** Nomaan Merchant & Colleen Long of the AP: "As the rioters stormed the U.S. Capitol, many of the police officers had to decide on their own how to fight them off. There was no direction. No plan. And no top leadership.... Interviews with four members of the U.S. Capitol Police who were overrun by rioters on Jan. 6 show just how quickly the command structure collapsed as throngs of people, egged on by ... Donald Trump, set upon the Capitol. The officers spoke on condition of anonymity because the department has threatened to suspend anyone who speaks to the media. 'We were on our own,' one of the officers told The Associated Press. 'Totally on our own.' The officers ... said they were given next to no warning by leadership on the morning of Jan. 6.... And once the riot began, they were given no instructions by the department's leaders on how to stop the mob or rescue lawmakers who had barricaded themselves inside. There were only enough officers for a routine day. Three officers told the AP they did not hear Chief Steven Sund on the radio the entire afternoon. It turned out he was sheltering with Vice President Mike Pence in a secure location for some of the siege. Sund resigned the next day." ~~~
~~~ Rosalind Helderman, et al., of the Washington Post: "... House Sergeant-at-Arms Paul Irving balked when the chief of the Capitol Police suggested activating the National Guard two days before the Jan. 6 event... [because ] '... the leaders of the House and the Senate don't want the military up there...,' said Bill Pickle, who served as the Senate sergeant-at-arms from 2003 to 2007 and spoke to The Washington Post at Irving's request.... Irving did not consult first with his boss, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), but thought he was reflecting her likely response, Pickle said.... In a statement, Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said, 'Our expectation is to always be fully briefed on the options. The failure of the nation's law enforcement apparatus to fully understand the gravity of the situation coupled with the President's dramatic and deliberate incitement to violence led to the failure of any and all plans previously briefed to the Congress.'... According to Pickle, Irving said he, [Senate Sergeant-at-Arms Michael] Stenger and [Capitol police chief Steven] Sund were all comfortable with the security arrangements in place before Jan. 6 -- and thought that the National Guard would be on alert if needed."
Spencer Hsu & Hannah Knowles of the Washington Post: "Federal authorities said they have arrested Capitol rioter Riley June Williams and are investigating claims from a 'former romantic partner' that Williams stole a laptop or hard drive from the office of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Williams was arrested Monday in her home state of Pennsylvania, the Justice Department said, a day after she was charged in the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. The department did not immediately provide further details. An ex-partner of Williams's, identified only as W1 in court filings, told the FBI that friends of Williams played a video of her stealing the drive or computer from Pelosi's office, and that Williams 'intended to send the computer device to a friend in Russia, who then planned to sell the device to SVR, Russia's foreign intelligence service,' a criminal complaint states."
Tim Stelloh of NBC News: "A Texas man who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6 was arrested and accused of having threatened to shoot his children if they told authorities that he had gone to Washington, D.C., according to federal court documents released Monday.... In an affidavit, an FBI agent described [Guy] Reffitt as an apparent militia member who traveled from suburban Dallas to Washington with a Smith & Wesson pistol to help 'protect his country.' Reffitt's wife told investigators that during an argument, he told his children that if one of them turned him in, 'you're a traitor and you know what happens to traitors ... traitors get shot.'"
S.A. Miller of the Washington Times: "The Republican Party Central Committee in Carbon County, Wyoming, has censured Rep. Liz Cheney for voting to impeach President Trump, as support for the one-time rising GOP star crumbles in her home state. The censure resolution passed in a unanimous vote by the 45-member central committee. It included a demand that Ms. Cheney appear before the committee to explain her actions." MB: It wouldn't surprise me that some committee members would vote to censure Cheney, but all of them?? The once pristine rivers of Wyoming must run with Kool-Aid these days. ~~~
~~~ Matthew Chapman of the Raw Story: "On Monday, the Washington Examiner reported that the chairman of the Wyoming Republican Party floated the idea of secession to form a neo-confederacy consisting of Republican-voting states. 'Wyoming GOP Chairman Frank Eathorne suggested the idea to War Room Pandemic podcast host and former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon in a weekend interview focused on the decision by Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney, the third-ranked Republican in the House, to vote in favor of impeaching Trump on a charge of incitement of insurrection related to the deadly riot that took place at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6,' reported Mike Brest [of the Examiner].
Capitalism (Russian-Style) Is Awesome. Joseph Menn, et al., of Reuters: "Parler, a social media website and app popular with the American far right, has partially returned online with the help of a Russian-owned technology company. Parler vanished from the internet when dropped by Amazon Inc's hosting arm and other partners for poor moderation after its users called for violence and posted videos glorifying the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol. On Monday, Parler's website was reachable again, though only with a message from its chief executive saying he was working to restore functionality. The internet protocol address it used is owned by DDos-Guard, which is controlled by two Russian men and provides services including protection from distributed denial of service attacks, infrastructure expert Ronald Guilmette told Reuters."
Trump Team's Incompetence Saves Civil Service Jobs. Lisa Rein of the Washington Post: "President Trump's last-ditch effort to remove civil service protections from tens of thousands of career federal employees appears to have lost steam, facing time constraints and legal hurdles as the administration prepares to leave office, officials said. As a result, President-elect Joe Biden will become president Wednesday with an executive order in place to carry out the biggest change to the civil service in a generation -- but no completed paperwork to reclassify the affected employees so they can be fired without cause. Allies of Biden say he's likely to reverse Trump's order. In their final weeks, outgoing Trump administration officials took steps to fast-track the sweeping directive the president issued in October at one department, the powerful Office of Management and Budget. The agency closest to the White House identified a list of hundreds of jobs and sent it to federal personnel officials for final sign-off. But in a meeting last week, Budget Director Russell T. Vought, a conservative firebrand who targeted his agency as a test case for the new policy, told his senior staff that the administration ran out of time to change the employees' status before leaving office, according to two officials familiar with his comments."
Simon Tindsall of the Guardian: "While all eyes are on Donald Trump and his Capitol Hill mob, a would-be heir and successor is running riot all by himself, storming citadels, wagging the flag and breaking china.... Mike Pompeo may not strike many people as presidential material. But Trump lowered the bar.... In a display of extraordinary chutzpah, Pompeo has spent the time since Trump lost the election setting booby traps and laying diplomatic minefields in global conflict zones. Partly he aims to secure his own and Trump's 'legacy'. Partly it's to screw Biden. But mostly it's about winning the White House.... That potentially makes the former Kansas Tea party congressman and CIA chief more dangerous to the Biden presidency, and the progressive cause, than a disgraced Trump may ever be." --s (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ "The Worst Secretary of State in American History." Lara Jakes of the New York Times: "Spurned by many foreign allies, ridiculed by adversaries, disliked by a significant number of his own diplomats and trying to preserve his political future, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo ... dismissed the power of persuasion, instead trying to strong-arm European leaders, taunting rulers in China and Iran, and working to keep dictators off-balance.... But by rejecting the traditional role of predictable diplomacy and mirroring President Trump's own style, Mr. Pompeo's strategy backfired, according to foreign policy analysts and a large cohort in the State Department. As he leaves office, Mr. Pompeo, 57, has been tagged by a number of officials and analysts with the dubious distinction of the worst secretary of state in American history. That will come back to haunt him as he considers running for president in 2024 or seeking another elected office, as he is widely believed to be doing. Iran is now closer to building a nuclear bomb and that North Korea has more nuclear weapons than it did at the beginning of the Trump administration. Relations with key European leaders, the United Nations and other diplomatic and economic alliances are in worse shape. The United States has less standing to promote democracy and human rights in the world than it did four years ago, according to many career diplomats. And Mr. Pompeo's role in enabling the president's shadow foreign policy in Ukraine -- undermining years of United States support to ward off Russian military aggression -- raised concerns among lawmakers...." (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Marie: But kudos for making the front page of the paper of record, Mike.
Tara Bahrampour of the Washington Post: "The embattled director of the U.S. Census Bureau is resigning in the wake of allegations that he had supported a partisan push to deliver data on undocumented immigrants to President Trump before the president leaves office. Steven Dillingham's resignation will be effective Wednesday, according to a farewell message he sent to the bureau staff, posted on the agency's website Monday. Reports last week from bureau whistleblowers said political appointees were pressuring staff members to release state tallies of undocumented immigrants by Jan. 15, regardless of their accuracy, to boost Trump's effort to exclude them from congressional apportionment. Those reports prompted calls from civil rights groups and Democratic lawmakers for Dillingham to resign. 'That the census director would push expert, career staff to ignore quality standards to achieve an unlawful policy for an outgoing president is appalling,' said Wade Henderson, interim president and chief executive of the Leadership Conference, and one of those who called for Dillingham's resignation." MB: In fairness to Dillingham, most actions by Trump's appointees are appalling.
Martyn McLaughlin of The Scotsman: "The Rockshiel trust, listed by Steven Mnuchin, the US Treasury secretary, among his global portfolio of property holdings, has been trying for two years to build a cluster of upmarket townhouses and apartments in a sought-after conservation area of Edinburgh.... Now, it has emerged that the trust has withdrawn its contentious blueprints for the development in Murrayfield’s Kinellan Road, casting doubt on its future plans.... The US Treasury has said that Mr Mnuchin has no financial interest in the Rockshiel trust, and that the only reason it is listed on his financial disclosure forms is because of his wife, the Scottish actor, Louise Linton." --s (Also linked yesterday.) ~~~
~~~ Fortunately, Steve is doing a fine job here at home: ~~~
~~~ Elizabeth Dwoskin & Aaron Gregg of the Washington Post: "Five prominent anti-vaccine organizations that have been known to spread misleading information about the coronavirus received more than $850,000 in loans from the federal Paycheck Protection Program, raising questions about why the government is giving money to groups actively opposing its agenda and seeking to undermine public health during a critical period.... Several of the Facebook pages of these organizations have been penalized by the social network, including being prohibited from buying advertising, for pushing misinformation about covid-19.... While it's unclear whether the anti-vaccine groups broke any rules, their receipt of public assistance is in many ways a consequence of the scattershot way in which the Paycheck Protection Program delivered hundreds of billions of dollars into the economy with few guardrails or preconditions." Thanks to Forrest M. for the link. MB: BTW, these PPP "loans" are not really loans at all; if certain fairly easy conditions are met, the loans are forgiven. (Also linked yesterday.)
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Hard to believe that we’re only hours away from the departure of the most vile, ignorant, racist, corrupt, murderous thug to ever darken the White House linens, some of which I’m sure will accompany Fatty and Mrs. I Really Don’t Care, along with the silverware and other odds and ends belonging to the American people that aren’t nailed down. No matter, it’s a small price to pay to see their slime trails, and those of the rest of their mouthy and belligerent crime family and corrupt and craven cronies leading out of town.
I wasn’t around for it, but I’m betting it will feel a lot like the end of WWII, with the exception that millions of treasonous fascists will be bemoaning the fact that the Nazis lost the war.
Nonetheless, millions more will be celebrating despite the fact that our country has been reduced, in many ways, to burned out ruins by Trump and his party of traitors.
In any event, mal voyage, you pieces of shit. May the wind be always in your faces, may the road drop out beneath you, and may the devil get an early warning of your departure from this life, just to be good and ready to welcome you to perdition.
@AK: Satan's fixing to be a busy boy for a while here. Leering at his new residents as he gives the "this way" headwaiter's gesture.
For as the Q motto says: "Where we go one, we go all".
Two thoughts:
The first occasioned by this Guardian story on the case of the disappeared presidential records.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/jan/17/historians-having-to-tape-together-records-that-trump-tore-up
And like many others, I have to wonder what all else has been lost or destroyed and if we'll ever know.
Which leads me to believe 2 billion is a very high estimate for a building that will house little but the forensic team trying to find or piece back together all the missing records, and prompts the near-certainty that some of the 2 billion donated by idiots with too much money for a building that will have little other use will end up, not in joist, stud or wallboard, not even in a golden toilet seat in the library reading room, but in the Pretender's wallet.
The other, more edifying:
A little slow, but just the other day as the days on the countdown clock in RC's upper righthand corner got to single digits, it occurred to me, not so much as a thought which was already old, but at a deeper emotional level, that we have done something truly revolutionary.
We have elected a woman Vice President for the first time, deliberately, with eyes wide open, with the full knowledge that the old guy she will be assisting may not make the whole four year trip.
In other words, millions of Americans facing that possible future said that's OK with me. A little black? That's not a problem, we've already done that and it wasn't so bad. And now a woman? Maybe as president? Might as well.
And that's really revolutionary. When in our history would that have been possible?
Never. Until now.
I'm in awe of what we've done.
When Biden takes the oath of office tomorrow, as the Trumps slither out of the city, there is no way anyone can listen to the words of that oath and not recall that this was Fatty's first official lie:
"I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully execute the Office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States."
He probably didn't even listen to the words. He was likely adding up all the money he would be able to steal. In fact, the grifting had already begun.
And leave us not forget that confederates, who cheered on a criminal, anti-American, anti-democratic, Constitution flouting enterprise are all prepared to impeach Joe Biden the second he's sworn in.
The hypocrisy is off the charts. But at least we will, after four long years, have a real president who takes his oath seriously and will "preserve, protect, and defend" both the Constitution and the United States, rather than picking the pockets of the taxpayers while taking a wrecking ball to the republic.
Can't wait!!!!!!
@Ak: These six words say all we need to know: "to the best of my ability". What ability???
Finally.
Something that does belong in the Pretender's library--and no where else:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/us/politics/1776-commission-report.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage
PRETTY PETTY PEOPLE:
These two sour pickles that will leave the W.H. refuse to honor a long standing pass the baton ceremony to the incoming President and Partner ( so far a man and his wife). It's the culmination of these four years–– HIS MO: nothing was done for anyone but me and me and thee if only you ARE for me.
A couple days ago I gave a link to Christian text books that rejected sanity, like science, and preached against all them sassy lib-ruls and such while bringing in Jesus to save the day. Yesterday the W.H. released their report of the presidential 1776 commission––"a sweeping attack on liberal thought and activism that calls for a 'patriotic education,' defends American's founding against charges that it was tainted by slavery and likens progressivism to fascism."
There were 18 members on this commission––NO professional historians included.
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/18/us/politics/1776-commission-report.html?referringSource=articleShare
That Irish wind better be sweeping The Bastard out to sea while a gentle breeze be kissing the face of a real Irish lad who will have the most difficult road ahead.
To go along with the Schmitt article about the bastardization of the US military by white supremacists, I would point out the nexus of christian proselytizing and fascist politics in the communities with military bases. Colorado Springs comes to mind. 'The first man to raise a fist is the first man to run out of ideas' comes to my mind for the military. And the military is filled with "deep staters" who like 'three hots and a cot' and a pension with lots of financial baubles (discounted mortgages, insurance, groceries) for the rest of their lives. We have created this chosen culture of "service"; as a brief look at "the last civil war veteran" in Google shows, 90 years afterwards they didn't go away quietly.
It's a lead pipe cinch that, had he not been kicked off the major social media platforms, the Orange Traitor would be peck-peck-pecking on the keyboard (avoiding the drool, if possible) about how HIS inauguration crowd was MUCH bigger than Biden's.
Of course, that goes without saying. First there's the dangerous problem of the deadly Trump Virus, a failure of galactic proportions. Then there's the fact that his lies, belligerence, and treasonous propaganda has turned official Washington into a green zone, the sort of the thing you see in war torn cities like Baghdad, where central functions and governing entities live and work behind a barricade of fences, walls, and heavily armed troops to keep from being killed by insurrectionists.
And despite that, every day we see armed Trump loonies trying to sneak in, to what end, one can only imagine. They may not (all) be terrorists, but they have adopted terrorist tactics. The goal is to frighten, to sow chaos and spread disinformation with the idea of destabilizing civil structures and taking over in a wave of anarchy and hatred.
This isn't all Trump, these dangerous loons were out there already. But Trump has provided them with a platform, a focal point that didn't exist before.
Years ago, Stephen King wrote an eerily prescient book, "The Stand" about a deadly virus that swept across the planet killing billions. Those left alive were divided between the forces of light and civilization, and, well, the other kind. The other kind rallied around a satanic character who brought together every manner of violent, self-centered, power mad creeps who all felt victimized by things like ethics and morality. He taught them that they shouldn't care about any of that folderol, but should take what they want by force.
This is Trump.
So, yes, the Biden inauguration crowd will be tiny compared to his, but billions of people around the world will make up for it in their joy to see that fat fuck tuck tail and run, crying all the way about his greatness.
So what's next for this disgrace of a human being?
Ding-dong..."Oh, Donnie, it's Letitia James. She brought handcuffs..."
Welcum to the Trmp Liberry
It makes perfect sense that the guy in charge of a Trump library be a golf caddie and Twitter liar. Ignorance coupled with incompetence, oozing mendacity.
A Trump hallmark.
Someone here said that they had discovered NYT's writer Jennifer Senior and was extremely impressed with her columns. Today she has written a wham, bang piece on McConnell that is delicious as well as right on the money. Enjoy:
https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/19/opinion/good-riddance-leader-mcconnell.html
@Ak: Your ""Oh, Donnie, it's Letitia James. She brought handcuffs..." plus the "Liberry: ( rhymes with Fib-berry–-museum filled with reams of inaccurate my-new-cha guaranteed to rev up the motor mouths that hunger for such) had me laughing out loud. Thanks.
One thing that I'm really looking forward to after the inauguration is seeing Drumpf's mugshot plastered across every news website and publication around the world. It'll be interesting (and scary) to finally get a view of what his disheveled, uncoiffed pate truly looks like.
@unwashed: Good thought. Let's hope the authorities take him into custody at about 6 am, before he's had time to spend the hour-and-a-half or whatever that reports have alleged he spends daily on the orange do.
And, pleeeeze, a perp walk.
I got my hands on the plans for Trump's $2 billion dollar library
@unwashed. It could be a while. The two-tier justice system hasn't been destroyed with Biden's election. The King of Losers could drag his case through the courts for at least a year. We'll see what happens when the big bank donors gets implicated in his tax fraud case. There is a lot of money to be made by law firms in dragging this out for a long long time. A lot of big money interests have been paying the Trump organization (at Trump Properties) to gain access, as was shown graphically in a link RAS shared yesterday. I'm sure they won't want their reputations sullied by the DOJ. Sorry, we almost never get the pleasure of schadenfreude by seeing the landed gentry dressed in the orange jumpsuits meant for us commoners.
@Ken; Yes, this is an extraordinary moment in American history. An administration that looks like us! Thanks for that 35,000 foot perspective.
The author calls this "whimsical." It is that and more.
Written by a classmate who has been there, the details of a Second Lady's life and all their constrictions did not prompt my envy.
https://margueritehs.medium.com/advice-to-second-spouse-doug-emhoff-12543cd6a6fc
"Former US attorney general William Barr has told ITV News that questioning the legitimacy of the presidential election result 'precipitated the riots' in the US Capitol on January 6."
Bill Barr from one interview in September
"So now we’re back in the business of selling and buying votes. Capricious distribution of ballots means harvesting, undue influence, outright coercion, paying off a postman and saying, ‘Hey, here. Here’s a few hundred dollars, give me some of your ballots.”
Barr said the liberals accusing Trump of planning [to stay in office] that are just “projecting” because “they’re creating an incendiary situation where there will be loss of confidence in the vote.”
“It’ll be a close vote. People will say the president just won Nevada. ‘Oh, wait a minute! We just discovered 100,000 ballots! Every vote will be counted!’ Yeah, but we don’t know where these freaking votes came from.”
I'm sure he will be turning himself in soon for incitement...
I just passed the 24 hour period after the covid vaccine
which is the time frame that means I will live and have no negative reactions.
The sheriff's department was in front of the entrance to guard against anti vaxxers who might protest.
There were dozens of doctors and nurses volunteering for our county. I couldn't thank them enough.
The circumstantial evidence against Rep Boebert does not look good. Beside the guilty conscience of accusing Maloney of naming her when he had not named anyone, now there is a potential connection to one of the rioters. Robert Gieswein, who was arrested for being part of the insurrection, was photographed standing in front of Boebert's bar with other racists. Gieswein “appears to be affiliated with the radical militia group known as the Three Percenters,” a militia which is “loosely allied with the Oath Keepers.” And the Oath Keepers provided protection at some of Boebert's campaign appearances. Laura has a lot of connections to awful people.
@Forrest Morris: Congratulations! My local hospital -- which is a top one in the state -- has a recorded message that says they just might get some vaccinations in February or March. Meantime, there's no way even to sign up, although the state promises one later this week.
SEASONS OF TRUMP - Randy Rainbow Song Parody. Finally the send off.
@periscope: I still have hope to enjoy "the pleasure of shadenfreude" because what you describe would take place after issuance of an indictment, the subsequent arrest, and processing for his photo op. It will only drag out if there are any lawyers left (which he won't pay anyway) willing to maintain his attempts of obstruction.
Maybe old news but the high portion of Republicans reported to still believe the Pretender won the election may not be as dire as I had thought.
This, according to Pew Research. there are fewer registered Republicans than many might think.
"Around a third of registered voters in the U.S. (34%) identify as independents, while 33% identify as Democrats and 29% identify as Republicans, according to a Center analysis of Americans’ partisan identification based on surveys of more than 12,000 registered voters in 2018 and 2019.
Most independents in the U.S. lean toward one of the two major parties. When taking independents’ partisan leanings into account, 49% of all registered voters either identify as Democrats or lean to the party, while 44% identify as Republicans or lean to the GOP."
If we're talking 75% of 34%, it's not so bad, only 26 million. If we go with the 44%, that's 44 million, which is not even half of the fools who voted for the Pretender last November.
So if those surveys are polling Republicans we get one answer. If those who voted for the Pretender, we get another.
Because it makes me feel better, and because the last two weeks have to have shocked millions of Pretender voters who don't identify as committed Republicans into a severe case of buyers' remorse, I'm going with the former.
That piece of paper scribbled on with a Sharpie that the Pretender handed to a WH aide as he climbed the stairs for his last free ride on Air Force 1?
His list of unpardonable pardons.
....And then the pretend president rode out of sight.
A living wage is desperately needed. The $15 dollar minimum wage Biden is proposing would be a nice step. "42 percent of the United States makes under $15 an hour, and that statistic is from before the pandemic." Check out McDonald's 2012 employee budget in the link, it's crazy how oblivious these corporations are to real life.
Here's a Melania sendoff from The Late Show
This would make Smokey Robinson proud.
https://crooksandliars.com/2021/01/maga-parody-my-girl
@unwashed: One time, many decades past, Smokey Robinson walked past me in the hall of a place I was working & sang me a line of "My Girl," just because he was a nice guy. Yeah, I think he'd like it.
RAS,
Corporations like McDonalds are not oblivious to real life, they just don't care. Same as Trump. And like the Walton family, they know that they can pay their employees slave wages and the government (which they rip as often as they can) will pick up the difference. Corporate welfare.