Politicians behaving badly

[P___X]

Mitch only did that because he is approaching the end of his life and wants to get a slightly cooler spot in hell.

this somehow reminded me of turtle soup🤣

 

[lizkat]

Mitch only did that because he is approaching the end of his life and wants to get a slightly cooler spot in hell.

Gonna be crowded in the section of hell reserved for GOP Senators now seated in the 119th congress.

Fifty senators either actually believe Hegseth is qualified, or else are too afraid of the monster they've helped create and nurture since 2015, or else fear the MAGA crowd among Trump supporters, or fear loss of re-election funds from the oligarchy that also favored Trump, or fear being outed for having personal failings akin to some of those of Hegseth.​

​

So... willful ignorance, cowardice, avarice, self-absorption.... nice CV to haul up to the Pearly Gates... but more to the point it's a collection of attributes that entitle voters to ask more pointedly "what have you done for us lately?" when among the answers is "well we voted for a guy to run the Pentagon who's unlikely to be able to run a village firehall roof repair fundraiser properly."​

All that said, I appreciate Mitch throwing a NAY vote that forced Vance to own the confirmation. He's the one who's eventually going to have to deal with both the internal military, domestic political and international effects on the US (and its allies) of putting in a guy like Hegseth to run our Defense Department. Let's not imagine our enemies were not high-fiving that confirmation. Just the internal chaos ahead has them licking their chops.

 

[lizkat]

Trump is not excused from well-deserved hits in this thread just because SCOTUS made him a king.

So here's the latest truly outrageous move. Placing USAID officials on leave because they did the right thing, Musk's team asked for classified information for which DOGE members' clearance levels were not high enough to view, so the security officials were legally required to deny access.

Of course they then got access anyway, why not, the king is the king. But then to put the officials on leave... another damn bridge too far.

USAID security leaders on leave after trying to keep Musk team from classified info, officials say

Two top security chiefs at the USAID placed on leave after they refused to turn over classified material in restricted areas to Elon Musk’s teams, officials say.

www.latimes.com

This is starting to feel like a long two weeks. Like when you're having root canal without enough anesthesia.

 

[SouprMatt]

Trump is not excused from well-deserved hits in this thread just because SCOTUS made him a king.

So here's the latest truly outrageous move. Placing USAID officials on leave because they did the right thing, Musk's team asked for classified information for which DOGE members' clearance levels were not high enough to view, so the security officials were legally required to deny access.

Of course they then got access anyway, why not, the king is the king. But then to put the officials on leave... another damn bridge too far.

USAID security leaders on leave after trying to keep Musk team from classified info, officials say

Two top security chiefs at the USAID placed on leave after they refused to turn over classified material in restricted areas to Elon Musk’s teams, officials say.

www.latimes.com

This is starting to feel like a long two weeks. Like when you're having root canal without enough anesthesia.

When you have a DoJ that has abandoned independence, there is zero accountability for crimes. Allowing access to classified material is a crime. Accessing it knowingly without proper clearance is a crime.

Even better, Trump might allow the crimes so he has one over on Musk. Betray Trump and suddenly these previously ignored crimes become an excuse to lock him up.

 

[Thomas Veil]

Oh dear god, this woman might be even more childish than Trump.

(Nancy) Mace repeatedly used a trans slur at a House hearing on Wednesday. When she was reprimanded for it, Mace then acted like a bratty child and replied, “tranny, tranny, tranny.”

GOP Rep. Burns Nancy Mace In Personal Zinger Involving Marjorie Taylor Greene — HuffPost

The House member's dig at fellow Republican Mace got personal.

apple.news

 

[lizkat]

Oh dear god, this woman might be even more childish than Trump.

GOP Rep. Burns Nancy Mace In Personal Zinger Involving Marjorie Taylor Greene — HuffPost

The House member's dig at fellow Republican Mace got personal.

apple.news

Goes beyond childish. What does Representative Mace propose to do about South Carolina's problems of food affordability, food insecurity and high share of food costs to total personal expenditures? Especially with the GOP's plan to take an axe to federal outlays.

From a piece about South Carolina households' economic status before Trump 2.0 tariffs kick in:

Share of adults facing food affordability issues: 27.7%​

Food & beverage share of average household budget: 15.3%​

Households facing food insecurity: 14.4%​

​

So meanwhile Nancy Mace continues to rant about who gets to use what bathroom? Not sure how long that will entertain South Carolina constituents as they connect with increased cost of goods imported from China. They, like other US residents, are likely to be surprised about how ubiquitous those imports are in their lives, and how ill-prepared the USA is to compete economically with domestic substitutes. South Carolina imports $1.7 billion of food annually.

 

[Jay Mysteri0]

Guess who may become our next ambassador to Turkey?

Trump's Justice Department orders prosecutors to drop charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams

President Trump had hinted at the possibility of a pardon in December, telling reporters that the mayor had been “treated pretty unfairly.”

thegrio.com

A top official at the U.S. Department of Justice has ordered federal prosecutors to drop charges against New York Mayor Eric Adams, a Democrat who has cultivated a warm relationship with President Donald Trump.

In a two-page memo obtained by The Associated Press, acting Deputy Attorney General Emil Bove, an alumnus of the Manhattan office that brought the case, said that the decision to dismiss the charges was reached without an assessment of the strength of the prosecution of the prosecution and was not meant to call into question the attorneys who filed the case.

But, Bove said, that the timing of the charges and “more recent actions” by the former U.S. attorney who led the office, Damian Williams, “have threatened the integrity of the proceedings, “including by increasing prejudicial pretrial publicity that risks impacting potential witnesses and the jury pool.”

The development comes after months of speculation that Trump’s Justice Department would take steps to end the criminal case against Adams, who was accused of accepting bribes of free or discounted travel and illegal campaign contributions.

Trump had hinted at the possibility of a pardon in December, telling reporters that the mayor had been “treated pretty unfairly.” He had also claimed, without offering evidence, that Adams was being persecuted for criticizing former President Joe Biden’s policies on immigration.

After Trump’s inauguration, Adams’ lawyers had approached senior Justice Department officials, asking them to intervene and drop the case.

 

[ronntaylor]

Guess who may become our next ambassador to Turkey?

I'm worried that with at least seven official candidates on the Dem line, Adams may slide back in as the Dem nominee and repeat as mayor. That or allow Cuomo to swoop in and take the nom. Gov. Hochul should remove him, but I don't think she has the guts to do so.

 

[lizkat]

Guess who may become our next ambassador to Turkey?

I thought mango had picked big donor and crony Tom Barrack for that job.

 

[Jay Mysteri0]

I thought mango had picked big donor and crony Tom Barrack for that job.

It's a joke referencing a trend that's been observed that 45 has been rewarding anyone that kissed his ass even if they are unqualified. On top of that, if it's something that trolls, he appoints them to that.

Even Herschel Walker got nominated by 45 for a position.

So following the "logic" laid out by 45, Adams seems like a perfect candidate for Turkey since he already has experience with dealing with them. 😏 Especially after the administration has decided not to go after Adams for some clearly laid out crimes.

I'm guessing by the news today, maybe Vince McMahon gets a job preventing sex trafficking in the U.S. 🤬🤮

 

[lizkat]

It's a joke referencing a trend that's been observed that 45 has been rewarding anyone that kissed his ass even if they are unqualified. On top of that, if it's something that trolls, he appoints them to that.

Even Herschel Walker got nominated by 45 for a position.

So following the "logic" laid out by 45, Adams seems like a perfect candidate for Turkey since he already has experience with dealing with them. 😏 Especially after the administration has decided not to go after Adams for some clearly laid out crimes.

I'm guessing by the news today, maybe Vince McMahon gets a job preventing sex trafficking in the U.S. 🤬🤮

Thanks for clarification... although Turkey and turkeys are poles apart and the former deserves more attention for its geopolitical value on the world stage at this time post-Assad in Syria, with Russia still tying itself up via its misadventures in Ukraine, Iran on the brink of god knows what measures to deter collapse, and China's attempts to fill vacuums in Africa.

Tom Barrack is not a terrible pick for the Turkish ambassador's job as far as a Trump pick goes, i.e., at least the dude has some experience and cred in the region, albeit he appears to regard the whole planet as a series of real estate deals, much like The Don. I'd rather see someone with past State Department experience be ambassador to Turkey, but at least Barrack has had some government posts before and holds a contacts list of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean private sector and government players.

As for Eric Adams... he makes me feel like there's something about the NYC mayoralty that can turn even bright stars with good intentions into lost souls or outright scoundrels and felons. Still, and thinking about the disenchanting path taken by Giuliani, I wish Adams hadn't seemed to quicken the pace that Rudy established. Adams might be wishing that too at this point.

 

[lizkat]

Wow this is inspiring... some people still have spine, ethics, integrity.

Order to Drop Adams Case Prompts Resignations in New York and Washington

The interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District and five officials with the federal public integrity unit quit after the Justice Department ordered charges against Mayor Eric Adams to be dropped.

www.nytimes.com

Manhattan’s U.S. attorney on Thursday resigned rather than obey an order from a top Justice Department official to drop the corruption case against New York City’s mayor, Eric Adams.

Then, when Justice Department officials sought to transfer the case to the public integrity section in Washington, which oversees corruption cases, the two men who led that unit also resigned, according to five people with knowledge of the matter.

The resignations represent the most high-profile public resistance so far to President Trump’s tightening control over the Justice Department. They were a stunning repudiation of the administration’s attempt to force the dismissal of the charges against Mr. Adams.

The departures of the U.S. attorney, Danielle R. Sassoon, and the officials who oversaw the Justice Department’s Public Integrity Section, Kevin O. Driscoll and John Keller, came in rapid succession on Thursday. Days earlier, the acting No. 2 official at the Justice Department, Emil Bove III, had ordered Manhattan prosecutors to drop the case against Mr. Adams.

Ms. Sassoon, in a remarkable letter addressed to Attorney General Pam Bondi, said that Mr. Bove’s order to dismiss the case was “inconsistent with my ability and duty to prosecute federal crimes without fear or favor and to advance good-faith arguments before the courts.”

Mr. Bove accepted Ms. Sassoon’s resignation in his own eight-page letter on Thursday, in which he blasted her handling of the case and decision to disobey his order.

He told her the prosecutors who had worked on the case against Mr. Adams were being placed on administrative leave because they, too, were unwilling to obey his order.

He said they would be investigated by the attorney general and the Justice Department’s internal investigative arm. He also told Ms. Sassoon both bodies would evaluate her conduct.

But the internal investigations ordered by Mr. Bove could prove risky for him. Officials will likely review Mr. Bove’s conduct as well, and the judge overseeing the case could demand answers from Justice Department officials in Washington.

 

[Jay Mysteri0]

Wow this is inspiring... some people still have spine, ethics, integrity.

Order to Drop Adams Case Prompts Resignations in New York and Washington

The interim U.S. attorney for the Southern District and five officials with the federal public integrity unit quit after the Justice Department ordered charges against Mayor Eric Adams to be dropped.

www.nytimes.com

It's inspiring, but it was also seen as a way to find out who wouldn't play ball, & have them leave in Public Integrity.

Only one person didn't resign supposedly in Public Integrity, but that's because she's having a child.

The fun part is when they eventually have to go before a judge & explain why they felt the case needed to be dropped. Which is supposedly why Bove was looking for others to drop this whole thing. I think it says a lot about the current regime, that they don't seem to know what 'public integrity'.

 

[lizkat]

It's inspiring, but it was also seen as a way to find out who wouldn't play ball, & have them leave in Public Integrity.

Only one person didn't resign supposedly in Public Integrity, but that's because she's having a child.

The fun part is when they eventually have to go before a judge & explain why they felt the case needed to be dropped. Which is supposedly why Bove was looking for others to drop this whole thing. I think it says a lot about the current regime, that they don't seem to know what 'public integrity'.

The not-fun part is that the prosecutors who were working the case that Danielle Sassoon refused to drop were promptly put on administrative leave. Of course that move might well be called to account but it goes to show how vindictive this Trump 2.0 crowd is.

 

[SouprMatt]

A few days ago, I saw a story about a Minnesota state Senator introducing legislation to classify “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as a mental illness. I rolled my eyes and put it in the back of my mind.

Republican state senators in Minnesota introduce bill that defines ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ as a mental illness

The invented term, which describes those who criticize the president, is en vogue again after making the rounds during his first term.

www.startribune.com

So why did this story come to the fore again? Well…

GOP calls for Sen. Justin Eichorn to resign after arrest on suspicion of soliciting teen for sex

The Grand Rapids Republican thought he was talking to a teen girl. The person was actually a Twin Cities police detective, officials said.

www.startribune.com

Minnesota state Sen. Justin Eichorn allegedly arranged to meet someone he thought was a teenage girl for sex and instead was arrested by police in Bloomington, authorities announced Tuesday.

Police Chief Booker Hodges, in announcing the arrest, invoked a jail analogy when he said, “As a 40-year-old man, if you come to the Orange Jumpsuit District looking to have sex with someone’s child, you can expect that we are going to lock you up.”

Very fine people in the MAGA movement.

 

[Huntn]

A few days ago, I saw a story about a Minnesota state Senator introducing legislation to classify “Trump Derangement Syndrome” as a mental illness. I rolled my eyes and put it in the back of my mind.

Republican state senators in Minnesota introduce bill that defines ‘Trump derangement syndrome’ as a mental illness

The invented term, which describes those who criticize the president, is en vogue again after making the rounds during his first term.

www.startribune.com

So why did this story come to the fore again? Well…

GOP calls for Sen. Justin Eichorn to resign after arrest on suspicion of soliciting teen for sex

The Grand Rapids Republican thought he was talking to a teen girl. The person was actually a Twin Cities police detective, officials said.

www.startribune.com

Very fine people in the MAGA movement.

The first medical classification not based on scientific medical study, but on politics, grossly manipulative if anything. This is just a fucking label to sate the dummies. Instead I’d suggest TAS , Trump Assimilated Syndrome, something that is real. I’m also toying with the notion of IAM- Insanity Avoidance Maneuver, to steer clear of TAS.

 

[lizkat]

The first medical classification not based on scientific medical study, but on politics, grossly manipulative if anything. This is just a fucking label to sate the dummies. Instead I’d suggest TAS , Trump Assimilated Syndrome, something that is real. I’m also toying with the notion of IAM- Insanity Avoidance Maneuver, to steer clear of TAS.

I always thought Trump Derangement Syndrome was misapplied from the outset... and mostly aptly described those who imagined the guy was fit for any public office.

 

[Huntn]

I always thought Trump Derangement Syndrome was misapplied from the outset... and mostly aptly described those who imagined the guy was fit for any public office.

It’s a made up label designed to dismiss Trump’s mountain of Sins without discussing him as the caustic POS that he is. 😳

 

[lizkat]

It’s a made up label designed to dismiss Trump’s mountain of Sins without discussing him as the caustic POS that he is. 😳

It's basically just another example of the Trump-centric right's invariable tendency to project their own obsessions on everyone not in their own group...

One can sometimes be tempted to try the "outcrazy the crazy" approach to conversations with exresme MAGA fans. Start out by pretending to agree with them on some generalization, and then elaborate in detail some aspect of one of their beliefs until you finally hear what you want to hear which is "Well I dunno if I'd go THAT far..."

Can't win the overall war that way on the national stage, but battle by battle, one by one, we can get people to rethink some of what they pick up from TruthSocial or Fox and repeat on autopilot. Anything to get people to engage their own brains. Our brains are not inherently trustworthy w/ respect to critical thinking, since basically the brain just wants to focus on keeping lungs and heart working. Autopilot is always its preference for everything else. That's where the real battle lies: overcoming inertia.