Politics The Elephant in the room...The GOP today

boink · Dec 16, 2021

Dang subpoenas to 35 telecom companies.
January 6 committee casts a wide net with over 100 subpoenas for phone company records - CNNPolitics

rogue49 · Dec 16, 2021

https://www.washingtonpost.com/poli...af4524-5c3f-11ec-9c0e-a955f8a009c1_story.html

GOP agrees to pay up to $1.6 million of Trump’s legal bills in N.Y. probes
By Josh Dawsey and David A. Fahrenthold
Today at 5:31 p.m. EST

The Republican Party has agreed to pay up to $1.6 million in legal bills for former president Donald Trump to help him fight investigations into his business practices in New York, according to Republican National Committee members and others briefed on the decision.

The party’s executive committee overwhelmingly approved the payments at a meeting this summer in Nashville, according to four members and others with knowledge of the situation who spoke on the condition of anonymity to describe a private meeting of the executive committee.

That means the GOP’s commitment to pay Trump’s personal legal expenses could be more than 10 times higher than previously known.

Last month, the GOP said in campaign-finance filings that it had paid Trump’s personal attorneys $121,670 in October. More payments have been made since then. A party official said Thursday that the RNC paid $578,000 in November to attorneys known to be representing both Trump and his businesses.

Trump’s longtime accountant testifies to N.Y. grand jury in criminal probe

The payments are expected to continue over the coming months, and the executive committee could approve amounts beyond $1.6 million if it chooses, the people familiar with the decision said.

The payments are meant to help Trump defend himself against two parallel investigations of his business: a civil probe by New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) and a criminal investigation by James and Manhattan District Attorney Cyrus R. Vance Jr. (D).

“The RNC’s Executive Committee approved paying for certain legal expenses that relate to politically motivated legal proceedings waged against President Trump,” said Emma Vaughn, a GOP spokeswoman, in a statement Thursday. “As a leader of our party, defending President Trump and his record of achievement is critical to the GOP. It is entirely appropriate for the RNC to continue assisting in fighting back against the Democrats’ never ending witch hunt and attacks on him.”

James and Vance have said their probes are not politically motivated. James has promised in the past to use her perch to investigate Trump and his company.

Campaign finance experts said there appeared to be nothing illegal about the payments. The RNC was free to pay for Trump’s legal fees, they said.

Still, paying Trump’s legal bills is a highly unusual move, longtime party observers and members say, because the spending has nothing to do with promoting the GOP’s policy agenda or political priorities, dealing with ongoing party business or campaigning— and relates to investigations that are not about Trump’s time as president or his work in the White House.

The decision also shows the party continuing to help the former president ahead of what could be a competitive primary process in 2024, with Trump eyeing another bid.

“To pay the legal fees for someone who isn’t a candidate, and isn’t an employee — I’ve never seen that happen,” said Brett Kappel, a campaign lawyer at the firm Harmon, Curran, Spielberg & Eisenberg.

In its first payments, in October, the RNC paid Ronald Fischetti, who has acted as Trump’s personal lawyer in the investigations.

On Thursday, the RNC said it paid Fischetti again in November, as well as two new law firms. One was the firm of Susan Necheles, who responded to questions Thursday with a brief statement: “I represent President Trump personally and I also represent the Trump Organization.”

When Trump’s longtime chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg and two Trump corporate entities were indicted by Vance on tax fraud charges this summer, Necheles was listed as an attorney for the firms. Weisselberg and the two companies have pleaded not guilty.

The RNC said it also paid the law firm of Michael van der Veen, a personal-injury and defense lawyer from Philadelphia who served as part of Trump’s defense team in his second impeachment trial. Van der Veen did not respond to a question about his current work for Trump. Fischetti declined to comment. A spokesperson for Trump did not immediately respond to a message.

Republican Party officials say privately that Trump is the biggest fundraising draw for the party, and they want to stay in his good graces ahead of the 2022 midterms and 2024 presidential election. RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel regularly talks to Trump, according to Trump advisers, and has in the past warned him against starting a third party. She has managed to keep close ties with him as other advisers have burned out.

And while some members have called for the party to be more independent from Trump, a large majority of the party’s 168-member committee continues to support him, according to members and party officials.

Douglas Heye, a former spokesman for the Republican Party, said he viewed the party’s decision as inadvisable — but also understandable. Heye and others said Trump has demanded total loyalty from McDaniel. Earlier this year, after she publicly declared herself neutral in the 2024 primaries, he retorted at a RNC event: “She’s neutral like I’m neutral.”

“The lesson is ultimately you don’t make a deal with the devil, but if you’re in for a penny, you’re in for a pound,” Heye said. “They want their party to win, and they want to take back the House and the Senate. Having Donald Trump either on your side, or on the sidelines as a non-malicious, nonmalignant figure, is what you hope for. You know he could take you down at any time.”

Heye, a Trump critic, said he doubted paying the former president’s personal legal bills would cause much of a revolt within the party. “Some will grumble privately, but most won’t say anything, and a lot of them will be good with it,” he said of the party’s committee members.

But some other potential 2024 candidates have grown frustrated that McDaniel and the party have remained so close to Trump, fundraising off him instead of trying to move the party past a polarizing time when Republicans lost the White House, Senate and House during his presidency.

Earlier this year, Bill Palatucci, a New Jersey committee member, criticized the party for spending money on Trump’s legal bills and not spending more in New Jersey, where the party could have used the money in a tight gubernatorial race Republicans ultimately lost, he said. The Washington Post obtained an email from Palatucci calling for more spending in New Jersey in October, when the party paid for Trump’s lawyers, but his request was initially declined by McDaniel, the email shows.

“We could have used that money in New Jersey,” he said, of paying Trump’s legal bills.

An RNC official said the party spent more in the state in the final days of the race but did not alert Palatucci personally, although it did inform the state party.

The investigation into whether the Trump Organization committed fraud has escalated in recent months, as New York prosecutors have interviewed Trump’s longtime banker and accountant, and James has demanded a deposition from Trump in a separate civil case. Trump has not been accused of any wrongdoing.

Since Trump won the 2016 presidential election, the RNC has spent more than $2.6 million at Trump’s hotels and clubs, according to campaign-finance data.

That spending began with the party’s 2016 holiday party, which was held at Trump’s Washington hotel. The RNC paid $117,000 for that event — about four times what it had spent on the party in past years, when it was held at a bar near the Capitol. After that, the RNC paid for a series of lavish dinners and retreats at Trump’s properties — a trend that has continued into Trump’s post-presidency. This spring, the party moved a donor dinner from another venue in Palm Beach, Fla., to the president’s Mar-a-Lago Club, and paid $175,000 for the room and the food.

Trump has more than $100 million in his PAC and could pay his own bills, should he choose to do so. Trump has attacked James repeatedly, saying her investigation is a political “witch hunt.”

Paul Seamus Ryan, a campaign-law expert at Common Cause, which advocates for accountable government, said that when Trump was a candidate, it would have been illegal for him to spend his own campaign funds on legal fees. That’s because federal law prohibits candidates from spending campaign funds on personal expenses, unrelated to politics.

But Ryan said no such ban applies to political parties.

So the RNC can pay Trump’s legal bills, even for an investigation unconnected to his time as president.

“This is an abuse of donor trust,” Ryan said. “I’ve been following money in politics closely for more than two decades, and I’m unaware of any similar past abuse of donor trust and donor money to pay personal legal bills of private citizens.”
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Y’all are insane.
Definitely becoming a cult.

boink · Dec 16, 2021

Yeah.
Help the maniac that held the door open to virus killing 800,000 Americans (and counting)
not to mention pushing a treasonous violent overthrow of American democracy.

He could shoot someone dead in time square and still get 2/3-3/4 of the gop to vote for him again. He can throw every boot licking gop public servant under the bus and they'd still lick dog shit off his shoe and thank him for the opportunity.
Guaranteed he'll run again and be the nom if he's not in jail.
Even if the July 6 probe is a blow out success I bet still 75% repugnants still would vote for him..
It's totally a cult. Some actual believers and some just want to capitalize on it..
There's a ton of Q merch and Trump merch on ebay, even custom Trump hot wheels cars.
I was reading this the other night about political cults. I think we were at least hip deep in cultville in 2016 and now we're neck deep.

https://academyofideas.com/2021/02/mass-psychosis-greatest-threat-to-humanity/

Man I really dislike Oprah for handing the bullhorn to Dr oz and Jenny McCarthy. She really opened the flood gate to Idiocracy talk.
I wonder what she thinks when she looks in the mirror.

Unfortunately I see this cult thing as being extremely difficult to unwind.

I wonder what text messages from Rupert Murdoch are floating around...
And what the hell does Jerry Hall have to say for herself ??

Subpoena ?? Not now, 'batin' !

redux · Dec 20, 2021

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC-Lk-OwCMM

We use the word "lie" only once a year. We reserve that designation for the most harmful and egregious falsehood we've seen after a year of fact checking.

The "Lie of the Year for 2021" is the falsehoods and excuses we've seen about the January 6 insurrection...(more)

*****

The 2021 Lie of the Year: Lies about the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and its significance

Shortly after 2 p.m. on Jan. 6, supporters of President Donald J. Trump breached the U.S. Capitol, turning the seat of American democracy into the scene of an unforgettable crime...
..
In the days that followed, Trump, some of the loudest and most influential members of the Republican Party and vocal partisan media personalities offered a deluge of justifications, excuses and conspiracy theories to reframe the events of Jan. 6 as no big deal.

They said Jan. 6 was instigated by undercover left-wing activists who were part of antifa. That was proved false.

They said the rioters hadn’t used force and one Republican congressman likened the events to "a normal tourist visit." Video proved that wrong.

They claimed the attack on the Capitol had nothing to do with race, even though white supremacists and far-right militia groups were among the most active participants, and many rioters wore racist t-shirts.

They suggested the whole affair was staged by the government, a false flag operation. Others suggested it was entirely a peaceful protest. All of that was wrong.

They said that the rioters were political prisoners and shouldn’t face serious charges. A host of federal judges and courts have held otherwise.

The political shapeshifting was striking...(more)
Click to expand...

IMO, not just the 'Lie of the Year, ' but the January 6 assault on the US Capitol and the year-long disinformation campaign of a "stolen election" while presenting NO evidence, is one of the biggest political lies in our lifetime.

boink · Jan 4, 2022

redux said: ↑

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC-Lk-OwCMM

We use the word "lie" only once a year. We reserve that designation for the most harmful and egregious falsehood we've seen after a year of fact checking.

The "Lie of the Year for 2021" is the falsehoods and excuses we've seen about the January 6 insurrection...(more)

*****

The 2021 Lie of the Year: Lies about the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and its significance

IMO, not just the 'Lie of the Year, ' but the January 6 assault on the US Capitol and the year-long disinformation campaign of a "stolen election" while presenting NO evidence, is one of the biggest political lies in our lifetime.
Click to expand...

I agree but I also think the whole tsunami of lies around covid having pushed along the 800,000 and rising death count is a good runner up.
We should exceed a million before the next presidential election.
There would still be deaths but if Trump hadn't been such a mind blowing ignorant image driven ass hole...how many less would there be ?

rogue49 · Jan 4, 2022

redux said: ↑

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RC-Lk-OwCMM

We use the word "lie" only once a year. We reserve that designation for the most harmful and egregious falsehood we've seen after a year of fact checking.

The "Lie of the Year for 2021" is the falsehoods and excuses we've seen about the January 6 insurrection...(more)

*****

The 2021 Lie of the Year: Lies about the Jan. 6 Capitol attack and its significance

IMO, not just the 'Lie of the Year, ' but the January 6 assault on the US Capitol and the year-long disinformation campaign of a "stolen election" while presenting NO evidence, is one of the biggest political lies in our lifetime.
Click to expand...

It could be the Lie that is the death of a nation…

IF the powers that are now in control don’t act.
They’re lagging

They need to stop tiptoeing around.
Make there be consequences.

The Attorney General is going to make a speech before the 6th
Hopefully, there is a plan of action and a real alert.

redux · Jan 5, 2022

Ad from Republican Accountability Project airing on Fox News tomorrow...

"President Trump bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding"
~ Rep. Kevin McCarthy, January 13, 2021

"There is no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day."
~ Sen. Mitch McConnell, February 13, 2021

"The president's language and rhetoric crossed the line and it was reckless."
~ Sen. Ted Cruz, January 7, 2021

"The president needs to understand that his actions were the problem, not the solution."
~ Sen. Lyndsey Graham, January 7, 2021

"This is the cost of telling thousands of people there was a legitimate shot of overturning the election."
~ Rep. Mike Gallagher, January 6, 2021

View: https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1478548703673827331

rogue49 · Jan 5, 2022

redux said: ↑

Ad from Republican Accountability Project airing on Fox News tomorrow...

"President Trump bears responsibility for Wednesday's attack on Congress by mob rioters. He should have immediately denounced the mob when he saw what was unfolding"
~ Rep. Kevin McCarthy, January 13, 2021

"There is no question, none, that President Trump is practically and morally responsible for provoking the events of the day."
~ Sen. Mitch McConnell, February 13, 2021

"The president's language and rhetoric crossed the line and it was reckless."
~ Sen. Ted Cruz, January 7, 2021

"The president needs to understand that his actions were the problem, not the solution."
~ Sen. Lyndsey Graham, January 7, 2021

"This is the cost of telling thousands of people there was a legitimate shot of overturning the election."
~ Rep. Mike Gallagher, January 6, 2021

View: https://twitter.com/AccountableGOP/status/1478548703673827331
Click to expand...

But the problem is they didn't continue to say this.
Nope
After...they ignored it, explained it away, denied it, supported T afterwards, allied with him, catered to him, etc and so on.
Not only hypocritical...but propped the bastard up, coaxed him on...
They are cowards.
Pathetic
Dangerous

rogue49 · Jan 7, 2022

Speaking of cowards…

Brilliant satire

View: https://twitter.com/joncoopertweets/status/1479439627979268099?s=21

Chris Noyb · Jan 11, 2022

rogue49 said: ↑

Speaking of cowards…

Brilliant satire

View: https://twitter.com/joncoopertweets/status/1479439627979268099?s=21
Click to expand...

Now disabled.

pig · Jan 11, 2022

What was it?

Chris Noyb · Jan 11, 2022

pig said: ↑

What was it?
Click to expand...

Good question. Something about Jim Jordan.

ASU2003 · Jan 11, 2022

It is this video from the start of Stephen Colbert's show on Jan 6th.

View: https://youtu.be/H_IxT2ei9gU

pig · Jan 12, 2022

Damn, that was pretty on the nose - i haven't watched Colbert as much since he moved to primetime. I'm glad to see he's still not pulling punches.

Jim Jordan is a good example of a mediocre mind that unintelligent people think is brilliant.

boink · Jan 15, 2022

BREAKING: Minnesota Bank and Trust moves to CANCEL MyPillow founder's bank accounts

Wow ! Juicy !

boink · Jan 15, 2022

Son Jr's phone vid from the tent.

View: https://youtu.be/HGAXBFYWKgM

rogue49 · Jan 16, 2022

Some in GOP begin testing party's lockstep loyalty to Trump

I certain hope they break with him.
It would be better for all.

And I do mean ALL
The nation, the government, the people, the party, etc and so on...

Hell, just to get the bastard to STFU and out of the news-cycle and media.

Chris Noyb · Jan 16, 2022

rogue49 said: ↑

Some in GOP begin testing party's lockstep loyalty to Trump

I certain hope they break with him.
It would be better for all.

And I do mean ALL
The nation, the government, the people, the party, etc and so on...

Hell, just to get the bastard to STFU and out of the news-cycle and media.
Click to expand...

The Republicans leaders, from top to bottom, need to deny the Big Lie:
Often.
Emphatically.
Very publicly.

Nearly everybody, including most Republicans, was embarrassed by Nixon.
Very few Republicans seem to be embarrassed by NPD Trump.

rogue49 · Jan 16, 2022

Chris Noyb said: ↑

The Republicans leaders, from top to bottom, need to deny the Big Lie:
Often.
Emphatically.
Very publicly.

Nearly everybody, including most Republicans, was embarrassed by Nixon.
Very few Republicans seem to be embarrassed by NPD Trump.
Click to expand...

I don’t know if they were embarrassed
They just lowered a cloak of shame and exile on him
Didn’t want to admit any connection

Unfortunately, they won’t be able to deny as last time
The media is ubiquitous, everything is thrown back into people’s faces…when doing something insane or inane.

The people will remember the bullshit and the rage.
They did during the last presidential election.
It will simply increase…
As the truth comes out more of even their own complicity.

And they’re stepping in their own shit more and more.
Especially now that T has opened the “race” box fully. No hints or ambiguity.

My only question is will the Dems allow them to get away with it. They’re not as ruthless or vindictive as the GOP. Snatch defeat from the jaws of victory, as it were.

boink · Jan 18, 2022

I think there's a place for a lot of weed and mushrooms here.
Maybe toad squeezing.

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