Paul Bondar, the Candidate from Parts Unknown

 Down in Oklahoma's fourth Congressional District veteran Representative, Tom Cole is facing four opponents in the republican primary. Three of those four, Nick Hankins, Rick Harris, and Andrew Hayes have, at least for now, not run any TV ads. In all likelihood the reason is because they simply don't have the money to do so. Let's face it, it is tough to drum up contributions when you are facing a guy who has been in the seat for 22 years, is now chairman of the powerful Appropriations Committee, and so staunchly republican he voted against certification of the 2020 Presidential election results. Not to mention that two years ago he beat his democratic opponent 66+% to 33%.

 In some quarters, though none of that matters. Cole's fourth primary opponent is Paul Bondar and he does have the cash to buy up scads of TV air time. It isn't clear where Bondar gets those funds, although apparently he is rich enough to have paid for barrage of ads himself. Yes, according to reports and the ads themselves the man is fabulously well to do. However, there is a second question and the answer to it seems far more unfathomable than the first. It turns out no one can or will say exactly where this Marjie Taylor Greene wanna be actually lives.  

His insurance business is licensed in Illinois and he has a home there. He also has a home in Heath, Texas, where he is registered to vote. As one might guess, Heath and indeed all of Texas are not in Oklahoma's fourth Congressional District. In fact, as near as anyone can tell, Mr. Bondar has never lived in Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma City NBC affiliate, KFOR they cannot confirm Bondar is either currently or ever has been a resident of the state. 

During a Zoom interview with KFOR, Bondar claimed he and his family are temporarily renting a home in Stonewall, OK while they build a, "forever," home on 500 acres outside of Durant, which is also not in the fourth district, although it's at least in the same state. KFOR asked, Bondar if he listed the rental property in Stonewall, which is near Ada, as his residence on the election filing documents. He told them he had. A quick check proved that statement is a lie. He listed an address in Norman (in the fourth at last) with the FEC. The outlet found that address is a property solely owned by a woman named, Nicole Kish. No one has identified Ms. Kish and it is unknown if she is even aware Paul Bondar exists.   

Bondar originally volunteered he had been asked to run for the seat by, "political consultants," although he didn't say who. We can take a guess though. In one of his ads he is shown in a photo standing next to Trump stooges, Roger Stone and Michael Flynn. In the KFOR interview he only referred to them as friends and said he was running because he had talked to, "many people," in the district who asked him to mount a campaign against Cole. 

That campaign's most frequent TV ad tells us, among other things, Paul Bondar is a, "successful business owner, a devout Christian, and a Trump republican." It also says Cole has voted with democrats to increase federal spending and has voted for billions in aid to Ukraine. It proudly explains Paul Bondar opposes all aid to Ukraine and wants to use the money to, "secure our border." Then, right on cue, there is a photo of the candidate brandishing an AR-15 style weapon as he stands guard at a section of the wall built by Donald Trump.  

When KFOR asked Bondar where he was while the interview was taking place he replied, "I'm in an office." When KFOR asked him where that office was located he asked them to repeat the question because the signal was breaking up. When asked again he repeated, "I'm in an office." After he was asked if the office was somewhere in the state of Oklahoma he finally admitted it was not. "But," he told them, "I plan to be back up there this week."

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Mr. Paul Bondar. Once again proving no matter how far to the right you go, republicans will always find someone crazier than you--even if they don't know where the fuck he lives.

5-13-24

Storms in Oklahoma and Stormy in New York

 Who needs contrived reality shows on TV? The settings are carefully picked by the show's producers and so are the casts of participants. They come together, in at least one instance nude, and act out situations set up by Soap Opera wannabe scripters. It makes you wonder, how can it be real, if you are sitting on the sofa safe and sound, taking absolutely no part in the drama? 

Hey, no risk no reality.

Well, if you want a real shot of adrenaline, come to Oklahoma during tornado season and kick back, watching TV stations that have radar systems more sophisticated than many small nations. Then you can witness the storms roll in all around you and sometimes, horrifyingly, right at your living room. That's when it is reality television, when you and your family are participants in a 100% genuine disaster film, with the added rush of wondering if Mother Nature is going to whack your home, and maybe you--all commercial free.

On Monday multiple tornados tore through various parts of the state, the most significant one in the northeastern part of the state. At one point, however, they seemed to be everywhere, driving local meteorologists into manic frenzies. Reports from squads of storm chasers and a few helicopters augmented the vivid colors on radar screens. In places the sirens blew, sending chills down spines. Anxious eyes turned to the skies and thousands prepared to hunker down in whatever space they considered the safest. 

When it was finally over early Tuesday morning the small Osage County hamlet of Barnsdall had taken a major hit. One is dead and another remains missing, along with his house. 20, or so miles to the northeast a chunk of Bartlesville, the ancestral home of Phillips Petroleum, was destroyed. Luckily there weren't any severe casualties., despite a hotel taking a shot so heavy it is essentially beyond repair. 

There was other destruction scattered across the state, some of caused by tornadic winds, some of by straight line winds that reached hurricane strength. Those of us who were missed by the storms and retained electricity went to bed grateful knowing we had made it through a May night alive, well, and ready for the next episode of reality TV, Oklahoma style.

Meanwhile on Tuesday, a storm of a different sort swirled through a New York City courtroom. Specifically, former stripper, adult film actress and, if she is to be believed, Donald Trump's "honey bunch," Stormy Daniels. Her appearance at the criminal trial of Donald Trump as a witness didn't sit well with the former President. Although, in all honesty, a lot of things aren't sitting well with Big Don lately.

Her testimony caused Orange Jesus to glare, growl, and mutter obscenities loud enough Judge Juan Merchan and presumably Daniels and perhaps the jury could hear them. This led Merchan to sidebar with defense lawyers to warn them their client was precariously close to a visit to Riker's Island. Trump settled down--as much as he can anyway--ad Daniels' questioning by the prosecution continued. 

Unfortunately, much of what she had to say didn't have anything to do with the charges faced by Big Don. Yes, she proved Trump has an overblown ego and considers himself quite the playboy, but in truth he is nothing but a dirty, grunting, old man who made her skin crawl. Yes, he kept her on the hook by promising her a spot on his television series, "The Apprentice," but never did. And yes, he is lying when he says they never had sex. But none of that proves anything except Donald Trump is a disgusting, bloated perv and a liar. For many of us all that shit is a given, but it doesn't prove his alleged crimes.

There were only a couple of moments which seemed germane to the accusations. One was when she told the court the offer of hush money wasn't made until after the "Access Hollywood," tape hit the air, endangering Trump's 2016 Presidential campaign. It proves Trump only wanted her to keep quiet for political reasons, rather than, "to protect his family," as he maintains. Second, she did get the money from Trump fixer, Michael Cohen with the understanding El Don was behind the payment.

After the lunch break Trump's lawyers asked for a mistrial, claiming Daniels' testimony was prejudicial. They had a valid argument, especially when it came to Danies' recounting a threat she received from a man in a Las Vegas parking lot. Merchan ruled against them on the mistrial, but had sustained many of their objections during her testimony. He then told them he was surprised they hadn't objected more often. He also instructed the defense to take care of the problem during their cross examination of the witness. He promised to tell the jury to disregard that tale and some of the more salacious details which were, let's say, juicy, but not really patinate to the case.

Ma. Daniels returns to the stand in New York City tomorrow. Tonight, in Oklahoma the weather, once again, looks to be threatening in some portions of the state. In other words, as they say here on TV, stay tuned in. If it isn't one storm it's another.

sic vita est

5-8-24

Donald Trump is in Contempt...of Everything

 It was a pretty easy call for Judge Juan Merchan to find Donald Trump guilty of contempt this week. Let's face it, the guy is pretty much in contempt of the entire American judicial system all the time--after all, it hasn't applied to him his entire fucking life. So why should he feel any differently just because he is currently on trial in New York?  

Specifically, Merchan ruled Trump had violated the gag order, imposed to protect witnesses, jurors, court employees, and their relatives nine different times. Prosecutors had asked him to consider a 10th instance, but Merchan said the presumptive republican presidential nominee, had been responding to an attack by prosecution witness, Michael Cohen, which he would allow.

The judge fined Trump $1,000 per charge--the max allowed by NY law--and ordered him to remove seven social posts and another two found on his campaign web site. Trump complied and Cohen swore he would shut up. It is unclear if Trump will, or even can do the same.

Defense attorneys had argued Trump was exercising his right of free speech, or in one instance simply repeating what some talking head on Fox News had said. In another they claimed their client couldn't have been intimidating the jury because he didn't single any of them out, that he was speaking about them as a whole. Merchan wasn't buying any of that bullshit. After announcing the decision he noted $9,000 grand probably wouldn't even put a dent in the Trump Organization's petty cash box, so he warned Orange Jesus if he kept it up he could expect spending a few weekends enjoying the scenery at sunny Riker's Island. 

Of course, the only thing Donald Trump likes more than portraying himself and this gelatinous mountain of strength and cunning--think Jabba the Hut with blonde hair--is playing the persecuted martyr. As soon as court recessed for the day Trump complained to the press Merchan's gag order was preventing him from testifying. "Well, I'm not allowed to testify," he said. "I'm under a gag order, I guess I can't testily" No one knows for sure how many demented rubes out there heard this and actually believed it. 

However, it is obvious that isn't what Merchan's ruling meant. If the truth be known the odds are, DA, Alvin Bragg would love for Donald Trump to testify on his own behalf. Getting that lying son of a bitch under oath while in the throes of caffeine withdrawal, is every prosecutors dream. It is just a matter of whether the defense team is stupid enough to allow it.

The next morning Merchan, since the evidence continues to mount that Don Trump hasn't the faintest clue what the Constitution allows and doesn't allow--took the time to explain the situation to him. Yes, Trump can testify all he wants. What was left unsaid and should be understood, is Big Don can't go on social media, or OAN or some other outlet to condemn witnesses, the jury, and others in order to rile up his more, let's say, rambunctious Hoi polloi.  

At the moment Judge Merchan is deciding how he will rule on an additional four charges of contempt brought by the prosecution.  We know he isn't taking any gruff from Donald Trump. The question though, is he willing to go down in the books as first jurist in the history of the republic to toss a former and possibly future President of the United States into the clink?  

5-4-24