Two Flag Sam and Clarence Thomas: The Fix Appears to be In

 Here is how nonpartisan the Supreme Court is supposed to be. If you work there, under any capacity, you are not allowed to publicly take sides with any candidate, or political cause. The rule is so stringent employees of the court are not even allowed to slap a bumper sticker on their cars, much less put campaign signs in their yards, or buttons on their lapels. 

That's the theory anyway. Of course, as we know, rules don't apply to those on the far right--at least that's how they behave. Case in point, the American flag flown upside down in front of Justice Samuel Alito's home for a few days back in 2021. The upside down flag is supposed to be used as a sign of distress. It was first used during protests during the Vietnam War and most recently when gangs of thugs and fanatics stormed the Capitol Building on January 6th that year. It was flying in front of the Alito house the day of Joe Biden's inauguration, an event the Justice and his wife refused to attend.

Martha-Ann Alito has claimed the flag was there in response to a series of yard signs at a neighbor's home, some of which were, "personally insulting." She should know, because according to Justice Alito the whole upside down flag thing was her fault, that he had nothing to do with it. The Alito's were approached the day of the inauguration by a reporter asking about it. Matha-Ann ordered him off the property and for reasons known only to them, various media outlets sat on the story.

Now it turns out another flag was flying at an Alito property around the same time. In front of their Jersey Shore beach home, "An Appeal to Heaven,' flag was flapping in the breeze. It is white, emblazoned with a green pine tree and the words, "An Appeal to Heaven." It originated during the American Revolution, but here in the 21st century it also flew during the failed insurrection on the 6th. In addition, it has recently become popular with the White Nationalist crowd.  

So far, Sam and Martha-Ann haven't commented on its display in Jersey.

Flying a couple of right wing symbols , however is pretty minor shit compared to Virginia Thomas' actions leading up to and during the chaos on the 6th. The wife of Justice Clarence Thomas helped coordinate alliances and the interactions of various far right groups, such as the Proud Boys and the Oath Keepers prior to attempted coup. She was in Trump's personal tent on the Ellipse that day, helping herself to shrimp cocktails while different speakers warmed up the crowd for the big man himself. Like most veteran mob capos she left the scene before the real violence began.

Given these circumstances it is reasonable to assume, Justices Thomas and Alito have more on their minds than the Constitution of the United States when it comes to deciding anything concerning Donald John Trump. These two fuckers not only like him, they admire his autocratic aspirations. 

But, as the TV ads say, wait, there is more.

ProPublica is reporting Clarence Thomas, over the years has accepted gifts which include at least 28 flights on private jets, eight on helicopters, a dozen VIP passes to sporting events, and stays at luxury resorts in Jamaica and Florida. His main benefactor is Texas billionaire Harlan Crow who footed the bill for a new home gifted to Thomas' mother. He also paid the college tuition of Thomas' nephew. To say Crow has a fascination with dictators is an understatement. He has a garden full of statues that include people like Joe Stalin, Adolf Hitler and other despots. One of his most prized possessions is a tea pot personally owned and used by Herr Hitler.

In addition ProPublica says Thomas has received gifts from billionaires such as, David Sokol, H. Wayne Huizenga, and Paul Novelly. In 2008 Two Flag Sam accepted an all expenses paid fishing trip to Alaska on the private jet of GOP power donor, Paul Singer. Along for the fun at the private camp was Leonard Leo, head of the Federalist Society, the right wing outfit that picks judicial nominees for guys like Donald Trump. The remote salmon fishing lodge was owned by another big time republican donor, Robin Arkley II.

Ah yes, bribery is an ugly term, but Samuel Alito and Clarence Thomas are, at best, living right on the edge of it. To think they would recuse themselves from any case involving their Sugar Daddies, or Donald Trump is a flight into Fantasy Land. Number one they don't want to, number two they can't afford to.

And just think, Donald Trump didn't even appoint these two corrupt clowns, Thomas was appointed by George H. W. Bush and Alito by his kid, George W. Bush. The Trump appointees are Neil Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett, and the known drunkard, Brett Kavanaugh. (Who is already on record saying he thinks Presidents should have immunity from prosecution.)

So, even without the unpredictable and suspect, John Roberts--who has his own source of supplemental income thanks to his wife--that gives Donald Trump the majority he needs on the Supreme Court to get off the hook for attempting to violently overturn the legal election of an incoming President of the United States.

Ladies and gentlemen, unless something totally unforeseen happens, it looks like when it comes to Donald Trump and certain others, the fix is in. 

5-28-24

What Happened to the United States

I nearly escaped death.

A line written by Donald J. Trump in a recent fund-raising email claiming the DOJ and FBI agents had been authorized to use deadly force during a search of his Mar a Lago residence in 2022.

No, I didn't typo that. It is exactly what the presumptive republican nominee for the office of President of the United States wrote. Now, I know a couple of guys who narrowly escaped death in Vietnam. I suppose I could even say I barely escaped death when I had a heart attack last year. However, I can honestly tell you, I have never known of a person on this blue ball who has ever, "nearly," escaped death then lived to write about it, let alone fund raise off the experience.

All this nonsense began when someone in the Trump campaign--it wouldn't have been Trump himself, apparently he hardly ever reads--realized that in the search warrant executed that night two years ago there was a boiler plate page that is included in every FBI warrant. It is standard procedure and it allows agents to carry weapons, but it also details the narrow set of conditions under which they can use them. In other words it says the FBI can't go charging in gun blazing. They have to be met with violence in order to respond in kind. It was, in fact, part of the paperwork used to search Joe Biden's home for documents.

The truth doesn't matter to the MAGA crowd though. It never has and never will. It didn't take long for Marjorie Taylor Greene to post, in part, "The Biden DOJ and FBI were planning to assassinate Pres Trump and gave the green light. Does anyone get it get it yet???!!! Republican congressman Paul wrote, "Biden ordered the hit on Trump at Mar a Lago." Christina Bobb, the, Trump attorney, who signed a statement saying there weren't any documents at Mar a Lago before the search was conducted wrote, "WTF!! They were prepared to kill me?! A few dozen FBI agents v. me and they were ready to kill me?!!! What in the world happened to the United States of America?"

The answer to that question is fairly simple, but Christina Bobb probably won't like it when she hears it.

Democratic strategist, Max Burns noted the Twilight Zone style irony in Trump's outrage. He wrote for MSNBC, "After all, it was Trump's legal team that earlier this month claimed before the Supreme Court that Presidents could legally assassinate their political rivals." 

Indeed, the dark side of this episode of absurdist comedy is Donald Trump is claiming Joe Biden wanted him killed, because that's exactly what Trump himself would do if he had the chance. All he has to do as President is declare it, "an official act," and then sit out another impeachment attempt. All with the knowledge he can legally take out any member of Congress who is in favor of it. That is precisely what Clarence Thomas, Sam Alito, Brett Kavanaugh--who has already written a paper saying he believes President should have legal immunity--and the rest are deciding right now.

If you don't think Donald John Trump is capable of it then, you haven't heard a word the man has been saying on the campaign trail.

And that, Ms. Bobb is what happened to the Unted States of America. Donald Trump and the MAGA mob following him have happened.

sic vita est

5-24-24

Nothing New: The Latest Episode of Craziness in the House

In the past, I've described the U.S. House as the Jerry Springer Show. Today, I'm apologizing to the Jerry Springer Show.

Sen. John Fetterman D-PA on social media last Friday

Yeah, it got pretty undignified Thursday night during a House Oversight Committee session. The meeting, which was trying to decide whether, or not to hold Attorney General Merrick Garland in contempt of Congress, was being held late because some of the GOP members attended the Trump hush money trial in New York earlier in the day. The whole affair descended into such chaos rumors immediately flew that some of the people involved might have been drinking before, or during the proceedings. 

Whether that conjecture is true, or not will probably remain unknown. However, what most people do understand is one of the parties involved, Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene has never needed alcohol, or any other questionable substance to fuel her sadistic buffoonery. In other words, to paraphrase Hunter Thompson, Marjorie Taylor Greene on acid is redundant.

It started this way. Greene was arguing with democratic Congresswoman Jasmine Crockett, of Texas who accused Greene of, "not knowing what you're here for."  The Gentlewoman from Georgia snapped back, "I don't think you know what you're here for." Crockett tried to respond, but Greene cut her off, saying," I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you're reading."

As some committee members audibly groaned, Congresswomen, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, visibly outraged, said to Greene," That is absolutely unacceptable. How dare you attack the physical appearance of another person." She then demanded Greene's words be stricken from the record as they were a violation of Committee rules against personal attacks on another member. Greene immediately insulted Ocasio-Cortez in response. The exchange ignited an uncontrolled shouting match during which Ocasio-Cortez referred to Greene as, "Baby girl" and Greene claimed Ocasio-Cortez wasn't, "intelligent enough," to debate. Before it ended the only things missing from the scene were flying chairs and Geraldo Rivera's broken nose. 

The Committee Chair refused to strike Greene's insult because apparently whatever Marjorie wants Marjorie gets--at least most of the time. That caused Crockett to ask him, "To better understand your ruling., so you're saying if a member of this committee addresses someone's bleached blonde, badly built, butch body, that's not a personal attack, right?" The Chair's response, 'Uh...uh, what now?" 

Fetterman was right.

Of course, Congress has long history insanity infesting its genetic makeup. In 1856 South Carolina Congressman, Preston Brooks used his walking cane to beat Massachusetts Senator, Charles Sumner to the verge of death. Sumner was an abolitionist and Brooks was, well, let's say, not. Historians consider the act a direct precursor to the American Civil War, which began five years later. Sumner, after years of recovering, finally returned to the Senate. The House tried to expel Brooks after a D.C. court fined him $300, but the motion failed. He would be re-elected, but died later that same year of The Croup.

Proving bat shit craziness isn't just confined to the House, more recently, Oklahoma Senator Markwayne Mullin had to be ordered to, "Sit Down!" after he rose to fight a labor leader outside of a committee meeting room. Before that Oklahoma Senator, Jim Inhofe heaved a half-melted snowball on the Senate floor to prove his contention that global warming is a myth.

Then there was Senator Joe McCarthy, R-WI who terrorized practically everybody for a couple of years during the early 1950's. But you get the point. Marjorie Taylor Greene is simply the latest in a long line of crackpots and savage fools who have wandered the halls of the Capitol Building for generations. Her presence there is probably more of an indictment of the voters in Georgia's 14th Congressional District than it is of her.

After all, who is more frightening, a crude unqualified bully, or the people who put her in Congress--twice?    

5-20-24

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