Political Randomness

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 2:14 pm

PBS NewsHour co-founder Jim Lehrer, a giant in journalism known for his tenacity and dedication to simply delivering the news, died Thursday at the age of 85.

https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/rem ... jim-lehrer

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 2:21 pm

MacNeil just turned 88.

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:52 pm

Isgrimnur wrote: Tue Oct 01, 2019 5:46 pm CNBC

Former Republican Rep. Chris Collins pleaded guilty Tuesday to charges in an insider trading case lodged by federal prosecutors while he was a member of the House.

Collins pleaded guilty to charges of conspiracy to commit securities fraud and making false statements, multiple outlets reported.

Roll Call (h/t to Lowering The Bar)

Former Rep. Chris Collins was sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison Friday for insider trading crimes he committed, ending a legal process that evolved from the New York Republican calling the charges “meritless” shortly after he was indicted to him pleading guilty and proclaiming embarrassment for his actions.
...
The former lawmaker also has to pay a $200,000 fine and will be under one year of supervised release, according to the SDNY.
...
The actions of the disgraced congressman propelled the House to ban members from serving on boards of public companies. The measure HR 6 created a new clause in the Code of Official Conduct, which became effective this year. It prohibits members, delegates, resident commissioners, officers or employees in the House from serving as an officer or director of any public company.

Apparently that was already a rule in the Senate:

The resolution would create a House equivalent to Senate Rule 37.6(a), which states that no Senator “shall serve as an officer or member of the board of any publicly-held or publicly regulated corporation, financial institution, or business entity.”

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:57 pm

Who does this sound like?

"...authorities have embarked on a very, very selective witch hunt. I regret that [redacted] has chosen this path. I think that we all stand a lot to lose."

"All my businesses have extremely good management boards," [redacted] added. "We have the best CEOs, the best COOs, the best legal officers. We have people who are professional, who have experience, who have worked in other companies."

Witch Hunt. We have he best.

It's like the new language of corruption.

Spoiler:

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 6:06 pm

LawBeefaroni wrote: Thu Jan 23, 2020 5:57 pm Who does this sound like?

"...authorities have embarked on a very, very selective witch hunt. I regret that [redacted] has chosen this path. I think that we all stand a lot to lose."

"All my businesses have extremely good management boards," [redacted] added. "We have the best CEOs, the best COOs, the best legal officers. We have people who are professional, who have experience, who have worked in other companies."

Witch Hunt. We have he best.

It's like the new language of corruption.

Spoiler:
Africa's Richest Woman Now Formally A Suspect In Angolan Corruption Probe

Oh, yes. They're all listening.

Lately, authoritarian government laws restricting freedom of the press are cast as restrictions on "Fake News."

AWS260 · Post by **AWS260** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 8:43 pm

In news that affects no one but me, the highly regarded NYC subway chief just resigned after two years on the job, thanks to incessant political interference from Governor Cuomo.

God, I can't stand Cuomo.

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » Thu Jan 23, 2020 11:34 pm

https://mobile.twitter.com/hillaryclint ... 1737079808

Max Peck · Post by **Max Peck** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 8:46 am

Holman wrote: Thu Jan 16, 2020 7:27 pm
Defiant wrote: Thu Jan 16, 2020 5:53 pm All Your Base Are Belong to the FBI

The FBI has arrested three alleged members of The Base — which authorities describe as a "racially motivated violent extremist group" — on charges that range from illegal transport of a machine gun to harboring aliens, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office in Maryland.

A law enforcement official tells NPR that the three suspected members of The Base had discussed going to a controversial pro-gun rally in Virginia next week.

Wait--"The Base"?

This is a neo-Nazi group, but it's hard not to ponder the name when "the base" is the English translation of "Al Qaeda."

I'm willing to guess that they were up to no good, seriously.

The name may not be a coincidence.

Neo-Nazi Rinaldo Nazzaro running US militant group The Base from Russia

The American founder of a US-based militant neo-Nazi group is directing the organisation from Russia, a BBC investigation has found.

Rinaldo Nazzaro, 46, who uses an alias in public, left New York for St Petersburg less than two years ago.

His extreme right-wing organisation - The Base - is a major counter terrorism focus for the FBI.

Seven alleged members were charged this month with various offences, including conspiracy to commit murder.

In social media posts that year, "Norman Spear" posted imagery and videos by the outlawed British terrorist group National Action, praised al-Qaeda, and asked for volunteers possessing various skills, including with weapons, for his new organisation.

The Russian angle is interesting. Putin might be expecting big things from The Base.

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 10:32 am

I and a few neighbors sat down with our congressman earlier this week. There was much discussion on he Russia angle and what I came away with, the very short version, is that Putin wanted, and still wants, to sow discord. Trump's election was not a goal but it was a huge surprise bonus. Apparently they had Intel on the St. Petersburg troll farms on election eve and they had to do a hard pivot from "the election was a fraud" to race and police.

He had a lot of interesting details that are really to much to type on my phone but it was eye opening. Not a huge fan of his but I trust him somewhat.

The main takeaway is that Trump wasn't the endgame for Russia. It's only the beginning. And we have no plan for or path to healing even if he is stopped so we are quite fucked.

One fun fact, Putin is very pissed about all the Russian doping stuff (getting caught, not that they did it). Not the only reason for all this but a significant one.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Fri Jan 24, 2020 4:56 pm

Maybe the Coronavirus will be the answer to the prayers of democrats wishing for tragedy to befall the USA on Trump's watch?

El Guapo · Post by **El Guapo** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 1:38 am

Trump Lifts Obama-Era Protections Trapping Gangthor The Malevolent In Tomb Deep Within Murky Depths Of Pacific Ocean.

WASHINGTON—Denouncing his predecessor’s water regulations as overly restrictive, President Donald Trump announced Thursday he was lifting protections enacted by the Obama administration to permanently entomb Gangthor the Malevolent in a murky trench deep below the Pacific Ocean. “These horrible rules created by Barack Obama are one of the worst examples of government overreach in our nation’s history, and they are totally unfair to the deadly leviathan known as Gangthor,” said Trump, who was later overheard muttering ancient incantations reportedly intended to loosen the cursèd chains that shackle the nefarious shadow-behemoth to the ocean floor. “I will personally swim to the bottom of the Pacific and use a golden key inscribed with mysterious runes to unlock Gangthor’s lair, where he has slumbered since the destructive Clean Water Rule of 2015 was issued. This shape-shifting, multi-tentacled monster will then once more be unleashed upon the waters of the United States, restoring the property rights of American farmers, fossil fuel companies, and real estate developers.” The president went on to criticize “prophets of doom” who have predicted Gangthor the Malevolent will rise in a column of smoke and fire upon his release, blocking out the sun and blighting the earth with a thousand years of darkness.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 1:42 am

Good satire up until they quoted Trump using the word leviathan.

em2nought · Post by **em2nought** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 4:25 am

malchior wrote: Sat Jan 25, 2020 1:42 am Good satire up until they quoted Trump using the word leviathan.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 10:49 am

em2nought wrote: Fri Jan 24, 2020 4:56 pm Maybe the Coronavirus will be the answer to the prayers of democrats wishing for tragedy to befall the USA on Trump's watch?

Or it could be an answer to all our needs and target one orange guy and his family...

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sat Jan 25, 2020 12:53 pm

In non-news Nunes appears to be stepping up his efforts to bully people via frivolous lawsuits. What a shit stain.

https://mobile.twitter.com/sparrowmedia ... 2997186562

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:39 am

Cool.

https://twitter.com/GuthrieGF/status/12 ... 3411650560

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 11:21 am

malchior wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2020 10:39 am Cool.

https://twitter.com/GuthrieGF/status/12 ... 3411650560

Charlatan and piece of shit. But on the plus side... burgeoning pro choice movement?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 11:21 am

Holman · Post by **Holman** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 11:40 am

BTW in this kind of rabid Charismatic theology, “Satanic pregnancy” is a metaphor for the thoughts and opinions of liberals and non-believers, who are the way we are because we’re spiritually impregnated by demons.

I.e. it's way more fucked up even than it sounds.

Jaymann · Post by **Jaymann** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 12:44 pm

If only it could be retroactive to when she was conceived.

Skinypupy · Post by **Skinypupy** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 1:37 pm

“We come against the marine kingdom! We come against the animal kingdom!” What the hell does this even mean?

I fully expect this clip to appear on an upcoming Ministry album.

Trent Steel · Post by **Trent Steel** » Sun Jan 26, 2020 1:55 pm

Skinypupy wrote: Sun Jan 26, 2020 1:37 pm “We come against the marine kingdom! We come against the animal kingdom!” What the hell does this even mean?

I fully expect this clip to appear on an upcoming Ministry album.

Literal LOL!

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 9:04 am

Maybe this is a coincidence but today I noticed a significant amount of #MAGA including the people I keep in my feeds as derp tripwires are bitching about Kobe Bryant this morning. They are generally saying things along the line that there were other people on the copter, etc.

I haven't found the source of the antipathy yet. And I'm not talking the ultimate source which is probably pigmentation. More like who whipped up the mob. It never ceases to amaze how these deplorable can't even respect others and observe simple decency. But it would be nice to track the source because it really strikes me as orchestrated.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:17 am

Yeah....I'm sure this guy is clean as a whistle in the whole Ukraine situation....
https://www.yahoo.com/news/hunter-biden ... 28687.html

Zarathud · Post by **Zarathud** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:56 am

Did he pay a porn star to have sex and then commit campaign finance violations to cover it up? Did he maintain a relationship with a tabloid paper to suppress this and other stories? Because that’s the guy who you’re defending, stimpy.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:06 am

Zarathud wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:56 am Did he pay a porn star to have sex and then commit campaign finance violations to cover it up? Did he maintain a relationship with a tabloid paper to suppress this and other stories? Because that’s the guy who you’re defending, stimpy.

Who knows what he did and didn't do?
Not defending. I'm a "2 sides to every story" kinda guy.

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:11 am

stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:06 am
Zarathud wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:56 am Did he pay a porn star to have sex and then commit campaign finance violations to cover it up? Did he maintain a relationship with a tabloid paper to suppress this and other stories? Because that’s the guy who you’re defending, stimpy.
Who knows what he did and didn't do?

Everyone who's seen the evidence?

stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:17 am Yeah....I'm sure this guy is clean as a whistle in the whole Ukraine situation....
https://www.yahoo.com/news/hunter-biden ... 28687.html

Seriously man, you do NOT want to go down this road. It won't end well for you.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:14 am

hepcat wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:11 am Everyone who's seen the evidence?

All of the people being compelled not to say anything and the people being sued to not say anything in addition to those he values as loyal, the thing he values above all else when it comes to him?

hepcat · Post by **hepcat** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:15 am

Sadly, the crimes and moral failures Zarathud referred to are not on the impeachment list. But we have actual audio recordings and paper trails to prove everything he does mention.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:20 am

hepcat wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:15 am Sadly, the crimes and moral failures Zarathud referred to are not on the impeachment list. But we have actual audio recordings and paper trails to prove everything he does mention.

Well for Trump that list is apparently a null set if you subscribe to the arguments yesterday.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:21 am

stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:17 am Yeah....I'm sure this guy is clean as a whistle in the whole Ukraine situation....
https://www.yahoo.com/news/hunter-biden ... 28687.html

It doesn't matter if Hunter Biden is the guiltiest man in both DC and Ukraine. What Trump did was wrong and impeachable regardless of whether there's any fire to the Biden smoke.

malchior · Post by **malchior** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:25 am

ImLawBoy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:21 am
stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 10:17 am Yeah....I'm sure this guy is clean as a whistle in the whole Ukraine situation....
https://www.yahoo.com/news/hunter-biden ... 28687.html
It doesn't matter if Hunter Biden is the guiltiest man in both DC and Ukraine. What Trump did was wrong and impeachable regardless of whether there's any fire to the Biden smoke.

2 sides man. Trump might have super secret intel on the corruption and is only pretending to be a garbage man and he is playing 3 dimensional chess and owning the libs and the Dems are equally guilty anyway because Hunter knocked up his side piece and that totally makes sense.

LordMortis · Post by **LordMortis** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:28 am

hepcat wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:15 am Sadly, the crimes and moral failures Zarathud referred to are not on the impeachment list. But we have actual audio recordings and paper trails to prove everything he does mention.

Wherein he sued people, compelled people not to talk, and relied on the loyalty of those under his influence to keep silent?

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:36 am

hepcat wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:11 am Seriously man, you do NOT want to go down this road. It won't end well for you.

Lol.....I have no idea what this is supposed to mean to me.....

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:37 am

And I was stating that we don't know what Hunter did or didn't do.
At least.....not until we get him on the stand ......bwahahaha

Smoove_B · Post by **Smoove_B** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:46 am

So...President Trump is saving the republic by shining a spotlight on Hunter Biden? Is that the logic here? We've collectively decided that Joe Biden can't be President because his son leveraged family connections to work for an energy company in Ukraine? Should he had waited for Joe to become President and then broker peace in the Middle East? Or somehow magically become a senior advisor to the President? Maybe get hired as a Sports Liaison for the White House?

It's all absurd, but I am not following how any of it explains, justifies or legitimizes Trump's behavior while in office.

Post by **ImLawBoy** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:46 am

stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:37 am And I was stating that we don't know what Hunter did or didn't do.
At least.....not until we get him on the stand ......bwahahaha

But what he did or didn't do is 100% immaterial to the impeachment proceedings.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:51 am

ImLawBoy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:46 am
stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:37 am And I was stating that we don't know what Hunter did or didn't do.
At least.....not until we get him on the stand ......bwahahaha
But what he did or didn't do is 100% immaterial to the impeachment proceedings.

Show where I said anything about the impeachment hearings.
I was talking in general terms.

Are you guys all so naive to think that this shit doesn't go on each and every day by a lot of politicians and their close circle?
The dude didn't pay child support until court ordered too. He's banging his brothers widow.
Illegal? No? immoral? Yes.
All because they don't crow about their immoral or illegal behavior the way Trump does, doesn't mean it doesn't happen all the time by even those that swear they're squeaky clean..

Isgrimnur · Post by **Isgrimnur** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:54 am

Why do you all still bother to engage him?

LawBeefaroni · Post by **LawBeefaroni** » Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:56 am

stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:51 am
ImLawBoy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:46 am
stimpy wrote: Tue Jan 28, 2020 11:37 am And I was stating that we don't know what Hunter did or didn't do.
At least.....not until we get him on the stand ......bwahahaha
But what he did or didn't do is 100% immaterial to the impeachment proceedings.
Show where I said anything about the impeachment hearings.
I was talking in general terms.

Are you guys all so naive to think that this shit doesn't go on each and every day by a lot of politicians and their close circle?
The dude didn't pay child support until court ordered too. He's banging his brothers widow.
Illegal? No? immoral? Yes.
All because they don't crow about their immoral or illegal behavior the way Trump does, doesn't mean it doesn't happen all the time by even those that swear they're squeaky clean..

Breaking news: rich, privileged people do bad things. Many politicians are hypocrites. Who knew?

Next in our investigative series: Water, is it Wet?