Election integrity and the transfer of power

[Jaymann]

The unbelievable gall of Antifa!

[LordMortis]

The man photographed sitting at House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s desk has been arrested and charged with three federal counts including theft of public property, federal officials said Friday.

Federal officials said Richard Barnett of Arkansas was taken into custody Friday morning in Little Rock.

A good start.

Good start on charges anyway.

[Grifman]

Weren't there a handful of Rs who supported the $2K payment? If so, they may not need Manchin (assuming, of course, that Mitch doesn't rein them in).

Yes, there were but now that we have a Democratic president, you know how that goes . . .

[Enough]

It turns out there's some assuaging of his earlier comments already:

https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/1 ... 5877971976

[Grifman]

Its no mystery to me why the FBI is having trouble identifying the suspects.

Also, have we forgotten the head of the FBI was appointed by Trump? Arguably one of Trump's biggest accomplishments was weeding out the Deep State (TM) career government workers, and replacing them (often, when needed), by Trump loyalists. Not saying Wray is necessarily a Trump loyalist, but I would bet a lot of money that more than a couple of people at the top of the FBI, but under Wray, are.

Wray is widely respected, and he's been on Trump's bad list for a long time. He's no Trump toady and Deputy Directors are not appointed by the president nor confirmed by the Senate, they would be his men. So you'd probably lose that bet

[Jaymann]

Its no mystery to me why the FBI is having trouble identifying the suspects.

Also, have we forgotten the head of the FBI was appointed by Trump? Arguably one of Trump's biggest accomplishments was weeding out the Deep State (TM) career government workers, and replacing them (often, when needed), by Trump loyalists. Not saying Wray is necessarily a Trump loyalist, but I would bet a lot of money that more than a couple of people at the top of the FBI, but under Wray, are.

Wray is widely respected, and he's been on Trump's bad list for a long time. He's no Trump toady and Deputy Directors are not appointed by the president nor confirmed by the Senate, they would be his men. So you'd probably lose that bet

Hey, there's still 12 firing days left until ex-ness.

[wonderpug]

It turns out there's some assuaging of his earlier comments already:

https://twitter.com/sahilkapur/status/1 ... 5877971976

You know, I think it might be possible to help citizens pay their bills -and- help them get vaccinated. You don't have to pick just one!

[Smoove_B]

You know, I think it might be possible to help citizens pay their bills -and- help them get vaccinated. You don't have to pick just one!

If only they could figure out a way to do multiple things. They have a few weeks so maybe they'll come up with a reasonable plan. JFC.

[Ralph-Wiggum]

Just pay people to get vaccinated.

[malchior]

https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1 ... 4583700480

[Carpet_pissr]

Watching Lindsey being eaten by his own pet tiger is....*chef's kiss*!

I do seriously wonder what goes through his head.
So he played nicely for much of his political career, bi-partisanly even.
Then he gets presidential starry eyes and just destroys Trump when he was trying to get the R nomination.
Then he turns into a Trump toady.
Then he gets a conscious after the Assault on Capitol Hill, and says "I'm out". Haha, this was just theater up until now, folks, but then somebody died and some dude dressed like Jamiroquai took a dump on my office desk. That's TOO far!!

So BARELY tolerated by R's in his own state for years, and I don't think it's pushing it to say that they hated him (similar to the Cruz dynamic in Texas)
Then probably hated by Trumpstopians given what he said agin' Dear Leader.
Then tolerated (liked?) by Trumpworld as he cozied up and golfed with Trump.
Then hated by liberals for the stunning reversals by 1. Running for a 4th term when he SWORE he would not and 2. "you can hold my words against me" SC debacle
Now hated by Trumpworld (again).

Poor Lindsey...who does he turn to now? He's not a stupid man, and you have to think that at SOME point he has considered the idea that actually LEADING via a principled, consistent position would make his life easier. Will be interesting to see which Lindsey we get next.

[malchior]

Its no mystery to me why the FBI is having trouble identifying the suspects.

Also, have we forgotten the head of the FBI was appointed by Trump? Arguably one of Trump's biggest accomplishments was weeding out the Deep State (TM) career government workers, and replacing them (often, when needed), by Trump loyalists. Not saying Wray is necessarily a Trump loyalist, but I would bet a lot of money that more than a couple of people at the top of the FBI, but under Wray, are.

Wray is widely respected, and he's been on Trump's bad list for a long time. He's no Trump toady and Deputy Directors are not appointed by the president nor confirmed by the Senate, they would be his men. So you'd probably lose that bet

Exactly. I think he is going to emerge from this a bit of a hero tbh. The FBI is announcing a series of arrests this afternoon. They are arresting many of the identified people for misdemeanors to just make noise that people are getting taken down. Later on they can get felonies charged via grand jury. The most important thing right now is the headlines that these guys are being hauled in. They got the guy who sat at Pelosi's desk back at his home in Arkansas as an example. The FBI is taking this *very seriously*. They know what is at stake. At least someone in Washington isn't a complete fool and is acting like this an emergency unlike the useless Congressional leadership.

[Jaymann]

Watching Lindsey being eaten by his own pet tiger is....*chef's kiss*!

[Enough]

Watching Lindsey being eaten by his own pet tiger is....*chef's kiss*!

Hey now, don't be so hard on Lindsey, his friends right here say they will follow him for the rest of his life!

https://twitter.com/jiveDurkey/status/1 ... 2519577602

I wonder how the opportunistic should have known better R's are feeling about the friends they've made now?

[Jaymann]

Bernie gets it:

Bernie Sanders
@BernieSanders

Some people ask: Why would you impeach and convict a president who has only a few days left in office? The answer: Precedent. It must be made clear that no president, now or in the future, can lead an insurrection against the U.S. government.

[Smoove_B]

That is exactly correct - and why I've been shouting that Trump should be been impeached about 37 more times in 2020 and at least twice now in 2021.

[Skinypupy]

https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1 ... 4583700480

That's just...beautiful. ::sniff::

[Jaymann]

Perdue has conceded in GA. Should help expedite seating of the 2 new Senators.

When do they take office?

Jan. 8: Deadline for military and overseas ballots to come in, as well as for voters who had to use provisional ballots to fix their issue (a process known as "curing" their ballot).
Jan. 15: Deadline for counties to certify their results.
Jan. 22: Deadline for state to certify its results.

[Smoove_B]

Yes, more like this

https://twitter.com/burgessev/status/13 ... 2650139652

!!!! Sen. Murray, No. 3 Senate Democrat: "Any Senator who stands up and supports the power of force over the power of democracy has broken their oath of office. Senators Hawley and Cruz should resign.”

[Enough]

I will say that there's a part of me that is very uncomfortable making light of things like what happened to Lindsey. It will quickly cease having any humor at all when they pivot to violence again. The bombs that had timers were found in both the DNC and RNC offices.

[malchior]

I will say that there's a part of me that is very uncomfortable making light of things like what happened to Lindsey. It will quickly cease having any humor at all when they pivot to violence again. The bombs that had timers were found in both the DNC and RNC offices.

That is why the FBI effort is so key right now. These guys basically melted away from an attack on the Capitol. I get the heebies thinking about comparisons to Iraq when that idiot Bremer dissolved the Iraqi army. In a sense, did we just watch an insurgency attack and then go back to ground?

[Jaymann]

Oh sweet!

Quote Tweet
Chad Hedrick
@WSAZChadHedrick

#BREAKING WV Delegate Derrick Evans has been taken into federal custody.

[Holman]

Poor Lindsey...who does he turn to now? He's not a stupid man, and you have to think that at SOME point he has considered the idea that actually LEADING via a principled, consistent position would make his life easier. Will be interesting to see which Lindsey we get next.

The thing is, he'll be fine.

He's 65 years old and just beginning a new six-year term. That's plenty of time for him to adapt to whatever form the GOP takes over the next few election cycles.

[Enough]

Poor Lindsey...who does he turn to now? He's not a stupid man, and you have to think that at SOME point he has considered the idea that actually LEADING via a principled, consistent position would make his life easier. Will be interesting to see which Lindsey we get next.

The thing is, he'll be fine.

He's 65 years old and just beginning a new six-year term. That's plenty of time for him to adapt to whatever form the GOP takes over the next few election cycles.

I wouldn't consider having hellbent q-anon types following me around for the next several months to the rest of my life as being fine. I would be pretty terrified, wouldn't you? Sure in six years he might be able to pull out a miracle/form a new base, but his life is a living hell and fraught with danger right now.

[Smoove_B]

I will say that there's a part of me that is very uncomfortable making light of things like what happened to Lindsey. It will quickly cease having any humor at all when they pivot to violence again. The bombs that had timers were found in both the DNC and RNC offices.

I'm confident when the FBI tells them (and hopefully the American people) they have proof of a plan yesterday to capture and possibly kill a few members of Congress more than a few of them will start acting differently. Or maybe not. Still trying to process the number of elected officials that despite being ordered to shelter in place during an insurrection still voted to invalidate elections.

[WYBaugh]

https://twitter.com/Novice21/status/1347572038341419008

[malchior]

I will say that there's a part of me that is very uncomfortable making light of things like what happened to Lindsey. It will quickly cease having any humor at all when they pivot to violence again. The bombs that had timers were found in both the DNC and RNC offices.

I'm confident when the FBI tells them (and hopefully the American people) they have proof of a plan yesterday to capture and possibly kill a few members of Congress more than a few of them will start acting differently. Or maybe not. Still trying to process the number of elected officials that despite being ordered to shelter in place during an insurrection still voted to invalidate elections.

When they came back and did that was the moment I knew we were in it for a long-haul because the people who could take the message that enough is enough to their constituents and start the hard work of lowering the temperature essentially said, fuck it...let's roll. We've got a hard few years ahead of us.

[Enough]

I will say that there's a part of me that is very uncomfortable making light of things like what happened to Lindsey. It will quickly cease having any humor at all when they pivot to violence again. The bombs that had timers were found in both the DNC and RNC offices.

I'm confident when the FBI tells them (and hopefully the American people) they have proof of a plan yesterday to capture and possibly kill a few members of Congress more than a few of them will start acting differently. Or maybe not. Still trying to process the number of elected officials that despite being ordered to shelter in place during an insurrection still voted to invalidate elections.

When they came back and did that was the moment I knew we were in it for a long-haul because the people who could take the message that enough is enough to their constituents and start the hard work of lowering the temperature essentially said, fuck it...let's roll. We've got a hard few years ahead of us.

Yahp. Sort of Reconstruction 2.0 I fear.

[LordMortis]

They're "patriots" and, quite frankly, they are the leopards elected to eat your face. There is no way the leopards would eat the face of an elected leopard face eater. Someone will definitely speak out for them. Just ask sports fanatic wannabe viking guy...

[Kurth]

https://twitter.com/RexChapman/status/1 ... 4583700480

That's just...beautiful. ::sniff::

No. No, it’s not. It’s ugly and abhorrent. That kind of mindless mob sentiment, spurred on by media and social media lies and sensationalism, isn’t any better when it’s directed at an asshole like Graham.

There’s nothing beautiful about that, even if Graham is now reaping what he’s sown.

[Alefroth]

Some prosecutions will be easier than others:

https://twitter.com/cleavon_md/status/1 ... 94048?s=21

Well shucks, we was just havin' a little fun. What's the harm in that?

[Grifman]

Some prosecutions will be easier than others:

https://twitter.com/cleavon_md/status/1 ... 94048?s=21

Well shucks, we was just havin' a little fun. What's the harm in that?

I guess she'll find out soon what the "harm" was:

https://www.mrt.com/news/article/FBI-co ... 856424.php

[LordMortis]

https://www.cbs7.com/2021/01/07/cudd-sa ... g-illegal/

“I did not do anything illegal, vandalize, or hurt anyone.”

We did.. We did break down Nancy Pelosi's door... Which required you to break in to the Capitol building... as part of a riot that led to the evacuation of the area.

Rot in jail and experience ruinous legal bills to plea you case.


Aren't there video surveillance like everywhere in the capitol?

[hitbyambulance]

In these dark times, we've got to take humor where we can find it, and I find this to be incredibly funny:

A QAnon promoter stormed the Capitol. Now, he's upset people are saying he's 'antifa'.

The MAGA and Q crowd have been pointing to the AC: Valhalla-looking Norseman as proof that the insurrection on 1/6 was really an ANTIFA operation. But the dude is a famous Q guy. Their "Shaman," in fact! And he's pissed that Lin Wood and company are calling him out as a pedo-tattooed, ANTIFA/BLM activist.

this is what i was referring to earlier with the 'funny in a snake-eating-its-own-tail kinda way' comment. what happens when conspiracy theorists get caught in their own conspiracy theories?

[Kurth]

Score 1 for the Dem clown car! Just read through the new articles of impeachment, and they are excellent.

Coming in at 3.5 pages, they are concise, easy to read and to the point. Trump incited insurrection, and he must go. Perfect!

[malchior]

Yup. That reads great. Vote tonight?

[Kurth]

Yup. That reads great. Vote tonight?

I can't understand why not. At least the talk of waiting until the middle of next week seems to be getting walked back, and I'm hearing more talk of a Monday vote. Better, but still . . . just get it done already. It's not like they need to be lobbying for votes in the House.

Although, I suppose with the knowledge that nothing is going to happen quickly in the Senate and a trial will likely carry on past 1/20, whether they do it today or Monday doesn't make all that much difference.

[Smoove_B]

Yup. That reads great. Vote tonight?

Its incomprehensible. RBG wasn't even cold and the GOP was organizing for her replacement. Why the F aren't they reconvening tonight to start the process? Are they hoping he'll just resign on his own before they can impeach him *again* and save them the trouble? Are they thinking maybe with 2 more days to think about it, VP Pence will organize the cabinet to take up the 25th? Absolutely enraging - do something right the F now!

[malchior]

Although, I suppose with the knowledge that nothing is going to happen quickly in the Senate and a trial will likely carry on past 1/20, whether they do it today or Monday doesn't make all that much difference.

The process IMO is irrelevant now. They are essentially standing up for our democracy. Voting to impeach is a message that "We the People" are in charge. That they haven't sent that message out already is just frankly baffling to me.

[Grifman]

Murkowski calls for Trump to resign, denounces Trumpism, questions future as a Republican:

https://www.adn.com/politics/2021/01/08 ... epublican/