Pelosi and Jeffries don't have the same politics. She is much more conservative than he is. It's something to see that she stepped aside and gracefully passed the torch to a member of the Progressive Caucus.
That's leadership, and that is an ability to allow the future to happen. History will be very kind to her, she was and is exceptional.
Pelosi and Jeffries don't have the same politics. She is much more conservative than he is. It's something to see that she stepped aside and gracefully passed the torch to a member of the Progressive Caucus.
That's leadership, and that is an ability to allow the future to happen. History will be very kind to her, she was and is exceptional.
For me today? The most outrageous aspect of today's letter?
The fact that a rich white man, Donald Trump, is allowed and supported to repeatedly, viciously and dangerously attack a poor black woman, Ruby Freeman, AGAIN, with vicious lies that threaten her very life. Hanging her out to dry in a modern legal hanging.
Everyone: I am adding a link to a Go Fund Me page, for Ruby Freeman, that Sheila B posted below:
I donated. BUT, she only has $37,000 or so AFTER TWO YEARS OF ABUSE BY TRUMP. Maybe we can do better.
Trump raised $4.5 million in a day selling cards with him as superman.
Perhaps, in America, that is how we live. BUT, on this board, today, maybe we can make more of a difference for Ms. Freeman?
Who cares about left liberal or center liberal or far right or center right if ALL OF US are so impotent we cannot help a poor black woman in America under attack by a rich white man?
Ruby Freeman has had death threats. People have entered her own home to threaten her so that she had to move. She is afraid all day every day. She cannot even go shopping alone.
And? We are arguing about center left, left, right right-left, whatever, when America is actually just:
UPSIDE DOWN.
And in that upside down? We are all just impotent. If WE do get off our arses and go do something to protect Ruby Freeman?
Damn important post to make today Mike S ! trump reinvigorating the conspiracy about Ms Freeman is a psy-op. It’s meant not only to terrorize Ms Freeman, but it’s a bat signal to his base to go all KKK, and it’s also meant to make every non-politically powerful person know: “At my choosing, I could make your life a living hell!” It’s also designed to make the rest of us impotent to any relevant action. But I do admit, I stop now and wonder: why is he choosing to reanimate this bat signal? Is it additional noise and theater and distraction? And why now? Is McCarthy really not going to get ‘the votes”? Or is this a made-for-tv reality stunt? They shut down congress for a number of days. What’s happening behind the scenes during this “no rules apply” time? Lisa DeJardin of PBS Newshour showed a video clip of where she sits with the press watching the House. She admitted she could do that because the regular rule that forbids it doesn’t apply if the House is not formed. So I wonder: “what ELSE could go on while the House is not formed?” Smoke and mirrors theory says our engagement on the Circus ( and trump’s curious reanimating of his conspiracy about Ms Freeman) is distracting us perhaps from a more nefarious goings-on taking place -because it can “legally” while the House is not formed. Then, on this Jan 6 (like a big FU to America) it suddenly calms down and McCarthy is elected as planned. One simple thing it accomplishes is to signal that chaos will again reign, so when the House once again interpretive-dances its typical game-of-chicken to the Debt Ceiling debate, the gop are already signally, “Hold my beer while I drive this whole ship of world financial stability off the cliff, if you don’t give me what I want.” The gop have already thwarted the norm of “the Peaceful Transfer of Power”, and now the norm of forming a Congress. The Debt Ceiling is the next sacred cow, I worry. When their goal is to muck up the workings of governance, norm-busting is just smacks at the Piñata of Government.
1/6 tomorrow. Metal detectors removed from the Capitol building entrance to the House chamber (evidently the Repubs could get SOMETHING done). HARD TO SEE EVEN POSSIBLE! Boebert refuses to have her bag checked after it sets off an alarm, decrying the assault on her liberty. Tfg messages has a familiar and ominous feel. Remembering when he could not restrain himself from overtly sounding off to his troops before the siege. I feel so sorry for all the seriously committed and well intentioned legislators who much operate under these difficult and potentially dark times. They really are heroes.
Excellent post and nicely put as well. Since I read a lot of history, I am always suspicious about what other nefarious deeds are taking place which we cannot see.
Self-serving power plays are all that matter to the malignant narcissist. Trump patron Putin is a prime example. Tyrants create an outsider class to serve as scapegoats. The modern "GOP" scaled up the treachery techniques of Joe McCarthy.
Gus, I completely agree. It is no longer a surprise that this faction plays fast and loose with the nation's credit rating to achieve their policy aims. All especially unsurprising since so many of them seem to run failing or bankrupted indebted businesses, or in one new Rep's case, allegedly steal checks from seniors. If they'll do it on a personal scale, what qualms do they have of nationally denying SS funds from seniors by shutting down government or ruining the nation's credit with debt ceiling roulette?
As for Ms. Ruby, her character enragingly, dishonestly and unjustly attacked, and the prospect of charges against TFG to deliver her, what are DOJ & AG Garland waiting on?! I've read countless stories of 'the usual suspects' charged and held on wisps of suspect evidence and shifting testimony. We've had hours of corroborating testimony of conspiracy to overturn an election, improperly hoarded Classified documents uncovered by the FBI, and a live broadcast appeal to instigate a mob he assembled to attack the Capitol, among numerous other illegal activities. Hopefully Mr. Smith, recently given the procecutorial oversight, moves with more purpose and speed than Merrick's languid pace.
I also wonder if there is an ulterior motive behind these shenanigans, other than attention-starved politicians angling for their cable news sound bite. I tend to think the root of this isn't just about R detractors saying McCarthy is not "conservative enough" to be Speaker. This excerpt from HCR's letter today, to me, hits it on the head:
"...but their larger project is the one the party has advertised since they were children: stopping the government from any of the actions it has called “Marxist” or “socialist,”..." What better way to halt the thing you claim is the problem than rendering it unable to convene and function at all?
Had the same sort of feeling when I heard someone being interviewed on NPR say that the House had someone in mind that would unite the party but was not a member of the house. We have been hearing “let’s see what happens” quite often… the thing that won’t go away… then tonight I saw and heard Matt G. nominate “him”.Lauren Boebert looked up at Gaetz and smiled. My heart sank. Is this the way they keep him around?
I just wrote to my senator, Chris Murphy, asking him to do something to protect this American just doing her civic duty. If those of us who have sane representatives, could at least contact them to urge them to do something about this perhaps enough voices could have some impact.
I wonder if more folks would be inclined to copy and paste a note to their senators if they had access to such. I am not a writer and wonder if anyone would like to do this. Back in the day I skipped school during grammar classes. There are so many good writers on this platform I would be embarrassed to try.
Your writing is coherent and clear. You are entirely capable of writing to a legislator. Personal messages seem to mean more than a form letter. Go for it and know you are not alone!
Something like - Senator Murphy, although Ruby Freeman isn't a constituent she is an American doing her civic duty and she's being targeted as part of the extremist right wing smear campaign because she didn't agree to falsify election records in Georgia. What can you do to help her including consulting with the president so that she is protected. Is there also a way those who are engaged in this campaign can be legally stopped? I appreciate your attending to this important matter.
I wonder if it's her name he is after. "Free man".
One can see him craft the sound of the voice and use specific words, almost as a code, in the footage of the Jan 6th speech rehearsal. The fear is that he tends to seduce the already warped mind. Stop clicking on his name for one. Stop putting his name into print. Each of us has control over that. Reaction is what they seem to thrive upon and it does not matter what kind. They have enough money to play the long game. The 20 are like straw buyers anyway...
In regards to Ms. Freeman, We must not stop deciding to take action because we feel helpless. There is always a way. One little step. There is a go fund me site: The Lady Ruby & Shaye Moss Fund #ladyruby.
Thanks for he go fund me info. I just contributed. And have emailed my senators asking for a bill to make the harassment a crime with substantial penalties for crimes against all election workers.
No knowledgeable lawyer takes a defamation case on a contingent fee—they take too long and require too much work for that to make sense. But if I practiced in Georgia (or Florida, where TFG claims to be ensconced), I would be happy to represent Ms. Freeman against Trump on that basis. It would be an honor to do so.
Mike, thank you for shining this light on what Trump is doing. While we cannot do much, just wanted to make certain that folks here know that Freeman has a GoFundMe page that we can contribute to if so inclined. link here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ladyruby
May not seem like much but at least we can let her know personally that we are supportive and behind her. Kindness does matter.
Also, if someone here has a subscription to the Atlanta Constitution, consider writing a letter to the editor. There is a paywall; otherwise I'd post their address here.
Again, not much. But a $$ gift to the Freemans is something. Include a note on the page.
I'm a subscriber to the AJC, but neither yesterday nor today was there any mention of Trump's remarks about Freeman in the Atlanta/GA press, at least so far as I could see. I'm not doubting the MSNBC report which HCR provided the link for, but it does seem a bit odd that nobody here has picked up on it. I will keep an eye out for any mention of it or any developments.
Bruce, the attack happened late yesterday, probably after the deadline. Maybe they don't want to amplify Trump's ask for more violence. Please do keep a lookout though and let us know if more letters would help. Worth to me to subscribe to try and get more support for the Freemans.
The date stamp on the MSNBC link is January 3rd at 11:03 AM, and the text accompanying it state that T***p made his statements "around midnight last night", which would imply last Monday night going into Tuesday. That would be more than enough time for the AJC to run with this story. I might have missed it in the later Tuesday edition (they constantly send updates throughout the day) or in yesterday's. It's hard to keep up with things as there's so much happening of late. It could have gotten covered up a bit. I agree that they might have decided not to throw more gasoline on the fire and thought it best not to repeat any of T***p's invective for the sake of Ms Freeman's safety. As you know, His Orangeness is not very popular here. I'll still keep eyes and ears open.
Thank you for adding link! Wouldn't it be cool if the Freeman's could at least be compensated financially! Thinking of how much ill gained money tfg got selling non fungible cards I think it is.
You did do something. You woke me up. You alerted me to just how heinous this statement is. I am like everyone else in that sometimes we are just so darn numb from his incessant, insane barrage of 7 years' worth of diatribes that we space out.
Now I am going to copy and paste your comment. You will get quotation marks but I won't use your name.
I thank you for reminding me of the outrage. I am dismayed to hear how little s being done to right this wrong. You are doing what often makes a critical difference when so much evil escapes our notice in the fog. My and our distractions aid our enemies.
Mike I agree on all you said with such passion. We are impotent to help her. Let’s hope and trust that family and friends and law enforcement in her area are there to protect her from the far right Nazi party. It’s frightening for us, can you imagine how Ruby and her family feel?
No, I cannot imagine Ruby and her family's challenge. I am light skinned with a minority name, so, I can relate to slow or no promotions compared to whites, nasty comments (that I could handle myself), people asking me the stupid question: "Where did you get your name?", (like I did not have a father), but I cannot even begin to imagine what Ruby Freeman is enduring.
However, I CAN imagine what it feels like to be impotent in an America where it is legal to abuse, torture, falsely accuse, denigrate, lie about and sick nuts on a kind soul helping out her country by volunteering to be a poll worker. A worker named Ruby Freeman.
Because? As much as I hate it, I am completely impotent to help Ruby Freeman.
Or? I would.
But if I try? I will be in jail so fast it will make your head swim. Then? Just another minority name in prison that nobody cares about. Probably deserved it right?
Disgusting all around this guy Trump. And America's support for him in SO many ways.
"this time his posts could have more serious ramifications, according to Lisa Rubin, a legal analyst with MSNBC.
Ms Rubin wrote on Twitter that Mr Trump can be sued by Ms Freeman for defamation since he no longer has presidential immunity. Ms Freeman has already filed lawsuits against several conservatives.
“When Trump last went after Freeman, he was still president. And therefore, had she sued him for defamation, he could have raised the same defense — as POTUS, I’m immune to tort suits! — he did to Carroll’s initial claims. Whether that defense flies is still being litigated,” Ms Rubin wrote in a twitter thread.
“But Trump’s not president now. And Freeman has already sued others for defamation,” she added.
“Her suit against Rudy Giuliani is ongoing; she settled with OANN last April. I’d love to know what her lawyers thought of Trump’s newest comments & whether they’re drafting a new lawsuit.”
I agree. I was outraged all over again when I saw that story about death star and Ruby Freeman and her mother. It is most certainly a signal to every racist in the country who came out of the woodwork when death star occupied the WH.
Cleaning up messes is what we do. If emoting helped at all, then we could indulge all day. But there is important work to be done. So get to it.
Just as the Jan 6 Committee spotlighted the GOP incited abuse of Ruby Freeman (and Shaye Moss). Including pressure from Trevian Ketti, a member of the Young Black Leadership Council under President Donald Trump, former R.Kelly publicist, and (Kan)Ye West PR associate.
We know all this because many people in America do their jobs the right way - including police and other government officials.
"In police body cam footage, Kutti can be heard saying: “I cannot say what specifically will take place… I just know that it will disrupt your freedom… and the freedom of one or more of your family members. … You are a loose end for a party that needs to tidy up.” Kutti then put a man called “Harrison Ford” on speakerphone who said he could offer Freeman protection. Ford was not, perhaps unsurprisingly, the actor of Indiana Jones fame. The man told Freeman if she confessed to voter fraud, he would offer her legal protection; if she declined, she would go to jail."
Yes, cleaning up messes is what we do. I asked that rhetorical question in response to someone who said we are rendered impotent. I say never to that. There is a go fund me: Lady Ruby & Shay Moss Fund #ladyruby.
Just now reading this, Mike. As a Georgian I have been outraged since yesterday. Chump Benedict Donald should keep his big noisy nose and attacks out of our state and off of our people. Off of ANYONE for that matter. I had no idea about the go fund me website, but I will be sending Miss Ruby a nice donation as soon as I hit the blue button on the right.
Many thanks to you for drawing this to our attention, and many thanks to all of the folks who "come off the hip" and donate to this sweet woman.
Maybe she'll get enough to afford a good lawyer to sue that maggot for slander!
You have it the opposite. Pelosi is a liberal progressive. Jeffries is a moderate centrist. He may be a member of the Progressive Caucus, but he has a much different definition of that word than you do.
The only way Pelosi was a "conservative" was she kept the dingbat wing at bay.
The most I'll concede here is that I mixed terms. Yes, Pelosi is liberal, but she is liberal establishment. Jeffries is in the Progressive Caucus and he plays the same role there that Pelosi did in her role where she stands. The calm voice that guides.
Pelosi picked and mentored Jeffries. He was and is her choice to lead the Dems. Her stellar ability was and is her breadth of understanding of the range of Dem political points of view, her ability to work with the whole 9 yards of views….that woman is an amazing consensus builder….bigger than any one party definition/delineation . I think she thought Jeffries was a Consensus builder too! And I trust her judgement!
To me the true measure of Mrs. Pelosi's power was 2018, when Democratic candidates ran attack ads against her. Democrats! When that batch of renegades got to Congress and got to work with her, their sourness soon turned to admiration.
I didn't imply he wasn't a good guy. He wouldn't have the caucus-wide support he does if he were otherwise. But there are people with simplistic understandings of labels.
TC, that's more than a little condescending. "Labels" when used in politics tend to morph rapidly. And different people view the same term differently, depending on the lens of their own persuasion.
Have we gone too far with this labeling business? It appears the nuances between the labels have become more and more finely tuned. And those labels have also become another way to divide people.
I propose we remember a Democrat is a Democrat. Looks like the Democrats in the House are reminding us of that simple way of looking at it.
The problem here is the “use” of labels itself. Their use is lazy imo. Planting a label on someone immediately removes the nuance of one’s philosophical entirety down to a narrow misconception, often misinterpreted: lazy
That also is not what I was saying. Misunderstanding what someone means when they use a "label" as shorthand is one of the primary routes to political misunderstandings.
OK TC, and sorry for any misunderstanding. I Just took your statement "But there are people with simplistic understandings of labels." to imply that your own definition of a given label is somehow more nuanced and sophisticated than someone else's. I may well have misread that. Look, Labels like "liberal" and "conservative" have become almost useless because they are thrown around so recklessly and without other context. The way I look at this is that a person describing someone else as "liberal" for example, should define the term in their own understanding. So if a person refers to Nancy Pelosi as being a "liberal", for example, they should explain patiently for the benefit of any Fox News watchers present that they are not saying she is a Communist. For my own part, I think of Pelosi as being an "establishment Democrat". And I define that last term to mean a person heavily aligned with the current power structure in the Democratic party, and more specifically, what their record of position and achievement has been since she ascended to the Speakership. So when I think of the Dem Establishment and evoke the term, this conjures up in my mind a vast array of sometimes conflicting tendencies ranging from "liberal" to flat out "authoritarian", with the overriding sense that whatever the Dem Establishment is today or has been recently, they are still infinately better at governance in the interest of the people than the Republican Establishment. Somehow though, I suspect this won't help:-)
Nancy Pelosi has worked with Jeffries closely, and I feel I have good reason to trust her judgement. You insult him with no evidence. Offer some specific details, or you risk looking like a troll, you know?
I wouldn't say that at all. He's very effective, as is being demonstrated this week. "Effectiveness" is far more important than "political correctness," which is generally bullshit anyway when it comes to ever accomplishing anything.
Yes, the greatest ever! And just as she guided with steeliness underneath the calm, she is ever-magnificent as she steps back from that role into that of a matriarch's who contentedly watches her diverse family stick together....
Pelosi is actually liberal and even progressive in her personal politics. As Speaker she needed to compromise and so in that public role she appeared more conservative
Hakeem Jeffries is a relatively moderate progressive. The House Progressive Caucus members (a diverse group in every way) have been strategically exemplary. It is a perfect transfer of Democratic party power.
Pelosi and Jeffries don't have the same politics. She is much more conservative than he is. It's something to see that she stepped aside and gracefully passed the torch to a member of the Progressive Caucus.
That's leadership, and that is an ability to allow the future to happen. History will be very kind to her, she was and is exceptional.
For me today? The most outrageous aspect of today's letter?
The fact that a rich white man, Donald Trump, is allowed and supported to repeatedly, viciously and dangerously attack a poor black woman, Ruby Freeman, AGAIN, with vicious lies that threaten her very life. Hanging her out to dry in a modern legal hanging.
Everyone: I am adding a link to a Go Fund Me page, for Ruby Freeman, that Sheila B posted below:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/ladyruby
I donated. BUT, she only has $37,000 or so AFTER TWO YEARS OF ABUSE BY TRUMP. Maybe we can do better.
Trump raised $4.5 million in a day selling cards with him as superman.
Perhaps, in America, that is how we live. BUT, on this board, today, maybe we can make more of a difference for Ms. Freeman?
Who cares about left liberal or center liberal or far right or center right if ALL OF US are so impotent we cannot help a poor black woman in America under attack by a rich white man?
Ruby Freeman has had death threats. People have entered her own home to threaten her so that she had to move. She is afraid all day every day. She cannot even go shopping alone.
And? We are arguing about center left, left, right right-left, whatever, when America is actually just:
UPSIDE DOWN.
And in that upside down? We are all just impotent. If WE do get off our arses and go do something to protect Ruby Freeman?
WE will go to jail forthwith. Do not pass go.
What a mess America is.
Damn important post to make today Mike S ! trump reinvigorating the conspiracy about Ms Freeman is a psy-op. It’s meant not only to terrorize Ms Freeman, but it’s a bat signal to his base to go all KKK, and it’s also meant to make every non-politically powerful person know: “At my choosing, I could make your life a living hell!” It’s also designed to make the rest of us impotent to any relevant action. But I do admit, I stop now and wonder: why is he choosing to reanimate this bat signal? Is it additional noise and theater and distraction? And why now? Is McCarthy really not going to get ‘the votes”? Or is this a made-for-tv reality stunt? They shut down congress for a number of days. What’s happening behind the scenes during this “no rules apply” time? Lisa DeJardin of PBS Newshour showed a video clip of where she sits with the press watching the House. She admitted she could do that because the regular rule that forbids it doesn’t apply if the House is not formed. So I wonder: “what ELSE could go on while the House is not formed?” Smoke and mirrors theory says our engagement on the Circus ( and trump’s curious reanimating of his conspiracy about Ms Freeman) is distracting us perhaps from a more nefarious goings-on taking place -because it can “legally” while the House is not formed. Then, on this Jan 6 (like a big FU to America) it suddenly calms down and McCarthy is elected as planned. One simple thing it accomplishes is to signal that chaos will again reign, so when the House once again interpretive-dances its typical game-of-chicken to the Debt Ceiling debate, the gop are already signally, “Hold my beer while I drive this whole ship of world financial stability off the cliff, if you don’t give me what I want.” The gop have already thwarted the norm of “the Peaceful Transfer of Power”, and now the norm of forming a Congress. The Debt Ceiling is the next sacred cow, I worry. When their goal is to muck up the workings of governance, norm-busting is just smacks at the Piñata of Government.
1/6 tomorrow. Metal detectors removed from the Capitol building entrance to the House chamber (evidently the Repubs could get SOMETHING done). HARD TO SEE EVEN POSSIBLE! Boebert refuses to have her bag checked after it sets off an alarm, decrying the assault on her liberty. Tfg messages has a familiar and ominous feel. Remembering when he could not restrain himself from overtly sounding off to his troops before the siege. I feel so sorry for all the seriously committed and well intentioned legislators who much operate under these difficult and potentially dark times. They really are heroes.
"decrying the assault on her liberty"
"Liberty" for me and not for you is nothing of the sort; yet "Republicans" now embrace it.
Perhaps the word "liberty" should have been in quotes in order to clarify disdain at Boebert's abuse of the concept or I misread your comment.
Excellent post and nicely put as well. Since I read a lot of history, I am always suspicious about what other nefarious deeds are taking place which we cannot see.
Scary thoughts you write. I wonder too what is the big picture. Lisa filming yesterday from her perch caught my attention too.
MLRGRMI, If this attack on Miss Ruby is a distraction, maybe DOJ can distract the Donald by arresting him and indicting him for treason?
Did you notice how many of them were on their phones?
Self-serving power plays are all that matter to the malignant narcissist. Trump patron Putin is a prime example. Tyrants create an outsider class to serve as scapegoats. The modern "GOP" scaled up the treachery techniques of Joe McCarthy.
They are heading for the debt ceiling like a laser guided missile, MLRGRMI--and NONE of us will be just spectators when that missile detonates.
I don't think it will be "chicken" this time.
And here I was, all worried about them trying to impeach our President....
Gus, I completely agree. It is no longer a surprise that this faction plays fast and loose with the nation's credit rating to achieve their policy aims. All especially unsurprising since so many of them seem to run failing or bankrupted indebted businesses, or in one new Rep's case, allegedly steal checks from seniors. If they'll do it on a personal scale, what qualms do they have of nationally denying SS funds from seniors by shutting down government or ruining the nation's credit with debt ceiling roulette?
As for Ms. Ruby, her character enragingly, dishonestly and unjustly attacked, and the prospect of charges against TFG to deliver her, what are DOJ & AG Garland waiting on?! I've read countless stories of 'the usual suspects' charged and held on wisps of suspect evidence and shifting testimony. We've had hours of corroborating testimony of conspiracy to overturn an election, improperly hoarded Classified documents uncovered by the FBI, and a live broadcast appeal to instigate a mob he assembled to attack the Capitol, among numerous other illegal activities. Hopefully Mr. Smith, recently given the procecutorial oversight, moves with more purpose and speed than Merrick's languid pace.
I also wonder if there is an ulterior motive behind these shenanigans, other than attention-starved politicians angling for their cable news sound bite. I tend to think the root of this isn't just about R detractors saying McCarthy is not "conservative enough" to be Speaker. This excerpt from HCR's letter today, to me, hits it on the head:
"...but their larger project is the one the party has advertised since they were children: stopping the government from any of the actions it has called “Marxist” or “socialist,”..." What better way to halt the thing you claim is the problem than rendering it unable to convene and function at all?
Had the same sort of feeling when I heard someone being interviewed on NPR say that the House had someone in mind that would unite the party but was not a member of the house. We have been hearing “let’s see what happens” quite often… the thing that won’t go away… then tonight I saw and heard Matt G. nominate “him”.Lauren Boebert looked up at Gaetz and smiled. My heart sank. Is this the way they keep him around?
I just wrote to my senator, Chris Murphy, asking him to do something to protect this American just doing her civic duty. If those of us who have sane representatives, could at least contact them to urge them to do something about this perhaps enough voices could have some impact.
I agree and will write or call today my 2 senators. Thank you for suggesting!
Kudos for your action. I will do the same. There is a go fund me started. I edited my original comment to include the address.
I wonder if more folks would be inclined to copy and paste a note to their senators if they had access to such. I am not a writer and wonder if anyone would like to do this. Back in the day I skipped school during grammar classes. There are so many good writers on this platform I would be embarrassed to try.
Your writing is coherent and clear. You are entirely capable of writing to a legislator. Personal messages seem to mean more than a form letter. Go for it and know you are not alone!
Something like - Senator Murphy, although Ruby Freeman isn't a constituent she is an American doing her civic duty and she's being targeted as part of the extremist right wing smear campaign because she didn't agree to falsify election records in Georgia. What can you do to help her including consulting with the president so that she is protected. Is there also a way those who are engaged in this campaign can be legally stopped? I appreciate your attending to this important matter.
I wonder if it's her name he is after. "Free man".
One can see him craft the sound of the voice and use specific words, almost as a code, in the footage of the Jan 6th speech rehearsal. The fear is that he tends to seduce the already warped mind. Stop clicking on his name for one. Stop putting his name into print. Each of us has control over that. Reaction is what they seem to thrive upon and it does not matter what kind. They have enough money to play the long game. The 20 are like straw buyers anyway...
In regards to Ms. Freeman, We must not stop deciding to take action because we feel helpless. There is always a way. One little step. There is a go fund me site: The Lady Ruby & Shaye Moss Fund #ladyruby.
A go fund me to enable her to sue Tя☭mp for libel and endangering her life.
Thanks for he go fund me info. I just contributed. And have emailed my senators asking for a bill to make the harassment a crime with substantial penalties for crimes against all election workers.
Thank you for the Go Fund Me info. I was wondering if she had any recourse/funding for legal action.
No knowledgeable lawyer takes a defamation case on a contingent fee—they take too long and require too much work for that to make sense. But if I practiced in Georgia (or Florida, where TFG claims to be ensconced), I would be happy to represent Ms. Freeman against Trump on that basis. It would be an honor to do so.
Jon,
I wish you lived in GA.
Mike, thank you for shining this light on what Trump is doing. While we cannot do much, just wanted to make certain that folks here know that Freeman has a GoFundMe page that we can contribute to if so inclined. link here: https://www.gofundme.com/f/ladyruby
May not seem like much but at least we can let her know personally that we are supportive and behind her. Kindness does matter.
Also, if someone here has a subscription to the Atlanta Constitution, consider writing a letter to the editor. There is a paywall; otherwise I'd post their address here.
Again, not much. But a $$ gift to the Freemans is something. Include a note on the page.
Thank you for this link! Just donated and then shared on FB. Hoping a little more notice on that forum will help as well.
I am grateful for LFAA and love this group. I look forward to it every day!
Thank You Sheila. I just donated as a nod to Mike S for bringing this all up, and for the unexpected anti-impotence challenge it inspired in me.
I'm a subscriber to the AJC, but neither yesterday nor today was there any mention of Trump's remarks about Freeman in the Atlanta/GA press, at least so far as I could see. I'm not doubting the MSNBC report which HCR provided the link for, but it does seem a bit odd that nobody here has picked up on it. I will keep an eye out for any mention of it or any developments.
Bruce, the attack happened late yesterday, probably after the deadline. Maybe they don't want to amplify Trump's ask for more violence. Please do keep a lookout though and let us know if more letters would help. Worth to me to subscribe to try and get more support for the Freemans.
Lawrence Tribe on Twitter has at least mentioned it, as has Schiff:
https://twitter.com/tribelaw/status/1610733421742915586?cn=ZmxleGlibGVfcmVjcw%3D%3D&refsrc=email
The date stamp on the MSNBC link is January 3rd at 11:03 AM, and the text accompanying it state that T***p made his statements "around midnight last night", which would imply last Monday night going into Tuesday. That would be more than enough time for the AJC to run with this story. I might have missed it in the later Tuesday edition (they constantly send updates throughout the day) or in yesterday's. It's hard to keep up with things as there's so much happening of late. It could have gotten covered up a bit. I agree that they might have decided not to throw more gasoline on the fire and thought it best not to repeat any of T***p's invective for the sake of Ms Freeman's safety. As you know, His Orangeness is not very popular here. I'll still keep eyes and ears open.
Done and thank you for pointing this out! Totally awesome.
Thank you for adding link! Wouldn't it be cool if the Freeman's could at least be compensated financially! Thinking of how much ill gained money tfg got selling non fungible cards I think it is.
Bravo.
Barbara,
Not really, I am doing nothing to help Ruby Freeman. Zero.
Like all of America.
Very, very aggravating and disturbing to be completely impotent when action is needed.
You are calling attention to this. That is always the first step. Take the compliment. I'm usually challenging you.
Barbara,
Thank you for your compliment. I am honored, no joke.
If I actually did something to help Ruby, well, I would feel more deserving.
Dr. Richardson, however, deserves your credit more. I only read what she wrote and boiled over.
You did do something. You woke me up. You alerted me to just how heinous this statement is. I am like everyone else in that sometimes we are just so darn numb from his incessant, insane barrage of 7 years' worth of diatribes that we space out.
Now I am going to copy and paste your comment. You will get quotation marks but I won't use your name.
I thank you for reminding me of the outrage. I am dismayed to hear how little s being done to right this wrong. You are doing what often makes a critical difference when so much evil escapes our notice in the fog. My and our distractions aid our enemies.
Speaking out is championing for justice and equality.
Thank you.
Mike I agree on all you said with such passion. We are impotent to help her. Let’s hope and trust that family and friends and law enforcement in her area are there to protect her from the far right Nazi party. It’s frightening for us, can you imagine how Ruby and her family feel?
Jennifer,
No, I cannot imagine Ruby and her family's challenge. I am light skinned with a minority name, so, I can relate to slow or no promotions compared to whites, nasty comments (that I could handle myself), people asking me the stupid question: "Where did you get your name?", (like I did not have a father), but I cannot even begin to imagine what Ruby Freeman is enduring.
However, I CAN imagine what it feels like to be impotent in an America where it is legal to abuse, torture, falsely accuse, denigrate, lie about and sick nuts on a kind soul helping out her country by volunteering to be a poll worker. A worker named Ruby Freeman.
Because? As much as I hate it, I am completely impotent to help Ruby Freeman.
Or? I would.
But if I try? I will be in jail so fast it will make your head swim. Then? Just another minority name in prison that nobody cares about. Probably deserved it right?
Disgusting all around this guy Trump. And America's support for him in SO many ways.
"this time his posts could have more serious ramifications, according to Lisa Rubin, a legal analyst with MSNBC.
Ms Rubin wrote on Twitter that Mr Trump can be sued by Ms Freeman for defamation since he no longer has presidential immunity. Ms Freeman has already filed lawsuits against several conservatives.
“When Trump last went after Freeman, he was still president. And therefore, had she sued him for defamation, he could have raised the same defense — as POTUS, I’m immune to tort suits! — he did to Carroll’s initial claims. Whether that defense flies is still being litigated,” Ms Rubin wrote in a twitter thread.
“But Trump’s not president now. And Freeman has already sued others for defamation,” she added.
“Her suit against Rudy Giuliani is ongoing; she settled with OANN last April. I’d love to know what her lawyers thought of Trump’s newest comments & whether they’re drafting a new lawsuit.”
Do we have to be impotent to help Ruby Freeman? Singularly yes. Couldn't a movement of many of us help? Am I being naive?
You started people contributing right here! Good work.
I agree. I was outraged all over again when I saw that story about death star and Ruby Freeman and her mother. It is most certainly a signal to every racist in the country who came out of the woodwork when death star occupied the WH.
Thank you, Mike, for the GoFundMe link. Donation made.
Me too!
Cleaning up messes is what we do. If emoting helped at all, then we could indulge all day. But there is important work to be done. So get to it.
Just as the Jan 6 Committee spotlighted the GOP incited abuse of Ruby Freeman (and Shaye Moss). Including pressure from Trevian Ketti, a member of the Young Black Leadership Council under President Donald Trump, former R.Kelly publicist, and (Kan)Ye West PR associate.
We know all this because many people in America do their jobs the right way - including police and other government officials.
"In police body cam footage, Kutti can be heard saying: “I cannot say what specifically will take place… I just know that it will disrupt your freedom… and the freedom of one or more of your family members. … You are a loose end for a party that needs to tidy up.” Kutti then put a man called “Harrison Ford” on speakerphone who said he could offer Freeman protection. Ford was not, perhaps unsurprisingly, the actor of Indiana Jones fame. The man told Freeman if she confessed to voter fraud, he would offer her legal protection; if she declined, she would go to jail."
https://www.reuters.com/business/media-telecom/kanye-west-publicist-pressed-georgia-election-worker-confess-bogus-fraud-charges-2021-12-10/
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/trump-r-kelly-kanye-election-worker-voter-fraud-1269849/
Yes, cleaning up messes is what we do. I asked that rhetorical question in response to someone who said we are rendered impotent. I say never to that. There is a go fund me: Lady Ruby & Shay Moss Fund #ladyruby.
Just donated!
me too.
Just now reading this, Mike. As a Georgian I have been outraged since yesterday. Chump Benedict Donald should keep his big noisy nose and attacks out of our state and off of our people. Off of ANYONE for that matter. I had no idea about the go fund me website, but I will be sending Miss Ruby a nice donation as soon as I hit the blue button on the right.
Many thanks to you for drawing this to our attention, and many thanks to all of the folks who "come off the hip" and donate to this sweet woman.
Maybe she'll get enough to afford a good lawyer to sue that maggot for slander!
The very idea....
Donated, as well. Thanks, Mike and Sheila, for sharing the link!
Just donated. Thank you, Mike S., for bringing this devastating attack on Ms. Freeman to the forefront in this horror story.
You have it the opposite. Pelosi is a liberal progressive. Jeffries is a moderate centrist. He may be a member of the Progressive Caucus, but he has a much different definition of that word than you do.
The only way Pelosi was a "conservative" was she kept the dingbat wing at bay.
The most I'll concede here is that I mixed terms. Yes, Pelosi is liberal, but she is liberal establishment. Jeffries is in the Progressive Caucus and he plays the same role there that Pelosi did in her role where she stands. The calm voice that guides.
Pelosi picked and mentored Jeffries. He was and is her choice to lead the Dems. Her stellar ability was and is her breadth of understanding of the range of Dem political points of view, her ability to work with the whole 9 yards of views….that woman is an amazing consensus builder….bigger than any one party definition/delineation . I think she thought Jeffries was a Consensus builder too! And I trust her judgement!
SEMANTICS- play nice.
They are playing nice. Offering their own opinions.
Joan didn't say anything I didn't agree with. Going back to my original post, I was praising Pelosi for the same thing!
To me the true measure of Mrs. Pelosi's power was 2018, when Democratic candidates ran attack ads against her. Democrats! When that batch of renegades got to Congress and got to work with her, their sourness soon turned to admiration.
I read that Speaker Pelosi told those candidates to say whatever they needed to say about her, but to JUST WIN.
Sounds like her.
I didn't imply he wasn't a good guy. He wouldn't have the caucus-wide support he does if he were otherwise. But there are people with simplistic understandings of labels.
TC, that's more than a little condescending. "Labels" when used in politics tend to morph rapidly. And different people view the same term differently, depending on the lens of their own persuasion.
Have we gone too far with this labeling business? It appears the nuances between the labels have become more and more finely tuned. And those labels have also become another way to divide people.
I propose we remember a Democrat is a Democrat. Looks like the Democrats in the House are reminding us of that simple way of looking at it.
The problem here is the “use” of labels itself. Their use is lazy imo. Planting a label on someone immediately removes the nuance of one’s philosophical entirety down to a narrow misconception, often misinterpreted: lazy
Speak to specifics of policy instead
That also is not what I was saying. Misunderstanding what someone means when they use a "label" as shorthand is one of the primary routes to political misunderstandings.
As this thread now demonstrates.
OK TC, and sorry for any misunderstanding. I Just took your statement "But there are people with simplistic understandings of labels." to imply that your own definition of a given label is somehow more nuanced and sophisticated than someone else's. I may well have misread that. Look, Labels like "liberal" and "conservative" have become almost useless because they are thrown around so recklessly and without other context. The way I look at this is that a person describing someone else as "liberal" for example, should define the term in their own understanding. So if a person refers to Nancy Pelosi as being a "liberal", for example, they should explain patiently for the benefit of any Fox News watchers present that they are not saying she is a Communist. For my own part, I think of Pelosi as being an "establishment Democrat". And I define that last term to mean a person heavily aligned with the current power structure in the Democratic party, and more specifically, what their record of position and achievement has been since she ascended to the Speakership. So when I think of the Dem Establishment and evoke the term, this conjures up in my mind a vast array of sometimes conflicting tendencies ranging from "liberal" to flat out "authoritarian", with the overriding sense that whatever the Dem Establishment is today or has been recently, they are still infinately better at governance in the interest of the people than the Republican Establishment. Somehow though, I suspect this won't help:-)
Peace, bro?
I didn't take it that way at all. That's why I clarified what I meant.
We're all good. At most we have a mild difference of opinion, I don't think either of us are about to declare a blood feud :)
I’m one, sadly, appreciate the nuance
As one of Jeffries’ constituents, I appreciate you pointing this out. Personally, I think he’s: a) kind of a tool, and b) no prize.
Nancy Pelosi has worked with Jeffries closely, and I feel I have good reason to trust her judgement. You insult him with no evidence. Offer some specific details, or you risk looking like a troll, you know?
Professionally presented alternative perspectives are OK.
Nancy just gave an opinion, hers.
It's OK. She did not denigrate, trash or otherwise use trolling tools.
Just said her opinion.
It's OK.
I wouldn't say that at all. He's very effective, as is being demonstrated this week. "Effectiveness" is far more important than "political correctness," which is generally bullshit anyway when it comes to ever accomplishing anything.
Why?
She will be considered one the greatest Speaker ever. How much conservatives loath her tells how great she was as Speaker.
Yes, the greatest ever! And just as she guided with steeliness underneath the calm, she is ever-magnificent as she steps back from that role into that of a matriarch's who contentedly watches her diverse family stick together....
Pelosi is actually liberal and even progressive in her personal politics. As Speaker she needed to compromise and so in that public role she appeared more conservative
Hakeem Jeffries is a relatively moderate progressive. The House Progressive Caucus members (a diverse group in every way) have been strategically exemplary. It is a perfect transfer of Democratic party power.
Please inform what is Progressive about Jeffries? I am not aware of anything he’s done or said that is Progressive . That would help. Thanks.