This afternoon, a federal grand jury indicted Trump advisor Stephen K. Bannon on two counts of contempt of Congress. Today’s indictment was signed by Matthew M. Graves, the new U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia, sworn into office just a week ago today.
Before Trump, I did not fully appreciate what "white privilege" meant. I hadn't read about Wilmington, NC in 1898 when whites overthrew the elected city government of blacks, Republicans and Democrats to replace every public office holder with white supremacists with military weapons. I hadn't read about the Tulsa burning of Greenwood a prosperous community of 10,000 blacks by a mob of whites, men and boys with guns and machine guns in 1921. Though I had observed the George Zimmerman gun murder of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin where Zimmerman was set free on a "stand your ground" defense. A defense that Everytown USA, Bloomberg's gun safety organization calls a license to kill. Every state that has "stand your ground" laws have a much greater number of unarmed blacks shot and killed by armed whites than states without this law.
We now have two nationally reported cases in court of armed whites shooting and killing unarmed people. The Rittenhouse case in Wisconsin and the Marbury case in Georgia where self defense is being used by the gun owners who killed unarmed people.
Daily, we hear of more evidence and new examples of white Republicans threatening the lives of other Americans. This seemed to start with Trump's 2015 campaign "lock her up" and now includes "hang" VP Pence and videos of a House Republican killing House Leader Nancy Pelosi and attacking President Biden.
White privilege has risen to getting away with murder, threats of murder, plans to over throw the US government, laws to restrict non-Republican voters, intimidate poll workers and give Republican state legislators the ability to overturn elections.
All of this was historically practiced by Southern whites from the early 1800s to preserve slavery and then to secure white supremacy in the south expanding into the north, practiced by white Aryan German Nazis from the 1930s until 1945, and by Russian Communists from the early 1900s through the end of the Soviet Union. And now with Putin's Russia, a repressive backward nation that Trump Republicans admire.
Well it’s about time! Now, Mr. AG Garland, let’s get a move on! Bannon and the former president are going to do everything they can to stall hoping the 2022 elections bring a Republican majority to the House, and an end to the Jan. 6 investigation.
Some news from the SDNY and the NY AG would be most welcome as well.
Another nugget of good news: Today Ciattelli conceded to Murphy in NJ. In a class act he said he hated to lose but could find no reason for a recount; he lost the election for governor fair and square. A very gutsy class act for a republican during times like these, but just the usual way of doing politics in better times forever ago. I'm sure he'll run again if he is not blackmailed by his party for conceding. Let's hope he is still the mensch he appeared to be today. Let's hope a few more Republicans can find some courage and statecraft in 2022.....
Have a great Fall weekend Dr. Richardson, and everybody!
"Bannon is facing a fine of up to $1000 and a year in jail on each count. But a conviction will not mean he will be forced to testify before the committee.
This indictment’s significance may well lie less in getting Bannon to cooperate than in warning others what is at stake if they do not." –HCR from LFAA
Sadly, I don't think the threat of Jail time and a fine of $1000 USD is going to have any of Trump's former staff members and advisors quaking in their boots. They'll simply shrug it off. And, if by some miracle, they are thrown in jail for Contempt of Congress they will milk it for everything it's worth, including being persecuted for the cause of Republican righteousness. These people have no morals, they play dirty, they are irredeemable.
Equal justice under the law is not possible in America because the Trump-led GOP has politicized the courts. Moreover, members of the Trump cult can not be trusted to seek the truth, & should be disqualified from jury duty. Don't trust me, watch the judges & juries in the Rittenhouse & Arbery trials.
We live in an era where many people not only have a vote but also convenient ways to voice their thoughts and ideas to (many) other people. We can take it as a matter of fact. Our voices matter because words have power which can influence others. People like trump and bannon use their “grievances” to stir up others for their own cynical purposes. Lying becomes so routine for them, and seems to work so well with their supporters, that they seem to create a separate reality together that most often bears little resemblance to the real world of facts, truth and the rule of law. trump’s “Stop the Steal” fabulism is a prime example of this kind of thing. Ultimately, in a well established society and nation like the United States their fantastical ways of thinking and behaving create problems…mostly for themselves and their very willing supporters eager to embrace their lies for their own reasons. Now the House Special Committee is showing the American people, and the world, that their efforts to discover “who did what” to foment, incite and support the January 6 Insurrection, have the power of the rule of law behind them that won’t be denied by lies and fabrications of a former president and his sorry gang. It’s good to see this happening. Many have voiced their impatience with the seemingly slow progress of the DoJ during this time wondering out loud “what is taking Merrick Garland so long to act?” Judge Garland understands the significance of his words and actions when it comes to doing his job as it involves enforcing the rule of law on any number of maters before the DoJ. So now we are witnessing him and his department acting on this vital matter. This is how a great democracy should work and most often does work. trump and his gang are being held to account and most assuredly will face many legal actions in the days ahead that will ultimately bring them to justice as our rule of law is appropriately asserted. Keep going and thank you to all who are doing their jobs to protect and preserve our democracy.
I remember that when I was younger, I used to watch a lot of documentaries about Nazi Germany and I always wondered what a modern day fascist would look like. When I look at photos of the preening, smug Orange Asscactus and the odious Steve Bannon, I get my answer……..
"Those testifying will likely be interested in doing what’s best for themselves."
Those testifying. What's best for themselves.
With the entire apparatus of the Republican party at best hedging their bets on a Trump regime and at worst actively colluding with Trump, what calculus of self interest is in play?
And how does favorable treatment by the Leonard Leo / Mitch McConnell judiciary figure into their equations?
As an aside, fresh from packing the courts, Federalist Society honcho and Opus Dei acolyte, Leonard Leo is busy working to restrict if not eliminate trial by jury. Leo has a hand in every anti democratic scheme right wing religious extremists and plutocrats, kleptocrats, and oligarchs have put in play. The very busy Leo also selects admissions and appointments to the publicly funded George Mason University Scalia Law School. (By the way, publicly funded George Mason is also home to the Koch funded Mercatus Center, known as 'ground zero for deregulation'.)
What chance do democratic institutions and equality before the law have? The chance depends on all of us uniting to elect Democratic representatives to every office in every branch in every level of government.
I know for a fact if I, the ordinary citizen were to plan and execute a take over with a few thousand of my friends, the U.S. Capital or say the FL. Capital . Most likely I would be shot. But say by some totally crazy notion I don’t even get arrested ? Wait, I have to stop laughing at that thought. Okay. I get told I need to disperse, and of course I don’t until I’m Damn good and ready to. OMG ! Laughing again. And then when I do leave I just go home. This is nuts ! The Feds ,Local police, Sheriff, Swat, would be all over me like stink on a dog where I live.I can understand the DOJ’s approach dealing with the crowd . But everyone of them , perhaps TFG being the exception should have been out and out arrested days later. Most especially those with no ties formally with the dysfunction junction administration. They have gone beyond the lie that TFG lost.You see he really is still president and in charge. They are being told this.Don’t pay attention to President Joe Biden because Trumps still in charge of “ Everything “. The Feds need to go to Bannon’s home and slap cuffs on him. Not to mention a few others. Who do you know that would get away with breaking Federal Laws ? Here, where I live it would be Swift and Severe. They would also take possession of everything I own. And just so you know, in FL. even if you’re not found guilty, you have to hire a Lawyer to get it back. But yea,TFG is in control and running the country from Mar-a-Lago.I hope those 22 Intel. Agency’s that take up so much of our budget are snooping around down south here . If there was ever just 1 of trumps lies man I hope he isn’t staying in the mix of Foreign things. Frightening ! And yes, I heard the recording of him saying he knew Pence was safe. So yes, he was well aware of the situation. I would be under a Fed lock up at just the “Plan” of what they did. Why are they doing this dance with Bannon ? This is not being treated like the Crime it is/was. People, it will be at best a yr later ? Who gets this kind of pass ? Wouldn’t be You or I.
A nugget of good news on the indictment front and what a great way for Matthew Graves to start his new job! Now, if the justice department can keep the momentum rolling, maybe we'll get somewhere with actual convictions.
To me it looks like planned delays hoping to wait it out until there is a Republican majority in Congress after the 2022 election and it all goes away.
The common folk would be jailed by now if we were to ignore a subpoena. The utter audacity of these scoundrels is maddening. The mere red tape the Committee must go through to indict these characters is also frustrating. At least, we have an indictment now. Let’s go get those creeps!
I am appalled at how these Insurrectionists are pleading their charges down to the equivalent of a jaywalking ticket. They broke into the Capitol with the intent to kill, why are they getting next to nothing? Is our Justice System that incredibly broken?
Smoke and mirrors.Bannon's performance a show. The toothlessness of a conviction. Meanwhile "Authoritarian Coups are Gradual then Sudden" description of what's happening before our very eyes marches on. "For some unfathomable reason, Democrats insist on calling their Republican colleagues their “friends.” They are not friends. They are systematically destroying American democracy with the clear objective of replacing it with strongman authoritarianism, a new and American version of what Benito Mussolini called fascism.
Right now they’re moving gradually:
Infiltrating police departments and the enlisted ranks of the military
Taking over school boards and local boards of elections
Firing principals and teachers who defend multiracial, multicultural democracy while banning and burning books that contain such “dangerous” ideas
Gerrymandering states so regardless of how people vote, Republicans control the levers of power....."I urge those here to see the complete list. (Hartmann Report.com) Time for contacting Congressional Reps/Senators; local papers with letters to the editor; our back slapping bipartisan President; friends.
THE PLAYERS: Donald J. Trump, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn, Donnie Jr., Hannity, Giuliani, Paul Gosar, Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz, Tucker Carlson, Kayleigh McEnaney, Josh Hawley, Mark Meadows, Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Michael Cohen, Kellyanne Conway, Paul Manafort, Jason Miller, Steve Cohen; Kevin McCarthy, Bill Barr, Mike Pence, Matt Gaetz, Melania....
Before Trump, I did not fully appreciate what "white privilege" meant. I hadn't read about Wilmington, NC in 1898 when whites overthrew the elected city government of blacks, Republicans and Democrats to replace every public office holder with white supremacists with military weapons. I hadn't read about the Tulsa burning of Greenwood a prosperous community of 10,000 blacks by a mob of whites, men and boys with guns and machine guns in 1921. Though I had observed the George Zimmerman gun murder of unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin where Zimmerman was set free on a "stand your ground" defense. A defense that Everytown USA, Bloomberg's gun safety organization calls a license to kill. Every state that has "stand your ground" laws have a much greater number of unarmed blacks shot and killed by armed whites than states without this law.
We now have two nationally reported cases in court of armed whites shooting and killing unarmed people. The Rittenhouse case in Wisconsin and the Marbury case in Georgia where self defense is being used by the gun owners who killed unarmed people.
Daily, we hear of more evidence and new examples of white Republicans threatening the lives of other Americans. This seemed to start with Trump's 2015 campaign "lock her up" and now includes "hang" VP Pence and videos of a House Republican killing House Leader Nancy Pelosi and attacking President Biden.
White privilege has risen to getting away with murder, threats of murder, plans to over throw the US government, laws to restrict non-Republican voters, intimidate poll workers and give Republican state legislators the ability to overturn elections.
All of this was historically practiced by Southern whites from the early 1800s to preserve slavery and then to secure white supremacy in the south expanding into the north, practiced by white Aryan German Nazis from the 1930s until 1945, and by Russian Communists from the early 1900s through the end of the Soviet Union. And now with Putin's Russia, a repressive backward nation that Trump Republicans admire.
If Bannon can be kept off the air for a year, this indictment will have been worth it, anything less than that will render it a farce!
Well it’s about time! Now, Mr. AG Garland, let’s get a move on! Bannon and the former president are going to do everything they can to stall hoping the 2022 elections bring a Republican majority to the House, and an end to the Jan. 6 investigation.
Some news from the SDNY and the NY AG would be most welcome as well.
Indictments are good. Convictions are better.
Another nugget of good news: Today Ciattelli conceded to Murphy in NJ. In a class act he said he hated to lose but could find no reason for a recount; he lost the election for governor fair and square. A very gutsy class act for a republican during times like these, but just the usual way of doing politics in better times forever ago. I'm sure he'll run again if he is not blackmailed by his party for conceding. Let's hope he is still the mensch he appeared to be today. Let's hope a few more Republicans can find some courage and statecraft in 2022.....
Have a great Fall weekend Dr. Richardson, and everybody!
"Bannon is facing a fine of up to $1000 and a year in jail on each count. But a conviction will not mean he will be forced to testify before the committee.
This indictment’s significance may well lie less in getting Bannon to cooperate than in warning others what is at stake if they do not." –HCR from LFAA
Sadly, I don't think the threat of Jail time and a fine of $1000 USD is going to have any of Trump's former staff members and advisors quaking in their boots. They'll simply shrug it off. And, if by some miracle, they are thrown in jail for Contempt of Congress they will milk it for everything it's worth, including being persecuted for the cause of Republican righteousness. These people have no morals, they play dirty, they are irredeemable.
Equal justice under the law is not possible in America because the Trump-led GOP has politicized the courts. Moreover, members of the Trump cult can not be trusted to seek the truth, & should be disqualified from jury duty. Don't trust me, watch the judges & juries in the Rittenhouse & Arbery trials.
We live in an era where many people not only have a vote but also convenient ways to voice their thoughts and ideas to (many) other people. We can take it as a matter of fact. Our voices matter because words have power which can influence others. People like trump and bannon use their “grievances” to stir up others for their own cynical purposes. Lying becomes so routine for them, and seems to work so well with their supporters, that they seem to create a separate reality together that most often bears little resemblance to the real world of facts, truth and the rule of law. trump’s “Stop the Steal” fabulism is a prime example of this kind of thing. Ultimately, in a well established society and nation like the United States their fantastical ways of thinking and behaving create problems…mostly for themselves and their very willing supporters eager to embrace their lies for their own reasons. Now the House Special Committee is showing the American people, and the world, that their efforts to discover “who did what” to foment, incite and support the January 6 Insurrection, have the power of the rule of law behind them that won’t be denied by lies and fabrications of a former president and his sorry gang. It’s good to see this happening. Many have voiced their impatience with the seemingly slow progress of the DoJ during this time wondering out loud “what is taking Merrick Garland so long to act?” Judge Garland understands the significance of his words and actions when it comes to doing his job as it involves enforcing the rule of law on any number of maters before the DoJ. So now we are witnessing him and his department acting on this vital matter. This is how a great democracy should work and most often does work. trump and his gang are being held to account and most assuredly will face many legal actions in the days ahead that will ultimately bring them to justice as our rule of law is appropriately asserted. Keep going and thank you to all who are doing their jobs to protect and preserve our democracy.
I remember that when I was younger, I used to watch a lot of documentaries about Nazi Germany and I always wondered what a modern day fascist would look like. When I look at photos of the preening, smug Orange Asscactus and the odious Steve Bannon, I get my answer……..
"Those testifying will likely be interested in doing what’s best for themselves."
Those testifying. What's best for themselves.
With the entire apparatus of the Republican party at best hedging their bets on a Trump regime and at worst actively colluding with Trump, what calculus of self interest is in play?
And how does favorable treatment by the Leonard Leo / Mitch McConnell judiciary figure into their equations?
As an aside, fresh from packing the courts, Federalist Society honcho and Opus Dei acolyte, Leonard Leo is busy working to restrict if not eliminate trial by jury. Leo has a hand in every anti democratic scheme right wing religious extremists and plutocrats, kleptocrats, and oligarchs have put in play. The very busy Leo also selects admissions and appointments to the publicly funded George Mason University Scalia Law School. (By the way, publicly funded George Mason is also home to the Koch funded Mercatus Center, known as 'ground zero for deregulation'.)
What chance do democratic institutions and equality before the law have? The chance depends on all of us uniting to elect Democratic representatives to every office in every branch in every level of government.
https://www.thedailybeast.com/the-secrets-of-leonard-leo-the-man-behind-trumps-supreme-court-pick
https://www.citizensforethics.org/reports-investigations/crew-investigations/80-million-dark-money-group-tied-to-trump-supreme-court-advisor-leonard-leo/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leonard_Leo
I know for a fact if I, the ordinary citizen were to plan and execute a take over with a few thousand of my friends, the U.S. Capital or say the FL. Capital . Most likely I would be shot. But say by some totally crazy notion I don’t even get arrested ? Wait, I have to stop laughing at that thought. Okay. I get told I need to disperse, and of course I don’t until I’m Damn good and ready to. OMG ! Laughing again. And then when I do leave I just go home. This is nuts ! The Feds ,Local police, Sheriff, Swat, would be all over me like stink on a dog where I live.I can understand the DOJ’s approach dealing with the crowd . But everyone of them , perhaps TFG being the exception should have been out and out arrested days later. Most especially those with no ties formally with the dysfunction junction administration. They have gone beyond the lie that TFG lost.You see he really is still president and in charge. They are being told this.Don’t pay attention to President Joe Biden because Trumps still in charge of “ Everything “. The Feds need to go to Bannon’s home and slap cuffs on him. Not to mention a few others. Who do you know that would get away with breaking Federal Laws ? Here, where I live it would be Swift and Severe. They would also take possession of everything I own. And just so you know, in FL. even if you’re not found guilty, you have to hire a Lawyer to get it back. But yea,TFG is in control and running the country from Mar-a-Lago.I hope those 22 Intel. Agency’s that take up so much of our budget are snooping around down south here . If there was ever just 1 of trumps lies man I hope he isn’t staying in the mix of Foreign things. Frightening ! And yes, I heard the recording of him saying he knew Pence was safe. So yes, he was well aware of the situation. I would be under a Fed lock up at just the “Plan” of what they did. Why are they doing this dance with Bannon ? This is not being treated like the Crime it is/was. People, it will be at best a yr later ? Who gets this kind of pass ? Wouldn’t be You or I.
A nugget of good news on the indictment front and what a great way for Matthew Graves to start his new job! Now, if the justice department can keep the momentum rolling, maybe we'll get somewhere with actual convictions.
To me it looks like planned delays hoping to wait it out until there is a Republican majority in Congress after the 2022 election and it all goes away.
The common folk would be jailed by now if we were to ignore a subpoena. The utter audacity of these scoundrels is maddening. The mere red tape the Committee must go through to indict these characters is also frustrating. At least, we have an indictment now. Let’s go get those creeps!
And another thing !
I am appalled at how these Insurrectionists are pleading their charges down to the equivalent of a jaywalking ticket. They broke into the Capitol with the intent to kill, why are they getting next to nothing? Is our Justice System that incredibly broken?
Smoke and mirrors.Bannon's performance a show. The toothlessness of a conviction. Meanwhile "Authoritarian Coups are Gradual then Sudden" description of what's happening before our very eyes marches on. "For some unfathomable reason, Democrats insist on calling their Republican colleagues their “friends.” They are not friends. They are systematically destroying American democracy with the clear objective of replacing it with strongman authoritarianism, a new and American version of what Benito Mussolini called fascism.
Right now they’re moving gradually:
Infiltrating police departments and the enlisted ranks of the military
Taking over school boards and local boards of elections
Firing principals and teachers who defend multiracial, multicultural democracy while banning and burning books that contain such “dangerous” ideas
Gerrymandering states so regardless of how people vote, Republicans control the levers of power....."I urge those here to see the complete list. (Hartmann Report.com) Time for contacting Congressional Reps/Senators; local papers with letters to the editor; our back slapping bipartisan President; friends.
THE PLAYERS: Donald J. Trump, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, Michael Flynn, Donnie Jr., Hannity, Giuliani, Paul Gosar, Lauren Boebert, Marjorie Taylor Greene, Ted Cruz, Tucker Carlson, Kayleigh McEnaney, Josh Hawley, Mark Meadows, Ivanka Trump & Jared Kushner, Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell, Michael Cohen, Kellyanne Conway, Paul Manafort, Jason Miller, Steve Cohen; Kevin McCarthy, Bill Barr, Mike Pence, Matt Gaetz, Melania....
THE MOVIE: Horror; Western; Romance; Thriller; Mystery; Film Noir; Crime; Gangster; Comedy; Spoof; Satire; Slapstick; Science Fiction; Fantasy; Musical; Religious; Legal; Courtroom; Melodrama; Docudrama; War; Disaster; Space Opera; Utopian; Dystopian; Political?